Lord of Sunset by Parke Godwin Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Lord of Sunset
Book Review: Brilliant!
Summary: 5 Stars
I own several works by Parke Godwin, but honestly had them placed low on my reading list. Finally, after being motivated by the Valerie Anand trilogy centered around 1066, I delved into this book. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?!! Parke Godwin is a masterful story teller. Far from the typical one-sided account of a story, Mr. Godwin takes the reader from one character's perspective to another - told in that character's voice. He brillantly shows his skill by incorporating not only the perspective of the main character, Harold II, but includes the perspectives of Edith (his wife), William the Confessor, Botulf (a servant), William of Normandy, Tostig(his brother), his sister and more. Each one weaves seamlessly into the next so that the story continues to flow and yet separates just enough for you to anxiously await the author's next attempt at that character's telling. It is truly one of the very best books I've read and I'll never part with my copy. RARELY do I read books a second time - this one I will!!!Book Review: Confusing and Stilted
Summary: 2 Stars
I really wanted to enjoy this book because of the subject matter. This critical time period in British history offers many memorable characters. I did enjoy the story being told through the eyes of the different characters but at times I was very confused about exactly who was related to who and how they were related. A genealogical table would have been very helpful. The writing seemed stilted and the relationship between Harold and Edith didn't seem fleshed out enough. Why exactly did he love her? I found the characters of King Edward and his queen Eada must more interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the book but felt more exposition on the characters would have improved the flow of the story.Book Review: Eh
Summary: 3 Stars
A brief rundown on the history this book covers. Before the Norman Conquest of 1066, England was ruled by Edward (now known as Edward the Confessor). Edward was related through his mother Emma to Duke William of Normandy and the Duke believed he was Edward's heir and had a God-given right to England's crown upon his death. Like all the other English kings, Edward's Earl's were pesky and the most powerful of them was the Earl of Wessex. Godwin had several sons, and a couple of them caused quite a bit of mischief of their own, but the son who inherited the earldom was Harold - and that is who this book is about.
Harold loved Edith Swan-Neck, a woman who was *beneath* his station and could not wed her in the eyes of the church, but they were handfasted and lived as man and wife. The English earls wanted none of Duke William upon Edward's death, so they elected Harold King and thus begin the events leading up to the Norman Conquest. That's a very basic rundown and of course there's a whole lot more to it than that but you know what I always say - read it for yourself.
This book is written from the point of view of several characters, Harold and Edith's being the main ones, along with Edward and William and a few others. I'm not terribly fond of first person narratives, although Godwin did handle these quite nicely and give the reader a well-rounded look at each side of the *coin*. While I found the author's prose very lyrical, the story telling was a bit too slow paced and in the end I just wasn't pulled into the story as much as I'd like to be, nor did I pick up on a lot of *grand passion* between the pair. Perhaps it's because I came into this book after having read Valerie Anand's Gildenford as well as Helen Hollick's fabulous Harold the King, but this one just falls short in comparison to those two. A good book, just not a great one.
Book Review: Fascinating Period of History
Summary: 4 Stars
Prior to reading this book, I knew very little about the reasons behind the Norman Conquest, and practically nothing about King Edward and King Harold. This was an excellent introduction behind the many characters who forged the history of Great Britain. The author makes these characters come alive, and one of the most fascinating dynamics was the relationship between King Edward and Godwine, and later Harold. While the author does justice to the deep love between Harold and Edith, it doesn't dominate the story. My only complaint, and the reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars was the cursory treatment of the battle of Hastings. All things considered, however, this is a great book for anyone interested in medieval England.Book Review: Simply fascinating!
Summary: 4 Stars
I've read all the books I've been able to find on Harold II, and this one was very different and unique. Godwin's use of different narrators was not only surprising, but quite wonderful! Who would have thought to have ever learned Earl Godwin's opinion or heard Eadgytha's or Tostig's side of the tale? This technique was just marvelous! I loved getting into the heads of King Edward and Duke William. The only problem (though minor) that I had with this book was Godwin's version of Harold's famed relationship with Edith. To be perfectly honest, a man of Harold's reputation and power would not have fallen for a plump Plain Jane as Godwin portrayed Edith. He should've made her the gorgeous mate that earned her the title of "Swan-neck." All in all, though, this book is just great.
More Lord of Sunset reviews:
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