Customer Reviews

Wolf and the Dove

5 star:		(112)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

As some other readers have mentioned, this was my 2nd romance novel too (the 1st being KW's The Flame & The Flower). Now, 20+ yrs & uncountable romance books later, this one still stands out as the best medieval romance i've ever read. The time, the characters, the events, all come to life under KW's skillful writing (how i wish she would write another one like this). The passion between Wulfgar & Aislinn is palpable & contrary to some readers' comments, there is no real rape of the heroine (i would never be able to stomach that). The story gives a vivid account of the Battle of Hastings (albeit, more from the normans' perspective) & paints a true picture of a mighty warrior - Wulfgar - i still smile when i think of him *s*, & a strong woman - Aislinn - her strength lies in her wisdom & gentleness. All in all, a wonderful book that you will find yourself reading over & over again (my original finally fell apart). Enjoy!

In the time of William the Conqueror, two people sworn to hate forged a love so strong it would overcome any obstacle. Thus is the story of Wulfgar and Aislinn.

_The Wolf and the Dove_ is a tale full of passionate love and bitter war all set amid scenery so well described you feel that you are transported to another time and place. You'll feel as though you walk the footpaths and as if you are part of the action. Ms. Woodiwiss has a rare talent to join words together that makes them seem as if they come to life.

The characters are vibrant and well fleshed out. The interaction between the characters is some of the best I've ever seen. Their wit is matched well against each other and it makes for *very* enjoyable scenes. Wulfgar is infuriating and exasperating and even though he tries to hide it you can sense a tenderness buried deep under the surface. There are glimpses of a little boy inside of him seeking love. That said, he still remains a mystery. Most times you can't figure out what he's thinking, which makes him all the more appealing. You respect him for not immediately forcing himself upon Aislinn. It is quite humorous to watch him struggle with his feelings for Aislinn while at the same time still trying desperately to cling to his hatred of women. Aislinn is one of the finest examples of a romantic heroine. She is brave, passionate and often sets the hero on his ear.

_The Wolf and the Dove_ is a lively story that will keep you turning the pages quickly and never wanting it to end. A fine example of Ms. Woodiwiss at her all-time best.

This was my first K. Woodiwiss novel. I was a bit hesitant to read it after reading the negative reviews here. I just finished the book and found no justification for the complaints written. Yes, there is a rape in the beginning. Yes, the Saxons were treated horribly by the invading Normans. But, people! It was the year 1066! Frankly, the reality of the Norman Invasion was probably much more disturbing than what was described in the novel. And at least (unlike in Catherine Coulter's "Devil's Embrace), it's not hero of the story raping the heroine. Now that book was disturbing. But I digress...

This was a fabulous historical romance. I only have two complaints: the love scenes were EXTREMELY tame. I mean, most of the time the author just says they did it and leaves it at that. Secondly, the author gets a little wordy in the war scenes. I understand she wanted to provide a little background and maybe the story would have suffered without them, but I just skimmed those pages.

I cannot say enough about this book. I want to recommend it without giving away too much of the plot. If like medieval romance, you won't be disappointed!

I guess this is what I get for reading a medeival romance. I tried taking the time setting into account while reading this absolutely awful story, but it didn't work. I just cannot believe that all Norman men in this time period would act like such abusive pigs. The heroine loses her father during this Norman-Saxon war, watches as a ton of Norman men storm her home, brutalize her mother and rape village women she has known since childhood. The hero strolls in the next day declaring himself the new lord. He knows of the horror she has gone through, he knows that she has lost her father, and he knows that she has had to watch her mother and friends get brutalized, and what does he do?!

He declares her his own slave, announces he is going to tame her when he receives some hostility from her, and forces her to sleep with him. Oh, and he also humiliates her by forcing her to strip for him as punishment for lying to him about her betrothed.

Some reviewers said how considerate the hero was for giving the heroine time(Only a handful of Days!!) to adjust herself to him before forcing himself on her. I respect others opinions, but mine was different.

Well, I guess I learned one thing from this story. I am never going to buy another medeival romance. This was enough.

