European Royalty discussion
European Royalty Discussions
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What have you read lately?
I finished up SKP's Devil's Brood and I am now working on Susan Kay's Legacy. :)
Legacy is wonderful! Enjoy :)Misfit - you read Scott's other novels? I loved all 3 and was very excited for this one - but it sucks :(
I'm damn near finished now, and it still hasn't gotten any better. I think the character is part of the problem, but it really sucks all the way around.
Mandy wrote: "Legacy is wonderful! Enjoy :)Misfit - you read Scott's other novels? I loved all 3 and was very excited for this one - but it sucks :(
I'm damn near finished now, and it still hasn't gotten any b..."
Mandy, no I haven't and I'm not sure I want to after my impressions with this one.
Honestly they were way, WAY better.Not the most amazing books out there, but really fun, entertaining books. I actually really liked a couple of them.
I just checked my ratings - The Kings Favorite (about Nell Gwyn) only got 3 stars, but Royal Harlot (about Barbara Villiers) got 5 and The Duchess got 4.
Try them out. For you it's not big deal! 3 books is like a 3 day time commitment, right?
lol
Finished The French Mistress.
Meh.
It never got good. I'm giving it 2 stars.
Started Sunne in Splendor yesterday!
I'm only about 40 pages in but I'm already loving it.
I'm so excited about this one :)
Mandy wrote: "Started Sunne in Splendor yesterday!"Ahhh...it only gets better and better!
I finished De Medici serie by Jean Plaidy and didn't like it too much. It dragged on too much and I didn't like how Catherine was portrayed.I started Murder Most Royalby Plaidy and I've liked it so far.
Elysium wrote: "I finished De Medici serie by Jean Plaidy and didn't like it too much. It dragged on too much and I didn't like how Catherine was portrayed.I started Murder Most Royalby Plaidy and..."
I thought Murder Most Royal was excellent, but I had the same problem with the de Medici books as far as the portrayal of Catherine went. I think it's a matter of the research having become dated.
Sara W wrote: The Shadow of the Pomengranate is the second book in her Katherine of Aragon trilogy. The first book is Katherine, the Virgin Widow and the last book is The Kings Secret Matter. If you don't have those two, you might be able to get them cheaper by buying the volume that was recently published which contains all three books (even if you already have the second book, buying the one volume is probably cheaper than buying two books) - Katharine of Aragon. I read these books right after the Isabella and Ferdinand series (I don't remember there being too much overlap). I have not read the Isabella and Ferdinand series but did read the 3 vol set of Katherine of Aragon by Plaidy. I also read To Hold the Crown by Plaidy that is about Henry VII and Elizabeth. Towards the end of the book gets to Katherine coming from Spain and marrying and all, so these overlap some but not enough to make reading them together repetative.
Recently read far as European time goes would be The Sword of Truth This one is a christian historical set in the time of Henry VIII. It deals with the religious reform and the main characters involvment with Will Tyndale in getting the bible published in English.
Edward VI The Lost King of England This one is a non fiction about Edward VI.
Just started Jean Plaidys Plantagenet Prelude ...which so far is Very good.
I'm back to reading historical fiction again, currently reading Carolyn Meyer Duchessina, on Catherine De Medici it's great so far. It's my first read on the De Medici's, interesting so far.
Susan wrote: "Elysium wrote: "I finished De Medici serie by Jean Plaidy and didn't like it too much. It dragged on too much and I didn't like how Catherine was portrayed.I started [book:Murder Most Royal|114937..."
Susan, have you ever tried to read some French authors who wrote about Catherine? I recently read La Saga des Médicis, Tome 1 : Contessina by Sarah Frydman and La Cour des Dames, Tome 1 : La Régente Noire by Franck Ferrand.
Mandy wrote: "Honestly they were way, WAY better.Not the most amazing books out there, but really fun, entertaining books. I actually really liked a couple of them.
I just checked my ratings - The Kings Favorit..."
Love Sunne in Splendour! My first SKP - simply wonderful!
Elysium wrote: "I finished De Medici serie by Jean Plaidy and didn't like it too much. It dragged on too much and I didn't like how Catherine was portrayed.I started Murder Most Royalby Plaidy and..."
I thought the books got better as they went along, but I agree that they dragged at points (especially scenes with Henri and Diane). I think Plaidy easily could have gotten away with two books instead of three.
I finished up Susan Kay's "Legacy" a couple evenings ago and then I picked up EC's "The Marsh King's Daughter" to read before I went to sleep last night.I didn't turn the light out until 3:30am and I was done with the book. I couldn't put it down!
finished Duchessins by Carolyn Meyer earlier today and while at worke I started Last of the Amazons by Steven Pressfield. I'm the same way with any EC book, I seem to devour them rather then slowly reading them.
