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Queens of the Tower #1
The Lady of the Ravens
(Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07SWZBWK9)
Two women, two very different destinies, drawn together in the shadow of the Tower of London:
Two women, two very different destinies, drawn together in the shadow of the Tower of London:
Elizabeth of York, her life already tainted by dishonour and tragedy, now queen to the first Tudor king, Henry the VII.
Joan Vaux, servant of the court, straining against marriage and motherhood and privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of her queen. Like the ravens, Joan must use her eyes and her senses, as conspiracy whispers through the dark corridors of the Tower.
Through Joan’s eyes, The Lady of the Ravens inhabits the squalid streets of Tudor London, the whispering walls of its most fearsome fortress and the glamorous court of a kingdom in crisis.
466 pages, ebook
First published January 9, 2020
265 people are currently reading
2620 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Hickson
13 books315 followersJoanna Hickson became fascinated with history when she studied Shakespeare's history plays at school. However, having taken a degree in Politics and English she took up a career in broadcast journalism with the BBC, presenting and producing news, current affairs and arts programmes on both television and radio. Now she writes full time and has a contract with Harper Collins for three historical novels. The Agincourt Bride is the first. She lives in Scotland in a 200 year old farmhouse and is married with a large extended family and a wayward Irish terrier.
Joanna likes people to join her on Twitter (@joannahickson) or Facebook (Joanna Hickson)and says if you can't find her she'll be in the fifteenth century!
Joanna likes people to join her on Twitter (@joannahickson) or Facebook (Joanna Hickson)and says if you can't find her she'll be in the fifteenth century!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
January 9, 2020
I really enjoyed this historical novel set at the beginning of the Tudor Dynasty. The central character is Giovanna Vaux, who is known as Joan. Her mother enjoys the patronage of Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII and Joan becomes part of Elizabeth of York’s household, so we get a ringside seat of events! The story takes us from the start of Henry’s reign to the marriage of Prince Arthur to Katherine of Aragon, a marriage that in the future will be highly problematic! Joan is the Lady of the Ravens, she loves them and admired them and does all she can to protect them from those who do not. Legend has it that the presence of ravens at the Tower of London is essential to royal security.
I really like the characters in the story especially Joan and Richard Guildford who she marries. He seems taciturn but underneath the bluster is a kind and loving man who is also very loyal to his family and King. Joan is clever, honest, amusing and self deprecating. I like how the royal couple are portrayed and the difficulties of establishing the dynasty are well explained. The author captures the colour, lawlessness, harshness and dangers that are ever present. There are some lovely descriptions especially of the more spectacular events such as the coronation of Henry and his marriage to Elizabeth. Later in the book Joan’s son Hal is placed with Prince Harry who is to become so important later on. He is portrayed as lively, clever and talented and there are some lovely scenes where Prince Arthur meets and later marries Katherine of Aragon.
Throughout the book there are stories about the ravens and although I got a little bit tired of this at some points there are some wonderful images associated with them. I particularly like the section where the King meets them which most certainly gives the royal seal of approval!
This is a well written, enjoyable book which is firmly embedded in the history of the times. The dangers of living then are clearly shown, whether that is the ever present danger of disease, rebellion or being born on the losing side. There are some really good characters and some lovely and lively scenes which are easy to picture.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC.
I really like the characters in the story especially Joan and Richard Guildford who she marries. He seems taciturn but underneath the bluster is a kind and loving man who is also very loyal to his family and King. Joan is clever, honest, amusing and self deprecating. I like how the royal couple are portrayed and the difficulties of establishing the dynasty are well explained. The author captures the colour, lawlessness, harshness and dangers that are ever present. There are some lovely descriptions especially of the more spectacular events such as the coronation of Henry and his marriage to Elizabeth. Later in the book Joan’s son Hal is placed with Prince Harry who is to become so important later on. He is portrayed as lively, clever and talented and there are some lovely scenes where Prince Arthur meets and later marries Katherine of Aragon.
Throughout the book there are stories about the ravens and although I got a little bit tired of this at some points there are some wonderful images associated with them. I particularly like the section where the King meets them which most certainly gives the royal seal of approval!
This is a well written, enjoyable book which is firmly embedded in the history of the times. The dangers of living then are clearly shown, whether that is the ever present danger of disease, rebellion or being born on the losing side. There are some really good characters and some lovely and lively scenes which are easy to picture.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC.
January 7, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up. Well. I have to confess that in recent years, I have had an aversion to historical fiction of the Tudor era. This is largely because I get bogged down in all the different characters of court, often with the same name. How many Margarets, Mary’s and Elizabeth’s, Henrys and Edwards do you need?! So this author did a fantastic job of keeping everyone straight in my head. I enjoyed this book because it concerned the period where Henry VII came to the throne. I’m so bored by stories concerning Henry VIII and Elizabeth. And another attraction to this book was the thread about the ravens and their establishment at the Tower of London. A fascinating and charming story that has reinspired my interest in the earlier years of the Tudors, before it really became a dynasty. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
January 12, 2020
Why do we read historical fiction? For me, the major attraction lies with the power of knowledge. At least here we know what is going to happen to our favourite heroes and vile villains. A bit like sharing the experience of being a divine perhaps. And Tudor England? Oh, that is best of times; intrigue, executions and glory abound, making it a gold mine for writers and readers alike.
'Lady of the Ravens' is another wonderful addition to this growing pile and we get to see the beginning of Tudor reign through the eyes of Joan, Lady in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth. Bold and compassionate, her role establishes a bridge between the royalty and the common man and we get to see both worlds, thanks to her perceptiveness. Intimate details of the royal household, pleasures of the countryside, danger lurking behind London alleys and the ravens of the Tower . . . there is not a single dull moment in this large narrative.
More than the Tudor household, I was interested in knowing more about Joan. She seems to have a wisdom that is well beyond her time period. The openness in her narration revealing her concerns on marriage and childbirth will further endear her to us. I am practically jumping with joy to see that the author is going to continue this story.
Another character that intrigued me is Sir Henry Wyatt, the major fiend we get to know. How such a vile creature can produce a poet son is beyond me. Nature works in strange ways indeed!
On the whole, this book was a delightful journey to Tudor England, a country struggling hard to find the stability it so craved after the wars of the Roses. Future years are going to witness the culmination of Henry VII's efforts and I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Highly recommended!!!
'Lady of the Ravens' is another wonderful addition to this growing pile and we get to see the beginning of Tudor reign through the eyes of Joan, Lady in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth. Bold and compassionate, her role establishes a bridge between the royalty and the common man and we get to see both worlds, thanks to her perceptiveness. Intimate details of the royal household, pleasures of the countryside, danger lurking behind London alleys and the ravens of the Tower . . . there is not a single dull moment in this large narrative.
More than the Tudor household, I was interested in knowing more about Joan. She seems to have a wisdom that is well beyond her time period. The openness in her narration revealing her concerns on marriage and childbirth will further endear her to us. I am practically jumping with joy to see that the author is going to continue this story.
Another character that intrigued me is Sir Henry Wyatt, the major fiend we get to know. How such a vile creature can produce a poet son is beyond me. Nature works in strange ways indeed!
On the whole, this book was a delightful journey to Tudor England, a country struggling hard to find the stability it so craved after the wars of the Roses. Future years are going to witness the culmination of Henry VII's efforts and I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Highly recommended!!!
January 24, 2020
The Lady of the Ravens is a fictionalized account of the life of Joan Vaux, lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII. Through Joan’s privileged access, the reader gets a glimpse into the marriage of the King and Queen and of life at Court.
