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THE WORDS OF BERNFRIEDA: A CHRONICLE OF HAUTEVILLE
Gabriella Brooke, Eastern Washington University Press, $18.95 trade pb (£10.40 from Amazon.co.uk), 1999; 258pp. ISBN: 0-910055-49-1
“The past is interesting only when it foreshadows greatness,” explains the monk Gaufredus Malaterra to this novel’s narrator, Bernfrieda, who questions why her lady’s life story will not be included in contemporary chronicles.  To him, the importance of the noble Lady Fredesenda of Hauteville (1002-1063) is shown purely in terms of her relationship to her famous sons, Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia, and Rogier, Count of Mileto, two Norman knights who conquered lands in southern Italy.  Bernfrieda, the companion, servant, and illegitimate half-sister of Lady Fredesenda (“Senda”), takes it upon herself to write her own chronicle of her life and times.  Her recollections form the basis of this novel.
            Throughout her life Senda is a kind, generous mistress to Bernfrieda, but her vision is myopic; she spends much of the novel feeling sorry for herself.  Not permitted to marry the man of her choice, she’s instead promised in marriage to his father, Tancred of Hauteville, a minor nobleman over twice her age.  Tancred loves her, but this feeling is never reciprocated.  In the meantime, her household servants lead lives of the “nasty, brutish, and short” variety.  Senda never takes a look around to see how fortunate she truly is.
            The novel poses numerous questions on the nature of recorded history.  Do chronicles always record the exact truth?  Or is it also a chronicler’s duty to embellish the facts so as to glorify deeds and provide examples for future generations?  What important details have we forgotten to record - or deliberately left out - over the years?
            The author, a professor of Italian at an American university, chose a small academic press to publish her novel, an unusual choice.  However, perhaps a reflection of this fact, the book is well researched down to the tiniest detail, from Norman wedding outfits to the portrayal of historical figures such as Senda’s Amazon-like daughter-in-law, Sichelgaita of Salerno.  Though in reality little is known of Senda’s life, her fictional history as recorded here seems perfectly plausible.  The only minor complaint I had is that I would have liked the author to clearly indicate in her cast of characters which ones were fictional.
            The Words of Bernfrieda is not just for those readers with particular interests in “women’s history,” although it will surely find its niche there.  Fans of Cecelia Holland’s Great Maria, another historical novel of Norman Sicily, will enjoy this one also, although Bernfrieda has more of a domestic, thoughtful feel.  I don’t know if Ms. Brooke has plans to write any more historical novels, but I hope so.

THE SECRET WIFE OF KING GEORGE IV
Diane Haeger, St. Martin’s, $24.95 hb (£14.12 from Amazon.co.uk), March 2000; 384pp , ISBN 0-312-24420-7
Diane Haeger is no stranger to tales of royal romance, having dramatized the love story of Henri II of France and Diane de Poitiers in her earlier novel Courtesan.  In this latest outing she takes on the tale of the turbulent relationship between George IV of England and his secret, illegal wife.  In 1784, while still Prince of Wales, George fell in love with twice-widowed Catholic commoner Maria Fitzherbert.  In defiance of his father and the Royal Marriages Act, George married Maria in a ceremony kept hidden from his parents, the royal court, and even their closest friends.  In short, perfect material for a historical romance.
            As the novel begins, her uncle and his social-climbing wife introduce Maria - at 28 and after two marriages still surprisingly innocent - to the intricacies of London society.  At a ball she’s presented to the rakish, handsome Prince of Wales, who falls in love with her at first sight.  Though reluctant at first, it doesn’t take long for her to reciprocate his feelings... but as a practicing Catholic she refuses to become his mistress.
            Keeping an undertaking as a royal marriage a secret is no mean feat, however, as George and Maria soon discover.  While all would be perfectly happy to accept her as his mistress, no one is remotely ready to consider the idea of Maria as his wife.  Society as a whole comes out in full force against them, so much so that their efforts in holding the union together become difficult to maintain.
            Maria Fitzherbert makes an ideal romantic heroine - blonde, beautiful, and graceful, with rarely a hair out of place even in the most distressful situations.  Likewise, the Prince of Wales is devilishly handsome, charming, and even reformed from his typical drunken, amorous behavior under Maria’s influence.  If these portrayals are a little too perfect to be real, readers should note that this book is primarily a romance, but still I would have liked to see a little less refinement and a little more character development.  We’re told that Maria is Catholic, but aside from her protests to that effect and a note sent to Rome, she makes hardly any outward demonstrations of her religion.  Also, one introductory scene in which the adult George rather emotionally asks his father why he never loved him is hard to believe.  Still, the author has done a good job of recreating a tale of love, duty, and societal pressure against an elegant backdrop of pre-Regency England.  Fans of Regency romances who don’t mind some slightly spicy reading will likely enjoy this book.

