Devil's Brood (Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine, #3)

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Devil's Brood (Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine #3)

by Sharon Kay Penman (Goodreads Author)

4.32 of 5 stars 4.32 · rating details · 2,601 ratings · 220 reviews

The long-awaited and highly anticipated final volume in Penman's trilogy of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine?a tumultuous conclusion to this timeless story of love, power, ambition, and betrayal.
Where the second novel in the trilogy, "Time And Chance," dealt with the extraordinary politics of the twelfth century, climaxing with the murder of Thomas Becket and Henry's co...more

Hardcover, 736 pages

Published October 7th 2008 by Putnam Adult (first published 2008)

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The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman

When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman

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Feb 08, 2012 Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: history geeks who wouldn't be caught dead reading about elves & goblins

Shelves: historical-fiction, monarchs-plantagenets, zzzzzz

There's probably a connection between why I read 3 Sharon Kay Penman books with such ease back in the early to mid 2000s and yet couldn't finish one in 2012. At the same time (ye olde 2000s) I was going through a high fantasy phase and huge doorstoppers with a cast of thousands riding around to villages and other countries talking about quests and prophecies, surrounded by a zillion details, fit in quite well with Penman's style of having a cast of thousands riding around to taverns and castles...more There's probably a connection between why I read 3 Sharon Kay Penman books with such ease back in the early to mid 2000s and yet couldn't finish one in 2012. At the same time (ye olde 2000s) I was going through a high fantasy phase and huge doorstoppers with a cast of thousands riding around to villages and other countries talking about quests and prophecies, surrounded by a zillion details, fit in quite well with Penman's style of having a cast of thousands riding around to taverns and castles talking about battles and intrigues, surrounded by a zillion historical facts.

Except I no longer read high fantasy. I got tired of the bloated excess and almost OCDness of the author to leave no day unwritten about, no step of a journey unremarked upon, no situation or conversation that we couldn't hear about in at least two different scenes, etc. And now I've reached the same point with Penman. A brownie point to high fantasy, though, for actually having action scenes. Penman's are few and far between, and they don't really get the adrenaline pumping. She's more of a talky, expository novelist.

Penman even did the extra step of taking a historical drama with 100 real-life players and wedging in a couple fictional ones, Ranulf and Rhiannon, two people who have done little to enchance this story from the beginning (but have padded it unmercifully) and whose existence has always confused me. What was the point of them? Honestly.

Her research is impeccable, but this time around I found it absurdly intrusive into the dramatic aspect of the story. Momentum would come to a grinding halt as a laundry list of sieges was trotted out in dialogue or blood ties that the people in conversation would know about were recited again and again. And why go through the trouble of having people in a scene who say nothing? So what if they were probably there in real-life because of their station/relation/whatever. It's extraneous and should be looked at with an editor's detached eye.

In short, I thought she needed to find a better balance between the historical and the fictional. There were many parts in the 185 pages I read that felt like they were lifted from history books with dialogue sprinkled in. It's the same carp I have about the driest and blandest of Jean Plaidy's novels. Biographies with dialogue.

I'm really grateful to a reviewer for one of her other books who notes that Penman's scene structure has a format: People are standing around talking about the current political situation, then someone rushes in to give news about a far-off battle or siege or other turn of events. Then everyone either rushes off or sticks around to contemplate the ramifications of these new developments. Once I was clued in to that, it was obvious that it happens a LOT and finally let me put my finger on why there was a sameness about everything, no matter how far I read. The pacing wasn't stagnant or moribund, but it wasn't exactly kicking either. So thank you, Reviewer!

I'll also add that she has a motif of having her male characters wrap or lay their lovers' hair around their throat while lolling about in post-coital delight. That's been in every Penman I've read and I always thought it sounded a little weird, as well as repetitious. So many Plantagenet men have the same quirky little bed habits, spanning centuries! Bizarre! Or one might conclude the author merely has little imagination when it comes to the sex lives of these real people.

Anyway, there had to be a reason why, despite thinking her books were great back then, whenever I grabbed a chunkster off my shelf to read these past 6 years, it wasn't ever one of hers. My subconscious was trying to tell me something, and I'm glad I've realized what it probably was. My tastes have changed so that I appreciate dramatic license and the condensing and tweaking of fact into a narrative that flows better. She's a stolid and "safe" writer. No historical boats will get rocked in her vicinity, and you're guaranteed of every i and t getting their dots and crosses. But this time around I found her style decidedly lacking in snap and dramatic primacy, and I put more importance on that than if Character A was in the historically correct place at the historically correct time.

This was the one book in the trilogy that I really wanted to read, dating back to those ye olde early 2000s, but by the time this was finally published, I'm afraid that my tastes had already outgrown Penman's stodgy stylings. So I'll content myself with another re-watch of The Lion in Winter.

And a big sloppy kiss to the hack-n-slash movie Ironclad for making me so impatient with the non-action in this book that I decided to bail and save my time and sanity. Smooches!(less)

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Apr 14, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: british-royalty, historical-fiction, medieval, buddy-read, read-in-2012

Rating 3.5 stars

I read historical fiction for two reasons: to learn and to be entertained.

There’s no doubt that Penman’s research is impeccable. As a new reader to this era, I now feel I know the story of Henry II, his sons, their rebellions, and their contemporaries very well. The information given is interesting and thorough; I couldn’t have asked for a fuller, more complete picture.

The entertainment side was less successful for me. In her quest to tell the whole story, Penman felt she had to...more Rating 3.5 stars

I read historical fiction for two reasons: to learn and to be entertained.

There’s no doubt that Penman’s research is impeccable. As a new reader to this era, I now feel I know the story of Henry II, his sons, their rebellions, and their contemporaries very well. The information given is interesting and thorough; I couldn’t have asked for a fuller, more complete picture.

The entertainment side was less successful for me. In her quest to tell the whole story, Penman felt she had to include everything. This started out well, and I enjoyed the family squabbles, feeling Henry’s exasperations as his sons constantly pushed for more and more, and rebelled with war against him (and each other) every time he stalled over their demands. And who could blame him for being so reluctant, those boys could not be trusted! Not knowing the story of Henry and Thomas Becket, I also enjoyed the recap of the build-up and aftermath of Becket’s murder, incorporating Henry’s complex feelings towards that whole situation.

However, around page 500 (of 700+), my enjoyment started to wane. It’s obviously not Penman's fault that the bickering brothers and their rebellions dragged on for years, but they became tiresome and repetitive and sapped my strength.

I also thought there was too much of everything. It’s a double-edged sword: I want the complete story, warts n’ all, but I also want it to be fresh and riveting – and how do you do that when the real-life historical facts went round in circles for more than a decade? Perhaps by showing more and telling less? Perhaps by not having the same characters hold the same conversations over and over. Perhaps, in a real cast of hundreds, don’t add in a couple of fairly predominant, but pointless, fictional characters. Perhaps by not imparting all your research, by keeping your lesser facts back to give the more important ones greater impact. This wasn’t a book that included everything but the kitchen sink – the kitchen sink was perched up on the dais.

Thanks to my friend Jemidar for this buddy-read – I loved your insightful (and silly!) thoughts as we ploughed through it all :-)(less)

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Aug 18, 2011 Isis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Absolutely everyone

Shelves: medieval-age-1000-to-1400ce-fiction, cream-of-the-crop

Devil’s Brood is an absolute rollercoaster of a novel. Now in my mind, there are two types of "rollercoaster novels". One kind swings wildly from one extreme of emotion to another, melodramatically creating mountains out of molehills, its plot twists coming out of nowhere, the kind of rollercoaster that leaves you feeling queasy and desperately wanting to get off. The other kind of rollercoaster novel sweeps you up and off you go, the highs and lows built up ahead of time, creating anticipation,...more

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Nov 03, 2008 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: HF fans

Recommended to Laura by: Misfit

Shelves: historical-fiction, hf-medieval-europe, read-2008

Another wonderful book by SKP, where the struggle for the power between Richard´s sons prevails over most of his kingdom. The strong character of Eleanor shows already her fight for women rights on state decisions even in a medieval era. The dialogues between the main characters are very well written within an historical context based on a very careful historical research performed by SKP.

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Jan 28, 2009 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow - - Penman has done it again. She manages to take a remote time in history and absolutely make it come alive, along with the major characters. Absolutely one of the best historical fiction writers around, this book is well-researched and such an easy read!

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Apr 15, 2012 Jemidar rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-reads-with-anna, historical-fiction, mt-tbr-challenge-2012, culled

There is one thing you can't fault Penman for and that's her research. It's thorough, copious and usually factual, almost OCD in places. But what I do fault her for is her need to include every single word of it in her novels. This one was so bloated by research that it floated belly up--slowing the narrative, distancing characters from the reader and was downright tedious & distracting in places. And as fascinating as most of the information was (although I could well have lived without kno...more
There is one thing you can't fault Penman for and that's her research. It's thorough, copious and usually factual, almost OCD in places. But what I do fault her for is her need to include every single word of it in her novels. This one was so bloated by research that it floated belly up--slowing the narrative, distancing characters from the reader and was downright tedious & distracting in places. And as fascinating as most of the information was (although I could well have lived without knowing how 12th century Welshmen cleaned their teeth or that Henry had a painful abscess in is groin near the end of his life) a lot of it really had no place in the story which led to ridiculous amounts of exposition and dialogue between characters discussing stuff they would have already known. And there was 700+ pages of it to wade through!

Surprisingly, for an author of Penman's reputation I also found her guilty of another historical fiction sin--imbuing some of her 12th century characters with 21st century sensibilities, and although it wasn't as bad as in some novels by lesser authors I've read, it was there. I also found several other niggles in that the religion expressed felt very Protestant to me (maybe it was all that scripture quoting) and the physicians seemed to have anachronistic medical knowledge. Fair enough, nobody's perfect.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. I did. Because when Penman was able to concentrate on the story and not her research it was great stuff. Unfortunately, I would estimate the parts where the story, characters and history came together in harmony was only about a quarter of the book.

