The Eagle and the Hart by Helen Castor tells the remarkable story of the rivalry between cousins Richard II and Henry IV. With birthdates just 3 months apart, Richard became king of England at the age of 10. Twenty two years later Henry deposed the despotic Richard and proclaimed himself King. It is a fascinating dual biography of a period that I knew little about prior to reading this most enjoyable and fascinating book.

Cousins born within months of each other, Richard of Bordeaux and Henry of Bolingbroke became enemies and powerful rivals. Known as Richard II and Henry IV their true stories are just as tragic as Shakespeare portrayed them and the medieval politics around their reigns is complex. Castor is a superb historian, able to find and interpret the minutiae as well as create a compelling narrative to entertain. I read this book after the Dan Jones biography of Henry V and wish I'd read them in the chronological order as they make good companion pieces.

I really enjoyed Helen Castor's The Eagle and the Hart. The dichotomy of Richard II and Henry IV makes for such an arresting read, and the way Helen Castor presents the two really captivates the nuances between their overlapping legacy. We learn about the expectations of the two of them, and the way their families both enabled and contextualised their positive/negatives attributes to the kingdom. I knew little of the two but came out with a wealth of knowledge. Castor's slow unravelling really eases the reader into feeling comfortable with the subject matter and makes it such a brilliant read.