Devil's Brood | 
 enlarge | Author: Sharon Kay Penman
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $28.95
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Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 2328
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 752
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.6
ISBN: 0399155260
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780399155260
ASIN: 0399155260
Publication Date: October 7, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW
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Product Description
The long-awaited and highly anticipated final volume in Penmans trilogy of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitainea 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 Henrys confrontation with the Church and self-imposed exile to Ireland, Devils Brood centers on the implosion of a family. And because it is a royal family whose domains span the English Channel and whose alliances encompass the Christian world, that collapse will have dire consequences. This is a story of betrayal as Henrys three eldest sons and his wife enter into a rebellion against him, aligning themselves with his bitterest enemy, King Louis of France. But it is also the story of a great king whose brilliance forged an empire but whose personal blind spots led him into the most serious mistake of his life.
Sharon Kay Penman has created a novel of tremendous power, as two strong-willed, passionate people clash, a family divides, and a marriage ends in all but name. Curiously, it is a novel without villainsonly flawed human beings caught up in misperceptions and bad judgment calls. Most devastating to Henry was not his sons rebellion but his wifes betrayal in joining them. How could it happen that two people whose love for each other was all consuming end up as bitter adversaries? That is the heart of Penmans tale in Devils Brood.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 The medieval Goodfellas. December 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Despite being a fan of Sharon Kay Penman, after reading Devil's Brood I began to think that her strategy of depicting medieval England solely through its royalty is misguided. Everyone in this book is the same -- red-haired and strong-willed. The men are red-haired and strong-willed. The women are red-haired and strong-willed. The children/teenagers are red-haired and strong-willed. Everyone is out for themselves. No one has a shred of empathy for anyone else. This could almost be intriguing except Penman seems to have a genuine fascination with these characters, when what this material really requires is an ironic or campy tone. Since this book is missing a tragic figure like Richard III of The Sunne in Splendour, or an enigma like Thomas Becket, her seriousness of intent doesn't work. When you're writing a book solely populated by unregenerate devils, style is more crucial than historical accuracy. You need more sparks, more fireworks.
The most spectacular failure of this book is Eleanor of Aquitaine. Yet again, the legendary beauty fails to come to life on the page, just as Helen of Troy always fails to come to life. Is this Penman's fault, or is it that there is really not much to say about these "legendary beauties"? I do think there is a great book or movie to be made from the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine. But it could never be an admiring or worshipful one. It would have to be a movie like Otto Preminger's Forever Amber, or a dense, compressed Zuleika Dobson-esque comedy of errors about female vanity, that takes her in rapid succession from throne to throne, to inspiring the "courtly love" cult in midlife, to becoming a nun in her 80s ( too little, too late, Eleanor ). Not two or three massive drawn-out tomes where she does nothing but sit around and mimic what she considers to be queenly behavior.
It is in the pages about Eleanor, that Penman becomes the typically feminist scribbler that she has never been before, automatically genuflecting before the myth of the so-called strong woman, when Eleanor was really more like Joan Crawford or Sharon Stone to the nth degree, a narcissist clawing her way to the "top" who would and could never relinquish the spotlight. I would rather read about a saucy scullery maid, or a noble nun, or someone with character, than someone who pretends to have character because she has sex with kings. Of course, Eleanor was a duchess herself, before marrying any kings, and the only good pages about Eleanor come near the beginning, where we see her in her natural element as the Duchess of Aquitaine. For a page or two, Penman intriguingly depicts Aquitaine as a sort of New Age paradise or mystical land of Ys, with pristine little girls running around blowing bubbles under rainbows and such, and the fairy godmother who is really Satan in disguise at the center. But this is not followed through.
The rest of the cast isn't much more enlightening. Penman does do a good job with the characterization of Henry II's four sons, ungrateful vipers reminiscent of Lear's daughters. The problem is that she doesn't have the stinging, bitchy wit their kind of personalities require. Again, here I found myself yearning for someone else to be handling this material, especially the dialogue, a screenwriter like Mankiewicz or playwright of the David Mamet school. This has never happened to me with Penman before. I would even place her Sunne in Splendour above Shakespeare's Richard III. There you don't miss the flamboyant language, since it was in the service of an elaborate Rosicrucian/Elizabethan cover-up. Penman's real skill, a lawyerly objectivity that must have been carried over from her former line of work, was in full play. It's more truthful, more perceptive, more three-dimensional than Shakespeare, with spectacularly varied battle scenes.
