Edwin by Edoardo Albert

Edwin: High King of Britain by Edoardo Albert
Published by Lion Fiction in March 2014

Where to buy this book:
Buy the ebook from Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk
Buy the paperback from Speedyhen
Buy the paperback from The Book Depository
Buy the paperback from Waterstones

How I got this book:
Purchased the ebook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I discovered Edoardo Albert's Northumbrian Thrones series through a review of the second novel on Jax Blunt's blog. Regular readers of my blog will know that we have been exploring historical sites in Northumberland over the past few weeks so I hoped that reading Edwin would enhance my understanding of the early peoples. It fits nicely into my historical reading line too, sitting between Skin by Ilka Tampke and A Brief History of The Vikings by Jonathan Clements.

Albert has obviously spent a lot of time researching the Anglo Saxon period in which his novel is set and authenticity runs through every page. I enjoyed reading his descriptions of daily life and religious practice as well as the savage realities of battle scenes. It was interesting that the 'victorious' religion of Christianity did seem to be given a more sympathetic portrayal, even though its adoption as the more powerful supernatural support for warfare was explored in detail.

The characters we meet are well written and believably rounded and I liked how Edwin, already old for the times at the beginning of the novel, noticeably ages in his attitudes and desires. The religious influence of Edwin's new Queen, Aethelburh, was reminiscent of Anne Boleyn and Henry many centuries later. Edwin is a strong novel in its own right and also, hopefully, a good taste of other titles in the series as I enjoyed gaining an understanding of the varied immigrating peoples and ideas that made up Britain before it became the country we know today.


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Books by Edoardo Albert / Historical fiction / Books from England