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Tudor Court #2
Rivals in the Tudor Court
As Queen Catherine's maid and daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, the future seems bright for Elizabeth Stafford. But when her father gives her hand to Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, the spirited young woman must sacrifice all for duty. Yet Elizabeth is surprised by her passion for her powerful new husband. And when he takes on a mistress, she is determined to fight for her love and her honor. . .
Naïve and vulnerable, Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke of Norfolk, doing his bidding in exchange for gifts and adoration. For years, she and Elizabeth compete for his affections. But they are mere spectators to an obsession neither can rival: Norfolk's quest to weave the Howard name into the royal bloodline. The women's loyalties are tested as his schemes unfold—among them the litigious marriage of his niece, Anne Boleyn, to King Henry the VIII. But in an age of ruthless beheadings, no self-serving motive goes unpunished—and Elizabeth and Bess will have to fight a force more sinister than the executioner's axe...
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
23 people are currently reading
1713 people want to read
About the author
D.L. Bogdan
4 books99 followersD.L Bogan is a history major, aiming for a master's so that she might lecture one day. She is also a musician with classical voice training who has been playing keyboards and singing in bands since she was 18. She also enjoys reading, traveling, summer activities, spending time with family and friends, and researching her next novel! She makes her home in central Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
May 23, 2016
Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, never claimed to be anything other than the King's man.
After his grandfather lost the family title to the Dukedom of Norfolk as well as his life after fighting on the wrong side during the Battle of Bosworth (when Thomas was still a child); upon adulthood Thomas was determined to win back the family honor and title.
SPOILERS BELOW
Thomas Howard married Elizabeth of York's younger sister Anne while still a young teen and by all accounts this was a happy marriage and love match. By the age of 40 Thomas had lost all 4 of his young children as well as his beautiful wife and he seemed to take a turn for the worse after those traumatic and unhappy events in his life.
He next married the daughter of the highest ranking nobleman in England, the Duke of Buckingham, the accomplished and intelligent Elizabeth Stafford while she was still in her teens.
The proud and defiant Elizabeth had been a lady in waiting to Queen Catherine since she was 12 years of age and she was none too happy with the Duke's niece, Anne Boleyn, as she schemed to become Queen of England.
This caused a permanent rift in Elizabeth's marriage as she refused to obey her husband and stood by her good friend Queen Catherine. Nothing for the Duke to do but to "take her in hand" as it was euphemistically called and he soon became a wife beater.
She remained defiant and would not turn on her closest friend even though it led to the Duke locking her away in one of his manors.
By this time Elizabeth's powerful father had been beheaded for treason on trumped up charges it would seem and she had no male relative to turn to. Upon Buckingham's death Thomas Howard became the premier Duke in England and the King's right hand man. I doubt seriously whether Thomas Howard would've abused his young wife in this manner if her father the Duke were still alive.
To torment Elizabeth even more (if that were possible) he soon moves his luscious concubine into his palace and the grasping Bess Holland has soon alienated Elizabeth's young children against their own mother.
Elizabeth was a true friend indeed to Queen Catherine but I had to wonder if the Queen was a good friend to Elizabeth if she allowed her to become involved in her secret affairs with the Spanish envoy Eustace Chapuys. Elizabeth assisted in passing secret messages between the 2 and when Thomas Howard realized what was happening he became even more cruel to his young wife, who had by now borne him a nursery full of healthy children.
I also had to wonder if Queen Catherine had the best interests of England at heart when she begged her nephew, Charles IV, to invade England and remove her husband from the throne. Surely she was aware of the bloodshed and carnage an invading army would bring to Merry Olde England but it was all about Catherine and her daughter Mary's claim to the throne.
In other words, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Over her dead body would Anne Boleyn replace her as Queen.
So soon, Elizabeth is imprisoned on one of her husband's estates and reduced to writing beseeching letters begging for the bare necessities of life to anyone she could think of, without success unfortunately. Elizabeth withstood her misfortune as bravely as Thomas More withstood his own.
It would seem if the King of England had the right to mistreat/murder his wives the Duke of Norfolk thought he had the same right as well. I can't imagine how Elizabeth Howard was able to remain sane while enduring such abuse as a battered wife.
I won't tell you how the story ends though and I'll leave you wondering if The Duchess of Norfolk, a woman of morals and principles outlasts her cruel husband.
D. L. Bogden is a very talented author and can certainly tell a good story so I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Although the main protagonist often spoke as if they were modern day Americans I barely noticed as I was kept turning the pages to discover what happened next. I'm always pleased to discover a new author of historical fiction that can bring an era to life as ably as Bogden has in the first book of this series.
After his grandfather lost the family title to the Dukedom of Norfolk as well as his life after fighting on the wrong side during the Battle of Bosworth (when Thomas was still a child); upon adulthood Thomas was determined to win back the family honor and title.
SPOILERS BELOW
Thomas Howard married Elizabeth of York's younger sister Anne while still a young teen and by all accounts this was a happy marriage and love match. By the age of 40 Thomas had lost all 4 of his young children as well as his beautiful wife and he seemed to take a turn for the worse after those traumatic and unhappy events in his life.
He next married the daughter of the highest ranking nobleman in England, the Duke of Buckingham, the accomplished and intelligent Elizabeth Stafford while she was still in her teens.
The proud and defiant Elizabeth had been a lady in waiting to Queen Catherine since she was 12 years of age and she was none too happy with the Duke's niece, Anne Boleyn, as she schemed to become Queen of England.
This caused a permanent rift in Elizabeth's marriage as she refused to obey her husband and stood by her good friend Queen Catherine. Nothing for the Duke to do but to "take her in hand" as it was euphemistically called and he soon became a wife beater.
She remained defiant and would not turn on her closest friend even though it led to the Duke locking her away in one of his manors.
By this time Elizabeth's powerful father had been beheaded for treason on trumped up charges it would seem and she had no male relative to turn to. Upon Buckingham's death Thomas Howard became the premier Duke in England and the King's right hand man. I doubt seriously whether Thomas Howard would've abused his young wife in this manner if her father the Duke were still alive.
To torment Elizabeth even more (if that were possible) he soon moves his luscious concubine into his palace and the grasping Bess Holland has soon alienated Elizabeth's young children against their own mother.
Elizabeth was a true friend indeed to Queen Catherine but I had to wonder if the Queen was a good friend to Elizabeth if she allowed her to become involved in her secret affairs with the Spanish envoy Eustace Chapuys. Elizabeth assisted in passing secret messages between the 2 and when Thomas Howard realized what was happening he became even more cruel to his young wife, who had by now borne him a nursery full of healthy children.
I also had to wonder if Queen Catherine had the best interests of England at heart when she begged her nephew, Charles IV, to invade England and remove her husband from the throne. Surely she was aware of the bloodshed and carnage an invading army would bring to Merry Olde England but it was all about Catherine and her daughter Mary's claim to the throne.
In other words, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Over her dead body would Anne Boleyn replace her as Queen.
So soon, Elizabeth is imprisoned on one of her husband's estates and reduced to writing beseeching letters begging for the bare necessities of life to anyone she could think of, without success unfortunately. Elizabeth withstood her misfortune as bravely as Thomas More withstood his own.
It would seem if the King of England had the right to mistreat/murder his wives the Duke of Norfolk thought he had the same right as well. I can't imagine how Elizabeth Howard was able to remain sane while enduring such abuse as a battered wife.
I won't tell you how the story ends though and I'll leave you wondering if The Duchess of Norfolk, a woman of morals and principles outlasts her cruel husband.
