The Lady and the Poet

by Maeve Haran

Set against the sumptuousness and intrigues of Queen Elizabeth I's court, this powerful novel reveals the untold love affair between the famous poet John Donne and Ann More, the passionate woman who, against all odds, became his wife.

Ann More, the fiery and spirited daughter of the Mores of Loseley House in Surrey, came to London destined for a life at the court of Queen Elizabeth and an advantageous marriage. There she encountered John Donne, the darkly attractive young poet who was secretary to her uncle, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. He was unlike any man she had ever met―angry, clever, witty, and in her eyes, insufferably arrogant and careless of women. Yet as they were thrown together, Donne opened Ann's eyes to a new world of passion and sensuality. However, John Donne―Catholic by background in an age when it was deadly dangerous, tainted by an alluring hint of scandal―was the kind of man her status-conscious father distrusted and despised.

The Lady and the Poet tells the story of the forbidden love between one of our most admired poets and a girl who dared to rebel against her family and the conventions of her time. They gave up everything to be together, and their love knew no bounds.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Fiction, British Literature, Poetry, Tudor Period

504 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Maeve Haran is an Oxford Law graduate who worked in journalism and television before writing her first novel, Having It All, a worldwide bestseller translated into 26 languages and shortlisted for
the Romantic Novel of the Year. She wrote twelve more contemporary novels, one work of non-fiction, and two historical novels.

Her new book In the Summertime is due out on June 8.

She has grown-up three children and lives in North London.

Reviews

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very pleasant story and I enjoyed it despite its complete lack of excitement. It is just a love story. The lady is Lady Ann More, daughter to one ambitious George More who desires to marry her off to the man with the greatest title to his name. The poet is Master John Donne who holds no favor in her father's eyes. The two fall in love quite by accident. In the court of Elizabeth I, (Do not be fooled.. The Queen only has one brief appearance. This is not about Elizabeth.) the lady and the poet meet. Their meeting is not favorable for either one at first, but over time they come to grow a friendship that eventually leads to something more and forbidden.

Thru Ann, readers get an in depth look at life of young lady during Elizabeth's reign. There is sickness, death in childbirth, fear over expressing religion different from the queen's, scandalous affairs, gambling debts, blackmail, and arranged marriages. The latter is one that Ann is trying wholeheartedly to avoid. Her father is most intent of marrying her off to a rather insolent Master Manners. (That really is his name!) As everyone around her is preaching that a woman's place is in the home and that she must be a dutiful daughter and marry the man of her father's bidding, a rebellious streak arrises in Ann. She will stop at nothing to be with the man she loves, the scandalous John Donne. However, deep inside, she is worrying over his supposed affair with a countess. A battle with the chicken pox leaves her feeling fearless tho and she aims to take action into her own hands and that is all I am going to reveal.

Very plesant story, but tho it made me smile, it never made me laugh outright. And whereas it would make me go "Oh, dear..." it never made me want to cry in sympathy. The romance was sweet, but not heart thumping. Basically, it didn't move me. The prose was lovely, but at times there was too much of it. Four stars.

[Misfit · Rating 3 out of 5]

True love conquers all.....,

Or does it? Ann More comes to London to stay with her aunt and hopefully gain a position in the household of the aging Queen Elizabeth, although Ann's forthright nature is a bit of a hindrance and a slightly disgraced Ann is relegated to assisting in her aunt's household. Ann soon catches the eye of her uncle's secretary and erstwhile poet, John Donne, but she'll have none of him - at first. When the two eventually recognize the love they share they have an uphill battle as Ann must marry when and where her father commands and John is entirely unsuitable for the well-to-do More family. Can true love survive and the lovers surmount the odds against them?

Outside of that I really don't want to go much further. If you know Donne's history you know what happens and if you don't I don't want to spoil it for you. While not the fastest paced book ever written, I found this to be an enjoyable read despite Ann seeming a bit too forthright and modern for the period. Why, oh why are our historic heroines always able to travel anywhere alone unattended, speak out as they please with no consequences, have a great education from an overly doting male relative as well as being able to leap tall buildings with a single bound? Well maybe not the last but you get the picture. A good light read.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a serendipitous find, since we are reading Donne's poetry and Izaak Walton's biography of Donne as part of Dempsey's studies this term! This is the story of Ann More and Donne's relationship, of their love for one another in a time when most people married to better their social or economic situations. Having read his poetry ("He's a pervert!" was Dempsey's comment), I liked the author's portrayal of both people involved. She made them seem real to me. Her historical research and careful attention to the time period were obvious and really enhanced my enjoyment of the book. This was excellent historical fiction!