I beg to differ with most of the reviews for this classic. It was a great book, a real classic Woodiwiss, but definately not my favorite medieval romance. I thought 'The Flame and the Flower' was a much better book by her. The problem with 'The Wolf and the Dove' was the endless talk and day to day activity in the castle. I grew bored with it and wished for some serious action scenes or battle scenes since it was taking place during the rein of William the Conqueror in 1066. It was sorely lacking in that department and from the on I lost interest. The plot was solely centered around the female lead and male lead and not much interaction with the vivid history around them. I also agree with another reviewer that said this book lagged and got a little boring then it picked up later on. The characters were well written and the story very real, but the plot kinda dragged. Too much centering on the little squabbles between the two main characters. I also thought the female lead of Aislinn was too forgiving and didn't seem to take what happened to her father and mother seriously enough to fight off the male lead of Wulfgar. It kind of bothered me and hindered the story. What they did to her family and herself for that matter was unforgivable and she seemed to just accept her fate and brushed her 'horror' off like some trivial incident. While the male lead of Wulfgar seemed to be stuck on his childhood ordeal of being a 'bastard' to a knight and cast aside. We as the reader are supposed to feel bad for him and sympathize with his plight, but we're also supposed to forgive and forget what he and his men do to Aislinn and her family. I found that hard to swallow and therefore found the tale not the best in medieval romance by a long shot...try instead 'Kingdom of Dreams' by Judith McNaught for the very best in medieval romance.

~Wulfgar, the 'Iron Wolf of Normandy' sweeps in like some bringer of death when he and his men desend on the hapless village of a Saxon princess and her proud family. He intends to claim it as his own, due his prize for helping William, the Conqueror King who finally took England as his own in 1066. What he is not expecting is a stunning woman of strong will who does not bend to his whim just because he is the 'Iron Wolf' everyone fears. The Norman knight must fight for her love as her hatred burns for him and his kind before another would claim her as his own...

Aislinn is not prepared for the fires that burn in her treacherous heart to betray her when she falls for the Norman knight who destroyed her home and family. But what is worse? The Norman knight who claims her as his own, or the one who is willing to kill to make her his own...The Iron Wolf must find who is traitor and who would try to take what is his. Blood and loyalty will threaten to seperate these two unlikely mates...but true love always finds a way...

Tracy Talley~@

I LOVE Kathleen Woodiwiss' books but like most of them (except for A Rose in Winter), they are WAY too long. Like The Flame and the Flower, a lot happens in the beginning and then there are PAGES AND PAGES of the hero and heroine taking baths together and telling each other how gorgeous each other is. Fortunately, Kathleen Woodiwiss creates interesting characters and a setting that sweeps you away to another time and place and that is wonderful; it's what I love about her books. I just wish sometimes she would pick up the pace a bit. Also, Aislinn is a delightful heroine, but to we have to hear CONSTANTLY how beautiful she is? We get it, Kathleen: Aislinn is GORGEOUS, thanks!

I can never say anything too negative how KW's books however. I almost cried when it was over...maybe it was because at 500+ pages I never thought I would finish it. But it is worth the time...no one writes like her anymore and her books should be cherished and read again and again.

This is a novel set in the medieval era, where men were warriors and conquerors and women didn't have as much rights as we do in the modern world. Hence, it was nice to read about how a heroine conquers a fierce warrior. This is the romance between Aislinn of Darkenwald, whose home was invaded by the Norman conquerors, and Wulfgar, the so-called Iron Wolf of Normandy. In this book, Ms Woodiwiss tells the story of how these two people overcome all obstacles to find true love.

I admire Aislinn's strength and courage. Despite what she was subjected to when the Normans, lead by Ragnor, invaded her home, she doesn't lose her spirit. She remains the symbol of strength of the people of Darkenwald. As for Wulfgar, being the warrior that he is, he seems cold at the start, but then the author explains how he came to mistrust women. I like how their love develops. You get to see Wulfgar weakens where Aislinn is concerned, doing things that you would never expect from him. The author has also added some humorous exchanges between these two. It's also good to see the villains get what they deserve, and another bonus is the surprise revelation made at the end of the book.

This is the second time I read this. Admittedly, I would have probably only given this about 3 and a half stars when I first read it years ago, but I am so glad that I gave this book another go, as I truly enjoyed and appreciated it the second time.

The Wolf And The Dove is written in the popular scenario for medeival romance: The Norman Conquest. While I really like reading about this time period, it was all I could do to finish this book.

