Synopsis
Forget jousts and quests and dragons—a real knight had real work to do, lots of mouths to feed, and trouble could ride over the hill at any moment. Castles were dark, armor was uncomfortable, and jousts and tournaments (not to mention real battles) were dangerous—and expensive. As in the popular and successful What If You Met a Pirate? an informative, entertaining text and energetic illustrations, diagrams, and cross sections combine to explore a subject with loads of kid appeal.
VOYA
The author, cleverly described on the cover as "scribe and illuminator," takes a skeptical look at the stereotypes surrounding the handsome, adventurous medieval knights and their chivalrous era known as the Dark Ages. He goes about debunking the glamorous, exciting life of the typical knight by highlighting scores of responsibilities that these men endured as landlord, planter, military trainer, judge, banker, and merchant. The legend of King Arthur and heroic deeds like the slaying of dragons grew out of traveling minstrels' tales much later on and contributed to historical misconceptions. These exaggerated exploits are examined along with the basic concept of feudalism, the hierarchy of the nobility, the authority of the church, everyday life in a typical castle and village (including bathroom habits and hygiene), the truth about armor and weaponry, and the tragedy surrounding the crusades. All of the above topics are presented in a fun way, with informative yet humorous illustrations accompanying the text. This highly entertaining yet educational work is the first in a planned series that will separate romance from fact for other historical occupations such as pirates and cowboys. There are even faux recommendations from medieval notables on the back cover praising the book. Like Eleanor of Aquitaine, this reviewer found the book "amusing and charming."