I do feel sad that I'm not in raptures over this book like everyone else. I really wanted to love it. No, more than that, I expected to love it and am disappointed that I didn't. However, I did learn lots but think next time I would much rather read NF than research saturated fiction.

My special thanks to Anna and Karla who supported me through the 700+ pages and listened to my gripes. Best of all they made me laugh and helped make it a more enjoyable experience :-).

Buddy read with Anna.
(less)

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Oct 26, 2008 Michele rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, personal-library, richard-i

Devil's Brood is the long-awaited latest installment of Sharon Kay Penman's brilliant Eleanor of Aquitaine series. Preceeded by When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance, Devil's Brood seamlessly picks up the story of King Henry II and his dysfunctional family just as his eldest children reach adulthood and begin wreaking havoc in Henry's world.

Where Saints and Time and Chance were a recounting of the convoluted politics of the time and the circumstances that led to Henry's grabbing o...more Devil's Brood is the long-awaited latest installment of Sharon Kay Penman's brilliant Eleanor of Aquitaine series. Preceeded by When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance, Devil's Brood seamlessly picks up the story of King Henry II and his dysfunctional family just as his eldest children reach adulthood and begin wreaking havoc in Henry's world.

Where Saints and Time and Chance were a recounting of the convoluted politics of the time and the circumstances that led to Henry's grabbing of the crown and his marriage to Eleanor, the famous Aquitaine heiress and former Queen of France, Devil's Brood is a portrait of a family disintegration. Penman was faced with the difficult challenge of supplying credible motivations for these larger-than-life historical figures, something that often cannot be gleaned from pure research. Happily, she exceeded expectations and has produced not only an historically accurate and detailed novel, but a psychological study of a family meltdown.

Penman succeeded in avoiding one-dimensional characters with singular motivations. Like most families, the Plantagenet family falls apart due to human failings still found today: infidelity, immature and rebellious teenagers, pride and stubbornness. Each character has an opportunity to stop this train wreck, yet none do and tragedy ensues.

The only character who escapes Penman's analysis is Rosamund Clifford, Henry's mistress and a thorn in Eleanor's side. Although she has quite a role in the story, it is unfortunate that her motivations are simplistic and a bit of a cliche: she appears to be only an insipid and vapid goody two-shoes. Any sympathy or understanding for her character is difficult to muster and her eventual exit from the Plantagenet's lives is somewhat of a relief, if only because reading about her becomes quite tiring.

Penman is a master of dialogue and Devil's Brood continues her tradition. Few historical fiction authors have the ability to seamlessly weave such pertinent period information into their dialogue. She also provides biting wit, which in the case of Henry and Eleanor is particularly appropriate (how many of us can forget Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn battling it out in The Lion in Winter?)

Fans who have eagerly awaited this release will not, thankfully, be disappointed in this newest Penman novel and I daresay some new fans will be created who will now join in the vigil for the next novel in the series. Whether you must beg, borrow or steal (or perhaps just simply purchase) this book, do so. You won't be sorry you did.(less)

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Oct 12, 2008 Misfit rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, read-and-keep-for-a-reread, favorites

Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine thought they had it all - the greatest empire since Charlemagne, healthy children including the heir and several to spare - so how did it all go so wrong? The Devil's Brood takes up the story where Time and Chance left off with the murder of Thomas Becket, as Henry returns from his self imposed exile to Ireland. Henry's three eldest sons are chafing at the bit to have lands and power of their own and egged on by Louis of France they join with their mo...more Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine thought they had it all - the greatest empire since Charlemagne, healthy children including the heir and several to spare - so how did it all go so wrong? The Devil's Brood takes up the story where Time and Chance left off with the murder of Thomas Becket, as Henry returns from his self imposed exile to Ireland. Henry's three eldest sons are chafing at the bit to have lands and power of their own and egged on by Louis of France they join with their mother Eleanor in rebellion against their father. In time Henry quells the rebellion and forgives his sons, but he cannot forgive his wife and queen and he imprisons her. Even though Henry forgave his sons, they are still not happy with his generosity and it eventually leads to more power struggles and back-biting amongst the brothers, particularly young Hal, who suffers the ultimate punishment for his reckless deeds.

This was a fascinating story of a brilliant, powerful king whose blind love and trust in his sons lead him to making mistakes in judgment that eventually lead to his downfall. I also loved seeing a different side of the haughty, queenly Eleanor we saw in Time and Chance, as unlike her sons she does come to recognize the wrongness (well sometimes) of her actions and the cataclysmic effects those actions had on her family. Some readers may find the first part of this book a bit slow paced as Penman does spend time setting up the back history of Henry, Eleanor and the Becket murder, but hang in there as about half way through when the boys start turning on each other the pages literally started flying. Penman's dialogue was exceptional, although I couldn't decide who got the best lines, Henry or Richard – they just smoked off the page!

One of Penman’s great strengths is to take the most complex political situations and put them into a story that not only entertains the reader but educates at the same time. Five stars and it appears from the author’s notes and a recent blog interview that this will not be a trilogy, she will continue the story of Eleanor, Richard and John in one more book. Hurray!

