In this third book, we meet Thomas and Catherine five years after the events of the second novel. They live in peace and harmony at Marton Hall with their son Rufus and friends Jack and John Stump. But the peace will not hold for long. The Duke of Warwick turns against Edward IV and is looking for the secret of which Thomas and Catherine have proof. And he sends none other than Edmund Riven, their arch-enemy, on a quest to find it.
1469 is a strange year in the Wars of the Roses. The mysterious figure Robin of Redesdale fights against the king and it is said he has the support of the earl of Warwick. There are a number of battles in which some key figures, such as the earl of Pembroke, are eliminated. Warwick and the king quarrel, but do not meet. And at the end of the year the realm is strangely enough at peace again.
That must have been hard to understand for the common man, who is again dragged into a conflict that is not his. It’s the strength of this series. No focus on the big earls, kings and queens, but on the commoners who are trying to survive in troubled times.
And my God, Thomas and Catherine get themselves once again in trouble. A few of the same tropes are brought out and the book is, of course, somewhat predictable. But I liked it better than the second part. The events lead to a thrilling conclusion inside a tower of Middleham castle.
‘Divided souls‘ is a nice read and gives a different perspective on history. This is not the best series I will ever read, but I am looking forward to the fourth part to find out how it ends with Thomas, Catherine, Rufus and all those Johns.
Have you read this series? What book are you currently reading?
In Another Era 