Gilt (The Royal Circle, #1)

Oct 14, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, ya, historical-fiction, highly-recommended, own

Not gonna lie, I will read the shit out of most young adult historical fiction books about the Tudors. Seriously, that noise with King Henry VIII is like a reality show with how many wives he goes through. YOU GUYS Gilt by Katherine Longshore fulfilled all my wildest historical fiction dreams AND MORE. I love historical fiction but have been burned with some bad ones lately, and y’all I am here to let you know Gilt is one of the GOOD ones.
Read the rest of my review here

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May 18, 2012 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, young-adult-fiction, hf-england, 2012-reads, 2012-reviews, reviewed, i-cant-fight-this-feeeeling-anymore, royal-family-tiffs-and-squabbles, owned-copy

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

Sometimes, with entertainment like books and television shows, it's good to take in the pure fun side of things, the guilty pleasures one doesn't necessarily advertise as favorites. I for one, am a biiig fan of hilariously bad television, ~~like Glee,~~ and GCB. Much like GCB, new young-adult offering Gilt isn't the most sophisticated adaption of its source material but it is hard to stop reading from the get-go. Also like the ill-fated GCB, this histor...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

Sometimes, with entertainment like books and television shows, it's good to take in the pure fun side of things, the guilty pleasures one doesn't necessarily advertise as favorites. I for one, am a biiig fan of hilariously bad television, ~~like Glee,~~ and GCB. Much like GCB, new young-adult offering Gilt isn't the most sophisticated adaption of its source material but it is hard to stop reading from the get-go. Also like the ill-fated GCB, this historical fiction jaunt into the 16th century isn't a long-lasting endeavor; though Gilt clocks in at nearly 400 pages in the official hardback edition, those pages fly by in the unputdownable telling of Katherine "Kitty" Tylney's narrative. I definitely didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I need, nor that I would rate it 4 stars when finished, despite the anachronisms and issues that do plague the novel. However, the expansive amounts of entertainment I gleaned from the few hours it took to read more than make Katherine Longshore's Tudoor historical debut one of the best guilty pleasures of 2012.

I found the friendship between Cat Howard and Kitty Tylney to be compelling, in a very sick and twisted fashion. Many of Cat's maids were warped by the Queen's manipulations, but it is poor, desperate and unloved Kitty that takes the cake. Even by looking at the nicknames chosen for each girl (by Cat, no less), it's an obvious power-imbalance between the two, with Kitty being the pale reflection of Cat's vaunted life. Gilt takes pains to make clear fairly early on how callous and dumb Cat is, and Kitty's dependence on the whims of an overly petulant child spell doom from the first chapter on. Katherine Tylney was a real courtier at the court of Henry VIII, but very little is known about her, either before or after the trial of Queen Catherine. Whoever she might have been, I have to hope that the real woman had more backbone than the one shown here. While I thoroughly and completely enjoyed her narrative, Kitty herself is a limp dishrag, a doormat who refuses to speak up for anything. It's hard to root for such a limp, weak person but the growth and self-worth her character needs is delayed but there. Eventually. Cat is compelling to read about in her hell-bent cruise for destruction - even knowing what happens to nearly every character before starting, Longshore made the ride to the expected end indelibly her own.

Despite Gilt being a debut and the first in a new series, you wouldn't know it from reading it; it flows admirably well, the looming and known demise hanging offsides and off screen. Katherine Longshore easily and quickly establishes herself as quite the natural storyteller, with the appropriate touches of foreboding and lightheartedness. Though Kitty may defy basic rules of human anatomy for 95% of the novel (because she lacks a spine... ba dum dum ch!), her story and life as Cat Howard's shadow is entirely compelling. The quick-moving pacing of the novel does it many favors as well, for as the Court moves house fresh dangers and problems await at each new locale. The author also has an obvious and natural hand for evoking a feeling of atmosphere using her words - one can really feel the tension and fear build and build as the novel progresses. A note on the title of this - I cmopletely love it; it's absolutely perfect for the novel of intrigue and backbiting it announces. I love that one single word manages to be double, and even triple-layered with meaning for the novel itself and the characters therein. Subtly alluding to the glamor that masks the danger as well as the guilt of its main characters for their respective misdeeds, the title more than compensates for the less-than-ideal cover. If the language used in the book had been more accurate and less modern ("bitchy" and "shut up"? Really?), Gilt could very well have been a 4.5 or a 5 for me, so much so was my love for the majority of this novel.

With just the right touches of drama, romance, and betrayal set amid a glittering Court of jewels and lies, Gilt is sure to find a wide audience. Though it may not be the most high-brow of historical/Tudor fiction, it is obvious that the author has done credible research and knows her source material quite well. Outside of the dialogue and vocabulary misused, there is little to complain about and a lot to enjoy. I can't wait for more from this author and this series. (less)

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May 06, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gilt is so perfectly named. It was my guilty pleasure. I know this is weird (and when have I not been weird) but it reminded me of my favorite pizza. Whenever I want to be lazy (which is often), and not take the time to get out the ingredients, slice and dice, and cook dinner, I get this wonderful pizza from down the street. And I love it. It is so much easier than making dinner. And really, it probably tastes better.

Gilt was my favorite pizza. It is the lazy person’s historical fiction but in...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, from-publishers, fantasy-historical, ya-contemporary-romance

I've read a few historical books over the past few years but they've always been historical paranormal, so going into Gilt - which is a historical contemporary story, was a bit different for me. I was worried I wouldn't like it because I've never been big on history - in all honestly, I found it boring in school. I've heard of Henry VIII and his six wives and I've probably even studied them in school (not that I can remember now) I've never really took the time to find out their stories and how...more I've read a few historical books over the past few years but they've always been historical paranormal, so going into Gilt - which is a historical contemporary story, was a bit different for me. I was worried I wouldn't like it because I've never been big on history - in all honestly, I found it boring in school. I've heard of Henry VIII and his six wives and I've probably even studied them in school (not that I can remember now) I've never really took the time to find out their stories and how they died. But now Gilt was quite a fascinating read and one that I found very compelled to finish.

I really enjoyed Gilt. With the story following Catherine Howard's best friend Kitty, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I'll tell you I certainly got a lot more than I expected. It's full of joy, hope and love but that's only the good side, the bad side is full of hidden secrets, sorrow and death. It's a hard time to live in because a women's job is to get married and bare children, but Catherine knows she wants more than that, so when she captures the heart of King Henry, she brings Kitty into the fold too - which becomes highly dangerous for Kitty. Because of her friendship to Catherine, kitty feels a deep loyalty to her so she tries to cover up Catherine's affairs but it really puts Kitty in more trouble.

Henry VIII came across as a scary man. He's a King and there's something about him that makes you want to hide in a corner. I really didn't like him and even after finishing Gilt, admittedly I was goggling just what exactly happened to Henry and his other wife's. I've definitely came away from Gilt feeling like I've learnt about a huge part of history and honestly, I'm intrigued to find out more.

While I enjoyed Gilt, I did have a few problems with it. I felt the story slowed down a bit towards the middle. I really couldn't see what was going to happen next and felt as though at least 50 pages of the story didn't need to be there and then the ending. Oh I really would have liked more closure on Kitty's story. The ending was left wide open and I was dying to know what happened between her and William.

All in all, Gilt is an eye-opening and enjoyable read - one that I'd highly recommend to anyone who is looking for something a bit different from their normal read. (less)

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May 11, 2012 Katy rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book really dragged, and when it didn't bore me, it made me angry. I'm sorry, but I just don't think this book was for me.

One of the reasons I was so intrigued with the book summary was because I thought I would be reading some sort of fictionalized romance with King Henry. But he only appears a few times in the book, and the main story concerning Cat was about her selfish ambition and scandals.

And Kitty. I know she's supposed to be the innocent wallflower, but I can't get over how mad she...more

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May 18, 2012 Tintaglia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, galleys

L'ascesa e la caduta di Catherine Howard, quinta moglie di Enrivo VIII, vista dagli occhi di Kitty, sua migliore amica, sua ombra, sua dama di compagnia. Testimone fin dall'infanzia dei maneggi di Cat, ambiziosa, manipolatrice, e discretamente scervellata (ok, questa è la mia opinione!) ma soggiogata dalla forza di volontà e dal carisma dell'amica, la vede prima entrare a corte, poi nel letto del re, e infine stancarsi di un marito con trentacinque anni di più e una gamba malata e degli intrighi...more L'ascesa e la caduta di Catherine Howard, quinta moglie di Enrivo VIII, vista dagli occhi di Kitty, sua migliore amica, sua ombra, sua dama di compagnia. Testimone fin dall'infanzia dei maneggi di Cat, ambiziosa, manipolatrice, e discretamente scervellata (ok, questa è la mia opinione!) ma soggiogata dalla forza di volontà e dal carisma dell'amica, la vede prima entrare a corte, poi nel letto del re, e infine stancarsi di un marito con trentacinque anni di più e una gamba malata e degli intrighi che avvolgono il mondo dorato su cui brevemente, incoscientemente, ha voluto regnare.
"Gilt" è la doratura, la placcatura scintillante che avvolge all'inizio il mondo di corte e Cat stessa, e che lentamente viene via, a scaglie, per mostrare agli occhi di Kitty, sempre più smaliziata, sempre meno innocente, quel che sta sotto: l'ipocrisia e la crudeltà dei maneggi politici; l'inaffidabilità degli uomini; l'egocentrismo e l'indifferenza di Cat a qualsiasi cosa non sia il suo interesse o il suo benessere - anche se corre il rischio di portare sè stessa e tutti coloro che le sono vicini sul patibolo.
E' anche la storia della presa di coscienza e della liberazione di Kitty, del suo passaggio da ombra di Cat a persona "reale", cosciente dei propri desideri e delle proprie emozioni, desiderosa di quella libertà e indipendenza che alle donne, condannate a servire prima la famiglia poi il marito scelto dalla famiglia, è negato.
Anche se, all'orizzonte, si profila il regno di Elisabetta I.
La ricostruzione è abbastanza precisa, e indagati accuratamente sono i moti dell'animo di Kitty e le dinamiche della corte, ma non mi ha entusiasmato: c'è anche da dire che, dopo il precedente di The wicked and the just, per un altro romanzo storico è difficile reggere il confronto.