D. L. Bogden is a very talented author and can certainly tell a good story so I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Although the main protagonist often spoke as if they were modern day Americans I barely noticed as I was kept turning the pages to discover what happened next. I'm always pleased to discover a new author of historical fiction that can bring an era to life as ably as Bogden has in the first book of this series.
July 9, 2022
4 stars- English Ebook
As Queen Catherine's maid and daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, the future seems bright for Elizabeth Stafford. But when her father gives her hand to Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, the spirited young woman must sacrifice all for duty. Yet Elizabeth is surprised by her passion for her powerful new husband. And when he takes on a mistress, she is determined to fight for her love and her honor. . .
Naïve and vulnerable, Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke of Norfolk, doing his bidding in exchange for gifts and adoration. For years, she and Elizabeth compete for his affections. But they are mere spectators to an obsession neither can rival: Norfolk's quest to weave the Howard name into the royal bloodline.
The women's loyalties are tested as his schemes unfold-among them the litigious marriage of his niece, Anne Boleyn, to King Henry the VIII. But in an age of ruthless beheadings, no self-serving motive goes unpunished-and Elizabeth and Bess will have to fight a force more sinister than the executioner's axe.
Anyone fascinated by royal families and how they influenced history will enjoy this look into their power struggles and machinations. It's a reminder that politics and personalities control the direction of human history.
As Queen Catherine's maid and daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, the future seems bright for Elizabeth Stafford. But when her father gives her hand to Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, the spirited young woman must sacrifice all for duty. Yet Elizabeth is surprised by her passion for her powerful new husband. And when he takes on a mistress, she is determined to fight for her love and her honor. . .
Naïve and vulnerable, Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke of Norfolk, doing his bidding in exchange for gifts and adoration. For years, she and Elizabeth compete for his affections. But they are mere spectators to an obsession neither can rival: Norfolk's quest to weave the Howard name into the royal bloodline.
The women's loyalties are tested as his schemes unfold-among them the litigious marriage of his niece, Anne Boleyn, to King Henry the VIII. But in an age of ruthless beheadings, no self-serving motive goes unpunished-and Elizabeth and Bess will have to fight a force more sinister than the executioner's axe.
Anyone fascinated by royal families and how they influenced history will enjoy this look into their power struggles and machinations. It's a reminder that politics and personalities control the direction of human history.
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April 19, 2011I won't give this a formal review because I know the author, but I really enjoyed this novel about Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, Elizabeth Stafford, his wife, and Bess Holland, his mistress. It was a quite a feat to make these three characters sympathetic while not whitewashing them, and it was nice to see the events of Henry VIII's reign through their points of view.
April 25, 2011
4.5 Stars!
In Rivals in the Tudor Court, author D.L. Bogdan explores the life of Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, whom readers will remember as the cruel father of Mary Howard in Bogdan’s first novel, Secrets of the Tudor Court.
The man who would become a prominent member at the Tudor courts, serving two Tudor kings (Henry VII & VIII) and a Tudor queen (Mary I) started off life in a cold and loveless home, with a violent grandfather who never lost an opportunity to drill into Thomas the importance of being a Howard – something he would never lose sight of throughout his life. Ambitious and ruthless and eager to bring honor back to the Howard name, Thomas’ star rises high in the court of Henry VIII, becoming a close confidante of the monarch and ultimately, royal matchmaker. By leading his two beautiful young nieces, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, into the arms of the king, Thomas is rewarded with royal favor, titles and money. And as soon as Henry finds cause to get rid of his wives, Thomas is the one who leads them to the scaffold. For his part in the two failed marriages Thomas will also find himself being threatened to share his niece's fate.
Rivals in the Tudor Court also focuses on Thomas’ love life. In his first marriage to Anne Plantagenet, Thomas found true love but suffered great loss, causing him to become cold and angry, never allowing himself to get close to anyone. His second marriage to the formidable Elizabeth Stafford was tumultuous to say the least and is covered extensively in the novel, as is Thomas’ relationship with his mistress Bess Holland. The two women couldn’t be more opposite, excepting their love for Thomas and their strong survival instinct.
Bogdan has once again written a riveting novel that this reader found hard pressed to put down! Like Bogdan’s first novel, Secrets of the Tudor Court, I thought Rivals in the Tudor Court was engrossing and entertaining. One of the things that I love about Bogdan’s writing is her ability to provoke emotions from the reader. With wonderfully fleshed out and three-dimensional characters, Rivals will draw you in and keep you captivated! Highly Recommended!
In Rivals in the Tudor Court, author D.L. Bogdan explores the life of Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, whom readers will remember as the cruel father of Mary Howard in Bogdan’s first novel, Secrets of the Tudor Court.
The man who would become a prominent member at the Tudor courts, serving two Tudor kings (Henry VII & VIII) and a Tudor queen (Mary I) started off life in a cold and loveless home, with a violent grandfather who never lost an opportunity to drill into Thomas the importance of being a Howard – something he would never lose sight of throughout his life. Ambitious and ruthless and eager to bring honor back to the Howard name, Thomas’ star rises high in the court of Henry VIII, becoming a close confidante of the monarch and ultimately, royal matchmaker. By leading his two beautiful young nieces, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, into the arms of the king, Thomas is rewarded with royal favor, titles and money. And as soon as Henry finds cause to get rid of his wives, Thomas is the one who leads them to the scaffold. For his part in the two failed marriages Thomas will also find himself being threatened to share his niece's fate.
Rivals in the Tudor Court also focuses on Thomas’ love life. In his first marriage to Anne Plantagenet, Thomas found true love but suffered great loss, causing him to become cold and angry, never allowing himself to get close to anyone. His second marriage to the formidable Elizabeth Stafford was tumultuous to say the least and is covered extensively in the novel, as is Thomas’ relationship with his mistress Bess Holland. The two women couldn’t be more opposite, excepting their love for Thomas and their strong survival instinct.
Bogdan has once again written a riveting novel that this reader found hard pressed to put down! Like Bogdan’s first novel, Secrets of the Tudor Court, I thought Rivals in the Tudor Court was engrossing and entertaining. One of the things that I love about Bogdan’s writing is her ability to provoke emotions from the reader. With wonderfully fleshed out and three-dimensional characters, Rivals will draw you in and keep you captivated! Highly Recommended!
January 22, 2014
I think this one wins the prize for the worst book I have read in some time. The language was poor the characters two dimensional, there were errors of grammar and spelling, an excess of sensibility, characters managing to change eye colour, a poor grasp of Geography (Katherine of Aragon was imprisoned in manors in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire - hardly in the 'North'!) and of course, a chipmunk blithely skipping his way through late medieval England......
A work of historical fiction should really hang on a framework of historical fact, with the author fleshing out the story and characters for the reader. This book doesn't even seem to have an internal logic as characters just do things because the author decides, not because you as a reader think that is what that character would do. But then again, characters are so poorly drawn you can hardly care what they do! The biggest impression I gained from this was that the author believes Thomas Howard was hard, ambitious... and cried all the time...... Child (and mother!) mortality rates would have been much higher in this period, and babies of status would have been taken away from much direct contact with their parents at a young age that this really rather modern outpouring of sensibility doesn't seem to ring true.
The use of Miss and Mrs to differentiate a woman's marital status is also relatively new, so that was all poorly researched rubbish! The majority of women would have been referred to as 'Mistress' (which both Mrs and Miss derive from of course!), as characters are in the Merry Wives of Windsor (for example). It may seem a small point, but it's an example of either sloppy research or careless writing.
This is fine if you want a bit of a brainless read dressed up in historical costume - or if you enjoy spotting errors - but to anyone who likes proper historical fiction, I cannot recommend it. Go and find yourself something by Anne O'Brien or Elizabeth Chadwick or Sharon K Penman instead!
