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When Christ and His Saints Slept (Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitane #1)
by
Sharon Kay Penman (Goodreads Author)
A.D. 1135. As church bells tolled for the death of England's King Henry I, his barons faced the unwelcome prospect of being ruled by a woman: Henry's beautiful daughter Maude, Countess of Anjou. But before Maude could claim her throne, her cousin Stephen seized it. In their long and bitter struggle, all of England bled and burned.
Sharon Kay Penman's magnificent fifth novel...more
Sharon Kay Penman's magnificent fifth novel...more
Paperback, 768 pages
Published
February 6th 1996
by Ballantine Books
(first published 1994)
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Isis
rated it
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Absolutely everyone
Recommended to Isis by:
Dad
It was with great anticipation that I returned to Sharon Penman’s When Christ and His Saints Slept, the first book by Sharon Penman that I ever read at the tender age of 10, and which for good reasons immediately became one of my favourite books of all time and in all the years since has never been displaced from its solid and thoroughly deserved status as the cream of the crop not just of historical fiction but across genres. This is the only book for which I have ever stayed awake without slee...more
A Sad and Tragic Period in England's History and truly a time when Christ and his Saints slept. A fascinating, complicated tale with a huge cast of characters, many with similar names. It was hard to keep track of at times, a list of who's who at the front of the book would have been helpful, as SKP did in the next book, Time and Chance.
The characters were well written, and I appreciated that neither Stephen (who did steal the crown) nor Maude were written as black and white/evil vs...more
The characters were well written, and I appreciated that neither Stephen (who did steal the crown) nor Maude were written as black and white/evil vs...more
It still boggles the mind to think that England went through twenty years of civil war because men just couldn't stand to see a powerful woman on the throne. When Christ and His Saints Slept is a very long book, which would make for a very interesting miniseries. This novel is the real Game of Thrones, played against a backdrop of shifting loyalties, clashing armies and the suffering of innocents. One cannot help to feel some sympathy for Stephen, the man who should not have been king. I wan...more
I liked this book, and am a fan of Penman's...but there were a few issues that I had with this one:
1.) "Head-hopping": Sometimes it's really hard to tell who she's talking about, and you have to go back and re-read to figure it out.
2.) Many scenes seem to have this basic structure:
1. Some major characters, most likely nobles, are talking about something eminently important.
2. Suddenly...A rider/knight will rush in to tell them that someone ha...more
1.) "Head-hopping": Sometimes it's really hard to tell who she's talking about, and you have to go back and re-read to figure it out.
2.) Many scenes seem to have this basic structure:
1. Some major characters, most likely nobles, are talking about something eminently important.
2. Suddenly...A rider/knight will rush in to tell them that someone ha...more
For 20 years during the middle of the 12th century, a civil war raged in England over the succession to the crown between the daughter and the nephew of Henry I himself a most likely usurper of England s throne. Although Henry I had designated Maude his heir, Stephen claimed the crown for himself. Reluctant to accept a woman as ruler, most of the barons willingly accepted Stephen as king. However, enough remained loyal to Maude and among those whose support was crucial was Robert of Glouc...more
Foxessa Wolfram-Hart
rated it
Recommends it for:
lovers of historical fiction
Shelves:
medieval-historical-fiction
Penman, Sharon Kay. (1995) When Christ and His Saints Slept. Ballantine.
Darkness Falls Early: Reading In the Winter Solstice
At the end of the summer I read Lionheart (2011), the latest in Sharon Kay Penman's series set in the era of Henry the II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, their progenitors and their progeny. It was so interesting I looked up the novels that came before, Devil's Brood (2008), Time and Chance (2002) and now, the first one, When Christ and His Saints Sle...more
Darkness Falls Early: Reading In the Winter Solstice
At the end of the summer I read Lionheart (2011), the latest in Sharon Kay Penman's series set in the era of Henry the II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, their progenitors and their progeny. It was so interesting I looked up the novels that came before, Devil's Brood (2008), Time and Chance (2002) and now, the first one, When Christ and His Saints Sle...more
Are you an Anglophile whose taste for stories of Medieval England needs to be periodically sated? Then Sharon Kay Penman is an author whose work you should read. The accuracy of the historical context, combined with the depth of her characters has moved Ms. Penman to the near top of my favorite author’s list. This particular novel focuses primarily on Maude, heir to the English throne, Henry II’s mother, and wife of Geoffrey of Anjou. Though she was unsuccessful for a myriad of reasons in her fi...more
If I could sum up this book with one word, I think it would be "sad". As one of the barons says early in the book, the choice is between a queen who listens to no-one, and a king who listens to anyone. It's a terrible choice, made worse by the newness of the Norman-French aristocracy which is still settling into control of England over a restive populace. Leading magnates switch sides with alarming frequency, and the ones who suffer worst of all are the poor caught in the middle. Penma...more
