Customer Reviews

The Passionate Enemies

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

 

 

I'm not blaming Jean Plaidy for the weak subject matter in this book. King Stephan was just not terribly interesting and by what this book tells me, he was a wishy-washy king. If that is true to historical fact, there probably wasn't much to work with.
The book is much more of a romance novel and the cover art on my copy should have warned me. The book deals with the usurption of the crown of England by King Henry I's nephew - Stephan. The king adored this particular nephew and he had basically been raised in England since he was 12 and thought of himself as English. To Stephan's credit, he was the grandson of William the Conqueror and so was a direct decendant to the throne. In fact, he probably had as much right to it as Henry's children after Henry threw his eldest brother (Robert) in prison and took the crown after the VERY suspicious death of his other brother (King William Rufus). When there is no direct male heir to follow Henry, (no legitimate heir that is), he asks that an oath of fealty be sworn to his daughter Matilda - recently widowed and returned from Germany as an Empress. Matilda is a story in herself. She's a direct contrast in personality to Stephan but somehow the two have a driving passion for each other that put them each into circumstances that any sane person could easily have avoided- especially Stephan - he's really a weakling.
I liked Stephan in the 2nd book of this trilogy when he was introduced, but reading this book, his character is spine-less and just dumb in my opinion. The truly inspiring part of this book is the OTHER Matilda - Stephan's wife. She is the stuff of which rulers are made and stories become legends. I was disappointed that she was not a more developed part of this story. The other interesting part is how the Norman rule in England comes to an end and the Plantagenet rule begins. Again - it seems to be mainly a result of spine-less Stephan, but read it for yourself. It is a decent book, but no where near the 4 stars I gave to the second book in the series and definately no where near the 5 stars I gave the first book. I'm just optimistically looking at this (short) book as the segway into the Plantagenet series also by Jean Plaidy where I'm sure the story must heat up again with Henry II and Eleanor of Aquataine!

This, the third and final book in The Norman Trilogy, tells the story of the last days of the reign of England's King Henry I. His son, William, having died in a tragic shipwreck, and his beloved wife, Matilda, having long been dead, Henry hastily remarried a woman more than thirty years his junior in hopes of begetting a male heir and securing succession. England had no heir save Matilda, Henry's cold and imperious daughter, and Henry had concerns that his nobles would not willingly serve a woman.

Matilda was an Empress of Germany through her first marriage. She became Countess of Anjou through her second marriage to Geoffrey Plantagenet and would have a number of children, one of whom was named Henry. Both marriages were loveless, having been arranged for purposes of state. She had, however, a passionate attachment to her first cousin, Stephen of Blois.

Stephen was the youngest son of Adela, the King's favorite sister. He freely returned Matilda's passionate devotion, though he, too, was forced into an arranged marriage by his uncle, King Henry I. Though Henry was very fond of Stephen, looking upon him as if her were a favored son rather than his nephew, he was unaware of how things stood between Stephen and Matilda. By a cruel twist of fate, Matilda and Stephen were destined never to he husband and wife, though they would become lovers.

The book recounts the turbulent years that were to follow the death of King Henry I. Upon his demise and despite having sworn fealty to Matilda, Stephen did the unthinkable and took possession of the English crown. It was an act that was to undo all that King Henry I had done and plunge England into a bitter civil war that would last for years. Matilda and Stephen were doomed to cross swords, as passionate in their fight for the crown as they were in their love for each other. For many years, they were to battle bitterly over the throne of England. Each would become prisoner of the other at some point in time, until Matilda, deprived of the wise counsel of her illegitimate half brother, Robert of Gloucester, due to his unexpected death, reluctantly ceased to do battle and returned to Anjou.

