Customer Reviews

Lute Player

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

 

 

This book is about Richard I the Lionheart. Its main characters are his Lute Player Blondel, his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, his wife and her sister. This work of fiction carefully follows the thread of history, explaining actions that Richard was criticized for, and filling in history's blanks. The book plays out during Richard's crusade. The historical information about the troubles faced and the experiences of soldiers on crusade were amazing. I thought that I respected those men before, but I had no idea. When the book ends you are left begging for more. It is a shame that she didn't write a part two.

This is the story of Richard the Lion-Hearted and the Third Crusade, but the miracle of it is that you see it not from Richard's viewpoint but from the viewpoint of a princess who loved him, her hunchbacked half-sister, and an ordinary lute player. Much of it is based on old legends and histories which makes it even more fascinating. Yet it is a tale which has a modern resonance because Richard, at least in this telling, was a homosexual.

When I was a child my aunts and grandmothers loaned this book around in the family and everyone loved it. As an adult I found it, and a box full of other books by Norah Lofts, at a second hand book store. This book is brilliant, as are all of Norah Lofts' books; she is my favorite author. I am shocked at how many are out of print. Other great books: Jassy, Nethergate, Queens of England, Scent of Cloves, The Lost Queen,How Far To Bethleham...they are all great. Please put them back into print.

History has been truly kind to Richard the Lionheart. He's remembered as the great medieval king of England, a man of honor and bravery who led a crusade to free the Holy Land from the Saracens. He's a real hero revered for his justice and military skills...but when looking at his actual history one has to ask the question *why?* Yes, he was a great military leader. But this is a king who spent less than a year on the island he ruled, couldn't speak the native tongue of his people, and nearly bankrupted his people to finance his war and, after his capture by a rival potentate, to pay off his ransom. So why is this king so beloved?

'The Lute Player' succeeds in bringing this contradictory king to life through the eyes of three main narrators: Anna of Apieta, the crippled half-sister of Richard's wife; Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard's mother; and Blondel, a court musician who begins his service with Anna but later accompanies Richard on his travels in the Holy Land. Each narrator brings his or her own biases to their vision of Richard. Anna meets Richard when he comes to joust at the court of her father, the King of Navarre, and her sister Berengaria falls madly in love with him. Although he is engaged to another woman, Richard eventually marries Berengaria. It soon becomes clear, however, that he did so only to get her dowry to finance the crusade to re-take Jerusalem, Richard's true passion. When he leaves, Berengaria sends her musician Blondel with Richard to keep him safe and keep her apprised of his condition. Blondel, desperately in love with Berengaria, does as his mistress commands and chronicles their adventures in the Holy Land. Any romantic notions about the glory of the Crusades are removed by the accounts of disease and depravation that wear down the army far more effectively than the Saracens, but even in the midst of suffering Richard maintains a determination and bravery that makes him seem worthy of his legendary status...until the cruel way he ignores his wife and his people resurfaces again.

Ultimately Norah Lofts shows Richard for the flawed and egotistical man that he was, but she doesn't vilify him. Her deep exploration into his character makes the novel seem quite modern, even though it was originally published in 1951. At one point she suggests that Richard's coldness to Berengaria may have been because he was homosexual. For a good, proper Englishwoman writing in the 1940s, I honestly would not have expected that particular twist in the book. But from what little evidence we have from his life, it's certainly a plausible explanation for some of his behavior.

Thoroughly engrossing, 'The Lute Player' had me completely absorbed from the first few pages. There's a focus on the Big Plot of the Crusade of Richard the Lionheart, and he's still the star of the show. But it's all the little day-to-day conversations and relationships between the `minor' characters like Anna and Blondel and Berengaria - the ones actually telling the story - that really make this novel interesting and bring the world of Medieval Europe to life.

By looking at the other reviews, I can see that I am clearly in the minority here - I do not get those five star ratings. The Lute Player is told in several parts, with each part being told in the first person POV of one of the main characters, Blondel the Lute Player, Anna a fictional half sister of Berengaria and Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard's mother.

The story begins as Blondel finds his way to the Court of Navarre and home to Berengaria and Anna. Berengaria is in love with Richard (who is engaged to the King of France's sister), the hunchbacked Anna is in love with Blondel and Blondel is in love with Berengaria. Richard's engagement is eventually broken and desperate for more funds to finance his crusade, he agrees to marry Berengaria. The rest of the book details known history, the wedding on the way to the crusade, the third crusade itself and Richard's alleged preference for young boys, his being taken hostage on the way home from the crusade and his non-existent relationship with his wife.

