The She Wolf (The Accursed Kings) (Book 5)

I was riveted for most of the book. Since I don’t speak French, I struggled with some of the names but eventually just gave them my own pronunciation. I love the way the chapters end. Always leading you to read more. I will go on to book 6 and eventually book 7. What a great series!

I am a huge fan of George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books, which is how I found this series. I love historical fiction, and I haven't been able to put these books down. This one was not my favorite book in the series, but it was refreshing to have the English perspective after so many books focused on France. New characters were well developed and old ones maintained. I recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, or low-magic, high-politic fantasy styles.

The cliche might have been scripted for Isabella Capet, daughter of Phillip the Fair and wife of Edward II of England. Cold, proud and arrogant Isabella gets more than comeuppance for her sense of smug superiority. She is brought low; humbled and demeaned by a husband who prefers the company of not other woman, but men. It's a preference not only impossible to compete with but thoroughly humiliating, subjecting her to daily tribulation. She-Wolf is Maurice Drouen's 5th installment in his Accursed Kings series and among the best. I thought it might seem an anomaly or a one-off shifting the venue, but it shifts surprisingly little. Isabela's ever dwindling Band of Brothers is down to just one--handsome but ineffectual Charles, who (happily for his subjects) only occasionally remembers he is king. There is bigger than life Robert of Artois whose egotism is exceeded only his arrogance and girth. His arche-nemesis, the fiendish Countess Mahaut is equally gargantuan in both proportion and villainy, and therefore just as delightful. An esoteric pope, bumbling councillors and the ill-starred lovers Guccio and Marie flesh out a familiar, much loved cast. Equally enjoyable though is the depiction of the wronged Isabela and the romance between her lover/champion Roger Mortimer, Baron of Wigmore. We meet them at their most sympathetic--he imprisoned, she a continued object of abuse. What begins as attraction and sympathy is developed into a a full-blown romance. I must confess I wondered at times if Druon was tongue in cheek in this portrayal--as the lover's would have us see them, so over-the-top is the passion they feel. I concluded though that the desperate and the desolate might feel something close to salvation if relief from their misery were possible. I was reminded too of the impermanence of Druon's world: nothing lasts; all is ephemera. There is a wonderful, philosophic storyline as well with the decline of the redoubtable Charles of Valois. Almost a king numerous times, proud and bombastic in equal parts Druon uses his final chapters to remind us the poorest living peasant is more enviable than a dying prince. As with all Druon stories, no figure is all good or all bad, and Isabella of England is no exception. In early books she was cruel and unsympathetic. Here she is so victimized as to be abused and she grows upon us. But nothing is permanent. Most are equal parts noble and ignoble, selfish and pure, calculating and innocent. And so She-Wolf evolves from cold, angry and embittered to beloved and loving. An experience topped off with sweet revenge. Which as we know, cannot last. Suspicion and ambition are the toxins we humans produce in bulk and they spoil everything. Even our animosity for her tormentor, Edward II is blunted in the end. A terrifically imagined historical novel. I find myself dreading there are only two more to go.

Druon's books were the inspiration for the novelist who wrote The Game of Thrones. I will say that politics in the French and English royal courts during the early 1300's were very much a blood sport. This series of "The Accursed Kings" is a fascinating read. Druon will occasionally muse about political theory and how a state should be organized. I find that interesting and informative--it doesn't affect the flow of the books at all. And in fact the French court in particular during the early1300's was trying to figure out how a modern state should be organized. They were quite a bit ahead of the English at the time. Read the whole series to be both entertained and informed.

In the past few months I have read with great enthusiasm the newly reissued series by the late French historian/novelist Druon, the series consists of seven books continuously covering the French/English reigns of 14th century. They were published in the late 1950s and due to the excess/success of Game of Thrones are being back in print, the next book is due in Spt of 2012 and I probably will read it, Up until now this series has been very entertaining and informative but this fifth book is on the downside and not a stand alone entry.The events covered are of a period of much intrigue in the French court most of which is new to this reader but of the Who Really Cares type. The she wolf of the title comes in to her own more than halfway in the longest volume (so far) and does not grab the readers attention for a considerable time. The book is certainly readable but only as a link in the long chronicle series. I have read that the last title (7th) has never been translated into English and maybe I can see why (?) The assassination of Edward II is one of history's worst events and occurs as the last chapter given in appalling detail, more than any reference I have seen to this event. Until now I was not aware of the gruesome dispatch months earlier of the King's male lover in a public execution that was attended as a social event by the London population. Any one who believes " Wouldn't you have loved to live back then" should read this horrific description before making such a stupid assessment. On the whole a solid entry i but not an essential one.

I'm enjoying the series, but did I miss something? At the end of book 4, Philippe is crowned King; at the beginning of book 5 he's dead and his younger brother is already King. I lost a lot of reading time by flicking back and forth to Amazon to read the product pages and make sure I hadn't inadvertently skipped a book. Disconcerting.

I enjoy historical fiction, and this ranks up there with my favorites. The story keeps moving, and the characters are fascinating. It's great to watch them all work to get their way while pushing others out of their way is interesting. It adds to the fun that these characters were real and the events (for the most part) actually happened. The whole series has been great. If you like historical fiction, don't miss this series.

I really loved this installment of the Accursed Kings series. It was interesting to see more into the English side of the story. Isabella has always been an intriguing character so I'm glad we got to hear more about her story in this book! I am a little sad that Phillip is gone but we all knew that was coming.... You can definitely tell that some of the characters in this book inspired George R.R. Martin.