Full disclosure, I’m friends with the author and that certainly impacted my reason for choosing this. However, like many Americans, I love the intrigues and scandals of British royal history, so I was eager to learn about an historical figure I was unfamiliar with.
This book is very readable, and comparatively short for an historical biography. The writing is economical - only the critical things needed to put Monmouth in perspective are addressed. There is not a lot of unnecessary background on the various monarchs before Charles II. In addition to Monmouth’s parentage and upbringing, a lot of time is devoted to the political atmosphere following Cromwell’s Commonwealth (a period with no monarchy, after the execution of Charles I). I found this part fascinating. The author introduces and gives some context for the major players who will shape Monmouth, such as Shaftesbury, but also the early development of the Whig and Tory political parties.
Though the author, like any good historian, tries to be impartial, some bias creeps through. And I was honestly delighted (as an outsider looking in). The author has an obvious affection for Monmouth, as mentioned in the introduction, but doesn’t have such a favorable view of Cromwell, or James II: "James 11 was a vain, petty, frivolous, mean man and such behaviour would not have been beneath him." Since James was the very reason for the Exclusion Crisis and rebellion, it’s not unsurprising that he is viewed this way by primary sources of the time, and contemporary historians. It made me interested to read a biography of James II.
One challenge of this book was that the author assumes the audience has a basic familiarity of major events of the time period. Some things are referenced as if common knowledge, but not fully explained until much later. The “Secret Treaty of Dover”, the “Rye House Plot” and the “Exclusion Crisis” are all mentioned multiple times as having an impact on Monmouth but are not explained until late in the book. This is not uncommon for American authors writing about events surrounding the Civil War, so I would recommend that non-UK readers pop into Wikipedia for a quick overview before reading.
One downside to the economical writing style is that some things are not expanded on that really should have been. It is never explained how the “Popish Plot” was revealed as fake, which I found very dissatisfying. An entire chapter discusses the plot, and its impact on Monmouth’s upcoming rebellion, but nothing as to how it was later discredited. I also would have liked to see a final chapter on the fallout for James II. The book ended with Monmouth’s execution (which I know makes sense), but James II was later deposed. As replacing him was the rebellion’s purpose, it would have made a nice wrap up to have that included.
Overall, this was an excellent biography that made me eager to learn more about this time of history. I look forward to more from Laura Brennan.
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Top reviews from other countries
Robin Leadbeater
A great introduction to the subject.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 16, 2018
MR STEPHEN D OWEN
A disappointing addition to the biographies of the Duke of Monmouth and the 1685 rebellion.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2020