I have meant for some years to read this author's long novel about Richard III, so when this one instead appeared in a charity shop was tempted. I didn't know much about the period it covers other than remembering that the war between King Stephen and Empress/would-be Queen Maude (aka Matilda) forms the background to the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters.

I enjoyed this book in parts, principally when the scenes developed naturally with some nice interaction between historical characters such as Henry, future King, and Eleanor of Aquitaine. And the book was educational as I certainly know more about the period than beforehand. I wasn't so keen on the huge chunk that revolved around the imaginary character Ranulf and his friends/relations and his strung out hopeless love affair. I can see the point of putting such a character in scenes to interact with the real historical characters, to give a third party onlooker with whom the reader can identify and who can perhaps help to convey key facts, but there were extended interludes based around this character's misadventures elsewhere. I felt that the section in Wales was put in to allow the author to display her research about medieval Welsh society. In an already very long book, Ranulf's interactions away from the historical events must have added at least 200 pages of padding.

I also wasn't keen on certain aspects of the book's structure. There was a repeated style of scene where characters are discussing the events of the day and then someone bursts in, either with a message or to announce the arrival of a messenger. This was repeated so often I came to expect it whenever people were sitting down having a discussion. It made for a certain staleness and sense of deja vu. There were also quite a few places where someone explains all about something or someone to another character in an extended infodump, quite often done between made up characters who only appear for that purpose.

I also appreciate that there were a lot of characters in the real history, and many had the same or similar names, but it did get quite confusing at times and I just couldn't remember who someone from among the minor characters was, especially if they had been out of the picture for a few chapters. The list of characters at the start of the book only lists the main ones plus Ranulf and his invented friends and relations.

These issues made it a bit of a struggle to get through the book although I did persevere as I did want to know what happened and found the character of the future Henry II attractive. Therefore my overall rating balances out at 3 stars.

( )

Here's what I wrote in 2008 about this read: "This was a great read! What terrible and turbulent times these were. Royalty fought royalty for power and wealth, while both they and the peasant folk paid the heavy price as war continued throughout the English land. Truly, Christ and his Angels did seem to sleep." Was obviously on a medieval reading course during this time of life; check out other books read during the years 1995-97. And, interesting that they were all written by women. ( )

It was okay, but at times it really reads more like a documentary than a novel and I was expecting a novel. It's really, really, long and the documentary style just didn't work for me. I couldn't finish it. ( )

Recommended by Louisa Brooks

This historical novel covers the decades-long struggle between King Stephen and Empress Matilda (Maude), which eventually ends with the coronation of Henry II, Maude's son. Rich in detail, the novel gives a good sense of the brutal and violent times in which it is set, and how the average people suffer as the nobility fight for power. I also liked the author's inclusion of the fictional Ranulf, as his viewpoint offers good insight into the various characters. ( )

The story of the founding of the House of the Plantagenet. Most of the book was focused on the 18 years of wars between Maude of Anjou (daughter of Henry I) and Stephan of Blois (Prince of Normandy). Maude was the only legitimate child of Henry I and had been promised the throne; but on his deathbed Henry I gave the throne to Stephan, thus initiating an English Civil War. I thought the most interesting part of the book was the last 200 pages which relates the life of Henry II and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. This is the best book I've read in 2020 and I will most certainly be reading the others in this series. 762 pages ( )

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Sharon Kay Penman? Her novels are superb. Subject matter and research are wonderful.
Poor Stephen. He's a good man, kind, compassionate, forgiving, humorous. He makes a great buddy, but these qualities alone do not make an effective ruler. He lacks ruthlessness and a firm grasp of political reality. His cousin Maude, on the other hand, has all of the latter but none of the former. In addition to being female, good heavens! No man would choose to be governed by a woman, even a strong one, it just isn't "manly". So they choose the weaker willed Stephen, and it plunges England into 20 years of civil war and lawlessness.
This is the first of four novels about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and their offspring. Oh well, I did read them backwards and still have SKP's latest to read. I can safely recommend her books to anyone. ( )

This is excellent history on a seldom touched upon subject, 12th century English history, more specifically, the succession crisis which ensued when Henry I, son of William the Conqueror died without a male heir. He designated his only surviving legitimate daughter, Matilda (Maude) to succeed him. Instead, his far more popular nephew, Stephen, usurped the throne, leading to almost 20 years of non-stop war and bloodshed, before Maude’s eldest son, Henry, finally prevailed, becoming one of the most successful English kings in history as Henry II. In addition to the main characters, several other historical personages are presented, most notably Eleanor of Aquitaine, Louis VII of France and several religious figures of the era.

