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Revision as of 14:24, 21 June 2016
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Journalist [[:Category:Valerie Anand|Valerie Anand]] (who also writes Tudor crime mysteries as Fiona Buckley by the way) brought the skills from her day job to bear when she researched this book, throwing light onto a king who isn't raised up in historical fiction that often. All I knew of him before this book was that he met his sticky end in a hunting accident but Valerie shows us there's more to him than that, including an interesting spin on the sticky end itself.
Valerie portrays the third son of William I, 'The Conqueror', as someone who battled in one way of or another all his life. He wasn't attractive ('Rufus' being a nickname derived from his ruddy complexion as much as his hair colour) and a stammer ensured he was less than popular as a child.
His eldest brother Robert Curthose (Curthose on account of his short stature – the Normans didn't go in for political correctness!) had a huge sense of entitlement which suffered a degree of bashing with William I's split will. Not that Robert was an ideal son anyway. Exhibit One: he fought his father for Rouen Castle in a battle sense – horses, swords, fatalities the lot. This combative nature which seemed to run down the male line meant Rufus was at odds with him all his life, leaving little brother Henry to decide which brother to side with.
Talking of the church, religion is one of the great dividers defining the picture that Valerie paints. While the church is dominant, the New Forest country folk believe in Herne the Hunter and partake in festivals during which all inhibition is hurled aside. (Again tastefully rather than graphically described.)
Valerie's style is densely packed which I love but may not appeal to those who enjoy a lighter historical fiction read. She ensures we receive a panoramic view from both sides of the Channel as well as the England/Scottish Scotland border. In the end the memory that will linger is one from England: a capricious, unpopular monarch who went his own way, feeding his appetites rather than the nation's good. Indeed history judges him harshly but William Rufus wasn't the first or the worst, although, in the hands of Valerie Anand, he's definitely one of the most interesting.
(Thank you to Romaunce Books for providing us with a copy for review.)
