Young and beautiful Gytha Godwinson is the envy of England when her father Harold seizes the country’s crown in early 1066. Soon triumph turns to terror as an evil star appears, heralding the end of an era and a new beginning for Britain. Her family seems cursed, but even as she suffers loss, betrayal and humiliation, Gytha is determined to regain what is rightfully hers.
In a stunning re-telling of 1066, international bestselling author Ellen Alpsten has created a captivating new heroine in Gytha Godwinson. While women were limited to their roles as ‘cup-bearer’, ‘peace-weaver’ and ‘memory-keeper’, Gytha dared the unprecedented and writes world history. Lose yourself in a bewitching blend of myth and modernity and join the daughter of England’s true House of Dragon’s fight for freedom.
Ellen Alpsten was born and raised in the Kenyan highlands and holds a MSc from the IEP de Paris.
She worked as a News-Anchor for Bloomberg TV London before writing fulltime.
Her debut novel ‘Tsarina’ was widely translated and shortlisted for numerous awards.
‘The Last Princess’ is the first book in her new trilogy.’
My thoughts: Going back to Britain just before the Norman Conquest, Gytha Godwinson is the eldest daughter of Harold, later, briefly, the king and most famous for getting an arrow in the eye.
After her father is deposed and killed by the Norman’s, led by William the Bastard (later the Conqueror) Gytha and her brothers Edmond and Magnus flee to their kinsman in Denmark. However things are not straightforward there, as Sweyn, the king and their cousin, has married the widow of one of their father’s enemies, who he killed in battle.
Gytha is treated like a thrall (a slave) and expected to help around the settlement, doing chores and fetching and carrying, despite being a princess.
Life was not easy in 1066 and discovering that Tora (the queen) is actively working against them and against the new Christian religion, Gytha, her brothers and her new friend Amira, must find a way to survive and plan their escape.
Clever and enjoyable, this was a window into the past, and into another world. The first in a new series, I don’t remember Gytha ever being mentioned in history lessons at school so I look forward to learning more about her and her life in the next book.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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