A work of historical fiction should really hang on a framework of historical fact, with the author fleshing out the story and characters for the reader. This book doesn't even seem to have an internal logic as characters just do things because the author decides, not because you as a reader think that is what that character would do. But then again, characters are so poorly drawn you can hardly care what they do! The biggest impression I gained from this was that the author believes Thomas Howard was hard, ambitious... and cried all the time...... Child (and mother!) mortality rates would have been much higher in this period, and babies of status would have been taken away from much direct contact with their parents at a young age that this really rather modern outpouring of sensibility doesn't seem to ring true.
The use of Miss and Mrs to differentiate a woman's marital status is also relatively new, so that was all poorly researched rubbish! The majority of women would have been referred to as 'Mistress' (which both Mrs and Miss derive from of course!), as characters are in the Merry Wives of Windsor (for example). It may seem a small point, but it's an example of either sloppy research or careless writing.
This is fine if you want a bit of a brainless read dressed up in historical costume - or if you enjoy spotting errors - but to anyone who likes proper historical fiction, I cannot recommend it. Go and find yourself something by Anne O'Brien or Elizabeth Chadwick or Sharon K Penman instead!
June 1, 2012
3.75 Stars
This is the prequel to Secrets of the Tudor Court . In Secrets we learned what an evil man Thomas Howard was in his later years and in this one the author takes us back to his childhood and his first marriage. The days when he was happy and before much pain was brought his way due to an abusive grandfather and having his heart continuously ripped out by those closest to him. Thomas becomes hard and builds a wall around himself to protect his emotions.
Elizabeth Stafford is married off to Thomas (of course, against her wishes) and Thomas hiding all of his emotions is a difficult husband. When he does feel, he turns those emotions into rage. I do not offend abuse in anyway, but the author is so good at character development and taking us inside the heads of these people, that we understand where they are coming from. This was a page turner that I could not put down.
Now, why 3.75 stars? Those dang Tudor cliches. I am so tired of seeing authors jumping on popular Tudor trends (which we are seeing alot of lately.) It doesn't matter if it's fiction or not, it's annoying. If I read Anne had a 6th finger one more time! The Mary Boleyn cliches are here too.
Overall, I enjoyed the story immensely. I was just annoyed and the flow stopped as soon as one of these myths popped in. I also didn't care for Thomas' first wife. She was too "Mary Sue." When Elizabeth marries Thomas that's when it gets good. The author weaves a great story between Thomas, Elizabeth and his mistress Bess Holland. If you are in the mood for a light read, but a great page turner...this is it.
This is the prequel to Secrets of the Tudor Court . In Secrets we learned what an evil man Thomas Howard was in his later years and in this one the author takes us back to his childhood and his first marriage. The days when he was happy and before much pain was brought his way due to an abusive grandfather and having his heart continuously ripped out by those closest to him. Thomas becomes hard and builds a wall around himself to protect his emotions.
Elizabeth Stafford is married off to Thomas (of course, against her wishes) and Thomas hiding all of his emotions is a difficult husband. When he does feel, he turns those emotions into rage. I do not offend abuse in anyway, but the author is so good at character development and taking us inside the heads of these people, that we understand where they are coming from. This was a page turner that I could not put down.
Now, why 3.75 stars? Those dang Tudor cliches. I am so tired of seeing authors jumping on popular Tudor trends (which we are seeing alot of lately.) It doesn't matter if it's fiction or not, it's annoying. If I read Anne had a 6th finger one more time! The Mary Boleyn cliches are here too.
Overall, I enjoyed the story immensely. I was just annoyed and the flow stopped as soon as one of these myths popped in. I also didn't care for Thomas' first wife. She was too "Mary Sue." When Elizabeth marries Thomas that's when it gets good. The author weaves a great story between Thomas, Elizabeth and his mistress Bess Holland. If you are in the mood for a light read, but a great page turner...this is it.
April 17, 2015
This book covers the love and court life of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, a man feared and resented by his peers but with more power than most nobles. Thomas always drummed into his family how important it was to uphold the Howard name and to further their cause by climbing high in royal favour. This was taught to him at an early age.
This book has a better representation of Norfolk than Secrets of the Tudor Court which for me has undertones of incest in it, which is ironic considering Anne Boleyn was sent to her death on trumped up charges of incest with her brother. Here we explore the relationships with his two very different wives and his long time mistress Bess. I found these interactions fascinating, especially what occurs between his wife and mistress.
Sadly I don't have the notes I wrote as I read the book so I cannot do an in depth review but I did enjoy the novel and seeing the Tudor story from the viewpoint of a different family was intriguing.
This book has a better representation of Norfolk than Secrets of the Tudor Court which for me has undertones of incest in it, which is ironic considering Anne Boleyn was sent to her death on trumped up charges of incest with her brother. Here we explore the relationships with his two very different wives and his long time mistress Bess. I found these interactions fascinating, especially what occurs between his wife and mistress.
Sadly I don't have the notes I wrote as I read the book so I cannot do an in depth review but I did enjoy the novel and seeing the Tudor story from the viewpoint of a different family was intriguing.
June 12, 2011
homas Howard is born into a fine family. His father and grandfather long for power and teach the young Howard how to strive for power. He is taught that the Howard Family must ally themselves with the crown, no matter whose head it sits on. At the court of Henry VII, the young Thomas Howard earns a reputation for being a fierce some opponent, both on an off the battlefield. Thomas is soon betrothed to Anne Plantagenet, sister of Henry VII's wife.Thomas marries his princess and begin a family. Thomas is enthralled with his life, a beautiful royal wife, a glowing and growing career and a healthy family. But tragedy strikes, soon his second son is found dead in the crib.But Thomas' Princess gives him another two children, a son and a daughter. But tragedy strikes again. Wills, now the second son, succumbs to a fever. Then six year Maggie dies, followed by her brother dying four months later. The magical princess and the high rising Thomas are now childless. At Henry VIII's coronation, the mourning Thomas meets Elizabeth Stafford, a beguiling child of twelve. Thomas saves the small Elizabeth from the amorous Fra Diego and sends her back to the Queen. At another court function, when the court turns to a festive mood, Thomas saves the same Elizabeth from having her gown stolen. Thomas is soon called upon to save the realm from pirates and succeeds, bringing even more glory to the Howard name. After coming home from yet another war, Thomas is frighted to find his princess dying. She dies, leaving Thomas heartbroken. At his father's urging he meets the Stafford family to find a wife to breed with. Thomas remembers the charming and witty Elizabeth, and asks for her hand. this breaks poor Elizabeth's heart, who had her heart set on another. Though Elizabeth is a endearing girl, she has a sharp tongue that often enrages her husband. Thomas tries to love her, but never can forget his princess. With Queen Catherine by his side, Thomas defeats the Scots at Flodden Field. When he returns home, he finds a plump and pregnant Elizabeth and goes into a shock. To atone for his coolness and begin anew with Elizabeth he presents her with his signet ring. Even a warrior has fears, and Thomas leaves before the baby Catherine Howard is born.The volatile relationship between Thomas and Elizabeth stabilizes to conceive a second child, Edward. To reward Elizabeth for all she has done for the Howard Family, Thomas showers her with gifts. While Elizabeth is pregnant with their third child, sweating sickness takes little Edward. A son is born to replace the lost one and soon Elizabeth is pregnant again. After a rough pregnancy, the mid wife fears that Elizabeth is dying. Thomas succumbs to his fear and drags Elizabeth from