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The Winter Siege
A powerful historical novel by the late Ariana Franklin and her daughter Samantha Norman, The Siege Winter is a tour de force mystery and murder, adventure and intrigue, a battle for a crown, told by two courageous young women whose fates are intertwined in twelfth century England’s devastating civil war.
1141. England is engulfed in war as King Stephen and his cousin, the Empress Matilda, vie for the crown. In this dangerous world, not even Emma, an eleven-year-old peasant, is safe. A depraved monk obsessed with redheads kidnaps the ginger-haired girl from her village and leaves her for dead. When an archer for hire named Gwyl finds her, she has no memory of her previous life. Unable to abandon her, Gwyl takes the girl with him, dressing her as a boy, giving her a new name—Penda—and teaching her to use a bow. But Gwyn knows that the man who hurt Penda roams free, and that a scrap of evidence she possesses could be very valuable.
Gwyl and Penda make their way to Kenilworth, a small but strategically important fortress that belongs to fifteen-year-old Maud. Newly wedded to a boorish and much older husband after her father’s death, the fierce and determined young chatelaine tempts fate and Stephen’s murderous wrath when she gives shelter to the empress.
Aided by a garrison of mercenaries, including Gwyl and his odd red-headed apprentice, Maud will stave off Stephen’s siege for a long, brutal winter that will bring a host of visitors to Kenilworth—kings, soldiers . . . and a sinister monk with deadly business to finish.
1141. England is engulfed in war as King Stephen and his cousin, the Empress Matilda, vie for the crown. In this dangerous world, not even Emma, an eleven-year-old peasant, is safe. A depraved monk obsessed with redheads kidnaps the ginger-haired girl from her village and leaves her for dead. When an archer for hire named Gwyl finds her, she has no memory of her previous life. Unable to abandon her, Gwyl takes the girl with him, dressing her as a boy, giving her a new name—Penda—and teaching her to use a bow. But Gwyn knows that the man who hurt Penda roams free, and that a scrap of evidence she possesses could be very valuable.
Gwyl and Penda make their way to Kenilworth, a small but strategically important fortress that belongs to fifteen-year-old Maud. Newly wedded to a boorish and much older husband after her father’s death, the fierce and determined young chatelaine tempts fate and Stephen’s murderous wrath when she gives shelter to the empress.
Aided by a garrison of mercenaries, including Gwyl and his odd red-headed apprentice, Maud will stave off Stephen’s siege for a long, brutal winter that will bring a host of visitors to Kenilworth—kings, soldiers . . . and a sinister monk with deadly business to finish.
357 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2014
495 people are currently reading
5953 people want to read
About the author
Ariana Franklin
18 books1,084 followersAriana Franklin was the pen name of British writer Diana Norman. A former journalist, Norman had written several critically acclaimed biographies and historical novels. She lived in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband, the film critic Barry Norman.
Note:
The Death Maze (UK) is published as The Serpent's Tale in the US.
Relics of the Dead (UK) is published as Grave Goods in the US.
The Assassin's Prayer (UK) is published as A Murderous Procession in the US.
Note:
The Death Maze (UK) is published as The Serpent's Tale in the US.
Relics of the Dead (UK) is published as Grave Goods in the US.
The Assassin's Prayer (UK) is published as A Murderous Procession in the US.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 635 reviews
March 4, 2015
First Sentence: It is a wood-paneled room of sumptuous size—the abbots of Perton have always done themselves well.
In 1141, England was engulfed in civil war between King Stephen and his cousin, the Empress Matilda over who would wear the crown. It is 1180 and a dying abbot has one last important task to accomplish. He summons a young scribe in order to document a much more personal story set during that backdrop and occurring during a long, brutal siege winter.
While readers were heartbroken by the death of Ariana Franklin and the incredible cliffhanger left in her last book in the “Mistress of the Art of Death” series, this does not resolve that series. However, for both prior and new readers, you are in for such a treat. This book was begun by Ms. Franklin (aka Diana Norman) prior to her death, and has been completed by her daughter, Samantha Norman. While that is wonderful in itself, what is truly remarkable is that the fusion is absolutely seamless.
There is no awkward transition between the two authors; it is all one voice. No, the language is not of the period. To that, there was the explanation given by Ms. Franklin at the end of “Grave Goods,” …”…in twelfth-century England the common people spoke a form of English even less comprehensive than Chaucer’s. In the fourteenth; the nobility spoke Normal French, and the clergy spoke Latin. Since people then sounded contemporary to one another, and since I hate the use of what I call “gadzooks” in historical novels to denote a past age, I insist on making those people sound modern to the reader.” One can’t argue with that.
For us readers, the story begins with the history given, the stage set, the players assembled and the curtain drawn on what, from the very start, we know will be a wonderful tale. The narrative is fascinating and, periodically through the story, moves the tale forward while providing historical context. The story provides wonderful details of castle life, and what it takes to run and defend a castle during this period.
What a wonderful assembly of characters. Each leaps off the page into full life and touches our emotions. Gwilherm de Vannes, a mercenary soldier, and his conversations with God are a true delight…”And what now, Lord? Eh? How can I protect her from herself?” “That’s a tricky one, Gwil. That’s the question. Even I can’t help you there I’m afraid.” Young Pen, whom he rescues, is a survivor who learns to cope with events in her own way. Maud, forced into marriage and now finds herself having to defend her castle with the help of Sir Rollo, commander of her troops and protect her son, William. There is a mystery to the story, and a villain which is as evil as a villain can be. This is the time of the Plantagenets, and the history is important, but the story is very much a human story.
However, considering One really doesn’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling what is an absolutely wonderful read. It is a story one would love to see brought to the screen, but only if it included every single page filmed exactly as it is on the page.
“The Siege Winter” is exciting, stirring, filled of tension and can bring one to tears but has a conclusion which makes one smile and touches the heart. Do you know how hard it is to write review notes when one is crying? It is a story which stays with you long after the last page. At the bottom of my review notes, I wrote Ex+++++++. Were it possible to rate a book 10 out of 5 stars, this would be it. I loved every page; every word. It doesn’t get better than that. However, the best news is that this may only be the first in a series.
THE SIEGE WINTER (Hist Novel – Gwil / Pendra – England – 1100s) – EX
Franklin, Ariana and Samantha Norman – 1st book
Harper Collins – February 2015
In 1141, England was engulfed in civil war between King Stephen and his cousin, the Empress Matilda over who would wear the crown. It is 1180 and a dying abbot has one last important task to accomplish. He summons a young scribe in order to document a much more personal story set during that backdrop and occurring during a long, brutal siege winter.
While readers were heartbroken by the death of Ariana Franklin and the incredible cliffhanger left in her last book in the “Mistress of the Art of Death” series, this does not resolve that series. However, for both prior and new readers, you are in for such a treat. This book was begun by Ms. Franklin (aka Diana Norman) prior to her death, and has been completed by her daughter, Samantha Norman. While that is wonderful in itself, what is truly remarkable is that the fusion is absolutely seamless.
There is no awkward transition between the two authors; it is all one voice. No, the language is not of the period. To that, there was the explanation given by Ms. Franklin at the end of “Grave Goods,” …”…in twelfth-century England the common people spoke a form of English even less comprehensive than Chaucer’s. In the fourteenth; the nobility spoke Normal French, and the clergy spoke Latin. Since people then sounded contemporary to one another, and since I hate the use of what I call “gadzooks” in historical novels to denote a past age, I insist on making those people sound modern to the reader.” One can’t argue with that.
For us readers, the story begins with the history given, the stage set, the players assembled and the curtain drawn on what, from the very start, we know will be a wonderful tale. The narrative is fascinating and, periodically through the story, moves the tale forward while providing historical context. The story provides wonderful details of castle life, and what it takes to run and defend a castle during this period.
What a wonderful assembly of characters. Each leaps off the page into full life and touches our emotions. Gwilherm de Vannes, a mercenary soldier, and his conversations with God are a true delight…”And what now, Lord? Eh? How can I protect her from herself?” “That’s a tricky one, Gwil. That’s the question. Even I can’t help you there I’m afraid.” Young Pen, whom he rescues, is a survivor who learns to cope with events in her own way. Maud, forced into marriage and now finds herself having to defend her castle with the help of Sir Rollo, commander of her troops and protect her son, William. There is a mystery to the story, and a villain which is as evil as a villain can be. This is the time of the Plantagenets, and the history is important, but the story is very much a human story.
However, considering One really doesn’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling what is an absolutely wonderful read. It is a story one would love to see brought to the screen, but only if it included every single page filmed exactly as it is on the page.
