Customer Reviews

Shadows & Strongholds

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Because I bought this book in an English bookstore in Amsterdam, I've read it before it has been published in the USA. This book is very good, it's even better the Lords of the White Castle, and is certainly worth reading for the back-story on how the FitzWairin family loses Whittington Castle.

England in the time of the civil war between Stephen and Matilda is not a fun place to be. Because of the war between the kingly ones, justice is not getting dispensed to those in need. For this reason, strong alliances are more important than ever. Thus, Hawise de Dinan and Brunin FitzWairin, two teenagers who have known each other their whole lives are made to wed so that Brunin can help protect Hawse's family estate, Ludlow, which is under almost constant attack from Gilbert de Lacy.

Readers of Lords of The White castle will be delighted to read the romantic and stunning story of the parents of Fulke FitzWairin, who unfortunately aren't seen much in LOTWC.

All The characters are real people of their time with true personas and real motivations, and as always, this is not some nice neat tale of midlevel life. It's dirty and gritty and very realistic. It's also not really fair to classify this as a romance novel, since there isn't that much sex in the book. Chadwick has done it again!

Elizabeth Chadwick's ability to create both believable characters and believable medieval settings is nothing short of amazing. Shadows and Strongholds is a romance, but it's far superior to most category romances, and really, it's superior to most historical novels in general. I can hardly wait for Chadwick's next book.

Every couple of years or so, British author Elizabeth Chadwick delivers up a new adventure of life in the tumultuous twelfth century for her fans. Whenever I find myself waiting impatiently for her next new release, I go through her backlist of novels to help me bide the time.

This time with the novel, Shadows and Strongholds, the story is set on the Welsh frontier of England in the twelfth century. It is a rather untamed place, where the lords of the various castles and manors are on a constant state of alert for the Welsh to come raiding, their favourite hobby being the cattle rustling and stealing women away. Too, they don't fight like the English, much preferring a quick hit-and-run approach rather than the more organized Norman way of battle.

Into this world is born Brunin FitzWarin. Brunin is the second son of a powerful nobleman, and has grown up in the shadow of his fearsome grandmother, the sharp-tongued Mellette. Mellette has never bothered to hide her contempt for the child, and has encouraged his brothers to tease and torment him, causing Brunin to retreat into himself, doubting his own abilities, a fatal flaw in a culture that prided itself on personal courage and warfare. When he goes with his father to St. Peters Fair in the nearby town of Shrewsbury, Brunin gets a hard lesson in medieval politics when he is beaten and nearly killed by squires of his father's rival, Gilbert de Lacy. His father furious, but a family friend, Joscelin de Dinan, offers to help by taking Brunin into his household for training. It's a solution that Fulk happily agrees to.

In Joscelin's stronghold of Ludlow Castle, ten year old Brunin gets to discover a world that he could scarcely dream of. At Ludlow he finds that Joscelin's wife, Sybilla, is a kind mentor, and his daughters, Sibbi and Hawise, are just as forceful and proud as their father. Hawise in particular becomes a close friend, sharing in his adventures, and even the adoring, kittenish, Marion, forms a bond with him. In this nurturing environment, Brunin is able to build his self-reliance and finds a talent for warfare and courage within himself. Both of these talents will be needed when he suddenly succeeds to his father's lands just as civil war for England's crown overtakes the Welsh marches, and everyone at Ludlow risks losing everything that they have built...

Yes, there is a follow-up to this one, Lords of the White Castle, published several years earlier, but taking place after the events of Shadows and Strongholds.

I really took to the story of Brunin and Hawise. Brunin is a very sympathetic character, a young man that finds the strength inside of himself to succeed. Hawise is more of a partner to him than just a broodmare of a wife, clever in her own way, and able to work with her husband -- and lucky enough to have a husband that sees that valuable trait in her. The secondary characters are just as interesting, especially Joscelin and Sybilla, and who can't help but wince at the choices that Marion makes? Even the villains of the piece, the de Lacys and their henchmen, inspire some understanding, and moves them beyond the usual two-dimensional figures that are all too common.

