Last week I was transported to 13th century England.  I traveled on horseback all over England and beyond.  I lived with some very prominent families, the Marshals and the Bigods. 
I was witness to the betrothal and marriage of Mahelt Marshal and Hugh Bigod.  Poor Mahelt, she was so young when she had to leave her parents and move in with the Bigods, too young for her marriage to even be consumated.  However, her father, William Marshal knew it would be the best protection for her as he had fallen out of favor with King John.
King John took Mahelt’s two oldest brothers hostage. When given the opportunity to see her brother Will, she did so against Roger Bigod’s, wishes and put herself and potentually,  the Bigod family in danger.  When Hugh came home his father was fuming!  He told Hugh that he had to learn how to rein in the free spirited wife, Mahelt but Hugh struggled with how to do so without breaking her spirited that he so adored. 
Mahelt finally did grow up and her marriage was consummated. Mahelt and Hugh were madly in love with each other. There marriage did become in jeopardy because of King John and his miss-deeds.  This included his taking their first son, Roger hostage.
I was witness to King John’s many atrocities against mankind, the men, women, and children he had killed without a thought or care.  Eventually the Barons, including the Bigods had enough and joined a rebellion against him, leading up to the Magna Carta. 
I was witness to all of this, thanks to Elizabeth Chadwick.  She seamlessly weaved historical facts with real life characters and events in to breathtaking historical fiction.  She captured my imagination and my heart.  

Elizabeth Chadwick to me, in a Queen of historical Fiction.  In fact, she just won the Historical Novel Prize.  To Defy a King is a book that is nearly impossible to put down!  Thanks for the trip Ms. Chadwick!

5/5
Thanks to Sourcebooks for the advance readers copy.

Also reviewed at:

The Burton Review
Under a Blood Red Sky
The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
A Girl Walks into a Book Store
Polishing Mud Balls
Aneca’s World

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