Welcome to Litsy!

Final book in the trilogy and it‘s the best by far.

King Henry is now out of the picture. Eleanor spends her time as Queen Mother and advisor to her children. Tons of tragedy for Eleanor, plus plenty of backstabbing and betrayal which has always been commonplace for life as a royal. My favorite part is the politics and decision-making in this installment, always with the goal of protecting borders. Great series, I really enjoyed my time with it.

Beach reading 🏖️🍹☀️

Excellent!! But stressful toward the end, with the Revolt of 1173 and Eleanor‘s subsequent capture. These are not spoilers; history tells us these things. What stood out most was Henry and Eleanor‘s tumultuous relationship and the way Henry forged alliances with neighboring lands to solidify his empire. So much scandal and betrayal! I‘m eager to continue with the third book, but I may take a short break since they‘re such dense reads.

Nearly halfway thru this one and I‘m enjoying this [fictional] deep dive into Eleanor of Aquitaine‘s life! I love her.

Every time I read medieval stories I‘m just blown away by how little agency women had in that era-even rich and powerful ones-and by how pregnancy and childbirth really sort of ruled their lives.

Recent acquisition:

📖 The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV by Helen Castor

I liked this book enough that it‘s tough to review here. There is just too much I want to talk about. Shakespeare, Richard II, king at 10, riding out amongst the mob of the Peasants Revolt in 1381, his disinterest in his country, and quest for absolute power. Henry IV, who usurped the throne, was his cousin, the same age, and loyal until he felt threatened. Also - Richard was never insane. An awesome book on the Women‘s Prize longlist.

Blame it on an upcoming trip to London, but this royal history about Richard II & Henry IV from the Women's Prize Nonfiction Longlist piqued my interest. Also helped that I've read the Shakespeare plays about these kings. At 20+ hours, it was a commitment. My interest waned near the end. But I was immersed for the first 3/4. War, intrigue, rebellion. Nothing was stable for long. Castor is THOROUGH & has a soft spot for Henry IV & his father 👇

Recent acquisition:

📖 Bosworth 1485: Psychology of a Battle by Michael Jones

While listening to this one, I put together this kit and just had to show it to you all. I think it came out great!

I have mixed feelings about this one. I do think it‘s well written, but I also know I am not the audience for it. I knew nothing about these men and felt some sort of prior knowledge was imperative to fully enjoying this book. I never would have made it through the print; the audio was well done.