“The Siege Winter” is exciting, stirring, filled of tension and can bring one to tears but has a conclusion which makes one smile and touches the heart. Do you know how hard it is to write review notes when one is crying? It is a story which stays with you long after the last page. At the bottom of my review notes, I wrote Ex+++++++. Were it possible to rate a book 10 out of 5 stars, this would be it. I loved every page; every word. It doesn’t get better than that. However, the best news is that this may only be the first in a series.
THE SIEGE WINTER (Hist Novel – Gwil / Pendra – England – 1100s) – EX
Franklin, Ariana and Samantha Norman – 1st book
Harper Collins – February 2015
March 20, 2017
One of the best British historical novels I have read and I have read many. This passionate, fast moving and atmospheric novel captures the brutality and horror of the civil war in England in the 12th century between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda.
The characters are deep and well rounded and you get caught up in the drama.
A Breton mercenary Gwil, fighting in the Cambridgeshire Fens stumbles across Emma, an eleven year old peasant girl who has been raped and severely hurt by a devil in a monk's guise who has obsessively rapes and murders red haired girls.
He adopts her and teaches her to shoot a bow and she becomes an expert archer.
Meanwhile a 15 year old noblewoman Maud is forced to marry an older brute of a nobleman, arrogant, boorish and callous. But she soon shows her metal and comes into her own.
A much sought after parchment comes into play and puts our friends in danger.
Captures the sights, sounds, smells and emotions of 12th century England. I was glued for every sentence and finshed it in two days. One comes to deeply care about the two girls who the novel centers around.
This is a book you must read if you like historical fiction. Ariana Franklin was master story teller and will be sorely missed.
The characters are deep and well rounded and you get caught up in the drama.
A Breton mercenary Gwil, fighting in the Cambridgeshire Fens stumbles across Emma, an eleven year old peasant girl who has been raped and severely hurt by a devil in a monk's guise who has obsessively rapes and murders red haired girls.
He adopts her and teaches her to shoot a bow and she becomes an expert archer.
Meanwhile a 15 year old noblewoman Maud is forced to marry an older brute of a nobleman, arrogant, boorish and callous. But she soon shows her metal and comes into her own.
A much sought after parchment comes into play and puts our friends in danger.
Captures the sights, sounds, smells and emotions of 12th century England. I was glued for every sentence and finshed it in two days. One comes to deeply care about the two girls who the novel centers around.
This is a book you must read if you like historical fiction. Ariana Franklin was master story teller and will be sorely missed.
December 3, 2014
I’m not a great fan of historical fiction, but I loved the Adelia Aguilar books of Ariana Franklin. She avoided everything I dislike about the genre and wrote so vividly, with so much fun, creating characters that were real, lovable and enduring. And so, like many other Franklin fans, I’ve been eager for Ariana’s daughter, Samantha Norman, to finish her mother’s last novel.
First, the disappointment (for me, anyway). The Winter Siege is not an Adelia book, being set largely in 1141, around forty years before Adelia arrives in England. This England is a place of fear and bloodshed, a country torn apart by civil war. Henry 1 has died with no male heir. His daughter, Matilda, betrayed by barons who once swore fealty, flees from one safe haven to the next. Her cousin, Stephen, meanwhile, tightens his grip on the crown. Mercenaries crawl the countryside like roaches whilst the rotting wings of anarchy, lawlessness, and cruelty cast long dark shadows across the land. Peace, especially for the poor, is but a distant dream.
Amidst the mayhem, Em, a striking red-haired child of 11 (older sister to Gyltha from the Adelia series) is carried off one day by a gang of mercenaries led by an evil (and evil smelling) monk. Gwil, a mercenary, watching the abduction with us, can imagine exactly what will be happening to her. He hardly expects to see her again.
But Em survives. Gwil finds her, half-naked and half-alive and nurses her back to health. With no memories of her ordeal, Em (now posing as a boy called Penda) becomes Gwill’s protégée and, like him, a superb archer. Together they travel the land, trying their fortunes with a band of travelling players, a castle under siege and even a fleeing Empress. All this time, the spectre of the foul-smelling monk pursues them.
The big question for me, of course, was whether The Winter Siege would capture the insightful, compelling, irreverent style that was so much a part of the Franklin experience. Pretty much, is the answer and I read the first few chapters with a huge sense of relief. Admittedly, there were a few moments when I thought Norman might be straying into territory her mother worked so hard to avoid. Lady Maud’s romance, for example, had a touch of the Mills and Boon about it. On the whole, though, I’d be lying if I claimed I could see the join. The Winger Siege is a strong story, well written, with engaging and distinctive characters.
Having finished it, I find myself hoping it won’t be the last ‘Ariana Franklin’ book. Adelia, Rowley, Mansur and Henry might just be safe in Samantha Norman’s hands.
First, the disappointment (for me, anyway). The Winter Siege is not an Adelia book, being set largely in 1141, around forty years before Adelia arrives in England. This England is a place of fear and bloodshed, a country torn apart by civil war. Henry 1 has died with no male heir. His daughter, Matilda, betrayed by barons who once swore fealty, flees from one safe haven to the next. Her cousin, Stephen, meanwhile, tightens his grip on the crown. Mercenaries crawl the countryside like roaches whilst the rotting wings of anarchy, lawlessness, and cruelty cast long dark shadows across the land. Peace, especially for the poor, is but a distant dream.
Amidst the mayhem, Em, a striking red-haired child of 11 (older sister to Gyltha from the Adelia series) is carried off one day by a gang of mercenaries led by an evil (and evil smelling) monk. Gwil, a mercenary, watching the abduction with us, can imagine exactly what will be happening to her. He hardly expects to see her again.
But Em survives. Gwil finds her, half-naked and half-alive and nurses her back to health. With no memories of her ordeal, Em (now posing as a boy called Penda) becomes Gwill’s protégée and, like him, a superb archer. Together they travel the land, trying their fortunes with a band of travelling players, a castle under siege and even a fleeing Empress. All this time, the spectre of the foul-smelling monk pursues them.
The big question for me, of course, was whether The Winter Siege would capture the insightful, compelling, irreverent style that was so much a part of the Franklin experience. Pretty much, is the answer and I read the first few chapters with a huge sense of relief. Admittedly, there were a few moments when I thought Norman might be straying into territory her mother worked so hard to avoid. Lady Maud’s romance, for example, had a touch of the Mills and Boon about it. On the whole, though, I’d be lying if I claimed I could see the join. The Winger Siege is a strong story, well written, with engaging and distinctive characters.
Having finished it, I find myself hoping it won’t be the last ‘Ariana Franklin’ book. Adelia, Rowley, Mansur and Henry might just be safe in Samantha Norman’s hands.
December 26, 2014
I loved Franklin's books, but I'm sorry to say that I couldn't finish this one. It adopts a contemporary tone in the dialogue especially which I found intensely irritating. Characters from the 12th century say things like 'Yuck' and 'Totally'. This sits oddly alongside the meticulous depiction of clothes etc of the time. It's riddled with anachronisms: for example, a character likens opposing soldiers to apes. And where would she have seen one? At the same time, there is a lot of heavy-handed historical exposition about the war and politics of the time. I can only assume that this tone is intended to attract a younger, less demanding audience, which responds better to contemporary speech. I commend the author for trying to carry on her mother's work, but I won't be reading any more.
September 15, 2015
Setting: Medieval England
The story opens when Henry I dies without leaving a heir, and the country is sent into a state of anarchy which begins the story of the battle for the crown between Matilda and her cousin Stephan.
Em (a young peasant girl) is cornered by a troop of soldiers while out with her mother and sister.
Captured, brutalized, raped and left for dead, she is later found by Gwyl a bowman who nurses her back to health and although her body heals her mind is more reluctant.
With her hair shorn and dressed as a lad, "Penda" as she is now known as, joins Gwyl and a band of traveling players.
The players arrive at Kenilworth Castle, which is held by it's chatelaine Maud right before the castle is put under siege by ruthless mercenaries.
Gwyl keeps his eyes out for their enemy, little knowing that enemy has been watching them.
As good and evil square off in battle, the country's future lies in their hands.
I was really looking forward to this story taking off and drawing me back into a well known time and place in history. Sadly, I was very disappointed. This really could have been that and more.
The Good: It was a captivating and compelling tale, filled with fascinating characters who drive the plot as much as the tempestuous backdrop. The author did a great job with the historical setting and details. But that's where it ends for me.
The Bad: Once the characters opened their mouths and the story began it just went downhill for me, as a reader who likes the characters to be totally in the correct time period in speech and manners it lacked both.
In "The Siege Winter" the author used a contemporary tone with so many anachronisms throughout, that it just spoiled the whole escape factor for me and I really had a hard time finishing it.
So sad, this really could have been a great read with a 4-5 star rating from me...unfortunately it wont, but it may appeal to others who like that kind of writing style.
