Customer Reviews

The Time of Singing

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This year I have been happily wallowing in the novels of English author, Elizabeth Chadwick. I've been parceling them out slowly so that I won't get burned out with her writing, and to be able to come to each book with renewed enthusiasm.

[I]The Time of Singing,[/I] is her latest novel, set in the years of Henry II's rule as King of England, and as the story opens, a young man, Roger Bigod, is set against his father. Not that it is a difficult choice for Roger - life is miserable at home with his power-hungry father, Hugh, the Earl of Norfolk, and his stepmother, Gundreda, has been making his life wretched trying to push her own son, Huon, forward to be his father's heir. Roger hears nothing but that he is useless, cowardly, and a disgrace to his family.

Roger, as we soon find out, is none of those things. He decides to strike out on his own, taking allegiance with Henry II, and does brilliantly at the battle of Fordham, rallying the troops with a banner from the shrine of St. Edmund. It's an act that will earn him a place in King Henry's notice, and he sets off on a life as a king's knight, hoping to earn his way into inheriting his father's estates and title by achievement as well as blood. But it also pits him against Gundreda and her sons in an endless conflict.

Another person has caught King Henry's interest. A young ward of the king, Ida de Tosney, is pretty, gentle and of noble birth. It's enough to have him make an advance to her, an experience that Ida doesn't exactly welcome but she hasn't the skills or rank to turn him down either. She becomes his concubine, and while this does give her some royal favour and gifts, it also is less than a honourable situation. When she has a son, William, she knows that her time with the king may be ending. And that ending brings about a terrible price for her - giving up her child to Henry's care.

When Ida and Roger meet, there is certainly attraction there, and the pair embark on a careful courtship. Roger is smitten by the young woman, seeing in Ida the care and stability that he?s always wanted, and Ida sees in him a new future and possibilities. But there are some deep seated conflicts there as well; King Henry doesn't trust Roger not to be the traitor that his father was, and Ida has to struggle with the memories that giving up her son William leave behind. There's also the ever-present threat of Gundreda and her sons, especially Huon, and others who covet Roger's achievements. We also get to see Roger and Ida's children growing up, along with Ida's firstborn, who would become known to history as William Longespee (Longsword), along with several other true stories from the middle ages - such as Richard the Lionheart's captivity in Germany and his brother John's treachery.

Lest the reader think that the story of Roger and Ida is too improbable, it's all true. While the identification of William Longespee's mother has been fairly recent, the story of Roger Bigod has been well-documented. Other characters from history make an appearance as well, and readers of [I]The Greatest Knight[/I] and [I]The Scarlet Lion[/I] will be pleased to see a return look at William Marshal and Isabelle de Clare. Sharp-eyed readers will also see a reference to [I]The Winter Mantle[/I] as well.

One of the really strong points in Elizabeth Chadwick's writing is that she has a very strong grasp of recreating the daily life of the medieval period without sliding into explainitis. We get to know her characters' habits and likes, such as Roger's craving for fine hats, and that Ida is an excellent embroiderer - but we learn this subtlety, and it works well. She is also able to give plenty of emotional anguish as well, especially the conflicts that a husband and wife who must be separated at times, and the fury that can descend in their wake - Ida and Roger have real problems to overcome, and they don't feel at all contrived. One of the best aspects of Ms. Chadwick's novels are the use of children in her stories; they help to create a sense of continuity in her novels, giving a sense of reality and grounding as well as the fact that she [I]knows[/I] how children behave, speak and act. It's a terrific touch and helps to raise her novels beyond the ordinary historical novel or romance.

And it may be a small thing, but it's a terrific thing to see a cover that not just depicts the heroine accurately, but also isn't one of those 'headless heroine' covers that has been littering the publishing field lately.

Summing up, fans of Ms. Chadwick's work will be wanting to add this one to their collections of her books, and it's a knockout, five star read. It?s worth the price in hardbound, and the shipping from the United Kingdom.

