Godiva
by Nerys Jones
Book Summary Information
Author: Nerys JonesEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-18
ISBN: 0230530680
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Macmillan UK
Book Reviews of Godiva
Book Review: `I know one thing: for me to win, I must keep playing, too.'
Summary: 4 Stars
England in 1045 is an uneasy place. (Saint Edward) the Confessor (who reigned from 1042 to 1066, and was canonised in 1161) may have restored Saxon rule after the last Danish king but his policies boosted Norman influence and antagonised many of the powerful Anglo-Saxon barons. Edward's marriage, to Eadgyth (Edith), daughter of Goodwin, Earl of Essex is childless, his court a hotbed of rumour and political intrigue.
One of the most powerful barons is Leofric (Lovric), the Earl of Mercia. His wife, Godgifu (Godiva) is a major landholder in her own right and as a consequence is drawn into the machinations of the court. When the eldest son of Lovric and Godiva is manoeuvred into a treasonable act, Godiva's maternal instincts override her usual judgement and her desire to protect her family contributes to a series of events that threaten her and her family with disaster.
This novel draws on what is known about Godiva and includes the popular story that Godiva rode naked, hidden only by her long hair, through the streets of Coventry to save her people from oppressive taxation. Ms Jones's Godiva is a powerful, passionate woman who is courageous and heroic. The setting is largely factual, the story is plausibly woven around those facts and the characters are human.
For those who like to distinguish what is factual from what is fictional, Ms Jones has included both a postscript and some suggested further reading. Sadly, Ms Jones herself died as this, her first novel, was being published.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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