What do You think about The Traitor's Wife: A Novel Of The Reign Of Edward II (2009)?
THOUGHTS WHILE READING:If I weren't reading this for book club, I would have stopped already. I wish that I had gotten this from the library rather than paying the $7.99 for the Kindle version because it was a total waste of money.From the very first chapter, I knew that this would be a difficult read for me. I am not a fan of Higginbotham's prose, her lack of description, or the characters. She writes in passive voice, which is something that I don't like seeing in fiction, or in any type of writing, really. The lack of description is really bothersome because she is writing about a period of time that no one living today can tell us about; instead, she should be providing description about the setting, costumes, customs, food, etc. It's just lazy research in my mind that she didn't include these details. On one page she mentions an instrument that I have never heard of before, and provides no description or context for it whatsoever. My Kindle's dictionary couldn't even tell me what it was. Fail!Writing historical fiction cannot be easy; there are only so many facts that are known. My historian friend provided me with some background on this family after researched them; she read this book as well, and felt a few things were off about it. I was shocked to learn from her how horrible Eleanor's husband, Hugh, really was. I actually *like* him and think he's a nice guy, but then I haven't gotten to the part where we learn otherwise. (currently have read 19%)FINAL VERDICT:I made it 80% of the way through, tried to finish the last bit of it before book club tonight, and decided to just screw it. The book wasn't getting any better, anyway! My advice? SKIP this one.
—Jennifer Jensen (Literally Jen)
Most people know the reign of Edward II to be filled with homosexual relationships, a “She-Wolf”, and a supposed murder with a red-hot spit. How much of this is true? Although we may never know precisely, Susan Higginbotham explores this topic in “The Traitor’s Wife” with the main viewpoint being of Hugh Despenser’s wife: Eleanor.Disappointingly, “The Traitor’s Wife” begins with a rather slow kick and pace. Although the novel is from the perspective of Eleanor le Despenser (nee de Clare); a myriad of characters and background is introduced too quickly, reducing the connection to Eleanor with the reader. Although there may have been an early pressing need to set the political scene; Higginbotham should have let the plot speak for itself. Furthermore, the initial portions of “The Traitor’s Wife” have identity issues meaning that they are inconsistent in format. One section is stylized like a scholarly work while then progressing into a fictional piece with the cycle repeating; which can cause issues with the flow. However, for those readers preferring strong historical accuracy and research (which I do); the meticulous research presented is interesting, satisfying, and accurate. Eleanor’s characterization in the early parts of “The Traitor’s Wife” is neither likable nor hated because she lacks development into either realm. She displayed no personal ambition (except for sex, perhaps) and was bland in her behavior. The other characters comprised more personality and multiple layers to their qualities. In fact, Higginbotham successfully elevated figures whom are usually portrayed in one stereotypical way (such as Piers Gaveston) to be composed of both positive and negative traits, providing a well-rounded glimpse with a more realistic viewpoint. As “The Traitor’s Wife” progresses, Higginbotham’s writing begins to find its niche which strengthens the plot, pace, and versatility of the characters. At this point, “The Traitor’s Wife” becomes much more readable. Although many historical fiction novels are more fiction than history, Higginbotham’s novel is pleasantly more history than fiction. The moments when Higginbotham does take historical liberties with facts or theories; they are creative, believable, and not overly conceived allowing the reader to truly “feel” the story. “The Traitor’s Wife” opens up the analysis of Hugh Despenser in a much more evolved manner than any other work, causing the reader to rethink preconceived notions. The second half of the novel also boosts Eleanor’s character as she finally begins to mature and develop, resulting in a story which is much more alive and vivid, with a quickened pace. Pleasingly, the novel feels authentic and never too modern.There were some eye-rolling moments in the second half such as artificial romantic (and masturbation) moments, allusions to future events (Shakespeare’s connection to Stratford on Avon), and Eleanor’s constant giggling even within her adult years. Personally, I found these to take away from the reading and break my bubble but this is me knit-picking. The last 100 pages of “The Traitor’s Wife” slightly drag and some of the events feel cyclical and repetitive. Despite my complaints, I did enjoy “The Traitor’s Wife”; especially in the second half. Higginbotham’s work is painstakingly researched, meaty, entertaining, and well conceived (albeit with some execution issues). Most importantly, it is quite accurate. “The Traitor’s Wife” is a good read for both history lovers and those new to the topic; while also providing a welcoming introduction to Higginbotham’s work. I do look forward to exploring her other works.
—Orsolya
In 'The Traitor's Wife: A Novel of the Reign of Edward II' author Susan Higginbotham follows the life of Eleanor de Clare from the time she marries Hugh le Despenser in 1306 to her death in 1337. The years in between are full of challenges, which the title character rises to admirably. She is portrayed as a loyal, passionate woman who loves her husband, her children and her king. She will do whatever she can to protect them. Even when her efforts fail and she is faced with tremendous loss, she meets adversity with courage and faith.There are many characters in 'The Traitor's Wife,' most of them based on historical figures who were often named after royalty or relatives and therefore had many given names in common. This sometimes leads to confusion, but since Higginbotham had the foresight to include a character list and a disclaimer at the front of the book, it is easily cleared up.It is evident that a tremendous amount of research went into the writing of this novel, making the characters and events richer and deeper than if they came solely from the author's imagination. While reading this book, I found myself constantly reminded of the fact that these people were real. Higginbotham brings them back to life with all their foibles and shortcomings as well as their noble qualities. She makes history come alive and reacquaints us with a time with which we may or may not be familiar.I must admit I did not know much about Edward II or the people who made up his court in the 14th century, but my introduction to it through Higginbotham's novel has sparked my interest to find out more. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy the genre of historical fiction - I am able to be entertained while reading about characters and events that are based on fact. On this criterion, 'The Traitor's Wife' did not disappoint, although the prose became somewhat dry at times and I had the feeling of being overwhelmed by the facts rather than carried along by the emotion behind the events. The book is a fairly long one - almost 500 pages of small print- and although I am not usually daunted by lengthy tomes, I need the emotional connection to the characters to keep me turning the pages to the end. Besides the title character, I can honestly say I did not have this with any of the others; however my empathy for Eleanor and the situations she found herself in kept me reading to the conclusion.Ultimately, 'The Traitor's Wife' is a tale of intrigue, betrayal, loyalty and passion. It is worth the dry parts to get to the juicy tidbits about a woman who lived and loved 700 years ago.
—Simmonsmry
