The Forever Queen
Hollick gets medieval in this excellent historical. As a young teenager, Emma of Normandy is married off to Aethelred of England to secure an alliance in 1002 C.E., and though initially frightened of her crude and violent husband, she soon learns that his bluster is a cover for his weakness and cowardice. When Aethelred dies, his throne is taken by a Viking usurper, Cnut, who claims Emma along with the crown. In him, Emma finds a love that she doesn't expect, but constant political treachery threatens their marriage, their lives, and the inheritance of their children. Hollick does a remarkable job of bringing to life a little known but powerful queen, as well as the milieu and world she inhabited. The scope is vast and the cast is huge, but Hollick remains firmly in control, giving readers an absorbing plot that never lags over the course of a fat, satisfying book. (Nov.)  (c)Copyright © PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.