As the years passed, Stephen wished to secure the succession to the English throne and have his son, Eustace, recognized as the heir apparent. Matilda's son, Henry Plantagenet, who had since married Eleanor of Aquitaine, however, stood between Stephen and his wish. The English clergy preferred Henry, whom they recognized as the true heir, over Eustace, the son of the usurper, Stephen. When the Archbishop of Canterbury himself urged Henry to take the English Crown by force, Henry lost no time in crossing the English Channel. On the brink of battle, due to some unusual machinations on the part of Matilda, the Treaty of Wallingford was born by which Stephen recognized Henry Plantagenet as his successor to the English throne, dispossessing his son, Eustace. Thus was born the era of the Plantagenets.

This is a rousing and entertaining work of historical fiction. The author crafts a spellbinding tale, expertly woven with historical detail. She paints a portrait of a young man and woman who were destined by fate to forever remain star crossed lovers. What ultimately happened to them would influence the course of English history for generations to come. This is a book that is sure to grip the imagination of all those who love historical fiction.

King Henry I's son has died at sea without an heir, leaving Henry's nephew Stephen in line for the throne -- until King Henry decides to marry again. But his new wife proves barren. The King's daughter, Matilda, has already married the Emperor of Germany, and thus could not become England's Queen until her husband died. But Matilda held her aspirations to become ruler of England close to her heart, particularly when Henry commands that Matilda shall become Queen upon his death. No one challenges the King's decree out loud...until Henry dies. Claims are made that he changed his mind on his deathbed, but Matilda refuses to believe this. Stephen and Matilda become sworn enemies -- and fall in love. The two fight over the Crown and country, torn by both love and hate, desire for power and a probable love of sorts, obsessed with each other. The lovers are also enemies, fighting for posession of England's Crown, and each other.

As usual, Plaidy's writing paints pictures in the mind of every reader who picks up one of her books! Sometimes, I'm amazed that England managed to hold onto its position as one of the world's most powerful nations the way it did.

This, the third and final book in The Norman Trilogy, tells the story of the last days of the reign of England's King Henry I. His son, William, having died in a tragic shipwreck, and his beloved wife, having long been dead, Henry hastily remarried a woman more than thirty years his junior in hopes of begetting a male heir and securing succession. England had no heir save Matilda, Henry's cold and imperious daughter, and Henry had concerns that his nobles would not willingly serve a woman.

Matilda was an Empress of Germany through her first marriage. She became Countess of Anjou through her second marriage to Geoffrey Plantagenet and would have a number of children, one of whom was named Henry. Both marriages were loveless, having been arranged for purposes of state. She had, however, a passionate attachment to her first cousin, Stephen of Blois.

Stephen was the youngest son of Adela, the King's favorite sister. He freely returned Matilda's passionate devotion, though he, too, was forced into an arranged marriage by his uncle, King Henry I. Though Henry was very fond of Stephen, looking upon him as if her were a favored son rather than his nephew, he was unaware of how things stood between Stephen and Matilda. By a cruel twist of fate, Matilda and Stephen were destined never to he husband and wife, though they would become lovers.

The book recounts the turbulent years that were to follow the death of King Henry I. Upon his demise and despite having sworn fealty to Matilda, Stephen did the unthinkable and took possession of the English crown. It was an act that was to undo all that King Henry I had done and plunge England into a bitter civil war that would last for years. Matilda and Stephen were doomed to cross swords, as passionate in their fight for the crown as they were in their love for each other. For many years, they were to battle bitterly over the throne of England. Each would become prisoner of the other at some point in time, until Matilda, deprived of the wise counsel of her illegitimate half brother, Robert of Gloucester, due to his unexpected death, reluctantly ceased to do battle and returned to Anjou.

As the years passed, Stephen wished to secure the succession to the English throne and have his son, Eustace, recognized as the heir apparent. Matilda's son, Henry Plantagenet, who had since married Eleanor of Aquitaine, however, stood between Stephen and his wish. The English clergy preferred Henry, whom they recognized as the true heir, over Eustace, the son of the usurper, Stephen. When the Archbishop of Canterbury himself urged Henry to take the English Crown by force, Henry lost no time in crossing the English Channel. On the brink of battle, due to some unusual machinations on the part of Matilda, the Treaty of Wallingford was born by which Stephen recognized Henry Plantagenet as his successor to the English throne, dispossessing his son, Eustace. Thus was born the era of the Plantagenets.

