Falls The Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman

Falls The Shadow My Rating: 4.9

Simon de Montfort was a man ahead of his time in the thirteenth century, a disinherited Frenchman who talked his way into an English earldom and married Eleanor ("Nell"), the sister of King Henry III. A charismatic, obstinate leader, Simon soon grew frustrated with the king's incompetence and inability to keep his word, and found himself the champion of the common people.

This is his story, and the story of Henry III, two men whose opposing personalities and convictions set them on a collision course that would end in violence, betrayal, and one of the most dramatic conflicts in English history.

This time period is completely new to me. I didn't know about Simon and didn't realize how weak Henry III was (ick!). Sharon Kay Penman brings these historical figures to life so vividly that I was completely immersed, especially in Simon's relationship with his remarkable wife, Nell.

I highly recommend this book and am jumping right into the third and final novel in the series.