The King's Mistress

Jul 10, 2010 Misfit rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: get-it-from-the-library, historical-fiction

Daughter of a wealthy London merchant, Alice catches the eye of Janyn Perrers and the two marry despite her mother’s rather irrational objections. The marriage is definitely a love match, but Janyn and his mother have a deep dark secret that has something to do with the dowager Queen Isabella and while it has brought them great wealth, it also brings great danger to those who keep the old Queen’s secrets. When Janyn mysteriously disappears (no spoiler, that’s on the book jacket) Alice seeks prot...more Daughter of a wealthy London merchant, Alice catches the eye of Janyn Perrers and the two marry despite her mother’s rather irrational objections. The marriage is definitely a love match, but Janyn and his mother have a deep dark secret that has something to do with the dowager Queen Isabella and while it has brought them great wealth, it also brings great danger to those who keep the old Queen’s secrets. When Janyn mysteriously disappears (no spoiler, that’s on the book jacket) Alice seeks protection of Edward III and his queen, Philippa. A commoner, the noblewomen at court shun her, but the Queen loves Alice’s knowledge of clothing and fabric, and as for the King? I’m guessing the book’s title will indicate to you where the rest of the story goes, no?

If you are familiar with the period you know what happens next and if not you don’t want me spoiling it for you. While I appreciated the author’s effort to portray one of history’s most vilified women in a more favorable light, I think she did herself a disservice by doing a complete 180 and turning Alice into something a wee bit too sugary sweet. Would someone with her business acumen really worry much over a profitable wardship offered by the King because people might think ill of her? The first person narrative (admittedly not my favorite) doesn’t help much either and I felt the author painted herself into too many corners trying to justify events so that all the bad things that happened were always someone else’s fault. I’d rather see a more well-rounded character, warts and all.

As for the story and pacing itself? IMHO too much time is spent on Alice’s marriage with Janyn, along with all those pages upon pages of oohing and aahing over the fabrics. I would have liked to know more about the merchant’s role in purchasing and marketing cloth rather than hearing about the next pretty dress and headdress. Better yet, fast forward to Alice entering the royal household and then give us a few flashbacks to flesh out the back story. I also found myself scratching my head when the Big Mystery is finally revealed, why anyone would be so hell-bent on murder because of *that* I can’t quite fathom.

In the end, this was on OK book, good but certainly not great, with very little character development and far too much telling instead of showing. Since the story is told from Alice’s point of view and she’s not always in the thick of things some of the more important events in this period are skimmed over a bit too quickly, i.e. the Peasant’s Revolt was over and done with in three pages. Kudos to the author for attempting to shed new light on such a heinous woman, but in the end just too much sugar for my tastes. 3/5 stars and I recommend getting it from the library first and then buy it if you love it.

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Jan 10, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, fiction

From My Blog...[return][return]Alice Perrers, born Alice Salisbury has historically been categorically vilified and author Emma Campion decides to take a different look at the life of Alice in her novel, The King’s Mistress. Campion takes a completely different approach from other accounts I have read and makes Alice out to be a charming and sweet woman beginning in 1355 with a desire to be a good daughter and marry well to help her father, a successful merchant. At the age of 13, she pledges to...more From My Blog...[return][return]Alice Perrers, born Alice Salisbury has historically been categorically vilified and author Emma Campion decides to take a different look at the life of Alice in her novel, The King’s Mistress. Campion takes a completely different approach from other accounts I have read and makes Alice out to be a charming and sweet woman beginning in 1355 with a desire to be a good daughter and marry well to help her father, a successful merchant. At the age of 13, she pledges to marry Janyn Perrers, but at the extreme displeasure of her mother. A good portion of the novel focuses on her marriage to Janyn as well as textiles, which makes sense, as she is the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The fabrics and styles add to the time period, yet I would have preferred less fabrics and more depth into the characters. Janyn mysteriously disappears and Alice soon requires the assistance of King Henry III and Queen Philippa. Those familiar with this time period know approximately what will occur, those not will be surprised, so I shall not divulge anything other than that this novel contains mystery, intrigue, love, scandal and dangerous secrets. Campion goes to great lengths to reshape the public’s opinion of Alice. Campion’s writing style is fluid, descriptive, mysterious as well as entertaining, yet I could not quite buy Alice as she is written in this novel. The King’s Mistress is an interesting read and for those, like me, interested in historical fiction, this is another take on King Henry’s mistress, Alice Perrers. I would suggest reading other novels about this complicated woman to get a more complete sense of this infamous woman. I found The King’s Mistress to be a delightful read and as wrong as this may sound, I discovered I prefer the more scandalous version of Alice Perrers than the version Campion offers, yet I would recommend The King’s Mistress to those who enjoy historical fiction. I would have liked to have been discussing this book while I read it, so I would recommend it as a discussion group choice.(less)

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Jun 16, 2012 Philae_02 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

“When had I been other than I was?”

This phrase is the sole essence of this novel. The theme remarks how complicated life can get when free will and choice are taken away. Alice Perrers, a common woman who needing royal protection when her husband disappears, is confined to a golden cage.

