Having an avid interest in history I was particularly interested in reading about Aethelflaed who led the Mercians. Well researched this was both interesting and informative. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the Anglo Saxon period.

When I first saw that a fictionalised story of Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians had been created, I was very excited to read it, as I had learnt of her story through podcasts and some histories of the Anglo-Saxon period and her pivotal role in the creation of England, as we know it today.

The vast majority of the book focuses on Aethelflaed's life prior to her taking sole rule of Mercia. It details the securing of her region against Anglo-Saxon rebellions and the Danes, whilst her husband was battling a debilitating illness. It shed more of a light on what was going on than I had previously realised and the leadership qualities that led her to be selected as the Mercian's leader after her husband had died.

The detail in the various battle scenes was vivid and allowed you to envision yourself fighting alongside her army during these events. The novel demonstrated well the challenges and setbacks that a woman in a leadership role faced in the time period and the need to be exceptional, just to get the recognition at the time. The author's note at the end was fascinating, showing the discrepancies between the source material and the propaganda involved that made her almost a footnote in history.

I did find that the ending of the book was all a bit rushed, as the final seven years of her life were very quickly dealt with, with the exception of a final battle. The events that took place during those years are some that enabled Athelstan to build and create his own legacy on and I just feel a bit more could have been done with this to highlight her pivotal role.

Thank you NetGalley and David Stokes for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

A historical novel based on the life of Æthelflæd, the Lady of the Mercians. It’s well researched with a timeline of events and historical note at the end. Written in the first person, almost like a diary or a chronicle of events, it gives a good overview of her life and a view of King Edward and the future King Athelstan, and of course all the battles with the Danes, and Norse and the Welsh!

This marvellous novel is a must-read for anyone interested in Anglo-Saxon times or who has perhaps watched the Netflix series ‘The Last Kingdom’.

Aethelflaed is the most famous queen of the Saxons you’ve never heard of. I’m embarrassed to say that even in studying Old English for three years at university, I never encountered her.

We are told in the afterword that while the Mercian Anglo-Saxon chronicle records Aethelflaed’s building of the burhs, towns that are still significant centres to this day: Gloucester, Worcester, Shrewsbury… Wessex commentators merely note the year of her death. Natural partiality on the part of the Mercians or a wiping out of his sister’s legacy by Edward, King of Wessex? I think we know! Sibling rivalry on a royal scale.

Aethelflaed was an intelligent strategist, wisely opting to invest in and build the Mercian defences, rather than always being on the back foot against the invaders or making forays into the enemy territory of the Danelaw.

David Stokes takes the still sketchy records to recreate a fully rounded character. He is to be applauded for bringing not only Aethelflaed vividly to life, but the courts of Wessex and Mercia, the jostling for power, and the family dynamics (Aethelflaed was foster-mother to Edward’s first son, whom he rejected on remarriage: Aethelstan who was the first king of all the English). Even the Nordic invaders are fully fleshed out, rather than being one-dimensional stereotypes. And, interestingly, even the bit-part female characters are given ‘agency’.

In Aethelflaed’s reflections on her own upbringing, we also learn a lot about Alfred’s struggles, his flight into the Somerset levels and his love of learning.

A note for fans of ‘The Last Kingdom’: in this version of the story, Aethelwold, nephew of King Alfred, is not the weasley villain he is depicted in the series. Rather he has justifiable cause for feeling disinherited.

In short, I loved this novel, I have already recommended it to my WEA Old English study group. Indeed, I’m sure anyone with even a passing interest in the origins of our nation would enjoy it, too.

The book gives an account of Aethelflaed, the Lady of the Mercians who led Mercia while her husband Aethelred was unable.

As sister to the king of Wessex she was a key ally in the Anglo-Saxon expulsion of the Danes and the unification of England as a nation.

The book conveys how she may have felt during the events of this period and suggests how instrumental she was in what happened.

Being a huge fan of Vikings Netflix series, I thought I’d give a Viking book a go. Whilst I found it hard to get to grips with the names at first, once I got into the story I really enjoyed it.

I loved the flashbacks and memories of Æthelflæd’s childhood, it really gave depth to her character and I felt as a reader like I really knew her. I love that it’s about her and her journey rather than a man’s story!

Overall, I did really enjoy this read, I just found it hard to stay engaged - mostly this is me not the book. I had to keep a note on who was who as all Viking names seem really similar!

A very well researched and interesting book which whilst fiction seemed to follow very closely the facts available regarding this period in history.
I’m not an avid historical fiction reader and I will own up to finding the names and relationships quite taxing to follow but I stuck with it and enjoyed the book.

