MARGUERITE: Hell Hath No Fury! by @juditharnopp

5 GOLD stars

On Amazon (universal link)

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: a favourite author

In a Nutshell: The story of Marguerite of Anjou

Loved, loved, loved this excellent book. I was so engrossed all the way through and I need a bit of breathing space before starting something else, because I keep thinking about it.  Yes, that good.

This was particularly fascinating for me because although I know the ins and outs of the later years of the Wars of the Roses, I had huge gaps in my knowledge about how it started and how Marguerite got to where she was.  Also, it was most interesting to read about the younger years of the three sons of York, about Elizabeth Woodville and her mother Jacquetta, about Margaret Beaufort and others.

Painted as she is all too often in history, I too thought of Marguerite as a ruthless vixen, but Judith Arnopp portrays her in such a way that one can totally see her point of view, and what drove her on, and on and on.  Of course history is written by the victors; I wonder if Ms Arnopp's versions of Richard of York and Edward of March (never mind Warwick) are also more accurate than those seen in other books, not least of all those made into BBC TV dramas.

I was thinking, afterwards, about how so many lives could have been saved, including almost everyone Marguerite cared about, had she succumbed to the inevitable and allowed Edward to take the crown the York army believed was rightfully his, but there is no definite answer to who should have worn it; the lines of succession were so ... messy.  I wondered if she would have fought so hard if just for her husband, poor Henry VI, if there was no son.  Would the honour of the country she was fated to rule be enough?  Motherhood made her a fierce lioness, but so many died for her cause; was she right to let this happen? 

If only she could have married Edward of Somerset instead!

Anyway, this is a terrific book in which I became so emotionally involved.  I was impressed by the way Marguerite's life fitted so perfectly into one novel without ever coming across as written at too fast a pace; the detail is all there where you need it.  This is a writer who knows when a year needs one paragraph and moment needs two pages.  An absolute winner, and a 'must read' for anyone who loves this period of history.  Well done, Judith Arnopp - every book is better than the last!

THE BOOK OF THORNHOLD by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

5 GOLD stars

On Amazon (universal link)

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: One of my favourite authors, saw this book from her back catalogue advertised on X.

In a Nutshell: A novel of long-short stories, about a family across the centuries

This is one of the best books I've read in ages.  The Book of the title was originally written by a priest in the 8th Century; it is passed down the centuries, with additions made by the generations who are fortunate to be its keeper in the place for which it is named.  Thornhold begins as a Saxon smallholding, and becomes a fine manor house.

It's a novel in the form of eight stories that are independent of each other but are held together by the same threads.  I loved them all, though I think my favourites were the chapter in the 14th Century, when the Thorn family weathered the Black Death, another about monks in a nearby abbey during the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th Century, and a long one that centred around the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 and its after-effects on the family.  I was actually reading that one in the early hours of this morning, and had to tear myself away from it!

The book reminded me of Norah Lofts' The House at Old Vine and A Wayside Tavern, and I was just as engrossed in Thornhold as I am when I read those novels.  I'm also quite relieved because I've been vaguely thinking of doing something similar for quite some time, but I know I could never write anything as good as this, so I can now shelve that project indefinitely!

In the introduction Ms Arnopp apologises for any flaws that have resulted from the re-hashing of this earlier work of hers, and I did notice the odd name with two different spellings and some erroneous punctuation; I mention this for two reasons.  Firstly, in case you're someone whose whole reading experience is spoiled by an ill-placed semicolon, and secondly (most importantly!) to illustrate how good this book is.  I am beyond picky about punctuation, but I loved this book so much that I didn't care if the character was called Dorcas or Dorcus or if an unnecessary comma popped up.

I am happy to say that if you love beautifully written and well-researched historical sagas, I guarantee you will enjoy this as much as I did.

 

My Top Fifteen Books of 2024

 

 

  It's that time again...

