Title: She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth
Author: Helen Castor
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Hardcover: 496 pages
ISBN: 978-0061430763
Genre: Non-Fiction, History
From the Publisher:
When Edward VI died in 1553, the extraordinary fact was that there was no one left to claim the title of king of England. For the first time, England would have a reigning queen—but the question was which one: Katherine of Aragon’s daughter, Mary; Anne Boleyn’s daughter, Elizabeth; or one of their cousins, Lady Jane Grey or Mary, Queen of Scots.
But female rule in England also had a past. Four hundred years before Edward’s death, Matilda, daughter of Henry I and granddaughter of William the Conqueror, came tantalizingly close to securing the crown for herself. And between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries three more exceptional women—Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, and Margaret of Anjou—discovered how much was possible if pre-sumptions of male rule were not confronted so explicitly—and just how quickly they might be vilified as “she-wolves” for their pains.
The stories of these women, told here in all their vivid detail, expose the paradox that female heirs to the Tudor throne had no choice but to negotiate. Man was the head of woman, and the king was the head of all. How, then, could royal power lie in female hands?
My Review:
I read copious amounts of historical fiction and was thrilled to be able to read a non-fiction account of four women who have fascinated me throughout history. She-Wolves by Helen Castor recounts the lives of four women who ruled England between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries; Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France and Margaret of Anjou. Castor also gives mention to Mary of Scots and Jane Grey, although there is less offered about these two powerful women. She-Wolves painstakingly details the lives of these remarkable women, each queen is written in as a separate chapter divided into four parts, offering the reader a non-fiction account of each remarkable queen and her life, passions, desires, goals for the throne and their sons as well as the frustrations, and how these four queens span the three great Houses of the Plantagenets, Lancasters and Tudors. Each of the four main women covered in this book are vividly detailed, well researched and come to life, showing women’s movements of sorts in a definitely male-dominated world. The lives of each woman are remarkable, especially considering the time period, and each period is captured in exquisite detail, holding the reader mesmerised. Whether She-Wolves is read for historical fact or as an aid to historical fiction novels, Castor has done an extraordinary job bringing history to life, making it fascinating, and easy to read, rather than the laborious tome it could have been. My only regret is that it was not a little longer, especially toward the end, however I highly recommend She-Wolves to anyone who enjoys history, historical fiction, or reading about strong women.
Helen Castor is a historian of medieval England and a fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. Her last book, Blood and Roses, a biography of the fifteenth-century Paston family, was long-listed for the Samuel Johnson Prize in 2005 and won the English Association’s Beatrice White Prize in 2006. She lives in London with her husband and son.
I received a complimentary ARC of She-Wolves by Helen Castor from Harper Collins to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.
This sounds really great. It sounds like it could have had the potential to be an interesting, but slow, read. I’m happy to hear that you found it read quickly and held your attention! I will definitely be reading this one.
It was not a slow read, as history at times can be. The way the book is organised and written it flows quite nicely.
This sounds like a must read!
I think so.
This looks fabulous!
I truly enjoyed it.
I love historical fiction of England from the Middle Ages through the Tudors and I’ve read quite a bit of non-fiction as well. It’s nice to see some women who don’t get much notice being written about. I’m going to add it to my tbr list. Thanks for the recommendation.
Pam, it is a fabulous book and a wonderful resource. The final copy, I have been told includes family maps, photos, and other reference materials.
A period I know very little about. This would be educative for me as well.
The book is very well organsied, well resourced, written and quite intriguing.
A really interesting journey through Medieval to early Modern English history, including of course British territories in continental Europe.
So often in reading this type of book, I long for maps and for ancestoral charts. This book has both for each of the queens discussed. It’s a real help.
Another thing I liked about this book is that it helped me to understand how England acquired and lost its European territories.
And, of course, it’s very interesting to learn about the prejudices that strong women faced when they assumed their right to a role “above their station.”
Not as good as “Wolf Hall,” but very good nonetheless.
I found it to be an invaluable resource for my library.
Not bad, when the worst thing you can say about a book is that you wanted more! This is yet another I can’t wait to get to!!
I truly enjoyed it and find it makes an excellent resource book.