THE TIDAL POOLE: AN ELIZABETH I MYSTERY
Karen Harper, Delacorte, $22.95 hc (£12.59 from Amazon.co.uk), Feb 2000; 290pp, ISBN 0-385-33284-X
Queen Elizabeth the First is in vogue these days.  First we have two popular movies (Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth) with her as a character, and now she’s the star of her own historical mystery series.  In The Tidal Poole, the second in Karen Harper’s series following The Poyson Garden, Elizabeth has just been crowned, but must deal with more personal problems as well.  A young woman, the sister of a childhood friend, has been found murdered, and Elizabeth decides that she must take charge of solving the mystery herself - with the help of her motley group of retainers.
            What I found particularly vivid in this novel were the descriptions of London and its inhabitants: the noise of the streets, the speech of the common people, the mix of the rich and the poor.  Elizabeth’s character as portrayed here, though, is quite at odds with her historical image.  Would the real Elizabeth regularly have switched clothing with a servant in order to sneak out at night to go sleuthing?  Would she really have risked her life numerous times, after spending most of her life in line for England’s throne, in order to solve the murder of a woman she barely if ever knew?  While her adventures as described here are entertaining, they’re hardly realistic.  On the other hand, perhaps this is not a mystery to be taken completely seriously.  Given the humorous depictions of some supporting characters - the unusual sexual escapades of Elizabeth’s cousin Frances and her young second husband, for example - one gets the feeling that the author was having a good time writing this mystery. 

DARK EAGLE: A NOVEL OF BENEDICT ARNOLD AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
John Ensor Harr, Viking USA $27.95 hb (£15.34 from Amazon.co.uk), Oct 1999; 512pp , ISBN 0-670-88704-8
The name Benedict Arnold is synonymous with the word “traitor” in the American vocabulary.  With this novel the author attempts to set the record straight.  Dark Eagle is a epic defense of Arnold’s treasonous behavior in the U.S. Revolutionary War, during which he plotted to turn both the American fort of West Point and the U.S. Commander in Chief, George Washington, over to the British army.
            Arnold, trained as an apothecary in Connecticut, joined up with the Continental Army when he felt they needed strong soldiers.  Known as the “fighting General,” he proceeded to lead the Americans to several great military successes.  However, in the midst of fighting at Freeman’s Farm near Saratoga, the American commander held him back from the fighting and redirected his men elsewhere.  Despite this, Arnold led his forces to victory, though he ruined his leg in the process.  (Today at the Saratoga National Historic Park in New York there is a curious memorial, dedicated more to the leg than the man.)
            Though one of the Americans’ strongest leaders, Arnold is not treated well by either his fellow Generals or the Congress.  This stirs up gradual resentment in him. At times it seems the only people on his side are the troops themselves and, later, his wife Peggy.  Though he’s too brusque and forthright to be a truly sympathetic character, Arnold’s final action did become more understandable the more I read.
            Growing up, I found US history unbelievably boring, as the classes in the subject seemed nothing more than unending lists of battles and dates.  Despite this, I picked up this novel with interest after learning that Benedict Arnold was a distant cousin of mine.  In Dark Eagle, the personalities of Revolutionary heroes on both sides of the action shine through.  Arnold is the classic tragic hero, switching sides only when it’s clear that his country has turned against him.  “Gentleman” John Burgoyne is his worthy opponent, and General Washington is portrayed as an honorable man who gives up on Arnold in the face of opposition from Congress.  The one character who I felt could have been more fully fleshed out is Peggy Shippen, Arnold’s future wife, who seems a bit too concerned with frilly dresses and parties to be the sensitive, intelligent confidante that Arnold finally finds in her.
            The author describes the front lines of battle and the home front equally well.  I found the descriptions of the wartime festivities in British-occupied Philadelphia especially enjoyable.  Also fascinating was Burgoyne’s visit after Saratoga to the recuperating Arnold, at which they praised each other’s actions and reminisced about strategies!  Needless to say, if I had read this novel years ago in lieu of my school textbooks, I might have had a more favorable impression of American history.  Highly recommended.

AWEN: A NOVEL OF EARLY MEDIEVAL WALES
Susan Mayse, Eastern Washington University Press, hb $35.00 (£33.25 from Amazon.co.uk), December 1997; 404pp, ISBN: 0-910055-37-8
May 4th, 793 AD.  Cynfarch mab Cadeyrn Penllyn, called Brys, appears for trial in the court of his foster father, Brochfael King of Powys.  Dispossessed years ago of his birthright by his father’s treason, Brys finds himself given as a hostage into the hands of Offa of Mercia - Powys’ avowed enemy.  With this action, the course of his life as envoy, soldier, and spy is set.  Also an accomplished poet, Brys uses his skills in diplomacy and song to feel his way through the tangled threads of treachery and secrets that make up the politics between Powys, Mercia, and their neighbors.
            Eventually finding his way back to Powys and his lover, the female goldsmith Meirwen, Brys’ overall intention is to forge a lasting peace between the warring kingdoms.  His travels take him over the course of three years from Powys to Gwynedd to Charlemagne’s court in Frankia and finally back to his origins.  Throughout his journey, he cannot shake himself from old tales of the princess Heledd, another homeless wanderer from two centuries before.  In Heledd’s story, he sees parallels with his own life - as well as the life of Powys itself.  
            The imagery and language in Awen are so intense that it’s best read slowly in order to absorb its full flavor.  It took me a good three weeks to finish; it no doubt took the author years to write and research.  One can hardly read Awen - “the breath of inspiration” in Welsh - without being caught up in its magic.
            Although I finished this novel feeling like I’d accomplished something momentous, it left me wanting more, particularly because the novel concludes with an unexpected twist. The author has made the effort of consulting numerous primary sources: most of the characters, including Brys, are based on historical figures.  It’s unfortunate, however, that no actual stanzas from Canu Heledd, a Welsh poetry cycle based on Heledd’s story, are reprinted within the text.
            Awen was first published just over two years ago.  Since it does such a remarkable job of recreating a world now lost to us, I felt it still deserved mention within these pages. Although its densely packed prose is not for everyone, it certainly deserves more recognition than it’s received thus far.  Reading Awen is truly a step back in time to experience the passion, poetry, and romance of medieval Wales. 