I have to say that Elizabeth Chadwick has become one of my favourite authors to read. Her research is based around solid research about the actual people and times of the period -- and yes, Josecelin, Sybilla, Brunin and Hawise all lived, and even poor Marion is an actual historical figure. It's this ability to turn a legend or story into people that the reader gets to know and like, and not resorting to the trivialities of most historical fiction, that makes this author really stand out from the lackluster fiction that most historical fiction tends to pass itself as. While her books are indeed rather thick, and do take time to get through, the patient reader will be greatly rewarded.

What I enjoy the most about Ms. Chadwick's work is that she remains focused on the people and times of the period. Her research is spot on, and has the feel of actually being there in an age of chivalry. Yes, it's very much a man's world, where women have little political voice and power, but behind the scenes, they could have a great deal of influence. As to the round of daily life, the details of the battlefield and such things as clothing, food and music, Ms. Chadwick has gotten to know what she is doing, by being brave enough to be with historical reinactors and learns by doing. It's this little step that fills her novels with so much life that I swear I can feel the medieval period come to life around me, and isn't that, after all, what we read historical fiction for?

Don't let the cover fool you, these are not the sappy, sticky historical romances that tend to litter bookstores. This is straight up historical fiction based in fact and worth every penny. The more I read of Ms. Chadwick's work, the more I want of her novels. Fans of Sharon Kay Penman and the early works of Roberta Gellis are urged to give her books a try, you won't be disappointed.

Four and a half stars, round up to five. Enthusiastically recommended.

Elizabeth Chadwick relies on her time proven formula of following a child underdog to heroic adult glory in Shadows and Strongholds, but she has omitted some of the romance that devoted readers know she is capable of.

This history of Brunin FitzWarin and the feuds over castles which filled Chadwick's Lords of the White Castle seems sluggish compared to some of her other works. Certainly, the history behind the superior story of LOTWC is interesting. However, this book contains multiple side storylines which are too developed to merely be supporting or background information, and too underdeveloped to interest the reader as side stories capable of standing on their own. The constant simpering of Marion, the ward brought up alongside Hawise and Brunin was distracting, as was the nasty constant disapproval of Lady Mellit. Perhaps Chadwick included them to the extent that she did to remain true to history, but I believe their role in the history of Whittington and Ludlow could have been made with less imposition on the reader's patience. Those who rely on Chadwick for medieval romance may find themselves wishing she'd spent more time developing a flirtation and chemistry between Brunin and Hawise before their marriage.

As with all of Elizabeth Chadwick's historical romances, Shadows and Strongholds is a light and easy read, perfect for escaping to medieval England.

If you like medieval action, daring knights, smart and independent ladies and an interesting story, then this is the book for you. I bought this book not knowing anything about the author, because usually I research an author before I buy a book, but this time I just went ahead and bought it by reading the backcover, what a treat, it had me engrossed completely from beginning to end! I will go ahead and buy another Chadwick book just to see if her other books are as good as this one. Brunin and Hawise are a wonderful couple and Chadwick shows you how they mature and grow together and become wiser and stronger in their own circumstances.

18 Aug 2004: Refers to UK Hardcover Edition


This is a medieval tale of Brunin FitzWarin and Hawise de Dinan. It begins in England, 1148 and ten year old Brunin is a misfit in his own family. He is a quiet child and is tormented by his brothers and is detested by his own paternal grandmother, Mellette. His beautiful mother, Eve, is a shy, quiet woman who doesn't have the mettle to stand up to her mother-in-law or her domineering husband, Fulke FitzWarin and therefore is incapable of protecting herself, let alone her oldest son.
Brunin's father decides that the boy needs encouragement to fully develop and sends him to be fostered in the household of his friend, Joscelin de Dinan, Lord of Ludlow. Brunin will learn the knightly arts but he must also learn to overcome his own self-doubts.