The story opens when Henry I dies without leaving a heir, and the country is sent into a state of anarchy which begins the story of the battle for the crown between Matilda and her cousin Stephan.
Em (a young peasant girl) is cornered by a troop of soldiers while out with her mother and sister.
Captured, brutalized, raped and left for dead, she is later found by Gwyl a bowman who nurses her back to health and although her body heals her mind is more reluctant.
With her hair shorn and dressed as a lad, "Penda" as she is now known as, joins Gwyl and a band of traveling players.
The players arrive at Kenilworth Castle, which is held by it's chatelaine Maud right before the castle is put under siege by ruthless mercenaries.
Gwyl keeps his eyes out for their enemy, little knowing that enemy has been watching them.
As good and evil square off in battle, the country's future lies in their hands.
I was really looking forward to this story taking off and drawing me back into a well known time and place in history. Sadly, I was very disappointed. This really could have been that and more.
The Good: It was a captivating and compelling tale, filled with fascinating characters who drive the plot as much as the tempestuous backdrop. The author did a great job with the historical setting and details. But that's where it ends for me.
The Bad: Once the characters opened their mouths and the story began it just went downhill for me, as a reader who likes the characters to be totally in the correct time period in speech and manners it lacked both.
In "The Siege Winter" the author used a contemporary tone with so many anachronisms throughout, that it just spoiled the whole escape factor for me and I really had a hard time finishing it.
So sad, this really could have been a great read with a 4-5 star rating from me...unfortunately it wont, but it may appeal to others who like that kind of writing style.
March 28, 2025
“The emissaries of death stood in rows on the far side of the river, the sun glinting blindingly off hundreds of metal helmets:”
“… in the front line the pikemen and slingers, shifting from foot to foot behind an interminable row of wooden pavises, bracing themselves against the cold and the bitter thrill of battle; behind them the archers – at a rough glance she counted close to two hundred, including around fifty arbalists – and behind them the knights, their bodies swaying with the movement of their horses shifting restless beneath them, their hooves pawing testily at the ground. And then beyond them all, like the background of a macabre tapestry, great plumes of smoke rose into the sky from the burning village.”
THE SIEGE WINTER is a gritty, and very much down in the dirt, tale of medieval 12th century England during the near endless war between King Stephen I and the claimant to his throne, King Henry I’s sole legitimate “heir” – a daughter, God forbid! – empress Matilda. But unlike Sharon Kay Penman’s show-stopping behemoth WHEN CHRIST AND HIS SAINTS SLEPT or Elizabeth Chadwick’s phenomenal LADY OF THE ENGLISH, Ariana Franklin has, for the most part, bypassed the history of the muckety-mucks of the day and dug down and dirty into the muck of the trenches, to regale her excited readers with the results of such a war on the real folks of that war torn country.
That is to say, THE SIEGE WINTER tells a breathless, compelling, shocking story of the second level gentry and land holders whose allegiance was pulled back and forth from pillar to post; young peasant girls whose bodies were shamelessly ravaged as spoils of war; and, of course, mercenaries, foot soldiers, archers, knights, and horseman who were the chess pieces maneuvered in the despoiled English country side that Stephen and Matilda saw as the chess board on which their rivalry was to be ultimately decided.
Such characters, whose names most of us have almost certainly never even heard let alone been aware of any details of their lives, were portrayed with a loving attention to bring them alive:
“… although, as she was fond of telling people, the man was dull to the point of eye-watering tedium and could probably bore several men to death at fifty paces, there was no denying that he was also brave.”
But, make no mistake … although the story was focused on the small people, when Empress Matilda was in the room and on stage, as it were, there was absolutely no question as to who was in charge and who ruled the roost:
“She took two steps forward and spoke. ‘I am the empress Matilda, lady of England and your sovereign. Open to me. NOW.’ A thousand years of dominion went ringing across the Thames like a trumpet blast. Anglo-Saxon and Viking-Norman ancestry combined in a chord that had deafened and conquered nations. It expected the moon to bow the knee.”
Then there is the heart-warming story-line of Emma, the eleven year old red-headed peasant girl rescued after her rape by a lascivious evil and decidedly pedophile monk with an especial interest in red hair, by Gwyl who dresses her as a boy to protect her from the travails of medieval misogyny and trains her as an archer. “Omigod … wow!” is appropriate but sells the charms of this tear-jerker tale far too short!
Definitely recommended. Samantha Norman, Ariana Franklin's daughter, did a yeoman job of seamlessly completing the novel, that was left unfinished upon her mother's death. I'm left only with the pleasant prospect of seeking out more of Samantha Norman's future solo efforts.
Paul Weiss
“… in the front line the pikemen and slingers, shifting from foot to foot behind an interminable row of wooden pavises, bracing themselves against the cold and the bitter thrill of battle; behind them the archers – at a rough glance she counted close to two hundred, including around fifty arbalists – and behind them the knights, their bodies swaying with the movement of their horses shifting restless beneath them, their hooves pawing testily at the ground. And then beyond them all, like the background of a macabre tapestry, great plumes of smoke rose into the sky from the burning village.”
THE SIEGE WINTER is a gritty, and very much down in the dirt, tale of medieval 12th century England during the near endless war between King Stephen I and the claimant to his throne, King Henry I’s sole legitimate “heir” – a daughter, God forbid! – empress Matilda. But unlike Sharon Kay Penman’s show-stopping behemoth WHEN CHRIST AND HIS SAINTS SLEPT or Elizabeth Chadwick’s phenomenal LADY OF THE ENGLISH, Ariana Franklin has, for the most part, bypassed the history of the muckety-mucks of the day and dug down and dirty into the muck of the trenches, to regale her excited readers with the results of such a war on the real folks of that war torn country.
That is to say, THE SIEGE WINTER tells a breathless, compelling, shocking story of the second level gentry and land holders whose allegiance was pulled back and forth from pillar to post; young peasant girls whose bodies were shamelessly ravaged as spoils of war; and, of course, mercenaries, foot soldiers, archers, knights, and horseman who were the chess pieces maneuvered in the despoiled English country side that Stephen and Matilda saw as the chess board on which their rivalry was to be ultimately decided.
Such characters, whose names most of us have almost certainly never even heard let alone been aware of any details of their lives, were portrayed with a loving attention to bring them alive:
“… although, as she was fond of telling people, the man was dull to the point of eye-watering tedium and could probably bore several men to death at fifty paces, there was no denying that he was also brave.”
But, make no mistake … although the story was focused on the small people, when Empress Matilda was in the room and on stage, as it were, there was absolutely no question as to who was in charge and who ruled the roost:
“She took two steps forward and spoke. ‘I am the empress Matilda, lady of England and your sovereign. Open to me. NOW.’ A thousand years of dominion went ringing across the Thames like a trumpet blast. Anglo-Saxon and Viking-Norman ancestry combined in a chord that had deafened and conquered nations. It expected the moon to bow the knee.”
Then there is the heart-warming story-line of Emma, the eleven year old red-headed peasant girl rescued after her rape by a lascivious evil and decidedly pedophile monk with an especial interest in red hair, by Gwyl who dresses her as a boy to protect her from the travails of medieval misogyny and trains her as an archer. “Omigod … wow!” is appropriate but sells the charms of this tear-jerker tale far too short!
Definitely recommended. Samantha Norman, Ariana Franklin's daughter, did a yeoman job of seamlessly completing the novel, that was left unfinished upon her mother's death. I'm left only with the pleasant prospect of seeking out more of Samantha Norman's future solo efforts.
Paul Weiss
January 19, 2016
If given the choice to take it or leave it, I would have to leave this one behind. I love historical fiction and by that I mean full-throttle historical fiction. This was not that. I could possibly overlook the colloquial differences, but the 'telling' was just too contemporary for the time period given.
And oh the language. I don't mind gritty language, but this felt so gratuitous. It was a constant onslaught and it hardly even felt authentic. Everyone was always so angry.....I need more than just that. Hearing it verses reading it, for me anyway, makes a huge difference for some reason. And since I did the audio, it was so much more noticeable.
I also got the feel that this was very light on the historical fiction side as well. The singular event wasn't the problem. Overall, I wasn't pulled into this time period. I wanted to be, but it just didn't work for me. I know I'm in the minority with this review. But I can give it 2 stars. I actually liked Penda and even Gwil.
And oh the language. I don't mind gritty language, but this felt so gratuitous. It was a constant onslaught and it hardly even felt authentic. Everyone was always so angry.....I need more than just that. Hearing it verses reading it, for me anyway, makes a huge difference for some reason. And since I did the audio, it was so much more noticeable.
I also got the feel that this was very light on the historical fiction side as well. The singular event wasn't the problem. Overall, I wasn't pulled into this time period. I wanted to be, but it just didn't work for me. I know I'm in the minority with this review. But I can give it 2 stars. I actually liked Penda and even Gwil.