I intended to do a Top Ten, but as usual when making my list it grew too long - you know how it is!  The books I've chosen were not necessarily published in 2024, but I read them this year.  If any of them pique your interest, please click the title for my review and universal links to Amazon and Goodreads.

I've listed them in the order I read them, aside from the last five, to which I awarded my rare and very special 5 Gold Stars.😊  I hope you see something that appeals, as I highly recommend them all!

The Drau River Flows to Siberia: The Victims of Victory

by Marina Osipova

The story of two people who survived Stalin's Siberian gulags, and the fate of the Cossacks under the care of the Allies in WWII.

I, Richard Plantagenet : Book 2 Loyaulte Me Lie 

by J P Reedman

The later life of Richard III

Hard to Forgive 

by Georgia Rose

Third book in the 'A Shade Darker' series.  A woman alone, a life lived in obsession and regret...

Pride & Pestilence 

by Carol Hedges

Book 11 of the Victorian Detectives murder mystery series

Live and Let 

by Judith Barrow

A short, amusing memoir, much of it about holiday lets.

Psittacide 

by Zeb Haradon

The crazy political arena of 2172, Book 2 in the Disposable Soma series

A Boundary of Stones 

by Millie Thom

The story of Eyam, the Derbyshire village that famously isolated itself during the 17th Century bubonic plague, stopping it from spreading to neighbouring villages.

Local Gods 

by Mark Hurst

An assassin who needs to lie low discovers strange happenings in the village of Little Baddington...

Operation Tulip 

by Deborah Swift

Working for the resistance in Nazi occupied Holland, 1944

The Queen's Avenger 

by Anna Legat

The story of a monk who supported Mary, Queen of Scots, through all she suffered.

*

5 GOLD Stars

All Quiet on the Western Front 

by Erich Maria Remarque

A young German man's experiences in World War I  

A Matter of Time 

by Judith Arnopp

The life of Henry VIII in his own words, from the Anne of Cleves era until his death.

The Swan Maiden 

by Gemma Lawrence

Book 2 of The Surface and the Deep, the story of Anne of Cleves.

Moments of Consequence 

by Thorne Moore

Short stories, dark themes.  Mostly.

Size Always Matters 

by Sally Cronin

Comprehensive guide to weight loss, exercise, nutrition and so much more.

A MATTER OF TIME by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

5 GOLD stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: one I was waiting patiently for, after reading the first two in the series.

In a Nutshell: the life of Henry VIII in his own words, from the Anne of Cleves era until his death.

I loved this book!  Marvellous series, quite unlike any other historical fiction I have read.  Henry VIII in first person, present tense - a perfect choice, as the reader walks in his shoes with him, all the way.  Not for a moment does Judith Arnopp succumb to a possible temptation to broaden the point of view, in order to provide more factual detail.  It's totally Henry, all the way.  In the last book I noticed how events that might be given great significance in other works are hardly mentioned, because Ms Arnopp remains completely faithful to Henry's eyes alone.  

The question of Cromwell's lies about the infidelity of Anne Boleyn crops up a few times, as Henry is now able to step back and see the whole picture.  My impression has long been that his whole life was coloured by what he did to her, George, Norris and his other friends, as though he'd opened a door to a dark place that could never be closed.  One feels that Arnopp's Henry may not have actually believed Cromwell at the time, but convinced himself because he was so desperate for a son, exhausted by Anne and temporarily enamoured of Jane Seymour's timidity.

I found myself liking this older Henry, give or take the odd casually signed execution warrant or twenty.  I loved the section about Anne of Cleves (including how he began to see the merest hint of a spark of something between them...), and his delight in Katherine Howard was almost 'sweet'.  Karma or not, I felt so sorry for him when he was faced with the truth about her, the way in which his whole fantasy was torn away, revealing the relationship for what it was - and how it was the end of his fantasy about himself, too.  For one so obsessed with his own image, to see himself laid bare, as others saw him.  Saddest of all was his loneliness in his old age.  If only he could have used that time to get to know his children more.  And perhaps condemn fewer people to death...

