For those looking for a straight up biography of this French King, you may find yourselves disappointed - or might I suggest reading the synopsis wherein the author, Hanley, states her intent.

This is literally a look at the man on a broader political scale, in context with four Plantagenet Kings - Henry II and his sons, Henry the young King, Richard, John and grandson, Henry III - all of who at one time or another were enemies, rivals and allies, often all three ... at once.

It is a study of a young man determined to rule on his own, "... fully aware of the nest of vipers that surrounded him..." - both within and without France. He was a shrewd, methodical ruler, who exploited the factions around him for his own benefit. Philip had a well-developed political acumen; he was a mentally competent and agile strategist, often both single-minded and ruthless - "... he did not necessarily have to draw his sword in order to achieve his political aims ...".

Philip was a monarch driven to protect and empower France, and as a consequence of this self-styled mission, he raised up men based upon their talent and aptitude. But his greatest quality was his patience - he was all about playing the long game, and stored up information for future use. Such was his military and political acumen that he outlived, outwitted and outfought Henry II, his four sons and grandson.

Hanley's book on Philip is well researched, informative, very readable, being neither dry nor pompously academic in tone. There are ample footnotes at the end of each chapter to allow the reader to explore more on their own. Being slightly pro-Plantagent myself, I found myself moving into Philip's corner on more than one occasion.

For a more indepth biography and history of the period, you would do well to chase up books by Jim Bradbury and Elizabeth Hallam.

An excellent book on the life of one of France's greatest monarchs, and how the policies he created, would shape relations between England and France for decades.

As it happens, I've been watching various Great Courses about the history of Europe, especially Britain and France. So I had a lot of background to this book. Nevertheless it was a bit of a struggle. Too many Henrys! I commend Ms Hanley for her efforts, but I won't be reviewing the book.

In their introduction, Hanley states that "this book is not a biography in the traditional sense." Indeed, it tells the life of Philip Augustus through his campaigns against the royal Plantagenet family of England. It began with Henry II, who was 47 when Philip - aged 16 - became King of France. Henry II controlled vast portions of France, largely thanks to his marriage to indomitable Eleanor of Aquitaine, but suffered from near constant familial turmoil. Of his sons, Richard the Lionheart, later Richard II, reveled in being the biggest thorn in Philip's side. Hanley explains that traditionally, Philip "has been portrayed as a schemer who avoided combat," but truthfully "his military prowess has been vastly underrated." Richard may have had the reputation of a foolishly brave yet cruel warrior, but Philip knew how to play the long game, facing his enemy in battle when the time was right. France remained Philip's top priority, for worse or better, and he outlived them all.

I enjoyed this one, especially when Hanley delivers a line of biting sarcasm to take these royal lads down a peg. However, I thought that Philip's exceptional anti-Semitism, his willful detachment from the persecution of the Cathars, and his cold treatment of his wife, were not explored nearly enough. Hanley brings up these points, offhandedly and at various times as personality flaws, but just as quickly moves on. I realize that Hanley has generations of "jolly King Richard" myth to overcome, but Philip's own cruel actions cannot be understated or ignored. That being said, Hanley's descriptions of the siege of Château Gaillard and the Battle of Bouvines were excellent and the action packed family drama never lets up.

Nemesis by Catherine Hanley is one of those books that satiated a certain thirst, but also left me with a feeling that somethings were missing. Nemesis looks at the life of Philip Augustus, King of France, and how he battled (almost literally) through a slew of Plantagenet kings. As far as dealing with the interplay of Philip and Henry II and his sons, the book is very readable and moves at a very brisk pace.

The counterpoint to that is the reader is left feeling like a bit too much is glossed over. For instance, Hanley certainly mentions the amazing amount of antisemitism Philip unleashed during his reign. However, because this is not related to his battles with the Plantagenets, it is not much more than a quick aside. As a reader, I felt very much like I was told a tremendous amount about Philip but did not get to know him. These were the aspects that left me wanting much more in a bad way.

That said, Hanley has done wonderful research and as a book which zips by and clearly tells a story, it is a good one. I really enjoyed Hanley's previous book, 1217, and those who enjoyed that one will be happy here as well.

(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by NetGalley and Osprey Publishing.)