Once again, the kingdom is in turmoil. Charles II has died without an heir, and his younger, Catholic brother, James has succeeded him to the throne with his wife, Mary of Modena. Although the queen has provided him with many children, none, save two (much later), have survived. Disappointed in not being able to secure an heir, the king turns his attentions to his mistress, much to his wife’s distress.
Of all the queen’s ladies-in-waiting, her favourite is the Italian-born, Lady Livia Avery, a woman who one loves to hate!
As readers to this delicious series, we are first introduced to the immensely beautiful Livia in the prequel of this story: “Dark Tides” (reviewed: 03/08/21). She arrives at Southwark with a babe-in-arms (Matteo) to the Reekie Wharf claiming to be the widow of Alinor’s son, Rob – a doctor by profession – who allegedly drowned in Venice.
At this stage, I shan’t delve too deeply into this as it is far too profound, and would just say, that if you haven’t previously read “Tidelands” (reviewed: 18/07/21) and “Dark Tides”, I would urge you to do so before tackling “Dawnlands”.
To bring you up to speed in relation to this third novel in the “Fairmile” series, Rob was never legally married to Livia, and is far from dead. He is very much alive, and residing at Hatton Gardens with his wife Julia and teenage daughter, Hester.
Livia’s son, Matteo, but referred to as Matthew by both Alinor and her daughter Alys, who raised him as their own, after Livia as good as abandoned him into their care, as she pursued her own ambitions, has grown up as a fine young man and apprenticed to be a lawyer at Lincoln Inns.
As for Livia, her advancement was only made possible by her tricking and marrying Sir James Avery.
James, however, has only ever loved one woman, and it isn’t his wife; it is Alinor (read Tidelands), and, as such, has ensured with his lawyers that neither Livia, nor her son, is to inherit his property.
Livia, however, is far too unscrupulous to let such a matter of inheritance not go unchallenged; so, when the royal family are threatened by a seemingly impending uprising, she persuades the easily manipulated young queen to flee the country, and to do so, recruits her son to ensure a ship for their escape. The ship being owned by Alys’ husband, Captain Shore. However, when the rebellion fails, Matthew is rewarded by the queen (at Livia’s suggestion) with an estate in Sussex.
The rebellion in question is a challenge by the king’s own bastard son, the Duke of Monmouth, currently in exile in Holland, and supposedly under the protection of James II’s son-in-law, William of Orange.
This aside, Ned Ferryman, Alinor’s brother, who had left England to begin anew in America following the English Civil War under Oliver Cromwell, is returning to his homeland to join the new rebellion.
Whilst in Boston awaiting departure on the busy quays, where goods, as well as slaves, destined for the Sugar Islands are being loaded, one of the Indian slaves speaks to Ned in the language of the Pokanoket People whom he knew only too well. Negotiating with the trader, Ned acquires the lad, who he names ‘Rowan’ and takes him to London.
“Dawnlands” is a story of gain and loss; love and betrayal; as well as war and peace. There is so much crammed into its pages that it is enough to make your head spin! I therefore shall say no more about it as I have no wish to spoil it for you.
In her afterword, Philippa Gregory says it took her three years to write the story, and I can truly believe it. The bibliography alone is most impressive, and I can well appreciate the amount of research conducted in making this story come alive.
As with her two previous stories in the “Fairmile” series, “Dawnlands” was a book I just couldn’t put down, finishing it in less than four days, as I found myself picking it up at every opportunity.
Needless to say, I never wanted it to end. . ., but, as with every tale, it did; and all I can hope for is that Philippa will treat us with yet another episode in this wonderful family saga.
5 Stars goes without saying.
RLB – Tomewriter
tomewriter 