Most ingenious of all, throughout the whole series, is that although ostensibly seen only through Henry's eyes, the thoughts of others and the truth about an event are often starkly apparent to the reader.  Now that's what I called skilled writing.  Bravo, Judith Arnopp!

Terrific series.  Can't recommend too highly.  I envy you if you have all three books yet to read!

Both painted during the 16th Century by unknown artists.

A MATTER OF FAITH by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp #TuesdayBookBlog

 5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: have been looking forward to it since reading the previous episode!

In a Nutshell: Henry VIII - the Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour years

I zipped through this in two days.  Judith Arnopp's writing flows with such ease; when starting one of her books, I inevitably look up and wonder how come it's 2 in the morning and I'm already a third of the way through!

In this episode of Henry VIII's life, he has just married Anne Boleyn and is still, after 5 years, obsessively in love with her.  His version of love, at least; when she fails to produce a son and heir, and forgets to be her beautiful, charming best after giving birth/experiencing a devastating miscarriage, he begins to inch away.  Into the arms of Jane Seymour he falls - this time his 'love' only lasts a year or so, when he begins to see her as dull, frigid and uninteresting, rather than delightfully quiet and biddable.  Though she does produce the required prince, so after she dies (a fortnight after the birth), he fancies that he did love her, after all.

The way in which Ms Arnopp has written Henry in this phase of his life is so very clever.  The boy who lost his mother at such a young age, always aware that in his father's eyes he would always be the spare, rather than the heir.  As can so often happen, childhood insecurity becomes self-absorption in maturity; he searches constantly for confirmation of his popularity, his talents, his virility, his strength and, of course, his desirability.  Rarely if ever does he consider the feelings or needs of others; they are of no consequence.

The book is written in the first person, and Henry comes across as childlike at almost all times.  When his health and looks are ruined by his own self-indulgence, a ghastly leg injury and the ageing process, when his appeal to his subjects is greatly hampered by his brutal decisions, when those who loved him are no more (at least half of them by his own hand), he kicks out and hurts those around him.  The way in which he scarcely mentions some key events was, I thought, so artfully executed; if a circumstance does not affect him directly, so it remains on the shadowy periphery of his orbit.  Even the deaths of Robert Aske and his cohorts gain little mention; always Henry can justify his own actions.

This is not a long book and now and again I would have liked a little more detail like, for instance, how he was affected by the death of Thomas More, but, then again, one cannot fail to notice that the most devastating events (such as the murder of Anne and his men) are skimmed over the most quickly of all.  As though he cannot even bear to think about them, so pushes them out.  Now and again there is insight into his own pain - it was not just Katharine and Anne who lost all those children.  Each time, was he sent straight back to the pain of losing his little sister, Elizabeth, as well as his mother?  Were the murders of Anne, George, Norris, Brereton, Weston and Smeaton more than he could bear?  

This is not just another account of the Boleyn/Seymour years, but a rare insight into the mind of the man who made it all happen. A round of applause, and I can't wait to read the next instalment!

THE WINCHESTER GOOSE by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

5 of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I'm a fan of this author, and a tweet about this book made me choose it as my next read.

In a Nutshell: Two women, one rich and one poor, in Henry VIII's London.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It's set in the era during which Henry VIII was married to Anne of Cleves, then to Katherine Howard, finishing at the time of his marriage to Catherine Parr, though this is but a backdrop for Judith Arnopp's main story, which is told mainly in the first person points of view of two women leading very different lives.

Isabella Bourne was born into nobility, and, when young and unmarried, takes up  a place at court, along with her sister, the vivacious Eve.  She attends both queens.  The other main character is Joanie Toogood, the 'Winchester Goose' of the title.  This was how the prostitutes living in Southwark were known; her mother was a prostitute too, and led Joanie into the life when she was too young to protest.  What the two women have in common is their association with young rogue Francis Wareham; through certain events, their lives become inextricably linked.