[Roman Clodia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really should have known better than to expect anything from a book with such a risible title so I guess it's my own fault that I disliked so much of this book. Ann More, the wife of John Donne, is one of those women of whom we know literally nothing and so it's an ideal opportunity for a fictional imagining of who she might have been. But Haran manages to be both incredibly clichéd and, for me, completely unconvincing in historical evocation, characterisation and, most of all, language and tone.

Ann, who is a teenager, probably no more than about 14 at the time she met Donne, is one of those favourites of `historical' authors: the woman who is ahead of her time - i.e. she's actually a modern woman dressed in C16th clothing. So she complains constantly about her lack of education, resists women's skills, refuses to accept a dynastic marriage and wants romance instead. In addition, she does completely inappropriate things: distrusts a midwife and her remedies and so rides off to bring in a farm labourer to help out with a troublesome birth; dresses up in boy's clothes to go off and meet a sexual blackmailer in a brothel...

The actual relationship between Anne and Donne is full of tired romantic clichés: so she is arch and aggressive every time she sees him and can't understand her own feelings or why she gets shivers in her stomach while he's around. Haran also gives her lots of Donne's words, so she talks a lot about fleas, describes America as a `new-found land' (Elegy 19) and describes his `masculine persuasive force' (Elegy 16).

Worse than all this, however, is the appalling language in which this book is (over)-written: people have the `persistence of a fly on a dung heap', or are `as mad as a speared boar' , they are `blooming like a rose in the hedgerow' and `walk like a string of pilgrims' - all of which appear over the course of just two pages (pp.132-33). These absurd, over-the-top similes even appear in speech: "Why does my heart sink like a wise woman on a ducking stool?" Anne's aunt asks - I knew exactly how she felt.

Other reviewers clearly enjoyed this book but I'm afraid I found it dire. Donne is a wonderful poet but alongside the love poetry that tends to be known, he also wrote coruscating satires and was a far more complex, brilliant and divided man than this book ever hints. Haran writes about her love for his poetry but sadly, in my view, this book does both man and artist a huge mis-service.

[A. R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started reading this, I thought it was going to be my favorite book of the year. Unfortunately the book didn't hold up. Haran did an excellent job with her style and language representing the 17th century. It was probably what I liked most about the book. I could feel the weight of the long skirts being covered in mud. I appreciated the older language in dialogue. And Haran created an engaging character in Ann More. The conversations between Ann More and John Donne were engaging. The problem with the story was it got old. It was the same kind of conflict through the entire story. By the end I was simply tired of it. Another issue I had, and this is one that I have with many romance stories, is when Ann and John finally are intimate, of course John brings her to complete ecstasy. Maybe I'm too much of a realist, but that kind of stuff in romance novels just makes me roll my eyes and groan. It's cliche and boring. Otherwise it was an engaging tale and I liked it well enough that I will look for other work by Haran.

[Gemma Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, especially the second half. The book transported me back into the 16th century, so much so that I found myself feeling the scandel of the events that took place despite them being completely normal practice now. The love between Ann and John Donne is written so beautifully and it was only when I got to the end that I realised it was based upon a true story. The struggles they faced and the strength of Ann's character captured my attention and I can't wait to read more of this author's books.

[Marine Level · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai été bien surprise ! Les filles du groupe de romance parlait de ce roman, dont le résumé m'a attirée ! Une romance à l'époque élisabéthaine ? Allons y !

Ann est de ce type d'héroïnes que j'apprécie. Des jeunes femmes cultivées, qui ont du répondant, qui se sentent pas à leur place dans ce rang qu'on leur impose.
Ici, le point central de ce roman est bien sur l'histoire d'amour. C'est une très belle histoire d'amour, pleine de dévotion, de passion,... Je ne pensais pas que John Donne avait vraiment existé, j'ai été bien surprise à la fin avec les petites explications de l'auteure.
On sent que leur histoire est romancée.. mais j'ai trouvé qu'une romance à cette époque n'était pas courant, on apprend pas mal de choses sur la position des femmes à ce moment, ou sur le règne d'Elisabeth. Ou même sur les poèmes de John Donne, qui sont du coup intégré ici et là dans le récit ! Ca donne envie d'en savoir plus en tout cas.

