European Royalty discussion

Please discuss Part One, Æthelred, Anno Domini 1002–1013 (57 Chapters) of The Forever Queen here.

I hate to admit it, but I'm a little bored with this book. I have wanted to read it for the longest time and am a bit disappointed. It does have some great moments, but unfortately, for me, they are far and few between.

I've noticed the word, Huh, several times in this book?! Where is that coming from?

Sabrina wrote: "I've noticed the word, Huh, several times in this book?! Where is that coming from?"

Are you thinking it's too modern or just overused or something? To me, given the simplicity of it, it seems like a natural expression that might have been used in any time period. Like a grunt, it's pretty universal. It's even in the dictionary and described as a grunt: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictio... - according to that, it's first known use was in 1608 but that's probably just the first (surviving) written usage of it. It could very well have been used for centuries earlier.

I've found the book hard to get into as well. I'm hoping that it is just that I am very umfamiliar with the time period and that as I get more used to the names, spellings, etc. it will become a quicker read. I don't think it helps when characters that I start to like get killed off right away.

I'm going to be behind on this one too. I'm 2/3 through Lionheart because I had to wait to get it. I have this one (it's been on my shelf for a while), so as soon as I finish Lionheart I can get right into it :-)

Sorry for my delay in response Robin . . I missed your comment. I guess, I really was thinking it too modern. And I honestly never considered it a real word and/or action :-) - more of a slang. It just didn't seem to fit, but considering it is a much older word than I realized, I could accept it. Thanks for the explanation.

So far, I'm not finding Emma a very sympathetic character. Her ambivalence towards her children is very hard to understand. I can understand her dislike for Aethelred but her dislike for him is interfering with how she treats her children. She seems to have more tolerance for her stepsons.

If you take away Emma the Mother, I really liked her. But the way she treats her children by Aethelred is horrible. Some of the things she says is disturbing.

I guess I gave Emma the benefit of the doubt regarding that because (view spoiler)[ I've never had children who were the product of rape. (hide spoiler)] I imagine that would be a very difficult thing to deal with. It's easy to assume that a mother's maternal instincts should kick in no matter what - but since I've never been through it, I can't say it would be that easy.

Emma's relationship her sons by Aethelred, especially Edward (I didn't think she was so bad with Alfred), is historically accurate so Hollick was just trying to stay true to the facts. (view spoiler)[The rape was her interpretation of the best explanation for why a mother would be so cold to her children (hide spoiler)]

Robin wrote: "I guess I gave Emma the benefit of the doubt regarding that because [spoilers removed] I imagine that would be a very difficult thing to deal with. It's easy to assume that a mother's maternal inst..."

Very true! And I love to read history as is. . but the Mother in me :-) would have preferred she just ignored them rather than be so cruel.

Emma seems very much about appearances - she takes care of Aethelred because it is expected of her. She "helps" to take care of her children when they are sick or goes to say good night to them because that is how Mother's are supposed to behave.

Laura wrote: "Emma seems very much about appearances - she takes care of Aethelred because it is expected of her. She "helps" to take care of her children when they are sick or goes to say good night to them be..."

I don't think it's so much about appearances as it is about duty and responsibility.