I liked how Ms Arnopp placed Isabella as one of the women attending Katherine during her imprisonment, a clever idea and completely feasible; I assume those women were not named, in accounts of the time. This enabled us to see how Anne and Katherine were perceived by those around them.  The descriptions of Joanie's meagre life on the other side of the river (literally and metaphorically) sat in stark comparison, though Joanie did not seem any less happy than Isabella; they're both gutsy, likable characters, and their situations give a clear illustration of the lot of women in those days.

The story itself is inventive and unusual, and did not progress as I expected it to, at all - always a plus.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a cracking good tale set Tudor times.

A Matter of Conscience by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

 5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

 

How I discovered this book: a favourite author, I was looking forward to it.

In a Nutshell: First person account of the early years of Henry VIII.

I tried to ration this book out as I got near the end, because I was loving it so much.  I sincerely hope Ms Arnopp is hard at work on the sequel, because I want to read it NOW!

This first person story of Henry VIII is written in the present tense, which absolutely works; it's probably my favourite choice for narrative. The account takes us from his childhood until the time, during the years of the Great Matter, when Henry set off with Anne Boleyn on the Royal Progress, leaving Catherine alone.  By then, his marriage to her was over all but legally.  

Ms Arnopp has written most convincingly from inside the head of this most famous of English kings.  As a child he was bright, clearly charismatic, easily bored, needing attention but also riddled with self-doubt, especially when thrust into the role of king-in-waiting; these basic personality traits remain into adulthood (as one's basic personality traits tend to), but of course they manifest themselves differently when he is older.

I liked how, at times, Henry is written as an unreliable narrator, in such a way that the reader can see what is going on behind his words with regard to his own feelings and the motives of others.  The way in which he is allowed to indulge every whim not only because he is king but also because of the strength of his personality, is so evident without it ever being stated; I could not help but think that his life might have been happier and less chaotic had he ever been seriously challenged.

The book concentrates mostly on his relationships, not just with Anne and Catherine, but with his father, his sisters (particularly Mary), his daughter, Brandon, and his other friends and advisors; the political and relgious aspects to the story are written around these.  It is an extremely 'easy read', but at the same time I could appreciate the skill that has made it so.  It's so well edited, perfectly paced, without one dip in quality all the way through.  Bravo, Judith Arnopp; this is my new favourite of your books.

My Top Ten (and a little bit more) Books of 2020

That time of the year again....

Usually I do a Top Twenty, but I haven't found so much reading time this year.  Out of the fifty-five-ish books I have read or started to read (not all of them reviewed on this blog), I have chosen my ten favourites, which is actually twelve, because two of them have a sequel or related book that I liked just as much.  They were not necessarily published in 2020, but this is when I read them.

At the bottom are three other books that were my nearly-favourites, so it's really fifteen, I suppose!  Please note - when reviewing, I may on occasion give a book 4.5* or possibly even 5* because I feel it is worthy of that rating, even if it wasn't quite my thing; I try to always review objectively.  This list, however, is made up simply of those I loved the most.  

These are in no particular order, but they all come with my highest recommendation.  If you click the title of the book, it will take you to my full review, with Amazon and Goodreads links.

The Heretic Wind by Judith Arnopp

~ Tudor historical fiction ~

The Covenant by Thorne Moore

~ 19th/early 20th century historical fiction ~

Rum Hijack by Phil Motel

~ Contemporary Drama ~

and

Plumas de Muerte by Phil Motel

~ Memoir ~

Abandoned Pennsylvania by Janine Pendleton

~Photography, with non-fiction historical text~

Cometh The Hour by Annie Whitehead

~6th-7th Century Historical Fiction~

Fame & Fortune by Carol Hedges

~ Victorian Murder Mystery ~

The World Without Crows by Ben Lyle Bedard

~ Post-Apocalyptic ~ 

and 

The World Without Flags by Ben Lyle Bedard

~ Post-Apocalyptic ~

(I said 'no particular order', but, okay, the following are my top three 😉)