Par contre Ann vit une vie absolument tragique et c'est peut être ca qui m'a le plus dérangée, enfin la pauvre toute la misère du monde lui tombe dessus, et elle est très passionnée, elle a donc des réactions qui vont de paire.

Sinon, un très beau moment avec ce roman !

[Elodie Diebolt Dion · Rating 5 out of 5]

La couverture de ce roman m’avait totalement séduite et plus encore, lorsque j’ai lu le synopsis! Lire une adaptation de la vie amoureuse de personnes ayant existé attisait ma curiosité. Le fait que l’histoire se déroule dans l’Angleterre élisabéthaine est un réel plus puisque c’est une époque que j’affectionne particulièrement. Après une recherche sur les personnage de John Donne et Ann More, j’ai été agréablement surprise par leur histoire et j’était impatiente de voir de quelle manière Maeve Haran avait narré leur amour qui avait fait scandale à leur époque!

Dans ce roman, nous rencontrons donc Ann More, jeune fille bien éduqué mais surtout très érudite! Passionné par la lecture de grands auteurs, elle est très intelligente et comme on le verra au fil des pages, son savoir dérange… Nous sommes plongé dans l’Angleterre élisabéthaine aux côtés de sa famille et comme c’était le cas à cette époque, son père va tout faire pour lui trouver un mari. Malheureusement pour lui, parmi ses quatre filles, Ann est la plus têtue de toutes et elle ne voit pas les choses de la même façon que lui. Pour elle, un mariage ne peut-avoir lieu sans amour. Lors de sa rencontre avec son promis, elle va être charmé par sa façon de parler, sa bonté et par son beau visage. Elle se rendra compte que les apparences peuvent être trompeuses… Ann fera la connaissance d’un gentilhomme poète et secrétaire du Gardien du Grand Sceau à la réputation des plus sulfureuse. Des débuts difficiles laisseront bientôt place à une alchimie profonde et sincère…

Le personnage d’Ann m’a conquise dès le départ grâce à son caractère bien trempé, à sa droiture et sa loyauté sans faille mais aussi au fait qu’elle soit plus cultivé que la plupart des femmes alors que la bienséance voudrait qu’elle apprenne à tenir une demeure. Son évolution tout au long du roman m’a énormément plu parce que malgré toutes les embûches qu’elle a pu rencontrer, elle est resté fidèle à elle-même quoi qu’il arrive. Pour John Donne, c’est une toute autre histoire… j’ai ressenti la même chose qu’Ann pour son côté libertin même si son côté poète et son visage m’ont charmé! J’ai là aussi adoré son évolution et les changements radicaux qui l’ont affecté. Il en est devenue que meilleur et plus attachant que jamais. Ce sont les deux personnages qui ont fait preuve d’une telle persévérance et d’une telle loyauté de coeur qu’on ne peut pas ne pas les aimer. Le père d’Ann, Sir Georges More est un des personnages que j’ai le plus haï, je n’avais jamais vu de personnages aussi entêté, aussi bourru et aussi intraitable que lui! Du début à la fin, je ne lui ai pas trouvé une seule qualité et il est resté intransigeant sans faire aucun effort jusqu’au bout. Quand à Maître Manners, les apparences sont trompeuses en effet, et plus on avançait dans la lecture, plus il en devenait détestable! Wat, m’a beaucoup touché ainsi que Hope et Stephen et les soeurs d’Ann avaient chacune un petit plus qui nous faisait les apprécier avec une mention spéciale pour l’extravagante Mary.

Le style d’écriture de l’auteur est juste totalement envoûtant et poétique à la fois! Le langage est plutôt soutenu tout comme l’exige l’époque et pourtant il reste accessible et simple de compréhension. On ne peut pas dire qu’il y ait énormément d’action dans ce roman, en revanche on y est totalement plongé dans l’époque et l’univers, on découvre la vie à la cour de la reine, les différentes strates sociales, on est plongé dans le décor de Londres à cette époque et surtout, l’auteur nous décrit tout cela de telle manière, qu’on s’y croirait aux côtés des personnages. L’histoire est touchante et émouvante et ce que j’ai le plus apprécié, c’est que l’héroïne ne soit pas tomber dans les bras de l’homme qu’elle aime dès les premières rencontres, au contraire! Le caractère des personnages, l’époque, les descriptions et l’histoire en elle même font de ce roman une excellente romance historique. J’ai aimé voyager et ressentir toutes sortes d’émotion aux côté d’Ann et dernier point mais pas des moindres: les différents poèmes de John Donne cité dans le livre avec les références du livres où les trouver m’ont beaucoup plu. Qui sait, peut-être qu’un jour je me déciderai à lire ses poèmes…

Pour conclure c’est un coup de coeur pour cette romance historique et la plume de l’auteure qui a vraiment su me séduire! Je vous recommande vivement cette lecture si vous êtes amateurs(trices) du genre!

