"A Constant Heart" by Siri Mitchell
Jun. 20th, 2012 12:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reviewsbyerinThe earl of Lytham wants nothing more than to please the Queen and earn a good place in her court. But in 1590, Queen Elizabeth is not a woman whose favor is easily granted. Deciding to marry in order to use the dowry for improvements on his property, Lytham hopes for nothing more than that his new wife is homely and will not divide his attention away from the queen. On his wedding day he meets his bride and is beyond dismayed that she is a beautiful young thing, too much like his treacherous first wife had been.
Marget is a timid young woman who has trained all her life to be married to a courtier. She can't understand why her husband is keeping his distance. After a disastrous introduction at court, Marget has never felt more alone in her life. When Lady de Winter begins coming to her with advice, can Marget trust the older woman, or is she out for her own gain?
This story took off at a gallop but became harder and harder to read as it progressed. The relationship between Marget and Lytham was very inconsistent, and heartache after heartache leaves a reader weary of hoping a good ending is forthcoming. Towards the end of the book there was also a lot of background information given when it seemed least necessary, and the timeline seemed to get fuzzy. This was Mitchell's first historical release and now I understand what people mean in saying she has improved since 2008. Her more recent releases, A Heart Most Worthy and The Messenger, were both fantastic. I'll certainly be continuing to check out Mitchell's other releases, as she has a gift that I appreciate as a fan of historical fiction!
Due to marital faithfulness being one of the main topics of this novel, I would not recommend this for young readers. Please check out the other titles linked above instead!
Marget is a timid young woman who has trained all her life to be married to a courtier. She can't understand why her husband is keeping his distance. After a disastrous introduction at court, Marget has never felt more alone in her life. When Lady de Winter begins coming to her with advice, can Marget trust the older woman, or is she out for her own gain?
This story took off at a gallop but became harder and harder to read as it progressed. The relationship between Marget and Lytham was very inconsistent, and heartache after heartache leaves a reader weary of hoping a good ending is forthcoming. Towards the end of the book there was also a lot of background information given when it seemed least necessary, and the timeline seemed to get fuzzy. This was Mitchell's first historical release and now I understand what people mean in saying she has improved since 2008. Her more recent releases, A Heart Most Worthy and The Messenger, were both fantastic. I'll certainly be continuing to check out Mitchell's other releases, as she has a gift that I appreciate as a fan of historical fiction!
Due to marital faithfulness being one of the main topics of this novel, I would not recommend this for young readers. Please check out the other titles linked above instead!