For those of you coming away from this book wanting to know about William Marshal, I highly recommend Elizabeth Chadwick’s The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion. They are hard to find in the US, but readily available in the UK and Canada.(less)

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Dec 12, 2008 Jennifer (JC-S) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-have

‘It is enough that we answer for our own sins without being held to account for the sins of others..’

The third novel of Ms Penman’s trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, this book picks up the story some months after the murder of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1171. The novel deals with the consequences of a family at war within itself and the impacts both on the individuals involved and on the political landscape of Europe and beyond. Henry Fitz Empress ruled England as He...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Joyce Lagow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sharon Kay Penman has written a brilliant historical fiction trilogy based on the lives of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The first book, When Christ and His Saints Slept, covers the period of time before Henry� s birth when Stephen of Blois stole the English crown from Maude, the daughter of Henry I and his intended successor. The resulting civil war was so savage that it gave rise to the saying which is the title of the book.[return][return]In that book, Henry II is born to the loveless ma...more Sharon Kay Penman has written a brilliant historical fiction trilogy based on the lives of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The first book, When Christ and His Saints Slept, covers the period of time before Henry� s birth when Stephen of Blois stole the English crown from Maude, the daughter of Henry I and his intended successor. The resulting civil war was so savage that it gave rise to the saying which is the title of the book.[return][return]In that book, Henry II is born to the loveless marriage between Maude and Geoffrey of Anjou. Henry fights for his mother� s crown successfully enough that When Stephen� s only son dies, an agreement is reached that Henry will succeed Stephen when Stephen dies. Henry also meets Eleanor; the two very kindred spirits instantly fall in love and lust, which will last their lives. Eleanor sheds an inconvenient marriage to Louis of France, she and Henry wed, and the book ends on the soaring hopes of the young couple and of England.[return][return]The second book, Time and Chance, recounts Henry� s glory years as King of England and ruler of more lands in France than is Louis, who is still alive and still ineffectual; the single largest part of Henry� s continental domains is Aquitaine, coming to him, sort of, though Eleanor, who is Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right. Henry and Eleanor have a true partnership. There are tensions, however, since as Duchess of Aquitaine, there are times when Henry� s decisions and his reasons for making them cross purposes with Eleanor� s instinctive protectiveness for her duchy.[return][return]Eleanor bears Henry eight children, a veritable surfeit of sons, starting with Hal, the eldest, Richard the second, Geoffrey the third and finally the last child and the Ugly Duckling in the crowd, John. Henry is busy being the best kind England ever will have, aided and abetted by his closest friend Thomas Becket, who Henry has elevated to the Chancellorship of England. In a move that will cost Henry dear for the rest of his life, Henry makes the singular mistake, against Eleanor� s advice, of forcing the monks at Canterbury to choose Thomas as their archbishop. The rest, as they say, is history.[return][return]This period of time is marked also by Henry� s other massive mistake, an enduring love affair with Rosalind Clifford, a high born young woman with whom Henry is truly enamored. Eleanor, like most wives of the day, expects infidelity--but not an affair that lasts so long and that Henry makes no real attempt to hide. Her pride wounded, Eleanor nurses her resentments.[return][return]The third and final book, Devil� s Brood, is the history of the final years of Henry� s long reign, when his empire is under massive internal strains, and his sons and his wife rebel against him. Henry puts down the rebellion, forgives his sons--but never forgives Eleanor, placing her in a captivity that will last 16 years until his death.[return][return]The story of these last years is one of real tragedy, as Henry copes with one rebellion after another and must endure the fact that his oldest son and heir, Hal, is not only not fit for kingship, but is also under the sway of Louis of France. Henry makes mistake after mistake with his sons, not realizing that their grievances are serious, but always trying to balance the empire� s needs--and his inability to let go of any of the power he believes only he can wield for the good of the realm, sharing it with his sons.[return][return]At the end, Henry dies ignominiously, defeated by Louis� s son Philippe and the latter� s alliance with Henry� s two remaining legitimate sons, Richard and John.[return][return]In all three books, Penman brings the characters to life, making them completely believable and sympathetic. This however is especially true of Devil� s Brood, where she tells the story of a failed marriage and disintegrating family and the consequences so remarkably well that it� s hard to believe that this is a fictional account; the reader is part of the story, part of the family and thanks to Penman� s brilliant ability to see all sides sympathetically, you agonize right along with the characters over deaths and other irretrievable losses. It� s a superb work, the best of the trilogy, a tour de force.[return][return]What Penman has achieved in her trilogy is a story seamlessly woven that she has managed to break up into three logical parts. But just as I could not find any way to write this review without synopsizing the other two, this is really not a stand-alone book. By the time you come to the third book, all these characters--and very few are fictional--are a part of you, and the rich background of the other two books leads so naturally and provides so much texture for this one that I can not imagine reading Devil� s Brood as a stand-alone.[return][return]The three novels are one story, of which Devil� s Brood is the most compassionately and most excitingly told. Historical fiction doesn� t get any better than this. Highly recommended.(less)

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Dec 27, 2008 Carey rated it 5 of 5 stars

In 1172 Henry II has been on the throne, ruling his vast kingdom that stretches from England to the Mediterranean, for eighteen years. His passionate marriage to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine is as volatile as ever and their sons are nearing adulthood.