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I opened the first page and read how Ann castigated her sister Bett for the disruption she had been put to in order to sweeten the house in preparation for Bett’s forthcoming wedding, I knew I was going to enjoy this book.

Ann More is the fourth of five motherless daughters brought up at the manor of Loseley, near Guildford in Surrey, by their grandparents, Sir William and the Lady Margaret More. Their brother, Robert, lives with his pompous father and shrewish step-mother, Constance nearby.

Ann is fourteen and hopes her fate won't be the same as her sister’s who have been married to debtors and dolts by their father. She longs for more, possibly even a meeting of minds in a husband in late Elizabethan England, when women were property for bartering into marriages in order to forge family alliances.

Ann's wilfulness and intelligence are seen as barriers to her marriageability and her grandparents forbid her to study after three in the afternoon in case she becomes ‘too clever to be a wife’.

Ann is told her father is planning a marriage for her, but in the meantime she is to be sent to London to learn to be a court lady in the dying years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. She is sent to live with her uncle, who is the Lord keeper of the Privy Seal at York House on The Strand. However she rejects the suggestion she become a lady in waiting to the irascible ageing Queen, much to her aunt’s anger

Mr Richard Manners is chosen as Ann's betrothed, and he seems surprisingly likeable, but when her Aunt Elizabeth is ill with smallpox, Ann meets a lowly secretary, John Donne and they begin to meet in secret. However Sir George More is incandescent with rage that a nobody like Donne should look at his daughter.

This story has all the elements of a doomed love, and with the might of Ann’s family ranged against her in her father and sisters, you wonder how this couple will ever be together. Ms Haran portrays the atmosphere and detailed elements of Elizabethan life wonderfully well with this book, reiterating the fact no one in Elizabethan England was allowed to rise to any position without friends in high places.

The fact this is a true story makes it all the more poignant as they are forced to enter into a secret marriage which spells the near ruin of both Ann and her intellectually superior husband. John Donne went on to become Dean of St Pauls under the auspices of James I, and summed up his personal situation in the phrase: "John Donne, Ann Donne, Undone."

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, something that I cannot really put my finger on, it took me a long time to decide I was in the mood to read this book. I think that part of it was the fact that I truly had no idea who John Dunne was, besides the fact that he was a poet. Secondly, because I knew he was a poet, and I really don’t like reading poetry, I likely steered away from this because I was intimidated by the possibly of needing to read poetry. If you are like I was, I want to reassure you that you don’t really need to know anything about John Dunne to enjoy this novel, although an appreciation of poetry wouldn’t hurt. There are poems, or portions of poems, sprinkled throughout the novel and if you know any of Dunne’s poetry you will likely find more enjoyment in being able to place the poem historically.

One thing that this novel does very well is evoke the time period and place. Through Haran’s writing, London comes to life where you can almost see, feel, and smell the world around you. You see a little bit of everything from the seedier, back streets of London to the Queen’s chambers of the palace. At no point does the descriptions bog down the writing – the pages fly by!

The characters were well written. Ann More has several sisters and none of the women really felt stereotypical or cookie cutter. There were all a little different and unique, however at the same time they fit the most of women from that time period. One of my favorite scenes was when Ann had her introduction to Queen Elizabeth – and the Queen is in one of her jealous rages. This isn’t a side of Elizabeth that I have seen novelized much – mostly because the Elizabeth that I read of is often in the earlier years of her reign. I very much enjoyed the character of John Dunne – he was a little bit scandalous, sexy, and the man you wouldn’t want your daughter with – but at the same time he really cares so much for Ann. The two of them go to great extents to be able to love and marry and it made for great drama. Quite a touching love story.