The author was inspired by the monk Walsingham who talked briefly about Alice Perrers as this common harlot to King Edward III of England. As a result, Campion shaped a possible life for Alice, imagining that Cha...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Extremely well written, prose-like, The King's Mistress is the story of Alice Perrers. Taking place in 14th century England, the young Alice is married off at the tender age of fourteen to the dashing Janyn, a descendant of Lombard merchants, who carries with him a royal intrigue laced in scandal involving Isabella of France and her late lover, Mortimer...The secret trickles down to the royal family's ultimate secret and Alice, unaware of it all pays the price of living a life pupettered by oth...more Extremely well written, prose-like, The King's Mistress is the story of Alice Perrers. Taking place in 14th century England, the young Alice is married off at the tender age of fourteen to the dashing Janyn, a descendant of Lombard merchants, who carries with him a royal intrigue laced in scandal involving Isabella of France and her late lover, Mortimer...The secret trickles down to the royal family's ultimate secret and Alice, unaware of it all pays the price of living a life pupettered by others.

As the title suggests, Alice obviously becomes King Edward III's (son of Isabella of France and the late King Edward II) mistresss; but this only happens after the death of her husband Janyn. (It's to be noted that Alice is completely loyal in her relationships). Alice and the King fall madly in love and she is subserviant and loving to the very end. Without going through the whole summary of the book (which is hefty and detailed to the max), in every story there is a villain and in this case it's William of Windsor who is guilty of destroying Alice's life. He announces himself as her betrothed and plants the seed of mistrust that sows evil and gossip throughout the realm; Alice is hated and blamed for all that goes wrong (even the king at times is doubtful). Needless to say, Alice endures it all. Fortunately for her, the King is completely enamoured of her and also acknowledges the children she bears him.

I rather enjoyed this story that spoke a different tale of Alice (the little I knew of her painted a sad picture of a ravenous and selfish woman who bewitched the king)- so I'm glad I got to see this side of her instead. I particularly enjoyed reading about Geoffrey Chaucer as being a good friend of hers. At the beginning of every chapter there are verses written by him and this makes the book particularly more characteristic of the time.

Beautifully written, the story reads like a memoir with almost to the minute details that, although I enjoyed the book, I must say that at times it felt very long. Other than that, a beautiful story all around. (less)

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May 18, 2011 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: medieval-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was walking through the fiction shelves of the library when the title caught me out of the corner of my eye. Ever curious about something involving royalty, I picked it up. I've always enjoyed stories about Edward III, the man who practically spawned the War of the Roses, but I'd never thought much about his most (in)famous mistress beyond what the histories and chronicles say about her (almost all of which are reports of a shrewish, greedy woman who acted far above her station).

After reading...more I was walking through the fiction shelves of the library when the title caught me out of the corner of my eye. Ever curious about something involving royalty, I picked it up. I've always enjoyed stories about Edward III, the man who practically spawned the War of the Roses, but I'd never thought much about his most (in)famous mistress beyond what the histories and chronicles say about her (almost all of which are reports of a shrewish, greedy woman who acted far above her station).

After reading this book, though, I think I like the idea of her being a woman tossed about by forces well beyond her control, and yet still managed to come out on top. Alice endures hardships, finds solace where she can, and eventually gains that which she desires the most. And I like that. Campion made her into a human being, with her strengths and flaws, and made her into something beyond the sketchy and one-sided picture that history leaves us with.

The story seemed to lag a bit after the death of Philippa, whose part in the story I also found enjoyable. I've always loved Philippa, and loved that, by all accounts, she and Edward had a happy marriage (something that so rarely happened). It makes sense in the context of the society that she lived in that she'd almost arrange for her husband to have a mistress. Philippa's health left her incapable of enjoying sex, so that left her a bit vulnerable. What better way to fix the situation than by grooming someone she trusted to keep her husband's attention. It probably didn't lessen the hurt, but that was what was so interesting about Campion's portrayal of Philippa -- a mixture of pragmatism and idealism.

The mystery behind the queen mother and the family of Alice's first husband was also intriguing. It plagued Alice for much of her life, but rather anti-climatic when it came to a halt. The recent resurgance of interest in the possibility that Edward II escaped death and went into a monastery was a nice red herring, making way for the truth of the secret being centered on Isabella and Roger Mortimer's illegitimate son.(less)

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Oct 10, 2010 Bree T rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, library-reads

Apparently Alice Perrers is some sort of notorious figure of her time but given my lack of knowledge on Yorks and Lancasters and Tudors and whatever, I’d never heard of her. I read a highly praising review of The King’s Mistress on a book review blog and given my enjoyment of both The Other Boelyn Girl and The White Queen I ordered this in from my local library.

When the book opens Alice is barely 12 but ready to be paraded in Church in a pretty gown ‘emphasizing her body’s readiness to bear chil...more Apparently Alice Perrers is some sort of notorious figure of her time but given my lack of knowledge on Yorks and Lancasters and Tudors and whatever, I’d never heard of her. I read a highly praising review of The King’s Mistress on a book review blog and given my enjoyment of both The Other Boelyn Girl and The White Queen I ordered this in from my local library.

When the book opens Alice is barely 12 but ready to be paraded in Church in a pretty gown ‘emphasizing her body’s readiness to bear children’ to acquire a husband. As often as I read novels set in this time, I can never really get my head around marrying off 12 and 13yo girls, often to men significantly their senior, as in this novel. Alice’s first husband, Janyn Perrers is about 33 and she just 13 when they wed -and connsumate that marriage. Luckily for Alice, this is a match that shines well on her. She loves Janyn and he loves her and it seems to be a mostly happy and prudent match, despite the overshadow of the patronage of the Dowager Queen Mother, Isabella. Often referred to as the ‘she-fox’ due to a plot where her and her lover overthrew her husband the former King, Isabella is a notorious figure of this time and is feared and reviled by much of the population. Mother to the current King, Edward III, she lives in a sort of exile (but seems to mostly move around however she wants) after the King beheaded her lover for treason against his father, King Edward II. Isabella is very generous to Janyn and his family, something that worries Alice, and with good reason. Although the bulk of the reason for the Queen Mother’s generosity is mostly hidden from her nearly her whole life, she still feels the weight of it and the fear that it will bring danger.