I loved The Marsh King's Daughter. Elizabeth Chadwick's writing gets better with each book she writes. The Winter Mantle was excellent (have Kleenex handy) and I just finished her The Time of Singing about Roger and Ida Bigod. A Place of Courage about William Marshal's father was very well done, as are the two William Marshal books she wrote.
Am bout 100 pages away from finishing Sunne in Splendour, by Penman. Wow talk about Drama. But I am really enjoying it though, Penman knows really how to make a scene.
Cathie wrote: "I loved The Marsh King's Daughter. Elizabeth Chadwick's writing gets better with each book she writes. The Winter Mantle was excellent (have Kleenex handy) and I just finished her The Time of Sin..."Her next novel, To Defy a King is about Marshal's daughter (Mahelt I think the name is) and I believe she's married to one of Roger and Ida's sons. Out next spring. Can't wait.
Misfit wrote: Her next novel..."Oh goody!!! I can't wait!!! I'm hooked now and after one book!
Yes, Elizabeth Chadwick's next book, To Defy A King, is out next May in Canada and the UK. It takes another year to be published in the USA but I never can wait so I buy in Canada. It is about Roger's oldest son, Hugh, and William Marshal's daughter. Have Kleenex ready.
Robin wrote: "I finished up Susan Kay's "Legacy" a couple evenings ago ..."I ordered this book on-line a few days ago and couldn't for the life of me remember why - it didn't seem to be a group read for any of the groups I'm in. I think I ordered it because of all the positive reviews from this group! Now I'm excited to find time to fit it in with my other readings! Thanks, all!
I haven't read any Elizabeth Chadwick, but she sounds like someone I should check out!Where should I start?
I'm currently reading Sunne in Splendour and loving it. It's wonderful, of course.
I'm also reading Elizabeth Woodville by David Baldwin, very good so far!
Working on Karen Harper's "The Last Boleyn" and headed to the library to get more books to take to Florida. I know one waiting for me is Maxwell's "The Queen's Bastard" but I'm going to do a bit of browsing if hubby can keep little one quiet long enough! Hahaha.
Mandy wrote: "I haven't read any Elizabeth Chadwick, but she sounds like someone I should check out!Where should I start?
I'm currently reading Sunne in Splendour and loving it. It's wonderful, of course.
I'm ..."
Mandy, Chadwick's older novels are based on fictional characters and to some readers have a bit of a historical romance feel to them (but I love a good romance). Her newer books are based on historical characters, i.e. the Marshal and Bigod families. The Greatest Knight is just out in the US otherwise you have to go to the UK or Canada to get them.
There are libraries in the US with her books (I know mine has several of her titles). I've got a Listmania on her books on Amazon that should give you a good feel for what might interest you, http://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Fictio...
I would suggest reading The Winter Mantle before Shadows and Strongholds or Falcons. The Greatest Knight is the first of the William Marshal novels, followed by The Scarlet Lion. A Place of Courage is about William Marshal's father. A Time of Singing is about Roger Bigod, William Marshal's contemporary. Misfit is right about her early novels being based on fictional characters but with historical background data. The Winter Mantle begins her novels based on actual characters that lived and takes place in the beginning of William the Conqueror's reign.
I'm reading Lancaster and York The Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir. I've liked it so far. Didn't know that much about Henry V or Henry VI before.
Thank you for the EC info! I've heard so many good things about her - I'll be sure to read something by her soon. The truly historical ones interest me most...but, like Misfit, I do enjoy a good romance now and again, so I might read one of those...I'm about halfway through The Sunne in Splendour.
I'm loving it, but...
I'm a little disappointed in the portrayal of Elizabeth and her family. It seems so shallow. Part of that is because I'm reading a biography of Elizabeth Woodville, too, I'm sure. I'm also instinctively sympathetic to women who have been demonized by history...I just doubt that they could have been THAT bad, kwim?
Still, it seems very out of character for SKP to write a character so one-dimensional. This is the woman that challenged history's view of King John, yet for Elizabeth Woodville she seems to have no sympathy. It bothers me a bit. Did anyone else feel that way?
I finished Jane Boleyn The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford by Julia Fox and Catherine Parr Henry VIII's Last Love by Susan James. I liked Catherine Parr but hated Jane Boleyn. Now I'm reading The Thistle and the Rose by Jean Plaidy
Yeah I just finished Sunne in Splendour, Elizabeth was a complete b****. I can see why others of court hated her, since she was protecting her family, but to have her that selfish. Sunne was her first novel, maybe she was more interested in the reactions Elizabeth caused, and how she drove Bess? Maybe?
Tisha wrote: "I just started reading The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers after picking it up today. Its a hefty 950 page book, but covers the whole span of his reign and all 6 wi..."This was one of the first historical fictions I read, maybe 20 years ago, and it gave me a push toward writing my own historical fiction. Good book.