her bed. He cuts her face with his knife before coming to his senses and running away. Elizabeth delivers a girl, Mary. When Thomas sees his new daughter, he knows that she reminds him of someone he lost long ago, his beloved Princess. After missing her husband, Elizabeth returns to his bed and becomes pregnant once again. Not wanting to repeat his previous mistakes, Thomas showers Elizabeth with gifts. Their son, Thomas is born in Ireland while the family is their on a mission for the King. While in Ireland, Elizabeth learns that her sister has married the man that Elizabeth loved before marrying Thomas. She is heartbroken, and knows that her sister will be far happier that she will ever be. Her sisters also informs Elizabeth that their father has been imprisoned for treason and is to be beheaded. Elizabeth flees back to England, hoping to save her father. Instead, she damages her marriage. When Thomas returns to England he is distant and cold. After another long absence, Thomas' father dies and he inherits the title of Duke of Norfolk.When the Duke of Norfolk visits his sister, he notices his niece's servant girl, Bess Holland. Norfolk becomes infatuated with the girl and brings her and her family to live with his family at Kensington Hall.Elizabeth is no fool and when she catches them together, all hell breaks loose. Elizabeth throws the signet ring at the couple and leaves.Thomas tells Elizabeth that if she will stop being such a loyal servant to Queen Catherine, whose star is now declining, he will give up Bess. Elizabeth refuses.When the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk return to London, he becomes sick. Elizabeth nurses him back to health. When the return to Kensington Hall, Thomas showers Bess with his attentions, giving her his signet ring and apartments. Soon the Duke and Duchess are back at court, with Elizabeth and Queen Catherine comforting each other over their husband's infidelities. Henry is more successful that Thomas, arranging a trial to determine the fate of his marriage. The trial plays out and Catherine is degraded.Elizabeth is sent from court for being to loyal of a servant to the aging Catherine.When she arrives at Kensington Hall, she finds that Bess is now the mistress of the house and the children. Even the servants defer to Bess and deal out beatings from the Duke. At court, Anne Boleyn is now on her way to becoming Queen of England with the Duke of Norfolk supporting her. Bess is now called to serve her former mistress as Queen. Elizabeth is miserable, but her misery is even more compounded when she refuses to divorce the Duke. He banishes her to a secluded estate with little property and money. No one dares to visit Elizabeth in her exile. Bess starts to long for a child after the birth of Princess Elizabeth, and the Duke of Norfolk begins to lose faith in his niece. When Anne falls from grace, Bess realizes that the Duke is really a monster. His unchecked ambition will destroy anyone around him. Two Queens come and Two Queens go. The Howard Family remains in the background during these years, but with a vacancy on the Queen's Throne and in the King's bed bring the Duke of Norfolk out of hiding. He finds the perfect girl to fill these vacancies, Kitty Howard. The King is enthralled with the young guileless girl and soon marries her. But, once again, the Howard family faces the King's wrath. The Duke barely escapes this debacle, but is more intent on becoming powerful. Bess becomes pregnant and the Duke takes the child away from her, smashing Bess' domestic dreams. At court, The Duke is frenzied. He tries to push his beautiful daughter, Mary, under the King's nose or marry her off to one of the Seymour boys. Mary refuses both. The Duke of Norfolk and his son are arrested on treason charges, and Elizabeth, Mary and Bess all testify against the Duke. Henry Howard is executed. The Howard in the Duke emerges again, and he survives Henry VIII. He remains imprisoned during King Edward's reign, but it allowed visits from his family. Elizabeth finds freedom in her husbands imprisonment and Bess finds love and marries. She catches a fever while pregnant, and asks for Elizabeth. Elizabeth agrees to see her, and finds that she feels sympathy for the girl who was just as terrified of the Duke as she was. Bess gives Elizabeth the Howard signet ring and dies. Thomas learns to appreciate his wife while in the Tower, but upon his release by Queen Mary the Howard Man reappears. But it is short lived. Thomas is soon sick and dying at Kensington. Elizabeth has bitter sweet feelings. After his death, Elizabeth reaches out to Bess' daughter and tells the girl of her family.
Thomas Howard was a man to be feared. Even in a time where cruelty in some forms was acceptable, this man struck fear into the hearts of those around him. I always viewed Thomas Howard as a monster, and I would venture that I am not the only one. I think that he might have had schizophrenia, but whether it was brought on by his raising, his losses or his ambition I couldn't say. Maybe all three. This book gave me insight into the life of the Duke of Norfolk. I knew that he had taken a mistress and that his wife hated it. I also knew that the relationship between Elizabeth and Thomas could be quite cold. I never knew about the losses that he faced early in life. I can't imagine losing your whole family and being the only one to survive. How tragic. D.L. did a great job with telling Thomas' story. I felt the love and pain that Thomas' early family brought. I felt him becoming two people and watched as he changed to his family and those around him into a monster. I felt the coldness of his marriage. This Tudor book takes a break from the usual Tudor Players and lets us see into the man's life who helped write history. Its a very good book.
Thomas Howard was a man to be feared. Even in a time where cruelty in some forms was acceptable, this man struck fear into the hearts of those around him. I always viewed Thomas Howard as a monster, and I would venture that I am not the only one. I think that he might have had schizophrenia, but whether it was brought on by his raising, his losses or his ambition I couldn't say. Maybe all three. This book gave me insight into the life of the Duke of Norfolk. I knew that he had taken a mistress and that his wife hated it. I also knew that the relationship between Elizabeth and Thomas could be quite cold. I never knew about the losses that he faced early in life. I can't imagine losing your whole family and being the only one to survive. How tragic. D.L. did a great job with telling Thomas' story. I felt the love and pain that Thomas' early family brought. I felt him becoming two people and watched as he changed to his family and those around him into a monster. I felt the coldness of his marriage. This Tudor book takes a break from the usual Tudor Players and lets us see into the man's life who helped write history. Its a very good book.
November 15, 2021
Great book! This is a prequel to Secrets of the Tudor Court and tells the same but different story of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. This time the story is told by the povs of his wife, his mistress and himself. Very well done and does not give you any sense that you are rereading the first book. I love this series and this author.
February 14, 2013
A riveting drama full of intense passion, heated rivalry and deception amid an atmospheric backdrop.
Capturing the fervent intensity of the times, the dazzlingly dangerous Tudor court is brought vividly to life with such accuracy. Spanning eight decades and six monarchs, including the formidable Henry VIII one is taken on an exciting journey into bygone eras. As a fan of the BBC Drama ‘the Tudors’ and authors such as Philippa Gregory, Gillian Bagwell and Emily Purdy (to name but a few), I was excited upon finding a book that contains such qualities of significant historical literature. The perfect balance between factual detail merged together with fiction, makes this both a deeply fascinating and compelling read. The competitive nature between Elizabeth Stafford and Bess Holland is impassioned, until it appears trivial when their ‘bait’ the Duke of Norfolk’s true motives are discovered. Emotive and passionate, dynamic and full of explosive drama the concoction of intrigue, ambition and heated enmity is so electrifying as to glue you to the page.
Elizabeth, (the Duke of Buckingham’s daughter) is swept into a marriage with Thomas Howard and suddenly finds herself shocked by how ardently she is affected by him. However, when he takes on a mistress she soon becomes determined to fight for not only her love but her honour…as it is being compromised. Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke and bends to his will when offered gifts and adoration. Elizabeth and Bess’ opposition for years takes its toll on both their happiness, until the truth of the Duke’s secret obsession is revealed – for his deep desire to obtain the Howard name within the Royal bloodline is sickening.
Character-driven and intoxicating, I was utterly fascinated between the relationship of the Duke and these two very different Ladies. Remicent of ‘The Duchess’ by Amanda Foreman, I connected with Elizabeth instantly and could feel the inner pain, strife and longing that was heightened more so by her naivety and vulnerability. Taking you on a rollercoaster of a ride this beautifully evocative novel is simply breathtaking as it captures the fire and the rage of weighty obligations. The choices between love and duty are explored, as well as self-indulgence and licentiousness that eats into your soul (if one lets themselves become too single-minded). Dramatic and fast-paced this astonishingly remarkable novel is so impressive and which tugged at the heartstrings of human emotion…
Darcey Bonnette has produced something of outstanding caliber; hence I am really looking forward to reading more of her work!
Capturing the fervent intensity of the times, the dazzlingly dangerous Tudor court is brought vividly to life with such accuracy. Spanning eight decades and six monarchs, including the formidable Henry VIII one is taken on an exciting journey into bygone eras. As a fan of the BBC Drama ‘the Tudors’ and authors such as Philippa Gregory, Gillian Bagwell and Emily Purdy (to name but a few), I was excited upon finding a book that contains such qualities of significant historical literature. The perfect balance between factual detail merged together with fiction, makes this both a deeply fascinating and compelling read. The competitive nature between Elizabeth Stafford and Bess Holland is impassioned, until it appears trivial when their ‘bait’ the Duke of Norfolk’s true motives are discovered. Emotive and passionate, dynamic and full of explosive drama the concoction of intrigue, ambition and heated enmity is so electrifying as to glue you to the page.
Elizabeth, (the Duke of Buckingham’s daughter) is swept into a marriage with Thomas Howard and suddenly finds herself shocked by how ardently she is affected by him. However, when he takes on a mistress she soon becomes determined to fight for not only her love but her honour…as it is being compromised. Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke and bends to his will when offered gifts and adoration. Elizabeth and Bess’ opposition for years takes its toll on both their happiness, until the truth of the Duke’s secret obsession is revealed – for his deep desire to obtain the Howard name within the Royal bloodline is sickening.
Character-driven and intoxicating, I was utterly fascinated between the relationship of the Duke and these two very different Ladies. Remicent of ‘The Duchess’ by Amanda Foreman, I connected with Elizabeth instantly and could feel the inner pain, strife and longing that was heightened more so by her naivety and vulnerability. Taking you on a rollercoaster of a ride this beautifully evocative novel is simply breathtaking as it captures the fire and the rage of weighty obligations. The choices between love and duty are explored, as well as self-indulgence and licentiousness that eats into your soul (if one lets themselves become too single-minded). Dramatic and fast-paced this astonishingly remarkable novel is so impressive and which tugged at the heartstrings of human emotion…
Darcey Bonnette has produced something of outstanding caliber; hence I am really looking forward to reading more of her work!
July 20, 2011
Please note: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads programme.
Rivals in the Tudor Court is supposed to be an accounting of Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk (best known as the uncle of Anne Boleyn) and, well, it is. In a way. It's more of a three-points-of-view book.
We view the world through the eyes of Thomas Howard, his second wife Elizabeth Stafford, and eventually his mistress, Elizabeth "Bess" Holland. Being historical fiction, the events and people are real, but the internal thoughts and conversations (unless noted) are the fictional part. The main part of this novel is to show Howard's drive for power, for himself and the Howard family, through his family's closeness to the crown. And just how much Howard, and subsequently his wife and children, and eventual mistress, suffer for it.
I read a lot of historical books, both fiction and non-fiction. Some of it's good, some of it's bad, some of it's mediocre. Rivals in the Tudor Court falls between decent and okay. It's nice to see a person not in the immediate spotlight get a book, so it has that going for it. The premise, showing how far the Howard family rose before they systematically fell from grace, is always a compelling one. Most of the time it's about Anne or from her side and her uncle is a nice change.
Honestly, I wouldn't consider this "historical romance", as there's not a lot of "romance" going on. Is it really a spoiler when you're talking about historical events? Let's put it this way: Elizabeth Howard suffered at the hands of her husband. It was a different era and within his "rights", but it's none the less not pretty in places. The encounters are never too detailed and that works well within the concept of the novel.
My biggest problem was I wanted to buy the author a thesaurus. After the dozenth time of reading the description of "long wavy cascading locks" and how so-and-so "quit the room", it got tedious. I don't know what reasoning was behind the constant use of these descriptions was but there are other ways to describe hair and someone leaving a room.
I wish we were allowed to give half stars for ratings, because really, this book deserves 2 and a half stars.
Rivals in the Tudor Court is supposed to be an accounting of Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk (best known as the uncle of Anne Boleyn) and, well, it is. In a way. It's more of a three-points-of-view book.
We view the world through the eyes of Thomas Howard, his second wife Elizabeth Stafford, and eventually his mistress, Elizabeth "Bess" Holland. Being historical fiction, the events and people are real, but the internal thoughts and conversations (unless noted) are the fictional part. The main part of this novel is to show Howard's drive for power, for himself and the Howard family, through his family's closeness to the crown. And just how much Howard, and subsequently his wife and children, and eventual mistress, suffer for it.
I read a lot of historical books, both fiction and non-fiction. Some of it's good, some of it's bad, some of it's mediocre. Rivals in the Tudor Court falls between decent and okay. It's nice to see a person not in the immediate spotlight get a book, so it has that going for it. The premise, showing how far the Howard family rose before they systematically fell from grace, is always a compelling one. Most of the time it's about Anne or from her side and her uncle is a nice change.
Honestly, I wouldn't consider this "historical romance", as there's not a lot of "romance" going on. Is it really a spoiler when you're talking about historical events? Let's put it this way: Elizabeth Howard suffered at the hands of her husband. It was a different era and within his "rights", but it's none the less not pretty in places. The encounters are never too detailed and that works well within the concept of the novel.
My biggest problem was I wanted to buy the author a thesaurus. After the dozenth time of reading the description of "long wavy cascading locks" and how so-and-so "quit the room", it got tedious. I don't know what reasoning was behind the constant use of these descriptions was but there are other ways to describe hair and someone leaving a room.
I wish we were allowed to give half stars for ratings, because really, this book deserves 2 and a half stars.
December 30, 2012
WOW! I'm surprised nobody thought to write a novel about Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk before. Well, perhaps there is another book out there, but I am not currently aware of it. He is a character most people are familiar with when reading Tudor fiction, and I don't think many think beyond what they are shown: a selfish puppet master with no heart for others. Every once in a while the situation with his wife and mistress is mentioned, but his own story is put in the background while the main story takes center stage (usually about Anne Boleyn and/or Kathryn Howard, nieces both).
D.L. Bogdan wrote another book called "Secrets in the Tudor Court" and it has a similar cover. For the past couple months, knowing my time of annual Tudor bingeing was coming up, I had these two books in the stack to pick from. I could never remember which one came first and wouldn't you know it? I read them in the "wrong" order. However, I actually think this was good. "Secrets" is about the life of his daughter, Mary, and there are a lot of blanks filled in from reading "Rivals" first. I was intrigued about reading about Mary Howard already, but "Rivals" made me even more intrigued.
Another reason why I think "Rivals" is better to read first is because it starts off right away with Thomas being human and shows there was a reason why he turned out the way he did. People like him are made, not born. There isn't much of the "human" Thomas in "Secrets". "Rivals" is very much a book about relationships instead of historical detail. Someone new to the genre probably shouldn't start with these books because it might be difficult to understand what is going on. History is the scaffolding, not the meat.
