About book Strongbow: The Story Of Richard And Aoife (1997)
I first read about Richard and Aoife in Denee Cody's The Conquered Heart. I loved it! A historical romance that had real characters and a real historic setting? Just what I love the most. I set about researching everything I could about them to see if what I had read was real or not. I didn't find much and what I found was mostly courtesy of Wikipedia. A few years later I found the books of Elizabeth Chadwick. I love her books, have been reading them as they are published and she is one of my favourite authors. You can see how thrilled I was when I saw Richard and Aoife's daughter as one of the main characters in a couple of her books. I loved those books but I still wanted more about Strongbow. I was quite happy when I discovered this book existed and quickly managed to get my hands on it. The book is written, both from Richard and Aoife's point of view, in alternate chapters. It depicts first Richard's childhood and young adult years. His relationship with his father, and how that will influence him for the rest of his life, his relationship with his father. Then Aoife's relationship with her own father, a man with a fearless reputation but apparently very close to his children. When Dermot MacMurrough, Aoife's father needs help to regain power and lands in his native Ireland he goes to England in search of a champion. To convince Richard he promises him what he cherishes the most, Aoife and his own kingdom after his death. Aoife isn't as happy as her father with the bargain but she eventually agrees to the marriage. She and Richard will fight and conquer both the lands and power that her family and his will wanted. While it was nice to have an overview of events, the book is small and it covers a long period of time, I would have preferred to have more detailed information about, not only their relationship, but also about the daily aspects of their everyday life. The differences between Norman and Irish ways and their adjustment to each other and their new life. It also the first I heard of Richard’s first marriage and children and of him and Aoife having boys. I was under the impression he had only one son, who died early, and Eve, who became William Marshall’s wife… I wonder if this is a good example of Llywelyn’s work? I’ve heard of her before but mostly in connection with Lion of Ireland, her book about Brian Boru. I will continue to look out for books about Richard and Aoife. A couple of years ago I reread The Conquered Heart and, after all the meatier medieval reading I had been doing it seemed lighter and more romancified than what I remembered. I guess my hope is that Elizabeth Chadwick will eventually think of them as main characters for one of her books. That would make me really happy! Grade: 4/5
I'm not a huge fan of first person narrators, but this book was different. The narrator alternated between Aiofe and Richard each chapter. You got a different perspective in each chapter and I found that very informative. I felt that the author focused quite a bit on the role of daughters as property and also their roles as wives. Basically they were pawns in a elaborate game of chess. I liked that Aoife was such a strong character, it made her likable, she fought her own way. And I also found her struggle to understand her father's other persona to be believable. I found it easy to read. I'm not sure on how accurate the history and the timeline but regardless it was a good solid read and I may just start reading more about Ireland.3.5/5
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This book is a quick and easy read; its intended audience younger readers. My biggest gripe with the story was the veering from historic record in regards to Strongbow's children. Early in the book the author suggests Richard "Strongbow" de Clare had been married prior to going to Ireland and that this 'wife' had been the mother of his two children of record, Gilbert and Isabella. The story continues to build on this premise of the poor widower, Strongbow. The rest of the historic details, though, seemed to be true enough so that the reader gets the general flow of the invasion and conquest of Ireland as led by the Anglo-Norman forces during the reign of Henry II of England.Edited 12/12/14: after digging a little more, I have to assume the writer based the premise on some fairly old (19th century) writers who claimed that Strongbow had been married prior to coming to Ireland. These writers also claimed Strongbow was close to being in his 60s when he married young Aoife, but we now know he was about 40 when he came to Ireland. He did apparently father some children before his marriage to Aoife, but this was to a unknown "mistress" and they were not recognized as his heirs. Once again, I am disappointed, as the story kind of makes Aoife seem stuck in perpetual childhood, when in fact she became a mother, was widowed, and then most likely supported her daughter's claim to the Pembroke inheritance. Their daughter, Isabella, went on to marry William Marshal, a man who was close to King Henry II.
—Valerie Malott