Opening shortly after the Battle of Bosworth and early in the reign of Henry VII, it’s apt that the collective term for a gathering of ravens is a ‘conspiracy’ for it’s a time of unrest, shifting allegiances, the threat of revolt and pretenders to the throne. It’s no wonder that Joan should set such store by the welfare of the ravens who make the Tower of the London their home given the legend that their presence ensures the nation’s security. Joan is also drawn to the ravens for their cleverness and the beauty of their sleek plumage. With her dark hair and olive skin, that sets her apart from other ladies of the Court, she feels an affinity with them as “fellow misfits”.
The book will appeal to readers who like their historical fiction well populated with historical fact. I confess that, whilst appreciating the depth of research, I found the first half of the book a teeny bit slow. I was also a little distracted by the occasional use of modern phrases such as ‘dress to impress’, ‘super-intelligent’, ‘top-security secrets’ and ‘kept under wraps’. However, once the action moved to Kent and Joan’s life was centre stage, I found myself falling under the book’s spell and eager to find out what lay in store for Joan and those close to her.
The book ends at the point of Prince Arthur’s marriage to Katharine of Aragon and before significant events in Joan’s own life, including her part in what would come to be referred to as Henry VIII’s “great matter”, leaving open the prospect of a follow-up book.
The Lady of the Ravens is a well-crafted historical novel set in an interesting period in England’s history. I received an advance review copy courtesy of Harper Collins via NetGalley.
Opening shortly after the Battle of Bosworth and early in the reign of Henry VII, it’s apt that the collective term for a gathering of ravens is a ‘conspiracy’ for it’s a time of unrest, shifting allegiances, the threat of revolt and pretenders to the throne. It’s no wonder that Joan should set such store by the welfare of the ravens who make the Tower of the London their home given the legend that their presence ensures the nation’s security. Joan is also drawn to the ravens for their cleverness and the beauty of their sleek plumage. With her dark hair and olive skin, that sets her apart from other ladies of the Court, she feels an affinity with them as “fellow misfits”.
The book will appeal to readers who like their historical fiction well populated with historical fact. I confess that, whilst appreciating the depth of research, I found the first half of the book a teeny bit slow. I was also a little distracted by the occasional use of modern phrases such as ‘dress to impress’, ‘super-intelligent’, ‘top-security secrets’ and ‘kept under wraps’. However, once the action moved to Kent and Joan’s life was centre stage, I found myself falling under the book’s spell and eager to find out what lay in store for Joan and those close to her.
The book ends at the point of Prince Arthur’s marriage to Katharine of Aragon and before significant events in Joan’s own life, including her part in what would come to be referred to as Henry VIII’s “great matter”, leaving open the prospect of a follow-up book.
The Lady of the Ravens is a well-crafted historical novel set in an interesting period in England’s history. I received an advance review copy courtesy of Harper Collins via NetGalley.
December 27, 2019
I'm a big fan of Joanna Hickson's historical fiction and The Lady of the Ravens is absolutely superb. Set during the first ten years or so of Henry VII's reign we view these uncertain and difficult times through the eyes of Joan, a lady in waiting to Henry's Yorkist Queen who is drawn towards the ravens of the Tower of London, which are tormented by the Tower's soldiers and guards. If the ravens settle then so too will England, this is what Joan believes. But the story moves well beyond this to give an engrossing and immersive portrayal of early Tudor life, at court and in Joan's manor house in Kent as she grows used to her husband, her step children and her son. It's a fascinating depiction of what life for women at court (including the queen) may have been like when, they might have had material comfort, but they had no independence and had to face those great ordeals of a chosen marriage, childbirth, and the fragility of a child's life. I could not put this down. This was my perfect Christmas read. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
January 8, 2020
I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, particularly books set in the Tudor era, so this book really appealed to me.
I hadn’t read much about Joan Vaux before so I found it very interesting to learn more about her story. I really liked Joan who came across as a very clever, honest lady who doesn’t take herself too seriously which made me warm to her. I also liked her husband Richard who underneath everything was a lovely, kind man whose love and loyalty to his family shined through. I enjoyed reading about the two of them throughout the book.
There is some amazing historical details in this book which helps make the era come to life. I especially enjoyed all the vivid descriptions of the big events like the coronation and Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth which made me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold. The author has clearly done her research and I liked the way she managed to blend the historical facts into the story making it really come to life.
The novel is set in and around the tower of London which I found fascinating as I don’t remember reading many books set there. The presence of the ravens made the book stand out to me and I liked learning more about the myths surrounding them. They also added a bit of a dark, almost gothic feel to the book as it felt like they were always watching and waiting!
Overall I really enjoyed this book and found it to be very absorbing and intriguing. The author paints a bleak picture of life at that time and all the dangers that were around then. I found myself feeling very glad that I didn’t live then especially, as a woman I think I’d have had a hard time.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of author’s like Philippa Gregory then you’ll enjoy this book as the styles are similar.
I hadn’t read much about Joan Vaux before so I found it very interesting to learn more about her story. I really liked Joan who came across as a very clever, honest lady who doesn’t take herself too seriously which made me warm to her. I also liked her husband Richard who underneath everything was a lovely, kind man whose love and loyalty to his family shined through. I enjoyed reading about the two of them throughout the book.
There is some amazing historical details in this book which helps make the era come to life. I especially enjoyed all the vivid descriptions of the big events like the coronation and Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth which made me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold. The author has clearly done her research and I liked the way she managed to blend the historical facts into the story making it really come to life.
The novel is set in and around the tower of London which I found fascinating as I don’t remember reading many books set there. The presence of the ravens made the book stand out to me and I liked learning more about the myths surrounding them. They also added a bit of a dark, almost gothic feel to the book as it felt like they were always watching and waiting!
Overall I really enjoyed this book and found it to be very absorbing and intriguing. The author paints a bleak picture of life at that time and all the dangers that were around then. I found myself feeling very glad that I didn’t live then especially, as a woman I think I’d have had a hard time.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of author’s like Philippa Gregory then you’ll enjoy this book as the styles are similar.
June 13, 2022
I thought this was such a cute story about a woman who became a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth during the infancy of the Tudor Dynasty.Joan Vaux was a former ward of Lady Margaret Beaufort and soon after became a Lady in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth and was married to Sir Richard Guildford of Halden,Kent soon after.Among her interests beyond serving the royal house was a very large fondness for the ravens of the Tower in which she lived.The story takes you on a journey through her life at Court, her marriage,lady of her own house and motherhood all the while caring for her beloved ravens.At some points I felt it lagged a bit and random events and people were interjected into the story who I thought weren't necessary to the story line but it was a well researched,written and and a lovely idea for a novel.
September 13, 2019
Early review:
I do love a Tudor mystery but haven't read any for a while as I think I've overdosed on them. Well, this was one that caught my eye with the dramatic cover and the mention of having the eyes and ears of the ravens to survive Tudor Times. If you've ever been to the Tower of London where this book is set, you see them everywhere, looking, watching....they're quite evil looking birds and there's a legend which says that if they all fly away from the tower, bad things will happen. Well they've clipped their wings apparently so they can't fly, but just think of the belief which led this to happen!
The novel stands out for that very reason - the symbolism and the fear and gothic nature of the entire story. We think we all know what it must have been like to have lived in Tudor times as a woman, but this novel really gives new insight and a showcases the fear, the ravens and the combined imagery packs quite a powerful punch.
