As a lover of Bernard cornwell’s last kingdom series, I loved getting to see more about Alfred’s daughter. The characterisation in this was brilliant

When King Alfred, Æthelflæd's father, dies, her brother takes his place on the throne.
There are some who do not support Edward's rule, and as their enemies in the Danelaw stir, Æthelflæd finds herself drawn into the conflict.

I first heard of Æthelflæd when I visited some local ruins and saw her name on an information board, so when I then, not very long after, came across a fiction book about her life, I was interested to read it.
Æthelflæd was a relatable and likeable protagonist. She didn't always get on with her brother, had been sent away from home to marry, and cared a lot about her people.
The setting of the late 800's to early 900's England was interesting, especially when Æthelflæd described her plans for places that were local to me and I have visited.
The plot was enjoyable overall, but the pacing was a little off in places and there were some unexpected time jumps.
The novel is written from Æthelflæd's perspective as a memoir, which I liked for the most part.
I am hoping that the novel being called 'King Alfred's Daughter' and not something like 'Lady of the Mercians' was intentional given that the point of the novel is to bring Æthelflæd to people's attention, and not to write her off as just someone's daughter.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Really enjoyed this. The prose was a bit rough, but Aethelflaed was a great character and the book was consistently engaging. It worked well as a companion to other novels set during this era, like Cornwell's Saxon Takes.

Being a huge fan of the time period and from Mercia myself, I was convinced this would be the perfect book for me.

I was really looking forward to reading about Æthelflæd’s story (acknowledging that the lack of primary evidence necessitates there having to be some gaps filled in) and in terms of the history and what I learned in this book, I certainly felt like I did get a lot of the history I wanted.

Unfortunately though, I can’t say that the book is amazing or that I loved it, even though it has its positives. This is one of the harder reviews I’ve had to write. Mainly because I can’t quite pinpoint exactly why it didn’t click perfectly with me or flow how I wanted it to.

There was nothing that really drove me to want to pick the book up; I wasn’t invested in the characters or desperate to know what happened next. I can’t point out some tangible example of poor writing (and I’m not saying the writing is poor) but it just didn’t really work for me as much as I expected it to.

What the author does excel in is his knowledge of the period and that alone is one reason to give this book a chance. It made me want to research further but perhaps this is at the detriment to the story. Stokes has a great respect for Æthelflæd and for the forgotten women of history and I really like that. I love that her story has been given voice here. But when I compare it to other historical fiction that has made me feel emotional, passionate and on the edge of my seat, unfortunately this book just never got its claws into me in a meaningful way.

I say this, but I was hooked on the battle scenes, which are really exciting and visceral. I know not all the book can be action, but I feel I would have liked to have felt this way through the book’s quieter moments too rather than just being impressed with the historical accuracy and opportunities to show this. In one respect we shouldn’t wish for less historical accuracy in a world where some historical fiction leaves a lot to be desired, but it really would have benefited from a little more excitement and even taking a few more liberties perhaps.

Maybe if I read this book on holiday or somewhere really relaxing, it would be easier to enjoy without the need for more edge of your seat moments or characters that you really want to spend time with.

I would recommend this book to some readers, and going by the existing reviews I’m glad there were a lot of readers who loved it, seeing as so much work evidently went into the writing and research! Enthusiasts for the time period will certainly appreciate how the author has woven the existing research into a narrative which is certainly an undertaking I can appreciate.

I always enjoy a good historical fiction especially when an author is able to give a voice to a woman who has otherwise been silenced from history. Definitely recommend to any who has any interest in this time period!

"King Alfred's Daughter" is about a very interesting character in early British history, but I don't think the author quite managed to do her justice:
There is very little character development and the time jumps, especially the last one, lead to important development just being talked about instead of being shown. The ending basically is just a list of potential plot points instead on an actual narrative.

This book was great! I really enjoy historical fiction in general, and knowing this was based somewhat on archaeological evidence added to its overall appeal. Stokes did a great job of getting the story of Æthelflæd across, yet another woman who has basically been written out of history. Would definitely recommend.

I was so pleased to see this fictional account of one of history’s most interesting women. The writing is beautiful, if a bit academic in places, but that doesn’t detract too much from the story. Great for history buffs (and fans of The Last Kingdom!), I would definitively recommend this as a read!

A case of "it's me, not you." I expected to be drawn in by the plot ... unearthed history featuring a strong feminine conqueror! Æthelflæd, ruler of Mercia and a Viking's worst nightmare. (Also, Edward the Elder was the worst. Stealing his sister's thunder and then literally removing her daughter from the thrones of history ... tisk, tisk.) Unfortunately, this was rather perfunctory. The timeline of events at the end just made me think, "here we go, the drawing board." The characters were flat, things just happened as they happened, and history was wrought. But I'm sure that this would be an excellent read for people interested in retellings of historical events.

