“Peace at all costs”

I can’t remember how I found this book (or why I decided to buy it) but no regrets because this was a long and intense story that was difficult to put down.

Set eight years after the Battle of Hastings, The Year We Lived follows the story of two Anglo-Saxon siblings. Edith, the Liebling of the Hall who is taken captive by the Norman duke Henry de Bois and forced to be his wife, and Robert, her brother and master of the Hall who is determined to find his sister.

You would think that a book centered around a year would be more about the daily life and tensions between the Norman invaders and the Anglo-Saxons but Virginia Crow has crafted a captivating story with sympathetic characters. While Henry de Bois is undoubtedly the villain of the story, not all the Normans are villains – his brother, the bishop Phillip de Bois was a sympathetic character with both flaws and virtues. There are also minor characters who want to do the right thing but fall victim to their greedier natures, as well as those who hold firm to their beliefs. I found myself immersed in this medieval world, fervently hoping for a happier ending for Edith, whose trials in the first few chapters broke my heart.

Having followed the British History podcast’s account of the Norman Invasion, I was aware of how cruel they could be. But seeing it “brought to life” to individual characters still shocked me. It’s painful to see what Edith, as an Anglo-Saxon, had to go through as the “wife” of Henry de Bois. But while she is unflinching in portraying the harsh reality of the time, Crow still makes room for magic. Edith is given solace by a robin who carries messages between her and her love, the changeling Dunstan, and we hear from a mystic who encourages the characters.

And through all the twists and turns the characters take in their journey through the year, Crow expertly leads us to one final, stunning conclusion. At first, I was surprised at all the reviews who raved about (and kept secret) the conclusion to the book but I was stunned when I finished it. I completely understand why everyone was surprised and why it dominates the reviews about the book and I will not be the one that spoils it. Needless to say, I thought the way Crow built the story was very clever and while the twist was unexpected, it was also very believable.

The only thing I would have liked after this deep and rich book was to hear from the author herself. I would love to know why she wrote this, what sources she used, and how she came up with the idea! This book was stunning and a perfect platform for history buffs to dive into that time in British history.