She’s right of course, because what sort of novel would this be if there weren’t a few dead husbands and political plots along the way? Widowed at 18 or 19, she is taken into the household of Queen Philippa, the wife of King Edward III as an advisor in her wardrobe. Alice’s father was a merchant cloth dealer and he taught her well about fabrics and weaves and cuts and what is suitable. Her husband Janyn, also a merchant, furthered her education and Queen Philippa comes to respect and court her counsel. She works as a servant to Queen Philippa and is taken into her protection, sacrificing her infant daughter to a royal household so that she may be raised safely, and not become a victim of the danger that claimed the life of her husband.

Although in mourning for her husband, Alice soon finds herself drawn to the charismatic King Edward III. Although significantly her senior (somewhere in his late 40s, Alice is about 19 or 20) he apparently possesses a great charm and vitality which draws her eye and excites her. He too seems interested in her, spending time with her. Queen Philippa soon draws her further into her confidance and she becomes one of her favourite ladies in waiting. Alice’s relationship with her own mother was tenuous and disintegrated into nothing and Queen Philippa is almost looked upon by Alice as a maternal figure. She praises many time Queen Philippa’s class, grace, patience and elegance. She fails to see at first that she is being groomed as a mistress for King Edward III until she is moved into private apartments.

Although wracked with guilt at betraying Queen Philippa, she cannot deny her attraction to the King and the two become lovers. It seems an unconventional relationship, based on more than just a bored King’s wanderlust. Queen Philippa had a horse riding accident which injured her pelvis, meaning no more relations (or babies) and although King Edward obviously still loves and respects her, he does the whole ‘man with needs’ spiel and enjoys the benefits of being a man in charge having both his diplomatic, well liked and respected Queen and his beautiful (very) young lover at his beck and call.

Despite the disappearance of her husband and his eventual death, life is still considered dangerous for Alice and she is considered to be under the King and Queen’s protection. Her daughter Bella is removed from her and raised in a royal household for her own protection. The secret that her late husband’s family bore for the former Queen Mother was so big that her safety was still threatened. So she lives out her days accompanying the Queen, choosing her wardrobe, concealing the Queen’s growing physical problems with clever cuts and stitching and being the King’s mistress. She bears him several children and that goes on for about 15-odd years until the death of the King, which comes several years after the death of the Queen.

From then on life is a while different ball game for Alice. The common people loathe her for being the King’s mistress and for rising above her station, usurping their beloved Queen (or so they all believe) and it is alleged that she used her position with the King to obtain huge amounts of property and jewels. She is forced to fight for what is rightfully hers, the legacy she has for her daughters and the way in which she will have to sacrifice herself in order to at least try and have a chance to keep her property is heartbreaking for her.

While this novel was basically quite enjoyable story, my biggest problem with it is that it absolutely crawls along pace-wise. It’s called The King’s Mistress so right away you know that she’s going to be exactly that but it doesn’t happen until about halfway, perhaps more, throughout the book. You get so bogged down in the details of the dresses, fabrics, cuts, cloths, the social intricacies of the royalty and those beneath them that at times it feels like there is no story. It’s just Alice saying ‘And I woke up and then I did this and then the Queen summoned me and then we did this and then I went hunting and falconing and then it was time to eat and then I went to the King and then I went to sleep”. And it feels like pages and pages of that, over and over. And the big secret that Alice’s husband and his family were keeping for the Queen Mother? Well, I don’t know a whole lot about the royal family and the uprisings and overthrowings and the family backstabbing but when the secret all finally came out I found myself thinking Huh? Is that it? Seriously? Which given the whole novel is kind of build around this secret, is probably not a good thing. At all.

For me, this novel is at best a social dictation on the times of 1350-1400. I didn’t feel at all invested in the mystery and danger surrounding Alice and most of the time I forgot it was there until Alice moaned about missing her children or someone reminded her that she was in grave danger and had to remain under the protection of the King. But for a portrayal of the times it it is set in, I feel it has great strengths. Alice was a gifted social observer and although she mentions many times that she feels a fish out of water at Court and with all its intricacies, she gives a great insight to what life must’ve been like for any young female plucked from obscurity and given a place to serve in Court at the whim of the Crown. I didn’t really -get- the charisma and aura that was made much of regarding King Edward III and his apparent irresistability to a young and pretty woman such as Alice. Alright, he was the King and he seems to have been portrayed as quite kindly and likable and not at all creepy but I still couldn’t see the great attraction for Alice. In contrast, I did see Alice’s love for Janyn and I was a bit sorry he died actually because I enjoyed their marriage far more than I enjoyed her liason with the King, which was mostly uninteresting to me. He could’ve been any older man, the fact that he was the King didn’t really add much to the story other than him tossing her a few jewels each time she gave birth to one of his illegitimate children!

