The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

He's hoping to get some good sex in return, because right now she's being passive while he rapes her. Yes he eventually buys her nice clothes (because she has none left and is going to appear at court). Wulfgar treats her completely as a whore. Oh yes, and the mother is still wearing rags and treated like dirt too. Soon Aislinn is wearing rags, the sister has stolen all her property and Wulfgar keeps raping her. But then when his sister shows up and starts emotionally abusing Aislinn, he just lets it go on. OK, let's say he felt a simmering love for her and this was his (albeit inappropriate) way of showing it. And no worthy knight would continually rape a woman. However, a knight I would want to fall in love with would not be one of those. Yes, some shady knights would occasionally rape a woman.

You could say 'all men raped women in 1066' - but first, this is not true, and second, he was a knight. But that doesn't give a man leave to continually rape a woman. I understand the whole 'wanted love as a child' angle. There were lots of bastards in these days. So what? William, his liege lord, is a bastard and he's crowned king. He doesn't care and continually rape her. He pretty much immediately begins to RAPE HER DAILY. Aislinn herself is raped by the first knight who comes through. Her mother, an intelligent, caring healer, is beaten and turned into a rag-wearing slave. Then in storms the Normans and her father is slain right before her eyes. She is engaged to a neighboring lord and all is going well. To delve into this we have to examine the plot.Īislinn is raised as a loved noble woman. At least, I had really thought we had until I saw some of the reviews here! It really upsets me that women readers thought that Wulfgar was a hero. Well, medieval times haven't changed - but WOMEN have changed since the early 70s. I mean, medieval times haven't changed that much, right?

This was written back in 1974, but I love medieval romance and eagerly bought a copy. Someone in that review suggested if people loved meaningful medieval romances that they should check out The Wolf and The Dove. I adore the Lady Danger series by Sarah McKerrigan. SPOILER WARNING - THIS REVIEW TALKS ABOUT PLOT POINTS

The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss