(The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1)
By Mercedes Rochelle
Publisher: Sergeant Press
Page Length: 313 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost.
Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding.
The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless.
He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects.
Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.
Book Review
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Richard II has always been one of those kings I knew more about from the end of his reign than the beginning, so A King Under Siege was a bit of an eye-opener for me. I had certainly never stopped to think about what it meant to put a crown on a ten-year-old boy's head and then expect him somehow to grow into a king while everyone around him was already accustomed to making the decisions.
Richard is certainly not perfect, and thank goodness for that because he would have been terribly dull. He can be stubborn, hot-tempered and far too loyal to people who aren't necessarily helping his cause. There were several occasions when I thought he had a perfectly reasonable point and then watched him ruin it by losing his temper.
I really enjoyed his relationship with Anne. Away from Parliament, councils and interfering relatives, we get to see a much softer Richard. Their time at La Neyt was especially lovely because it felt like one of the few places where he could simply be himself rather than constantly having to prove that he was the King.
Simon Burley was another favourite of mine. He has been part of Richard's life for so long that he feels more like family than a royal servant, and I loved the steadiness he brought whenever everything around Richard seemed to be falling apart. I became far more attached to him than I realised. That was a mistake.
There is a LOT of politics in this book, but I enjoyed it because it is so personal. These aren't faceless groups arguing over government. They are uncles, cousins, childhood companions and old friends, and some of them have known Richard since he was a little boy. That makes the struggle over who actually gets to rule England much more interesting.
By the end, I was firmly on board for the rest of The Plantagenet Legacy. Richard has finally grown up, he has a long memory, and quite a few people have given him things to remember.
I suspect that's going to go extremely well for everyone.
Five stars from me. ✰✰✰✰✰
A King Under Siege
Mercedes Rochelle
Born in St. Louis, MO, with a degree from University of Missouri, Mercedes Rochelle learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.
⚜️ Another fabulous stop on our Plantagenet adventure! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on A King Under Siege. It's wonderful to have your review as part of today's tour! 👑
ReplyDeleteThank you for a wonderful review! I, too, started at the end or Richard's life (via Shakespeare) and worked my way backwards. What a ride!
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