As Henry works to extricate himself from his problems with the Church that were created by the murder of Thomas Becket, his oldest son Hal has plans of his own. Hal has been crowned king while his father still rules and he is chafing under his father'...more In 1172 Henry II has been on the throne, ruling his vast kingdom that stretches from England to the Mediterranean, for eighteen years. His passionate marriage to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine is as volatile as ever and their sons are nearing adulthood.

As Henry works to extricate himself from his problems with the Church that were created by the murder of Thomas Becket, his oldest son Hal has plans of his own. Hal has been crowned king while his father still rules and he is chafing under his father's tight leash. Like any young man, Hal feels he is ready for responsibility and freedom from oversight. Unfortunately his personality is unsuited for the rigors ruling a kingdom. He is far too easily swayed by a quiet word in his ear and is unable to make a decision and stand by it. Before long Hal has joined in with rebel lords against his father, the king.

Even worse for Henry, his other sons Richard and Geoffrey are eager to join the rebellion. It is even supported by Henry's wife, Eleanor. This is the last straw for Henry. Though the rebellion fails and his sons beg his forgiveness, Henry can never bring himself to forgive his wife. Eleanor is destined to spend the next sixteen years in confinement, imprisoned by the King her husband, who feels her betrayal acutely.

The years of Eleanor's imprisonment amount to a tragic deterioration of her family. Henry feels he can trust no one but himself and, as a result, refuses to allow his sons any power or responsibility of their own. He claims that they must earn it but he gives them precious little opportunity to do so. For their part, the sons are unable to understand their father and they are slowly poisoned by his lack of faith in them. Eventually they even seek alliances with their father's enemies, including the French king. Another sharp stab to Henry's heart.

The Princes also develop hatred against each other, fueled by intense jealousy and lust for power. Their battles and confrontations further rip apart a family already in shreds. The most touching scene in the book occurs when Henry and Eleanor together realize and mourn their failure as parents.

In Devil's Brood Sharon Kay Penman has continued her tour de force account of the Plantagenet Dynasty begun in When Christ and His Saints Slept and continued in Time and Chance. She has, once again, given us a thoroughly researched, clear-eyed appraisal of a turbulent political time, while imbuing the story with aching sympathy and sorrow for this long ago family who were unable to achieve the unity and love so necessary to a happy life.

Sharon Kay Penman is, in my opinion, one of the finest historical fiction writers and I have loved each one of her novels since I picked up Here Be Dragons many years ago. I was thrilled to read, in the Author's Note at the end of Devil's Brood, that the characters will not let her go and so she will be continuing the story of Eleanor, Richard, John and the rest in her next book. Hurray!(less)

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Feb 26, 2013 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Excellent novel based on facts as closely as possible about the sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. In this volume of a trilogy on these founders of the Plantagents of England, the sons are grown and fighting among themselves and making alliances against their father.
The family is seen as tragically divided by jealousy, the quest for power and for the love of their parents.
Henry II, a great king who did much to set England on the path to its eventual system of common law and defined righ...more Excellent novel based on facts as closely as possible about the sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. In this volume of a trilogy on these founders of the Plantagents of England, the sons are grown and fighting among themselves and making alliances against their father.
The family is seen as tragically divided by jealousy, the quest for power and for the love of their parents.
Henry II, a great king who did much to set England on the path to its eventual system of common law and defined rights, as well as bringing peace to the country after the divisive war between his mother and her cousin Stephen, who took the throne that was meant for her, could not figure out how to cope with his ambitious and sensitive sons.
He may have set the template when he chose to crown his eldest son while he, Henry, still lived. His son Henry, "the Young King" became frustrated when Henry II refused to give him a serious share of real power. The younger sons were jealous.
The Young King would not have been a good ruler; too impetuous, too little judgment, though good at knightly skills. He died young, making setting up Richard (the Lionheart) to become Henry's heir, and Richard and Henry quarreled as well.

when their sons rebelled against Henry, trying to dethrone him and take land and power, Queen Eleanor took the side of the sons and helped them in their revolt. History does not really know how much help she provided, but Henry was furious enough to shut her in castle in an isolated area, keeping her prisoner, albeit well-supplied with food and clothing and servants, but still a prisoner, for more than a decade. He brought her out for some state occasions, and then sent her back to her castle.

This intelligent, passionate, powerful family is terribly dysfunctional as a family, but their dysfunction and their passions, their deviousness and plotting make for fascinating reading. One has to remind oneself while reading about them that their exploits are true! Of course, since all the events took place in the twelfth century and there is only so much documentation that has survived from the time, there are disputes about some details, and motivations can never be known for sure.