This is a rousing and entertaining work of historical fiction. The author crafts a spellbinding tale, expertly woven with historical detail. She paints a portrait of a young man and woman who were destined by fate to forever remain star crossed lovers. What ultimately happened to them would influence the course of English history for generations to come. This is a book that is sure to grip the imagination of all those who love historical fiction.

The last in Plaidy's Norman triology I was waiting for this to go off with a bang, but it went off with a gun firing a bit in the distance for me.

It picks up right where the last book left off. Henry I is trying to find himself a wife so that he can have more children because his only legit son, William, died in a tragic accident aboard the White Ship. He picks a woman from good stock, but is "cursed" because no matter how many times he lays with her she never conceives a child. And because of this, and his many campaigns, you see a new side of Henry. He's not nearly as gay and carefree in this book and Plaidy makes sure that you feel it. The first half of the book really has a very somber note to it because of this.

The second half of the book is concerned with Stephen and Matilda vying for the crown and throne of England upon the death of Henry I. It goes back and forth between the two nearly equally. The book is titled The Passionate Enemies, but you really only feel it from Matilda's point of view. Stephen, in the book, is described as being amiable and loving. So from his perspective Matilda never becomes the enemy only a meer annoyance. That didn't work as well for me as Matilda's perspective does.

She's not exactly lovable. In fact in this book I was so tired of her I just wanted to finish. If she was really like this then I know why the English rejected her. She was truly the most annoying, overbearing, evil wench. If that's what you were supposed to feel then Plaidy accomplish it with ease. If not...then she truly was just that bad.

This is an ok ending to a series. I would have liked to see a bit more effort on the character of Stephen. I think he's definately an interesting king when it comes down to it. Matilda is definately a woman who stands out. The other characters in the book pull it together nicely, but it's lacking a bit of the spice of the first two.

Once again, Jean Plaidy takes the reader back to a time when Kings fought bravely and their women were simply pawns in the nobility game.

Henry I is older now and without a son to whom he can pass his crown. So in hopes of an heir, he marries the young Adelicia who, in his opinion, proves barren, after 14 years. This leaves him with no choice but to proclaim his arrogant daughter, Empress Matilda as heiress to the throne-his one and only 'legitimate' heir, for King Henry I had many 'illegitimate' children. But upon his death, his favorite nephew, Stephan claims the throne for himself, believing that he was the rightful heir. It would take Matilda over four years to come to England from Normandy to claim the throne which, in her mind, she so rightly deserved.

After years of fighting-taking the weak-ruling Stephan as her prisoner, rivaling against Stephan's wife (Queen Matilda), escaping in a coffin or in the night across the ice, raging against all who opposed her- Matilda, once an Empress, now just an overbearing woman who had lost almost all of her support, would finally give up the fight and return to Normandy, leaving the crown once again to Stephan.

This book is a delight, a bit slow at times, not as good as the first two in the Norman trilogy. But, as usual, I enjoyed Plaidy's ability to paint vivid pictures in my mind as though I had witnessed the events myself. She also introduces people who have gone to rule-such as Eleanor of Aquitaine as a 15 year old beauty married to the King of France, who would become the next queen in a new era.

Matilda was a cruel and arrogant woman that England could never accept as its ruler. She was passionate in her hatred and pride.
Stephan was a weak ruler, yet loved by the people. He was passionate in his desire for Matilda until the end.
Matilda was overbearing, but bore the next king (Henry II, son of Geoffrey of Anjou, AKA: Geoffrey Plantagenet). Stephan was too weak to stop it from happening. Thus the Plantagenet era was born.

The Passionate Enemies was a worthy end to the Norman trilogy.