London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel [Hardcover]

Gillian Bradshaw (Author)

Book Description

Series: English Civil War | Publication Date: November 1, 2009

An English Civil War novel from a highly-acclaimed author - London, 1647. Lucy Wentor, a young lady who was attacked by soldiers during the civil war, and then rejected by her sweetheart, hopes to start her life afresh in the capital with her uncle and aunt. London, however, is in chaos and her once well-to-do uncle is now almost bankrupt. Unwilling to go home, Lucy finds a job in publishing and excitement, love and independence soon follow.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Bradshaw's latest historical romance is set during the English Civil War in the mid-seventeenth century. Lucy Wentnor has fled her father's home after being raped by soldiers and then rejected by her fiancé. Arriving in London, she throws herself on the mercy of her aunt and uncle. Although her uncle is sympathetic, her aunt is the opposite. So when Lucy is offered the chance to help out in a print shop, she takes it, eager to escape her aunt. She soon learns that the printing press is unlicensed and what is being printed is considered seditious (reports on plots against the exiled king Charles, tirades against Parliament, and diatribes against the corrupt army). But Lucy is undaunted. Then the print-shop owner is arrested, and Lucy must run things single-handedly. Bolstered by her newfound independence and self-confidence, she falls in love. But disaster strikes. Is Lucy strong enough to overcome this latest obstacle? An enjoyable historical romance featuring vivid characters, a lively and entertaining plot, authentic period details, the excitement and tragedy of war, and a heartwarming ending. Recommended for all collections. --Booklist, 1st October 2009

About the Author

Gillian Bradshaw's father, an American Associated Press newsman, met her mother, a confidential secretary for the British embassy, in Rio de Janeiro. She was born in Washington DC in 1956, the second of four children. They didn't move around quite as much as one might expect after such a beginning: Washington was followed merely by Santiago, Chile, and two locations in Michigan. Gillian attended the University of Michigan, where she earned her BA in English and another in Classical Greek, and won the Hopwood Prize for fiction with her first novel, "Hawk of May," She went on to get another degree at Newnham College, Cambridge University, England in Greek and Latin literature, and she sold her first novel while preparing for exams.
She decided to stay in Cambridge another year to write another novel and think about what to do for a Real Job. However, while there, she discovered she could live on her income as a novelist and also met her husband, who was completing his doctorate in physics. Between books and children she never did get a Real Job, and she's been writing novels ever since.
She and her husband now live in Coventry. They have four children and a dog.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727867962
• ISBN-13: 978-0727867964
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #580,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born 1956 in Arlington, Virginia (i.e., Washington DC); grew up there, in Santiago, Chile, and in East Lansing and Mount Pleasant Michigan; educated University of Michigan (Classics and English) and Newnham College, Cambridge (Classics). I published my first novel while I was supposed to be revising for my final exams; the exams suffered, but I still managed a 2.1. I decided to take another year in Cambridge to work on the next novel, and Met a Man, like many a woman before and since. We got married in Paris, where he had a post-doc position and I had discovered an urgent need to learn French. He continued research and teaching, first in Santa Barbara, then back in Cambridge, and finally at the University of Warwick; I continued writing. A lot of my work has used my background in classical Greek and Latin, but I've occasionally branched out into the high middle ages, contemporary, and sci-fi. We have four kids, now grown up, and so far one grandchild.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written historical fiction, September 16, 2009

By 

Alihikes (Bend Oregon) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel (Hardcover)

London in Chains was excellent historical fiction, about an era I was not familiar with. The main character was lively and forceful, and the reader really gets a feeling of what the historical era (rebellion during the era of Oliver Cromwell) was like. Personally I enjoy historical fiction that features interesting characters that I care about, and this book more than achieved that level of involvement.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Probably best for Civil War buffs only (and I am one), January 3, 2010

By 

Misfit (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel (Hardcover)

It's 1647 and the "first" Civil War between King and Parliament is over - and London is seething with politics and seditious printers. After an attack on the family farm by soldiers Lucy Wentnor has lost both her dowry and her innocence, and her father brings her to London to live with her uncle Thomas and his parsimonious wife Agnes. Agnes intends to use Lucy as an unpaid servant in the household, but our independent miss manages to find herself a job assisting a printer - and when he is thrown in jail she takes over the operation herself along with the inherent dangers that come with operating an illegal press. Soon caught up in the political agendas of the varying factions (King, Parliament, Covenanters, Cromwell) as well as torn between the two men who lover her, Lucy dances a fine line to keep herself out of prison and independence intact.

While certainly not the be-all to end-all novels that deal with this period, I did like the fact that it focused on a very narrow window (between the two major phases of the wars) as well as how the author used Lucy's involvement in the printing business to make some of the various political parties easier to understand. This is a very short novel at just over 200 pages and doesn't get as in-depth with the characters as I would normally prefer in a book. I enjoyed Lucy's story, but I didn't find myself sitting on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened next either. If you are interested in this period and already have some knowledge going in I would recommend this but for those new to the period I'd recommend starting elsewhere, either Pamela Belle's Wintercombe series or the The Moon in the Water trilogy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical Fiction, December 9, 2009

By 

WOB - See all my reviews

This review is from: London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel (Hardcover)

I just finished reading this book, and although it starts off a bit slow, it is an excellent read. I am American but have British roots, and was amazed at how little I knew about this period in English history. I now feel like a big hole in my knowledge has been filled by reading Gillian's book. It has a bit of everything, intrique, wit, romance, action, good plotting, and great characters. Although some might think it a book more for women, any guy would enjoy it too. Its history as easily consumed as a fine wine! Thanks Gillian. Keep them coming!