I enjoyed reading Plaidy's account of the early life and childhood of the boy who would become King Henry V, especially the female POV of his mother, an all too often ignored figure, in the early chapters. I barely knew that Henry had 2 sisters as well as his 3 more famous brothers. The first part covering the reign of Henry IV was definitely stronger than the second part on Henry V which seemed rushed, covering some 7 years in about 50 pages. This could have been a lot larger and far more detailed, as there were as many significant events after the Battle of Agincourt (two years into Henry's reign) as there were before. One common aspect of this author's work that I find irksome was prominent in this novel. This is her tendency to devote much attention and space to accounts of the lives, actions and actions of relatively minor historical figures who play little or no role in the major events of the period. As much sympathy as I felt for Isabella of France, Richard II's second wife, was a fairly lengthy chapter on her life after Richard was deposed at she was returned to France really necessary? I did not think the entire 'back story' for Joanna, Henry V's French stepmother really added much the story either. A good read, but a little disappointing if you are looking for a Historical novel about Henry V as King.
