A Historical Novel by Norah Lofts.
"I have come to ask leave to take my husband's body and give it burial........
In 1066 Saxon England became an enemy-occupied territory, subject to the cruel and greedy tyranny of the Norman conquerors.
Madselin, young wife of an aging Saxon lord, found herself, in the space of a few short days, bereft of husband, land, title, and friends. Her only defense against the oppressors was pride -- the pride of an ancient people and of a royal descent.
And to Rolf, the purloiner of her husband's land, Madselin was a challenge -- both political and emotional -- that he could not deny.
Once again, Norah Lofts transports her readers to vanished times and places, employing her celebrated gift for recreating the details of period life -- a gift that has won her an enormous audience."
"I have come to ask leave to take my husband's body and give it burial........
In 1066 Saxon England became an enemy-occupied territory, subject to the cruel and greedy tyranny of the Norman conquerors.
Madselin, young wife of an aging Saxon lord, found herself, in the space of a few short days, bereft of husband, land, title, and friends. Her only defense against the oppressors was pride -- the pride of an ancient people and of a royal descent.
And to Rolf, the purloiner of her husband's land, Madselin was a challenge -- both political and emotional -- that he could not deny.
Once again, Norah Lofts transports her readers to vanished times and places, employing her celebrated gift for recreating the details of period life -- a gift that has won her an enormous audience."
An author who's been forgotten, unfortunately. This story of England just after the Norman Conquest is an example of Lofts's strengths: carefully researched historical background, focus on a character's practical problems and not just the character's "love life," attention to neglected periods of history. This is no "bodice burster," but a serious novel that both educates and entertains.
I also recommend Lofts's The Lost Queen and How Far to Bethlehem?
I also recommend Lofts's The Lost Queen and How Far to Bethlehem?
