Customer Reviews

Long Shadow Hb (Morland Dynasty)

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#6: Covers 1670-1689; the reign of James II

The Long Shadow is the sixth book in the Morland Dynasty series. I've kind of been reading this series out of order; the first book in the series that I read was #5, The Black Pearl. Book #6 focuses on Annunciata and Ralph Morland--Annuciata continues her rise at court in London, becoming a Countess, while Ralph keeps himself at Morland Place. Their lives are overshadowed by the end of the Restoration, and the dangerous reign of James II, where the battle between Catholics and Protestants becomes more complicated than ever.

This is the third book I've read that has Annunciate Morland in it, and I can safely say that this novel solidified my dislike of her. At best, she's selfish and spoiled, an indifferent and sometimes uncaring mother and wife. I liked Ralph Morland at the end of The Black Pearl, but here he seems a bit standoffish. Even Annuciata'a children are somewhat unlikable, especially Hugo. But other than the characters, I thought this was an interesting addition to the series. The Catholic/ Protestant conflict goes a bit over my head at times, but Harrod-Eagles makes history accessible once again.

Book 6 in the Morland family saga is set in England in the reign of Charles the 2nd, who has been restored to the throne following the downfall of Oliver Cromwell. The only shadow on the future of the Stuart dynasty is the inability of the Queen to bear a child, leaving the succession to Charles' brother James and his two daughters
Mary and Anne. James is a committed Catholic and this fact causes dissension among the public and the Parliament who do not wish a return to Catholicism as the nation's religion. Ralph Morland's wife, Annunciata, the illegitimate daughter of Prince Rupert and still known as Countess of Chelsford from her second marriage, is a great favourite at Court and spends much of her time there, to the chagrin of her eldest son Hugo, a boy who is consumed with jealousy when she shows how much she dotes on her second son, George. The story continues through the following years with all of the real historical facts well recorded and made more interesting by seeing it through the eyes of the Morland family.