While the subject is ripe with possibility, execution of this piece of historical fiction was sub-standard in my opinion. First, the book was about 200 pages too long, becoming agonizingly repetitious at times. I can’t testify to the accuracy of the history, but have to believe that about half a dozen of the twenty or so sieges and maneuverings could have been omitted without detracting from the work. Second, the dialogue was not well done and was at times laughable. I can’t say for a fact how 12th century English nobles conversed, but I’d be surprised if it were anything like presented in this novel. Finally, the characters were so one dimensional as to become almost cartoonish. Perhaps Eustace, Stephen’s presumptive heir was a bad person, but maybe not the worst person in the world, all the time, to everyone, with no redeeming value whatsoever.

In any event, despite reading every evening for an hour or two, it seemed to take forever to finish the book. The key word being “seemed”. ( )

Ms. Penman paints a detailed and interesting portrait of Maude and Stephen's struggle over the English crown. While staying true to her source material, the author clarifies the politics and intrigue of the time, making this book a pleasant and engaging read despite its length. I also appreciated how each character is drawn, filled out, brought to life within the pages of this work, and even how the more devious and despicable players are given a human side to their heinous deeds.

An excellent read, and soon to be followed by the next book in the series, Time and Chance. ( )

"And so began for the wretched people of England, a time of suffering so great that they came to fear "Christ and his saints slept."

Now I understand what the fuss on this book is about! It is a clear-cut narration of historical events leading to the Anarchy and what it was like for people from all standing to live through and suffer the tribulations of this particular period, starting from the day Stephen and Empress Maude fought over England’s crown. Reading this is like poring over a history book sans the lackluster and languorous style; we read the characters’ minds and envision them talking, laughing or crying. The narration is detailed and cleverly-written it seems like Penman has come straight from the Middle Ages and witnessed the dark years of the Anarchy firsthand.

The story is told from different points of view, which for me gives an objective representation of history. I learned more about Stephen’s chivalrous nature but fragile leadership, Empress Maude’s determination and astuteness that were often overlooked because of her gender, Henry II’s indomitable spirit and competence, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s guile and timeless beauty, the vassals whose loyalty depended on whether which side offered the better part of the bargain, clergymen who profited immensely from political meddling, and the masses, who, sadly, were the expendable pawns in times of war. There is an interchange of viewpoint from the characters—particularly Stephen and Maude’s—that gives a neutral feel to the story and somehow encourages the readers not to take sides. I find myself sympathizing with Maude as a woman, yet I am also drawn to Stephen’s often flawed gallantry. I can’t blame them for the unpopular decision that brought England to almost two decades of civil war for they both had their reasons, although I still wonder sometimes what would have happened if Maude was allowed to rule or Stephen did not claim the crown.

A number of stark realities of living in this period are also captured in this book: women, notwithstanding their rank, were always regarded as inferior; the Catholic Church was a major player in making or breaking a kingdom; most noblemen changed allegiance because of their vested interest; the ordinary people cared less who ruled them as long as they had food to eat; innocent deaths were inevitable in a war; starvation was rampant, and emotional scars were forever imprinted in the hearts of those who survived. It also showed that at the heart of this ugly war were remarkable women like Empress Maude, Queen Matilda and Eleanor who proved feudal Europe that women are not to be taken lightly, honorable men like Brian Fitz Count who remained a loyal ally until the end, and the resilient masses who rebuilt their lives with optimism and a call for peace.

I was truly impressed with the author’s writing style. She narrates historical events in a manner that is agreeable and easy to read, and adds interesting tidbits or trivia as well. She has made 12th century England/France an exciting period to delve into even to a non-English/European reader like myself. She actually reminds me of another historical fiction writer, Elizabeth Chadwick, with her fluent grasp of medieval life and great love for reliving historical icons.