All this is fertile material for a novelist, and Sharon Kay Penman takes full advantage of. The Devil's Brood, like Penman's other works on the medieval English and Welsh royal families, is compelling reading. I read this in a few days, turning pages compulsively, transported to the twelfth century in Britain and France, wanting to know "what happens next?" Obviously I already knew the outlines.... The Young King did not become Henry III, there was no King Geoffrey, Richard and John do inherit the crown. It doesn't matter, you are drawn into the suspense and action.
If you are interested in history, especially medieval history, or the history of England, this novel will grip you with its fascinating mix of fact and imagined "fact."(less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Laurie added it

This long account of the lives of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet was a treat for this hard core medieval lover. Long ago I wrote my dissertation on one of Eleanor's protegés, who is mentioned once in this book. The book is both readable and historically accurate, and manages to distinguish between characters with similar names, and mix modern language and a bit of medieval flavor, with words like "my liege" and "his leman". The only problem for me was that I knew how it was going to...more

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Apr 12, 2010 William rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is Sharon Kay Penman's final installment of her trilogy on Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

I have always enjoyed Penman's work. She has a unique ability to reanimate historic figures. And, the dysfunctional Angevin royal family were perfect fodder.

Some of ye socks may remember something of the saga from watching the classic 1969 film "The Lion in Winter," with Peter O'Toole, Katherine Hepburn, and Anthony Hopkins, in Mrs. Duncan's senior English class.

Penman has the advantage over the scr...more

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Nov 28, 2008 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, british-isles, monarchy, plantagenets

SKP is really one of my favorite authors, but after reading Here Be Dragons, everything else falls short (When Christ and His Saints Slept is a close second). I have always appreciated her historical accuracy, but I felt like she tried to cover too much history in too few pages with this book. There were times when I found myself skimming pages to get to the plot. She took her time with Christ & His Saints and the plot was more compelling, despite being much longer. There were times when I f...more

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Oct 27, 2009 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am full of admiration for this American author with such a feel for English history - and mediaeval English history at that - already demonstrated in her earlier book 'The Sunne in Splendour', about Richard III.

'Devil's Brood' is actually the third in a trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. I haven't read the previous two but when I saw this book on my library shelf I simply couldn't resist reading it out of order - although it stands perfectly well on its own. At 735 pages long it...more

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Oct 09, 2009 Julie Achterhoff rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of the most powerful royal family during the 18th century in Europe. It is very detailed. You get the feeling the author actually went there and observed the events and people she describes. I learned that no matter how noble your family's blood may be you still have to deal with the same problems and challenges any family does. This book is about a family torn apart by circumstances, which causes even worse problems. The king (Henry) doesn't want to give up his power as his th...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Ellen Ekstrom rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm seeing Richard I of England in whole new light and it's as dim as a gutting candle . . . but I digress. Richard is a product of his time and that time was dark and disturbing.

Ms. Penman once again makes medieval life and history as palpable as what we see on the news today, the persons as real, whole and flawed as ourselves - separated by a thousand years. "Devil's Brood" concludes the story of Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine and concentrates on the ill-fated r...more I'm seeing Richard I of England in whole new light and it's as dim as a gutting candle . . . but I digress. Richard is a product of his time and that time was dark and disturbing.

Ms. Penman once again makes medieval life and history as palpable as what we see on the news today, the persons as real, whole and flawed as ourselves - separated by a thousand years. "Devil's Brood" concludes the story of Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine and concentrates on the ill-fated rebellions of Henry and Eleanor's sons, The young king Hal, crowned during his father's lifetime as a surety of succession, Richard, Geoffrey and John. The rebellion is sanctioned by Eleanor who is tired of being seen as merely Henry's queen and not as a duchess in her own right with power and intellect in a man's world. A few of the mythic causes of that rebellion are swept away in Ms. Penman's meticulously researched book, leaning on fact.

Henry is arguably one of England's greatest rulers but he failed miserably as a father to his children, especially his boys - four spoiled, willful and vengeful brats in my opinion, Geoffrey being the most sympathetic. Hal, the eldest, is a 'celebutante' of his day - handsome, popular, free with favor and money, but weak as a commander and ruler, easily swayed by hangers-on. Geoffrey is the son in the middle: overlooked, underappreciated but cold and calculating and turning when the wind blows in his favor. John is a boy learning from his older brothers and gets a lesson in mistrust and treachery. Richard is just downright scary. Sorry if you, dear Reader, hold the historical legend that he was a champion of the weak, poor, downtrodden - nope, that was Robin Hood. Richard is portrayed here as cold, calculating, mean, bloodless while suffering bloodlust as he hacks and stabs his way through Normandy, Poitou, Anjou, Maine and Aquitaine. All of the sons have plenty considering the times, it's just that they want their father's trust and attention and more lands and castles, but everyone goes after that trust and attention all the wrong ways. If you're expecting the witty banter and political savvy of that outstanding play, "The Lion in Winter," you're in for a surprise. This is real, gritty, poignant and outstanding. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is a medieval reality show, Plotting with the Plantagenets - a family that put the capital 'D' in Dysfunctional. (less)

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Jul 29, 2009 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Historical Fiction Fans

Devil's Brood is book # 3 of Sharon Kay Penman's series of novels on the Plantagenets (although SKP never calls them the Plantagenets, as they never call themselves by that name). I would say it is the Henry II/Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy, but apparently SKP is hard at work on Lionheart, about Richard II. Yippee!!!

