What do You think about Shadows And Strongholds (2005)?
This novel is a convincing and captivating historical fiction set in 12th century England. The tale follows the life of Brunin FitzWarin and is written creatively to pique the readers' attention and immerse them in a suspenseful medieval epic. It opens with Lord FitzWarin taking drastic action and sending his 10 year old son Brunin to serve as a squire to his trusted friend and ally Joscelin de Dinan. Lord FitzWarin knows his son is at a turning point and needs to overcome the shyness that is holding him back. Joscelin de Dinan is the right person to groom him and teach him the fine art of knighthood. The mentoring turns Brunin into a strong young adult and his close relationship with Hawise, Joscelin de Dinan's daughter, changes from childhood play to trust and admiration and eventually romance...Oh! those pesky medieval hormones...... Brunin weds her before joining his father and father-in-law on an upcoming battle with King Stephen in a quest to keep Henry of Anjou on the throne..... While away at war, the two families suffer, a Welsh invasion seizes the FitzWarin estate and de Dinan's rival asserts his claim on Ludlow. The fast-paced plots are captivating and the writing delves deep into the emotions of its characters. It provides an interesting look into medieval feuds and the deadly rivalry between those in power and those seeking power. A veritable page turner chronicling adventures, courage and love. "Shadows and Strongholds" is a romantic story, loosely based on facts and events told by troubadours of the time. I find this time period very interesting and I am strongly entertained by Ms Chadwick's take on it
—Toni Osborne
Este é o terceiro livro que leio da autora e até ao momento, o meu preferido.Fulke Fitzwarin, conhecido como Brunin, é um rapaz tímido e que vai "sofrendo" às mãos dos seus irmãos mais novos, mas também pela forma como é tratado pela sua avó paterna. O seu pai decide então enviar-lo para casa de Joscelin De Dinan, como escudeiro, acabando por formar amizade com as filhas deste, nomeadamente de Hawise.Este é um romance histórico, numa Inglaterra medieval e baseado em personagens reais. Acredito que o tamanho do livro possa afastar alguns leitores, mas a forma como a autora nos dá a conhecer a história e a vida dos personagens, faz como que queiramos ir avançando na leitura, sempre de forma interessada.As personagens e locais estão bem descritos e caracterizados, tornando-se tudo tão real os nossos olhos.O enredo é bastante interessante e vai-se desenrolando ao longo de mais de 10 anos, permitindo-nos acompanhar a evolução das duas famílias - Fitzwarin e De Dinan - mas também como o romance vai surgindo de forma natural sem que nos pareça forçado.O livro é bem mais do que uma simples história de amor pois a autora preocupa-se em fazer uma boa caracterização da época e política e explorando também o ponto de vista das mulheres.Fiquei rendida quer ao enredo, quer às fortes personagens e cheguei ao fim da leitura com vontade de querer saber mais sobre Brunun e Hawise.
—Patricia Rodrigues
Shadows and Strongholds was not only my first ever Elizabeth Chadwick read (I know, where have I been?!) but my first read of a twelfth century novel, and I LOVED it.Elizabeth Chadwick's storytelling is second to none, and the era came alive on every page. I loved watching the characters of Brunin and Hawise grow and I experienced first hand the day to day challenges of twelfth century living.It was amazing to experience a little of what life for women was like, and interesting to discover how strong some of these women were holding their own in a male dominated society.What I loved most about Shadows and Strongholds was feeling secure in the knowledge that every facet of information had been well researched by the author. For me, Elizabeth Chadwick's integrity added to the enjoyment of the read and I can't wait to catch-up with her other titles.
—Susan
