This book is serviceable as a summary of the Plantagenet dynasty, but for those with some familiarity with medieval British history, it can be a frustrating read. I started to dislike the author's approach early on in this book when he commented on the Empress Matilda: "sufficiently tamed to produce children." (Um, sorry, but that's stepping over the line.) Shortly after, in the discussion of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine is barely mentioned, and a couple of times this notable woman is left completely out of the narrative when she really should have been there. (In the conclusion, the author bemoaned that people now only think of Henry II as Eleanor of Aquitaine's husband.) In another instance, the author accepts an account of Edward II's death that a number of historians question. While I can understand some inaccuracies in a history that covers 300+ years and allow for different perspectives on history, this book make me question whether the author really put the time into truly understanding the medieval era and the subjects of this book. ( )

This is a conservative, schoolbook-ish chronological history of the Plantagenet dynasty, from Henry II to Richard III. Seward has an intensely dry, academic sense of humor which sometimes comes through in his strong opinions about other historians, and he has a good eye for an anecdote. He's also clearly one of those people who thinks that suggesting a historical figure might have had a homosexual relationship is slander, and he's never heard of a bisexual (or, indeed, of the fact that pre-modern sexualities were very different than modern ones). A decent introduction, if you need one, to the basic events of the period. ( )