A novel that was enjoyable enough so that I kept reading until the finish, but not something that I would read again, nor did I ever really feel like I had to keep turning those pages. So-so.(less)

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Sep 17, 2010 Hattie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Arleigh (Historical Fiction)

Different primary colors are associated with the lifestyles people choose to live. For example, red is a color often associated with women who are living so called sinful lives. Hester Prynne wore an embroidered A on her clothing because she had a baby out of wedlock. Scarlet O'Hara wore a bright scarlet gown to a ball. Her husband, Rhett, chose the gown for her to wear that particular night to prove she was less than a lady and no lady's friend. She was a Scarlet Woman because she chose to love...more Different primary colors are associated with the lifestyles people choose to live. For example, red is a color often associated with women who are living so called sinful lives. Hester Prynne wore an embroidered A on her clothing because she had a baby out of wedlock. Scarlet O'Hara wore a bright scarlet gown to a ball. Her husband, Rhett, chose the gown for her to wear that particular night to prove she was less than a lady and no lady's friend. She was a Scarlet Woman because she chose to love a married man. The woman on the book cover of Emma Campion's novel, The King's Mistress is Alice Perrers. She lived during the Fourteenth century. Alice Perrers lived many lives while living her one life in England. If I were asked what I would liken Alice Perrers life to in a word association game, I would say she reminded me of clay. Soft clay easy to manipulate and mold in to a bowl, a bust, an eagle. Why? Because all of her life she was a pawn in the hands of men. I have chosen to think this was not Alice's fault. She gave long thought to the actions of other people and she pondered deeply her past, present and future. Alice had one problem. She was a female. In the Medieval era men were more like rulers than husbands. Too often Alice could only bow to their wishes. At different times her jewels, her land and her children would become the property of a man. Alice Perrers lived life as a woman without a voice.

I really liked Alice Perrers. Perhaps, my feelings about her have slanted my view point. While reading the book, my mind shaped a woman who loved to love a man and wanted to be loved in return. She was a woman who loved nurturing her children and she loved the rest of her family deeply. One man who loved her was King Edward. He loved her with the sanction of his wife and queen, Queen Phillippa. King Edward and Alice Perrers passions included: the intimacy of the bedroom, falconry, horse riding, laughter while drinking a mazur of wine and most of all the ability to love one another so much that they produced more than one child. Alice Perrers loved King Edward and he loved her until his death. Before he died Edward told Alice his signet ring was to be hers after his death. In other words, he gave her his lasting protection and his power. When he took his last breath, with different emotions running through her body she lovingly pulled the ring from his finger. Knowing her life would change for the worse Alice gave the ring to her lover, Robert, to keep as a legacy for her son, John.

Sadly after she gave all of herself to each man in her life except for the wicked liar William Wykeham, she would live a life of hell. She lived that life with grace and dignity. When King Edward died, she lost all earthly protection. People of the King's court respected her or pretended to honor her because it fulfilled the desires of their beloved King Edward. When he died, Alice Perrers had no more rights as the King's Mistress. She became the Scarlet Woman to be lied about, denounced and again controlled by the desires of the men around her. "I am powerless! How can you fear me? Why do you need to encase me in walls six feet thick? I have never had a choice except to do what I could to protect my chicks."

This is a story about not judging another person until you have worn another person's moccasins. Alice Perrers was a strong, kindhearted woman that deserves to be remembered not as The King's Mistress but as one woman who truly loved and gave King Edward a love to be remembered. One he would hold on to until his death. She was a woman who appreciated life in the good times and the bad times. I will remember this quote in the book showing her playful side. "The days were warm and sun filled. I felt blessed to be surrounded by young ones, being coaxed out to search for a wandering kitten, to see a strange-looking egg, to marvel at the water fowl." Emma Campion(less)

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Aug 22, 2010 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book although not being familiar with this time period sometimes it would get confusing to keep track of which Edward, John, Joan, etc. they were referring to in some parts of the book (come on people use some original names!). I know, I know, that is just how it was during this time period. Other than that this was an interesting read as we see everything from the view point of Dame/Mistress Alice and as hard as it is to believe she really was naive through the whole book. You ca...more

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Aug 17, 2010 Deborah Sloan rated it 5 of 5 stars

The King's Mistress: A Novel
I love a good historical fiction book and The Kings Mistress by Emma Campion certainly fell in line with my expectations. Imagine it's 1355 England and you are a young merchants daughter. You marriage has been arranged by your parents and you are expected to comply with all your father's wishes. Marriages at that time were typically arranged by parents and girls were married to further a family's prospects. Young Alice is wed to Janyn Perrers which turns out to be a l...more

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Aug 16, 2010 Brenda Rupp rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! What a book!! Cudo's to this author, she has taken a story of Alice Perrers (known mistress) of King Edward III, and has woven a can't put down book so rich in history and so readable. There are books that you pick up and sort of skim through, not this one. I would have to slow myself down again and read as many of the words as I could, so I wouldn't miss anything.
You'll not find yourself bored with this book. I was just so disappointed when it was over. The story at the end of how the aut...more Wow! What a book!! Cudo's to this author, she has taken a story of Alice Perrers (known mistress) of King Edward III, and has woven a can't put down book so rich in history and so readable. There are books that you pick up and sort of skim through, not this one. I would have to slow myself down again and read as many of the words as I could, so I wouldn't miss anything.
You'll not find yourself bored with this book. I was just so disappointed when it was over. The story at the end of how the author came to write the book, giving Alice a voice was as interesting.
My thanks to the author, she had me carrying this book every where I went for days so that I could finish it, have it available to pick up and get a few more pages in, when nothing else was going on. I lived the story and it was fascinating!
Here is the information from the back of the book:
When had I choice to be other than I was? From childhood Alice Salisbury has learnt obedience in all things and at fourteen, dutifully marries the man ...more When had I choice to be other than I was? From childhood Alice Salisbury has learnt obedience in all things and at fourteen, dutifully marries the man her father has chosen for her - at the cost of losing the love of her mother forever and the family she holds dear. But merchant Janyn Perrers is a good and loving husband and Alice soon learns to enjoy her marriage. Until a messenger brings news of his disappearance and she discovers that her husband had many secrets, secrets he didn't want her to know - but which have now put a price on her own head and that of her beloved daughter.Brought under the protection of King Edward III and Queen Philippa, she must dutifully embrace her fate once more - as a virtual prisoner at Court. And when the king singles her out for more than just royal patronage, she knows she has little choice but to accept his advances. But obeying the king brings with it many burdens as well as pleasures, as she forfeits her good name to keep her daughter free from hurt. Still a young woman and guided by her intellect and good business sense, she learns to use her gifts as wisely as she can. But as one of the king's favourites, she brings jealousy and hatred in her wake and some will stop at nothing to see her fall from grace....
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up!!!(less)