I enjoyed getting to know Joan Vaux and hearing her voice come across the centuries to tell her story. It's a very powerful read and one which sucks you in early on and totally immerses you in time and place. Although thankfully you can close the book when it gets too much whereas for the poor women of the time , there was no escape.
Tudor fans and those yet to discover the genre will really like this!
I do love a Tudor mystery but haven't read any for a while as I think I've overdosed on them. Well, this was one that caught my eye with the dramatic cover and the mention of having the eyes and ears of the ravens to survive Tudor Times. If you've ever been to the Tower of London where this book is set, you see them everywhere, looking, watching....they're quite evil looking birds and there's a legend which says that if they all fly away from the tower, bad things will happen. Well they've clipped their wings apparently so they can't fly, but just think of the belief which led this to happen!
The novel stands out for that very reason - the symbolism and the fear and gothic nature of the entire story. We think we all know what it must have been like to have lived in Tudor times as a woman, but this novel really gives new insight and a showcases the fear, the ravens and the combined imagery packs quite a powerful punch.
I enjoyed getting to know Joan Vaux and hearing her voice come across the centuries to tell her story. It's a very powerful read and one which sucks you in early on and totally immerses you in time and place. Although thankfully you can close the book when it gets too much whereas for the poor women of the time , there was no escape.
Tudor fans and those yet to discover the genre will really like this!
January 19, 2020
3.5 stars
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Joan Guildford was one of the lady-in-waitings in Queen Elizabeth's court during King Henry VII's reign, and helped her friend the Queen throughout numerous challenges including her marriage, the births and deaths of children and a lot of political upheaval in between - including the emergence of a boy claiming to be Elizabeth's brother Richard - and heir to the throne.
This was a nice historical fiction which I enjoyed reading. I knew nothing about Joan Guildford, and I liked her voice (though at times she was a little bit of a Plain Jane), and the events she encountered. I know a good bit about this time in history through other fiction and non-fiction books I've read, so I wasn't completely excited in different parts of this book and I felt some exciting things were generally happening off page due to Joan obviously not being involved in action due to her gender, and also sometimes being away from court as well and at home with her children.
One of the interesting parts of this book was Joan's life living in the Tower of London due to her husband's position and it was just cool to hear about what that was like. While I feel Joan's obsession with the ravens was never really explained, and sometimes the way she would always bring back everything to the ravens could be tedious, I still liked learning about the bird's history and connection to the Tower of London.
Some storylines felt a bit flat for me - such as the weird antagonistic relationship between Joan and Henry Wyatt. The fact it went on so long, and things only happened between them two or three times in the span of over 10 years, it felt like a storyline that didn't really need to be included.
I did enjoy this writing, and would read more of Joanna's books. I would love another book about Joan's later life as we only got a bit here, and I think her time with Princess Mary in France, and during King Henry's reign would be very interesting to read about.
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Joan Guildford was one of the lady-in-waitings in Queen Elizabeth's court during King Henry VII's reign, and helped her friend the Queen throughout numerous challenges including her marriage, the births and deaths of children and a lot of political upheaval in between - including the emergence of a boy claiming to be Elizabeth's brother Richard - and heir to the throne.
This was a nice historical fiction which I enjoyed reading. I knew nothing about Joan Guildford, and I liked her voice (though at times she was a little bit of a Plain Jane), and the events she encountered. I know a good bit about this time in history through other fiction and non-fiction books I've read, so I wasn't completely excited in different parts of this book and I felt some exciting things were generally happening off page due to Joan obviously not being involved in action due to her gender, and also sometimes being away from court as well and at home with her children.
One of the interesting parts of this book was Joan's life living in the Tower of London due to her husband's position and it was just cool to hear about what that was like. While I feel Joan's obsession with the ravens was never really explained, and sometimes the way she would always bring back everything to the ravens could be tedious, I still liked learning about the bird's history and connection to the Tower of London.
Some storylines felt a bit flat for me - such as the weird antagonistic relationship between Joan and Henry Wyatt. The fact it went on so long, and things only happened between them two or three times in the span of over 10 years, it felt like a storyline that didn't really need to be included.
I did enjoy this writing, and would read more of Joanna's books. I would love another book about Joan's later life as we only got a bit here, and I think her time with Princess Mary in France, and during King Henry's reign would be very interesting to read about.
January 11, 2020
For those that know me, they won't be surprised when I say that I really did enjoy this novel. Although this is the first book I have read of Joanna Hickson, I love Historical novels and I'm always looking forward to go back in time with a book and the characters that take me on adventures and let me know about a different period of history and about society back then.
That been said, it totally was what happened when I read "The Lady of the Ravens". As we follow Giovann, aka Joan, we are taken on a journey through descriptions that truly open our eyes to the wonders and make it such a vivid and enjoyable read.
As you all probably know, I'm Portuguese, and despite having read many Historical romances that happened in England during various time periods, I don't know a lot about the history of the country, and I don't try to pretend I do. Sometimes I have to check names or locations, but while I read this novel I was so into that I didn't felt like I was missing out. Of course, in the end I still checked names, but that was just so I was sure I didn't get it wrong or that my lack of knowledge got me thinking the wrong stuff.
Anyway, Joanna Hickson's storytelling was quite brilliant and that was part why I was so stuck in the book. I felt like I learned a lot about the society and women's life during that time, while still enjoying the characters and their story. Also loved the ravens element in this novel and combined with the descriptions just gave the book a good balance.
Overall, I loved the story and I will definitely look up other books by this author because I loved this one and I'm curious to see the rest of her work. It was a learning experience for me, and I may check other novels that happen during the Tudors period. For me, when a book gets me into a genre and topic, I consider that a success read. Well done Joanna Hickson for open up my eyes and getting me not only entertained but curious to learn more. Thank you!
[I want to thank Joanna Hickson and HaperCollins Publishers for the eCopy of this book and to Anne Carter hosting the blog tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
That been said, it totally was what happened when I read "The Lady of the Ravens". As we follow Giovann, aka Joan, we are taken on a journey through descriptions that truly open our eyes to the wonders and make it such a vivid and enjoyable read.
As you all probably know, I'm Portuguese, and despite having read many Historical romances that happened in England during various time periods, I don't know a lot about the history of the country, and I don't try to pretend I do. Sometimes I have to check names or locations, but while I read this novel I was so into that I didn't felt like I was missing out. Of course, in the end I still checked names, but that was just so I was sure I didn't get it wrong or that my lack of knowledge got me thinking the wrong stuff.
Anyway, Joanna Hickson's storytelling was quite brilliant and that was part why I was so stuck in the book. I felt like I learned a lot about the society and women's life during that time, while still enjoying the characters and their story. Also loved the ravens element in this novel and combined with the descriptions just gave the book a good balance.
Overall, I loved the story and I will definitely look up other books by this author because I loved this one and I'm curious to see the rest of her work. It was a learning experience for me, and I may check other novels that happen during the Tudors period. For me, when a book gets me into a genre and topic, I consider that a success read. Well done Joanna Hickson for open up my eyes and getting me not only entertained but curious to learn more. Thank you!
[I want to thank Joanna Hickson and HaperCollins Publishers for the eCopy of this book and to Anne Carter hosting the blog tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
January 18, 2022
Delightful
I truly enjoyed and appreciated this story. I knew nothing about the Lady of the Ravens and came to like her very much as the story progressed. There was a part about a quarter of the way in that it became very slow and I almost gave up on it. However I continued on and the pace was perfectly executed. I really liked the backstory with the ravens as we go through the story of Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth.