HOUSEHOLD GODS
Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove , Tor $27.95 hc (£15.81 from Amazon.co.uk), September 1999; 512 pp , ISBN 0-312-86487-6
Nicole Gunther-Perrin, single mother and transplanted Californian, is having the worst week of her life.  Her deadbeat ex-husband heads to Cancún with his girlfriend without paying child support, her child care provider quits, and she’s passed over as a partner in her law firm in favor of a male colleague.  In desperation, she makes an offering to the two Roman gods on the plaque by her nightstand, and wishes for them to take her back to their time... a time when society wasn’t so sexist, nor life so artificial and hateful.
            Overnight, her wish is granted, and she awakens to the overpowering stench of Roman Carnuntum, a frontier town of the Empire, in the year 170 AD.  Not only has the scenery changed, but her body’s no longer her own: she has now become Umma, a widowed tavernkeeper with serious family problems and a steady boyfriend who desperately needs a bath.  Umma is also a slaveowner, a fact that angers Nicole to no end - wasn’t life supposed to be more equitable back then?  In addition, hygiene is practically nonexistent, and entertainment includes watching wild animals kill each other.  Still, most people she meets seem content with whatever life offers them.
            Nicole is surprisingly ignorant of Roman ways of life - one would have hoped that a person with her education would have realized that Roman women hardly men’s equals and that slavery was common.  This is a minor problem with what’s otherwise a thoroughly engrossing novel.  Although most of the book simply describes Nicole/Umma’s day-to-day existence, her life would hardly be easy for a twentieth century person to adjust to - and it’s these details which prove fascinating.  Not only do I have a clear image in my mind of Umma’s tavern, but I can almost taste the high-quality wine she serves to her better customers.  Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove are bestselling novelists in their own right, and their compilation brings out the best in both authors.  Don’t let the subgenre of this novel turn you off, as this is easily one of the best novels of Roman times that I’ve read in a long while.  

HILL COUNTRY
Janice Woods Windle , Scribner, $14 trade pb (£7.92 from Amazon.co.uk), April 2000; 471pp , ISBN 0-684-88605-6
When several years ago I first picked up True Women, Janice Woods Windle's first novel about the passionate, tumultuous lives of her Texas ancestors, I was fascinated by the family tree on the endpapers. Among the photos included on the tree was one of the author's paternal grandmother, Laura Hoge Woods (1870-1966).  As Laura was not mentioned in this earlier novel, I had assumed - wrongly - that her life might not have been exciting enough to record.
            Hill Country is Laura Woods' life story, one she herself might have written - and, indeed, did write, as this novel is based on the typewritten and handwritten memoirs she left to her granddaughter to complete.  Born when the Texas Hill Country was still wild and untamed, Laura grows up in a ranch family living alongside the Blanco River.  She and her siblings survive several dangerous encounters with Indians, some of their neighbors not being so lucky.
            Choosing domestic stability over wild romance, Laura marries an older man with a love for horses - Peter Woods.  Readers of True Women will know that her husband’s family was full of strong and strong-minded women, and Laura is no exception.  Her strength shows through time and again: for the sake of more land Laura homesteads alone in a cabin for six months with only a drunk trapper for company. 
            The life of the Woods family closely intertwines with that of the Johnsons, their longtime neighbors.  Rebekah, later the mother of US President Lyndon Johnson, becomes a lifelong friend of Laura's, and one interest shared between the two women is the exciting world of Hill Country politics.  Though they cannot participate fully in politics themselves, they seek to hold power first through their husbands, and later through their sons.  Reading Hill Country, one cannot help but wonder how many decisions of national importance first originated in the minds of Laura Woods or Rebekah Johnson, two women who rarely left the Texas hills where they were born!
            Throughout Laura’s long, eventful life she never backs down from a challenge, and with every word the author clearly expresses her admiration for her grandmother without being overly sentimental.  Still, readers will want to keep a few tissues handy as Laura’s advancing age forces the story to rely more and more on the author’s memories.  In all, the story flows effortlessly from start to finish.  One cannot help but think that Laura Woods herself would be proud.

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Questions or comments?  E-mail me at cfsln@eiu.edu.

Last updated: March 17, 2002