Customer Reviews

Queen Without A Country

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The author Bard (aptly named!) has crafted an ingenious combination of historic fact and valid conjecture into a novel that tells the story of an important and practically forgotten Basque woman. Thanks to Bard's efforts, Berengaria has escaped being a figure lost in history, and has risen out of the mists of obsolescence into the light of historic fiction.

Berengaria deserves this study. Her husband, Richard the Lionhearted, is certainly well known. Yet virtually nothing is known about his wife, nor the country she came from. How many of us can say they feel well-informed about Navarre and/or the Basques? And of those of you that have raised your hand, how many of you can say you know anything about Berengaria? If your hand isn't still up, buy and read this book. Even if your hand is up, do the same.

Well done, bard Bard! What's next? I can't wait!

Richard I of England's charisma reaches out and grabs us 800 years later. He is the epitome of the chivalrous medieval knight. But Richard's behavior toward his wife, Queen Berengaria, reveals a cold, callus aspect of his personality.

From casual reading I have noticed that many accounts of Richard's life mention that he married Berengaria, daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre on May 12, 1191 in Cyprus. However, some biographers do not mention the marriage at all! Many state that the marriage was never consummated. Aside from the marriage, Berengaria is rarely mentioned in connection with Richard.

With this meager knowledge, I was eager to read Queen Without a County. Who was this woman? Why did she have such a weird name? What became of her after her marriage?

Rachel Bard has done a masterful job with this difficult subject. Facts are scarce. But she sticks to those at her disposal. There is a love interest Bard admits may not have occurred. But she believes the little evidence available indicates that it might have happened.

Because of the lack of information, to do justice to the subject, Bard was compelled to write a novel, not a history. Using her imagination in conjunction with the facts, she creates a warm, injured, patient woman who overcomes incredible obstacles. Bard's Berengaria is not a 21st century woman wearing long dresses and strange headgear. Berengaria is woman of the Middle Ages. She has medieval interests: doing embroidery; copying manuscripts from Arabic into Latin; building a monastery. Berengaria has medieval morals (e.g., she worries about when to cover her hair) and a medieval concept of herself as a woman.

A 21st century woman would not put up with kind of abuse to which Berengaria was subjected. Berengaria patiently put up with it for years and blamed herself as much as Richard.

Most historians seem to agree that Richard was at fault for Berengaria's problems. Some believe Richard was a womanizer and that no single woman could hold his interest. Most writers, however, seem to believe that Richard was gay. He was simply not sexually interested in his beautiful wife. Because Richard was not interested in her, it seems that the rest of his world scarcely gave her a glance. Because of that, history is not interested in her. The different perspective on Richard Lionheart will intrigue those interested in this period.

I love the story of Berengaria but have had a hard time finding out about her life after Richard. Therefore, I was very happy to find this book.

Unfortunately, the author is so preoccupied with not writing about any scandal that the book just becomes boring. For example,

Richard is portrayed as a man who likes men and women equally. But for some reason, he finds it very difficult to bed his wife.

His first betrothed Alice is mentioned in passing -- no mention of her affair with his father.

There is no explanation of the animosity between Philip the King of France and Richard. Nothing about their relationship.

Not only those scandals/rumors are missing but also some of the most exciting parts of the crusade! No mention is made of Richard's massacre of the Saracens! The crusade comes off as a very boring war.

I can't comment on the second half of the book about Berengaria after Richard since I know so little about her. But, if the first half is any indication, I will need to read a different book to get an idea of what kind of woman she really was.

I can only honestly judge a book once I've finished it. And this one is a winner. There are no unfinished storylines nor unresolved issues in this story. Bard did her research well, and managed to bring history alive. The author was apt at weaving a particularly intriguing story among a myriad of historical facts. Most important of all, the writing is clean, her words very well chosen. For me, the topper was the sense of humor in the writing.Example:"Fortunately the city looked calm. No arrows were flying over the walls." Hmmm, READ THIS BOOK YOU'LL LOVE IT!

I am a huge fan of historical novels. Unfortunately I am often disappointed by writers who drone on and on about historical facts, and don't exhibit one ounce of creative talent. Rachel Bard's Queen Without A Country was captivating. I absolutely could not put it down until I read through the entire book in one sitting. For me, Bard has redefined historical fiction and I will forever use her book as a guide to judge the rest by.

I really enjoyed this book. I was curious about someone whom I may have heard mention about, but knew nothing except that she had been Richard I's wife. I knew a lot about him so I was interested. What I like about this book, compared to so many other historical fiction novels, is the lack of rediculous, embarrasing sexual descriptions. Also, the main character is not a super-woman, but someone who seems very real and good. She was someone I could relate to as opposed to a sexual goddess type that you usually find in these sorts of books. The historical information is extremely well-researched and presented in an interesting way. The characters are well-developed and likeable.

Kings and queens of past times usually seem so remote, but Berengaria comes across as a genuine person that I felt I might have known. I could feel her joy and her trepidation, and sympathize with her heartbreaking rejections. The book convincingly portrays life in medieval France among those of high degree. "Queen Without a Country" held my interest from beginning to end.

I've read many historical biographies and this is by far one of the greatest. Rachel Bard has a gift of putting the thoughts and feelings of a far away and forgotten queen on paper for the world to enjoy.

This book might appeal to someone who knows little of Berengaria. I think the author's style is better suited to non ficton than fiction. The author "tells" but doesn't "show" the drama and action a novelist should. The author has a wonderful subject and story to tell. She didn't take full advantage of her material. Because of inaccurate statements the author tells as "facts", I lost interest. I am sorry I wasted my money.

I bought this book with hopeful expectations after reading the other's reviews. I was seriously bothered by the following problems: This book is not a historical novel really but rather is a modern story set in medieval times. As such the characters King Richard, Berengaria, Eleanor and all other characters are generally portrayed with a "modern mind" with today's mindset, especially regarding relationships and marriage. A book set in medieval times is best when written in contemporary mindset - otherwise why not just write a romance set in 2008 Europe??

Secondly - the author embraces the FALSE assumption that King Richard the Lionheart was gay. This is completely erroneous. Our arrogant modern culture has a terrible tendency to view all history with today's moral morass of sexual ethics. There is no factual basis to this fine King having same sex attraction - only extremely weak conjecture. I found turning Richard Plantagenet into a gay who sleeps with young men and boys a disgusting slander that he does not even begin to deserve.

Overall this book read like a cheap modern romance. If you're looking for an experience of medieval immersion based on history - get another book. If you're looking for a 21st century "emotion-fest" in 12th century clothes, this book is for you.