I love reading medieval fiction and learning of the history of the times, but frankly I found this whole book to be quite boring and by the time it got to the crusade half way through I found myself skimming quite a bit, and the final third covering the last days of Richard and Berengaria were just one big snooze fest, at least for this reader. It could just be me; I've never been that fond of Richard I and Berengaria I found to be bordering on the TSTL category, almost, but not quite. I guess if you're a die hard fan of this ruler and want to learn more about him it might be worth your while, but I would recommend getting this one from the library first (as I did) and then buy it if you like it. 2.5 stars rounded up to three.

I have been reading historical novels for about 65 years, including most of the books by Norah Lofts, and The Lute Player is my all-time favorite.

The story, being told by the "tales" of various of the characters puts a different perspective on the same events which I find fascinating. Anna Apieta is one of the most interesting fictitional characters I have ever encountered. How many stories do you find told by a crippled, hunchbacked, but brilliant minded bastard daughter of a king?

I have always been a great fan of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who had been the wife of two kings, and The Lute Player shows what a truly strong woman she was, even in her old age and after years of imprisonment. When Richard was too busy with his crusades and being kidnapped and all that sort male foolishness, Eleanor went back to England, got her son (the King John of Robin Hood tales) under control and took over ruling the country wisely and well until Richard deigned to pay a visit. The part about Richard being gay ties in with many other books I have read about him, and helps explain why he never spent one night under the same roof as his wife. I could go on an on, but I can only say I cannot imagine how some of the above reviewers could make the comments they did. I can only assume that they did not really read the book.

This is my second Norah Lofts book, and I will go on and read more, but this one was somewhat disappointing after "The King's Pleasure." That story was told well and the main character was developed nicely; when reading "The Lute Player," I was not sure after a while what the point of the story was or who some of the main characters really were. The book goes on too long. It is an entertaining story with a couple of compelling characters, those being Anna Apieta and King Richard. We come to know Anna and to understand and like her. Richard the Lionheart is presented here somewhat differently than in other things I've read, and I wish we could have gotten to know him better here and see his relationship with and to the lute player a little more deeply. By the end of the book, I was wondering why it is titled, "The Lute Player." This character starts off great, interesting and promising, but then loses appeal as the story goes on. What on earth is supposed to be so compelling about this guy? All in all a worthwhile read, but nothing to write home about. I'm looking forward to "The Concubine," supposedly one of Lofts' best.

The Lute Player is the story of Richard the Lionhearted, as told from the point of view of Blondel, the eponymous lute player; Richard's mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine; and Anna Apieta, crippled half sister to Richard's wife, Berengaria. The novel focuses on Richard's reign of England (a country he spent very little time in), especially the time he spent while on crusade. It's hard to write about someone in English history who is so well-known and well-loved; what better way than to write his story from the point of view of the people who knew him best?

The book takes a while to get going--most of the beginning is devoted to Berengaria, hopelessly in love with a man who was more in love with the idea of reclaiming the Holy Land. In fact, the real action of the book begins with the crusade, which doesn't actually happen until around page 300! Nonetheless, this novel is written in an engaging style, and many of the characters, especially the ones who are narrators, are well-defined. I feel as though Eleanor of Aquitaine is a difficult person to write about, much less put words into her mouth, and I think Lofts did an admirable job of writing as her. I found myself less sympathetic towards and understanding of Anna, mainly because of her self-deprecating attitude towards her condition and natural acceptance of her spinsterhood.

The book is a little long, however, and it gets wearying after a while. For a book that's supposed to be about Richard, I got a feel more for some of the other characters--especially since Richard kept haring off at every opportunity. And the major event that happens that changes the relationship between Blondel and Richard isn't described, only alluded to, so the awkwardness between them seemed a bit contrived. Still, I enjoyed this novel about the late-12th century--though I think there are better novels out there. And I hear that Sharon Kay Penman is in the midst of writing a book about Richard herself...

These was the most tedious book I have ever read. I am usually able to finish any size book within a one week period (and that's a really really big book! Usually its 4 days), this book is taking 2 weeks so far because I am so bored with reading it and I don't even look forward to picking it up after my son goes to bed at night, I actually dread reading it.

I purchased 3 other Nora Loft books with this one and all I can say is that I hope the other two are much better!