Roger Bigod is the heir to the Earldom of Norfolk, but when his father dies, his half brothers contest his claim- which is perfectly fine by the King, as it means more money in his coffers. The King (Henry II, father to Richard the Lionheart) meanwhile, has taken to bed his beautiful ward Ida de Tosney, who bears him a child, is unhappy with her current circumstances, and worries for the future. When Roger and Ida set eyes on each other, a courtship begins, and the two are eventually permitted to marry, but at a hefty price for Ida. Can she survive? And who will get the highly coveted Earldom? And will the passionate love between Roger and Ida survive through the dangerous times ahead? Read it and find out for yourself!

The Time of Singing by Elizabeth Chadwick is quite possibly my favourite piece of historical fiction. Ever. I am steadily making my way through all the Chadwick's that I can get, and have found that the more I have read, the more I love! Elizabeth Chadwick has this undeniable ability to enthrall her readers with the turn of each page. A born storyteller, her research and skills are evident the more that you read. Her characters are all unique and three dimensional, even the minor ones you may not see for long, and I loved the small quirks attributed to each, like Roger's love of ostentatious hats, for example. The best part of this fabulous book, however, is not only the thrilling storylines, the breathtaking descriptions and the passionate loves, but also the brief appearances throughout of William Marshal, hero of the Greatest Knight and the Scarlet Lion. Just when I thought I'd never see him again! It was fantastic to see another perspective on one of my favourite characters (I know, I have a lot, all of them Chadwick's too :P), and I savoured every moment of it.

Thus, have I fallen in love. Again. With a fictional character. Again. But have no fear. I am capable of sharing my love equally between William Marshal and Roger Bigod, promise. :)

Based on a true story, this fairytale is no longer forgotten! A sky full of stars!

The Time of Singing retells the story of Roger Bigod, son of Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk, who joined the younger Henry in his revolt against his father Henry II. When the revolt fails Hugh loses the Earldom and lands and when he dies there is a bitter dispute over the right to inherit the Earldom between Roger and his step-mother and her two sons. While Roger serves Henry and bides his time to claim his Earldom young Ida de Tosney arrives in court as the King's ward. Henry is smitten and has other plans for Ida and he makes her his mistress and she eventually bears him a son, William. Unhappy with her position as mistress to the king, Ida casts her hopes on Roger and Henry allows them to marry -- although she must leave her son behind.

Henry still withholds the Earldom, but he does restore some of their lands and Ida and Roger build a life and family together and begin rebuild Framlingham Castle to greater heights than it was before. Once Richard I takes the crown at the death of Henry the Earldom is restored to Roger, and the rest of the book recounts their lives as they struggle to keep everything they hold dear as the battle lines are drawn during Richard's absence on crusade and subsequent kidnapping threatens to bankrupt England.

A very enjoyable surprise for me was the appearance of my personal favorite hero, William Marshal - I did not expect him at all, or to feature so prominently - but it appears Bigod and Marshal were contemporaries and friends. Another big surprise was Ida's son William - who readers of fiction set during the reigns of John and Henry III will recognize as William Longespée, and I have to admit many of my favorite moments in the book were of William and his attempts at a relationship with his mother, Roger and their children.

While I enjoyed this book very much, this is not an action packed, page turning, sit on the edge of your seat type of book, but one to sit back and savor like a fine red wine or a box of chocolates (or both!!). 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. 4.5/5 stars.

Ms Chadwick's latest novel draws additional historical figures from the shadows of the 12th century and imbues them with vibrant life. Roger Bigod, is the disputed heir to the earldom of Norfolk from approximately 1177. This dispute, which involved Roger's stepmother and stepbrothers, commenced during the reign of Henry II and extended for over a decade before being resolved by Richard I. The dispute brings Roger to court, where he meets Ida de Tosney who is Henry II's young mistress and the mother of his son. Eventually, Ida and Roger marry and while the marriage is a consequence of mutual attraction, it has its costs and burdens.