Penman's broad epic scope focuses on the dynastic struggle for the crown of England. This takes place in the early 12th century when Henry I, who had over 20 illegitimate children, loses his one legitimate heir in the White Ship Ordeal (i.e. basically, a chunk of the fleet sank in the British storms). Upon Henry I's death it was settled that Henry's daughter, Maude, would rule. For his barons this was quite unpopular as women were not supposed to rule, which opened the doors for a cousin, Stephe...more
c1994. Some of my favourite books have the bitter conflict between Maude and Stephen as a back drop - (eg Cadfael) so it was interesting to have Maude and Stephen as the main protagonists again. This book does sprawl over 806 pages but split into chapters representing certain periods of time which does break it down somewhat. No fault of Ms Penman, and in her introduction she does try to explain and entitle characters with their less formal names, but there are still way too many Maudes, Roberts...more
A masterful telling of the turmoil between Maude, heir to the throne, Stephen, usurper to the throne, and Henry, Maude's son, this novel is of the riveting history of early England. After a disastrous sinking of a ship and the death of the heir to the throne, Maude, the King's daughter is called back from Germany to be the new heir to the throne. Because of her new husband and the fact that she is a woman, when the King dies his favorite nephew Stephen is given the throne instead. Desperate to w...more
William the Bastard, the Conquerer (1066-1087) had: William Rufus, King William (1087-1100) who was killed by a hunting arrow. Henry I,(William's youngest son) became king from 1100 -1135. Henry's only legitimate son drowned when the king's White Ship sunk in the English Channel. His daughter Maude (also known as Matilda) was first married to Heirich, the Holy Roman Emperor. After he died Maude married Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, and had a son, Henry II.
Stephen, William's grandson, Maude's ...more
Stephen, William's grandson, Maude's ...more
3 1/2 stars. I'm a big fan of historical fiction. This one was heavy duty. Very long. Very detailed. Lots and lots and lots of characters, so many of whom were named William, Robert, Henry, Geoffrey. Plus the two primary females had the same name. And what are you going to do... they're real people so it's not like the author can just pick other names. Also, the author clearly didn't just want to give you the big picture storyline. There were all these little vignettes and side stories ...more
I'm having such an easier time getting into this than Here Be Dragons.
Don't be misled by the 3 star rating, this was a very good book! I notice another review says "I'm glad I read it, and I'm glad it's over", which is how I feel.
The history was fascinating, I knew nothing about Maude and the civil war in 12 century England. Both she and Stephen, who usurped her crown, were extremely well depicted and fully fleshed out into real people. And when one thinks of a...more
Don't be misled by the 3 star rating, this was a very good book! I notice another review says "I'm glad I read it, and I'm glad it's over", which is how I feel.
The history was fascinating, I knew nothing about Maude and the civil war in 12 century England. Both she and Stephen, who usurped her crown, were extremely well depicted and fully fleshed out into real people. And when one thinks of a...more
I cannot think of enough good things to say about this book and its author. The book was over 700 pages and I couldn't wait to turn each one of them. When Christ and His Saints Slept isn't high literature, but it a great story. Characters are well-defined and the plot is engaging, making for an all around enjoyable read. Moreover, Penman has done her homework, trying to stay as close to documented historical events as possible. Where she strays from historical fact she is forthcoming about it ...more
I would give this more like 3.5 stars. I love historical fiction, and this one was really well done. It takes place mainly in England during the reign of Stephen, who usurped the crown from Matilda (Maude) and details all the conflict as she tries to win back her crown. It also introduces us to Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Quite factual, yet still entertaining. It was also nice to read historical fiction without excessive sex. This isn't to say that the characters were all celibate. Ther...more
Sharon Kay Penman is probably one of the best historical fiction authors around today. I tag her as 'best' largely because of the amount of research she puts into each novel.
'When Christ and His Saints Slept' is a novel about a time in English history labelled 'The Anarchy' due to the civil war between Empress Matilda and King Stephen (or Stephen of Blois). The history itself is gripping, and Penman does a good job of telling the story.
My one complaint is that the novel...more
'When Christ and His Saints Slept' is a novel about a time in English history labelled 'The Anarchy' due to the civil war between Empress Matilda and King Stephen (or Stephen of Blois). The history itself is gripping, and Penman does a good job of telling the story.
My one complaint is that the novel...more
Penman's stories seem to have an effect on me. Like her earlier masterpiece, The Sunne in Splendor, this novel completely immersed me in 12th century England and Normandy to the point I began dreaming about the characters. I was excited to read this, as there are few well-written historical novels during this era.
The only issue I had was determining who the true protagonist was. We are introduced intimately to several main characters - Stephen, Maude, Matilda, Ranulf, and later, Henr...more
The only issue I had was determining who the true protagonist was. We are introduced intimately to several main characters - Stephen, Maude, Matilda, Ranulf, and later, Henr...more
When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman features the beginnings of the Plantagenet dynasty. It features the bloody war that raged England between Stephen and his cousin Maude. Stephen steals the crown after King Henry the First's death from Maude, who's the rightful heir to the throne of England. With that main event, you get a lot of war, a lot of betrayal, and a lot of family struggles to keep the crown, or to take it.
