Here Lies Our Sovereign Lord

Although I like the author’s characterisation of actress Nell Gwyn, along with Nell’s rise from obscurity to the stage, and from the stage to Charles II’s bedchamber, the rest of “Here Lies Our Sovereign Lord” ranges between moderately interesting to utterly tedious.

It's too dry with long descriptions that sound like they're taken from a history book. It's also slow-paced and lacks drama, owing to too much “telling” instead of “showing”. The following quote is blatant telling:

“young Bowman, who nervously stood before the King.”

It wouldn’t have been hard to “show” Bowman’s nervousness.

Reporting on scenes is another reason for this novel’s dryness. Having been told a character has died, the event is then show more told in backstory. This results in passive prose. It includes ‘had’ (past perfect) many times, such as “The doctors had come,” which again is reporting on a scene rather than taking the reader inside the action as it unfolds.

Repetition is another downside. For example, the reader doesn’t need to be told over and over that Nell wants titles for her sons. I like the relationship between Charles and Nell, but rather than be repeatedly “told” that Charles likes Nell because of her wit, why not “show” this in a few dramatized scenes?

It’s dry information that we get, rather than a lively story. The author uses a lot of reported speech, which she would’ve been better off changing to dialogue to bring the characters to life, rather than explain what they say.

Ms Plaidy was also an author who couldn't or wouldn't effectively chapterize her novels. As a result of overlong chapters, it’s hard to tell when time has passed to a significant extent. In this book’s opening chapter, we’re told at one point that Nell is ten. Numerous paragraphs go by, and I’m suddenly confused to learn that Nell is now thirteen. So, she’s aged three years yet nothing in the narrative indicates that this much time has passed.

I've rated this three stars mainly for the sections featuring Nell, which are much livelier than those with her rival Louise, and much better than the dry and dull scenes that focus on King Charles and members of his family.

Something about Jean Plaidy’s books keep me coming back for more. Perhaps it’s her obvious love for English and French history, which I share, that draws me back. I wish she’d focused less on turning out as greater quantity of novels as possible and concentrated more on quality writing. A novel like this one should be revised 15 to 20 times, yet this at best feels like a fifth draft. show less

A great finale to a great series. This trilogy was so well written. As I stated before I was a bit apprehensive about reading a historical fiction series written in 1956 but these books stand the test of time. I breezed through all 3 of them as they held my attention I couldn't put them down. I can't wait to start her series on Catherine de Medici. A must read for any fans of the British Monarchy. Charles the Second was quite a man and King!

This last volume of Jean Plaidy's Charles II trilogy is just as well researched as the precious two volumes and just as full ofd great historical detail anout his mistressses, Nell Gwyn and the, perhaps, lessor known Louise de Keroualle as well as the his venal and ungrateful natural son, the Duke of Monmouth.

Ms Plaidy was the quen of historical fiction in her day and even though this novel was written almost 60 years ago, it is still an enthralling read.

not as good as the previous 2 in the series

This is my second read through and loved it just as much. It is the 6th book in the Stuart Saga which I am now reading. Enjoying the series very much.