Ms Chadwick's greatest strength is her ability to combine historical accuracy and characters whose actions can be viewed from a contemporary perspective without any loss of authenticity. This accuracy is important to Ms Chadwick, and it is conveyed to the reader in a way which, while it seems effortless, is a tribute to detailed research. We may not know, with great certainty and at this distance, exactly how Roger and Ida interacted with each other on a personal basis but the novel largely accords with the known facts and provides a fascinating insight into a particularly turbulent time in English history. The medieval code of chivalry carried with it both burdens and costs as well as benefits and privileges.

For me, an added attraction is the links between the Bigods and another of my personal heroes: William Marshal. I was aware of Roger Bigod before reading this novel but not especially interested in him. Now I find that Ms Chadwick has - yet again - introduced me to an historical character about whom I need to know more. Fortunately, I am provided with a select bibliography which gives me a great starting point.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

The Time of Singing is the story of Roger Bigod. The story opens in the 1170s, when Roger is a young knight. At the court of Henry II, he meets Ida de Tosney, one of Henry's mistresses, who he later marries. Over the years, as Roger takes on more responsibility as justiciar during Richard's reign, Roger and Ida's marriage is tested to the limit. Also added in to the mix is a bitter inheritance dispute between Roger and his half brothers. The novel covers a period of roughly 20 years, up until the death of Richard I in 1199.

Once again, Elizabeth Chadwick hits it out of the park, with a real, vivid story set against the political background of the 12th century, fraught as it is with intrigue and danger. As EC mentions on her Living the History blog, Roger's life closely paralleled that of William Marshal (if you read and enjoyed Chadwick two books about him, you'll be as pleased as I was to see that William plays a medium-sized role in The Time of Singing).

Unlike William, however, not much is known about Roger's life, so Chadwick had the additional challenge of piecing together parts of the story based on what little is known. She succeeds in this tremendously, combining historical fact with a little bit of invention sometimes that fits in with the characters. I really enjoyed reading about Roger and Ida's marriage, for good or for worse. They're the kind of couple you find yourself rooting for, even as they deal with the tough stuff. I always love when novels get you emotionally involved in that way. Chadwick's novels are always well-researched, and I know that I can expect a high level of historical accuracy from her books.

I've sort of developed a crush on Roger. He's always able to deal effectively--and generously--with adversity, as witness his interactions with his half brothers or William Longspee (the latter is an arrogant jerk, but Roger, God bless him, still manages to find something nice to say about him). In all, a fantastic novel with fascinating characters. I can't wait to read EC's next book.

I should qualify my review by stating that I'm a huge Elizabeth Chadwick fan and enjoy even her weaker novels over the majority of what other authors are churning out in the historical fiction genre. That's because her works are always impeccably researched and her writing style is humorous, richly detailed and never hackneyed. She's only gotten better since working with Akashic consultant Alison King. She brings this period alive like few other writers - and never at the cost of historical accuracy.

This book was written as a result of the research she did for her William Marshal books and the problem, in comparison with the books on the Marshal family, is that Roger Bigod is simply not as compelling or as interesting a character. As a matter of fact, he comes across as a bit of the prig, and I was never deeply drawn into his storyline. Ida fares better, but there is not a lot of suspense in her storyline either. Giving up a child born out of wedlock was probably a frequent occurrence back in the medieval time period, and at least her child was brought up in far better circumstances than others in the same situation. It almost feels like the novel simply peters out at the end, with Roger getting his lands reinstated and Ida's son feeling relieved that he was not brought up with her family - hardly an epic conclusion.

Elizabeth has now spent a lot of time in this particular era and I'd love to see her bring her magic touch to some other medieval periods or even late Anglo - Saxon times.

Is this the same book as "For the King's Favor"? After reading "The Time of Singing" I was going through Chadwick's books looking for unread titles and I found "For the King's Favor". Just reading the reviews they sound the same, however the ISBN numbers are different, the number of pages are different, and the publish dates are different. I don't see how "For the King's Favor" could be a sequel or a prequel because "The Time of Singing" seems to be a complete story. Anyone who has read both or knows about more about these two books please help!