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Aug 10, 2010 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't quite know what to think about this one. Very sexy, very political, very pre-occupied with the cut and quality of fabric...kind of like the chick-lit fascination with fashion, translated for the middle ages.

I found the story strangely absorbing. The author takes the historical figure of Alice Perrers, a mistress of King Edward III, and asks us if her character was ever presented with real choices in her life. Could she have avoided marrying the man who eventually disappeared on her? Cou...more

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Aug 08, 2010 Marie Z. Johansen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I picked up "The King's Mistress" wondering how I would like it. I had never heard of Alice Perrers and had never read anything by Emma Campion. It turns out that Emma Campion is from my part of the world - and I wish that there were other works by her that I could read!

Alice Perrers was the daughter of a Hertfordshire knight whose life span is said to have been approximately from 1348 to 1400. I found the following description of Alice's character on the Middle- Ages.org.uk website " She was a...more I picked up "The King's Mistress" wondering how I would like it. I had never heard of Alice Perrers and had never read anything by Emma Campion. It turns out that Emma Campion is from my part of the world - and I wish that there were other works by her that I could read!

Alice Perrers was the daughter of a Hertfordshire knight whose life span is said to have been approximately from 1348 to 1400. I found the following description of Alice's character on the Middle- Ages.org.uk website " She was an ambitious, unscrupulous, indiscreet and greedy woman of humble origins who became one of the most powerful figures at royal court of Edward III". Ms. Campion is, as I have learned the foremost scholar on Alice Perrers and I think that she might disagree about this characterization. Ambitious? Yes, to keep herself and her family intact and comfortable after the loss of her husband (which is in itself a rather interesting tale as presented in the book. Unscrupulous? Doesn't seem that way from reading this book. Indiscreet? No! From what I've gathered from this book it was others around her who were the indiscreet factions. Greedy? Again, it does not appear that way - although she did have a great business sense and used her assets - both personal and financial- well.

Alice was castigated as a whore when King Edward III seduced her during the time that Alice was in service to his Queen- Philippa of Hainault. Ms. Campion paints Alice as a young woman with a good business sense, whose loss of her husband, Janyn Perrers and mother-in-law frames the book with a mystery all it's own. Alice's character is presented as smart,beautiful, a good business woman but also as a rather obedient, cautious woman who was fearful about what the Court would think of her affair with the King. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have stayed up later than I should every night hating to turn the light out and put the down. It's a fascinating glimpse of what the life of a widow and her life at Court might well have been like. I hope that Emma Campion plans to add another title to credits - I will buy it as soon as I can based on my enjoyment of this novel!(less)

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Jul 09, 2010 Terra rated it 5 of 5 stars

The cover on this book looks fabulous and believe me the story in between is equally captivating. The story is paced perfectly from beginning to end and leaves you wondering how people could actually live like this at any time period.

There is so much that goes on with the story here of Alice Salisbury and it shows you the innocence, kindness, love, anger, hatred and so many more emotions that we as humans take for granted every day without thought as to how it will affect others. I do believe th...more

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Oct 14, 2010 Michele rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

This is essentially the same review I posted at Amazon, for what it's worth. But I did give it 4 stars over there because here in GR, 3 stars denote "I liked it" whereas on Ammy, 4 stars mean "I liked it." That aside....

I somewhat enjoyed this historical fiction novel about Alice Perrers, the notorious mistress of King Edward III. It's told in first person narrative, a format that I don't normally enjoy, but the subject is compelling enough to overlook that.

Alice is reviled by history, but in t...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

From My Blog...

Alice Perrers, born Alice Salisbury has historically been categorically vilified and author Emma Campion decides to take a different look at the life of Alice in her novel, The King’s Mistress. Campion takes a completely different approach from other accounts I have read and makes Alice out to be a charming and sweet woman beginning in 1355 with a desire to be a good daughter and marry well to help her father, a successful merchant. At the age of 13, she pledges to marry Janyn Per...more From My Blog...

