I do love Chadwick's books. There is just this feel to them. They even make me want to live in that age. Even if I totally would have been dead by now.

This on is about Brunin FitzWarin, another character found in the mists of time. He was sent away for fostering, grew up and married the daughter of the house. But the story has more to tell than that. There is the shaky ground his family sits on regarding their lands. And the same thing is true about the de Dinan family. There is always someone else who has claim. And of course the beginning of the book also shows the power struggle for the English throne.

And midst all that we have a boy growing up, he is made to be unsure of himself (he did not have the easiest time at home).

But he grows into a strong and sensible young man. Hawise de Dinan is a nice heroine, strong, but willful. There is also some rivalry between her and her foster sister (who I wanted to smack, that idiot!). I like the way she portrays daily life, because even when there was war and campaigns life went on. It was a rough life, but interesting to read about.

What more can I say than this was another Chadwick win for me. ( )

Of course, if it's by Elizabeth Chadwick, the reader is transported right back the medieval era with her talented writing and world building. Shadows and Strongholds does not disappoint on that score.

However, it's the characters that really make this book. I enjoyed seeing the main characters grow up together, from 10 years old and adults. We get to see some real depth in their development from the rosy hues of youth to the rigorous and mostly harsh reality that is adulthood in the Middle Ages. Also extremely pleasing was how the characters grew and didn't stay static. People found themselves in life's experiences and their relationships grew with their journey through life.

I also actually really liked the idea that everything didn't work out as planned in the end. Losses occurred and gains were made in other areas. For some, the harshness of adult medieval life was too much and broke them. For some, the brutality of battle and harsh world molded them into steel and gave them a foundation on which to rise. Either way, the last fourth of the book brought surprises and shocks that I am glad Elizabeth Chadwick felt comfortable incorporating into her writing. Everything didn't end in kittens and rainbows in the Middles Ages; it was a sometimes harsh world and historical fiction set in it needs to show that sometimes.

Altogether, another winner for Ms. Chadwick. I enjoyed every word and
look forward to exploring more of medieval England through her writing. ( )

SENSUALITY RATING: No Yes profanity; Yes sexual encounters, one “non-descriptive leave it to your imagination rape”; Yes, Euphemistic "code words i.e. budding breasts, ;

GENRE: Historical, Romance

SETTING: Time of knights and castles and wars over land.

CENTRAL FEMALE CHARACTER: HAWISE - Tomgirl, apple of her father’s eye, quick tongue like her mother.

CENTRAL MALE CHARACTER: BRUNIN – Intimidated, skillful, ability to see things for what they really are.

SYNOPSIS: Brunin, a boy tortured by his grandmother’s insults, is to become squire to Lord Joscelin. Living in the de Dinan household will provide him with encouragement, strength and 2 girls in competition of each other.

WHAT I LIKED: Rescue and lives saved by a boy who is not a coward.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE: Hmmm, trying to think of something.

OVERALL RATING: (5) stars because of well written storyline, full of castles, knights, fights over lands and kingdoms, and the females caught up in it all.

**Title can also be called “What one will do just to feel loved”. Tragedy**. ( )

This is another excellent medieval tale from Ms. Chadwick, featuring real historical characters, interspersed with fictional ones.
The book opens in 1148 & Fulke "Brunin" FitzWarin is 10 years old. He's a quiet, introspective boy & eldest son of the Lord of Whittington (Fulke Sr.) As such, he'll inherit the title & his father despairs he is too timid & lacking in the self confidence needed to shoulder all the responsibilities that go with it.
Theirs is a family of eight children, mother Eve & his paternal grandmother, a proud woman with a tongue like barbed wire. It was a common custom to foster a son to another titled landowner, where they would start as a squire & learn everything needed to become a knight.
After Brunin is beaten by the squires of an old enemy & labelled a coward, his father sends him to the home of his great friend & ally, Joscelin de Dinan, Lord of Ludlow. Of course, the fact that Joscelin has only daughters is a bonus at a time when marriages were all about securing alliances & land.
And so begins Brunin's new life. He will come of age there, be knighted & marry Hawise, the youngest daughter. It's a turbulent time with the people siding with one faction or another as two pretenders fight for the crown. The eventual victor was Henry II & fortunes and properties were held or lost depending on who you supported. The FitzWarins & de Dinans join forces & fight for the king as he wages battle against threats from Whales & France. It's a barbaric time when 15 year old girls died in childbirth & few fighting men grew old.
The author has obviously done an incredible amount of research & includes many historically correct characters & events. Clothing, food & customs are carefully described & true to period (thank God displaying the wedding sheets went out of style!). But the heart of this story & what keeps you reading is Brunin himself.
He's a compelling character. You feel for the boy who was shown little love & suffered brutal treatment from family members. You also feel for the man he becomes, burdened with responsibility & plagued with self doubt but determined to defend lord & land.
It's an atmospheric read with battle scenes & domestic drama that jumps off the page. The characters are richly portrayed & just a warning....you're really going to hate a few of these people. But you'll pull for Brunin & Hawise as they mature & deal with feuds, attacks, illness & a shocking betrayal by a family member.
It's their story set against the backdrop of the early years in the reign of Henry II & is an engrossing read. ( )

What a delightful and satisfying good read! This book has a beautifully shaped plot. And the best wedding night passage I've ever read. I kept seeing Laura Prepon as the heroine. I don't really give a fig about the middle ages but it still was fun to act the fly on the wall in this tale of hustle and bustle of great houses. Very convincing characters in a completely plausible story. ( )