This book was received for review from the publisher - I was not compensated for my opinions and the above is my honest review.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading some of John Donne's early stuff, his lady-hating stuff, way back in my sophomore year of college. It was sort of jerky, and misogynistic, and didn't do it for me. I couldn't remember what I knew about his personal life, whether he was married, or the fact that he began life Catholic at a time when that was dangerous. But this is all from the point of view of a lady who knew him, and that's where the story gets interesting. Because I couldn't remember, it made the suspense of the book so much more gripping. (I didn't allow myself to look it up!)

It's interesting the way the author really gets into Donne's time (Elizabeth I's reign), both politically and in terms of home life. The ways of a household are really where the writing and the story shine. Ann More is a spirited, smart character, and she's easy to root for. I like the fact that Haran has given life and voice to a woman who is little more than a footnote on a tissue paper thin page of the Norton Anthology.

[N.J. Mastro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up the novel in hopes of learning more about poet John Donne, and it did not disappoint. Admittedly, the book started slowly for me...it felt too much like a romance novel, which I detest. But after 100 pages or so it began to hook me, so I continued. What I liked about the novel is what appears to be its historical accuracy, as well as a realistic picture of life in the 1500s. The lack of women's rights, the punitive government and police intrusion into private affairs, and the high mortality rates were good reminders of how difficult life was for women in that era. Though not one of the most exciting books I've read, all in all, I would recommend it.

[Sarina Bosco · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a nice, quiet story that I read over the course of two weeks. Anyone expecting a whirlwind romance should back off. The story of Ann and John is based in history, and therefore the level of drama is pretty realistic - and not always thrilling. In fact, Ann and John connect over a lot of life's tragedies, including the death and estrangement of loved ones. While physical passion makes an appearance later in the book, there's more of a mental bend toward falling in love here, and it often feels as if Ann and John are (were) truly soulmates.

That said, this book was pretty slow-going. Makes sense since this is based on real life, but there were lulls where it was hard to stay interested. And the author often skips over whole periods of time with only a few brief sentences; unfortunately, those periods of time where Ann and John are apart can also make it hard to seem like their love realistically lasted (although, obviously, it did).

I would have loved to see some of Ann and John's life after marriage, as well, since that's where things continue to get interesting! But overall this was a nice, quiet love story to fall into for a few weeks.

[ThatswhatJulieread · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai adoré l’écriture immersive de l’auteure : on se voit / sent vraiment dans le Londres des années 1600 tant visuellement qu’au niveau de l’odorat, c’était un vrai voyage dans le temps.
Ann est un personnage qui sait ce qu’elle veut et qui refuse de se conformer au rôle que son père / la société attend d’elle. Elle se bat pour faire ses propres choix et c’est inspirant.
Certaines situations sont révoltantes, la condition féminine est très bien expliquée.
L’histoire d’amour est jolie de même que les vers de John Donne.
En revanche, je ne sais pas si c’est un souci de traduction mais j’avais parfois du mal à « me situer dans l’espace » comme si les personnages passaient d’une pièce à l’autre ou bien apparaissaient dans une scène sans savoir d’où ils venaient, sans que l’on suive leurs mouvements ou que les actions nous y amènent. Ça m’a gênée une bonne partie de ma lecture.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book could have been great if it were about a third shorter.

It felt slow especially at the start --- the title couple don't even meet until around chapter 7. While I appreciate the character development that went into Ann, the main conflict should have been introduced sooner and their initial became tiresome. The social and parental obstacles were enough that it wasn't necessary to waste a lot of time on infighting.

Also, if we are reducing, take out most of the similes. They were weird.

That being said, if the first part was too slow, it did get better. By the end I was fully invested and anxious for how it would be resolved. I also appreciate the historical research that went into the book.

[Tudor Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Tudor Book Blog Book Review (http://www.thetudorbookblog.com).

*Warning, there are several spoilers in this review!

Synopsis:

This novel is centered around Lady Ann More, and focuses on the last years of Elizabeth I's reign. Ann is a young girl, about 14, who is one of four daughters to Sir George More and niece to Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper of the Seal. She meets John Donne, a poet and secretary to Ann's uncle, the Lord Keeper. The two fall in love and eventually marry in secret, much to the horror of Ann's father and uncle.

According to the author, "The Lady and the Poet, based on fact and also on imagination, tells an extraordinary and little-known love story and attempts to paint a picture, my picture, of the Ann who is absent from history."


My Thoughts:

Before beginning this book, I knew next to nothing about Ann More or John Donne. Because of this, I think I enjoyed the book all the more. Normally when I read books on the Tudor period, I am slightly distracted by historical accuracy, or knowing what is coming next. Here, however, I waited until I finished the book to look into the history behind it.

