Carol McGrath’s “The Stolen Crown” is a richly woven historical fiction set in 12th-century England. The novel centers around Empress Matilda (also known as Maud), the daughter of King Henry I. When her father names her as his heir, the country is thrown into turmoil. Despite facing opposition from the clergy and nobility, Maud refuses to relinquish her claim to the throne.

The ensuing battle between Maud and her cousin Stephen of Blois becomes known as “The Anarchy,” a period of civil war that spans almost two decades. Carol McGrath masterfully brings Maud’s story to life, exploring her marriage to Geoffrey of Anjou, her relationships with her half-brother Robert of Gloucester, and her loyal supporter Brien FitzCount.

The research behind this novel is evident, and the historical details immerse readers in the complexities of medieval England. Maud’s strength, determination, and resilience shine through, making her a captivating protagonist. As alliances shift and loyalties are tested, readers are drawn into a web of power struggles, love, and intrigue. McGrath’s writing skillfully navigates the political landscape, revealing the personal sacrifices and emotional turmoil faced by Maud.

Matilda, the widow of the Holy Roman Emperor and the only legitimate daughter of Henry I, king of England, has every expectation of inheriting her father’s crown on his death. He has already made the barons and bishops swear allegiance to her.

But Matilda is “only” a woman. She is married off to Geoffrey Plantagenet, count of Anjou, and expected to produce a male heir to the English throne. Although she does give birth to a boy, she is not prepared to relinquish her own claim to rule England in her own right. After all, she is an empress. Power doesn’t daunt her – it is owing to her.

Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with her, and while she is away and pregnant, her cousin Stephen takes the crown. The day of anarchy dawns.

Carol McGrath has this enviable ability to inhabit her characters’ minds. She reads Empress Maud like an open book, understands her and delivers her to the reader with every emotive and historical nuance. Maud’s relationships fluctuate and develop with the story, incorporating true events into the fabric of her personal life. Her strong will and fighting spirit are conveyed with conviction. Another great read from Carol McGrath.

I found this book to be okay, it didn't wow me.

One of the book's strengths lies in its detailed portrayal of the historical setting. McGrath skilfully recreates the atmosphere of the 12th century, bringing to life the customs, traditions, and political intrigues of the time. The reader can easily immerse themselves in the world of royalty and power struggles, feeling the weight of responsibility that rests on the characters' shoulders. However, 'The Stolen Crown' falls short in its execution. The pacing of the novel often feels uneven, with some parts dragging on which I struggled with.

I would recommend to anyone that particularly enjoys reading about this period in history.

A very detailed fictional account of the Empress Matilda's fight for the English throne against her half-brother, Stephen. Plenty of historical fact thrown in, real personalities mixing well with the imagined characters. First decent novel I have read telling Matilda's story. An excellent addition to the genre. Thanks to Netgalley

After the death of her brother Maud becomes the heir to her father King Henry. She is the widow of the Emperor of Germany but is made to remarry to a younger man, a mere Count. After her fathers death Maud is also disinherited by her cousin Stephen but with the help of her illegitimate brother Robert she tries to claim her realm. The subsequent war splits England and causes much suffering.
McGrath is a writer of very soft romantic historical novels and this is a little bit of a diversion as no-one could accuse Maud (Matilda) of being a romantic heroine. In fact McGrath has to place the romantic focus on a fictional character, Alice. However I did really enjoy this book as it is strong on the idea of misogyny in medieval life and that Maud is quite an unlikeable character at many points during the book. It is well-researched and very readable.

The Stolen Crown is a captivating story of power, love and history - a fascinating look at the monarchy and nobility in 12th century England.
So much research must have been undertaken to write Maud’s story. I could do nothing but admire her for her strength, courage and fight as a woman in such a male dominated world. The support she received from her nobles around her was admirable and it was obvious they admired and loved her for herself.

I received a gifted advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Headline Books.

The Stolen Crown is a richly told historical fiction set in the 12th century in England. When Henry I dies leaving no legitimate heir to the throne, he has no choice but to name his daughter Matilda (who goes by Maud) as his heir. But being female, Maud can not secure the support of the clergy and nobility, and the throne gets taken from her by her cousin Stephen of Blois. This doesn't deter Maud, who now has a fight on her hands to try and take back what's rightfully hers and ensues in a battle called 'The Anarchy', which commences for almost two centuries. I loved how strong and determined Maud is and how courageous she is for her time! We follow Mauds POV, but we do also follow in part her illegitimate half-brother Roberts side, too. I take my hat off to historical fiction writers for the amount of time and research they put into their books, and this book was evident of the level of research the author put in to create it. If you love drama, action, politics, romance, and strong female characters, you will definitely enjoy this one!

When Henry I of England dies in 1135 leaving no legitimate male children, he names his daughter, Maud, as heir to the throne. Through her marriage to the late Holy Roman Emperor, the Empress Maud, as she still calls herself, is used to wielding power, yet she is unable to gain the support of the nobility and clergy of England and the throne is taken instead by her cousin, Stephen of Blois. Maud, however, refuses to give up her claim and so a battle begins between the cousins that will become known as ‘the Anarchy’ – a period of civil war lasting for almost two decades.

