The Deepening Night (The Kingdom of the East Angles Book 3) Kindle Edition

I’ve gotta say I was fairly impressed with this work. While most self-published works seem to get some things right while lacking in others, this one impresses in all areas but one. This is a great look at a historical era often ignored in fiction.

Dark Ages Britain doesn’t get much love when it comes to historical fiction, especially the century this one is in, the 600s. We’re talking pre-Viking, pre-Alfred the Great, pre-anything the average person nowadays is aware of. For a self-published author to tackle this seems all the more impressive knowing this. And she does it fantastically well!!

Castel goes the extra length to pull real names from the fogginess of poorly recorded history and fleshes these people with real personalities. Most of the characters and settings that people this work are real individuals and places too, even down to the babes-in-arms and where they were baptized. Towns, protective works, landscape features, and counties are all vibrant settings that could be located on a map today. Obscure, barely legible names on parchment splash their motives, plans, love, and revenge across the page with panache.

All the characters are well-fleshed out, even the antagonistic ones that drive me up a wall. However, I have to give a special shout-out to our lead, Saewara.

She’s a woman with guts, especially given the timeframe she lives in and the special hardships women faced in it. She tries to shape her own life only to fail. She pays the price for her independence striving and goes to a truly dark place emotionally. Yet, she doesn’t let that completely overtake her life; she takes stock of her situation and creates other opportunities and connections to for a new life. As a result, she is able to find a new purpose in life and a beautifully passionate love match that she never saw coming. Where she ultimately ends up in the end is jaw dropping. Badass doesn’t even begin to cover it! The phrase “You go, girl!” echoed through my head more than once.

My only hitch with this book is a specific scenario that happened once Saewara got to her new home. Of course, being who she was and in the locale she found herself, she was bound to get some flack. Yet, it developed into a scenario one would find more in a modern high school than Dark Ages Britain. The exchanges and personalities involved came off as more juvenile teenager exchanges than between female romantic rivals. Saewara faced everything with her calm, strong exterior, but every time she was engaged with these people, I cringed.

Despite that one ding, this book is a solid historical fiction and romance. With strong characters (You go, Saewara girl!! LOL) and fantastic research, this author has proven her skills and chops along with the best of the field. I look forward to diving into more of her works!!

I enjoyed it. It was fast paced and not slow moving one bit. I have a short attention span so if nothing is happening by the time I reach the middle I usually find myself deleting it off the kindle or tossing it in the trash.
I wouldn't mind reading more books from this author. Although there were a few errors that were noticeable in the book that I kept catching but that still didn't take away or annoy me too much. I wanted more in the end. Loved all the characters. I was sad it all came to an end. I would recommend this book. I can only hope that all Jayne Castel's books are just as good as this one.

I have been neglecting reading review books until I was finished with this series, really greatly enjoyed it. And so the new series will need to wait a bit. I have figured out how I connect ancestrally to this area so perhaps that is why it is so meaningful.

Jayne Castel is a fine writer, does fine historical work and if she varies anything, it is explained in impeccable author's notes. She has shed light on and developed characters for a time period that is mostly invisible.

Great Book. I love books that have a storyline, and history in it too. Love the characters, and all in it. Thank you Ms. Castle.

Very exciting and entertaining. I have read three of the authors books and have enjoyed each one. I will definitely be reading more.