There he meets Hawise, the youngest daughter of Lord Joscelin and they form a friendship while growing up together at Ludlow. He learns to fight with Lord Joscelin, and his father for Henry of Anjou for Henry's crown against King Stephen. However, in the background, rival threats against Ludlow and Whittington become more prevalent and additional battles must be fought.

This is an extremely well-written book and delves deep into the personalities of the main characters, especially Brunin and Hawise. I felt their emotions so strongly it was almost akin to being in their shoes. A veritable page turner! I couldn't stop and was sad to see it end! Another winner for author Elizabeth Chadwick and anyone who reads her novels!

The "family chronicles" was a rather popular genre between the 12th to the 14th centuries. These chronicles were written by clerics, under the supervision of the family.
One of these chronicles is the story of the Fitzwarin family, and this ancient piece was the basis for the wonderful novel "Shadows and Strongholds".

This is a story of two childhood friends and eventually husband and wife, Brunin Fitzwarin and Hawise de Dinan, and their adventures and tests of courage and love in times where nothing is for sure and everything is under threat, including the beloved castle where they both spent most of their years and where their future awaits- Ludlow castle.

This is a fascinating story, based on true facts and real characters- highly recommended!

Much of Elizabeth Chadwick's research is carried out as a member of Regia Anglorum, this is an early medieval re-enactment society. Her writing in recent books has become much more accomplished. She now writes about the period with the convictions of her obvious knowledge of the subject and has also made a subtle change from writing what were in effect historical love stories (nothing wrong with that) to historical novels with a love interest. Her books are now much earthier and in my humble opinion are much better for it. She has now written quite a number of books and has received many accolades for her writing.

Shadows and Strongholds is another medieval tale from the pen of Elizabeth Chadwick, an author who writes this type of book better than anyone else I can think of. The author always tries to get some sort of love interest into her novels but this should not in any way deter male readers from the book. The authors knowledge of the period about which she writes is second to none and there is plenty in her books for both male and female readers to get their teeth into.

The author's style is slowly changing, to my way of thinking for the better, but what does remain constant is her knowledge of the period about which she writes and her ability to draw the reader into the story, until they could almost be there. This is a rare talent indeed.

This was my first taste of Elizabeth Chadwick. After reading her reviews I was really excited to get my hands on one of her books. I was somewhat disappointed though. It was a light, easy, quick read and I was curious what was going to happen next, but that's about it. The characters didn't really jump out at me at all. I didn't really care about any of them with the exception of wanting to beat Mellette with her own cane. The relationship between Brunin and Hawise didn't seem very well developed either. They seemed to go from childhood friends to lovers with nothing in between except a kiss and a appreciative glance. It was a fun story though, and I would've given it 4 stars, but it seemed like it ended very abruptly. It's like they were in a huge bind and 3 pages later everything was resolved, the end. Plus, in the author's note she said that a lot of it wasn't likely to have actually happened. Not a big deal, but kind of disappointing.

For me, not a keeper, but I will be reading "Lords of the White Castle" as apparently that's somewhat of a continuation of the story.

This book is the story of Fulke "Brunin" Fitzwarin, taking him from childhood to his manhood. As a young boy, Brunin withdraws into himself to avoid the pain from his domineering overbearing grandmother, and his father sends him to train as a squire to Joscelin de Dinan. As Brunin blossoms under Joscelin's care, he eventually becomes a strong young man and a knight to be reckoned with, and he learns to deal with the shadows of his youth and banish them forever.

Brunin and Joselin's daughter Hawise began as childhood friends growing up together, to becoming man and wife, while trouble and conspiracies threaten their happiness. As always with Chadwick's books, the way she brings the medieval period to life in such a graceful and effortless way, be it the sights, sounds, smells, food, clothes and battles is just awesome. As quoted on some of her book jackets, the next best thing to time travel. Five stars.