Would "Tides of War" by Steven Pressfield count? It's a fictionalized history of the Peloponnesian War. Royalty from a different age? I just started it.
I finished The Queen's Sorrow by Suzannah Dunn and I was really disappointed.Now I'm reading Mary Tudor The First Queen by Linda Porter. I've liked it so far.
Lew wrote: "Would "Tides of War" by Steven Pressfield count? It's a fictionalized history of the Peloponnesian War. Royalty from a different age? I just started it."Sounds interesting! I'd say ancient royalty counts - we're pretty flexible here. :)
Sara W wrote: "Lew wrote: "Would "Tides of War" by Steven Pressfield count? It's a fictionalized history of the Peloponnesian War. Royalty from a different age? I just started it."Sounds interesting! I'd say..."
I'll post a review to my Goodreads page when I finish it.
I have finished "The Queen's Bastard," "The Queen's Handmaiden," and "The Last Boleyn" all in the last week and a half. I am now working on the first in a series about Boudicca, "Dreaming the Eagle."
I'm nearly finished with Weir's The Children of Henry VIII and am really enjoying it. Next I'm starting Innocent Traitor.
Tisha wrote: "I'm nearly finished with Weir's The Children of Henry VIII and am really enjoying it. Next I'm starting Innocent Traitor."
I really liked both the books you mentioned, Tisha. Hope you enjoy Innocent Traitor.
Innocent Traitor and the Children of Henry VIII are both so great! I'm currently reading Fathers and Children by Ivan Turgenev as well as The Third Reich in Power by Richard J. Evans. Both are pretty good so far.
I've started Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.
How is it, Misfit?
Susanna wrote: "How is it, Misfit?"It's slow going, its written in the present tense and hard to get into. I'm finding it's better taken in small doses. I think Tanzanite's having the same issues. Time will tell.
I have a dumb question. Why couldn't Eleanor of Aqitaine see her children more often once they were adults. I'm amazed how fast you travel today around Europe, if you're already living there. I know back then travel was slow but sometimes it was 16/20 years?
She was imprisoned for 16 years by her husband and that probably covered a lot of her children's young adult years.
Ahhhh! So true, so true (See I said it was a dumb question). Was it common to spend so much time not seeing your children if you were Royalty (and not imprisoned).
Susan C wrote: "Ahhhh! So true, so true (See I said it was a dumb question). Was it common to spend so much time not seeing your children if you were Royalty (and not imprisoned). "I don't know the reason for it, but based on what I've read, it does seem like it was pretty common for royalty not to see their children after they got married and moved away. Maybe they were just too busy in their own countries, or maybe the traveling was too difficult or dangerous.
Also, I think royal children were expected to have their own households, so maybe it was just accepted that they really didn't see their children.
Yes, as children, particularly the older sons, they would have their own "households" and not necessarily be living anywhere near their parents, imprisoned or otherwise.With the case of her two daughters by Louis, Eleanor wasn't allowed by her ex-husband to see them. Because it was a fairly ugly divorce.
And traveling was not exceptionally easy, and a king or queen would generally travel in state, which made it much more complicated.
And in the case of daughters of Royalty, they were expected to marry foreign royalty ( chosen in the interests of foreigh policy rather than anything else,so they could be three times the girl's age or mad or anything! ) And of course they necessarily had go to live in the husband's country. Visits by their own mothers or indeed fathers were thus pretty unlikely in medieval times where journeys by sea were perilous affairs taking weeks.As you probably know, having your children brought up in other people's households was common amongst the aristocracy anyway, the idea being that you went to a grander household and learned to be a squire or a lady in waiting or whatever. Or just to increase the chances of a good marriage of course - marriage being alliances of families rather than a 'falling in love , tho no doubt some of them did. Even quite modest families would have to send daughters away to marry, and become part of the husbands family thereafter, if only the in the next village ( much like a lot of the world today , outside the industrialised nations really)
The idea of a nuclear family, with close everyday ties is a much more modern one, belonging to our era of cities and easier transport.
European Royalty
Books mentioned in this topic
Katherine (other topics)Queen of the North (other topics)
Victoria and her daughters (other topics)
The Heir Apparent: A Life of Edward VII, the Playboy Prince (other topics)
Queen Victoria: From Her Birth to the Death of the Prince Consort (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Alison Weir (other topics)Alison Weir (other topics)
Alison Weir (other topics)
Jean Plaidy (other topics)
Jean Plaidy (other topics)
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It's slow moving at the beginning - I'm about 150 pages in and it's still kind of blah.
I H..."
Glad to know I'm not alone everyone just gushes over that one. I thought the first person POV really hemmed the story in and it got quite dull when she's recapping a bunch of stuff she couldn't have been involved in first hand. Definitely a library book.