Really enjoyed this book. Great plot and engaging, believe characters. I was drawn right into the story. Would definitely recommend.

I love everything about this book so much. I learned a lot new facts that I did not know till read this book. I will be reading more books by this writer.

After Sharon Kay Penman, historical fiction, especially set in the Plantagenet era, has to be really good to stand up to comparison. This is a mechanical recounting of the Peasants' Revolt and the Lords Appellant in their defiance of Richard II, and Richard's reliance on his wife and a closed circle of advisers to rule a country devastated by war and plague.

Complete with map and cast of characters, this book delivered! Crowned king at age 10, King Richard had an uphill battle throughout a good portion of his early reign. This book follows actual people and events but makes it tangible for a younger crowd. I found myself pulled in and wanting to know what happened next! While some of the verbage was a little much for middle grade ("shrieking and howling like the demons of hell") I thought the overall story was engaging and a young generation learn history, to an extent, while also being entertained.

A King Under Siege by Mercedes Rochelle os the first in a line of novels covering a series about the Plantagenet line. This book is about Richard II and his formative years. It discusses the early part ofhis rein (starting with the “Peasants’ revolt of 1381) and builds a foundation of how Richard II becomes the ruler that we know of today.
It sheds light on what kind of ruler was developed from a boy that had to deal with a lot of cards stacked against him from the beginning: lack of a healthy male role model, lack of being exposed to others his age by being sheltered, being a king initially only in namesake-ruled by his cabinet and his Uncles, and trying to assert his rule over his people and kingdom.
A lot of questions are answered with thos book, however a lot more are added...making this an excellent first installment.

4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGally for allowing me to read this book in return for my honest review.

Richard II was quite a figure! Crowned at the age of 10, he found himself facing down his own countrymen at a young age. During the time of his minority, the country was restless. He faced down Wat Tyler and his band of rebels. But this would not be the only time that he found himself besieged - and all before he was able to govern on his own.

Richard II is a figure that most tend to look over. Starting his reign at a young age, many tend to want to overlook what he was able to accomplish, flying in the face of what his advisors wanted to do. He wanted a country that was peaceful and prosperous. Those who were in power, however, wanted more. They sought to remove the king from his friends and allies, murdering those who got in their way.

This book was fabulous! I was hooked from the start, and could not put it down! Mercedes Rochelle has done it again with a book that not only brings history to life but breathes a fresh perspective into a figure that has fallen largely from the pages of our history books. Grab this book now, you will not be sorry!

A well researched book about king Richard II and the beginning of his reign and his fight to keep his kingdom. A very good read perfect for any fan of English history