Customer Reviews

The Adventures of Alianore Audley

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This story contains the witty and hilarious observations of one Alianore Audley. She is a lady and sarcastic spy for her cousin King Edward IV in 15th century England. Her sense of humor (in and of nearly everything) concerning her contemporaries, "plebes," (commoners) and royalty is deliously wicked and extremely entertaining. However, in no way does this detract from the author's obvious knowledge of the period. In fact, it just adds more to its flavor! Alianore starts out as King Edward IV's "covert coquette" and eventually becomes his brother Richard's spy as well.
You just have to read it to truly appreciate it! The only complaint I have is it was much too short, (a paltry) 206 [ages but well worth the short time it took to read it! I can't wait for Brian Wainwright's next "medieval" novel! It's writing at its very best and deserves more than five stars!

This book was absolutely delightful. Not only did I laugh out loud at almost every page, I was thoroughly impressed at how well-researched it was. The author skillfully wove in facts about the Wars of the Roses and personages of that era, while at the same time using modern expressions and humor to good effect. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

What a hysterical send up of historical fiction. Mel Brooks couldn't have done better. I was laughing through every page, the author's toungue must have been firmly planted in his cheek the entire time. Hard to believe this is the same person who wrote the ever so serious (and brilliant!) Within The Fetterlock.

However, I would recommend that you have a passing knowledge of the Wars of the Roses, Edward the IV and Richard the III. Otherwise, you'll miss most of the jokes. Highly recommended and a breath of fresh air from so many serious works of fiction.

"Alianore Audley" is a clever parody of historical romance, set during the second half of the fifteenth century. The eponymous narrator is astute, clever and mercilessly witty, and part of the fun of the novel is the fact that the writing is deliberately anachronistic (dialogue and narrative as well as specific references).

The novel effectively skewers several of the clichés that abound in historical romance: for example, the desirability of featuring a heroine with "special powers"; the adventurous woman who has to disguise herself as a man; and the notion of marriage based on love and attraction rather than a purely business transaction (at one point, Alianore is nonplussed by a fellow lady-in-waiting who is more interested in a man's "nice eyes" than "the size of his rent-roll"). It is refreshing to read about a heroine who is very much a woman of her time, even though she becomes involved in politics and intrigue. Wainwright's take on what really happened to the Princes in the Tower is original and amusing, and - bizarrely - as plausible as many of the other theories out there.

It's perhaps too short; the narrative whips through roughly fifty years of history in about 200 pages, and I was left feeling that it was a little insubstantial. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments, although not as many as I had expected; the novel certainly becomes more serious in tone once we reach the end of Edward IV's reign. Wainwright's extensive knowledge of the period shows, even though this is a very broad brush approach to a story about the Yorkist kings.

It's not flawless, nor is it a laugh-a-page, but it's a fun, entertaining read, and Alianore Audley is an engaging protagonist. It's not quite five stars, but definitely worth more than four.

I read this book based on Elizabeth Chadwick's glowing review of it in her list of 10 favorite works of historial fiction. Chadwick's opinion bears weight with me as she herself is an accomplished author in that genre. Her thumb's up vote was bolstered by the wild cheering from other reviewers on this site. Just goes to show that one man's hilarious is another man's ho-hum.

The narrator is a wise-cracking "damosel" whose snide observations pertaining to the life and times of England during the Wars of the Roses form the basis of the book. I realize this is intended to be a send up of "straight" historical fiction and, being pretty well familiar with the England of this period, I think I "get" a good many of the jokes. Although light-hearted, this book is a far cry from a hilarity-filled, rib-tickling rolliker I was expecting based on the knee-slapping, guffawing glee expressed by others. Smart-alecky in a wink wink, nudge nudge kind of way, it is far from the laugh-a-page I was anticipating. I felt grateful for the few puny yuks Alianore's japes did afford.