Consigliato, comunque, per una lettura leggere e interessante insieme, soprattutto dopo aver visto I Tudors: giusto per orientarsi al meglio nella marea di personaggi storici che si affacciano dalle pagine di questo dettagliatissimo romanzo.(less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, arc, 2012-ya-hist-fic-challenge, 2012-debut-author-challenge

Gilt, the debut novel by author Katherine Longshore, tells the story the rise and fall of Catherine "Cat" Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII, from the point of view of her friend, Kitty Tylney. Kitty was a real person who grew up with Cat and accompanied her to court when she became queen, but not much is known about her, so the author imagines what her life might have been like. The two girls were raised together from the age of six in the household of the Duchess of Norfolk. Cat was alw...more Gilt, the debut novel by author Katherine Longshore, tells the story the rise and fall of Catherine "Cat" Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII, from the point of view of her friend, Kitty Tylney. Kitty was a real person who grew up with Cat and accompanied her to court when she became queen, but not much is known about her, so the author imagines what her life might have been like. The two girls were raised together from the age of six in the household of the Duchess of Norfolk. Cat was always the beautiful, popular one, who ruled over all the girls in the household. Kitty was pretty much dependent on Cat and very passive, which was frustrating to read at times. I hated seeing Cat use her and wanted to yell at her to grow a backbone.

Cat, who had always loved attention and beautiful gowns and jewels, and wanted to marry a rich man who could give her everything she wanted, is thrilled to catch the attention of King Henry VIII, who soon marries her. But being Queen is not all that Cat hoped it would be. She's stuck with an old, overweight, smelly husband. Kitty can only watch as Cat destroys her life, and risks the lives of everyone in her household, by having an affair. Meanwhile, Kitty herself is in love with a man she isn't sure will ever love her back, while Cat tries to push her towards an affair with a man who is attractive but whom Kitty doesn't love. Cat was quite cruel to Kitty about this, and it was again hard to read. The rather one-sided friendship between Kitty and Cat is quite similar to the popular girls in high school today, who often use the less popular girls who are desperate to be friends with them. Cat's cruel personality and thoughtless actions made it extremely difficult to feel any sympathy for her, even thought she had been pushed into an unfair situation by her family and never should have been expected to marry a man so much older than her, who had her cousin Anne Boleyn, one of his previous wives, executed. Cat willfully made one bad choice after another without considering the consequences her actions could have, not just for herself but for others. Ultimately, I liked Kitty, I just wish she had taken charge of her own life much sooner and not allowed Cat to use her so much.

Despite my frustration with Cat's character (which may have been intended by the author) and the fact that some of the word choices in the dialogue were extremely modern, overall I thought Gilt was a solid debut novel and I would definitely read more by Katherine Longshore. I believe she is planning to continue this series with novels about other characters at the Tudor court and I definitely plan to try them. I think other readers who like me are fascinated by anything set in the Tudor era would enjoy this book, and because there's a lot of parallels to contemporary society in the story, readers who don't normally read a lot of historical fiction might enjoy the book as well. (less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Mimi Valentine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: possible-review

I loooooooooooooooooove that the two girls' names are Cat and Kitty! I wish my name was as awesome as theirs :') But even though mine isn't as cute, I'm really enjoying this book so far! ♥

EDIT: And DONE. I actually really enjoyed this book! There are a few things I had problems with -- like a lot of Cat and Kitty's decisions -- but there are a lot of things I liked too. One being the writing, which was so beautiful! Gilt may be more of a 3.5 read for me, but I will definitely be reading all of K...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, arcs-read, historical-fiction, tudors, full-of-wonderful, edelweiss-netgalley

"You still remember that?" she said. "How we used to play that we were at court?"
"Used to?" I said. "We never stopped."
The game had just changed - from little girls playing princesses to a more grown-up and complicated hierarchy of status and favor.

I am far from a professional when it comes to history but I would consider myself a huge fan of the Tudor era. I've read up on the era enough to know the majority of what occurred but possibly not enough to point out historical inaccuracies when I rea...more "You still remember that?" she said. "How we used to play that we were at court?"
"Used to?" I said. "We never stopped."
The game had just changed - from little girls playing princesses to a more grown-up and complicated hierarchy of status and favor.

I am far from a professional when it comes to history but I would consider myself a huge fan of the Tudor era. I've read up on the era enough to know the majority of what occurred but possibly not enough to point out historical inaccuracies when I read a story like Gilt. Based on what I do know; however, it is important to me that these stories maintain as much of the true to life story as possible. That said, I feel that the author did an outstanding job of the story of Catherine 'Cat' Howard and how she became the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Was it completely accurate? No. But it was damn fun. I've read stories about Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Anne of Cleves, so it was interesting to finally read a story on Catherine Howard.

The story is told from the POV of Kitty Tylney, Cat's best friend, who is sent to court in order to stay close to Catherine and to keep a close eye on her at court. The two grew up together and were wild; always having fun of some sort. Midnight parties. Sharing their bed with boys. Cat was the Queen of Misrule over all the girls living in the house and had no idea that someday she would be a true Queen. Queen of England.

Cat was quite the stuck-up brat and I know for a fact I would not have enjoyed it as much if I had to listen to a story told through her eyes. Kitty was an extremely realistic character that I loved for her strength and determination. Life at court was as can be expected with the lies, the cheating, the double-crossing, and all the disloyalty anyone could ask for. I was hooked from page one.

I'm a huge historical fiction fan; however, I have had a difficult time finding good YA historical fiction that I truly enjoy. I'm happy to say that this one has an official spot at the very top of that list. Am quite excited to see how the author continues this series!(less)

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Sep 23, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: light-historical, soapy-melodrama, tudors-et-al, young-adult, impulse-shopping, zz-2012, pleasantly-surprised, keepers-ya, hoopy-good-reads, reviewed, favorites-all-time, awesome-heroines, royals-behaving-badly

I had low expectations for this book & almost didn't buy it. (Impulse shopping in the grocery store book aisle...yeah, that's a crap shoot. :P) But now I'm glad I did.

The premise is simple enough -- i.e., the rise & fall of Catherine Howard as witnessed by her servant & friend Kitty Tilney. Rather than invent a new character for narrative purposes, the author chose a documented companion (Katherine Tylney) who boarded with young Catherine before her marriage & then traveled with...more I had low expectations for this book & almost didn't buy it. (Impulse shopping in the grocery store book aisle...yeah, that's a crap shoot. :P) But now I'm glad I did.

The premise is simple enough -- i.e., the rise & fall of Catherine Howard as witnessed by her servant & friend Kitty Tilney. Rather than invent a new character for narrative purposes, the author chose a documented companion (Katherine Tylney) who boarded with young Catherine before her marriage & then traveled with her to the royal court. Other than her name, her job, & a few lines of interrogation, nothing is known about her. But the character Ms Longshore created rings true to the times so far as family background & stifled roles within the household & court. According to the author's notes, Ms Longshore's entire cast is based on actual people with the exception of William & Standebanke, who are Kitty's romantic choices; however, both are created from names in the recorded entourage of royals. (Wouldn't it be amusing if they really had been young & handsome? ;P)

I liked Kitty a lot. She's reluctant to assert herself & easily intimidated, but I wouldn't call her a doormat. Given her social status & lack of possibilities for advancement, I thought she was very believable. She's faced with several choices throughout the novel -- whether to obey the Queen or tattle to the King, whether to abandon court or take up with slimey Standebanke -- and none of those options are ideal. But in terms of staying alive, she makes the smarter choice; someone in her position had no real protection but to shut up & do what they're told. I enjoy authors who aren't afraid to let their characters make mistakes & live to repent them. (view spoiler)

Speaking of Catherine...many negative reviews make mention of Kitty's passivity versus Cat. What these reviews fail to appreciate is that this is NOT a positive friendship. It's an abusive relationship wherein Kitty is the victim. Like most victims, Kitty excuses her tormenter to the point where she's deliberately blind to the toxic nature of the relationship. So, no -- it's not until the end of the book that she takes a stand against Cat. She can't do it because she's never had an opportunity, or even the will to learn how. Kitty is an exploration of emotional abuse, so don't expect two dominant females clashing over the upper hand in their friendship. (For those who want positive closure: there's an upbeat ending to Kitty's story, but not a HEA in the traditional sense.)

...Anyway, that's enough of that.

On a technical note, the writing was quite smooth. There's a conversational flow to the narration, & also some gritty moments (yay!) -- but it has a deceptive richness to the language & style. Kitty's voice reminded me of a Philippa Gregory heroine. (Also, I loved the feline motif -- references to cats, mice, & stalking begin on page 1 & continue throughout. Nice.) I noticed occasional anachronisms ("shut up" being the worst offender), but I didn't think the story was dumbed down or overly modernized. If you want hardcore dialect, read some Shakespeare.

Officially 4.5, rounded up. :)(less)

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May 15, 2012 Natalia Belikov rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, young-adult, arc, received-won

For more of my reviews visit my blog at Dazzling Reads

4.5 stars ^.^

An Impressive Historical Debut Novel!

Since I turned to the first page of Gilt, I found myself immediately immersed with a story that provides so much more than just enjoyment. In fact, this story is full of complex moral choices, and best of all, History. Now, how could I not be absolutely fascinated by British history after reading Gilt? Longshore perfectly illustrates the 16th century with jewels, gowns, gossips, castles, liais...more For more of my reviews visit my blog at Dazzling Reads

4.5 stars ^.^

An Impressive Historical Debut Novel!

Since I turned to the first page of Gilt, I found myself immediately immersed with a story that provides so much more than just enjoyment. In fact, this story is full of complex moral choices, and best of all, History. Now, how could I not be absolutely fascinated by British history after reading Gilt? Longshore perfectly illustrates the 16th century with jewels, gowns, gossips, castles, liaisons, lies, romance, and of course, the moral and ethics of a time period that is very different from ours, yet not that much.

It is incredible how both, the 16th century and today, are so different yet some things are still exactly the same, such as the means to and end. Knowing the right people, having the right connections, etc. It is inevitable not to see the connections to what still happens today in politics, business, etc. In the other hand, the moral and ethical differences between the 16th century and today are shocking and Longshore does a flawlessly job portraying a wicked and unhealthy friendship that, thanks to the historical, moral and ethical background the author provides, can easily be understood.

There are so many things to love about Gilt but personally, I love the fact that this book provides historical facts in an all-consuming way. Yes! it is that intriguing! I loved that the story is told from Kitty's (Katherine Kylney) point of view. Kitty narrates the story of how her best friend Cat (Katherine Howard) claws her way up to the court of Henry VIII, who later becomes the king's wife herself. I found absolutely engrossing how Longshore decided to tell this story. From the moment Kitty and Cat where at the duchess house until the the tragic culmination of the story (which I will not give away even though it is written in all history books) that yet left me with a spark of hope for the main character. In addition, there is a boy who adds the swoon-worthy romantic dose to Kitty's story. William... Oh William, I haven't read about such pure and innocent love in a very long time. Longshore, among all the lies and atrocities that happened in the court of Henry VIII, manages to insert the perfect amount of sweetness that wonderfully equilibrates the story.

Gilt by Katherine Longshore is one of the YA historical novels I will highly recommend from this moment on. Romance, lies, materialism, identity, history, etc. Many topics and themes can be found in this highly impressive debut novel that, I am sure, will hook readers from the very first to the last page. I am eager to read Katherine Longshore's future historical novels!(less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

I will admit that I know zero about Henry VIII, but this book read like the most riveting and amazing history lesson I could ever imagine. We follow Kitty Tylney through her sometimes tumultuous friendship with Catherine Howard, first bossy girl and eventual Queen to Henry, as she tries to make her way as confidante and accomplice. Kitty tries to do right by the Queen, but loses herself in her loyalty and the secrets, lies and deceit that go along with being at court (Gossip Girl has nothing on...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This novel is set during one of my favourite settings in history, the court of King Henry VIII. The realness of the setting alone made it enjoyable for me. While there were moments I felt very frustrated with characters and their decisions, I did get over it. I enjoyed the dramatic, often tense atmosphere (though it was admittedly somewhat juvenile at points). The ending was not completely fulfilling for me. I don't know if book 2 will pick that up or will move on to a different story, but if it...more

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May 07, 2013 WJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Gilt is the first historical fiction kinda book that I've ever read, reason being the beautiful cover. (I can't help it, I'm a sucker for pretty covers.) In this case, the book kind of did and kind of didn't match up to my expectations. My feelings for this book are really mixed but ultimately, I don't think Longshore delivered the goods.

What I liked about the book:

1. The premise of Gilt seemed promising. Before I read the book I didn't really know much about King Henry VIII, only that he was th...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: As you watch the young queen with the same anticipation you feel in a horror movie, you heart aches for Kitty and her unwavering loyalty to Catherine. There’s romance, but I was happy to find the focus is on Kitty and Cat’s close friendship, not a hot guy.

Opening Sentence: ”You’re not going to steal anything.”

The Review:

While I’m a big historical romance buff, I’ll admit Henry VIII and his various wives have never been my favorite to read a...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Hylary Locsin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally published on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

In 1539 England, Katherine “Kitty” Tylney and her best friend Catherine “Cat” Howard live together, along with dozens of other young ladies, in the household of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Forgotten by their poor but aristocratic families, Kitty and Cat and the rest of the girls spend their time flirting with the male servants of the household. Cat, the most vivacious and popular of the gir...more Originally published on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

In 1539 England, Katherine “Kitty” Tylney and her best friend Catherine “Cat” Howard live together, along with dozens of other young ladies, in the household of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Forgotten by their poor but aristocratic families, Kitty and Cat and the rest of the girls spend their time flirting with the male servants of the household. Cat, the most vivacious and popular of the girls, rules over the maidens’ chamber, deciding who does what, who is in favor, and who is to be shunned. Even though she is awkward, shy, and not nearly as beautiful and bewitching as Cat, Kitty enjoys a certain level of social protection in the maidens’ chamber as Cat’s closest friend and confidante. Everything changes, however, when the Duke of Norfolk decides to send Cat to live in the royal court as a maid servant to Anne of Cleves, King Henry VII’s latest wife. Kitty and the rest of the ladies mourn the loss of their leader, and life quiets down in the household of the Dowager Duchess until Cat writes to invite Kitty and two other ladies, Joan and Alice, to join her at court. It seems that King Henry has fallen under Cat’s spell, and is intent upon marrying her. As the best friend of the Queen, Kitty is suddenly thrust into a life of fancy gowns, parties and men. But no secret is safe in the court of Henry VIII, and idle gossip can lead to a date with the executioner. Will Kitty be able to survive a life in service to a Queen like Cat, or is she destined to fall like so many in King Henry’s court?

The story of Catherine Howard, the young, beautiful, bubbly and ultimately ill-fated fifth wife of King Henry VIII has been retold by countless authors over the years. In Gilt, however, author Katherine Longshore has successfully adapted the history into a novel for young adults, something that is actually quite fitting considering that Catherine herself was only a teenager when she became Queen. The author portrays Cat as something of a “mean girl.” Popular, charismatic and charming, Cat rules over the other girls in the household of the Dowager Duchess like a high school queen bee. Although Kitty is considered by all to be Cat’s best friend, it is clear from the start that their friendship is not equitable. Kitty is at the mercy of her friend, and it seems that their relationship is strongest when Kitty does Cat’s bidding, regardless of what danger it puts her in. Many readers will be able to identify with this, especially those who have had experiences with friends like Cat who seem to use friendships for their own gain. After Cat goes to court and eventually wins the heart of the King, the relationship between Kitty and her best friend becomes even more strained. The novel is an excellent jumping off point to spark interest in this time period for young adult readers. The author does a good job of relaying the history while making the story intriguing and relatable for teens. Gilt is the first in a series of books about life in Henry VIII’s court. The second novel, Tarnish, takes place twenty years before the events of Gilt and is set to be released in June 2013.

I love all things related to Henry VIII and his six wives (I’ve read bunches of novels on the subject, watched every episode of The Tudors, have seen all the movies…I’m a hardcore fan!) When I saw that a young adult novel had been published about the life of Catherine Howard, I was very excited and, not surprisingly, enjoyed reading Gilt quite a bit. I’ve always thought that Catherine Howard’s story would make a great novel for teens because she herself was a teenager, thrust into a royal life with little education or knowledge of what to expect. I liked reading from Kitty’s perspective, especially since it gave the opportunity to portray Catherine as a 1539 version of Regina George. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series and am happy that Katherine Longshore is re-telling this exciting period of history for the young adult audience. (less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Lexie Robinson Austin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading this book was like watching a season of HBO's The Tudors, but with less smut. Or more "behind the door" type smut. It is period piece about the Tudors, after all.

You're cast back in history to the time period of the adolescence of Catherine Howard (called "Cat" in the book), who will be the fifth wife of Henry VIII. You meet her at the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk's estate where she is the "Queen Bee" among the other "maidens". Her BFF, Kitty Tynley, is our protagonist and our eyes and ea...more

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Sep 14, 2012 YA Novelties rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

3.5 Stars! Check this review out on our blog!

I think I was sort of disappointed with this book. Although the court of Henry VIII is portrayed well in all its glitz and glamor, I was expecting Kitty's life at court to be more extravagant and luxurious, instead she is just a chamber maid to Cat (Catherine Howard). But please don't get me started on Cat and Kitty. Their relationship is so twisted, they are "friends", but Cat just uses Kitty. Even in their names, you can tell that Cat is better than...more 3.5 Stars! Check this review out on our blog!

I think I was sort of disappointed with this book. Although the court of Henry VIII is portrayed well in all its glitz and glamor, I was expecting Kitty's life at court to be more extravagant and luxurious, instead she is just a chamber maid to Cat (Catherine Howard). But please don't get me started on Cat and Kitty. Their relationship is so twisted, they are "friends", but Cat just uses Kitty. Even in their names, you can tell that Cat is better than Kitty, and Kitty is only her shadow. It is a very one-sided friendship. Cat is very mean and heartless, she doesn't care about the consequences and does whatever pleases her. I guess I can sympathize with her in the fact that she was married to someone much older than her and not very attractive to gain power for her family. Still, she was my least favorite character (which the author might have done that on purpose).