In the prologue, it is Thomas speaking in his later years, and the author did a wonderful job of it! Sometimes his character ends up being a comical one, and I laughed at his thoughts on everything that I could very easily see him thinking.
Very well done!
D.L. Bogdan wrote another book called "Secrets in the Tudor Court" and it has a similar cover. For the past couple months, knowing my time of annual Tudor bingeing was coming up, I had these two books in the stack to pick from. I could never remember which one came first and wouldn't you know it? I read them in the "wrong" order. However, I actually think this was good. "Secrets" is about the life of his daughter, Mary, and there are a lot of blanks filled in from reading "Rivals" first. I was intrigued about reading about Mary Howard already, but "Rivals" made me even more intrigued.
Another reason why I think "Rivals" is better to read first is because it starts off right away with Thomas being human and shows there was a reason why he turned out the way he did. People like him are made, not born. There isn't much of the "human" Thomas in "Secrets". "Rivals" is very much a book about relationships instead of historical detail. Someone new to the genre probably shouldn't start with these books because it might be difficult to understand what is going on. History is the scaffolding, not the meat.
In the prologue, it is Thomas speaking in his later years, and the author did a wonderful job of it! Sometimes his character ends up being a comical one, and I laughed at his thoughts on everything that I could very easily see him thinking.
Very well done!
December 5, 2011
As a child Thomas was brought up to know the importance of the Howard family. He takes it to heart and makes advancing his family his life mission and soon his star is rising in the court of Henry VIII. His marriage to outspoken Elizabeth Stafford is nothing but peaceful and is made worse when Thomas supports his niece Anne to get more power for the family. Then Thomas finds Bess Holland, who is the very opposite of his wife.
I was very curious to read this book because I didn’t know that much about Thomas Howard as a person. And he really wasn’t likeable guy!
I knew he was firstly married to Anne Plantagenet but I didn’t know they had and lost four children. Their marriage seems to be a happy one but the loss of their children hardened him and made him fear losing the people he cared about.
Elizabeth Stafford wanted to marry another man and wasn’t happy when told to marry the much older Thomas Howard. She soon starts to care about him but he’s not easy man to live with and has short temper at times.
There were times, okay the whole book, when I just wanted to bang their heads together to get some sense! At first I felt like there was point made that every Howard man is evil and only thinks about power and the whole killing the dog thing. But I liked the relationship between Thomas and Anne and it was nice that he was happy for awhile.
And I really want to know if it’s true that Thomas ordered his servants to beat his wife? I mean seriously!
The book is told from 3 point of views: Thomas, Elizabeth and Bess. I liked Bess’s parts less because it was mostly Bess whining about Thomas being away or that she doesn’t have husband and children.
In the end it was entertaining book but I still feel it lacked it something. Or maybe Thomas annoyed me way to much…
I was very curious to read this book because I didn’t know that much about Thomas Howard as a person. And he really wasn’t likeable guy!
I knew he was firstly married to Anne Plantagenet but I didn’t know they had and lost four children. Their marriage seems to be a happy one but the loss of their children hardened him and made him fear losing the people he cared about.
Elizabeth Stafford wanted to marry another man and wasn’t happy when told to marry the much older Thomas Howard. She soon starts to care about him but he’s not easy man to live with and has short temper at times.
There were times, okay the whole book, when I just wanted to bang their heads together to get some sense! At first I felt like there was point made that every Howard man is evil and only thinks about power and the whole killing the dog thing. But I liked the relationship between Thomas and Anne and it was nice that he was happy for awhile.
And I really want to know if it’s true that Thomas ordered his servants to beat his wife? I mean seriously!
The book is told from 3 point of views: Thomas, Elizabeth and Bess. I liked Bess’s parts less because it was mostly Bess whining about Thomas being away or that she doesn’t have husband and children.
In the end it was entertaining book but I still feel it lacked it something. Or maybe Thomas annoyed me way to much…
February 4, 2012
The prequel to the Secrets of the Tudor Court is an engaging story about Thomas Howard,3rd Duke of Norfolk, his outspoken and proud wife Elizabeth Stafford Howard, and his mistress Bess Holland. Tudor era fiction fans will find this novel fascinating, here the story is told through the viewpoints of lesser players. D.L. Bogdon's talented storytelling of the difficult marriage between Thomas and Elizabeth is heartbreaking and sometimes painful to read. She develops fascinating characters that are well-rounded and interesting. I think the biggest enjoyment is her portrayal of Thomas Howard, Bogdan charts his entire life and shows how he became the cruel, ambitious, and selfish Duke that uses his own family members to advance himself toward the throne of King Henry VIII...but removed himself from them when they reached tragedy. His relationship with women was written in an interesting manner as he struggles with strong and outspoken women such as his wife, and the Queen Catherine of Aragon, and Anne Boleyn. And then how easily swayed he was towards weaker and more influenced women such as his daughter Mary, Bess and Catherine Howard. RIVALS IN THE TUDOR COURT is by far one of the best novels on the Tudor Era, it's focus on the different historical figures instead of the usual ones, D.L. Bogdan wrote to me..."Rivals is actually Secrets companion but of the two I admit it's my favorite. i really hope you enjoy it and thank you!" And I have to say Mrs. Bogdan this is my favorite too!!
August 28, 2011
* I won this book through a GoodReads Giveaway.
A different story from the Tudor era. The presence of Thomas Howard has been eerily felt throughout other novels from this time period, however, we have never been taken so deeply into his twistedly calculating and destructive, self-isolating mind.
A different story from the Tudor era. The presence of Thomas Howard has been eerily felt throughout other novels from this time period, however, we have never been taken so deeply into his twistedly calculating and destructive, self-isolating mind.
July 19, 2024
Ok, let me preface this review by admitting I picked this book up in one of those little free libraries on the side of the road, so I didn't search it out. I happened upon this book and decided to read it right away.
The title/tagline is a bit misleading. I don't know what I thought it'd be, but it still was unexpected. Unexpectedly depressing! If you want to read about one dead baby after another and the affect it had on a dude embroiled in medieval political intrigue, then this is for you.
Now, I realize this is a historical fiction(?) and the characters were indeed real people, and that does bind the author somewhat. Thus, there was nothing uplifting about this book, seeing as it's set in such a depressing era.
That said, the writing was terrific. Bonnette has an easy to read style that translates the time period well.
All in all, I finished it (only 370ish pages) rather quickly, and only regret that I didn't know going in how sad the story was going to be.
The title/tagline is a bit misleading. I don't know what I thought it'd be, but it still was unexpected. Unexpectedly depressing! If you want to read about one dead baby after another and the affect it had on a dude embroiled in medieval political intrigue, then this is for you.
Now, I realize this is a historical fiction(?) and the characters were indeed real people, and that does bind the author somewhat. Thus, there was nothing uplifting about this book, seeing as it's set in such a depressing era.
That said, the writing was terrific. Bonnette has an easy to read style that translates the time period well.
All in all, I finished it (only 370ish pages) rather quickly, and only regret that I didn't know going in how sad the story was going to be.
July 19, 2019
I went into this book with serious doubts since I did not enjoy the first one at all. This book felt like an apology to the characters for the vilifying done in the first one. They were still villains in their way, but more human, less monstrous. I was disturbed by Norfolk's obsession with his daughter and the author's continued statements that it was not perverse in any way. Also, at the end of the book there is a list of non fiction titles for further reading but no note from the author stating where fact and fiction belonged in the story. That being said, it was a far more palatable read than the first book.
December 29, 2019
When I picked up this book I didn’t realise that it was 2 of 4. I was already into it by the time I registered it on GoodReads and saw that it was part of a series. I do wish that they would put this information on the cover of books.