Carol McGrath’s new novel, The Stolen Crown, tells Maud’s story, exploring her marriage to Geoffrey of Anjou, the years of conflict with Stephen and her relationships with her half-brother Robert of Gloucester and with Brien FitzCount, her most loyal supporter. Although Maud (sometimes known as Matilda) was never actually crowned Queen of England and was referred to instead as ‘Lady of the English’, she left an important legacy as the eldest of her three sons with Geoffrey would go on to become Henry II, the first of the great House of Plantagenet.

The novel is written largely from Maud’s own perspective and she is portrayed as a strong, courageous and determined woman, but also one who makes mistakes, ignores advice and acts impulsively at times – in other words, a believable human being who comes to life on the page. We follow Maud throughout her adult life, beginning with her marriage to Geoffrey, a husband she didn’t choose and didn’t want, but with whom she eventually settles down to start a family in Anjou. When Stephen seizes the throne, Maud leaves her husband and children behind to travel to England and fight for what she believes is rightfully hers. Some sections of the book are also written from the point of view of Maud’s illegitimate half-brother Robert, which was a good decision as it allows us to see Maud through the eyes of someone else close to her, as well as filling in the gaps when Maud is not directly involved in the action. I’ve always liked Robert when I’ve come across him in historical fiction and it’s interesting to think of the sort of king he would have made had he been a legitimate heir.

I knew from the other Carol McGrath books I’ve read (The Silken Rose, The Damask Rose and The Stone Rose, a trilogy of novels about three queens who were labelled ‘she-wolves’) that she also likes to include fictional characters in her stories. In this book, we meet Alice, a young woman from a family of entertainers – musicians, jugglers and puppeteers. Alice has a storyline of her own, including a romance with a young knight, Sir Jacques, but she also fits seamlessly into Maud’s story, spying and carrying messages between the Empress and Brien FitzCount. Although I found Maud much more interesting to read about, Alice’s inclusion in the book gives us an insight into medieval life away from the royal courts.

The Anarchy is a fascinating part of English history, often overshadowed by later conflicts such as the Civil War and the Wars of the Roses, so I’m pleased that McGrath has chosen to give some attention to this period and to Maud. I’m looking forward to seeing who and what she writes about next.

When his only son and heir dies, Henry I is left with no direct male successor. Years later, despite remarrying, Henry still only has one legitimate child - his widowed daughter the Empress Matilda (called Maud in this story). This the story of Maud from when she is named her father's heir and her struggle to claim her throne when it is stolen by her cousin Stephen of Blois in a civil war known as the Anarchy.

Carol McGrath demonstrates an undeniable knowledge of the time period and gives wonderfully detailed insight into the events occurring during the Anarchy. There are some gaps in the history of the conflict which are artfully filled in and used to create an interesting narrative around the characters and their relationships. The story does feel more academic rather than character focused as the characters sometimes lack depth. The plot is fast moving, with some events and relationships sometimes feeling a little too brushed over, but there is a lot to cover as this is a story that spans decades.

There are three POV characters - Empress Maud, her half brother and key supporter Robert of Gloucester, and Alice the performer-turned-spy. I enjoyed the added elements of Alice, Xander, and Jacques (who are all characters invented for the book) as Alice and Xander are performers for Count Brien who act as spies for Maud during the conflict. Alice adds deeper layers to the story as we see smaller events happening in the war that neither Robert nor Maud would have had first hand knowledge of.

My main complaints with this book are that I just wanted more depth and emotional connection with the characters and the dialogue felt a little clunky.

If you are interested in this time period and want a highly detailed account of the war that shaped England and the laws of succession then this is for you.

Princess, Empress, Queen but uncrowned. The story of Matilda is strikingly brought to life with this beautiful written novel. A must for any fan of medieval history

The Stolen Crown by Carole McGarth will appeal to historical fiction fans especially those who enjoy non-Tudor stories. The book tells the story of Empress Matilda's fight for the English crown from her Cousin King Stephen leading to civil war.
I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion.
The book is rich with historical details and vivid descriptions of clothes, foods and customs which adds richness to the story. As always, history can almost feel like fiction and The Stolen Crown has plenty of drama, action, deception, politics and romance. The plot is fast-paced and even though I knew what was going to happen, I still couldn’t put the book down.
Matilda, Robert her half-brother and Alice a fictional character with a complicated background are the point-of-view characters. Matilda’s nature comes through as does the difficulty of being a strong and ambitious woman in the 1100s. Robert and Alice add balance as two people caught up in the drama and politics trying to right by their Queen and families.
Strangely enough, I read this book over the coronation weekend, and I wondered if the rituals and rites are the same as the ones that would have crowned Empress Matilda as Queen of England. But if you know your English history this isn’t as straightforward as it should be.

Perfect for fans of
I would recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction and strong women.

As a history student I loved this book. McGrath has made sure to keep the historical details whilst also creating an engaging story. The Matilda created is strong and fascinating and keeps you hooked to the very last page.
Thoroughly recommend.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review