I truly enjoyed and appreciated this story. I knew nothing about the Lady of the Ravens and came to like her very much as the story progressed. There was a part about a quarter of the way in that it became very slow and I almost gave up on it. However I continued on and the pace was perfectly executed. I really liked the backstory with the ravens as we go through the story of Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth.
May 15, 2020
The Lady Of Ravens was a great introduction into historical fiction. The Tudor years seemed to be filled with the brutal way that life was and also the romantic way of living with the dress, the relationships and the dreams and aspirations. I enjoyed the experience of being transported back in time to a land where you could truly count your enemies and friends on the same hand, and not really distinguishing between the two. I did struggle with the speed at which the story pushed forward and would have benefitted from a faster pace.
Our protagonist, Joan Guildford was an honourable friend and a lady in waiting for Queen Elizabeth during the time of King Henry VII’s reign. Her ultimate role was to guide the Queen through the many challenges that she would ultimately face being the Queen. The births and deaths of children – giving Joan a standpoint in which she knew she wouldn’t want to be married or have children. This was an extremely rare and misunderstood viewpoint that others couldn’t get their head around. I admired her. Her strength and singular capability is what drew me immediately into her corner. She was a force to be reckoned with.
The Tudor era which was the focus in The Lady of Ravens is time that I am extremely unfamiliar with. I got excited by a lot of the imagery. It was skilfully and visually painted into my vision. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am obsessed with anything medieval and castles. The gender roles contained within the pages meant that the events that Joan was involved with were generally unexciting and a lot ended up happening behind the scenes.
For a book that is titled, The Lady Of Ravens I would have loved to have Joan’s obsession with the birds delved into deeper. I never thought that it was investigated fully, and I felt myself pulling towards answers, wanting more, why was she so enraptured with the birds? The author never really gave me the reasoning that I was requiring, and I was a bit disappointed.
The Lady of Ravens was an enjoyable read but I did close the book thinking that a lot of it fell flat for me. Information that wasn’t required, storylines that seemed to be dragged on for the sake of it. I enjoyed the writing style and I did fall in love with the descriptive nature of the authors work. I just wanted a more direct journey to the conclusion rather than a roundabout trip that felt at times, unnecessary.
Our protagonist, Joan Guildford was an honourable friend and a lady in waiting for Queen Elizabeth during the time of King Henry VII’s reign. Her ultimate role was to guide the Queen through the many challenges that she would ultimately face being the Queen. The births and deaths of children – giving Joan a standpoint in which she knew she wouldn’t want to be married or have children. This was an extremely rare and misunderstood viewpoint that others couldn’t get their head around. I admired her. Her strength and singular capability is what drew me immediately into her corner. She was a force to be reckoned with.
The Tudor era which was the focus in The Lady of Ravens is time that I am extremely unfamiliar with. I got excited by a lot of the imagery. It was skilfully and visually painted into my vision. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am obsessed with anything medieval and castles. The gender roles contained within the pages meant that the events that Joan was involved with were generally unexciting and a lot ended up happening behind the scenes.
For a book that is titled, The Lady Of Ravens I would have loved to have Joan’s obsession with the birds delved into deeper. I never thought that it was investigated fully, and I felt myself pulling towards answers, wanting more, why was she so enraptured with the birds? The author never really gave me the reasoning that I was requiring, and I was a bit disappointed.
The Lady of Ravens was an enjoyable read but I did close the book thinking that a lot of it fell flat for me. Information that wasn’t required, storylines that seemed to be dragged on for the sake of it. I enjoyed the writing style and I did fall in love with the descriptive nature of the authors work. I just wanted a more direct journey to the conclusion rather than a roundabout trip that felt at times, unnecessary.
April 6, 2021
I read the first 2/3 of the book in one sitting, I found it really interesting and full of court intrigue.
However it then became inexplicably boring and it’s taken me over a week to finish the rest of it.
Joan is passive and more of an observer. The “wife and mother” trope was dull and tedious. She was adamant she didn’t want children at the beginning then was pretty much forced to marry and popped a baby out and, shock shock, was super happy she forcibly had her mind changed. This particular arc felt very much like a dig at women who choose not to procreate.
The whole thing with Wyatt was bizarre. It never had any real catalyst for such a hatred and it felt very forced and unnatural. It also never actually builds up or comes to anything and she isn’t believed when she tells her husband about it.
The two attempted rapes were totally unnecessary. Like we know times for women we’re pretty pants back in Tudor times. They added nothing to the story and seemed to just be thrown in for shock value. Unneeded.
Doesn’t live up to the blurb, there were maybe three mentions of Joans previous tower visits as a child and that’s it. I expected so much more.
Overall, dull and disappointing with very little narrative.
However it then became inexplicably boring and it’s taken me over a week to finish the rest of it.
Joan is passive and more of an observer. The “wife and mother” trope was dull and tedious. She was adamant she didn’t want children at the beginning then was pretty much forced to marry and popped a baby out and, shock shock, was super happy she forcibly had her mind changed. This particular arc felt very much like a dig at women who choose not to procreate.
The whole thing with Wyatt was bizarre. It never had any real catalyst for such a hatred and it felt very forced and unnatural. It also never actually builds up or comes to anything and she isn’t believed when she tells her husband about it.
The two attempted rapes were totally unnecessary. Like we know times for women we’re pretty pants back in Tudor times. They added nothing to the story and seemed to just be thrown in for shock value. Unneeded.
Doesn’t live up to the blurb, there were maybe three mentions of Joans previous tower visits as a child and that’s it. I expected so much more.
Overall, dull and disappointing with very little narrative.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2019
I love historical fiction but I found this book to be a little slow for me. It's well written and well researched but just didn't hit the spot.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
March 20, 2020
Fictionalised history...
Joan Vaux has known Elizabeth of York since childhood, so when Elizabeth becomes Queen to the first of the Tudors, Henry VII, it is natural for Joan to become one of her court servants. This is the story of Joan’s life – her rise through the ranks to become lady-in-waiting to the Queen and her husband’s equal rise to the top ranks of Henry’s circle. Living for periods of time in the Tower of London, Joan has developed a fascination for the ravens who make their home there and for the legend that says that should the ravens ever desert the Tower, its walls will crumble and the monarchy will fall. Over the years Joan will do her best to protect the ravens from those who see them as pests.
I’m no historian, especially of this period, but it seems to me as if Hickson sticks very closely to fact, both in terms of events and in the personalities of the Royals, insofar as their personalities are known at all at this distance. To me, this is not so much historical fiction as fictionalised history. By this I mean that it is a simple recounting of actual events as seen through the eyes of Joan, rather than a fictional story in its own right using the historical background as a setting.
In other words, there is no plot. The blurb speaks of Joan being “privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of her queen” but frankly Elizabeth doesn’t have any deep, dark secrets. “Like the ravens,” the blurb continues, “Joan must use her eyes and her senses, as conspiracy whispers through the dark corridors of the Tower.” Hmm! That rather makes it sounds as if Joan will be involved in the various events of the time, doesn’t it? But she’s not – she merely mentions them in passing as things that happen to other people. The book is well written for the most part and interesting for the credible detail it provides of the life of a lady of the court who sees and hears of the high events of the period without actively participating in or influencing them. Nothing wrong with that, but not quite what the blurb would lead one to expect. Personally I was perpetually disappointed that all the action was happening elsewhere – the rebellions, skirmishes, treaties, etc. However that’s a matter of personal preference – I’m always more interested in the political than the domestic sphere.