Smile of the Wolf by Tim Leach

~ 10th Century Icelandic Historical Fiction ~

The End of the Road by Anna Legat

~ Post-Apocalyptic ~

Nest of Ashes by Gemma Lawrence

~ Tudor Historical Fiction ~

*

I'd also like to give a mention for these three, that almost made the top ten:

Obsession by Robin Storey

~ Psychological thriller novella ~

Singularity Syndrome by Susan Kuchinskas

~ SciFi/Climate Change/Dystopian ~

Gorge by Katherine Carlson

~ Dark Contemporary Fiction ~

📚 Happy Reading! 📚

BETRAYAL: Historical Stories by Judith Arnopp, Cryssa Bazos and more

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Twitter

In A Nutshell: A collection of historical long-short stories by various authors, all on the subject of betrayal.

This is a fine collection—it is rare to find an anthology by many authors without a weak moment here and there, but this is such.  The stories follow on through time, chronologically, starting with Death At Feet of Venus, set in Roman times, by Derek Birks, and ending with a modern day story featuring alternative history, The Idealist by Alison Morton. 

The stories you like best will depend on your preferences for writing style and the periods that interest you most; my favourites were House Arrest by Judith Arnopp, about Margaret Beaufort, who is one of my historical heroes—I highly recommend Ms Arnopp's series about her, incidentally—and Love to Hatred Turn'd by Annie Whitehead, set in the 10th century; Ms Whitehead has that knack of making you feel as though you are sitting within the king's great hall in the kingdom of Wessex, as you are reading.  I also very much liked All Those Tangled Webs by Anna Belfrage, which covers the time in 1330 just after Edward II had died, and Road to The Tower by Elizabeth St. John, about the lead up to the imprisonment of Princes Edward and Richard, who famously disappeared from the Tower of London.

I bow with respect to all involved.  Highly recommended. 

THE HERETIC WIND by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book:  I've read quite a few of this author's books, which speaks for itself.  Originally discovered her via Twitter.

In a Nutshell: Fictional telling of the life of Mary Tudor

I've been so looking forward to reading this book, and I was not disappointed.  It tells the story of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and sister of Elizabeth I, in the first person, and alternates between chronological events and instances just before her death; in these, she talks about the events of her life, which are then expanded upon in the main chapters.  The format worked very well; I was engrossed throughout.

Mary has always had a bad press, for being a religious fanatic and burning so many at the stake for heresy, but this book made painfully evident how tragic and lonely her life was, right from childhood, when her father all but abandoned her.  I've always been Team Boleyn, but one could not help having great sympathy for Mary after reading this.  Some think that she was actually insane during the later years of her reign; I am not sure that she wasn't driven to it before that - and, as I read in the author's notes, we can't try to understand her brutal, inhuman actions by relating them to the world we live in now.  I daresay she really did think she was doing God's will.

In all other fiction I've read about her, she is shown to have been besotted with her husband, Phillip of Spain, and her infamous phantom pregnancies being, in part, a deranged attempt to bind her to him; in this book, however, Judith Arnopp illustrates her as being as lukewarm about the marriage as he was.  That she only knew just a hint of real love, with Phillip of Bavaria for just the odd brief day when she was young, is so, so sad.

This is not a very long book, and is a very 'easy read', which I liked, with scant detail surrounding some aspects, but I thought this was cleverly done, because the book is written from Mary's point of view.  Some events would not have been paramount in her thoughts, or she simply might not have known a great deal about them.  For instance, when she is placed in a position to overhear a conversation, in order to let the reader know what was going on, Ms Arnopp does not over-egg the pudding, making it unrealistic.  Snatches of conversation are all she hears.

Highly recommended if you are as much of a Tudor addict as I am!