August 1, 2024
Review from 2015
A for both content and narration.
The Siege Winter is a superbly written and thoroughly enjoyable piece of historical fiction set in twelfth-century England at a time of great uncertainty and upheaval. The country is being torn apart by what is, in essence, a civil war between the supporters of the Empress Matilda (daughter of the late King Henry) and those of her cousin and Henry’s successor, King Stephen. The bulk of the tale is set between 1141 and 1143, but the story is told in the form of a story-within-a-story, as the events of the 1140s are related by a dying abbot to his scribe almost forty years later.
England in the 1140s is plagued by lawlessness, as bands of mercenaries roam the land stealing, plundering, massacring and burning. During the pandemonium surrounding the sack of Ely Cathedral, a young red-headed girl is abducted and brutally raped by someone known as “the monk”. He leaves her for dead, but she is found, barely alive, by Gwilherm de Vannes, a battle-weary soldier who saves her life and takes care of her. When she is restored to health, the girl is found to have no memory whatsoever of her past life, which Gwil knows is her mind’s way of protecting her from the memory of the brutal attack. She cuts her hair and puts on boys clothes and Gwil names her Penda.
The one thing that seems to interest Penda is archery, and Gwil teaches her how to use a bow and arrow. She has a natural talent as an archer and soon the pair of them join up with a travelling troupe of entertainers and earn their living by giving archery exhibitions. One fateful night, however, the suspicioun that Gwil has long entertained – that the monk responsible for Penda’s violation is searching for her – are brought home when a young red-headed woman from the troupe is found brutally murdered. What Penda doesn’t know is that when Gwil found her, she was in possession of a valuable document that the monk needs to recover, and that Gwil has vowed to find the monk and punish him for his heinous crime against her.
Interwoven with the story of Gwil and Pen’s growing friendship is that of Maud of Kenniford Castle, a fictional stronghold at a strategic point on the Thames in Oxfordshire. The young chatelaine has been given in marriage to a much older man as a “reward” for his service to the king. The one bright light on her horizon is in the relationship she strikes up with her husband’s young son, William, to whom she quickly becomes attached. Because of its important position on the river, Kenniford is attacked and besieged several times; during one of the attacks, Maud’s husband suffers a stroke and is incapacitated, and in order to save the castle and the lives of everyone in it, she capitulates to Matilda’s attacking forces and swears allegiance to the Empress.
Ariana Franklin (aka Diana Norman) passed away in 2011, and left this book unfinished at her death. Her daughter, Samantha Norman completed it, and one of the things that struck me immediately is that it’s impossible to “see (or hear) the join”. The book is very well written, with an incredible eye for period detail, particularly when it comes to the descriptions of the Maud’s day-to-day life as the chatelaine of a medieval castle. The characterisation of the principals – Gwil, Penda and Maud – is terrific, and the relationship that develops between Gwil and Penda is incredibly touching. He saves her life and cares for her, becoming a mentor and father figure, but she also saves him; Gwil has become hard and disillusioned over the years, and caring for Penda allows him to atone somewhat for his past sins and to feel that at last, he has done something worthwhile. It’s a lovely give-and-take dynamic. There’s the hope of romance for Lady Maud, who becomes attracted to one of the Empress’ soldiers, and I loved hearing Penda gaining confidence and courage to become a strong, independent woman who is able to face up to the horror she experienced and re-make herself and her life.
The device of framing the story of the 1140s as being told decades later also works very well, and as the story draws to a close, the listener is treated to a little twist that I didn’t see coming until the last minute. The author(s) have also fleshed out the characters of the abbot and the scribe, so that they are more than bookends to the main story; the scribe, in particular, develops from being a rather uptight, snooty individual who is annoyed that the Church could possibly think it worth his time and skill to write down the personal ramblings of the dying man to one who gradually begins to see the worth in the tale as he becomes as wrapped up in the story as the listener is.
I’ve listened to Kate Reading narrating quite a lot of historical romance recently, so I was keen to hear what she would make of a different type of historical – and of course, she doesn’t disappoint. She brings her usual, consummate skill to all the characterisations, clearly delineating every single one of them by means of a variety of tone, timbre and accent. Gwil sounds exactly like the gruff, grizzled old soldier that he is, complete with appropriate East Anglian accent and a measured delivery that fits him perfectly. I particularly enjoyed his little “conversations” with God (Kate Reading as the Voice of God? – yep, I’m buying!), to which she brings just the right amount of irony and humour.
The Lady Maud is perhaps not the easiest character to like, although she’s had a lot to put up with, what with having a smelly, fat, much-older husband foisted upon her – and she’s portrayed accordingly, the slightly sharp tone Ms Reading uses expertly conveying her no-nonsense, no-time-for-fools attitude, but somehow giving the impression of a young woman (she’s just sixteen at the beginning) who is supressing all her inner worries and vulnerabilities because there is just So Much To Do! The Empress sounds suitably haughty, Alan of Ghent, her chief of mercenaries, has just the slightest hint of a European accent, the “monk” sounds nasal, nasty and utterly despicable – in short, this is another flawless narration and one which kept me absolutely glued to this splendid audiobook.
NB – this is the version available in the US. The UK version is narrated by Peter Wickham
A for both content and narration.
The Siege Winter is a superbly written and thoroughly enjoyable piece of historical fiction set in twelfth-century England at a time of great uncertainty and upheaval. The country is being torn apart by what is, in essence, a civil war between the supporters of the Empress Matilda (daughter of the late King Henry) and those of her cousin and Henry’s successor, King Stephen. The bulk of the tale is set between 1141 and 1143, but the story is told in the form of a story-within-a-story, as the events of the 1140s are related by a dying abbot to his scribe almost forty years later.
England in the 1140s is plagued by lawlessness, as bands of mercenaries roam the land stealing, plundering, massacring and burning. During the pandemonium surrounding the sack of Ely Cathedral, a young red-headed girl is abducted and brutally raped by someone known as “the monk”. He leaves her for dead, but she is found, barely alive, by Gwilherm de Vannes, a battle-weary soldier who saves her life and takes care of her. When she is restored to health, the girl is found to have no memory whatsoever of her past life, which Gwil knows is her mind’s way of protecting her from the memory of the brutal attack. She cuts her hair and puts on boys clothes and Gwil names her Penda.
The one thing that seems to interest Penda is archery, and Gwil teaches her how to use a bow and arrow. She has a natural talent as an archer and soon the pair of them join up with a travelling troupe of entertainers and earn their living by giving archery exhibitions. One fateful night, however, the suspicioun that Gwil has long entertained – that the monk responsible for Penda’s violation is searching for her – are brought home when a young red-headed woman from the troupe is found brutally murdered. What Penda doesn’t know is that when Gwil found her, she was in possession of a valuable document that the monk needs to recover, and that Gwil has vowed to find the monk and punish him for his heinous crime against her.
Interwoven with the story of Gwil and Pen’s growing friendship is that of Maud of Kenniford Castle, a fictional stronghold at a strategic point on the Thames in Oxfordshire. The young chatelaine has been given in marriage to a much older man as a “reward” for his service to the king. The one bright light on her horizon is in the relationship she strikes up with her husband’s young son, William, to whom she quickly becomes attached. Because of its important position on the river, Kenniford is attacked and besieged several times; during one of the attacks, Maud’s husband suffers a stroke and is incapacitated, and in order to save the castle and the lives of everyone in it, she capitulates to Matilda’s attacking forces and swears allegiance to the Empress.
Ariana Franklin (aka Diana Norman) passed away in 2011, and left this book unfinished at her death. Her daughter, Samantha Norman completed it, and one of the things that struck me immediately is that it’s impossible to “see (or hear) the join”. The book is very well written, with an incredible eye for period detail, particularly when it comes to the descriptions of the Maud’s day-to-day life as the chatelaine of a medieval castle. The characterisation of the principals – Gwil, Penda and Maud – is terrific, and the relationship that develops between Gwil and Penda is incredibly touching. He saves her life and cares for her, becoming a mentor and father figure, but she also saves him; Gwil has become hard and disillusioned over the years, and caring for Penda allows him to atone somewhat for his past sins and to feel that at last, he has done something worthwhile. It’s a lovely give-and-take dynamic. There’s the hope of romance for Lady Maud, who becomes attracted to one of the Empress’ soldiers, and I loved hearing Penda gaining confidence and courage to become a strong, independent woman who is able to face up to the horror she experienced and re-make herself and her life.
The device of framing the story of the 1140s as being told decades later also works very well, and as the story draws to a close, the listener is treated to a little twist that I didn’t see coming until the last minute. The author(s) have also fleshed out the characters of the abbot and the scribe, so that they are more than bookends to the main story; the scribe, in particular, develops from being a rather uptight, snooty individual who is annoyed that the Church could possibly think it worth his time and skill to write down the personal ramblings of the dying man to one who gradually begins to see the worth in the tale as he becomes as wrapped up in the story as the listener is.