Alice Perrers, born Alice Salisbury has historically been categorically vilified and author Emma Campion decides to take a different look at the life of Alice in her novel, The King’s Mistress. Campion takes a completely different approach from other accounts I have read and makes Alice out to be a charming and sweet woman beginning in 1355 with a desire to be a good daughter and marry well to help her father, a successful merchant. At the age of 13, she pledges to marry Janyn Perrers, but at the extreme displeasure of her mother. A good portion of the novel focuses on her marriage to Janyn as well as textiles, which makes sense, as she is the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The fabrics and styles add to the time period, yet I would have preferred less fabrics and more depth into the characters. Janyn mysteriously disappears and Alice soon requires the assistance of King Henry III and Queen Philippa. Those familiar with this time period know approximately what will occur, those not will be surprised, so I shall not divulge anything other than that this novel contains mystery, intrigue, love, scandal and dangerous secrets. Campion goes to great lengths to reshape the public’s opinion of Alice. Campion’s writing style is fluid, descriptive, mysterious as well as entertaining, yet I could not quite buy Alice as she is written in this novel. The King’s Mistress is an interesting read and for those, like me, interested in historical fiction, this is another take on King Henry’s mistress, Alice Perrers. I would suggest reading other novels about this complicated woman to get a more complete sense of this infamous woman. I found The King’s Mistress to be a delightful read and as wrong as this may sound, I discovered I prefer the more scandalous version of Alice Perrers than the version Campion offers, yet I would recommend The King’s Mistress to those who enjoy historical fiction. I would have liked to have been discussing this book while I read it, so I would recommend it as a discussion group choice.(less)

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Jul 05, 2012 Nattie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really wish that I could give this book 4 stars because I highly enjoyed it, but there were too many things that bothered me. I read a lot of historical fiction, so I understand that it is common to marry and behave as married as young as 12, but what I didn't like in this book is the way that the author decided to write about 13-14 year old Alice; she chose to write about Alice in such a sexual manner when she obviously didn't have to. Alice at 13 is described along the lines of being pure an...more I really wish that I could give this book 4 stars because I highly enjoyed it, but there were too many things that bothered me. I read a lot of historical fiction, so I understand that it is common to marry and behave as married as young as 12, but what I didn't like in this book is the way that the author decided to write about 13-14 year old Alice; she chose to write about Alice in such a sexual manner when she obviously didn't have to. Alice at 13 is described along the lines of being pure and is completly innocent in all ways regarding sex. Within a few days of such description she meets Janyn who is amongst many men interested in having her for a wife. Suddenly this child is aroused and longing for a 33 year old man. In very little time she is pawing Janyn's "private" parts. That seems like strange behavior for a girl of 13 who was not five pages ago described as knowing nothing of sex other than when spotting the family dogs. About a month into being 14 she is married, and the author goes on and on about how much Alice loves having loud, passaionate, wild sex all day long; always sure to mention that sweet Alice is just past 13 after almost every act. This is a very sexual book indeed.
After I got past these parts, I was able to really enjoy Alice's story, that is until I get to the end and read the author's note. Almost 95% of this books seems to be pure fiction. When I read historical fiction I do expect to get fiction, but also many historical facts. I felt cheated when the author said that much of Alice's tale was made up in her head. Some of the characters that I came to bond with may not have even exsisted, did her and Janyn's daughter Isabella exist?

"SPOILERS" **********************************************************************************

I was hurt to learn that Alice's best friend Geoffery was not even known to have been her friend. I was very upset to learn that Robert was just a man that exsisted in some of Alice's accounting records. The relationship was 100% fake and from the author. There was no childern for them. I felt robbed because I thought I was connecting at least in some way with Alice.(less)

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Jan 02, 2011 Scotchneat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Campion admits up front that she's extrapolated one, sympathetic, revisioning of the life of Alice Perrers, whom, for most of history has been reviled as the ambitious mistress of King Edward III. As he mistress of the aging king, she apparently took airs of queendom, procured lots of land and jewels, and turned away good counsel.

However, in this story, Alice's ascension is the culmination of obedience and common sense, and a need to preserve her acquired wealth for her children. Married at the...more

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Jul 14, 2010 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’ll admit, I don’t know much about history. I had never heard of Alice Perrers and was unaware that she was a real person when I began this book. The tale is fictional, but it is written by Emma Campion who “did her graduate work in medieval and Anglo-Saxon literature and is the world's foremost scholar on Alice Perrers.” So I can only imagine that Perrers lived an extraordinary life.

The book was very well written and Campion put in such detail, you can tell she truly cared about the subject an...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Sarah Wagner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, historical-fiction, middle-ages

Prior to this novel, my image of Alice Perrers, Edward III's mistress, was that of the greedy mistress taking the rings off of the dead Edward III's hands, as she is remembered in the chronicles. However, Emma Campion clearly did her research well in this novelization of Alice's life and convincingly rehabilitates Alice's reputation. Alice Perrers emerges as the obedient daughter of London merchants, who is married young to a merchant with suspicious royal connections, and finds herself in the r...more

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Aug 30, 2010 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the author painted her characters well. You really had a feel for the times, period, and the heroine.

Alice Perrers was perhaps misjudged through history (she's hardly the first woman that happened too); but in The King's Mistress Campion, raises some good questions, and presents some wonderful new theories! Dame Alice is shown to have very few choices in the way her life turned out. Could she have chosen to not become Edward III's mistress? Yes, but at what...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-printed-book, read-in-2011

This was the first Historical Fiction book I read (that I can remember) I got it as a prize on some book site. (Sorry can't remember the name lol) Once I picked it up, I didn't put it down unless I just had to.

The author's description of Anne is amazing. It's a love story, but with a lot of twists and turns and heartache. My heart cries for Anne for the turmoil and losses that she has to suffer. Being a mother myself I would go nuts going months at a time not being able to see them. Although she...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Readers of Elizabeth Chadwick and Sharon Kay Penman

Recommended to Robin by: Moppet. I read her review here on Good Reads and decided to read it.

Shelves: library, historical-fiction

I actually finished this book a couple of weeks ago. I was quite ill at the time, so didn't get a chance to write a review.