The book is full of anachronistic phrases, like “healthy bottom line”, “cooking the books”, “dress to impress”, and so on – so many of them that I came to think that Hickson had made the decision to do this deliberately rather than accidentally allowing one or two to slip through. I can see that that may be an attempt to make the characters seem more accessible to a modern audience, but for me it simply jarred. I don’t think historical fiction should necessarily be full of thous and thees and mayhaps and verilys, but I find the use of specifically modern phrases simply pulls me out of the period. And I was seriously disappointed at the too frequent glaring grammatical errors, especially since Hickson tells us that she had two editors! Hopefully someone will have picked these up and corrected them before the final version was printed.
Despite this lengthy list of niggles, I still found it quite an enjoyable read overall. It gives an interesting and convincing insight into the life of a lady of the court, juggling marriage and children with the duties of serving the Queen. Joan is lucky that the husband who is chosen for her is someone she comes to love and admire – not passionately, perhaps, but contentedly. All the important events of the time are touched on, such as Perkin Warbeck’s imposture of one of the missing, presumed dead, Princes in the Tower, and we are entertainingly introduced to the child who will later become Henry VIII. The book ends with the marriage of Katherine of Aragorn to the young Prince Arthur, and with a promise in the afterword that Hickson intends to continue Joan’s story in a future book. I’m not sure that I’ll stick with her for that, but that’s mainly because of my preference for novels that take me to the centre of events rather than leaving me on the domestic periphery. However, I think people who are interested in seeing how women of this rank lived at that time will find this an enjoyable and informative read.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Joan Vaux has known Elizabeth of York since childhood, so when Elizabeth becomes Queen to the first of the Tudors, Henry VII, it is natural for Joan to become one of her court servants. This is the story of Joan’s life – her rise through the ranks to become lady-in-waiting to the Queen and her husband’s equal rise to the top ranks of Henry’s circle. Living for periods of time in the Tower of London, Joan has developed a fascination for the ravens who make their home there and for the legend that says that should the ravens ever desert the Tower, its walls will crumble and the monarchy will fall. Over the years Joan will do her best to protect the ravens from those who see them as pests.
I’m no historian, especially of this period, but it seems to me as if Hickson sticks very closely to fact, both in terms of events and in the personalities of the Royals, insofar as their personalities are known at all at this distance. To me, this is not so much historical fiction as fictionalised history. By this I mean that it is a simple recounting of actual events as seen through the eyes of Joan, rather than a fictional story in its own right using the historical background as a setting.
In other words, there is no plot. The blurb speaks of Joan being “privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of her queen” but frankly Elizabeth doesn’t have any deep, dark secrets. “Like the ravens,” the blurb continues, “Joan must use her eyes and her senses, as conspiracy whispers through the dark corridors of the Tower.” Hmm! That rather makes it sounds as if Joan will be involved in the various events of the time, doesn’t it? But she’s not – she merely mentions them in passing as things that happen to other people. The book is well written for the most part and interesting for the credible detail it provides of the life of a lady of the court who sees and hears of the high events of the period without actively participating in or influencing them. Nothing wrong with that, but not quite what the blurb would lead one to expect. Personally I was perpetually disappointed that all the action was happening elsewhere – the rebellions, skirmishes, treaties, etc. However that’s a matter of personal preference – I’m always more interested in the political than the domestic sphere.
The book is full of anachronistic phrases, like “healthy bottom line”, “cooking the books”, “dress to impress”, and so on – so many of them that I came to think that Hickson had made the decision to do this deliberately rather than accidentally allowing one or two to slip through. I can see that that may be an attempt to make the characters seem more accessible to a modern audience, but for me it simply jarred. I don’t think historical fiction should necessarily be full of thous and thees and mayhaps and verilys, but I find the use of specifically modern phrases simply pulls me out of the period. And I was seriously disappointed at the too frequent glaring grammatical errors, especially since Hickson tells us that she had two editors! Hopefully someone will have picked these up and corrected them before the final version was printed.
Despite this lengthy list of niggles, I still found it quite an enjoyable read overall. It gives an interesting and convincing insight into the life of a lady of the court, juggling marriage and children with the duties of serving the Queen. Joan is lucky that the husband who is chosen for her is someone she comes to love and admire – not passionately, perhaps, but contentedly. All the important events of the time are touched on, such as Perkin Warbeck’s imposture of one of the missing, presumed dead, Princes in the Tower, and we are entertainingly introduced to the child who will later become Henry VIII. The book ends with the marriage of Katherine of Aragorn to the young Prince Arthur, and with a promise in the afterword that Hickson intends to continue Joan’s story in a future book. I’m not sure that I’ll stick with her for that, but that’s mainly because of my preference for novels that take me to the centre of events rather than leaving me on the domestic periphery. However, I think people who are interested in seeing how women of this rank lived at that time will find this an enjoyable and informative read.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, HarperCollins.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
May 22, 2020
I love story's about the Tudors and the war of the Rose's before. And this book gives us some insight in the story from another point of view. I loved the story and the main character Joan. Truly an lovely book to read.
January 13, 2020
My favorite aspect of the Lady of the Ravens is the way that the author evokes the atmosphere of the Tower of London and the surrounding community. The book is rich with historical details about England in the early Tudor period. I have a soft spot for novels set during this time in history, and Hickson’s writing reminds me of another Philippa Gregory, who is one of my favorite authors.
I enjoyed reading about the life of the protagonist, Joan Vaux. I found her easy to relate to because she also loves books and has a soft spot for animals, including the iconic ravens that live at the Tower. The fact that the author chose a relatively unknown person to be the protagonist of her novel was one of the strong points of the book. I wasn’t sure how the story would end and I felt a sense of foreboding as I watched the events unfold.
The only gentle criticism I have is that the plot of the book felt a bit meandering at times. Nevertheless, I loved the ongoing plot line in which the protagonist fights to gain acceptance for her beloved ravens. If you’re a fan of Tudor historical fiction, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book. I give it a very solid four stars and look forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks so much to Anne Carter and Random Things blog tours for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed reading about the life of the protagonist, Joan Vaux. I found her easy to relate to because she also loves books and has a soft spot for animals, including the iconic ravens that live at the Tower. The fact that the author chose a relatively unknown person to be the protagonist of her novel was one of the strong points of the book. I wasn’t sure how the story would end and I felt a sense of foreboding as I watched the events unfold.
The only gentle criticism I have is that the plot of the book felt a bit meandering at times. Nevertheless, I loved the ongoing plot line in which the protagonist fights to gain acceptance for her beloved ravens. If you’re a fan of Tudor historical fiction, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book. I give it a very solid four stars and look forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks so much to Anne Carter and Random Things blog tours for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 9, 2020
The Lady of the Ravens by Joanna Hickson is a interesting book set in the Tudor reign.
The protagonist Giovanni ‘Joan ‘ Vaux is attendant in the Princess Elizabeth of York household who is married to King Henry VII. She works her way up and becomes a lady in waiting after marrying Richard Guildford. But despite already having a ready-made family to his six children. She is frightened of childbirth. Whilst visiting her mother who is a companion to Lady Margaret Beaufort. She visits the Tower of London were the evil Ravens reside. She is fascinated by them they are always watching people everywhere. She becomes friends with them and even feeds them.
