European Royalty discussion

Please discuss Part Four: Emma 1035-1041 here.

This section is starting to pick up for me (after I trudged through certain sections of Parts 2 and 3). Emma's pretty cold. I really liked her in Part 1, and I enjoyed her relationship with Cnut, but that's about it. I don't like the portrayal of Edward and Alfred as two bumbling idiots. Their characters seem pretty flat (to their detriment) whereas the other characters seem much more developed. Their whining at each other and to their mother and others when they're around 30 years old is weird to me; it kind of seems like the author hasn't realized they've grown up. Just because Edward doesn't want to fight and doesn't want to be king doesn't make him an idiot; the guy's a saint for goodness sake! There has to be something good about him, but nothing of the sort is coming across in this novel (at least at the point I'm at). I guess I'm comparing this portrayal of these young men to Plaidy's portrayal in The Bastard King, and I prefer Plaidy in this case.

I'll still enjoying the book, and I definitely want to read the next one. I kind of like Harold, and I'm glad he finally stood up to his mother.

You have to wonder how Edward ever obtained Sainthood. I've yet to see him portrayed in any novel with any qualities outside of his piousness (is that a word?).

Harold the King is a do not miss, William will scare the h*** out of you.