The Wind from Hastings

by Morgan Llywelyn

Book Overview

Edyth, wife of King Harold of England, disappeared forever on the day of the great Battle of Hastings in 1066, taking with her the legitimate heirs to the thrones of England and Wales. This is the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039526474X
• ISBN13: 9780395264744
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.

Customer Reviews

historical novel...

Historical Novel based on a real woman and a real mystery from the days of the Conquest. In 1066 William the Conqueror defeated Harold of England at Hastings, changing the course of Western civilization. This is the story of Harold's wife Edyth, who witnessed the battle and then vanished completely and forever, taking with her the legitimate heirs to the thrones of England and Wales.Edyth the Saxon was a political pawn for most of her life...married to the Welsh Prince Griffith whom she dearly loved, to bolster her father's position...married to Harold Godwine, to strengthen his claim to the English throne. Harold became King but reigned less than a year. Then Haley's Comet blazed across the sky, signaling a time of passion and treachery to climax at Hastings.The riddle remains: what kind of woman was Edyth, and how did she manage to escape so totally with the royal heirs?

A captivating story of a queen of two kingdoms

This short historical novel was great summer reading! It held my interest most of the time, and also informed me about life in the British Isles one thousand years ago. The monumental account of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and the events leading up to it, was quite well done and moving. I was actually upset when the Anglo-Saxon soldiers "snatched defeat from the jaws of victory!"The novel seemed fairly accurate and brought the main characters (Edyth, Harold, and Griffith) to life. I enjoyed this novel by Morgan Llywelyn as much as her Lion of Ireland, and more than Bard and 1916 (although all of these books are worthwhile).

Wonderful! Bravo!

This is just a fabulous book. When I first saw how short the novel is, I thought that it would be an inaccurate love story or something. Nothing further from the truth. Harold II is portrayed in a very harsh and realistic light--not at all glamorized as he usually is in other books. He is seen as both ruthless and kind, hardened but human. The author has done a brilliant, fantastic job!

The Blood Sings

There's always beeen something that grabbed me, stirred my blood, from the very first time I read what happened at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. I believe that every European-American reader will feel the same leap of the heart at the spirit of these people who lived so long ago but who are as close to us as our own hearts. The author of this book was able to bring that closeness to life so that we can all experience it. His understanding and knowledge of the time period provides him with the technical ability to present the story--and something intangible and of the soul enables him to make it all live again. One thing he really captures, too, is the pre-Christian culture still abiding in an uneasy co-existence with Christianity. This book teaches as well as entertains (though "entertains" is too frivolous a word for the pleasure!) and the marvelous thing is, you aren't aware of _being_ taught.

Great attention to historical detail

Wind from Hastings was well done book about a little known woman in history. The story of Edyth's life is facinating and her life after her husband's death is an engaging mystery. I highly recommend this book and this author to those interested in historical fiction.