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Review: A Place Beyond Courage, by Elizabeth Chadwick


A Place Beyond Courage is the third Elizabeth Chadwick novel I’ve read, after The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion. In those books, Chadwick tackled the life of William Marshal; in this one, she fictionalizes the life of his father, John Fitzgilbert. Like a lot of readers, I’d really only known about John Fitzgilbert through his “hammer and anvil” speech, so I was curious to find out what Chadwick would do with her subject.

I wasn’t disappointed; Chadwick makes John almost as likeable a character as his son. John’s life was fascinating because he was involved with so many of the major political events of the 12th century: he served as Henry I’s marshal and then became embroiled in the civil war between Stephen and Matilda. He married a local heiress, Aline, but the pair were completely unsuited to one another, and John divorced her and married Sybilla, sister of his rival. Chadwick does a fantastic job in this novel, as with all her books, of bringing characters that have been dead for 800 years to life on the page. She’s especially adept at playing up or down the relationships between each of the characters. The story moves at a rapid pace, and I look forward to reading more of Elizabeth Chadwick’s novels in the near future.

Also reviewed by: Passages to the Past, Reading Adventures, Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff

Comments

Nice review! I reviewed this one recently as well and it got another five stars from me. I adore Chadwick! And I have to admit that I had a little crush on John =)
Marg said…
I read this last year and really enjoyed it as well! I was a bit worried about how John would come across but in the end there was no need to be concerned as he was in ECs capable hands!

My review is here:

http://readingadventures.blogspot.com/2008/05/place-beyond-courage-by-elizabeth.html
Linda said…
This was the first book I read in 2008; followed by over 100 other historical fiction novels, all of them good, some of them great. But, A Place Beyond Courage remains at the top of my list of favorites.
S. Krishna said…
I really need to try Elizabeth Chadwick! I've heard some great things!
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for the excellent review you have posted here, I wanted to read this book, but I was not sure, I am now! I will buy the book after I buy Viagra Online in the afternoon!

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