bookshelves: to-read
]]>
Mrsdarcy
read and liked
Cindy's
review of The Companion:
"Lizzie Martin arrives in London for the first time. As her cabdriver takes her to her new address, they pass a body covered with a shroud. The body turns out to belong to Madeline Hexham, whom Lizzie is replacing as paid companion. Lizzie can't help...more "
"Lizzie Martin arrives in London for the first time. As her cabdriver takes her to her new address, they pass a body covered with a shroud. The body turns out to belong to Madeline Hexham, whom Lizzie is replacing as paid companion. Lizzie can't help...more "
]]>
bookshelves: to-read
]]>
Finally! Someone who can write a really good Regency novel. Excellent plot, well paced, with superb, intelligent characterisation. Very believable, well researched and thoroughly deserves to be on the best seller lists.
I will be reading more of Jude Morgan's books - she comes as a welcome relief after the annoying drivel of Julia Quinn. ]]>
Thank you, Karen. Funeral is on Thursday morning. ]]>
Hi Aly, I suspect Henry's passion for Anne had a lot to do with her lack of interest in him. Once he'd had what he wanted, she lost her appeal. Although, that said, Retha Warnicke's "Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn" cites witnesses who said that Henry and Anne were "perfect friends" until a few days before her arrest. Once she'd lost Henry's love, her position as queen depended absolutely on her producing a son, and she had enemies at court who were very keen that she should not do so.
Yes, Anne is probably my favourite because of her obvious intelligence and political savoir faire, and I agree that fiction writers have misrepresented her in the interests of a good story. Katherine of Aragon has also been misrepresented in various ways. She wasn't quite the loyal, selfless wife painted in popular fiction - for example, she is known to have tried to get her nephew (Holy Roman Emperor and most powerful man on earth) to make war on Henry to try to force him to reinstate her as queen. I doubt that she'd have seen this as inconsistent with her principled stance.
My other favourite is Katherine Parr, a very learned and intelligent lady - lucky too, that Henry died when he did, as I think he'd have butchered her as readily as he did Anne and Kathryn. Does anyone else think it odd that Henry couldn't see how much he was being manipulated by courtiers?
]]>
I found it really difficult to choose between Lewis and Jane Austen - I love them both and would be happy to read both. If we chose Lewis, it would be great to read something like The Screwtape Letters or The Great Divorce. I also want to re-read his A Grief Observed. A friend and I are planning to drive up to Oxford before Christmas and visit his grave and some of the places associated with him. Maybe if anyone from the group is free and not too far away, they could join us? ]]>