I love period books and this was set during the time of Henry VIII and told through the eyes of Thomas Howard, his wife Elizabeth and mistress Bessie. It’s one of my favourite periods in history and I enjoyed reading about it from a different perspective. How little freedom women had during these times and perhaps rich women had less than poor women. Well written and easy to engage with. I will have to go and look for book 1.
I love period books and this was set during the time of Henry VIII and told through the eyes of Thomas Howard, his wife Elizabeth and mistress Bessie. It’s one of my favourite periods in history and I enjoyed reading about it from a different perspective. How little freedom women had during these times and perhaps rich women had less than poor women. Well written and easy to engage with. I will have to go and look for book 1.
August 13, 2020
a wonderfully researched and written book about tudor court focusing on one main well known character....and his relationships and impact on the lives of many. But the key story tellers are the women - who tell a different perspective and narrative. And I loved these women for their pain, bravery and challenges of the system.
Fantastic observations of court life, and human emotion.
Why had i not found this book and author sooner.
Fantastic observations of court life, and human emotion.
Why had i not found this book and author sooner.
August 11, 2021
I probably should have read this first, as it covers the story of Norfolk growing up. It humanized him and softened him to some degree, the first book I’ve ever seen to do so, fiction or nonfiction. It was better than Secrets, and a definite must-read for history lovers.
September 2, 2019
I didnt want the book to end such a great read and what a horrible cruel man the Duke of Norfolk was......a must read for all
November 6, 2019
I absolutely loved hearing some of the familiar stories of the tudors from the Norfolk perspective.
Amazing book.
Amazing book.
March 29, 2020
The characterisation in this book is superb
September 26, 2022
I flew through this and found it so interesting.. I got to see different members of the Tudor court.
March 9, 2023
An enjoyable historical fiction but I found the multiple narrators annoying.
July 23, 2011
I wasn't really sure what to think of this book before I started it. With the cheesy romance novel-style cover, the publisher and my non-interest in the previous book, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But after I won the book out of chance from a giveaway, I thought it was worth trying. I mean, how can I say no to historical novel from the Tudor period, especially set in the Tudor period. I was somewhat intrigued at the fact that this novel followed the life of Thomas Howard, and even had a male lead-in, which doesn't seem to be a common thing these days in historical novels.
As a child of the ambitious Howard family, Thomas Howard lands the princess Anne Plantagenet as a wife, Henry VII's sister. The two quickly find that they are madly in love -and spend about the first quarter of the novel desperately trying to have children (over and over again) until Anne finally dies. Then, with Henry VIII now in power, Thomas weds the young Elizabeth Stafford who find herself deeply in love with the duke, despite the fact that he doesn't show much affection for her. Thomas soon takes a mistress, and Elizabeth must deal with this during the intrigue of Anne Boleyn, the niece of Thomas Howard, and Katherine Howard, also another of Thomas' nieces.
With such a setup, Rivals in the Tudor Court started with promise, but as I kept reading the less I seemed to like the book. At first it was little things. The writing was overly flowery. The point of view kept switching from Thomas to Anne to Elizabeth to Thomas's mistress Bess and others without any warning, so I ended up spending far too much of the novel trying to figure out who was talking. The romance, soap opera-like as it was portrayed, always managed to take the spotlight, even though the author tried desperately to weave in court intrigue surrounding Thomas' relationship to two of Henry's wives. This managed to feel far away from the action of the novel, and far too distant to really dive into. And the novel seemed to move too quickly, considering the wide expanse of time it covered. In particular, near the end it got so fast that I couldn't keep up with who was queen.
Despite all of these issues, Rivals isn't a horrible book. It's a book with promise -and it really wasn't a bad idea starting out, but it never fully realized its potential. I was really disappointed in my first Bogdan outing, and am afraid that this author's novels are little more than highly romanticized soap opera depictions of the Tudor court with weak writing and a lack of historical detail. Not really good for much more than a beach read.
As a child of the ambitious Howard family, Thomas Howard lands the princess Anne Plantagenet as a wife, Henry VII's sister. The two quickly find that they are madly in love -and spend about the first quarter of the novel desperately trying to have children (over and over again) until Anne finally dies. Then, with Henry VIII now in power, Thomas weds the young Elizabeth Stafford who find herself deeply in love with the duke, despite the fact that he doesn't show much affection for her. Thomas soon takes a mistress, and Elizabeth must deal with this during the intrigue of Anne Boleyn, the niece of Thomas Howard, and Katherine Howard, also another of Thomas' nieces.
With such a setup, Rivals in the Tudor Court started with promise, but as I kept reading the less I seemed to like the book. At first it was little things. The writing was overly flowery. The point of view kept switching from Thomas to Anne to Elizabeth to Thomas's mistress Bess and others without any warning, so I ended up spending far too much of the novel trying to figure out who was talking. The romance, soap opera-like as it was portrayed, always managed to take the spotlight, even though the author tried desperately to weave in court intrigue surrounding Thomas' relationship to two of Henry's wives. This managed to feel far away from the action of the novel, and far too distant to really dive into. And the novel seemed to move too quickly, considering the wide expanse of time it covered. In particular, near the end it got so fast that I couldn't keep up with who was queen.
Despite all of these issues, Rivals isn't a horrible book. It's a book with promise -and it really wasn't a bad idea starting out, but it never fully realized its potential. I was really disappointed in my first Bogdan outing, and am afraid that this author's novels are little more than highly romanticized soap opera depictions of the Tudor court with weak writing and a lack of historical detail. Not really good for much more than a beach read.
June 11, 2016
Told from the alternating viewpoints of the three main characters, D.L. Bogdan's Rivals in the Tudor Court follows the lives of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, his second wife Elizabeth Stafford, daughter of the powerful Duke of Buckingham, and his mistress Bess Holland. While Thomas Howard is often featured in Henry VIII-era historical fiction, he is rarely featured quite as prominently as he is in this novel. His wife and mistress, on the other hand, make only brief appearances (if any) in Tudor-era historical fiction. As a result, Bogdan delivers a unique perspective on the people and events that helped shape and define the Tudor-era.
The primary strength of this novel rests with the story itself, which kept me engaged for the duration of the book. Bogdan's characterizations are also particularly well done, especially that of Thomas Howard who, although easy to dislike for his cruelty to his wife, also manages to come across as a sympathetic figure. Elizabeth Stafford is portrayed as an intelligent young woman who deserved much better from her husband, while Bess Holland's naivety shines through. I also liked the way Anne Plantagenet, Thomas Howard's first wife, was portrayed as having an other-worldly air about her. Whether or not this is an accurate portrayal of Anne Plantagenet, it does make her a memorable character. The main weakness of the book, at least from my perspective, lies in the ending, which I felt too rushed and short of much needed detail. For example, given his life was a big focus of the novel, the lack of attention to Thomas Howard's fall from grace was somewhat surprising, and I was a little disappointed this it didn't receive more coverage in the book. It is my hope that this topic is covered in more depth in Bogdan's earlier novel, Secrets of the Tudor Court, which features Thomas Howard and Elizabeth Stafford's daughter Mary as the central character. Lastly, I wish the novel had included an author's note. While I'm familiar with the time period in which this novel is set, I know little beyond the basics of Thomas Howard and next to nothing about Elizabeth Stafford or Bess Holland. For this reason I would have appreciated a note explaining where the author deviated from known fact.
Overall, I feel the strengths of the story and characterizations outweigh any of the novel's weaknesses and is well worth a read, especially for fans of Tudor-era historical fiction.