I also liked that the author gave life to a few fictional characters—mostly ordinary people—and showed us what it was like for them to be trapped in someone else’s war. I especially adored the most prominent imaginary character in the book, Empress Maude’s half-brother, Ranulf. I loved his character because he serves his own conscience and treats the common people with deference the way a person of his rank never will. He is not corrupted by the dictates of his society as he acknowledges and learns from other people’s way of life. And he is so bursting with sentimentality that he has become a pleasant change to everyone’s grim temperament and indifference.

I’m glad I have finally read a Sharon Kay Penman work; this book is historical fiction at its finest and another reason why I find it truly hard to leave this genre just yet.

(Note: This review was first posted on Goodreads) ( )

When Christ and His Saints Slept - Penman
4.5 stars

I enjoy historical fiction. Most of my knowledge of world history begins with an interest generated from a good novel. So my knowledge of this medieval civil war came initially from a fondness for Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael. I knew about Maud and Stephen’s competing claims for the English throne. I knew that Maud was the mother of the second Henry. That was about it. I was not prepared for the feminist slant given to Penman’s massive plotting of this conflict. I wasn’t prepared for the weird way this medieval history would strangely dovetail with the feminist issues in my recent nonfiction reading.

Maud was an empress. She was a queen. She was forced into a bad marriage and not only was she forced to obey her egotistical, self-serving, abusive husband, none of her (ostensibly) loyal Dukes and Barons, really believed that she was capable of ruling a kingdom. Penman captured her angry frustration and poured it into every disastrous decision of Maud’s attempts to reign over England. And then, there was Stephen’s Matilda. The conflict was over. Stephen was a prisoner, under lock and key. So, Queen Matilda gathers the troops, backs Maud into a corner and forces Stephen’s release. (Even though Matilda has serious doubts about her husband’s ability to rule, and even less faith in her son.) It was quite a chess game, if you could overlook the pain and suffering it caused for the powerless innocents caught up in the game.

Penman does not overlook that pain and suffering. She gives Maud, Ranulf, a fictional half-brother. Ranulf connects the story to some of the more down to earth suffering of the common people. He also helped to move the plot along. I was always relieved to see him pop back into the story when I found myself getting lost among the endless battles, similar or duplicated names, and continuously changing loyalties.

The book ends, of course, as the war finally ends, with Maud’s son, Henry II and his Eleanor of Aquitaine. It took me almost 20 years to get around to reading this first book in Penman’s Plantagenet series. I’m very glad that I read it, but I’m not ready to tackle the next one, not yet.

Sharon Kay Penman brings the dead to life. Filling in the blanks often left by history books, Penman allows the reader to feel the anger of a woman denied her Queenship, the frustration of the man who believed he was right when he stole her crown, and anxiety of the entire population of England, both noble and lower class as war raged for nearly all of the 19 years of Stephen's reign. Both thrilling in its detail and sometimes shocking in the cruelty of the day, this book will leave you with a real understanding for the period and hungering for more of Penman's works. ( )

I'm a great fan of Sharon Kay Penman's The Sunne in Splendour, about Richard III and Here Be Dragons set in medieval Wales. They're two of my favorite books of historical friction, both unforgettable and moving me to tears. Here Be Dragons, despite being rooted soundly in history also is one of the most moving love stories I'd ever read. The last Penman novel I read though, based on Richard the Lionhearted, was a disappointment. It dragged. Frankly, through much of it I was bored.

So I started this book with some trepidation-but I found this was more the Penman of old, not the one that disappointed. This didn't for me quite reach the heights of those two favorite books--but it was still a terrific read that made me feel for the characters and feel transported to another time. It wasn't an easy read at times--not because of style or skill--but because I know English history too well to know this would end well. And Penman has a gift for making you care--even as you're exasperated with her characters. A character describes the battling cousins flaws pretty aptly. King Stephen too easily influenced and not resolute enough; Empress Maud incapable of listening to anyone and way too stubborn. And poor England caught in the middle. The tragedy of it all being, at least as Penman presents it, is that Maud *did* learn from her mistakes--and if she had received the kind of support she deserved and would have gotten had she been male--from her father, her husband, Stephen himself, might have made a decent monarch. I wound up feeling for both. And her picture of the young Henry II and Eleanor of Acquitaine and the early, happy part of their marriage was involving, even fascinating.

