Chadwick does it again!
Time of Singing is another in a series of books that deals with life in the Angevin Empire. This time readers are treated to a snippet of the life of Ida and her husband Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk.
Ida starts her life at Henry II’s court as his less-than-willing mistress. After giving birth to the king’s famous bastard, William Longespee, she marries Roger Bigod.
Elizabeth Chadwick does another great job of making the characters and time period come to life. Their complex stories and personal and political struggles create a quick moving and engaging story. Chadwick takes the historical narrative and adds personal character to the experience.
I really enjoyed this book after reading not only her books on William Marshal, but also her works on John Marshal and Empress Matilda. Over and over in Chadwick’s novels we see the same people appear interwoven into each others lives. I like seeing the same people through different lenses.
Finally, I LOVED the ending featuring the water joust. Awesome– who knew there was even such a thing.
This is one of Chadwick’s winners!
The Booky Mom 