European Royalty discussion
European Royalty Discussions
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What have you read lately?
Andrea wrote: "Currently reading the Autobiography of Henry the 8th by Margaret George. It's huge but VERY enjoyable.Also reading The Sisters Who Would Be Queen by Leanda de Lisle. It is about the Grey sist..."
I really liked the de Lisle book, and I don't normally read NF.
I's working on Helen Hollick's I Am the Chosen King, which was originally published as Harold the King. England, prior to Norman conquest.
I'm almost finished with Higginbothams The Queen of Last Hopes - loving it, of course.It's really refreshing to read Margaret of Anjou as an actual person - not a power hungry b*tch. I love her portrayal of Edward (her son, not the King) and of Anne Neville, too.
I just finished The Darling Strumpet: A Novel of Nell Gwynn, Who Captured the Heart of England and King Charles II by Gillian Bagwell. It was fabulous! And it leaves me wanting to read Exit the Actress: A Novel by Priya Parmar. Anybody else love Nell Gwynn and Charles II?
I loved the last three books mentioned as well. I just finished Gortner's The Tudor Secret, and enjoyed that one very much for a different POV of when the Dudleys werethisclose to the throne.. now I am starting Chadwick's To Defy A King, about William Marshal's daughter, Mahelt.
April Ann wrote: "I just finished The Kitchen House, good read and perfect for book clubs!"We actually read that one here as a history read a while back. It was really good (both the book and discussion).
Waiting on The Tudor Secret to arrive. Boris Akunin's He Lover of Death I loved recently when I read it, not a totally historical, but early last century in Russia.
Sara W wrote: "April Ann wrote: "I just finished The Kitchen House, good read and perfect for book clubs!"We actually read that one here as a history read a while back. It was really good (bot..."
Yes, I believe I picked it up because it sounded like a good read from the discussions here.
well I've read to royalty books lately both fiction of course. So I've read
by
which was good but it confused me because I didn't fully understand if the girl in the story was Elizabeth and Dudley's or Elizabeth and her stepfather's (katherine Parr 2nd husband). Or if it was even Elizabeth and maybe Katherine Parr child. and then I just finished reading
by
Finished Loyal in Love
last night. I liked it but I am both sorry for and annoyed by people who can live a long time and seem never to learn from their mistakes-- and Henrietta Maria paid some terrible prices for hers!
Reading The Queen of Last Hopes
. I'm liking it although for some reason I'm finding the switching back and forth between points of view difficult-- probably because Margaret and Suffolk sound enough alike and are talking about the same situations to such an extent that the normal "separation" cues are missing. I'm enjoying it though.
Ok, its not technicaly historically acurate but it was a good story.
Has a rather good twist to it. The second book looks even better
Jennifer wrote: "Reading The Queen of Last Hopes . I'm liking it although for some reason I'm finding the switching back and forth between points of view di..."So about 5 pages after I posted the above, suffolk's situation changed dramatically so the issue I was having went away. She's still switching back and forth a little but it's no longer a distraction. She writes a good historical-- this is the third one of hers I've read and even though I usually have 7-8 books going at once, I find when one of them is one of hers, the other books I'm reading get neglected.
Just started The Stolen Crown: The secret marriage that forever changed the fate of England
which seems so far to be about the same story as The Queen of Last Hopes
only told from the perspective of some characters on the other side of the conflict. Interesting, and I didn't realize that when I started it. Plus it's the last book I need for a couple of my May challenges so BOOYAH!
I just finished The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn. It's definitely superb and very well written. Anne has always fascinated me and this was a good account focused solely on her fall and soon execution. Loved it!
How are you liking it, Jennifer?
I am liking it, which since I was pretty Tudor'd out when I figured out it was about Mary Tudor, is saying something. It's one of her first-person queen stories, and so far the beginning is about Mary's reaction to Henry VIII-- well, he was pretty imposing. The thing that I've had to learn to ignore about plaidy's first-person books is that her characters usually seem to remember things clearly at an age so young I find it difficult to believe. But that's a small flaw to overlook, and, anyway, after about 40 plaidy books, I'm used to it!
Jennifer wrote: "I am liking it, which since I was pretty Tudor'd out when I figured out it was about Mary Tudor, is saying something. It's one of her first-person queen stories, and so far the beginning is about M..."I agree with you about Plaidy's first person point of view - all the 3-4 year olds remember so much and are always aware of what is going on. I love Plaidy regardless! :)
I am going to start Lion of Alwick, the first of three about the Percys of Northumberland.
Misfit wrote: "I am going to start Lion of Alwick, the first of three about the Percys of Northumberland. [bookcover:Lion Invincible|1..."I have those three but haven't read them. A friend of mine who did loved them.
Still early days, but very promising. Definitely no fluff :)
I finished book one and halfway through book two. Absolutely love these, and the author really does well taking all these complicated family ties and makes them both easy to understand and entertaining at the same time. Her John of Gaunt is very different than the one we've come to know in Seton's Katherine. The first book is set during the reigns of Edward III, Richard II, and then Harry Bolingbroke. The second book has had Henry V's reign and his campaign in France (although this is very light on battle scenes), and now a young Henry VI has just married Margaret of Anjou. I'm blowing through them quite quickly, but frittering away a lot of time marking out favorite quotes.
She's also written one on William the Bastard which I have on order.
Be warned, there are not an infinite number of used copies available and most of the best deals (cheaper shipping from the UK) are gone.
Misfit wrote: "I finished book one and halfway through book two. Absolutely love these, and the author really does well taking all these complicated family ties and makes them both easy to understand and entertai..."Those sound good! I'll have to keep them in mind as something to track down.