When delving into the history, I was pleasantly surprised to find how accurate it was! I always love authors that stick to history. Maeve Haran professes that John Donne has been her lifelong passion. I found it interesting then that she wrote the book from Ann's point of view. As she points out in her post script, little is known about Ann. She is only vaguely remembered by history as the wife of John Donne. There is no portrait of her, nor much historical evidence. However, Haran does a masterful job of bringing Ann to life. She clearly follows the events in Donne's life, but fills in the gaps with wonderfully written fiction.

Though Ann is a nobleman's daughter, she goes on many adventures throughout London alone. Haran really brings late Elizabethan London to life, describing the swarms of abandoned children and rampant stink. It is nothing like the romanticized London many have come to know through films and plays. Rather, it is a cesspool of filth and poverty.

Ann, in another extreme, also makes a trip to court where she encounters Queen Elizabeth. She is shown as a jealous, and almost insane, woman bent on mortifying her ladies and jealously holding on to her favorites. I actually really loved seeing this outside perspective of Elizabeth. I must admit, I am glad Ann did not take a position at court. I was not really interested in this becoming another Elizabeth novel. Rather, you really get a sense of life outside the court during Elizabeth's reign, rather than within it.

Though I found the novel wonderfully written and the characters beautifully developed, I found myself disliking Ann at times. She constantly pines after Donne and does little to stop it. The two eventually profess their love for each other, then spend months (and at one point a year) apart. She does not attempt to see him, write him, or do much of anything to let him know she misses him. Rather, she mopes around, complains, and becomes depressed when she doesn't hear from him. I honestly had a hard time trusting Donne. Throughout the novel I wondered if he was paying Ann lip service, if he really loved her and was willing to do what it took to be with her. Ann wonders these things herself. She eventually finds out that he did really love her, but that his letters were intercepted. However, she then waits around to write him again! Perhaps I am being a little harsh, as she was under strict supervision by her family, but she still managed to secretly marry the man. The least she could do was get him a letter in a speedy manner...

That aside, I really liked Ann. She never let herself be stopped by societal restrictions. She married the man she loved, despite the fact that there was absolutely no benefit to it, and more likely extreme danger to it. Both give up their lives for this marriage; Ann her family and Donne his position. They are forced to leave London and live on a small estate with a member of Ann's family. However, some of Donne's greatest poetry came out of this time period.

When the marriage is finally discovered by Ann's father, it is not in the way I (or Ann) expected. Donne sends a letter to Ann's father via a nobleman. I felt it was a bit cowardly. Certainly, for honor's sake (and to be far more entertaining), Donne should have confronted Ann's father himself. However, he does at least tell him of it. Donne quickly finds himself imprisoned, despite not showing up himself to tell. He nearly dies in prison, but thanks to Ann's intervention with her father and uncle, is finally released. I felt this part of the book had a lot of lead up and a slightly disappointing climax. I felt because of this, the end was a bit rushed. I wish the author had gone into more detail about Ann and Donne's life after their marriage rather than briefly covering it in a postscript. However, the rest of the book certainly makes up for it.

I was sad to read in the postscript that Ann dies in childbirth years later. Donne never remarried. I would love the author to write a companion to this novel from Donne's point of view. I think his view would be quite different and extremely interesting.

I give this novel four and a half Tudor Roses.

I loved it and highly recommend it to those who know a lot or nothing about Elizabethan England. It is easy to read and very engrossing.

*Note: A big thank you to the author for sending me a copy! I can't wait to read your next work!

[Toast · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this. I kept waiting for something to crack but it never happened. Clever use of John Donne's poetry to parallel their relationship, but then I'm a fan anyway. Interesting use of local locations and I learnt that John and Ann Donne lived in Pyrford Manor when they were first married. I've stayed there too. Long after it was a Hammer Horror Films location and long before it was pulled down to become luxury flats on the banks of the river. Clever use of Elizabethan cliches, you'd be surprised at how many you know. Just a disappointment all round really.
Toast

[Pat Jorgenson Waterchilde · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read. Ms. Haran fictionalized the love story of Ann More and John Doone. Set in the later years of Queen Elizabeth I, the author captures the spirit and culture of England in the 16th century. Ann's love for John was forbidden by her father yet she defied him and they secretly married.
Based on a true story, I enjoyed the writing style and historical context. If you enjoy reading about England's Middle Ages, this may be a good novel for you.