One reviewer said that the heroine seems to brush the horror she went through off like it was some trivial incident and I completely agree. I was gaping with disbelief that the hero, Wulfgar, and his men storm the castle, kill her father, beat her mother into oblivion and make her into a slave and it is treated with very little importance. And this is just the beginning of the story. I then have to read about the heroine being raped and chained to the floor at night like an animal by the so-called hero, and her mother chained with the dogs as punishment.

Romance? If there was any I completely missed it. Wulfgar treats Aislinn like conquered booty until the last part of the book when he marries her. If this is considered one of this author's best books then I think i'll pass on her other works. There are so many medeival stories out there that are much better like Hannah Howell's Unconquered, Juliana Garnett's The Vow and Elizabeth Chadwick's The Conquest.

I hadn't even planned on writing a review of this book, but after looking at all the glowing reviews along with so many things that I see that are wrong with this story, I feel the need to put my two cents in and hopefully steer readers away from this dated and dreadful mess of a book. The Wolf and the Dove starts in 1066 as William has invaded England and the conquering Normans take control of the Saxons and their lands. I'd go into the plot in detail, but so many other reviewers have already done so I don't see the need to rehash it again. What I want to address are the many many things I found wrong with this book,

* I'm not a history major but I thought that after conquering England William inter-married the Norman and Saxon nobility to ensure a harmonious transition, but Lady Aislinn is turned into a slave to be used at Wolfgar's whim? Not only that, but when he brings his "slave/mistress" to London he takes her to court and presents her to William!!??
* Aislinn is eighteen years old, that's right eighteen years old, beautiful, educated, intelligent and unmarried. Eighteen years old and unmarried when girls were married at fourteen and fifteen, and a spinster at 16. Righto.
* I know the heroine always has to be beautiful and all the guys desire her, but come on! By page 200 I've lost count of how many times her bodice has been ripped and she's been groped. Maybe this was where the term bodice ripper came from!
* Well bred women in medieval times kept their hair braided and covered, yet Aislinn's glorious tresses are always flowing free, for all to see and no one is shocked. Worse yet, not once, but twice she's so carried away to hurry to greet new arrivals that she forgets to put her shoes on!!?? Helloooooooo...
* While I don't expect historical accuracy in a romance, there was just one too many outright boners in this book that just had me rolling my eyes. Potatoes and Velvet in the 11C? I don't think so.

Worst of all, at least for this reader, was no chemistry at all between Aislinn and Wolfgar, a death knell for a romance novel. Aislinn was a spineless twit and Wolfgar was a pompous overbearing macho male chauvinist p.....well you know what. The book was long winded and I found myself skipping many pages on my way to the final and painful ending. I have read other books by Woodiwiss and while not high fiction I've found them a pleasant way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon. However, this book is not one of them, and I strongly urge other potential readers to consider all the opinions carefully before making this your reading choice. For those looking for well written, historically accurate tales of England at the time of the Conquest, I would recommend Elizabeth Chadwick's The Winter Mantle or THE CONQUEST. As quoted on some of her book jackets, the next best thing to time travel.

SPOILER WARNING - THIS REVIEW TALKS ABOUT PLOT POINTS

I adore the Lady Danger series by Sarah McKerrigan. Someone in that review suggested if people loved meaningful medieval romances that they should check out The Wolf and The Dove. This was written back in 1974, but I love medieval romance and eagerly bought a copy. I mean, medieval times haven't changed that much, right?

Well, medieval times haven't changed - but WOMEN have changed since the early 70s. At least, I had really thought we had until I saw some of the reviews here! It really upsets me that women readers thought that Wulfgar was a hero. To delve into this we have to examine the plot.

Aislinn is raised as a loved noble woman. She is engaged to a neighboring lord and all is going well. Then in storms the Normans and her father is slain right before her eyes. Her mother, an intelligent, caring healer, is beaten and turned into a rag-wearing slave. Aislinn herself is raped by the first knight who comes through. Then Wulfgar shows up.

He pretty much immediately begins to RAPE HER DAILY. She is clear about not wanting sex. He doesn't care and continually rape her. His "excuse"? He's a bastard son. So what? William, his liege lord, is a bastard and he's crowned king. There were lots of bastards in these days. I understand the whole "wanted love as a child" angle. But that doesn't give a man leave to continually rape a woman.

You could say "all men raped women in 1066" - but first, this is not true, and second, he was a knight. Knights took vows. Yes, some shady knights would occasionally rape a woman. However, a knight I would want to fall in love with would not be one of those. And no worthy knight would continually rape a woman.

