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The Fool's Tale
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Plot Summary of The Fool's Tale
"

Morrow, Jan 2005, 25.95
ISBN: 0060721502

In 1198 Wales is a chaotic country divided into four separate principalities with neighbors coveting and quarreling. One of the rulers, Maelgwyn “Noble” ap Cadwallon struggles to keep his crown with the English and his Welsh peers assuming he is too young, inexperienced and an easy mark. The Norman killed Noble's father in one attack; the lad survived due to the fast thinking of a lowlife friend named Gwirion.

To bolster his hold on his kingdom, Noble weds Isabel, the enemy's daughter. However Isabel detests wedding this loser who has befriended Gwirion the royal Fool. While Noble is at war, his castle is taken; his wife and the Fool are incarcerated. To their mutual horror they begin to fall in love. When Noble returns and regains all he almost lost, he believes that his spouse and his loyal friend cuckolded him; even if they did not everyone thinks they did and image is everything to a leader.

Readers will initially dislike Isabel because she acts nasty towards the witty courageous Fool and does not hide her contempt for her likable husband. However, as the tale plays out, fans will empathize with Isabel as the realization is she is a pawn of pork politics.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Fool's Tale
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - Distant past/middle ages
Forbidden/mismatched love? Yes
How mismatched? - loving someone from historic enemy
Love Triangles/Polygons Yes
What kind: - one woman-two men
Marriage/Married Yes
Marriage subplot: - married off against wishes

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Female Character
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
What % of story is romance related? - 80%
Focus of story - equally on 3 in a l-triangle
How much dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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Nicole Galland Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Harriet Klausner  

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