[Sylvie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit it took me a long time to get into this book. I guess I wasn't quite feeling the 16th century too much! And poetry is not really my favourite subject. But I'm glad I persevered. Once I did get into the story, I was really rooting for Ann and John Donne to make it as a couple. I was committed through the many ups and downs they went through to finally be together. All in all, a good novel.

[Rachel Karas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid historical romance. I almost gave up on it in the first 20%, because so much of it was very tell, not show, in terms of historical details, but I'm glad I didn't, as the payoff for the romance was good. Again, it was interesting reading this at the same time as Weir's biography of Elizabeth I - in fact, I'm pretty sure this author read the same biography, so it was interesting to see how Haran chose to fictionalize this life that was adjacent to Elizabeth's.

[Marlies · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite kind of book: historical fiction based on a true story. Although the one person we actually know a bit about (John Donne), kind of seemed like a flat character in this book. But otherwise: loved it.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 2 out of 5]

C-. fiction, historical fiction, Elizabethan England, John Donne

[Lea Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prepare to be swept away into Elizabethan England and into the world of John Donne's love, Ann More, as she fights convention to be with the man she adores.

[Channah]

Picked up from a library sale when I needed something to read. Quite readable.

[Carly Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best books that I have read recently. The Lady and the Poet is a fictionalized account of the courtship of the poet John Donne and his wife Ann Moore. Narrated by Ann, this is believable romance and historically accurate (at least to this non-historian)depiction of the late Elizabethan Era. I liked that Haran created a character in Ann who was strong, determined, and willing to risk her high social status for love without making the mistake that many historical fiction writers do of putting modern characters in historical settings. The romance between John and Ann was the heart of the story and it was touching, sexy and romantic. Ann's relationships with her sisters, father, and grandparents were richly depicted. Not much is known about the real Ann Moore Donne, but Haran does an excellent job of bringing to life a character based on both fact and imagination.

Another strong point of the novel was the inclusion of several of Donne's poems throughout the story. I do wish the story had continued past the couple's marriage and explored more of their marriage. The postscript states that after Ann's early death in childbirth, Donne never remarried (which was highly unusual for that time); this novel makes it clear why Donne could never love anyone as he loved Ann.

I would recommend this book for fans of historical fiction and romances. I don't really like romances but this was so well done and falls more into the historical fiction/fictional life of real people genre than the romance genre.

A final thought: the cover of the book is ridiculous. Most of the story is set in London and the figure of the woman in a red dress looking out into the mist doesn't covey what the story is about in any way. (I think it is supposed to be Ann at her father's country estate waiting for John).

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec La Dame et le Poète?

"Les Editions Milady ont eu la gentillesse de m'envoyer cet ouvrage afin que je puisse commencer ma découverte de leur toute nouvelle collection Pemberley."

• Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...


"A l'époque de la Reine Elizabeth, nous suivons le destin d'Anne More, une jeune femme de bonne famille, peut-être un peu trop éduquée au goût des autres et qui sait indéniablement ce qu'elle veut et surtout, ce qu'elle ne veut pas!"

• Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous?


"J'avoue ne pas être experte dans ce genre de littérature et avoir sûrement des à priori. Je m'attendais à vrai dire à un niveau d'écriture assez bas, à une histoire peu sérieuse, en bref à quelque chose comme de la chick-lit historique! Eh bien, je me dois de reconnaître que j'avais complètement tort! L'auteur connaît manifestement son sujet et s'est beaucoup documentée. Malheureusement, elle ne peut s'empêcher de vouloir nous le montrer en nous décrivant absolument tout sur tout, les détails du déroulement d'un mariage, comment on tenait une maison à l'époque, quelles étaient les coutumes pour ci ou pour ça... C'est un peu lassant, d'autant que cela donne lieu à de longues descriptions peu utiles et qui ralentissent le récit. Mais honnêtement, c'est à peu près le seul reproche que je peux faire à ce livre, et au fil des pages, les leçons d'histoire se raréfient heureusement."

• Et comment cela s'est-il fini?


"Maeve Haran maîtrise son sujet et rend hommage à l'histoire d'amour d'Anne et John qui ont réellement existé. Si vous aimez l'Angleterre Elizabethaine et les histoires d'amour, ce livre est pour vous."


http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘We are twin souls, you and I.’

I enjoyed this novel. Not so much for what it tells me, but more for where it takes me.