I'll credit Wainwright with originality, but this book was quickly read and quickly forgotten. Witty, yes. If you expect more, I fear you will be disappointed, as I was. By way of an aside, it has been my experience that readers of these reviews seem to like other reviews which support their own opinions and dislike differing viewpoints. I fully expect this review to be widely deemed "unhelpful" being an unpopular vote in an otherwise adoring "fan base." I only wish someone else had earlier risked offering an opinion that this book is maybe not so 5-star funny after all.

A well-mixed blend of raucous wit and intelligent writing,'The Adventures of Alianore Audley' is a laugh out loud, clutch your gut, yarn set in 15th century England.

While chronicling her life, Alianore Audley, a fast-thinking, smart-mouthed, medieval dame, sets down her hilarious escapades working as a spy for Kings Edward IV, and Richard III.

Her 'medieval-feminist' mind set and sarcastic tongue snare her in numerous misadventures, which keeps the narrative flowing and the pages turning.

I throughly enjoyed this quick read, which at times, left me breathless from laughter. Kudos to a brilliant author!

I envision Brian Wainwright as a complete history geek who had a blast writing this brilliant book to entertain other complete history geeks. He has done a marvelous job! Brush up on your English Monarchy history from the Wars of the Roses and the Tudors, and keep today's political themes in mind as well, and then dive in to this hilarious "mockumentary" style book.

Alianore Audley is a smart & sassy 15th century wench who is distant kin to the Plantagenets. Her bumbling idiot older brothers do little to look to her welfare, so she relies on her own wiles and is rewarded when they are noticed by King Edward IV. After turning down his first award proposal, she accepts his offer to spy for his government and soon finds herself at the helm of a Middle-aged CIA. She encounters danger, trumps evil, finds love, reluctantly (cough, cough) has sex, and all the while manages to keep her files on various court figures and plotters in meticulous order.

Wainwright's spoof-tale is full of constant sarcasm and history-laden zingers (ie: "You ain't just whistling Greensleeves!"). Alianore's adventures are wonderfully entertaining - the comparison to Mel Brooks by another reviewer is right on target! Alianore is hysterical - this book is great fun and highly recommended, even if you aren't a total history geek. Her sarcasm and the comparisons to more modern politics are obvious to all!

Very amusing, I found myself laughing out loud several times. This is one of those books that can't be compared to serious historical fiction, it's in a different category. This is funny and silly, while at the same time obviously has the historical facts all in order. It should be read after the serious stuff otherwise you won't get as much of the humor.

It says in the 'About the Author' that Brian Wainwright is working on a book about Richard III, Francis Lovel and the Mowbray family. I would love to read that, I haven't found anything of substance written on Francis Lovel. If anyone knows when that book is due to come out would you let me know? And if there's something out there (fiction) on Francis Lovel and you could share that with me as well, that would be great, Thanks

And can anyone tell me what is the picture of on the cover of this book?

I can't adequately describe how much I loved this book. Not only is it absolutely hilarious, it's also very clever and extremely well-researched, and full of intentional anachronisms which are laugh-out-loud funny. Just a couple of examples: the duke of Gloucester browsing the 'Used Destriers' section of the court newspaper, and Alianore Audley informing Edward IV of his approval ratings. It's also very sympathetic to Richard III, and tells the reader what REALLY happened to the princes in the Tower....

Highly recommended!

This story contains the witty and hilarious observations of one Alianore Audley. She is a lady and sarcastic spy of her cousin King Edward IV in 15th century England. Her sense of humor (in and of nearly everything) concerning her contemporaries, "plebes," (commoners) and royalty is deliously wicked and extremely entertaining. However, in no way does this detract from the author's obvious knowledge of the period. In fact, it just adds more to its flavor! Alianore starts out as King Edward IV's "covert coquette" and eventually becomes his brother Richard's spy as well.

You just have to read it to truly appreciate it! The only complaint I have is it was much too short, (a paltry) 206 pages but well worth the short time it took to read it! I can't wait for Brian Wainwright's next "medieval" novel! It's writing at its very best! Deserves more than five stars!