I have decided to write up a short series of recommendations for medieval novels. The qualification to get in is hard - first, they must pass all my personal tests of acceptability (and I am Mr. Picky), second they must be relatively obscure, which means that the works of people like Sharon K. Penman, Elizabeth Chadwick and Anya Seton do not qualify. Not because of any disrespect for these authors - the absolute converse is true - but because if you don't already know about their works then you jolly well should.
First in the series is In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella Haasse.
The novel is about Charles, Duke of Orleans, and starts with his birth in the late 14th Century and continues to his death in the middle 15th. It's a long book, and the reader needs stamina, but the effort is worth it. You should be aware that Charles spends 25 years as a prisoner in England, so if you're looking for lots of battle action, or even lots of romantic action you may well be disappointed. It's not that sort of novel. However there's tons of politics, tons of intrigue. You may also find Charles, as a person, rather cold and emotionally detached. I'd submit that with the kind of life he had to endure, this is probably a realistic appraisal of his character.
Not a book to cheer you up or set you laughing, but a wonderful tale of human endurance.
(Yes, I know I've reviewed this book before, but it was a 'must' for this series.)
When I started reading this book (based on your recommendation) I found it a bit hard to get through based on the exact point that you bring up: Charles was hard to get close to because of his toned-down emotional profile. I was rewarded, however, with the second reading of it where I enjoyed being 'introduced' to several more of the characters and appreciated the skill of writing it took to be able to display a fascinating time period for France. I now consider it one of my favorite depictions of Medieval France.
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