Here Be Dragons

“For every wound;the ointment of time” This was an amazing book. At 704 pages, it was also a very long look at Joanna, “baseborn” daughter of King John (Plantagenet)of England. The first of three books about the saga of Wales under Llewelyn who is given Joanna in pledge and then falls in love with her, giving rise to discord between his Welsh children, and he and Joanna’s Norman-Welsh children. It’s about long smoldering alliances and grudges that have historical basis. However, in the end, it’s a love story. Joanna spent her life looking for love, finding it in her father King John, and then Llewelyn. It could not be easy to be a child in those days, because often you were betrothed to foster peace; or as a promise. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and there is historical information relating these people to my spouse’s family so I read it with gusto, and was not disappointed in any way. Highly Recommended 5/5

Very happy with this book and look forward to read the next in the series

I surely wish I had read Penman's historical novels ere I embarked on a cycling trip with my Anglophile daughter from Blois through Amboise and Chinon and the breathtaking Loire Valley. I now appreciate the more ancient history I mostly viewed as a trip to celebrate the 600 anniversary of my patron saint Jean D'Arc. Her writing gives such full understanding to the more ancient times. I now wish to give fuller attention to Wales - maybe hiking this time. Llewelyn the Great and his Joanna should come to life for me because of Penman's books.

My second reading of this book. For me, it has to be one of the best love stories I have read. Set in the 12th and early 13th centuries I have been transported in time to witness the story of Llewelyn and Joanna. Captivating

Enthralling. Easy to read and wonderfully informative. It has sparked my curiosity about my Welsh heritage.

Read the print version, followed quickly by the remaining books in the series. Penman does a great job of bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend it!