I’ve listened to Kate Reading narrating quite a lot of historical romance recently, so I was keen to hear what she would make of a different type of historical – and of course, she doesn’t disappoint. She brings her usual, consummate skill to all the characterisations, clearly delineating every single one of them by means of a variety of tone, timbre and accent. Gwil sounds exactly like the gruff, grizzled old soldier that he is, complete with appropriate East Anglian accent and a measured delivery that fits him perfectly. I particularly enjoyed his little “conversations” with God (Kate Reading as the Voice of God? – yep, I’m buying!), to which she brings just the right amount of irony and humour.
The Lady Maud is perhaps not the easiest character to like, although she’s had a lot to put up with, what with having a smelly, fat, much-older husband foisted upon her – and she’s portrayed accordingly, the slightly sharp tone Ms Reading uses expertly conveying her no-nonsense, no-time-for-fools attitude, but somehow giving the impression of a young woman (she’s just sixteen at the beginning) who is supressing all her inner worries and vulnerabilities because there is just So Much To Do! The Empress sounds suitably haughty, Alan of Ghent, her chief of mercenaries, has just the slightest hint of a European accent, the “monk” sounds nasal, nasty and utterly despicable – in short, this is another flawless narration and one which kept me absolutely glued to this splendid audiobook.
NB – this is the version available in the US. The UK version is narrated by Peter Wickham
April 8, 2015
3.5 rounded to 4. Very readable, engaging novel set in the 12th century civil war in England between Matilda and Stephen for the throne. A dying abbot relates the events of the novel to a scribe. The story involves a young girl, Emma, rescued after violation by an evil monk and left for dead, by a mercenary soldier, Gwil. She is disguised as a boy for protection, given the name Penda, and the two travel together. He teaches her archery and she becomes proficient. Matilda joins them and they make their way to the castle of Lady Maud, unwilling wife of an absolute boor. Then begins a winter-long siege by Stephen's forces. What is the meaning of a mysterious parchment in a quill case that Gwil picks up when he finds Emma? Who is the monk and what is his importance?
I didn't pick up any obvious 21st century slang, but there were a few modern-day idioms, e.g., "cut no ice". I did wonder how much of the history was accurate except the barebones of the conflict between the two contenders for the throne. I thought the ending of the novel most satisfactory.
I didn't pick up any obvious 21st century slang, but there were a few modern-day idioms, e.g., "cut no ice". I did wonder how much of the history was accurate except the barebones of the conflict between the two contenders for the throne. I thought the ending of the novel most satisfactory.
June 12, 2018
The Winter Siege
by Ariana Franklin, Samantha Norman
Synopsis
A powerful historical novel by the late Ariana Franklin and her daughter Samantha Norman, The Siege Winter is a tour de force mystery and murder, adventure and intrigue, a battle for a crown, told by two courageous young women whose fates are intertwined in twelfth century England’s devastating civil war.
1141. England is engulfed in war as King Stephen and his cousin, the Empress Matilda, vie for the crown. In this dangerous world, not even Emma, an eleven-year-old peasant, is safe. A depraved monk obsessed with redheads kidnaps the ginger-haired girl from her village and leaves her for dead. When an archer for hire named Gwyl finds her, she has no memory of her previous life. Unable to abandon her, Gwyl takes the girl with him, dressing her as a boy, giving her a new name—Penda—and teaching her to use a bow. But Gwyn knows that the man who hurt Penda roams free, and that a scrap of evidence she possesses could be very valuable.
Gwyl and Penda make their way to Kenilworth, a small but strategically important fortress that belongs to fifteen-year-old Maud. Newly wedded to a boorish and much older husband after her father’s death, the fierce and determined young chatelaine tempts fate and Stephen’s murderous wrath when she gives shelter to the empress.
Aided by a garrison of mercenaries, including Gwyl and his odd red-headed apprentice, Maud will stave off Stephen’s siege for a long, brutal winter that will bring a host of visitors to Kenilworth—kings, soldiers . . . and a sinister monk with deadly business to finish.
Review
This was a captivating and compelling tale, filled with fascinating characters who drive the plot as much as the tempestuous backdrop. Ariana Franklin and Samantha Norman have captured the historical setting and the trials and tribulations during a turbulant period in history and delivered a masterfully told novel, that readers of historical fiction will enjoy emensely.
4 stars
by Ariana Franklin, Samantha Norman
Synopsis
A powerful historical novel by the late Ariana Franklin and her daughter Samantha Norman, The Siege Winter is a tour de force mystery and murder, adventure and intrigue, a battle for a crown, told by two courageous young women whose fates are intertwined in twelfth century England’s devastating civil war.
1141. England is engulfed in war as King Stephen and his cousin, the Empress Matilda, vie for the crown. In this dangerous world, not even Emma, an eleven-year-old peasant, is safe. A depraved monk obsessed with redheads kidnaps the ginger-haired girl from her village and leaves her for dead. When an archer for hire named Gwyl finds her, she has no memory of her previous life. Unable to abandon her, Gwyl takes the girl with him, dressing her as a boy, giving her a new name—Penda—and teaching her to use a bow. But Gwyn knows that the man who hurt Penda roams free, and that a scrap of evidence she possesses could be very valuable.
Gwyl and Penda make their way to Kenilworth, a small but strategically important fortress that belongs to fifteen-year-old Maud. Newly wedded to a boorish and much older husband after her father’s death, the fierce and determined young chatelaine tempts fate and Stephen’s murderous wrath when she gives shelter to the empress.
Aided by a garrison of mercenaries, including Gwyl and his odd red-headed apprentice, Maud will stave off Stephen’s siege for a long, brutal winter that will bring a host of visitors to Kenilworth—kings, soldiers . . . and a sinister monk with deadly business to finish.
Review
This was a captivating and compelling tale, filled with fascinating characters who drive the plot as much as the tempestuous backdrop. Ariana Franklin and Samantha Norman have captured the historical setting and the trials and tribulations during a turbulant period in history and delivered a masterfully told novel, that readers of historical fiction will enjoy emensely.
4 stars
April 9, 2025
Listening to this makes me realize how much I miss Arianna Franklin, author of the fabulous Mistress of the Art of Death series, who died before it was finished. She's such a good storyteller and gives us involving though flawed characters, compelling stories, lovely writing, and a real sense of time and place. This is set in 12th century England and employs 2 time lines to tell the tale. The Abbot of Perton Abbey is dying, but he has a story to tell and requests a copyist to record it. That's 1183. The story line switches between then and the 1140s when Stephen and Maud/Mathilda were battling for the throne and fighting their way across England. Maud of Kenneford was a political pawn whom Stephen married to a boor so he could control her castle at an important river crossing, but Stephen wasn't always in control, so the castle was twice besieged (hence the title). Other key players are Em, a young girl from the fens who was raped by a group of soldiers and a particularly vile monk. Gwill, an aging mercenary, came upon her body and nursed her back to health. This is a great story with lots battles and much about shooting with bows and arrows and the new crossbow, and life in the castle and the characters who lived there. Richly detailed people and places, character-centered and investigative (Gwill means to make Em's attackers pay for their crime), heartbreaking and heartwarming, gritty with details of violence. A wonderful tale of "how war affects everyone." Reading's mostly somber narration highlights the gravity of the story, although there are occasional bits of humor. Wonderful reading of a memorable historical novel with a little mystery. So riveting, I listened in a day.
February 4, 2017
Ariana Franklin's Mistress of the Art of Death books are one of my favorite historical fiction series and her death left the story without a satisfying ending.
This book was not quite as enjoyable, but I did find it interesting enough. I liked the characters a lot, but found my attention wondering several times because I felt the story moved a little too slowly. I'm glad Ms. Franklin's daughter was able to finish this book so that readers could have one more taste of her work, even if it wasn't quite as engaging as her previous books.
This book was not quite as enjoyable, but I did find it interesting enough. I liked the characters a lot, but found my attention wondering several times because I felt the story moved a little too slowly. I'm glad Ms. Franklin's daughter was able to finish this book so that readers could have one more taste of her work, even if it wasn't quite as engaging as her previous books.
February 16, 2015
What fans of good historical fiction mysteries weren’t devastated to hear about the death of the writer Ariana Franklin (pen name of Diana Norman) in 2011? She did leave us a wonderful gift, however: a final novel, completed by her daughter Samantha Norman, and it is a very good work indeed.
This book is not part of the series featuring the medical examiner Adelia Aguilar but is a standalone novel in the same time period, i.e., the mid-12th Century, and also set in England.