I strongly recommend studying the family tree firs...more
I strongly recommend studying the family tree firs...more
This is the first in Penman's Henry II/Eleanor of Aquitaine, which also serves as a prequel of sorts to her earlier Welsh trilogy. This first book deals with the civil war between Stephen and his cousin Maude, Henry II's mother, both fighting over the English crown. Right was probably on Maude's side, but Stephen comes across as by far the more likeable character, even though claiming the crown was probably the worst thing he could ever have done, for himself and for Maude. Penman's books are al...more
Ms. Penman never disappoints. Once again she breathes life into historical figures and make them real - the flawed, fascinating and dynamic people they were. This is a story of the period of English history called "The Anarchy:" the civil war from 1135 when Stephen broke his oath to support Henry I's only legitimate heir, his daughter Maude (also known as Mathilda)as queen of England and seized the crown, beginning a conflict that lasted until the Treaty of Winchester was signed in N...more
A period book. The first book by Penman that I ever read; the title caught my attention. Many of her titles have particular historical significance and I enjoy that extra touch of detail that she adds to her books. She brings historical characters to life in a way not often seen, although English history can be hard to follow with so many titled people (duke, lord, etc.) switching sides constantly depending on who was in power at the moment. Then there is the complication of naming children afte...more
I enjoy Penman's works and writing, although I am noticing that she feels the need to use some of her characters in set pieces explaining background or information that might provide context. In this and Time & Chance some of this has been redundant and she needs a better editor to catch these. Perhaps she intends each book to be stand alone, and needs to regurgitate information in case people don't read the other related works, but there has to be a better way - maybe a forward that lays the ...more
I really enjoyed this book. I had just finished reading The Plantagenet Preludeand now I don't know if I will ever be able to read another Jean Plaidybook. This book had such a wealth of information, and it was so well put together. I really like all the different characters in the book, including England itself. It is amazing to me the hardships that the common English people were put through, when they really didn't care who was King or Queen. Maude and Stephen were brought back to life i...more
1. I'm glad I didn't live in England (or France) during the 12th century. 2. British Royal History doesn't even need "fictionalizing" to make it interesting--it was like a soap opera for sure! 3. Penman does such a good job of transitioning between different characters and making them sympathetic--even to causing her readers to root simultaneously for two mortal enemies! 4. Penman also does a really good job of leading up to Henry II's story: you feel at the end that the book was reall...more
Finished: I am VERY glad I read the book. However I am also glad that it is done. So how can I give it more than three stars. The author brings to life the medieval era. After reading the book you truly know the character traits of the main historical figures. I cannot emphasize this enough. They become true friends/foes. They are real, no one-sided portrayals. No good guys and bad guys, just real people with good and bad qualities. Boy did I come to like Henry II! And King Stephen before him, a...more
Anything written by Sharon Kay Penman is bound to be fantastic and this was no exception. The story of England at the death of King Henry I, who had left the crown to his daughter Maude. England, unwilling to be ruled by a woman, accepted her cousin Stephen as their king instead. The years that follow tear England apart in battles so horrible and bloody it is said that it must be "when Christ and His Saints Slept". This book is full of history, and paves the way for the story of K...more
A coworker of mine has been recommending this series for quite some time and I finally got to it. First impression - it's incredibly dense. It rarely takes me this long to get through a book, but this piece required a great deal of concentration. There were a few story lines I liked better than others. I often wondered if the battle scenes would ever end and was frequently confused by the number of characters. Many of the characters either had the same names or were alternately referred to ...more
This book, though historical fiction, really helped me put together a lot of early details about English (and to some extent French) history. It tells the story of the daughter of Henry I, Maude/Matilda and her quest to win back the throne she believed had been usurped from her by Stephen of Blois, her cousin.
There were a lot of characters, but I really enjoyed the descriptions of the two sides (Stephen's and Maude/Matilda's) and the description of the relationship between Eleanor ...more
There were a lot of characters, but I really enjoyed the descriptions of the two sides (Stephen's and Maude/Matilda's) and the description of the relationship between Eleanor ...more
You will look at this book and find the 742 pages daunting, but I will relieve your mind on that score. The book reads fast. Penman keeps the pages moving bringing history to life and putting flesh on the bones of a vast array of characters. Despite the plot involving so many historical figures I never found myself to be lost. I have read quite a bit about the Plantagenets and that may have helped me to decipher the where, why and what more easily, but I do think a reader with less backgroun...more
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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 Hi...more
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The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Hi...more
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Aug 11, 2011 05:14pm
Aug 12, 2011 12:55am