Anyhow, Devil's Brood picks up where Time and Chance left off, with King Henry II returning from a year long sojourn in Ireland, hiding out from the aftermath of Thomas a Becket's mur...more Devil's Brood is book # 3 of Sharon Kay Penman's series of novels on the Plantagenets (although SKP never calls them the Plantagenets, as they never call themselves by that name). I would say it is the Henry II/Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy, but apparently SKP is hard at work on Lionheart, about Richard II. Yippee!!!

Anyhow, Devil's Brood picks up where Time and Chance left off, with King Henry II returning from a year long sojourn in Ireland, hiding out from the aftermath of Thomas a Becket's murder. Henry seeks to make peace with himself and the church. Although he did not directly order Becket's murder, careless words led to the act that scandalized 12th century Christendom. At this time, Henry's family is falling apart. Soon his three eldest sons, with the support of their mother, rebel because Henry is a control freak and refuses to give his sons any real autonomy and power commensurate with their statuses as an anointed king (Henry "Hal," the young King), the Duke of Aquitaine (Richard) and Duke of Brittany (Geoffrey, after he marries Constance).

The novel follows the tumultuous troubles between Henry and his sons, the sons among themselves and between Henry and Eleanor, who spends most of the novel as Henry's prisoner. The strife within Henry's family is shocking - with brothers raising armies against brothers, sons against fathers and begs of the question of what went so wrong that there is no familial love or harmony. Eleanor and Henry clearly love their sons - and the sons seem to love Eleanor (except for John, who is distant from Eleanor and closer to Henry). Part of the answer seems to be Henry's failure to let go of power and his controlling nature. Making things worse, Henry also manipulates things from behind the scenes and inadvertantly pits son against son, creating jealousies between the brothers. Another answer may be Eleanor's own failure to instill loyalty in her children. By backing her sons in rebelling against Henry, she creates a dangerous precedent where it becomes acceptable and imaginable to take arms against family members. SKP does not share her theory about the cause, only sketches the characters as real people and attempts to understand their emotions and motivations through her close study of original sources as well as secondary source material about the characters.

This novel made me tear up at times - it was very tragic. I knew the main story line because I had already read Alison Weir's fantastic biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine. However, SKP's writing lifts the individuals and historical facts and transforms them into high drama. It is definitely one of SKP's best - not as good as Here Be Dragons, but about equal to The Reckoning, the conclusion to the Welsh Trilogy.

The novel is not flawless. It took longer than usual for me to get into Devil's Brood. For the first 100 pages (DB is more than 700 pages!) the novel was shackled by history, with the characters remaining flat. It read more like non-fiction. However, around the time King Henry brought the Young King Hal to Chinon, the characters suddenly gained flesh and felt real. After that, the novel was as wonderful as SKP's other works. I am looking forward to continuing with the story and I wait with baited breath for the release of Lionheart some time next year.(less)

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Jan 04, 2009 J rated it 4 of 5 stars

I can't wait until the next book. This is the 3rd in a series, but you don't need the read the first 2 books to get this one. I've read one of her other books, and like that one, it takes 50 pages to really get going, but once you read beyond that, something about the book is enthralling. Although I couldn't keep all the characters (Lord of This, Someone's Cousin, etc.) I found that it didn't keep me from understanding what was going on. The pace was great, with enough happening until the very e...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had all three books of Sharon Kay Penman's series on the dynasty that resulted in Richard the Lionheart and during my first read several years ago, I had to wait between books until the next one was published. It was great to read all three in a row. I feel like I know them all so well. The investment of time paid off! I love how the focus shifts to the new generation without making you feel like you've left the old generation behind. For example, the fictional character of Ranulf was one of m...more

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Dec 22, 2009 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

Sharon Penman is at her best here. A wonderful telling of the trials, tribulations, sibling rivalry and outright hatred and mistrust of Henry II and his four sons, Hal, Richard, Geoffrey and John.

As with any good historical novel the enjoyment of the story is enhanced by the learning of history. My knowledge of Richard and John had previously been confined to the 'Good King Richard' and 'Evil Prince John' personas of the Robin Hood myths. It was interesting to learn what a ruthless and bloodthi...more

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Mar 02, 2009 MBP rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, medieval-renaissance, read_2009

Just amazing - no one can write historical fiction like SKP. She takes the historical facts and brings to life the personalities, the emotions, the sights and sounds and smells that you imagine must have been there in the first place. Can't wait for Lionheart!

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Oct 04, 2009 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, drama, historical-fiction, medievalism

As always, another five star novel by Sharon Kay Penman. I wanted to do a different kind of review for myself, because I was struck by something I heard that I think is so true. When reading a book, or watching a show or film, we don't necessarily remember the overall plot. We remember scenes. that's not to say that the plot is lacking in any way; it's not. But remembering scenes is something everyone does. And not a week after I thought that, SKP started a discussion on her blog about her favor...more As always, another five star novel by Sharon Kay Penman. I wanted to do a different kind of review for myself, because I was struck by something I heard that I think is so true. When reading a book, or watching a show or film, we don't necessarily remember the overall plot. We remember scenes. that's not to say that the plot is lacking in any way; it's not. But remembering scenes is something everyone does. And not a week after I thought that, SKP started a discussion on her blog about her favorite scenes. So I am going to try to comment more on specific scenes in at least some of the books I read. So, some of my fave scenes from Devil's Brood:

-Henry's penance at Becket's tomb and his treatment of Becket's sister. I had an image of a shy, scared old woman and I felt awful for her, and hated Henry for being cruel enough to exile her, even though he made up for it with his penance and gift of a mill to earn her money. She just seemed like a shy, scared woman to me because I can imagine life hadn't treated her very well and it makes me sad to see sad old people who should have got better out of life than they did.