During this era, England was torn by a civil war between supporters of Stephen (grandson of William the Conqueror), and his cousin, the Empress Matilda, for the throne of England. Occupants of cathedrals as well as castles were forced to take sides. One stronghold in particular, the fictional Kenniford Castle, is desired by both sides in this story, because it is on the site of a key Thames crossing. The castle’s mistress is 16-year-old Maud, a ward of King Stephen. We first meet her when she is being forced to marry the much older, crass and barbaric John of Tewing, who arrived at the castle for the wedding with both his son and his mistress.
In alternate chapters, we also follow the fate of a young girl from the Fens who had gone out fetching fuel with her family. She was caught by a group of men led by a sadistic rapist and killer (also a monk), who had a penchant for red-headed children. Little Em was left for dead, but was found by Gwilherm de Vannes, a mercenary who had his horse stolen by the very men who ravaged Em.
Gwil nurses the girl back to health. She remembers nothing of the trauma that almost killed her, nor of her life before it, nor even her name. Gwil calls her Penda after a Pagan warlord. They cut her hair and disguise her as a boy, and Gwil teaches her to defend herself with a bow. The two travel through the countryside earning money by giving archery exhibitions. What Gwil doesn’t share with Penda is his determination to track down and destroy the monk who brutalized her. In addition, he suspects the monk may not be done yet with Penda, because when Gwil found her, she was clutching a valuable parchment that the monk would want to recover.
Events take a turn when Mathilda and two protectors, Alan and Christopher, stumble upon Gwil and Penda during a snowstorm, and take shelter with them. They beseech Gwil and Penda to help them get Mathilda to safety, and the five of them end up at Maud’s castle. Before long, the castle is besieged by the much larger and better armed forces of Stephen.
Discussion: The depiction of life in the 12th Century, especially the daily concerns of a castle chatelaine, is excellent. The growing relationship between Gwil and Penda is something you will want to hold onto; it is incredibly touching, as are the relationships between Maud and those she comes to love.
Evaluation: There is plenty of action and suspense in this book; a lot of good period background; and marvelous characterizations. Stock up on kleenex.
This book is not part of the series featuring the medical examiner Adelia Aguilar but is a standalone novel in the same time period, i.e., the mid-12th Century, and also set in England.
During this era, England was torn by a civil war between supporters of Stephen (grandson of William the Conqueror), and his cousin, the Empress Matilda, for the throne of England. Occupants of cathedrals as well as castles were forced to take sides. One stronghold in particular, the fictional Kenniford Castle, is desired by both sides in this story, because it is on the site of a key Thames crossing. The castle’s mistress is 16-year-old Maud, a ward of King Stephen. We first meet her when she is being forced to marry the much older, crass and barbaric John of Tewing, who arrived at the castle for the wedding with both his son and his mistress.
In alternate chapters, we also follow the fate of a young girl from the Fens who had gone out fetching fuel with her family. She was caught by a group of men led by a sadistic rapist and killer (also a monk), who had a penchant for red-headed children. Little Em was left for dead, but was found by Gwilherm de Vannes, a mercenary who had his horse stolen by the very men who ravaged Em.
Gwil nurses the girl back to health. She remembers nothing of the trauma that almost killed her, nor of her life before it, nor even her name. Gwil calls her Penda after a Pagan warlord. They cut her hair and disguise her as a boy, and Gwil teaches her to defend herself with a bow. The two travel through the countryside earning money by giving archery exhibitions. What Gwil doesn’t share with Penda is his determination to track down and destroy the monk who brutalized her. In addition, he suspects the monk may not be done yet with Penda, because when Gwil found her, she was clutching a valuable parchment that the monk would want to recover.
Events take a turn when Mathilda and two protectors, Alan and Christopher, stumble upon Gwil and Penda during a snowstorm, and take shelter with them. They beseech Gwil and Penda to help them get Mathilda to safety, and the five of them end up at Maud’s castle. Before long, the castle is besieged by the much larger and better armed forces of Stephen.
Discussion: The depiction of life in the 12th Century, especially the daily concerns of a castle chatelaine, is excellent. The growing relationship between Gwil and Penda is something you will want to hold onto; it is incredibly touching, as are the relationships between Maud and those she comes to love.
Evaluation: There is plenty of action and suspense in this book; a lot of good period background; and marvelous characterizations. Stock up on kleenex.
July 12, 2017
Having read English historical fiction as a favorite for over 50 years, and probably 100's if not going into the 4 digit number of books, I have to post- that this author and this particular novel is one of the very best.
Outstanding. In its eye witnesses narrative, in its emotive nuance to identities, in its chronological order, and especially within its realistic and often brutal intensity of the devious crack that almost always exists in a long and viscous civil war.
The siege period under Maud is detailed in phenomenal hierarchy and with immense underplays for every one of more than 20 minor or secondary characters. Not only conveying in core the distrust but also the slimy "eyes" of evaluations or shifting as liquid falling through a sieve loyalty placements.
Abilities and practical learning with all the era's "eyes" to function of daily life- just top notch. No one is decrying an issue or a revisionist outlook of 200 or 800 years later. And the placement of the narrator's voice is embedded in the reveal and in the eventual summations. It fits like a perfectly worded flow of exact description, even then. There is no need for 3 chapter placement detailing because within a sentence or two Ariana Franklin captures not only the appearances of a room or a goatherd's shack or a open wood, but the essence of the reaction by the "eyes" beholding it.
Lovely, lovely tale. Not in odors nor in orderly beauty - but in medieval clash .
Outstanding. In its eye witnesses narrative, in its emotive nuance to identities, in its chronological order, and especially within its realistic and often brutal intensity of the devious crack that almost always exists in a long and viscous civil war.
The siege period under Maud is detailed in phenomenal hierarchy and with immense underplays for every one of more than 20 minor or secondary characters. Not only conveying in core the distrust but also the slimy "eyes" of evaluations or shifting as liquid falling through a sieve loyalty placements.
Abilities and practical learning with all the era's "eyes" to function of daily life- just top notch. No one is decrying an issue or a revisionist outlook of 200 or 800 years later. And the placement of the narrator's voice is embedded in the reveal and in the eventual summations. It fits like a perfectly worded flow of exact description, even then. There is no need for 3 chapter placement detailing because within a sentence or two Ariana Franklin captures not only the appearances of a room or a goatherd's shack or a open wood, but the essence of the reaction by the "eyes" beholding it.
Lovely, lovely tale. Not in odors nor in orderly beauty - but in medieval clash .
May 30, 2015
This was one of the best historical fiction books I've read in a long time. After just finishing it I want to go back and re-read it again, just because...
I was apprehensive because I haven't been the biggest fan of Matilda in my studies, to be frank she wasn't a very good politician and many times could have won the war if she had been more of a tactician. This book was more aligned with the supporting characters and how the arena of war can turn men cold and women into heroines. It wasn't until the 1950s that the idea of women being housewives was created, many women in fact ran households, farmed, collected rent, and worked hard. In medieval times sometimes your husband would disappear for upwards of 10 years and these women were expected to keep up their land and home. This book not only brought this history to light but also showed women taking control of their own destinies.
There is action, warfare, intrigue, and famous noblemen betrayal, selling themselves to the highest bidder. A perfect representation of the era and beautifully written. The names can be cumbersome and drag down the flow of the novel, but that's history for you! A very good and highly recommended read for historical fiction lovers!
I was apprehensive because I haven't been the biggest fan of Matilda in my studies, to be frank she wasn't a very good politician and many times could have won the war if she had been more of a tactician. This book was more aligned with the supporting characters and how the arena of war can turn men cold and women into heroines. It wasn't until the 1950s that the idea of women being housewives was created, many women in fact ran households, farmed, collected rent, and worked hard. In medieval times sometimes your husband would disappear for upwards of 10 years and these women were expected to keep up their land and home. This book not only brought this history to light but also showed women taking control of their own destinies.
There is action, warfare, intrigue, and famous noblemen betrayal, selling themselves to the highest bidder. A perfect representation of the era and beautifully written. The names can be cumbersome and drag down the flow of the novel, but that's history for you! A very good and highly recommended read for historical fiction lovers!
June 6, 2015
Wow, I am on such a bad-book streak! I guess I was laboring under a misapprehension with this one. I thought it was an historical novel, but it's more of a Da Vinci Code- type "thriller" complete with evil monks and dashing knights. It's packed with cliches and strewn with anachronisms. 12th century characters say things like "thanks so much" and "keep your eyes peeled". Just say nay.
May 18, 2017
I loved this book. I'm a big fan of historical fiction. I found it hard to put down. I look forward to reading another book of hers.
Want to read
January 12, 2013I was sad to hear that Ariana Franklin had passed away. I hope they do her credit in this story; I would hate to see her legacy sullied.
