QUEENS OF THE CONQUEST

Alison Weir's newest sweeping history recounts the stories of the five Norman queens of England and Europe, beginning with Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror in 1066, and ending with Empress Maud in 1154. As suits a regal history, narrator Julia Franklin adopts a highborn tone to her narration. She reads at a graceful pace with appropriate pauses so listeners can absorb the complex details. Each of the various people associated with the queens and their courts is imbued with an appropriate accent and persona. Franklin differentiates the background narrative from letters and written historical accounts through a fluid shift of inflection and emphasis. She brings the period alive with her polished melodious performance. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]