Likewise, I missed the tug of war between the Catholic Church and the King of England that we got in Time and Chance, a subject that most people consider medieval, outdated and dull but which as a medievalist Catholic myself, fascinates me. In that book, there were really no bad guys, and even though people ended up brutally murdered, I felt that no grudges lingered and everyone did their duty and played their part -- be it martyr or king. Everyone in that book earns respect. So much different than today's web of conspiracies, where no one in power is respectable and all of them are simply human vomit.
Back to the subject at hand -- what is there in The Devil's Brood to earn its four stars? Well, it is Sharon Kay Penman. She still has her gift of unfurling history right before your eyes, of making a hazy, alien era seem fleshed-out and vivid. And, notion of an "Eleanor trilogy" aside, we still have the continuing saga of her much more ambiguous, intriguing husband, Henry II. Essentially a perfect king, an inspired strategist and political mastermind, Henry raises lots of questions. Most of the other characters, including his sons and wife, are trying to knock the scepter out of his hand, not because he does anything wrong, but because he is always so indomitably right. His greatness inspires restiveness instead of peace. Since everyone is against him, this makes him somewhat sympathetic. But at the end, when he becomes a shell of a man, I didn't feel sorry for him, the way I did for the reluctant king Richard III. Somehow he earns his defeat, his burnout.
To me he flunks his test at the grave of Thomas Becket, seeing a personal, spiritual challenge as a superstitous rite by which to gain yet more political advantage, the way a football player only thanks God for a victory, and never a defeat. Then he fails the test of his backstabbing sons, and treacherous queen, who give him the perfect chance to be emotionally wounded, to be unfairly wronged, to be "hunted" the way Christ or Becket was hunted, an experience we all must go through for purification. Instead -- being red-haired and strong-willed -- he fights fire with fire, all the way to the bitter conclusion. It's as if he is sick of always winning but can't stop himself. He has a much different, much more refined kind of worldliness than that of a monster like Henry VIII. But it is still worldliness.
 devil's brood November 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although I love to read anything by Sharon K Penman, I found this book hard to get interested in, I am only upto page 204 but I find that there are too many characters and too many sub plots, hopefully it will improve and be as good or better than the other books I have read
SENSATIONAL!!!!!! November 11, 2008
Sensational is the only word for this book. Ms Penman is by far the most talented historical author of her generation - this book is meticulously detailed (the depth of historical research is astounding) and she still manages to imbue the characters with a depth of humanity that eludes most authors. Considering that the times of Henry and Eleanor are well documented from a major event persepctive, but so little is known of the players of the time, this is an achievement that it is simply difficult to put into words.
Please, please Sharon, tell us you are writing about Richard and John! Eleanor is my favourite historical figure, and you know that there is lots more to tell about her. You've touched on her with your wonderful mysteries, but I want more!
This is an astonishing book, to be savoured. Do yourself a favour and get a copy!
excellent extremely complex medieval saga November 4, 2008
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
1172 King Henry Fitz Empress names his oldest surviving son Hal as his coregent. However with the title comes nothing else as the second Henry since the Conqueror refuses to give his offspring any meaningful authority.
Hal is irate as he feels his sire has insulted him with a name that is a title only and has no power behind it.. The monarch's wife Eleanor of Aquitaine rallies their male offspring to back their oldest brother in a bid for power. Over several years, however, Richard, Geoffrey and John not only join Hal in an open revolt against their sire, they war with one another over land, which each knows denotes power in late twelfth century England. Eleanor cannot believe how convoluted her encouraging her children to rebel against their martinet father has spun, but remains steadfast in support of Hal.
The third Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine historical thriller (see WHEN CHRIST AND HIS SAINTS SLEPT and TIME AND CHANCE) is an excellent extremely complex medieval saga. The story line digs deep into two obstinate but powerful monarchs who battle in bed and on the throne for the top position. Their adult children also come somewhat into focus especially the frustrated males, which in turn amplifies the intricacy of the story line. Fans of a well written vivid medieval tale will want to read Sharon Kay Penman's powerful twelfth century chronicle.
Harriet Klausner
Once again Penman has far exceeded my expectations! November 3, 2008
I finished the book last night. It really cleared up a lot of questions and misconceptions I had. I appreciate her staying so close to actual events and piecing together as authentically as possible events that remain clouded. It brought tears to my eyes as I was reading some parts because you feel as if you are part of the drama (like you are there with them) and experiencing their pain. I will not say anymore since this is a must read. She mentions that she will be writing the next book continuing with Eleanor, Richard and John and I can't wait. Hers are books I am proud to include in my library and recommend.
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