YA Historical Fiction Month: Susan Coventry Interview and Giveaway!

1. What was your inspiration to write The Queen's Daughter? Why Joan of England?

I’m really passionate about historical fiction, so there was never any serious question of me writing anything else. I wanted to write a medieval adventure novel about the crusade against the Cathar heretics in Southern France. As I was researching and writing that book, I fell in love with the tragic southern leader, Count Raymond VI of Toulouse. But I got sidetracked when I discovered that before the war, Raymond had been married to Eleanor of Aquitaine’s daughter. I was familiar enough with Eleanor and her sons to know that being her daughter must have been a big deal. How did the count of Toulouse end up with such a prize? So I started researching Joan. And the more information I dug up, the more I was hooked. How unfair that her mother and brothers hogged all the limelight! Joan had a fascinating life -- she deserved to have her story told.

2. Did you have to do a lot of research while/before writing?

Yes. I did a lot of research before and kept researching the whole time. In fact, research is a great cure for and enabler of writer’s block. It was difficult to find much specific information about Joan, but there is a wealth of information about the time period and it’s so interesting and complex. Whenever I had trouble writing, I would just read and read and read.

3. In what ways do you relate to Joan?

My first disclaimer is MY MOTHER IS WONDERFUL!!!! So in the most basic ways, I can’t relate to Joan at all. She had a horrible childhood. Her family was torn apart, violently, by ambition, distrust, and greed for power. And she was sent away to marry a stranger before she was even teenaged. It’s hard for any suburban twentieth (twenty-first?) century American girl to relate to that. But Joan tried to stay true to her own inner values even while being loyal to the people she loved. And I think that even when she was attempting to be as tough as her mother, Joan was inherently kind. She treated people nicely. I can’t say that I always do that, but it’s what I want to do.

4. What are some of your favorite YA historical fiction novels?

I love Jude Watson/Judy Blundell’s writing, so What I Saw and How I Lied is one of my favorites even though it isn’t medieval. And I absolutely can’t get enough of Gerald Morris’s The Squire’s Tales series.

5. If you could travel back to any time period where would it be?

I would love to visit the middle ages, around 1200, but only for a couple of days. Times were too tough back then. If I had to live in the past, I might pick the Colonial period.

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Thanks so much, Susan!

The Queen's Daughter is an AMAZING book, be sure to check out my review here

Also, for more info on Susan visit her website.

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YA Historical Fiction Moth: The Queen's Daughter Review

The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry

Publisher: Henry, Holt, and Co

Release date: June 8, 2010

Source: Author

Joan’s mother is Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the most beautiful woman in the world. Her father is Henry II, the king of England and a renowned military leader. She loves them both—so what is she to do when she’s forced to choose between them? As her parents’ arguments grow ever more vicious, Joan begins to feel like a political pawn.

When her parents marry her off to the king of Sicily, Joan finds herself stuck with a man ten years her senior. She doesn’t love her husband, and she can’t quite forget her childhood crush, the handsome Lord Raymond.

As Joan grows up, she begins to understand that her parents’ worldview is warped by their political ambitions, and hers, in turn, has been warped by theirs. Is it too late to figure out whom to trust? And, more importantly, whom to love?

Review:

The Queen's Daughter was a fantastic and eye opening debut novel that reminded me once again about how much I love historical fiction.

To begin with, The Queen’s Daughter included a ton of historical details. Names, dates, and places were presented in an intriguing way and it made me want to keep reading, to find out more about what was happening. All of the characters were well developed and believable, especially Joan. Readers got to experience things with Princess Joan from the time she was six years old all the way into her thirties. Joan was a great character, and she was truly strong and brave during hard times. It’s hard to imagine that girls were married off so young in the Middle Ages and my heart went out to young Joan when she was sent off to marry King William, a man almost twice her age.

It was especially interesting to connect the young characters to famous historical figures. Like Joan’s brothers: John (in Robin Hood) and Richard (The Lionhearted). Susan Coventry really put a face to history and made me connect a lot of details I knew about the time period and people. This was a fabulous debut and proved that Susan really did her research.

The Queen’s Daughter didn’t hold back on details and really stayed true to how people acting during the time. I can’t wait to read more about Joan. She is a figure in history I didn’t know much about and reading her story was a great experience.

Overall, this was a well written and extremely developed debut. I’m sure fans of historical fiction will devour it and even if you haven’t liked the genre before this will definitely appeal to you. I highly recommend picking it up!

Overall: 4.75 out of 5 stars