October 29, 2018
2.5 stars. This historical novel was started by Diana Norman (aka Ariana Franklin) and finished after her death by her daughter Samantha. It’s pleasant enough, but it’s not as good as the other Diana Norman books I’ve read. I very much like the historical mysteries she wrote as Ariana Franklin, which are set late in the reign of Henry II. (My only quibble with them is that Norman is the only historical novelist I have ever encountered who dislikes and disparages Eleanor of Aquitaine. That is very annoying, but then she does a fine job with Henry - who makes an appearance at the end of this book, as a young boy.)
Anyway, this novel is set during the civil war between Stephen and Matilda. It’s framed as a story dictated by a dying monk to a young scribe. While I’ll grant it’s amusing to hear the scribe, who was raised in the monastery, pass peremptory judgment on the women of the story, the frame serves little purpose except to make the ending even sappier.
The narrated story begins with an archer rescuing a young girl who was raped and left for dead by a crazy monk. The archer reluctantly takes the girl with him on his pursuit of revenge. They encounter the empress Matilda just after her famous escape in the snow from the siege of Oxford, and get caught up in the drama of the war.
The story also features a noblewoman whose brutal husband has become incapacitated, leaving her in charge of her castle, which is just where she wants to be until the fugitive empress shows up at the gate demanding shelter from her enemies.
I was taken aback at one point when the author (which one?) steals a perfectly well-known scene from the childhood of the famous knight, William Marshal. As a young boy Marshal was taken hostage by Stephen, who threatened to hang him, and Marshal’s father told Stephen to go ahead, that he had the hammer and anvil with which to make more sons. This same scenario happens with a fictional boy named William in this book, even including the line about the hammer and anvil. I’m not sure why the author(s) would do this. There’s a good chance that many people reading this book will recognize the scene.
Despite that incongruity, this is well written, and I enjoyed the setting and the characters. The story is contrived and trite, however, and the ending is downright sappy.
Anyway, this novel is set during the civil war between Stephen and Matilda. It’s framed as a story dictated by a dying monk to a young scribe. While I’ll grant it’s amusing to hear the scribe, who was raised in the monastery, pass peremptory judgment on the women of the story, the frame serves little purpose except to make the ending even sappier.
The narrated story begins with an archer rescuing a young girl who was raped and left for dead by a crazy monk. The archer reluctantly takes the girl with him on his pursuit of revenge. They encounter the empress Matilda just after her famous escape in the snow from the siege of Oxford, and get caught up in the drama of the war.
The story also features a noblewoman whose brutal husband has become incapacitated, leaving her in charge of her castle, which is just where she wants to be until the fugitive empress shows up at the gate demanding shelter from her enemies.
I was taken aback at one point when the author (which one?) steals a perfectly well-known scene from the childhood of the famous knight, William Marshal. As a young boy Marshal was taken hostage by Stephen, who threatened to hang him, and Marshal’s father told Stephen to go ahead, that he had the hammer and anvil with which to make more sons. This same scenario happens with a fictional boy named William in this book, even including the line about the hammer and anvil. I’m not sure why the author(s) would do this. There’s a good chance that many people reading this book will recognize the scene.
Despite that incongruity, this is well written, and I enjoyed the setting and the characters. The story is contrived and trite, however, and the ending is downright sappy.
November 2, 2014
It’s 1141, and in the harsh and dangerous world of medieval England, the war between Stephen and Matilda gathers momentum. The people of the Cambridgeshire fens eke out a lowly living surrounded by convoluted rivers and reed beds, and bring up their children amongst the tree branches of willow and alder. Raising the four thousand eels needed to pacify the Bishop of Ely, and keeping the protection of St Ethelreda is their greatest worry, until the construction of a new castle for Hugh Bigod, the new Earl of Norfolk, takes away their men folk.
Em is a young fen lander, whose striking red hair puts her in the very path of danger and links her fate with that of the mercenary soldier Gwil, and also of Maude of Kenniford, the sixteen year old chatelaine of Kenniford Castle in Oxfordshire. On the surface this disparate trio have nothing in common but the events of winter 1141, binds them irrevocably together in a story which abounds with treachery, intrigue and overwhelming danger.
I have long been a fan of the historical fiction writing of Ariana Franklin and was saddened to hear of her death in 2011. When the opportunity came around to read and review Winter Siege, Ariana’s last standalone historical narrative, completed by her daughter Samantha, I grasped the chance to see how the book would work out.Interested to see how the story would progress with someone else’s hand at the helm, I started the story with some trepidation. However, the story drew me in from the beginning. There is no doubt that the unmistakable hand of Ariana is present in the heart and soul of the novel, but there is also an underlying freshness to the story which is evident in the lightest of touches and in the fine attention to emotional detail.
I’m sure that Winter Siege will not only appeal to Ariana Franklin’s legions of fans but will also guarantee Samantha Norman a career in historical fiction should she choose to pursue it.
Em is a young fen lander, whose striking red hair puts her in the very path of danger and links her fate with that of the mercenary soldier Gwil, and also of Maude of Kenniford, the sixteen year old chatelaine of Kenniford Castle in Oxfordshire. On the surface this disparate trio have nothing in common but the events of winter 1141, binds them irrevocably together in a story which abounds with treachery, intrigue and overwhelming danger.
I have long been a fan of the historical fiction writing of Ariana Franklin and was saddened to hear of her death in 2011. When the opportunity came around to read and review Winter Siege, Ariana’s last standalone historical narrative, completed by her daughter Samantha, I grasped the chance to see how the book would work out.Interested to see how the story would progress with someone else’s hand at the helm, I started the story with some trepidation. However, the story drew me in from the beginning. There is no doubt that the unmistakable hand of Ariana is present in the heart and soul of the novel, but there is also an underlying freshness to the story which is evident in the lightest of touches and in the fine attention to emotional detail.
I’m sure that Winter Siege will not only appeal to Ariana Franklin’s legions of fans but will also guarantee Samantha Norman a career in historical fiction should she choose to pursue it.
July 22, 2016
**3.5**
Not bad at all. I really enjoyed parts of it, but if you are looking for really good, authentic, medieval historical fiction, try Elizabeth Chadwick.
More review to come.
Not bad at all. I really enjoyed parts of it, but if you are looking for really good, authentic, medieval historical fiction, try Elizabeth Chadwick.
More review to come.
May 20, 2016
The kind of book that reminds me why I love reading. Ariana Franklin will be greatly missed, though I look forward to reading her daughter's books.
May 3, 2022
What a resounding finale this tale is to the "Mistress of the Art of Death" series, even though it is a prequel. It made me want to go back and start reading the series all over again, and for this: 5 happy stars. If you watched the 'Brother Cadfael' series back in the '80s, you remember that in 1141 a.d. King Stephen and his cousin, the Empress Matilda, were vying for the British crown. It's in this dangerous time that our kind-hearted mercenary archer, Gwil, finds a near-dead, violated girl child who he nurses back to health, teaches his craft and conceals in the persona of a boy. "Penda" has no memory of her previous life and she continues to be in danger. You learn a good deal about castles in this one; how they are run, how they are defended during a siege, and how they can be betrayed. As expected with Franklin's works, there are loveable, larger-than-life characters carried along by amusing, irreverent repartee. My very favorite historical mystery series and highly recommended.
August 13, 2015
9% in is rather early for me to DNF something but I realised something:
There are so many better things to do than reading about the redemption-arc of a male character that is offset by him witnessing the rape of a female character.
Like looking at pictures of kittens.
There are so many better things to do than reading about the redemption-arc of a male character that is offset by him witnessing the rape of a female character.
Like looking at pictures of kittens.
February 13, 2017
I love the Mistress of the Art of Death books, and City of Shadows, but it's taken me a while to read this one--and I'm torn. It has Franklin's great writing, and great characters, but frankly, it was too sad for me. I simply don't like it when writers kill characters I care about--but that's the only reason this book doesn't have 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2018
Atmospheric and wintry novel set during the Anarchy, which focuses events around a young traumatised girl, a mercenary soldier and a female castelaine - this is really rather moving at times.
April 7, 2020
3.5
A slow churning medieval mystery with several underlying plot lines. It was hard for a while to get into it, but then eventually it flowed nicely, and I enjoyed it more than other Ariana's mysteries.
I am a sucker for anything medieval, and the events took place in the castle that offered a certain hermetic feeling that I always found interesting.
I also liked that the book did not focus on the mystery per se, but it also explored the topics of rape and emotional trauma as well as gender roles. There were several POVs, and I thought not all of them were required for the mystery plot line; nonetheless, they offered some entertaining and interesting perspectives on human condition.
I did enjoy the book more than I anticipated, but it was still not enough to give the book 4 stars.
A slow churning medieval mystery with several underlying plot lines. It was hard for a while to get into it, but then eventually it flowed nicely, and I enjoyed it more than other Ariana's mysteries.