Eh, I didn't like this book. It had its moments but it was hard for me to get through. I would recommend this book for a few friends who I know would love this book though.

I knew I wanted to read this one as I was aware of Aefelfled, but hadn’t seen a historical fiction book based on her.

This book was gripping from the first page and you really felt that you understood Aefelfled and her morals. There are some beautiful relationships within the book and some tense moments.

David Stokes has a wonderful writing style making the many battles and strategic decisions easy to follow whilst mixing in character building and relationships.

I really recommend this book to any fans of Historical Fiction and the Netflix series the Last Kingdom.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A very interesting historical telling - I was drawn to this book having watched the netflix series, The Last Kingdom, and found this to be a very informative, and fascinating read.

You can never go wrong with historical fiction. I started reading this after I watch The Last Kingdom and feel in love with King Alfred's Daughter in the show and in this book as well.

I was very excited to be able to read this before it came out and I loved how strong she is.

I was hooked on this novel from the prologue alone, which provided the necessary introductions to the story, while creating a sense of both historical context and immersion.

This is Mr Stokes second novel and is about one of my favourite historical figures: Aethelflaed Lady of the Mercians. It full of facts and details about the life of this remarkable woman but also has a great plot and interesting characters.

What I appreciated is that the author avoided the pitfalls of creating an unnecessary romance/love triangle between Aethelflaed and some Viking character. This has become a cliché and its one I personally really hate. I love the parts exploring the Lady of the Mercians relationship with her husband, daughter, nephew and some fictional Mercian nobles: it helped flesh her out and bring her to life with realistic motives, fears and struggles.

The last part sheds light on how Aethelflaed was basically written out of history in the West Saxon sources, and how she tried to shape her own reputation both before and after her death. A very good book about Aethelflaed and worth, perhaps passing onto teens who might be learning about the Anglo-Saxons or interested in history.

Thanks to the publisher for approving my request for this title via Netgalley. This didn’t influence my review. All opinions are freely expressed and wholly my own.

Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians played an important part in the creation of our modern day islands but has been largely ignored by historians. This book attempts to redress the balance. It covers the period between the death of King Alfred and the accession of Athelstan to the English throne. It’s full of historical detail of the period, its peoples, the battles and the politics of the day but most of all it’s a brilliant adventure story. Worth reading for the drama alone. Loved it.

Perfect for fans of The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.

This is an exciting and fast-paced novel dealing with events in England after the death of King Alfred. His daughter Aethelflaed becomes de facto ruler of Mercia and we read about her efforts to unite the Anglo-Saxons and conquer the Viking threat.

I found this a little hard to get through, in fact I put it down halfway through and it was a while before I felt like picking it back up, but I'm so glad I did. It's very well written and the story is engrossing. It was a little too violent for my taste, I'd have preferred more time in Aethelflaed's head rather than battle scenes, but it was still a good read and I enjoyed learning about that period of history.

I'd like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

In this fascinating and captivating story, we learn about a remarkable woman who is often overshadowed by her famous father. We also discover the story of her nephew, whom she raised to become the first king of a united England. This story is not just about a young woman learning to be a Queen, but it's about a Queen who played a pivotal role in the emergence of a powerful kingdom.

Throughout the story, we learn about the challenges this woman faced, the sacrifices she made, and how she overcame obstacles to help shape the future of her country. We gain insight into her leadership style, her relationships with those around her, and her unwavering commitment to her people.

The story takes us on a journey through the early days of England's history, revealing the struggles, conflicts, and triumphs of this fascinating period. We get a glimpse into the political climate, the cultural norms, and the social attitudes of the time.

Overall, this is an incredible and inspiring tale that sheds light on a forgotten figure in history. It's a story that will leave you feeling inspired and energized, and it's a testament to the power of determination, leadership, and resilience.

I loved this read. Was historical and educational. I enjoyed the pov was told from. Would recommend.

This novel is a beautifully written detailed story of Æthelflæd, the daughter of the great King Alfred. Her brother is now king and continues to control her ailing husbands lands while fighting off rebels and the threat of invading Vikings. However it is left to Æthelflæd to try to unite Anglo Saxon England and fight off those who seek to take over England.
I loved how historically accurate this retelling was. From the descriptions of life and interactions it felt real. It was also wonderful to learn that the story was written after much research including archaeological sources rather then an author taking characters names, events and making a story of their own.

I did sometimes find the novel slow moving which made it a much longer read for me.

History buffs will love this book.