Oh, Kitty. I pity you so much. You have no backbone, and let Cat step on you all the time. It is terrible how much you rely on Cat, when you should just find a better friend. It is hard when the heroine of the book is so pathetic, but even with these shortcomings I did for the most part like Kitty.

Gilt is written quite well, and even though it is a little more than 400 pages, it doesn't feel like it and moves at a fast pace. I know what will happen in the end to Cat, but Katherine Longshore really knows what she is doing, at times being lighthearted, but then getting darker as Cat's demise approaches. The language of the book is a bit modern and not very Tudor style, but I guess that might make it easier to read. I absolutely love the title, and how well it represents the book in just one word. It seems like everyone has their own guilty little secrets.

Overall this book was pretty good. Some of the characters could have been better (cough cough Kitty) and the language could have been more Tudor style and less modern, but the writing and background were superb. If you are looking for a page turning historical novel, this is the book for you.

M @YA Novelties (less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Shells rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of my favorite books this year! Katherine Longshore made me fall in-love with historical fiction.

Kitty is one of those characters who you want to be friends with. She's so incredibly loyal to Cat, who is self-serving and spoiled! But just like Kitty, it's easy to be mesmerized by Cat's charm throughout the book. I found myself often feeling sorry for Cat and making excuses for her behavior. The best part of this well-written, impeccably paced story...it's history, with a tweak or two.

The t...more

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Aug 13, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

A historical novel about the girls living in the household of the Duchess of Norfolk who end up in the Tudor Court between 1539 and 1542. Kitty is friends with Catherine Howard, who ends up being Henry VIII’s wife #5 and is beheaded at the end. Kitty is well rounded and an engaging character, unsure of herself and not confidant, looking for leadership from others but finally finding the strength to be her own person. She is emotionally drawn to two men, neither of whom are possible for her to ma...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Kaitlyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually really liked this. I was not expecting to. It was just a grab off of the shelves at the library with only five minutes to choose. But it was a good book.
First off, I love the title. At first, I thought it was 'Guilt', then realized it was not. However, that was the intention. Both 'Guilt' and 'Gilt' apply wonderfully to this book. Though I am not a fan of puns, this one struck me very well.
Secondly, it was well done and the characters were totally realistic. Each one of them was, thou...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's no secret that I'm not a historical fiction fan. I don't know why, but it's never been my first choice of genre. I still have a soft spot for the Tudors. It might be due to Carolyn Meyer and her Young Royals series. Or it could be because Hampton Court is ridiculously beautiful. If you're ever in London and have a spare day, be sure to make a trip to Hampton Court. It's not too far (you can take the tube) and it's an incredible experience.

GILT begins far away from court, where Kitty Tylney...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: families, ncbla2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is a period of history that I've always found intriguing, and I've read a couple of books that focus on Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, as this one does. Because of her youth and her reliance of her age and physical attractiveness to capture the attentions of the king, young readers are likely to be drawn to this title as they consider how gullible Henry was and how selfish Cat was in her ambitions. It's a good thing the story is told from the point of view of Cat's best friend K...more This is a period of history that I've always found intriguing, and I've read a couple of books that focus on Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, as this one does. Because of her youth and her reliance of her age and physical attractiveness to capture the attentions of the king, young readers are likely to be drawn to this title as they consider how gullible Henry was and how selfish Cat was in her ambitions. It's a good thing the story is told from the point of view of Cat's best friend Kitty because Cat herself doesn't inspire much sympathy. She is selfish and once she has the king's attention, plenty of jewels and power, Cat isn't satisfied, and risks everything for a dalliance with a handsome member of the court--right under the nose of the king. Kitty is loyal to Cat, and, for the most part, she and the other girls who grew up with Cat under the auspices of the Duchess of Norfolk try to protect Cat and shield her from anyone who would do her harm. Eventually, though, her affair comes to light as well as her earlier physical relationship with another man prior to the marriage to the king. While Cat loses everything, Kitty faces several crises about her own choices, and even as Cat prepares to be executed for treason, she never seems to realize the wrongs she has done to others. The author does a credible job of helping readers feel as though they are living in the period during which the story is set, from 1539 to 1542, as she describes the court, the sumptuous gowns and jewels, and the gossipy nature of everyone who surrounds Cat. The book will prompt much consideration of the roles women were expected to play and how little power or say they had in what would happen to them. Even Kitty gets caught up in some of the political intrigues of the time because she doesn't know how to say no to Cat. As she prepares for her future, it will be interesting to see how far the emerald necklace she has to sell will go. I like how there is a hint of self-empowerment in her final actions to offset the self-absorption and cluelessness of Cat, depicted here in a decidedly unflattering light. (less)

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May 24, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

historical, coming of age, realistic, tragic... There are so many ways to describe this book.