Ann More, fourth daughter of George More, and her sisters are brought up by their grandparents in 16th century England (near Guildford in Surrey) after their mother dies. Their father and his second wife, together with their brother live nearby.

Ann, who is fourteen when this story opens, hopes for a better fate than her sisters: married off by her father in the interests of family alliances. Ann has been educated by her grandfather, and this education has made her restless for more than the traditional role of women. After her sister Bett’s wedding, Ann learns that her father is planning a marriage for her but in the meantime she is to live in London where, hopefully, she will be a lady at the court of the ageing Queen Elizabeth I.

In London, Ann lives at the home of her uncle Sir Thomas Egerton, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. Here she encounters John Donne, her uncle’s secretary. Thus begins the love story which is the subject of this novel. And what a twisted, star-crossed tale it is!

John Donne, darkly attractive young poet of a Catholic background is in no way considered a suitable match by Ann’s father George More. My interest in this novel derives from an interest in the life and achievements of John Donne. While some aspects of the characterisations of Ann and John did not work perfectly for me, the novel adds a dimension to John Donne’s life as well as giving a sense of who Ann might have been.

Yes, it is a romance. But a romance that involves one of our greatest metaphysical poets (and quotes some of his poetry) is definitely worth considering.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Misslizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

J’ai beaucoup apprécié ce livre et ai eu beaucoup de plaisir à le lire. Si on aime l’Histoire et plus particulièrement l’Histoire de l’Angleterre, on ne peut que prendre du plaisir à la lecture de ce livre qui se passe pendant les dernières années du règne de la Reine Vierge. On découvre Londres au XVIe siècle ainsi que la Cour où règnent les rumeurs et leurs cruautés à travers les yeux de l'héroïne, Ann.
La relation entre la Dame (Ann) et le poète met du temps avant de s’installer, mais devient assez rapidement sensuelle. C’est une relation fondée sur les échanges verbaux entre les deux personnages qui ne sont pas dénués d’esprit. C’est pour cela que l’on s’attache facilement à eux, car ils ont une psychologie assez bien construite. Bien que quelques poèmes soient cités par-ci par-là, le récit se concentre surtout sur l’histoire de la jeune femme, Ann More.
Un des intérêts majeurs de ce livre est le récit de cette histoire d’amour alliant la fiction à la réalité, nous faisant ainsi découvrir un poète peu connu en France et la relation intense qu’il a pu avoir avec la nièce de son employeur. Je recommande donc fortement ce livre pour toutes les amatrices de romance, férues d’histoire, de films à costumes et de poésie. Et pour finir, je citerai l’auteure qui a parfaitement résumé ses intentions dans la postface du livre : « The Lady and the Poet, based on fact and also on imagination, tells an extraordinary and little-known love story and attempts to paint a picture, my picture, of the Ann who is absent from history. »

[Suzette Kunz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I liked this book more than I did. It's historical fiction about the relationship between John Donne and Ann Moore. I guess the things I liked about it were the detail about life at the time and showing the implications of marrying outside your families wishes as she did. The thing I didn't like is her portrayal of John Donne. Yes, the story is about Ann and told from her perspective,but I felt like John was a very flat character and he was the whole reason I wanted to read it. Here's the thing--John Donne is one of the most clever and witty poets ever, and yet the dialogue.....when they finally get together it's nothing but cliches--"you are my destiny," "ours is the meeting of two true hearts." I mean, the whole point of John Donne's poetry is that is is NOT cliche, and yet I felt like their dialogue was like a Harlequin romance. So, the story was interesting and held my attention, but I kept waiting for something more satisfying and I was disappointed. The other thing I didn't like is that John Donne seemed very passive and whimpy--like Ann did all the work and had all the energy and ideas for how their relationship could work. So anyway.....just stick to reading John Donne's poems and you'll probably be more satisfied.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story!! Wonderfully written! Young Mistress Ann was definitely persistent, and stubborn... and although Master John Donne was quite the "cad", you couldn't help but hope that he would tone it down, and win the heart of his young love. It was heartwrenching reading through the part where Ann was confined to her chamber by her father. She was so giving in her company, especially to her sweet Aunt, whom she nursed during her illness until her death. Ann endured much in the loss of loved ones, and was so deserving to finally be "allowed" the one she loved most. How sad that she died in the same manner as her mother & sister before her, but I'm certain that there was much love between her & Master John. Thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend to anyone who loves HF!