I love historical novels and I was glad to be accepted for a copy of this book. I liked this book. I thought it was well researched and well written. But as I was getting into I just thought there was too much description and not the actually story that I got disengaged from it and just skimmed read the last twenty five percent of the book.
The protagonist Giovanni ‘Joan ‘ Vaux is attendant in the Princess Elizabeth of York household who is married to King Henry VII. She works her way up and becomes a lady in waiting after marrying Richard Guildford. But despite already having a ready-made family to his six children. She is frightened of childbirth. Whilst visiting her mother who is a companion to Lady Margaret Beaufort. She visits the Tower of London were the evil Ravens reside. She is fascinated by them they are always watching people everywhere. She becomes friends with them and even feeds them.
I love historical novels and I was glad to be accepted for a copy of this book. I liked this book. I thought it was well researched and well written. But as I was getting into I just thought there was too much description and not the actually story that I got disengaged from it and just skimmed read the last twenty five percent of the book.
March 10, 2023
Good story about the early days of Henry VII's court told through the eyes of Queen Elizabeth's lady in waiting Joan Guildford. Joan's fascination and advocacy for the Tower ravens seemed at times like a forced point in the story and I honestly could have done without it.
January 6, 2020
I would like to thank netgalley and HarperCollins UK for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Set during the early reign of Henry VII, this book follows Joan Vaux, a lady in waiting to Elisabeth of York.
It's an interesting time period and I loved her fascination with the ravens of the Tower of London. I had a little trouble connecting to her character.
Set during the early reign of Henry VII, this book follows Joan Vaux, a lady in waiting to Elisabeth of York.
It's an interesting time period and I loved her fascination with the ravens of the Tower of London. I had a little trouble connecting to her character.
January 7, 2020
This decadent and delightful novel transported me back in time to Tudor England. Henry VII has just taken the throne and his reign is still tenuous, under threat from Yorkists who see him as a usurper. The story takes us through the next sixteen years of his reign as they navigate conspiracies and try to establish the Tudor dynasty. It is narrated by Joan Vaux, an intelligent, independent young woman who is also the closest servant and friend of Elizabeth of York, Henry’s queen. Ravens are immediately very present and important to the story with Joan feeling an affiliation to them and talks of the suspicion that they guard the tower and if the ravens disappear then the king will fall. These themes are woven throughout the story as the ravens become almost a character themselves.
I absolutely adored Joan. She was a fascinating character who was all the more compelling to me because she was a real person. I admired her attempts to fly in the face of tradition and how she stood up for what she thought and believed in, even when it wasn’t advisable or would work against her. I felt immensely sad for her when talked about her wish to remain unmarried and her overwhelming fear of childbirth as it was expected that women would marry and become mothers at that time. Unless you became a nun there wasn’t the choice to remain single, especially when you lived at court. Marriages were a political power play, and women had no autonomy over themselves or their bodies, something Joan clearly loathed and found unfair.. It was hard to read the battle that would rage inside her when she was forced to yield to things because it what was expected and I desperately wished she and the other women could live in progressive societies today and experience more choice in their lives.
Elizabeth may have been the Queen of England, but she was a character I felt desperately sorry for. She is in a precarious position from the start of the story - needing to marry Henry to secure her place as part of royalty and securing her family’s position in society. After their marriage it is all about her royal duty to have children, particularly heirs and spares, reminding us of the thinking at the time that males were superior and that fertility and a baby’s sex were in the woman’s hands and the danger posed if she doesn’t fulfill her duties. Elizabeth is a doting mother but not only is she forced to be separated from her children shortly after their births, she suffers the tragic loss of two of them to illness, as well as multiple miscarriages. My heart broke for what she went through. I loved the sweet friendship between her and Joan. It was clear that Elizabeth relied on her as her support and confident, more than in a practical sense as time went on. She had a true friend she could trust, something needed when you have to use clandestine methods to go about things your husband wouldn’t agree with.
I’ve become a huge lover of historical fiction over the past few years and this novel had everything you could want from that genre. It is wonderfully written and well developed. The author knows how to draw in and captivate her audience, quickly having me fully immersed in the era. It felt like I was Joan, seeing everything through her eyes and feeling everything she did. I was in Tudor England, bearing witness to moments in history that shaped our country, and could almost smell the squalor. The author vividly portrayed not only the imagery of that time, but the emotions too. Life at court was a tightrope that had to be walked very carefully and a game that had to be delicately played - making the right move at the right time to advance further. We saw how both men and women were subject to rigid expectations and had to yield in order to not only maintain their position, but sometimes to save their lives. She also didn’t shy away from the darkest truths of that time and we witnessed some tragic moments that linger in my mind.
The Lady of the Ravens is a beautifully crafted novel that I couldn’t put down. Though it is based hundreds of years ago, the humanity of the story makes it relatable, affecting and uplifting. I enjoyed learning more about the era and plan on learning more about Joan after my interest has been sparked by this novel. I am thrilled that this is just the start of a new series and can’t wait for the next installment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely adored Joan. She was a fascinating character who was all the more compelling to me because she was a real person. I admired her attempts to fly in the face of tradition and how she stood up for what she thought and believed in, even when it wasn’t advisable or would work against her. I felt immensely sad for her when talked about her wish to remain unmarried and her overwhelming fear of childbirth as it was expected that women would marry and become mothers at that time. Unless you became a nun there wasn’t the choice to remain single, especially when you lived at court. Marriages were a political power play, and women had no autonomy over themselves or their bodies, something Joan clearly loathed and found unfair.. It was hard to read the battle that would rage inside her when she was forced to yield to things because it what was expected and I desperately wished she and the other women could live in progressive societies today and experience more choice in their lives.
Elizabeth may have been the Queen of England, but she was a character I felt desperately sorry for. She is in a precarious position from the start of the story - needing to marry Henry to secure her place as part of royalty and securing her family’s position in society. After their marriage it is all about her royal duty to have children, particularly heirs and spares, reminding us of the thinking at the time that males were superior and that fertility and a baby’s sex were in the woman’s hands and the danger posed if she doesn’t fulfill her duties. Elizabeth is a doting mother but not only is she forced to be separated from her children shortly after their births, she suffers the tragic loss of two of them to illness, as well as multiple miscarriages. My heart broke for what she went through. I loved the sweet friendship between her and Joan. It was clear that Elizabeth relied on her as her support and confident, more than in a practical sense as time went on. She had a true friend she could trust, something needed when you have to use clandestine methods to go about things your husband wouldn’t agree with.
I’ve become a huge lover of historical fiction over the past few years and this novel had everything you could want from that genre. It is wonderfully written and well developed. The author knows how to draw in and captivate her audience, quickly having me fully immersed in the era. It felt like I was Joan, seeing everything through her eyes and feeling everything she did. I was in Tudor England, bearing witness to moments in history that shaped our country, and could almost smell the squalor. The author vividly portrayed not only the imagery of that time, but the emotions too. Life at court was a tightrope that had to be walked very carefully and a game that had to be delicately played - making the right move at the right time to advance further. We saw how both men and women were subject to rigid expectations and had to yield in order to not only maintain their position, but sometimes to save their lives. She also didn’t shy away from the darkest truths of that time and we witnessed some tragic moments that linger in my mind.
The Lady of the Ravens is a beautifully crafted novel that I couldn’t put down. Though it is based hundreds of years ago, the humanity of the story makes it relatable, affecting and uplifting. I enjoyed learning more about the era and plan on learning more about Joan after my interest has been sparked by this novel. I am thrilled that this is just the start of a new series and can’t wait for the next installment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2020
In the author's note at the conclusion of the book, Hickson describes how she came up with the idea for the novel-- it was supposed to be set in the Tower, and act as a biography of Joan Vaux. The one thing Hickson didn't immediately have, she says, was a plot.