Kitty is the protagonist of this book. Cat is selfish, careless, and even ruthless. Kitty is a follower, who is often spineless and rarely(if ever) heroic. This book made me sad for people who are natural followers. Yes, we all wish to be part of a group, but to want to belong so badly that you risk everything? Kitty is Cat(Catherine Howard's) best friend. Unfortunately, it is a rather one-sided friends...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Reading Teen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Passion.

Lies.

Betrayal.

In the court of King Henry VIII,

nothing is free-

and LOVE comes at the highest price of all.

I was told that this book was sad, as soon as I started it! Dang. I do not like sad books. I read to escape out of the norm, and sad is not a place I want to visit voluntarily. Gilt was very interesting. I had a lot of emotion while reading this book, and sad was just the tip of the iceberg. I feel like there were two main characters in Gilt; Kitty & Cat. To really understand this...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic debut novel by Katherine Longshore.
I have always had a fondness for Tudor history. Especially the lives of those unfortunate enough to be part of the king's household.
Of all Henry's wives, Catherine Howard is the one I understand the least. Several books portray her as the used and abused young child of the Howard's. Used to further their place at court, and abused, ignored when the young woman fails to produce an heir. She is also portrayed as a conniving, selfish fiend who only liv...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Amber rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ala-jan-2012-advanced-readers, historical-fiction

I loved the whole idea of this story. The reign of a queen told by her friend and chamber maid. And in a lot of ways, this story was really good. I really enjoy historical fiction, so when I heard the plot of this, I knew I wanted to read it. Maybe I built it up too much in my mind. I liked Kitty. She is so perfectly the girl in the popular group that is sort of popular by default. No one knows why she is there, but they accept her presence and move on. It is in this way that I really wanted Kit...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Liberty Gilmore rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm discovering that historical fiction is something that I really enjoy reading every once in a while. I'm not a particularly girly girl, but even I can be swayed by the decadence and romance typical of historical fiction.

Gilt was the perfect book to indulge with. Full of secret love affairs, glamorous parties and dangerous intrigue, it sucked you into the world of Henry VIII's Court until a small part of you almost (almost) wished you could have been there, despite the amount of burning at the...more

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May 18, 2012 Susan added it

This YA novel is narrated in a very modern voice by Katherine ("Kitty") Tylney, best friend of Katherine Howard (at least so far as the self-centered and selfish Katherine Howard can be said to have a best friend).

I found that this novel worked better at the beginning and the end. There's a rather tedious stretch during the middle where Kitty is torn between two fictional male characters, one of whom is so unappealing that we simply can't believe that he would have any attraction for Kitty. I co...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Kelly Hager rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is set during the reign of King Henry VIII and is about his last wife, Catherine Howard. Cat and her best friend Kitty Tylney live in a sort of smaller court with a duchess who is a distant relative of Kitty's and a sort of adopted relative of Cat's. When the king falls for Cat, life changes quickly for her and for Kitty. They move to court and it's even more treacherous than their early life. Also, I'm not sure how familiar you are with British history (or the novels of Philippa Gregory) b...more This is set during the reign of King Henry VIII and is about his last wife, Catherine Howard. Cat and her best friend Kitty Tylney live in a sort of smaller court with a duchess who is a distant relative of Kitty's and a sort of adopted relative of Cat's. When the king falls for Cat, life changes quickly for her and for Kitty. They move to court and it's even more treacherous than their early life. Also, I'm not sure how familiar you are with British history (or the novels of Philippa Gregory) but things don't go well for Henry's wives and Cat's no exception. This also isn't the handsome Henry of The Other Boleyn Girl. He's much older than Cat (who's a teenager). And while Kitty is Cat's best friend, it's also very hard to be loyal when people are literally getting beheaded all around you, for things they may not even have done.

I am not as familiar with Catherine Howard as I am with some of Henry's other wives (okay, Anne Boleyn and, to a much lesser extent, Katherine of Aragon) and what I do know, I read in a Philippa Gregory novel, so it's maybe not as historically accurate as it could be. Still, Cat is a teenage girl who is married to an old king (fat, injured---he has a bad leg---and really not that attractive). The bigger problem is that Henry is impetuous, given to quick decisions (getting rid of a current wife to marry a new one; Anne of Cleaves got off lucky because most of Henry's wives ended up dead; she was just kicked out) and a little bit bloodthirsty. When you live in a world where the man you're married to literally holds the power of life and death over you, you need to be a lot smarter than teenage girls in general (and Catherine Howard in particular) are known to be.

This book was incredibly suspenseful. It's pretty obvious that things aren't going to go well for Cat (and probably not very well for Kitty, who is loyal over everything else---it's even pointed out early on in the book that Kitty would be loyal "to the grave") and so I spent most of the book not excited for Kitty as her fortunes change but dreading what would happen when the other shoe fell.
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Gilt (The Royal Circle #1)

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