As someone who loves history and the Anglo-Saxon Era I was thrilled to find a book about Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians. David Stoakes has clearly done his research because at times I could almost smell the air in his writing. Although much of the knowledge of this period is based on the official chronicles of kings and battles, of which sadly the Lady Aethelflaed is not part of, Stoakes has created in this book a woman that reflects the values and visions that I have learned about in this era. It was helpful to have an index of names at the front of the book, and even in my Kindle edition I had a very well used bookmark for this page because so many of the names reflect their lineages and oftentimes fathers and sons can be confused. But this does not take away from Stoakes’ authorship and style. His prose style was engaging, and the voices of these historical figures jumped off the page. This was a great book that enabled me to be an armchair time traveler to the Anglo Saxon Era and see the figures that I have read in dry historical documents come to life.


If shows like The Last Kingdom or The Vikings appeal to you, take a moment to visit with the Lady Aethelflaed and see the often hidden world of personal conflict and court intrigue through a woman’s perspective that history books of this era did not include for a long time.

Aethelflaed was a princess of Wessex, the daughter of King Alfred (of burned cakes renown) and his Mercian wife, Ealhswith. She was married very young to the considerably older Aethelred of Mercia. With the onset of his illness, she took over his duties and became known as the Lady of the Mercians. Although she is barely mentioned in the Chronicle of Wessex there are many other references to her, including her battles to fend off Danish incursions into Mercian land. She does appear to have had some accord with her brother, King Edward, but certainly had a mind of her own when it came to his forced rule over Mercia.
She fostered and guarded Athelstan, Edward’s son by his first marriage, and the future king of England. David Stokes gives us a detailed and immersive account of Aethelflaed’s world, in which her bravery drew faithful soldiers to her side. Battles are well described but not overly graphic. Most likely best known for her role in the TV series ‘The Last Kingdom’, Stokes has brought the real Aethelflaed to life in a compelling way which I hope will lead to more fiction about her exploits. The novel begins around the time of the onset of Aethelred’s illness and mostly covers her building of fortified burghs and other defences, her battles against Viking incursions and Athelstan’s education as future king. Author historical notes are well worth a mention. Recommended.

This was a fascinationg story of history more than 1000 years ago with the names of many towns the same as they are today. I enjoyed reading about the way they lived and the battles they fought, to unite England.as one country,Also the appeareance of a woman as a leader of armies and being accepted in that role but not recognised for her achievemets.. Something which was lost in the annals of history. Great story!!

King Alfred's daughter is about King Alfred the Great's eldest daughter Aethelflaed, who was Lady of the Mercians.

The books starts with Alfred's death, as Aethelflaed's younger brother Edward presumes succession to the throne and starts to make controversial changes. His claim to the throne disregards a pact that his father made with his uncle and it emerges that perhaps the title should have passed to Edward's cousin Aethelwold. This causes much political conflict and Edward's increasing intereference in matters over Mercia also makes life difficult for for his sister. To make matters worse Aethelflaed's husband Athelred's health is declining and his status as ruler of Mercia hangs in the balance.

The unstability within the Anglo-Saxons kingdom could weaken them, particularly with the increasing attacks from the Danes. Unusually for a woman at the time Aethelflaed takes on many of her husbands roles and bravely attempts to strengthen their boundaries and ward off attacks

The story is told from the  perspective of Aethelflaed, in a diary-type narrative. The voice of powerful women  from this era of history is almost unknown of so this is an interesting slant on events.

I must admit that I got a bit confused in the middle as there are a lot of names to remember, all of which sound quite similar! The author does helpfully provide a list of names and explanation of their roles at the start of the book, which can be referred to.

A fascinating read for those interested in the political and social history of England.

With thanks to Netgalley and the author David Stokes for allowing me to review this book.

I had never heard of Æthelflæd before watching The Last Kingdom, but their version pales in comparison to this book version.

David Stokes' King Alfred Daughter fills in the all gaps and more that the tv show (and books) left out.

I really enjoyed this book and found myself unable to put it down, Æthelflæd is such a strong female character in the world of men.

King Alfred's daughter is a brilliant book that shines a strong light on a forgotten but amazing female character that history has ignored for many years.

My only problem I have with this book is that I think it should be called Æthelflæd, as the title King's Alfred's daughter still means that she is in the shadow of a King.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of the book King Alfred's Daughter. The book chronicles the life of Aethelflaed,daughter of Alfred the Great. The Lady of the Mercians ruled m, built defensive burhs, directed armies in battle, and raised Athelstan, the son of her brother King Edward and the future King of England. The book paints a fascinating portrait of this woman who brought about her father's dream of a united England, bringing to light her largely forgotten story.

This novel tells the story of Æthelflæd, the daughter of King Alfred. The story is set in the 9th century of mediaeval England. The death of a king, a change of power, foreign and domestic threats, Vikings and war. This novel has it all.

The prologue instantly draws you into the novel. The story starts with the death of king Alfred. Æthelflæd returns home after being away for many years. I love the flashbacks of Æthelflæd’s childhood memories. It makes her charter so alive. Her brother is the King now. Her return home comes with some new challenges.

After her visit, she returns to her home in Mercia. At the request of her mother, she takes her Nephew (the first born son of her brother) with her. His name is Æthelstan. She will raise, teach and educate him.

