★★★★½
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: church vs. state, St Thomas Becket
Setting: England, Wales, Normandy, France
CHARACTERS: Henry II, Eleanor of Aquiatiane, Thomas Becket, Ranulf Fitz Roy
DATE READ: April 9 - April 27
NO. OF PAGES: 548
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: No, Nook stockpile 2013
PLOT:............................................4.50
CHARACTERIZATION:...............4.75
TOPICS:........................................4.50
STYLE:..........................................4.50
ORIGINALITY:...............................4.50
ADDICTIVENESS:......................4.50
OWNERSHIP:..............................4.50
THRESHOLD QUALITY:...... .....4.50
Average..........................................................4.53
Henry II of England was a formidable historical figure - just think of all that he accomplished or was involved with - Henry FitzEmpress later known as Henry Plantagenet, ruled as Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Count of Nantes, King of England (1154–89) and Lord of Ireland; he also controlled Wales, Scotland and Brittany. He fathered 8 children on Eleanor of Aquitaine, two who later became king - Richard the Lion-hearted and John of Robin Hood fame.
This part of the trilogy concerns the time of strife when Harry was in constant disagreement with Thomas Becket, his Archbishop of Canterbury, over the manner in which the punishment of the clergy concerning wrongdoings. Becket wanted he Church to maintain its sovereignty and Harry wanted the misdeeds punished under normal English law. In the end, after 6 years of exile, Becket was murdered.
Thinking of all that you would believe that the story that was told here would have been a bit boring, but Harry is brought to life with all his vigor, faults, and personality that this reader is eager to take up the next part of the tale of King Henry and Queen Eleanor.
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