For the King's Favor by Elizabeth ChadwickMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
For the King's Favor is a worthy companion novel to The Greatest Knight. It takes place during the same time (during the reign of Richard II), and overlaps with William Marshal's story at a few points, so definitely read that book, and probably also its sequel, first.
It's great to see glimpses of William again from another perspective, but it's also great to learn more about the Bigods. William and Roger struggle in parallel to build their houses, but their obstacles are very different, and Roger's honor is just as fine as William's in his own way. We also get Ida's full perspective in this book - she is not just a prize to be won or given, but a woman doing her best to make a life in a world where she has no power and few choices.
This is written in the same style as the Marshal books, covering many years in a way that is somehow not boring. I love how Chadwick shows the capriciousness of kings and how it could make and break people's lives, sometimes more than once. I feel like I know the people who lived in those times, their ambitions, heartaches, successes through luck or hard work and loyalty, or their failures in spite of them. Chadwick makes the history come alive.
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