In the book you really get to know Æthelflæd in the different phases of her life. Her thoughts and memories are very well described. You get to know her in so many different roles. I also love the navigation of the diplomacy and the war battles. She really is a brave and strong women. The reader learns her story and how she became the leader of the Mercians.

Rating: 4 stars. I really enjoyed reading this story. Form the first minute you start reading you stay engaged in Æthelflæd’s story. The only difficulty I had, was with some of the names in the story. Fortunately, there was a list with names provided in the book, which helped a lot. The author did a lot of historical research in order to write this story. The historical facts have been very well included in the novel. If you love to learn more about the history of England, this book is a must read for you.


Fans of the tv series Vikings will love to read this novel.


Thank you Netgalley & The Book Guild for a copy of this novel.

A fictional description of the life trials battles and tribulations of one of England's greatest female leaders. Ethelflaed Lady of Mercia, Alfred's daughter has to rule Mercia in the face of Danish and Norwegian invaders but also against her brother Edward's ambitions as King of Wessex.
Through her efforts the way is paved for a united England finally realised by Athelstan Alfred's grandson Athelstan whom she guides and tutors.
A great read closer to history than Bernard Cornwall's Last Kingdom.
Should be appreciated by followers of Mathew Harifly, Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwall.
Kept turning pages from cover to cover.

I have to say I was really looking forward to this novel because it promised a well researched historical theme with a strong female protagonist seemingly forgotten by historical tomes.
I think the author did a good job of taking a very dense topic and making a believable story with fair amount of action dialogue and great pacing . I fully appreciate that this story could have become quite dry with the shear amount of dates and people that made up the historical events but it remained on target.
My only issue was the amount of end-of-chapter foreshadowing which made the story somewhat predictable that being said any story that is an actual event in history is unavoidably predictable but I think it could have been better placed within the story rather than at obvious junctions in the story.
This is otherwise a very well researched historical fiction with great characters and plenty of action - I haven’t read a book from solely this genre for a while and it was a nice change for me to delve into the time of the Anglo Saxons Danes and early Briton.

This review was made possible by Net Galley and The Book Guild Publishing - always appreciated never a chore.
#kingalfredsdaughter #netgalley
www.instagram.com/thedeadrosesbookclub

This book is perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom series and the Netflix adaptation! It was refreshing to here from the female perspective during this time period.

"King Alfred's Daughter" by David Stokes is a historical novel set in 9th-century England that tells the story of Aethelflaed, daughter of the legendary King Alfred the Great.

The novel begins with Aethelflaed as a young girl, growing up in a time of great turmoil and uncertainty. She is educated and trained in the arts of war and diplomacy, and she learns to navigate the complex political landscape of her time.

As she grows older, Eethelflaed becomes increasingly involved in the affairs of her kingdom. She works closely with her father to defend Wessex against Viking invasions, and she develops a reputation as a skilled warrior and leader in her own right.

After her father's death, Ethelflaed becomes the Lady of the Mercians, ruling over a vast territory in central England. She faces numerous challenges, including power struggles with her own family members and continued Viking raids and invasions.

Throughout it all, Aethelflaed remains committed to defending her people and securing her kingdom's future. She develops close relationships with key figures in her court and forms alliances with other leaders to strengthen her position.

Stokes' writing is rich and immersive, with a strong sense of historical detail and atmosphere. He captures the complexities of 9th-century England with nuance and sensitivity, and his portrayal of Ethelflaed is both inspiring and deeply human.

Overall, "King Alfred's Daughter" is a compelling and engaging historical novel that will appeal to fans of the genre and readers interested in the history of medieval England. Stokes is a talented writer with a gift for bringing the past to life, and this book is a testament to his skill and insight.

I love discovering books that open up a period of history that I am not overly familiar with, that inspire me to carry on reading, so pleased I read this book

I do love a story that incites me to Google for more information, that educates me, that gives me a thirst for more knowledge and this story certainly does that! I had never heard of Aethelflaed! How dreadful that I had not - such an incredible woman of her time! The story begins after the death of her father King Alfred and her brother, his son becomes the king of Wessex and overlord of what was left of Anglo Saxon Mercia. Aethelflaed is married to the much older Aethelred of whom she is very fond. He is a good and ruthless leader but always been kind to her but as he ages and is affected by the palsy she begins to take over his role as Leader and then Lady of the Mercians. She becomes. a force to be reckoned with against the Danes and helps her foster child Athelstan become the man and leader he will need to be in later life. It is not always easy for a man to write as a woman but David Stokes achieves this magnificently! Aethelflaed was a woman who knew her capabilities, her strength and her weaknesses. She was not afraid to learn from men who would often scorn the weaknesses of a mere woman! I found the story hard going at first but as I became accustomed to the writing and the characters so I became lost in Aethelflaed’s quest to unite the territories of the country and create an independent England. The battle scenes took my breath away, so vivid were the descriptions. A wonderfully educational and vivid historical tale told with excellent attention to detail and character!