And frankly happy to follow characters I didn't know about, either because they're historically obscure or fictional. Because history doesn't leave much room for happy endings with real lives sadly enough. This one is well worth the read. ( )

You have to admire the research as well as the writing that went into this book, it truly takes you to this time and place. The story begins in 1135 after the death of Henry I and the ensuing power struggle between his daughter Maude (Matilda) and his nephew Stephen. Long and packed with historical detail, it's a book to savour. ( )

Historical fiction at its best. I did myself a big disservice by starting this book and then putting it down after only 100 or so pages before picking it up again. It's a long, sprawling epic, but it is well worth the read. Penman masterfully tells the story of the beginning of the Plantagenet dynasty, beginning with the infamous wreck of the White Ship, to the ensuing years of anarchy between Stephen and the empress Maud.

It is a little difficult to follow at times because of the names (most of the female characters are named either Maud or Matilda), but there's usually enough context to figure it out. There are a few story lines, and sometimes it can seem a little meandering. If you can stick with it, you will be richly rewarded with a spell-binding tale of love, loss, betrayal, and the quest for a crown, made all the more incredible because it really happened. ( )

This story set in 12th century England tells of the 18 year struggle that plunged England and France into chaos following the death of King Henry I. Henry had designated his daughter Maude/Matilda as his heir, but his nephew Stephen quickly usurped the throne and defended his reign against Maude and her son who will become Henry II. Maude had been coerced into a loveless marriage with Geoffrey of Anjou(her second--her first was to the Holy Roman Emperor.) It is a tale of battles and destruction over the both England and France, as well as loyalty and repeated betrayal. The important characters are well developed and presented with a sympathetic understanding of their various motives. It is the first of a trilogy and ends with Henry II as king and married to the remarkable Eleanor of Acquitaine; I look forward to the later volumes. ( )

I really enjoy Penman's historical fiction. This is the first in her series that centers on Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. This book sets up the story by focusing on rivals for the throne, Stephen and Maude. Maude is Henry's mother. I will admit that I didn't love this one as much as her Welsh trilogy or The Sunne in Splendor, but it was still lots of fun. I like how she seems to stick to the facts as far as events and battles and such but feels free to embellish character the way she sees it. That suits my taste for historical fiction. Looking forward to continuing the series this year. ( )

Stephen v. Matilda, a family struggle. The characters are well drawn, and she has little desire to alter the facts of history to prove an artistic point. She uses the family bastards as POV characters often, and constructs good entertainments for medievalists. ( )

By times I loved this book and by times I was frustrated by this book. Perhaps the addition of the fictional Ranulf is the source. At times the Ranulf FitzRoy character moves the story onto a tangent that doesn't seem to contribute to the main story. It's a hefty book and these tangents only dragged out the story for me. I do admire how Penman breathes life into the historical characters and gives them a greater depth. Not only Stephen and Maude, but also Robert FitzRoy, Eleanor of Acquitaine and Henry II all receive very sympathetic treatment. This is the first of Penman's works I have read. I will be looking for more. ( )

I had just read "Pillars of the Earth" and thought it was fantastic,thus giving it 5 stars. Oophs, this far surpasses that. Penman does an excellent job of giving life to real historical people. Her blend of actual fact with imagined conversations, actions, and settings brings the 12th century to life as very few other books can do.

The time period was difficult not only to the peasants but to the leaders and wealthy as well. My only criticism of the book is that it would have been helpful to have a list of characters given as many of the names are so similar and are sometimes called by their titles and sometimes by their given names. The geneology chart does help some.

In short, if you are into accurate historical fiction, not just bestsellers, try Sharon Kay Penman. ( )

Ms. Penman never disappoints. Once again she breathes life into historical figures and make them real - the flawed, fascinating and dynamic people they were. This is a story of the period of English history called "The Anarchy:" the civil war from 1135 when Stephen broke his oath to support Henry I's only legitimate heir, his daughter Maude (also known as Mathilda)as queen of England and seized the crown, beginning a conflict that lasted until the Treaty of Winchester was signed in November of 1153.