I loved this book. In fact, I still find myself thinking about it and reliving some of my favourite, or just plain unforgettable, parts of the book in my mind. I got this from my library (love libraries) but feel I may have to purchase it because I am having the hardest time returning it:-)

I love a good Historical Novel. I have been reading them since I was a teenager (trus...more I actually finished this book a couple of weeks ago. I was quite ill at the time, so didn't get a chance to write a review.

I loved this book. In fact, I still find myself thinking about it and reliving some of my favourite, or just plain unforgettable, parts of the book in my mind. I got this from my library (love libraries) but feel I may have to purchase it because I am having the hardest time returning it:-)

I love a good Historical Novel. I have been reading them since I was a teenager (trust me, a long time ago) and have some favourite authors. Emma Campion was new to me. Not surprising as this is her debut novel, but she has been writing historical crime novels under the name of Candace Robb. I look forward to reading more from her.

This is the story of Alice Perrers, a merchant’s daughter who became mistress to Edward III in his later years, told in her own words. I'm not a big fan of first person narratives. It is my experience that very few people can pull first person off well and so many times it comes across jerky and awkward. However, I found myself swept along quite happily with Alice's retelling of her life and in the end fell quite hopelessly in love with Alice and Edward III (and a few of the other characters, as well). In several places I cried.

It's a wonderful story full of sadness, heartache, laughter, royal pageantry, friendship, betrayal and love... a lot of love. The title sounds quite lurid, like that of a bodice ripper, but don't be deceived. It's a lovely story of a young girl and then a young woman cautiously, and not so cautiously, making her way through the joys and pitfalls of loving and surviving. I so admired this character's capacity for love and loyalty in the face of adversity and betrayal. I am trying to continue to carry on the way this novel made me feel in my heart. A bit mushy? Maybe. But in this time of so much division and anger, I was quite relieved to find out that I could still imagine what it may have felt like to blindly love a King, a husband, a number of children, parents, grandparents, and numerous friends and associates in the treacherous times of medieval England. I believe that is a mark of good writer...

If you are a fan of Sharon Kay Penman or Elizabeth Chadwick, I believe you will enjoy this novel.

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Jan 15, 2011 Carina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

Aimlessly wandering through Sainsbury’s I found myself dandering through the book aisle where the ‘The Kings Mistress’ caught my eye as ‘Sainsbury’s book club recommendation of the month’. The novel sounded interesting and I was in need of a new book to bite into. I was not mistaken - it proved to be as good as it looked! Emma Campion writes in a fashion that comes across as autobiographical because of the way the novel covers most of Alice Salisbury’s life. However it is told in a way that the...more

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May 09, 2010 Moppet rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In this novel Alice Perrers, a merchant’s daughter who became mistress to the much older Edward III, tells her own story. I can’t argue with Emma Campion's decision to take a revisionist approach to Alice, who has gone down in history as ambitious, grasping and greedy. Mistresses were often demonised and blamed for all the ills of the country: it was, in fact, one of their functions to be a scapegoat and divert criticism which would otherwise fall on the king or queen. And there is evidence that...more In this novel Alice Perrers, a merchant’s daughter who became mistress to the much older Edward III, tells her own story. I can’t argue with Emma Campion's decision to take a revisionist approach to Alice, who has gone down in history as ambitious, grasping and greedy. Mistresses were often demonised and blamed for all the ills of the country: it was, in fact, one of their functions to be a scapegoat and divert criticism which would otherwise fall on the king or queen. And there is evidence that Alice has been maligned. But unfortunately, I felt Emma Campion went too far in her attempt to rehabilitate Alice Perrers. Her version of Alice is so bland I found it hard to take any interest in her. Campion goes to great lengths to exonerate Alice from any wrong-doing: for example, her first marriage to merchant Janyn Perrers is portrayed as a happy union, with Alice completely content with her domestic duties and devoid of ambition (although not business sense). This doesn’t square very well with her becoming the king’s mistress, so it is made clear both that her husband orders her to join the court against her will and that he is distancing himself from her. But Alice is also shown as feeling some attraction to King Edward – I think because a totally loveless relationship would have seemed distasteful. Then later on even Queen Philippa makes it clear that she approves of Alice becoming Edward’s mistress – in fact she all but throws her into his arms. The author makes every effort to put Alice in a good light but I felt it had the effect of leaching colour, conflict and plausibility from the story.

It takes Alice nearly 300 pages to reach the King’s bed and up till that point the plot is dominated by some cloak-and-dagger machinations which I didn’t find at all convincing. Unfortunately, the pace doesn’t pick up once she becomes a royal mistress. There is far more narrative than dramatisation and while I felt a good deal of the accounts of Alice’s movements, day-to-day activities, clothes and dreams could have been cut, elsewhere opportunities for dramatisation and character development were missed. With a couple of exceptions (Queen Philippa; King Edward) the characterisation doesn’t go very deep.

Why three stars rather than two? The writing felt stilted at first but flowed better as the book went on. A great deal of research obviously went into it and there’s lots of luscious detail, especially about clothing. I enjoyed the depiction of Alice’s life as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, which was vivid and realistic. I also liked the way Alice’s relationship with King Edward was treated, and this is, after all, the heart of the book. There’s a moving account of Edward’s slide into dementia, and with his death, Alice’s troubles are just beginning. The last section of the book picks up the pace as she is hounded by Parliament and threatened with marriage to a man she loathes and fears.

But overall a frustrating read as I felt it could have been so much better.