I read "Born to Rule" back in Feb. I enjoyed it very much. I just finished reading "Pope Joan." Great read-can't wait to discuss it!!
Still reading In the Shadow of the Crown
. The first half is about Henry VII's reign from the point of view of his eldest daughter. The more I read about him, the less I like him. It's a good book though.
Working on Lion Invincible. Third in a trilogy on the Percys of Northumberland. This Harry Percy is early during Edward IV's reign and the reader sees the events leading up to Bosworth from his POV.
I have gone out of medieval books and into more recent - have recently read a book called Utopian Man about a man who opened a book emporium in Melbourne Australia at the end of the nineteenth century. He was an entrepreneur and did not just have books for sale, and did a range of other things in there. Very interesting.
Finished In the Shadow of the Crown
. The second half definitely dragged for me. I was glad to see the end of it.
I am halfway through The Book of Eleanor: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine and it is just okay. It reads more like a smutty romance/sexy-times book than a legit historical fiction.
Hello fellow historical fiction/royalty readers, I have just recently finished The Jewel of St Petersburg and have ordered The Russian Concubine. Last month I read Madame Tussaud which I absolutely loved so I'm looking forward to the discussions next month. I love reading books written about French Royalty and since reading The Jewel of St Petersburg I'm interested in the Russian royalty too. If anyone could recommend books on either that would be great. :)
Roxy.
The last couple of months have brought me much enjoyment in books:Helen Hollick
"Sea Witch" trilogy by Helen Hollick (I'll be involved in her blog tour next month if you're interested and Helen will be offering a copy of the first book in this amazing trilogy).
The Wild Rose
"The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
"Mary of Carisbrook" by Margaret Campbell Barnes
and now I am reading - with much glee-
Lady of the English
"Lady Of The English" by Elizabeth Chadwick
Halfway through The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Kimberly Cutter.
I just finished "Canterbury Paper" and "The Kitchen Boy. Getting ready to start reading "The Pope's Daughter" and "Rasputin's Daughter." I would like to read somthing on the Moors of Spain and the period around (before & after) Isabella. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks :D
Sounds like a great read, Freda.
I'm reading Murder Most Royal
but I'm not really enjoying it. I love Plaidy and this year my intent is to read the rest of the books of hers that I haven't already read-- but I have a confession. And I realize it will probably get me drummed out of the group to loud cries of "sacrilege!" but here goes: I AM SICK TO DEATH OF THE TUDORS. There. I said it.
And I realize it will probably get me drummed out of the group to loud cries of "sacrilege!" but here goes: I AM SICK TO DEATH OF THE TUDORS. Lol, feel better? I agree with you though, I'm sick of them as well. I like the term Jerelyn coined at another group - Tudors 90210 :D
Perhaps the Tudor royals are becoming rather hackneyed but I really like the books that revolve around supporting characters of the time - the mistresses, the courtiers, the leading churchmen (humm.. wonder who I mean by that?!). I am still besotted with time frame of history.I would like to read more about prominent Italian families. Not necessarily the Borgias - because there are some slightly titillating books about them already...but there again maybe the supporting staff, as it were, would be good historical novel fodder.
I prefer the secondary characters as well. I appreciate Kate Emerson's efforts in that matter, although I wish there were more depth to her books.
Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading Murder Most Royal but I'm not really enjoying it. I love Plaidy and this year my intent is to read the rest of the books of hers that I ..."You are certainly not the only one sick of the Tudors - that's why the last two European Royalty group read nominations have excluded England as an option. People needed a break! :)
Well, I finally finished Murder Most Royal
. If only it were the last Tudor book in her series that I hadn't read yet. I think I'll put off Queen of This Realm: The Tudor Queens
until December.
Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading Murder Most Royal but I'm not really enjoying it. I love Plaidy and this year my intent is to read the rest of the books of hers that I ..."Jennifer, I share your pain and sentiment. :) Everytime I step into the downtown B&N bookstore and go over to the Fiction section, there are heaps (!!!)of novels set during the Tudor period.
Frankly, I'd like to see more novels from the Restoration, Regency (i.e., that don't allude to Mr. Darcy et. al), and 16th & 17th century France. That's why I picked up the following novel last week
---
The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner
KOMET wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading Murder Most Royal but I'm not really enjoying it. I love Plaidy and this year my intent is to read the rest of the book..."I recently finished The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C. W. Gortner and really liked it. It has rekindled my interest in books of European Royalty. I greatly enjoyed his other books as well.
I have "confessions" on my kindle-- think I'll bump it up closer to the top of the TBR.
Oddly, I didn't wind up with "confessions" next but I did wind up with Catherine de Medici. The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici
. I needed an audio book to listen to while we packed up and moved, and I'd downloaded it on my iPhone from audible.com, so I've been listening to it. I'm about 3/4 done-- good book! I'll probably hit "confessions" next for a different perspective.
European Royalty
Books mentioned in this topic
The Book of Royal Useless Information: A Funny and Irreverent Look at the British Royal Family Past and Present (other topics)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)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Noel Botham, Bruce Montague (other topics)Alison Weir (other topics)
Alison Weir (other topics)
Alison Weir (other topics)
Jean Plaidy (other topics)
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Also reading The Sisters Who Would Be Queen by Leanda de Lisle. It is about the Grey sisters (Jane, Katherine and Mary). I read Alison Weir's Innocent Traitor a few months ago so this non fiction is perfect to compare to that fictional version.