Sceptred Isle: A New History of the Fourteenth Century by Helen Carr

This was my first non-fiction read of November: a delve into the Plantagenets.

This “new” narrative of 14th century England and the British Isles very much focuses on Kings and the court players of the time, though I appreciate the effort to include women. The book also connects with wider societal themes and retells famous tales of battles and bravery in a less jingoistic/heroic manner.

I think this era of history tends to get a little muddy as it’s slightly confusing… there’s lots of Edwards and fighting in France…but I think this book did a good job of fleshing out all the different rulers.

I liked the way that this book was structured, making the century into a generational tale: how the different sons compared to their fathers and grandfathers. This was a very accessible and easy lens through which to look at things.

Tales of power struggles at the top connected well with themes like the Black Death, vernacular literature, memento mori, Lollards and religious freedoms, changing societal structures etc.

This is not a radical reimagining, but there are elements that make it an interesting read, even for those who may feel like they know this part of history well.

I enjoyed looking behind the mythology of some of the big battles: showing the true brutality and brutal nature of these rulers…

One word: sweeping.