Devil-Land
England Under Siege, 1588-1688
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Devil-Land
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Narrated by:
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Emma Gregory
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By:
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Clare Jackson
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
A Book of the Year 2021, as chosen by The Times, New Statesman, Telegraph and Times Literary Supplement.
A groundbreaking portrait of the most turbulent century in English history.
Among foreign observers, 17th-century England was known as 'Devil-Land': a diabolical country of fallen angels, torn apart by seditious rebellion, religious extremism and royal collapse. Clare Jackson's dazzling original account of English history's most turbulent and radical era tells the story of a nation in a state of near continual crisis.
As an unmarried heretic with no heir, Elizabeth I was regarded with horror by Catholic Europe, while her Stuart successors, James I and Charles I, were seen as impecunious and incompetent. The traumatic civil wars, regicide and a republican Commonwealth were followed by the floundering foreign-leaning rule of Charles II and his brother, James II, before William of Orange invaded England with a Dutch army and a new order was imposed.
Devil-Land reveals England as, in many ways, a 'failed state': endemically unstable and rocked by devastating events from the Gunpowder Plot to the Great Fire of London. Catastrophe nevertheless bred creativity, and Jackson makes brilliant use of eyewitness accounts—many penned by stupefied foreigners—to dramatize her great story. Starting on the eve of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and concluding with a not-so 'Glorious Revolution' a hundred years later, Devil-Land is a spectacular reinterpretation of England's vexed and enthralling past.
©2021 Clare Jackson (P)2022 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"A big historical advance. Ours, it turns out, is a very un-insular 'Island Story'. And its 17th-century chapter will never look quite the same again." (John Adamson, Sunday Times)
What listeners say about Devil-Land
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 19-04-24
Detailed history that expands the impact of the Stuart period upon Europe.
A very detailed and comprehensive history about a period often neglected. I listened on audio book having decided I would not find time to read it. On Audio it is around 24 hours long with most chapters being an hour long. If I were currently studying the period, as I have in the past for personal interest, I would buy the book. The impact and consequences for other European powers of the period, the tensions between Protestantism and Catholicism, and those between Parliamentary power and that of the respective king make this an excellent book.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Rohan Kennedy-Turner
- 17-11-23
A narrow focus on a broad period
Narrowly focused on international relations, devil-land hurriedly skirts over major events of the period
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- STEVE
- 17-07-23
Excellent & pleasantly paced
A fresh eye on a well-travelled road - Ms Jackson & her reader should be complimented.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-09-23
Political, detail-heavy history
I found I had to persevere at times as sometimes the big picture was getting lost in the details. I think some more big picture analysis would of helped as it was a struggle to keep track of all the competing parties. I had to pause occasionally to look things up to remind myself of what's going on. Particularly it's a ambassadorial history as so much of it is first hand accounts of diplomats, which is fine, but it felt heavily relied on. Also beware it's primarily a political history and there's little military detail or perspectives outside of the political players of the era. For some though that might be exactly what you're looking for.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 13-04-23
Devil-Land
A Fantastic listen.Very well narrated with an indepth look on a complicated period in English history.If i could give more than 5 stars i would.👍🥰
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 18-02-23
A gentle wave
Nice book, nice tempo. plenty of colourful descriptions. Fairer on the Stuarts than some histories. I recommend this book.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mr B G Bowers
- 13-07-23
Disappointing
Great content but overly complicated by dated quotes throughout. One of our countries most pivotal centuries sent me to sleep….
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1 person found this helpful