Full review and quotes at The Misadventures of Moppet: http://bit.ly/c1ccy0 (less)

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Jan 01, 2011 Michelle added it

"To the winner go the spoils" - Nowhere is this popular phrase more true than with historical accounts of events. Emma Campion masterfully captures the truth behind this phrase with her daring "what if" account of Alice Perrers, infamous mistress of King Edward III. While certain liberties are taken with various relationships and popular rumors of the era, this in no way detracts from the overall story. Ms. Campion creates a detailed picture of the life of a woman at court, with all its privileg...more "To the winner go the spoils" - Nowhere is this popular phrase more true than with historical accounts of events. Emma Campion masterfully captures the truth behind this phrase with her daring "what if" account of Alice Perrers, infamous mistress of King Edward III. While certain liberties are taken with various relationships and popular rumors of the era, this in no way detracts from the overall story. Ms. Campion creates a detailed picture of the life of a woman at court, with all its privileges and dangers, making Alice, King Edward and all the rest come to life again.

The historical details in The King's Mistress are par excellence. Ms. Campion goes into great detail to discuss lodgings, wardrobes, meals, music, and other activities with which people occupied their times during the 1300s. It is one of the few novels through which a reader can get a clear understanding of what it meant to serve the Queen versus a merchant's wife. Some might feel that the descriptions of fabrics and threads and everything else used to make gowns are tedious and repetitive. Yet, when one realizes that in the 1300s, all there was to do was sew, garden or ride horses, the focus on sewing is completely understandable. Based on today's standards, the day might be boring, but based on standards back then, sewing a beautiful gown was worthy of respect and pride and one's skill. The fact that Alice is so skillful at sewing only proves how talented she was, while showing off how easy it was for her to gain popularity among the royal family.

Alice herself is a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, she has tremendous business sense and is able to maintain her husband's merchant business and properties long after his death. Yet, she does not display the same political or emotional savvy. She ignores repeated warnings about her precarious position and what steps she should take to minimize the risk to her property, to her family and to herself. Should she have known better? I cannot help but think that politics and business are so irrevocably tied together that someone with such a good head for business would have been able to avoid the political minefield in which she eventually found herself. Yes, the emotional aspect is hard to ignore and uses neither logic nor business sense, but, as presented by Ms. Campion, Alice had ample opportunity to protect herself better than she did. While Alice is an amazing character, this was the one niggling pause for concern that exists for me with her story. The two sides of her character just do not blend well; it is almost as if she were two different people.

At its heart, The King's Mistress is not only about Alice but also about all women throughout history. Women had no choices when it came to their lives. They were forced to marry whom others deemed worthy. They had no rights under law. When it came to dealing with the royals and Court, it was quite often a literal case of being damned by society for certain actions versus being punished for treason or for breaking the law on the other. This naturally leads one to ask how many other "notorious" women throughout history were just unfortunate innocents trapped by royal obligations and the law?

In spite of my concerns about the consistency of Alice's character, The King's Mistress is an excellent addition to the historical fiction genre. Lovers of historical fiction will find much to admire, and readers of women's studies will find much to analyze. Alice is the symbol for repressed women everywhere. Through Alice's tale, Ms. Campion is able to present a cautionary tale about the limited power of women throughout history and the "other side" of the story about famous women. (less)

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Jul 07, 2010 Jodi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, swap

I received an ARC of this book. I look forward to reading and reviewing this book. This book has been really slow reading for me; however, I am enjoying the journey into a time and place that is new to me.

Before starting this book, I really didn't know much about Alice Perrers and King Edward III. I love historical fiction and normally as I am reading, or as soon as I finish reading a book of that genre, I rush to learn everything about that topic. However, I find myself not really caring to mu...more

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May 12, 2011 Rio (Lynne) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

2.5 stars. I went into this not knowing about Alice Perrers or much about this time period, except about Queen Isabella overthrowing her husband Edward II. After researching (what you can find) on Alice, this novel was mostly fictional. It started out strong, but got weak to me after 100 pages. Alice's father married her to Janyn Perrers who had unrealistic connections in my opinion to Queen Isabella. I also never understood her mother's issues with Janyn. I don't want to mention much due to spo...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not exactly a page turner, but a good, solid historical novel on the the reign of Edward III. If you like novels with a lot of historical detail, then this is for you. I was only vaguely familiar with the historical figure Alice Perrers, as my knowledge of the Plantagenets is not that vast. Although some of her contemporaries have painted her as a ruthless, conniving temptress that took advantage of King Edward III, this novel paints a very different picture of Alice. Alice is painted as a pawn...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Christie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-paranormal-scavenger-hunt, audiobooks, biographical-fiction, england, historical-fiction, middle-ages, romance, royalty, 2012-royalty-reading-challenge

I did not know a lot about Alice Perrers and Edward III before reading this book, but it looked interesting. I love biographical fiction where you follow the main character through so much of their life. It makes for a long story but for the most part it is worth. This was one of those books. The reader gets to know Alice as a teenage bride-to-be getting married to a wealthy merchant and follows her through her relationship with aged King Edward III and the fallout after his death.

The story flo...more

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Jul 24, 2010 Caitlin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

I very much enjoyed this beautifully written and luxuriously paced book. Alice Perrers is not someone I was familiar with as I am less familiar with the time period of Edward III so it was interesting to delve into a part of history that was new to me. I also really enjoyed reading about someone in the merchant class. So often historical fiction deals almost exclusively with the high born - this is the third bit of historical fiction that I have read this year that captures the lives of people n...more

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