The Winter Crown
In 1154 Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful women in Europe, is crowned queen of England beside her young husband Henry II. While Henry battles their enemies and lays his plans, Eleanor is an adept acting ruler and mother to their growing brood of children. But she yearns for more than this – if only Henry would listen. Instead Henry pushes Eleanor to the sidelines, involving himself with a young mistress and denying Eleanor her rightful authority. As matters reach a crisis, Eleanor becomes caught up in a family rebellion. And even a queen must face the consequences of treason…
Kate Atherton Reviews The Winter Crown on her For Winter Nights blog
Review from The Historical Novel Society
“Chadwick is a consummate historical novelist…she revels in factual accuracy as much as in sheer joy of getting to the heart and soul of her leading characters.” Driffield Review
” Wow! I feel like someone used to watching movies in black and white but has just seen the first one in technicolor! “ A personal letter from a reader.
“In the world of the arts, the Black Legend and the Golden Myth still hold sway, as seen in novels, such as Alison Weir’s, which seek to portray both the scandalous, adulterous queen of legend and the powerful female ruler. Historians may shake their heads at the perpetuation of such myths, but many historical novelists such as Sharon Kay Penman and Elizabeth Chadwick are seeking to apply modern scholarship to their fiction, and consequently avoid the most egregious of the legends that surround Eleanor.” Professor Michael R. Evans in Inventing Eleanor – Bloomsbury Academic.