-Rhiannon's visit to Eleanor at Sarum. I liked the story of Rhiannon's blindness and how her dad taught her to compensate and learn to be independent, change the things that you can in life and accept those things that you can't change. It was a great scene and one that had a message that I think Eleanor desperately needed to hear.

-The scene in the garden at Winchester between Henry and Eleanor when they were discussing Joanna's upcoming marriage to the King of Sicily. I liked it because you got to see the parents rather than the monarchs, and for a minute they weren't fighting and you could remember how they used to be.

-Where Geoffrey is discussing his mother with the girl he took to the stable. I loved the story about the snake that he'd put in her bed, but then it ended up in his the next night! I loved that glimpse of the mother Eleanor might have been. It was bittersweet because of how John was thinking that he didn't have any of these kinds of stories about his mother, and he didn't understand why.

There were a couple others I loved, too, but I finished the book the night before I left for England, and I didn't get a chance to write about them before I, um, forgot. LOL. I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached. (less)

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Nov 24, 2008 Jamie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, medieval

Fascinating, tragic story from one of my favorite writers of historical fiction.

I can't decide if it's a flaw or a strength in SKP's novels, that she offers a sympathetic portrayal of every single character. You can't pick a side to root for.

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Oct 30, 2012 Kari rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another great Penman book finished. This third book in the Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy moved along at a faster pace for me than the second did.

I love, love, love the way Penman can use real historical situations and actions to break her readers' hearts. The anger, resentment and bitterness that flourished in Henry and Eleanor's family was shocking, but not surprising. It never ceased to amaze me that Eleanor, Henry, and their four sons clung to their bitterness and allowed it to fester for so...more

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May 12, 2011 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Readers of Historical Fiction

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorites

I have had this book on my shelf for ages. I am such a huge fan!! I just had so many library books to read. So, anyway, I have finally started it. It's like opening a really fabulous bar of chocolate that you have been saving for a rainy day, crisis, divorce, etc. ...

12 May 2011

I have just finished this outstanding book! Now that there is no more left read, I have very reluctantly allowed my consciousness to leave the world of Henry and Eleanor. This was made easier with the knowledge that Richa...more

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May 08, 2009 Brianna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a 5-star opinion of most of Sharon Kay Penman's books, so I'm not sure if I just wasn't as interested in Henry & Eleanor (the first two parts of this series were not my favourite of hers, either), or if my tastes are different in the 6 years since I read her devotedly.

I was disappointed in the book at first, but I grew more and more interested as more characters were introduced, and Henry's relationship with his sons grew more and more complicated.

Penman has a way of taking a charact...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Caroline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've waited a long time for this book and it doesn't disappoint. There isn't another writer of historical fiction out there who can make it as real and gripping as Sharon Penman. What I particularly liked about this book is the sense of sadness and age that overhangs it - Henry and Eleanor growing old, apart, their sons tearing the family apart with their battles, the remembrance of things past, happier times, from the previous books. Henry and Eleanor are such vivid, vital characters and you re...more

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Nov 20, 2009 Paigu rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am a big fan of SKP. She manages to write historical fiction with strong female AND male characters (in other words, she doesn't limit herself to corset-busting swoony weepy princesses/queens). She also adds blood, guts and lots of gore. This is the latest book of hers that I've read, and one of my favorites. The family of Eleanor and Henry goes beyond "dysfunctional". But the fighting between sons for power is probably more realistic to that time period. I was amazed that SKP managed to make...more

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About Sharon Kay Penman

Penman received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, she majored in history, and also received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Rutgers University School of Law, and later worked as a tax lawyer. Penman suffered from an eighteen month bout with mononucleosis.

The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Historical Nov...more

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When Christ and His Saints Slept (Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine, #1)

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Quotes from Devil's Brood

“He could still remember how breathtakingly beautiful Eleanor was that day. He'd have been content to gaze into her eyes for hours, trying to decide if they were green with gold flecks or gold with green flecks. She had high, finely sculpted cheekbones, soft, flawless skin he'd burned to touch, and lustrous dark braids entwined with gold-threaded ribbons he yearned to unfasten; he'd have bartered his chances of salvation to bury his face in that glossy, perfumed hair, to wind it around his throat and see it spread out on his pillow. He'd watched, mesmerized, as a crystal raindrop trickled toward the sultry curve of her mouth and wanted nothing in his life so much, before or since, as he wanted her. ” — 8 people liked it

“When does he ever think?" Richard straddled a chair and accepted a wind cup from Raoul. "If he were to sell his brain, he could claim it had never been used.", Chapter 7” — 6 people liked it

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Devil's Brood (Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine #3)

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