Note: I won a copy of this novel courtesy of Historical Tapestry and author D.L. Bogdan.
The primary strength of this novel rests with the story itself, which kept me engaged for the duration of the book. Bogdan's characterizations are also particularly well done, especially that of Thomas Howard who, although easy to dislike for his cruelty to his wife, also manages to come across as a sympathetic figure. Elizabeth Stafford is portrayed as an intelligent young woman who deserved much better from her husband, while Bess Holland's naivety shines through. I also liked the way Anne Plantagenet, Thomas Howard's first wife, was portrayed as having an other-worldly air about her. Whether or not this is an accurate portrayal of Anne Plantagenet, it does make her a memorable character. The main weakness of the book, at least from my perspective, lies in the ending, which I felt too rushed and short of much needed detail. For example, given his life was a big focus of the novel, the lack of attention to Thomas Howard's fall from grace was somewhat surprising, and I was a little disappointed this it didn't receive more coverage in the book. It is my hope that this topic is covered in more depth in Bogdan's earlier novel, Secrets of the Tudor Court, which features Thomas Howard and Elizabeth Stafford's daughter Mary as the central character. Lastly, I wish the novel had included an author's note. While I'm familiar with the time period in which this novel is set, I know little beyond the basics of Thomas Howard and next to nothing about Elizabeth Stafford or Bess Holland. For this reason I would have appreciated a note explaining where the author deviated from known fact.
Overall, I feel the strengths of the story and characterizations outweigh any of the novel's weaknesses and is well worth a read, especially for fans of Tudor-era historical fiction.
Note: I won a copy of this novel courtesy of Historical Tapestry and author D.L. Bogdan.
June 17, 2013
Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk was a powerful, ambitious and unbelievably selfish man at the courts of the Tudor monarchs, most notably Henry VIII’s. He managed to put 2 of his nieces on the throne and condemned both of them to death. His daughter was married to King Henry’s bastard and might one day have been Queen of England had Henry Fitzroy lived past the age of 17. This is Thomas Howard’s story, as told from his point of view, that of his second wife, Elizabeth Stafford and of his mistress, Bess Holland.
★We see Thomas as a man with all his faults. He is turned into the megalomaniac we know from history by grief and power but he was a man with feelings.
★The characters and relationships were well developed. They each had their own journey to make through the book and you could believe at the end that despite the antagonism and maltreatment involved, Elizabeth would never leave her husband. Domestic violence hasn’t changed much in 500 years.
★The story itself is simply incredible. While reading it I kept having to look on the internet to find out if the events were made up. It seems they were not. The facts came to light when he held his wife captive and she appealed to Thomas Cromwell and again when Elizabeth Stafford, Bess Holland and Mary Fitzroy testified against him
★The pace was quick. I couldn’t put the book down.
☆The title is simply awful. I expected some kind of cheap bodice ripper when I read the title. It put me off reading the book until I picked it up for next to nothing. I started to read the reviews then and decided to give the book a go based on these reviews. I was pleasantly surprised. This is not some kind of soppy romance but a hard core depiction of a man driven by grief and power. He took the idea of looking after no. 1 to new heights.
An easy straight forward read for fans of Tudor fiction. The title and some of the dialogue let it down but I think that you can learn something from this book and I saw Thomas Howard in a different light afterwards – he was still a nasty piece of work though ;)
★We see Thomas as a man with all his faults. He is turned into the megalomaniac we know from history by grief and power but he was a man with feelings.
★The characters and relationships were well developed. They each had their own journey to make through the book and you could believe at the end that despite the antagonism and maltreatment involved, Elizabeth would never leave her husband. Domestic violence hasn’t changed much in 500 years.
★The story itself is simply incredible. While reading it I kept having to look on the internet to find out if the events were made up. It seems they were not. The facts came to light when he held his wife captive and she appealed to Thomas Cromwell and again when Elizabeth Stafford, Bess Holland and Mary Fitzroy testified against him
★The pace was quick. I couldn’t put the book down.
☆The title is simply awful. I expected some kind of cheap bodice ripper when I read the title. It put me off reading the book until I picked it up for next to nothing. I started to read the reviews then and decided to give the book a go based on these reviews. I was pleasantly surprised. This is not some kind of soppy romance but a hard core depiction of a man driven by grief and power. He took the idea of looking after no. 1 to new heights.
An easy straight forward read for fans of Tudor fiction. The title and some of the dialogue let it down but I think that you can learn something from this book and I saw Thomas Howard in a different light afterwards – he was still a nasty piece of work though ;)
June 10, 2012
Told through Elizebeth, the Duke of Norfolk's second wife,Thomas Howard,the Duke of Norfolk and his mistress Bess Holland.
Edward IV dies. (Wife was Elizabeth Woodville) Elizabeth of York was the eldest child of King Edward IV. Her brother was declared Edward V, but he had not been crowned before he and his younger brother, Richard, had been imprisoned in the Tower of London by Edward IV's brother, who took the crown as Richard III
Richard is regent and declares himself king. Dies at Bosworth. Henry VII marries Elizabeth of York
Thomas Howard marries Anne Plantagenet, sister of Elizabeth, who married Henry VII. She is sister to the two princes whom Richard III imprisoned in Londo Tower.
Thomas's sister, Elizabeth, marries Thomas Boleyn so he is Anne and Mary's Uncle.
Catherine Howard, Henry's 5th wife was Thomas's niece. (His brother Edmund's daughter)
1503--Margaret, Henry VIII sister marries King James IV of Scotland. Aurtur has died and Henry has married his wife, Catherine of Aragon.
Thomas loses 6 of his 9 children and his wife Anne.His daughter, Mary marries Henry Fitzroy, Henry VIII's illegitimate son by Bessie Bount but he dies of consumption.
Thomas spends 6 years in the Tower but is released by Queen Mary and dies of natural causes.
Statute of Praemuner-- prohibited interference from Rome in England's affairs without Royal consent.
cardinal Wolsey-stripped of post of Lord Chancellor. Asked for help from Rome so accused of treason but died on his way to his execution.
Sir Thomas More took over as Lord Chancaller.
Thomas Cromwell was Wolsey's secretary.
Edward IV dies. (Wife was Elizabeth Woodville) Elizabeth of York was the eldest child of King Edward IV. Her brother was declared Edward V, but he had not been crowned before he and his younger brother, Richard, had been imprisoned in the Tower of London by Edward IV's brother, who took the crown as Richard III
Richard is regent and declares himself king. Dies at Bosworth. Henry VII marries Elizabeth of York
Thomas Howard marries Anne Plantagenet, sister of Elizabeth, who married Henry VII. She is sister to the two princes whom Richard III imprisoned in Londo Tower.
Thomas's sister, Elizabeth, marries Thomas Boleyn so he is Anne and Mary's Uncle.
Catherine Howard, Henry's 5th wife was Thomas's niece. (His brother Edmund's daughter)
1503--Margaret, Henry VIII sister marries King James IV of Scotland. Aurtur has died and Henry has married his wife, Catherine of Aragon.
Thomas loses 6 of his 9 children and his wife Anne.His daughter, Mary marries Henry Fitzroy, Henry VIII's illegitimate son by Bessie Bount but he dies of consumption.
Thomas spends 6 years in the Tower but is released by Queen Mary and dies of natural causes.
Statute of Praemuner-- prohibited interference from Rome in England's affairs without Royal consent.
cardinal Wolsey-stripped of post of Lord Chancellor. Asked for help from Rome so accused of treason but died on his way to his execution.
Sir Thomas More took over as Lord Chancaller.
Thomas Cromwell was Wolsey's secretary.
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