And, frustratingly, despite 450 pages and 16 years of narrative, no plot materialises. There are a few vague through-lines, such as Joan's bizarre love of the ravens, or the general unrest during the early years of Henry VII's reign, but nothing that actually counts as a plot. If fiction is about a character wanting something while something stands in their way, in this case it's entirely unclear what Joan wants and what's in her way. Rather, the book meanders through a series of events, both historical and personal, all of which seem briefly exciting, only to be all too easily solved and dismissed within a few sentences.
Other than plot, my biggest frustration with this novel was its constant use of anachronisms. Characters constantly use modern slang, such as "super intelligent" or "doing a recce." Perhaps this was intended to make the characters sound relatable, but considering how they adopt more Renaissance-speak elsewhere (with plenty of "my lady" and "break your fast") the slang simply pulled me out of the novel.
More serious than the language, however, is the attitudes of the characters, particularly Joan. For no real reason at all, she has a fear of childbearing that leads her to resist marriage. This sort of attitude, while it's one that I can definitely understand today, seems totally out of place in the period. Perhaps it could have worked if Hickson had given Joan more of a reason for feeling how she does, but, as it stands, it just reads like a modern mindset has been transplanted into a historical woman's brain. (Also, while Joan seems so concerned about childbirth that she's willing to forgo the advanced status that would come with marriage, as soon as she gets past the "traumatic" birth of her first child, she's eager to have another one, making all her previous fears seem trivial.)
Despite these significant issues, there are aspects of the novel that are commendable. Hickson certainly does know her history, and, despite how the novel is frustratingly full of info-dumps, there's a lot here to delight the lover of historical fiction. Joan is a fascinating character, and it's enjoyable to learn more about such a little-known historical figure. I didn't enjoy this book as a novel, but as a fictionalised biography, it's worth a read.
And, frustratingly, despite 450 pages and 16 years of narrative, no plot materialises. There are a few vague through-lines, such as Joan's bizarre love of the ravens, or the general unrest during the early years of Henry VII's reign, but nothing that actually counts as a plot. If fiction is about a character wanting something while something stands in their way, in this case it's entirely unclear what Joan wants and what's in her way. Rather, the book meanders through a series of events, both historical and personal, all of which seem briefly exciting, only to be all too easily solved and dismissed within a few sentences.
Other than plot, my biggest frustration with this novel was its constant use of anachronisms. Characters constantly use modern slang, such as "super intelligent" or "doing a recce." Perhaps this was intended to make the characters sound relatable, but considering how they adopt more Renaissance-speak elsewhere (with plenty of "my lady" and "break your fast") the slang simply pulled me out of the novel.
More serious than the language, however, is the attitudes of the characters, particularly Joan. For no real reason at all, she has a fear of childbearing that leads her to resist marriage. This sort of attitude, while it's one that I can definitely understand today, seems totally out of place in the period. Perhaps it could have worked if Hickson had given Joan more of a reason for feeling how she does, but, as it stands, it just reads like a modern mindset has been transplanted into a historical woman's brain. (Also, while Joan seems so concerned about childbirth that she's willing to forgo the advanced status that would come with marriage, as soon as she gets past the "traumatic" birth of her first child, she's eager to have another one, making all her previous fears seem trivial.)
Despite these significant issues, there are aspects of the novel that are commendable. Hickson certainly does know her history, and, despite how the novel is frustratingly full of info-dumps, there's a lot here to delight the lover of historical fiction. Joan is a fascinating character, and it's enjoyable to learn more about such a little-known historical figure. I didn't enjoy this book as a novel, but as a fictionalised biography, it's worth a read.
September 14, 2023
Polvere d;arte - per RFS
.
Chi ama la storia e vuole approfondire in maniera romanzata i fatti realmente accaduti, agli albori della dinastia Tudor, non può lasciarsi sfuggire questo libro.
La dama dei corvi è un romanzo scritto con grazia ed eleganza dal punto di vista di Joan Vaux. Gentildonna al servizio della “signora madre di re Enrico VII” che ha appena rivendicato il trono. Joan ama i corvi con tutta se stessa e odia chi li maltratta. La leggenda narra che finché i corvi saranno presenti nella torre bianca il re prospererà quindi, da fervente lancasteriana, farà di tutto affinché loro continuino a popolare quel luogo. Joan è una gentildonna al servizio Elisabetta di York ancor prima della sua incoronazione, grazie alla signora madre del re Enrico VII. Le sue doti intellettuali e l’encomiabile educazione fanno di lei da sempre un’amica e una confidente della regina. Per essere elevata però al rango di dama, Joan si dovrà sposare, cosa che non le è del tutto congeniale, poiché ama la sua libertà e teme il parto. La nostra protagonista si ritroverà ben presto di fronte al re con ben due proposte di matrimonio! Prenderà la decisione giusta per il suo futuro? Riuscirà a essere felice qualora accettasse di contrarre un matrimonio? Potrà rifiutare le nozze di fronte al re? Le difficoltà di certo non mancheranno né prima né dopo, si sa in una corte non c’è mai tranquillità. Tra importanti decisioni da prendere per se stessa, per la sua nuova vita, tra usurpatori yorkisti, fantocci, che escono come funghi, avallando pretese sul trono di re Enrico VII, la voglia di costruire e far crescere i corvi alla torre bianca avviene con non poche difficoltà.
Il romanzo ti catapulta in quel periodo con un lessico forbito, anche quando sembra eccessivamente lento e a tratti noioso, risulta essere invece un approfondimento su alcune sfaccettature della vita dei reali, del suo entourage e degli ambienti, mostrando in profondità le varie sfaccettature e mansioni dei personaggi. Tutti loro hanno un’evoluzione significativa dei propri caratteri e atteggiamenti. Se vi sfuggisse qualcosa come casate, matrimoni, figli o semplicemente qualche termine dell’epoca non preoccupatevi perché l’autrice ha pensato anche a questo mettendo dei glossari e delle immagini chiarificatrici. Se amate la storia, la dinastia Tudor e volete vedere la sua nascita è un libro assolutamente da non perdere!
.
Chi ama la storia e vuole approfondire in maniera romanzata i fatti realmente accaduti, agli albori della dinastia Tudor, non può lasciarsi sfuggire questo libro.
La dama dei corvi è un romanzo scritto con grazia ed eleganza dal punto di vista di Joan Vaux. Gentildonna al servizio della “signora madre di re Enrico VII” che ha appena rivendicato il trono. Joan ama i corvi con tutta se stessa e odia chi li maltratta. La leggenda narra che finché i corvi saranno presenti nella torre bianca il re prospererà quindi, da fervente lancasteriana, farà di tutto affinché loro continuino a popolare quel luogo. Joan è una gentildonna al servizio Elisabetta di York ancor prima della sua incoronazione, grazie alla signora madre del re Enrico VII. Le sue doti intellettuali e l’encomiabile educazione fanno di lei da sempre un’amica e una confidente della regina. Per essere elevata però al rango di dama, Joan si dovrà sposare, cosa che non le è del tutto congeniale, poiché ama la sua libertà e teme il parto. La nostra protagonista si ritroverà ben presto di fronte al re con ben due proposte di matrimonio! Prenderà la decisione giusta per il suo futuro? Riuscirà a essere felice qualora accettasse di contrarre un matrimonio? Potrà rifiutare le nozze di fronte al re? Le difficoltà di certo non mancheranno né prima né dopo, si sa in una corte non c’è mai tranquillità. Tra importanti decisioni da prendere per se stessa, per la sua nuova vita, tra usurpatori yorkisti, fantocci, che escono come funghi, avallando pretese sul trono di re Enrico VII, la voglia di costruire e far crescere i corvi alla torre bianca avviene con non poche difficoltà.
