Within the Fetterlock

Written by Brian Wainwright

540 pages

Published by Trivium Publishing LLC

Review by Wendy J. Dunn

Receives:

'I do not understand.' she got out. 'The King hates me. He will not even uphold my rights against cattle thieves. Why does he want me where he will have me under his eye every single day of our lives?' She watched as Kent struggled with the proposition. I don't know,' he admitted. ' What does it matter? You must see you've no choice.'

Within the Fetterlock

Brian Wainwright's novel, Within the Fetterlock, is an epic in the true sense of the word – an utterly satisfying historical family saga of the type difficult to find nowadays. Set in the unsettled times of Richard II, Within the Fetterlock tells the story of Constance, a very proud Plantagenet princess. Possessing a strong sense of right and wrong, blue blooded to her core yet also vulnerable, Constance holds her pride as a shield against an uncertain, dangerous world.

Constance is the only legitimate daughter of the Duke of York, Edmund of Langley, the fourth son of Edward III. Langley chose for his family the cognizance of a falcon confined within a fetterlock, indicating his recognition of the constraints set upon his power – his family should never inherit the throne. Langley, like his daughter, desires to be loyal to his nephew, Richard II. Unlike his daughter, events force him to turn from his loyalty.

Within the Fetterlock possesses a multi-cast of characters, but unlike many books of this type, the author never bogs down the story. It is a novel that keeps the reader fully engaged and turning pages to the very end. All the characters possess clear, distinct voices, drawn with the skill of a talented author who knows his history. His obvious passion for this subject and certain grip on this time period brings it alive.

Constance is a glittering character I will long remember. Her story of survival amidst so much grief and loss is symbolic of women of this time and class. Constance's story symbolizes too how women of her class were often falcons held within the fetterlock of their patriarchal society.

As with all Wainwright's characters, Constance becomes real and vivid. With her beloved husband, family and then, when widowed, her lover under threat, we feel her pain and despair, her desire to remain loyal no matter the cost and her anger when she perceives herself betrayed.

Brian Wainwright's prose weaves a densely wrought tapestry of immense color and life, setting the reader deep within Medieval England. In a time when a King's court moved constantly around his dominion, we experience this long ago England in all its seasons, entering a place where kin are prepared to kill one another if it means winning a blood-drenched throne.

______________________________________________________________

Wendy J. Dunn is an Australian writer obsessed by Tudor History. She now has a new passion: Medieval Castile. The author of the award-winning novel Dear Heart, How Like You This?, Wendy is currently working on a trilogy based on the life of Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII.