Innocent Traitor

BONUS: This edition contains an

ISBN 0345494857
(ISBN:13 9780345494856)

excerpt from Alison Weir's Mary Boleyn.

I am now a condemned traitor . . . I am to die when I have hardly begun to live.

Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey–“the Nine Days’ Queen” –a fifteen-year-old girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the religious and civil unrest that nearly toppled the fabled House of Tudor during the sixteenth century.

The child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she is merely a pawn in a dynastic game with the highest stakes, Jane Grey was born during the harrowingly turbulent period between Anne Boleyn’s beheading and the demise of Jane’s infamous great-uncle, King Henry VIII. With the premature passing of Jane’ s adolescent cousin, and Henry’s successor, King Edward VI, comes a struggle for supremacy fueled by political machinations and lethal religious fervor.

Unabashedly honest and exceptionally intelligent, Jane possesses a sound strength of character beyond her years that equips her to weather the vicious storm. And though she has no ambitions to rule, preferring to immerse herself in books and religious studies, she is forced to accept the crown, and by so doing sets off a firestorm of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy.

Alison Weir uses her unmatched skills as a historian to enliven the many dynamic characters of this majestic drama. Along with Lady Jane Grey, Weir vividly renders her devious parents; her much-loved nanny; the benevolent Queen Katherine Parr; Jane’s ambitious cousins; the Catholic “Bloody” Mary, who will stop at nothing to seize the throne; and the Protestant and future queen Elizabeth. Readers venture inside royal drawing rooms and bedchambers to witness the power-grabbing that swirls around Lady Jane Grey from the day of her birth to her unbearably poignant death. Innocent Traitor paints a complete and compelling portrait of this captivating young woman, a faithful servant of God whose short reign and brief life would make her a legend.

402 pages

Published, February 27th 2007

(Ballantine Books)

Warning: there are some scenes of child abuse. Please seek professional help if you or someone you know has been in a similar situation.

First Impression

set in 1st person Innocent Traitor begins with a small prologue set on 14th November 1553, after trial of lady Jane Grey as are an in the quote, 'My palace is now My prison '.

From here it leads to Leicestershire 1537, with the viewpoint of Frances Brandon, the Marchioness of Dorset, Jane's mother, who after 2 previous still births gives birth to a daughter "healthy and vigorous". 

Both Frances and Henry are referred to as being ambitious, and greatly disappointed that she is a girl, after wanting a son.

My Rating ⭐

For me Innocent Traitor was a slow paces account based on the viewpoints of different women surrounding Jane Grey instead of giving her a strong voice Jane's character got lost behind other characters. 

I decided to DNF on page 49, after reading the Innocent Traitor seemed to bed together and dragged on. From Jane's births it moved to Jane Seymour give birth which is irrelevant and pointless in a book that is supposed to be about Jane Grey. I was also found reading about how Jane was treated from 3 very distressing.

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The Dutch House

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to

ISBN 0062963678
(ISBN13: 9780062963673)

begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.
The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.
Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives, they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

337 pages

Published September 24th 2919

(Harper)

First Impression

Set in the 1st person The Dutch House is in three parts, giving the life story of a boy called Danny, who is 8 when he is introduced to us...

As an audience we are taken on the journey as Danny explains his experiences and relationships with those around him through his life.

My Rating ⭐⭐

I was looking forward to reading The Dutch House (May 2020 BOTM), but after a while it seemed to fall a bit flat. 

Upon reading the first 5 chapters I felt really sorry for Danny and his sister, Maeve as the have a strained relationship with their father especially after their mother left.

After their father remarries to Angela, who has two daughters herself both Danny and Maeve are pushed even further away and rely on eachother.

Some of the things I found issue with it the fact that it seems more like I was reading a time jump as Danny was 8 then a teenager. Through this I struggled to piece together a idea of what I was reading. 

As soon as I hit chapter 9 I felt I could push through any more as I was underwhelmed and quite frankly I was lost.

Quotes

"But we overlay the present onto the past. We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we're not seeing it as the people we were, we're seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered.”

“Disappointment comes from expectation,”

Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World

Many are familiar with the story of

ISBN 0345521366
(ISBN13: 9780345521361)

the much-married King Henry VIII of England and the celebrated reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I. But it is often forgotten that the life of the first Tudor queen, Elizabeth of York, Henry’s mother and Elizabeth’s grandmother, spanned one of England’s most dramatic and perilous periods. Now New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir presents the first modern biography of this extraordinary woman, whose very existence united the realm and ensured the survival of the Plantagenet bloodline.
Her birth was greeted with as much pomp and ceremony as that of a male heir. The first child of King Edward IV, Elizabeth enjoyed all the glittering trappings of royalty. But after the death of her father; the disappearance and probable murder of her brothers—the Princes in the Tower; and the usurpation of the throne by her calculating uncle Richard III, Elizabeth found her world turned upside-down: She and her siblings were declared bastards.
As Richard’s wife, Anne Neville, was dying, there were murmurs that the king sought to marry his niece Elizabeth, knowing that most people believed her to be England’s rightful queen. Weir addresses Elizabeth’s possible role in this and her covert support for Henry Tudor, the exiled pretender who defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was crowned Henry VII, first sovereign of the House of Tudor. Elizabeth’s subsequent marriage to Henry united the houses of York and Lancaster and signaled the end of the Wars of the Roses. For centuries historians have asserted that, as queen, she was kept under Henry’s firm grasp, but Weir shows that Elizabeth proved to be a model consort—pious and generous—who enjoyed the confidence of her husband, exerted a tangible and beneficial influence, and was revered by her son, the future King Henry VIII.
Drawing from a rich trove of historical records, Weir gives a long overdue and much-deserved look at this unforgettable princess whose line descends to today’s British monarch—a woman who overcame tragedy and danger to become one of England’s most beloved consorts.

572 pages

Published December 3rd 2013

(Ballantine Books)

First Impression

Alison Weir gives an outlined account of the life of Elizabeth of York, a woman who was seen as a crucial influence to the present British Monarchy. 

Through her book, Elizabeth of York, she highlights the decisions and influences of a important time in history and uses research to answer possibly some of the most controversial questions of the modern day.

My Rating ⭐

I felt that even though the book was suppose to be about Elizabeth of York it tended to be about everything else but her...

The prologue detailed information about the war of the roses, (also known as the Cousin's war).

From there Weir, gave information from her parents to Warwick, and Margaret Beaufort, sharing her marriage and her pregnancy of Henry VII.

I found that it was quite difficult to follow as the timeline seemed to be very random in one section Warwick had been killed by King Edward IV then it jumped to 1469 where Warwick was rebelling against Edward IV.

From the sections about Elizabeth, I was able to read I found that...In the year 1466, February 11th, Elizabeth, was born at Westminster, the first child between King Edward IV and Elizabeth Wydeville. 

Growing up she would have been aware that she was the daughter of the King, with a sense of her worldly importance, becoming use to travel at infancy.

At the age of 4, Elizabeth and her siblings, Mary and Cecily, were hurried in secrecy upstream to Westminster by their mother, who was reported 7 months pregnant, and maternal grandmother, after her father was forced to flee to the low countries, to be further reunited 5 months later, and for their security moved to the tower of London.

Unfortunately at chapter 2, I decided that it wasn't going to get any better and it would be within my best interest to stop reading, which is a shame because I really enjoy history and know a lot about the Tudor period.

I'm not sure if I can honestly recommend, Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir to anyone but I am sure that there will be someone who will find it a good read.

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The Distant Hours

A long lost letter arrives in the

ISBN 1439152780
(ISBN13: 9781439152782)

post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.
Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it.
Morton once again enthralls readers with an atmospheric story featuring unforgettable characters beset by love and circumstance and haunted by memory, that reminds us of the rich power of storytelling.

562 pages

Published November 9th 2010

(Atria)

First Impression

Set in the 1st person The Distant Hours is categorised into five different parts telling the story of  Edie, her mother, and Jupiter Blythe. 

The prologue grabs you and pulls you in, by both feet. After which, starts in 1992 with a letter.

Edie's mother after receiving a letter from a past friend, Jupiter Blythe on a Sunday, and begins to recap of her life as a 12/13 year old child during the second world war.

My Rating ⭐⭐

As the story progresses we as the audience find out a lot more than expected...

But unfortunately I had a hard time getting a feel for the book and after trying to settle in to a rhythm, at 8 chapters having not made any head way, I had to call it quits.

I love the fact that it was descriptive and loved the prologue but I wasn't going to force myself to read.

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The Beloved

Escape from a bullying mother takes one young woman to an even more

ISBN 1471403793
(ISBN13: 9781471403798)

dangerous place. Alice Angel has known only a life of rules, restriction and punishments as she strays from the rigid path of Victorian proprietary that her mother has set out for her. A constant disappointment to all but her doting father, she longs for the day that she might break free from the stifling atmosphere of her mother's rule.
After a chance encounter with a charming stranger, and a final incident with her family that sees her condemned to the madhouse, Alice sees her opportunity to run and grasps it with both hands. She escapes to join the Agapemonites in their Abode of Love, where ex-Reverend Henry Prince rules his isolated colony of women as their Beloved. Prince ignites a passion in Alice that she never knew existed, and she dares to think she might be free at last.
But as Alice becomes more deeply drawn into the life of Prince's strange religious sect, secrets are revealed that seem to hint at a darker nature lurking behind the man's charm. Instead of freedom, is Alice in fact more trapped, alone and in danger than ever before?

286 pages

Published March 5th 2015

(Hot Key Books)

Just a warning The Beloved Mentions The Agapemone community and has some child abuse which is imperative of the Victorian era of you or someone you know is experiencing any issues please seek professional help.

First Impression

Giving two view points, The Beloved gives the story of 16 year old Alice, who has had a difficult relationship with her mother since she was born.

Also the viewpoint of her mother Temperance, who shares that she "could not bring herself to even like her daughter." And had a stronger relationship with her son Eli, who was the eldest of her two children.

My Rating ⭐⭐

I found it difficult to get into a rhythm with reading The Beloved.

Set in Bridgewater 1848, The Beloved opens up with Alice been strapped in her bed, and her asking her father to talk to her mother about the situation before he leaves, leading to the conclusion that her father is afraid of his wife as "he will never go against her wishes".

I feel sympathetic  towards both Alice and Temperance...

Alice because she much feel left out as everyone around her respects her mother and she feels annoyed that her mother hasn't shown her any warmth over her life as she seems to want to antagonize her when she states she "would ruin the whole day for Mama if I could".

Temperance because she is desperate to "finally be accepted into the upper echelons of society."  She also has to feel that Alice seems to go out of her way to embarrass her at every opportunity.

The Beloved is a very dark tale and a very trying read especially when it goes into the section where Alice joins up with Henry Prince and the The Agapemone community

I'm not sure that I would recommend The Beloved to anyone.

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Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine

Nearing her thirtieth birthday, Eleanor of Aquitaine has spent the past dozen frustrating

ISBN 0345511875
(ISBN13: 9780345511874)

years as wife to the pious King Louis VII of France. But when Henry of Anjou, the young and dynamic future king of England, arrives at the French court, he and the seductive Eleanor experience a mutual passion powerful enough to ignite the world. Indeed, after the annulment of Eleanor’s marriage to Louis and her remarriage to Henry, the union of this royal couple creates a vast empire that stretches from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees—and marks the beginning of the celebrated Plantagenet dynasty. But Henry and Eleanor’s marriage, charged with physical heat, begins a fiery downward spiral marred by power struggles and bitter betrayals. Amid the rivalries and infidelities, the couple’s rebellious sons grow impatient for power, and the scene is set for a vicious and tragic conflict that will threaten to engulf them all.

Pages 473

Published July 13th 2010

(Ballantine Books)

First Impression

set in 3rd person Captive Queen tells the historic tale of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is trapped in a unhappy marriage to Louis VII, king of France. 

She is frustrated and has committed adultery with 2 people one Geoffrey, count of Anjou, who is presenting his son, Henry to the French court.

Both her and Henry seem to share an instant attraction to each other, desperate for an annulment from the King she urges the Abbott again to persuade the King to agree.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII have shared a 14 year unhappy marriage and at 29 she has reached an impasse especially when she sees Henry FitzEmpress who sets off a wanton rush through her.

After a shared night of passion they make a marriage promise to each other. 

Eleanor pleads with the King himself in an effort to complete her promise. Once her annulment is declared she returns home and follows through with her promise.

To me Henry seems nothing more than a child "Henry lost control and, throwing himself on the floor, rolled around telling bloodcurdling oaths before finally falling quiet and grinding his teeth on the rushed strewn over the flagstones."

I wholeheartedly recommend reading Captive Queen it is a informative and rewarding experience. An amazing insight into the past dated from 1151 all the way through to 1204.

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The Blood Confession

Erzebet is young, beautiful, rich, and

ISBN 0525477322
ISBN13: 9780525477327

imprisoned in her castle, waiting to be sentenced for murder. In a brilliant fiction debut, Alisa M. Libby resurrects the real-life Erzebet Bathory, a seventeenth-century countess who believed that bathing in human blood would preserve her looks forever. The jailed countess tells her story from her birth, which was overshadowed by a bad omen, to her mother's mental deterioration, Erzebet's own love for a mysterious figure, and the crimes she committed in pursuit of eternal life.

399 pages

Published July 7th  2013

(Red Hound Press)

First Impression

Set in the 1st person The Blood Confession tells the interesting life story of the famous Countess Bathory.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Blood Confession is an enchanting tale that starts in the tower where the Countess Bathory is been held awaiting the Prince of Hungary.

From here it then goes into a detailed account of her life as a child, who Yearned for her mother's company.

Her relationship with her father became strained as he was often was away at court "but when he did visit, our conversations were restricted to the typical subjects".

Her mother eventually when mad, "she turn to me with a strange smile, her dead eyes fixed on my face. She stared at me as if she could detect something that no one else was able to see." 

I feel really sorry for her as she only felt she could rely on her maid as seen in this passage "Despite Rowena's  reassuring presence, I was a loney child." 

I really enjoyed reading The Blood Confession And would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the history of Countess Bathory it was a very interesting subject to read about.

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“Envy is a dangerous sin. To envy someone you love is to kill a part of yourself”

The Madness

Sixteen-year-old Marnie

ISBN 1471401030
(ISBN13: 9781471401039)

lives in the idyllic coastal village of Clevedon. Despite being crippled by a childhood exposure to polio, she seems set to follow in her mother's footsteps, and become a 'dipper', escorting fragile female bathers into the sea. Her life is simple and safe. But then she meets Noah. Charming, handsome, son-of-the-local-Lord, Noah. She quickly develops a passion for him - a passion which consumes her.
As Marnie's infatuation turns to fixation she starts to lose her grip on reality, and a harrowing and dangerous obsession develops that seems certain to end in tragedy. Set in the early Victorian era when propriety, modesty and repression were the rule, this is a taut psychological drama in which the breakdown of a young woman's emotional state will have a devastating impact on all those around her. 

208 pages

Published March 6th 2014

(Hot Keys)

First Impression

Set in 2nd person The Madness tells the story of Marnie, who had to deal with the "cruel taunts of the village children who would spit and laugh at her" because she had a twisted leg through getting polio at 5. 

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐

The Madness is a slow paced book telling the tale of Marnie (a dipper's daughter) and Noah's (a Lord's son) budding friendship, that turn into a infatuation on Marnie's side.

I feel so sorry for Marnie especially when I found out that her mother was determined not to have a cripple for a daughter, often taking her down to the sea to "plunge her under the freezing waves again and again". 

If Marnie protested her mother would take the horsewhip and "crack over the backs of her legs to 'harden her up'".

As for Noah he makes it clear from his journal that he doesn't see Marnie in any affectionate light.

The ending was very emotional.

I would recommend reading for the historical significance as it was put you in that time from the description.

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The King's Rose

Life in the court of King Henry

ISBN 0525479708
(ISBN13: 9780525479703)

VIII is a complex game. When fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard catches the king's eye, she quickly transforms from pawn to queen. But even luxury beyond imagination loses its luster as young Catherine finds her life--and her heart--threatened by the needs of an aging king and a family hungry for power. Will their agendas deliver Catherine to the same fate as her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn, sacrificed at the altar of family ambition?

297 Pages

Published March 19th 2009

(Dutton Books for Young Readers)

First Impression

Set in the 1st person The King's Rose tells the tale of the 15 year old Catherine Howard.

When she met her husband, HenryVIII, the King of England. Her marriage and everything leading upto her demise.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed reading The King's Rose and learning about the sad tale of how Catherine became a pawn to her family's greed for power. 

How when it all was revealed about her sordid past that her family kept secret. 

In the end she was a scared girl who paid for her actions with her life.

I would recommend The King's Rose...it was a interesting to read about the view of Alisa M. Libby as she told the history of Catherine's life and the event that lead upto the chopping block.

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