Il romanzo ti catapulta in quel periodo con un lessico forbito, anche quando sembra eccessivamente lento e a tratti noioso, risulta essere invece un approfondimento su alcune sfaccettature della vita dei reali, del suo entourage e degli ambienti, mostrando in profondità le varie sfaccettature e mansioni dei personaggi. Tutti loro hanno un’evoluzione significativa dei propri caratteri e atteggiamenti. Se vi sfuggisse qualcosa come casate, matrimoni, figli o semplicemente qualche termine dell’epoca non preoccupatevi perché l’autrice ha pensato anche a questo mettendo dei glossari e delle immagini chiarificatrici. Se amate la storia, la dinastia Tudor e volete vedere la sua nascita è un libro assolutamente da non perdere!
April 13, 2021
This was the first book we read during the COVID crisis, we discussed it using the GoodReads private group we have set up. Unfortunately this didn't work as well as hoped so this review might be a little shorter than normal.
We had a little discussion about the style of language which some people felt was a little too modern so felt slightly odd. Others found that because the style was a little more modern than other historical novels it was actually easier to get into.
There was also some discussion about how there are a lot of books about this time period which makes it easier in some ways to learn and keep track of the people involved. However, as this was from a different point of view there were some names we weren't familiar with which did cause some confusion. We would also be interested in hearing more from people who were living a more normal life, rather than the higher classes all the time. In this specific example we would like to have had more from the point of view of Sim as he rose from such a poor position to living with royals.
As this is a historical novel but from the point of view of someone we'd not heard of before we wondered how historically accurate this book was. It's hard enough to find information and records about women in this time who were well known, but this person might have had very little written about her. We wondered why she was chosen to be the focus of the book.
Overall we gave this book 8 out of 10. #gifted
We had a little discussion about the style of language which some people felt was a little too modern so felt slightly odd. Others found that because the style was a little more modern than other historical novels it was actually easier to get into.
There was also some discussion about how there are a lot of books about this time period which makes it easier in some ways to learn and keep track of the people involved. However, as this was from a different point of view there were some names we weren't familiar with which did cause some confusion. We would also be interested in hearing more from people who were living a more normal life, rather than the higher classes all the time. In this specific example we would like to have had more from the point of view of Sim as he rose from such a poor position to living with royals.
As this is a historical novel but from the point of view of someone we'd not heard of before we wondered how historically accurate this book was. It's hard enough to find information and records about women in this time who were well known, but this person might have had very little written about her. We wondered why she was chosen to be the focus of the book.
Overall we gave this book 8 out of 10. #gifted
August 24, 2020
Joan Vaux Guildhall, Hickson's heroine, was a real Tudor personage who served as a lady in waiting to Henry VII's wife, Elizabeth. Having never heard her name before, I was interested in learning about her, even through this fictional retelling of her life. Hickson obviously is very well versed in the early reign of, and creation of the dynasty of, the Tudors. In her hands, Joan is a Londoner who has long felt an affinity for the ravens who live at the Tower of London and who has long subscribed to the legend that England cannot fall as long as ravens occupy the Tower. However, Joan's passion for the birds and her reckless acts to keep them safe seemed a bit forced throughout the novel, as though Hickson came up with the book's title before actually writing it and felt a need to frequently link the tale back to it. Joan is a witness to the trials of the first Tudor king and his queen, and her story was interesting, but it ended, to me, very abruptly; I felt as though I'd been taken on her journey only to be summarily pushed off the cart. Perhaps Hickson intended this, as a push to read her subsequent books, but I felt a bit cheated, and the feeling spoiled my impression of the novel as a whole.
January 1, 2020
Historical fiction, especially set around the Plantagenet and Tudor eras are my favourite books to read so I was delighted to be approved to read this Arc, thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the first two thirds of this book, the character of Joan is an interesting portrayal of a woman at this time. She is strong willed, and strong minded and even though its a male dominated world she wants to be in control of her own destiny. However, the character wasn't interesting enough to distract me from the fact that I knew what was going to happen to the peripheral characters of Henry VII, his wife Elizabeth and his children etc.
I enjoyed the setting of the tower of London, and the link with the Ravens as well as the constant mention of the princes in the tower one of my favourite mystery's! Ultimately though I thought there was not enough dialogue between characters, meaning that I never really felt that I got to know any of them.
The ending for me was a little unsatisfying but that being said I enjoyed the majority if this reading experience so would say this is a middle of the road 3/5
I really enjoyed the first two thirds of this book, the character of Joan is an interesting portrayal of a woman at this time. She is strong willed, and strong minded and even though its a male dominated world she wants to be in control of her own destiny. However, the character wasn't interesting enough to distract me from the fact that I knew what was going to happen to the peripheral characters of Henry VII, his wife Elizabeth and his children etc.
I enjoyed the setting of the tower of London, and the link with the Ravens as well as the constant mention of the princes in the tower one of my favourite mystery's! Ultimately though I thought there was not enough dialogue between characters, meaning that I never really felt that I got to know any of them.
The ending for me was a little unsatisfying but that being said I enjoyed the majority if this reading experience so would say this is a middle of the road 3/5
October 23, 2019
An enjoyable Historical fiction set right at the beginning of the Tudor period. Joan Veaux is lady in waiting to Elizabeth of Yor, who is married to Henry VII. Despite being terrified in the beginning of childbirth, and therefore marriage, she ends up having to marry Richard Guildford. He has rooms in the Tower of London where she comes across the ravens, which according to legend are protectors of the Tower and when there are no ravens left, the kingdom will fall. She admires the ravens, an unpopular opinion at the time and encourages them.
I found it interesting to read about this period, there are plenty of books out there on Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, but this is the first time I have come across a book set in the earlier period of the Tudor dynasty. I look forward to reading more if they become available.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and Harpercollins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion*
I found it interesting to read about this period, there are plenty of books out there on Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, but this is the first time I have come across a book set in the earlier period of the Tudor dynasty. I look forward to reading more if they become available.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and Harpercollins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion*
December 6, 2020
This is a historical fiction book which is mostly set around The Tower of London. This interested me greatly as it is one of my favourite landmarks in London. This is the story of Joan Vaux who marries Richard Guildford. Joan becomes the Lady of the Ravens. The story starts at the beginning of Henry VIIs reign and details his coronation and his marriage to Elizabeth of York.
The descriptions in this book are fabulous and it makes you feel part of the book. This book has been so well researched and it is well written.
I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. If you are interested in Tudor history or a fan of historical fiction you will love this book.
The descriptions in this book are fabulous and it makes you feel part of the book. This book has been so well researched and it is well written.
I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. If you are interested in Tudor history or a fan of historical fiction you will love this book.
January 22, 2020
Praise Joanna Hickson and great historical novel that had me intrigued from the beginning. Told from a Lady In waiting to Elizabeth of Yorks perspective. Joanna guides you through the times with her descriptive narrative. Historical figures are bought to life wonderfully. A must read for any Tudor Fiction Fan.
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