I usually have one favorite character in Penman's books, but in this novel, I liked them all and found myself disappointed that one of the central characters, Ranulf FitzRoy, one of Henry I's many, many illegitimate children, was fictional. Ranulf matured from a youth idealistic to a man of honor. Stephen is portrayed as a likeable, sensitive, mild man who was over his head as King. Maude is tough-as-nails, a woman forced to think and act like a man in a world that did not acknowledge or accept female monarchs and her frustration and anger is palpable, as is Stephen's disappointment and frustration at not having a peaceable kingdom, constantly having to fight to keep the crown. The stories of Ranulf, Maude and Stephen are seamlessly woven one in to the other, and together they made an exciting, can't-put-it-down, story. I'm looking forward to reading the other titles in the trilogy, "Time and Chance" and "Devil's Brood," and her latest, "Lionheart," which I've pre-ordered for my tablet.

Like her first novel, "The Sunne in Splendour," "When Christ and His Saints Slept" will be one of the books I'll pick up again and I heartily recommend this novel. Thank you, Ms. Penman!
( )

Why couldn't Sharon Kay Penman have been my history teacher? Her writing is spot on - and yes, there is a large cast of characters but this brings depth and breadth to a story that would otherwise have been difficult to tell. The founding of the Plantagenet dynasty and Maude's fight for the crown is powerful with plenty of twists and turns. So looking forward to the next book in the series. ( )

Great book, full of history--I did have to take a break half way and read a different book. ( )

A repeat read, but one I like a lot. Hefty book, but it does cover an epic period in English history. It tells the story of the first Civil war, between Stephen & Empress Matilda. It's terribly sad in some ways, Stephen is portrayed as such a nice man and he has a lot to deal with but was a fairly useless King. Ends shortly after Henry 1 comes to the throne. There's a follow on, which I'm starting next..." ( )

I finished this book this weekend. I found it only average and think that there might be better historical novels that deal with this time period. First of all at 725 pages it is too long. It is really two books rolled into one and I don't think it works as one book. Put simply, it drags. It would have been better to split the book into two - one about the first part of the war with Stephan and Maud and one about Henry II and the last stages of the war.

I did not think that the insertion of the fictional character of Ranulf helped the book. I found it more of a hindrance than a helpful vehicle, but I recognize that probably is a personal preference. There were enough colorful characters of the period that the author could have found one of them around which to do a fictionalized life story. There were story lines that went nowhere and these hindered the flow of the novel. An example is the rescue of Ranulf by the Jewish peddlers, and Ranulf's rescue of the Fens orphans. Whatever, happened there? Both of these incidents could have been cut out of the book and not affected the major story. Where was the editor of this book?

I also wanted more detail in the strategies of warfare of the times. For instance, it was not until late in the book that the author explained that the accepted style of warfare was defensive. This is in direct contrast to my modern idea of war as mobile and fluid. Castles were built to be fortified and put under siege. That led me to wonder about the castles - Are we talking about huge stone buildings like we think of castles of today? Or were these heavily fortified wooden structures. It seems to me that the later must have been the case because it often took forty to fifty years to build stone castles and I know from other reading that stone castles reached their zenith in the 15th century right before guns were common. However, the author does not explain that at any point in the book.

Another distraction was the partial use of the common vernacular of the times. The author partially used words common in the 12th Century and the rest of the book was in modern English. An example was the constant use of the word certes. (I am sure that there were other old French words strewn around the book, but I just don't have them at hand right now.) For certes that one word bugged me. For me this attempt at authenticity just didn't work.

What the book did do, was to make clearer to me the failings of Stephen and the growth of both Maud and Matilda as rulers in their own right. In our modern view we tend to think of the plight of women in this time. That is true, but there were opportunities for women, especially women of wealth and education. I think that perhaps Ken Follett explains that part of life in Medieval Europe a little better than Penman does in his Pillars of the Earth books.

For me this was an average endeavor by this author. I would recommend it to people who have an interest in this time period and I will go ahead and read the next book in this series but will know to not expect too much from it. ( )