It isn’t often you meet a fellow author at a conference and become friends, confidants, ARC readers, history consultants, and vacation/research buddies (including a trip to Lincoln Castle where we corrected the tour guide). Since 2016, Anna Belfrage has introduced me to some fascinating characters – both fictional and real. She’s gotten me out of my 12th/early 13th century obsession and shown me some new worlds. I am thrilled to have her here today to introduce readers to her new book and to talk about the background of one of the main characters. (And check out my review below!) Take it away, Anna…
As some of you may know—you, Char, most definitely does—I have written quite a few books set in medieval times. In all those books, real historical characters have played supporting roles, people my invented protagonists have had to deal with.
In Queen of Shadows, one of my POV characters is one of those real historical characters I have previously avoided giving an individual voice. I give you Leonor de Guzmán y Ponce de León, who was widowed at eighteen or so and went on to become King Alfonso XI’s most beloved lady—but never his wife. After all, a king marries for dynastic reasons, and while Leonor was very high-born, she was no princess. Which is how we end up with a complicated Castilian soap opera featuring Alfonso, Leonor, and the spurned wife, Maria of Portugal.
So what did Leonor think about all this? It wasn’t uncommon for a Castilian king to have mistresses—often women of noble birth whose children the king would recognise as his own. Many kings had multiple mistresses (and multiple illegitimate children), and everyone seems to have been relatively okay with this. The benefits to the mistress—and her family—were more land, more wealth, maybe some juicy appointments. The benefits to the randy king are obvious, and as to what the wife might have thought, well, everyone knew men were so much more lustful than women! It goes without saying that a queen was expected to remain faithful to her husband…
So, Leonor was initially probably flattered by the king’s interest. She probably did not expect it to last, but why not make hay while the sun shines? Except it soon became evident to everyone that Alfonso’s interest for Leonor was no passing fancy: he fell in love, as did she. How unfortunate that he was wed elsewhere—but maybe that wouldn’t have been a major issue had he treated Maria with the respect she deserved, perhaps even spent enough time with her to father more than the one surviving son. Instead, he openly favoured Leonor, relegating Maria to the fringes.
This did not go down well. Not with the Castilian nobles, not with the king of Portugal. The Guzmán family, however, were utterly delighted. And Leonor was in love, and Alfonso was in love, but Maria was angry and resentful—understandably.
To give Leonor a voice was to allow some insight into her thoughts. My Leonor has the occasional qualm of bad conscience. She is also fully aware of how dependent she—and her babies—are on the king’s protection. It doesn’t exactly help when the king, in an attempt to win Portugal’s support against the Marinids, attempts to mend his fences with Maria. Sort of.
The narrative in Queen of Shadows is principally carried by my invented Alma and Rodrigo. But I believe adding Leonor’s voice—and Maria’s—adds layers of emotions that might otherwise have been lost.
About the book
She should have stayed in the shadows—but Leonor de Guzmán yearned for the sun
Castile in the 1330s is a place of constant turmoil. King Alfonso must contend with the incursions from the Muslim Marinids eager to reclaim Al-Andalus while struggling with repeated rebellions against his firm rule.
When Alfonso needs respite, he finds it in the arms of his Leonor—the most beautiful woman in the realm. But while he may love Leonor over all others, his lawful wife, Maria of Portugal, is tired of being constantly displaced by the fair Leonor.
Leonor loves her man. She gives him healthy sons, a place to be himself. But she is only a mistress, even if Alfonso treats her like a queen. Leonor’s enemies watch and hate.
Flying too close to the sun comes at a high price. How much will Leonor’s love cost her?
Buy Queen of Shadows: https://mybook.to/QofS
The moment you step into one of Anna Belfrage’s historical novels, she draws you in. Based on a true story, Queen of Shadows shines with Anna’s knowledge of the history, people, customs, and places of 14th century Castile. It’s a time and period I knew nothing about, knew little about Castile, nothing about Alfonso XI or his wife Maria of Portugal, or the love affair of Leonor and Alfonso. But Anna immerses you in time and place, and you’re wrapped in the story.
Like me, you’ll feel the joys and pains of fictional characters like Alma and Rodrigo and come to admire them for their courage and loyalty. Very strong female characters dominate the book and though many are of noble blood, life was not easy. Leonor’s and Queen Maria’s points of view feel very authentic and truly drive the tension in the story.
The history doesn’t overpower the reader – though the names, so many similar, can be confusing at times. Do NOT let that hold you back. Storytelling is this author’s forte.
This tale gets better, more tension-filled, with every turn of the page. If you love reading about court intrigue, rivalry, and politics, then this book is for you. I didn’t want it to end. (And it’s a good thing Anna is writing a sequel!)
5 stars – Highly recommended.
About the author
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as two equally acclaimed medieval series; The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England, and The Castilian Saga ,which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has also published a time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel Times of Turmoil, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding. . .
All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
“A master storyteller”
“This is what all historical fiction should be like. Superb.”
Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com where you will also find her post about Alfonso and Leonor:
Connect with Anna:
Website: www.annabelfrage.com
X: https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/annabelfrageauthor
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/abelfrageauthor.bsky.social
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-belfrage
Amazon Author Page: http://Author.to/ABG or http://amazon.com/author/anna_belfrage
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449528.Anna_Belfrage
Buy Queen of Shadows: https://mybook.to/QofS
Charlene Newcomb’s passion for historical fiction and Star Wars led to her writing a bit of both. She has multiple short stories in the Star Wars Adventure Journal, published a space opera Echoes of the Storm, and has written medieval historical fiction short stories and five novels: the Battle Scars trilogy, and Tales of Robin Hood.
Download her free medieval short story, A Boy’s Life – about 9 year old Allan A Dale – and dive into 12th century England.
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