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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
These books are brilliant,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Dark Rose (The Morland Dynasty, Book 2) (Paperback)
They start off set in the Wars of the Roses and in the most recent book the American Civil War has just ended. Ms Harrod-Eagles must be one of the most talented and dedicated authors around as the historical detail is impeccable and when you couple that with the characters it makes for compulsive reading. These are my favourite books ever - I try to read the whole series at least once a year. What I love most about it is the way the author creates such strong female characters - Eleanor, Nanette, Annunciata, Jemima, Lucy, Charlotte, Mary - they're wonderful and I love reading about them. Volume 22 is coming out soon and I can't wait for it. The only bad thing about these books is having to wait a whole year for the next installment! If anyone wants to email me to discuss the books go ahead - I don't know anyone else who reads them.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
No One to Like,
By
This review is from: The Dark Rose (Morland Dynasty) (Paperback)
In The Dark Rose Ms. Harrod-Eagles takes on Tudor England. It is one of my favorite time periods in history and I, like many others, have done a lot of reading on Henry VIII. So that in some ways made this book familiar. The fictional Morland family is inserted into history to be the axis upon which the story spins.
I so wanted to like this this because of my familiarity with the content. I love reading new takes on old stories. But the Morlands in this tale are, for the most part, very unlikeable. Paul Morland is the head of the household as the book unfolds and is feeling resentment towards his half brother Jack. He thinks Jack is trying to steal everything he has; Morland Place, the love of the people, his son. Everyone loves Jack but everyone merely obeys Paul because he is the master. Paul feels slighted because his wife has only given him one son while Jack has a large family. Paul's son grows into an entitled, unpleasant young man. Paul also has an illegitimate son by his mistress who grows up resenting Paul and promising revenge for Paul's neglect. I don't want to give away too many plot points but with one exception most of the characters you could get behind end up dead. It's just plain depressing. Paul's niece, Nanette ends up at court as a lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn. I was not fond of the characterization of Anne Boleyn. It ran contrary to most that I have read. Since the novel focuses more on Anne than Henry this was difficult. Paul does end up softening towards the end due to a newfound love that will raise some eyebrows but the relationship would have been acceptable in its time. He and his son find themselves on opposite sides of the religious battles raging at the time with Cromwell doing his harm to England. I still want to continue along in the series but if the third book is also full of unlikeable characters that will probably be the end for me. I just feel you need someone to like and root for in a book. It was easy to read and I enjoyed the history but I struggled a bit with this one.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A light relaxing read with the reign of Henry VIII as a backdrop ...,
By JaneConsumer (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Dark Rose (Morland Dynasty) (Paperback)
The second book in the Morland Dynasty series can be read as a stand-alone novel. It starts approximately during 1501, a few years after Henry VIII comes to the throne. It ends around 1548, a year after his death.
Henry VIII's reign serves as a backdrop, especially his relationship with his first 3 wives - Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour. But story centers around the Morland family with a focus on Paul Morland (age 10 at the end of the first book, THE FOUNDING) and Nannette (Anne Morland), who is introduce during this book (b. 1508). Harrod-Eagles deals historically accurately with a sensitive topic - carnal love between family members. In addition to the intrigue at Henry's court, there's conflict and strife within the Morland family. The novel moves along at a rapid pace. It's a fast read with neither an abundance of historical detail nor romance. Just perfect for unwinding after a busy day.
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