Chris' Fish Place

Disclaimer: ARC read via Netgalley.

                It’s all Braveheart’s fault. Totally. Mel Gibson’s movie about Scotland’s Freedom Fight, William Wallace, might be one of the reasons why there is shortly going to be a vote about the dissolution of the union, but it sure as hell played fast and loose with history.

                It wouldn’t be a surprise if, when asked about Robert the Bruce, most Americans said something like “you mean that guy who sold out Braveheart?”

                This is a shame because, in many ways, it is because of The Bruce that Scotland became Scotland, yet outside of the United Kingdom he is not as well known as he should be. Michael Penman does go some way in changing this.

                The book, in terms of style, is not perfect. It borders on being dry at times. The scholarship seems good (I am not an expert in the field) and everything is footnoted. If a reader does not have any background knowledge about the period, the reader might be a little lost. Knowing about Edward I and II is a benefit as is being away of the politics. Penman does not include much background material.

                Those criticisms aside, reading the book is a learning experience, even for those who know who Bruce was. It is comprehensive as it can be in terms of Bruce’s life, focusing, in particular, on his relationship with his father and brothers. Areas of debate are examined and when the facts are unclear, Penman makes sure that the reader knows that. It seems a common thing to point but considering how many authors make jumps based on little evidence, a writer who doesn’t does deserve some praise.

                Recommended highly for those interested in Scottish history.