I am a sucker for anything medieval, and the events took place in the castle that offered a certain hermetic feeling that I always found interesting.
I also liked that the book did not focus on the mystery per se, but it also explored the topics of rape and emotional trauma as well as gender roles. There were several POVs, and I thought not all of them were required for the mystery plot line; nonetheless, they offered some entertaining and interesting perspectives on human condition.
I did enjoy the book more than I anticipated, but it was still not enough to give the book 4 stars.
December 28, 2022
A novel set during the time period of 1141 AD - when Stephen and Matilda vied for the throne of England. The story is told from the perspective of Gwil - a mercenary who finds a young red haired girl who has been violated and left for dead by an evil monk who aspires to greatness. Gwil takes the girl as a ward, teaches her to be an archer, and together they travel the country and one night in a terrible snowstorm provide shelter for three people that will change their lives forever. I knew very little about this period in English history, and found the story fascinating.
June 16, 2015
Before Winter Siege I’d actually only read one book by Ariana Franklin, to wit
Mistress of the Art of Death
. I loved that book, its setting and its characters and was sad to learn that had passed away only a few weeks before I read the book. When I later discovered that her daughter, Samantha Norman, had finished her last book and that it would still be published, I really wanted to read it, especially since it is set in a time period that holds a special place in my heart. The Anarchy, as the period is known, is the one that first drew me to reading historical crime fiction through the mysteries of Ellis Peters’ Cadfael books. While set in the same period as Franklin’s Adelia Aguilar books, Winter Siege stands apart from that series and familiarity with her other books isn’t necessary to enjoy this one.
Set around the Cambridgeshire Fens and Kenniford Castle, the book’s geographical scope is limited to a specific area of England and we only get glimpses of the strife raging around the country. Yet due to its location, Kenniford is pivotal in the conflict between the Empress Matilda and King Stephen and we encounter both of them during the narrative. And as the title sort of gives away at one point everything converges on Kenniford in a siege and our protagonists are literally confined to the castle grounds for the duration. This having to be packed like fish in a barrel makes tensions rise and the discovery of closely held secrets inevitable.
The story centres on three protagonists, the mercenary Gwil, the girl he saves from certain death and who becomes his apprentice called Penda, and lastly the Lady Maud the young chatelaine of Kenniford Castle. My favourites were Gwil and Pen, both because of their bond and because of the scars they bear due to their experiences just before they meet. Gwil might have saved Pen’s life, but Pen is Gwil’s salvation; she allows him to reclaim his humanity, to atone for his past and to feel that he’s done some good in the world. To Pen, Gwil becomes protector, friend, and father figure all rolled into one. I loved the way Franklin and Norman developed this relationship, gradually moving from Gwil’s grudgingly taking her in and Pen’s wary, skittish distrust to a close and deep bond. Their final scenes in the book broke my heart and had me swiping at my eyes surreptitiously.
While not my favourite protagonist, Lady Maud was definitely quite sympathetic and I enjoyed her strength of spirit. Forced into a marriage as a reward for her soon-to-be husband, she is shackled to the odious Sir John. He is far older and prefers the bed of his mistress to hers, a fact for which Maud is entirely grateful. The only good thing her marriage brings Maud is her stepson, Sir John’s son William. She builds a close bond with the boy, becoming a surrogate parent and confidante to him. Together with her governess Milburga, she tries to instil self confidence in William and the power to stand up to his father. What I enjoyed most about Maud is that she was very much limited by her gender and what society allowed her to do, yet within those boundaries she manages to find her way, to take care of her people no matter what, and to gain her own desires. One of which is initially highly inappropriate as he is the mercenary captain Alan of Ghent. Their romance is lovely, though at times a bit swoony, but I really enjoyed that part of Maud’s story.
Winter Siege is told through a framed narration: an abbot on his deathbed recites the story to a scribe to ensure that this history isn’t forgotten. I liked the interplay between the abbot and the scribe in their interludes and the character of the scribe that shines through these short passages is as prudish and pedantic as it was amusing. The regular retreat of the story to this narrative frame also allows the reader to glimpse the wider goings-on of the war between Matilda and Stephen, without having to miraculously drop the information into the besieged castle. Since it is a told story, the authors can also compress long periods where nothing happens into a few sentences without having the narrative become choppy. I also found myself trying to work out who the abbot was, only guessing his identity about three-quarters into the book.
Even if Winter Siege wasn’t started as a collaboration and only ended up that way through circumstance, the blending of the two authorial voices is seamless. I couldn’t tell where Franklin’s writing ended and Norman’s started. They meshed incredibly well, for which Norman should be lauded, because that is all her achievement. Winter Siege is a compelling and sometimes harrowing story of survival and learning to thrive anew. If you like the early medieval period as a setting for your stories and like a good mystery, then Winter Siege comes very much recommended. And the good news is that Samantha Norman is working on the 5th book in the Adelia Aguilar series, so there is more of her writing to come if Winter Siege whets your appetite.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
Set around the Cambridgeshire Fens and Kenniford Castle, the book’s geographical scope is limited to a specific area of England and we only get glimpses of the strife raging around the country. Yet due to its location, Kenniford is pivotal in the conflict between the Empress Matilda and King Stephen and we encounter both of them during the narrative. And as the title sort of gives away at one point everything converges on Kenniford in a siege and our protagonists are literally confined to the castle grounds for the duration. This having to be packed like fish in a barrel makes tensions rise and the discovery of closely held secrets inevitable.
The story centres on three protagonists, the mercenary Gwil, the girl he saves from certain death and who becomes his apprentice called Penda, and lastly the Lady Maud the young chatelaine of Kenniford Castle. My favourites were Gwil and Pen, both because of their bond and because of the scars they bear due to their experiences just before they meet. Gwil might have saved Pen’s life, but Pen is Gwil’s salvation; she allows him to reclaim his humanity, to atone for his past and to feel that he’s done some good in the world. To Pen, Gwil becomes protector, friend, and father figure all rolled into one. I loved the way Franklin and Norman developed this relationship, gradually moving from Gwil’s grudgingly taking her in and Pen’s wary, skittish distrust to a close and deep bond. Their final scenes in the book broke my heart and had me swiping at my eyes surreptitiously.
While not my favourite protagonist, Lady Maud was definitely quite sympathetic and I enjoyed her strength of spirit. Forced into a marriage as a reward for her soon-to-be husband, she is shackled to the odious Sir John. He is far older and prefers the bed of his mistress to hers, a fact for which Maud is entirely grateful. The only good thing her marriage brings Maud is her stepson, Sir John’s son William. She builds a close bond with the boy, becoming a surrogate parent and confidante to him. Together with her governess Milburga, she tries to instil self confidence in William and the power to stand up to his father. What I enjoyed most about Maud is that she was very much limited by her gender and what society allowed her to do, yet within those boundaries she manages to find her way, to take care of her people no matter what, and to gain her own desires. One of which is initially highly inappropriate as he is the mercenary captain Alan of Ghent. Their romance is lovely, though at times a bit swoony, but I really enjoyed that part of Maud’s story.
Winter Siege is told through a framed narration: an abbot on his deathbed recites the story to a scribe to ensure that this history isn’t forgotten. I liked the interplay between the abbot and the scribe in their interludes and the character of the scribe that shines through these short passages is as prudish and pedantic as it was amusing. The regular retreat of the story to this narrative frame also allows the reader to glimpse the wider goings-on of the war between Matilda and Stephen, without having to miraculously drop the information into the besieged castle. Since it is a told story, the authors can also compress long periods where nothing happens into a few sentences without having the narrative become choppy. I also found myself trying to work out who the abbot was, only guessing his identity about three-quarters into the book.
Even if Winter Siege wasn’t started as a collaboration and only ended up that way through circumstance, the blending of the two authorial voices is seamless. I couldn’t tell where Franklin’s writing ended and Norman’s started. They meshed incredibly well, for which Norman should be lauded, because that is all her achievement. Winter Siege is a compelling and sometimes harrowing story of survival and learning to thrive anew. If you like the early medieval period as a setting for your stories and like a good mystery, then Winter Siege comes very much recommended. And the good news is that Samantha Norman is working on the 5th book in the Adelia Aguilar series, so there is more of her writing to come if Winter Siege whets your appetite.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
December 19, 2019
3.75 stars rounded up to 4 Taking place during the Anarchy - with the struggle for the crown between Steven and Mathilda raging (sometimes in the background and sometimes part of the storyline) during the time of William Marshal (not mentioned) , this book begins as a dying abbot has a story he must tell. As he tells it, he withers away...as if it is, in part, what keeps him alive. Filled with knights and ordinary people, it is a tale of love and betrayal...of defilement and redemption.
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