Our Snarky Sisters take a trip in the way back machine to visit the year 1066 and the reign of William the Conqueror. In this week's episode of Questionable History, we take a deep dive into the plot and characters of Julie Garwood's classic romance The Prize. This is one of Amy's all time favorite books, and she convinced Beth to like it too by the end. Disclaimer: Neither Beth nor Amy are history majors or experts in this time period so any misinformation is unintentional and due to ignorance on the part of our hosts.
This story follows two very strong characters Nicholaa and Royce as they navigate the trials of a marriage between relative strangers who happen to be on opposite sides of a war. Nicholaa is a strong Saxon heiress, fiercely protective of her family and her home. She refuses to be a pawn of the new (and much hated) Norman King William and through cunning and guile she is able to avoid being captured by the previous knights the King has sent to capture his "prize" for one of his faithful Norman barons.
Enter our hero Royce, King William's best and most powerful warrior knight. He matches Nicholaa for cunning and is eventually able to do what no other knight has been able to accomplish - outwit the King's prize and drag her protesting all the way to London. Once in London, after an act of bravery, Nicholaa is awarded the right to choose her own "prize" from among the King's many warriors. She of course chooses Royce because a. he is the only one she knows and b. she already kind of digs him, even if he is a hated Norman.
The rest of the book is these two stubborn individuals trying to make a peaceful life together. Each is certain they know how to make the other one bend to their will, and each secretly hopes the other will return their feelings of love soon. There is a lot growth on both sides as loyalties have to shift and compromises have to be made to make a peaceful marriage. But eventually these two crazy kids make it to their happy ending and along the way there is adventure, intrigue, and laughter.
Along the way we are stumped by the following questions:
- How do you pronounce our heroine's name? Is the second 'a' silent?
- Was the right to win a woman in a tournament/challenge the origins of the 'Trophy Wife'?
- How hard was it to get a divorce in 1066? Easier or harder than Regency period?
- What is the deal with Baron Guy's vassals? Are they secretly in love with him and that is why they are willing to kill for him? Is it a bromance taken too far?
- And why did Beth have such a hard time reading this book - even though she ended up enjoying it by the end?
If you know the answers to any of these questions - or if you have a suggestion for a book we should read and review on our podcast - please reach out to us at snarkysisterspodcast@gmail.com