OK, let's say he felt a simmering love for her and this was his (albeit inappropriate) way of showing it. But then when his sister shows up and starts emotionally abusing Aislinn, he just lets it go on. Soon Aislinn is wearing rags, the sister has stolen all her property and Wulfgar keeps raping her. Oh yes, and the mother is still wearing rags and treated like dirt too. Aislinn doesn't really seem to mind.

Wulfgar treats her completely as a whore. Yes he eventually buys her nice clothes (because she has none left and is going to appear at court). He's hoping to get some good sex in return, because right now she's being passive while he rapes her.

Which brings us to Aislinn. We are told repeatedly in the book that her main quality is that she is gorgeous. Any man who looks at her wants her. That is the sole reason they desire her - to have sex with her. Wulfgar doesn't really seem to care if she's happy or being sniped at by his sister. He just wants her more active in bed. Aislinn herself is entranced by his handsome good looks - but she refuses to put out in bed because she's just a whore and it bugs her. So her solution is ... to nag him incessantly. She is grumpy and sour, with the intention of getting him to marry her! She nags him non stop so that finally in the end he gives in and "surprises" her with a wedding.

Voila! She is now a tigress in bed, and he is thrilled.

I know there are MANY women out there who like male agressors, and that is fine. I am quite happy with a strong male. But there is a very distinct line between a strong male and an abusive male. A survey of women in the 15-24 age range found that **60%** were involved currently in an abusive relationship! *All* of them had been in a violent relationship at some point in their life. Isn't that scary? Do you think if we women read about repeated rape as being a "normal" part of a sexual relationship - never mind a relationship that is full of emotional abuse as well - that it affects our ability to draw the line when our actual sexual partner gets rough with us and refuses to respect our wishes?

Back to the book. So let's just say for a moment that it IS ok for a knight to repeatedly rape a woman - and for this woman to get "Stockholm Syndrome" and want this to go on forever and marry this guy. Is the rest of the story enjoyable? Well, the answer is NO. Rather than having actual depth to the characters, the ending makes everything completely meaningless. It turns out Aislinn WAS a virgin when she first slept with Wulfgar and somehow NEITHER noticed it!! Hah, highly unlikely! She was a healer, she knew about sex and virginity. Certainly Wulfgar knew from the soldiers he hung out with what the signs were! It also turns out Wulfgar isn't a bastard, that his siblings were. So now all childhood and modern traumas are neatly sewn up into little squares and made smooth.

How about the writing style? I know many books with horrendous plots where the writing was amazing and I loved it anyway. Here we have typos, we have grammatical errors, and we have jumps of scene and time without any transition or warning. You have to re-read a section to make sure you know who is talking and when it is taking place.

The book is very beauty obsessed. People are looked down as being "old women" or "too thin" or "infertile" or such. People are only treasured if they are curvy, beautiful and can have kids.

I was taking notes as I read this and I kept writing down that there was "odd situations" going on. What characters did or said made no sense based on their background and personality. They were being dragged along to suit the plot. Several aspects of the ending situation involving a child were completely unbelievable to any parent.

There were several God-like situations where characters made allusions to things they couldn't possibly know. There are historical inconsistencies. Just one example - they talk about rapiers in the year 1066, when rapiers were developed in the 1500s. There are also factual errors. Most birthmarks are caused by the birth process and the very few that are inherited do not skip generations. That was a deux ex machina if ever one was written.

I really wanted to like this story. I appreciate authors who can write long novels and fill them with interesting content. I adore the medieval period and love stories based in this time frame. I am generally VERY lenient as far as storyline goes. But this one bothered me greatly. It really concerns me that so many readers (judging by the reviews) felt that repeated rape of a woman was fine - and that her technique of nagging constantly at a guy to force him to marry her was fine as well. These are about the OPPOSITE of what romance is supposed to be about.

We need more books about QUALITY relationships. The guy should be worthy of marrying, not a rapist. They should share a relationship where they wed because they want to, not because the guy is nagged endlessly until he gives in to the "feminine desire for a ring". Maybe then we could start seeing a drop in this incredibly distressing 60% domestic violence rate that modern women are trapping themselves in.

I don't consider myself a feminist - but it really bothers me greatly that women are allowing themselves to be abused like this - and extolling the behavior in book form as a great, fun read.