A good historical novel tells of characters who are entirely congruent with the known conditions of their time, and yet sufficiently independent in thought and action to stand out from the crowd, and for the modern reader to identify with them. Then came the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 and the destruction of the Palace of the Savoy, a virulent attack on John, whose head the rebels demanded.

Katherine - Kindle edition by Seton, Anya. Literature

My only quibble which is not going to make me lower my rating is having the book finish so soon after John and Katherine's marriage.However, if you leave your need for absolute accuracy aside and lose yourself in the detailed, lavish descriptions the author delivers in her beautiful rich writing, you will feel like looking at a live Medieval fresco, with characters moving in the landscape of an era that you will feel come to life, despite the several weak points of the narrative, making you at least want to know more and investigate further on both the historical period and its characters. Anya Seton's vivid rendering of the lives of the Duke and Duchess of Lancaster makes Katherine an unmistakable classic. John is, of course, distracted by the affairs of state and his role as the powerful younger son of the King.

Knight fever: my favourite historical novels | Books | The Knight fever: my favourite historical novels | Books | The

Katherine is also considered one of the greatest examples of a historical-fiction love story ever written. Although the lovers were discreet to begin with, by 1378, John was openly parading Katherine as his mistress, and provoking criticism from scandalised monastic chroniclers, who accused her of being a witch and a whore.I understand a certain amount of setting up – Seton wants to tell a little bit about Katherine’s origins, and how she was married and had children before she became John’s mistress and had children with him – but 50 or 100 pages surely ought to be the limit. Seton’s direct, unadorned prose both survives the test of time and serves to heighten the poignancy of her tale. However, her sister, who is betrothed to Geoffrey Chaucer, is a lady-in-waiting to the queen, and as a result, ​Katherine marries Sir Hugh Swynford, a Lincolnshire knight; only after his death do she and John, whose attention she first attracted at court, take up with one another, by which time her temples are streaked with white (“swan’s wings”, as John puts it). I could literally feel myself tuning out when Katherine was paying penance, and through every reference to God. We also get to meet characters such as John Chaucer (married to Katherine's sister) and the mystic Nun, St Julian.

Katherine by Anya Seton - Philippa Gregory Katherine by Anya Seton - Philippa Gregory

The enduring affection of her family connections stands testament to her warmth, charm and good diplomatic skills. Working essentially as a Gothic romance title, it’s seeped in atmosphere and ambiance, and it’s easy to see why it was so successful. She won the Feminist Book Fortnight Award in 1990 and the Romantic Novelist of the Year Award in 2002. I bought Katherine by Anya Seton a couple of years ago, way back when I first decided to read by way through the BBC Top 100. John has moments of arrogance, but is also capable of tender acts of sweetness — He should join Rhett Butler and Mr.

Some slight edge wear to top and bottom of jacket, some slight creasing to top and bottom of spine, corners slightly rubbed, some very faint foxing to back jacket. She has also written several contemporary fiction works including Perfectly Correct, The Little House and Zelda's Cut. Katherine tells the true story of Katherine de Roet, born the daughter of a minor Flemish herald, later knight. He remained in touch with Katherine, though, and she helped him financially with his military expedition to Spain, a venture that would ultimately end in failure – the crown he had so long sought eluding him at the last moment. Nick Rennison believes that the novel has retained its popularity "because of the skill with which [Seton] evokes the world her heroine enters and because Katherine herself remains such a powerful character".

Katherine by Anya Seton | Waterstones

That’s when she heads off up-state to New York, as she receives an invitation from her distant relative Nicholas Van Ryn, where she intrigued by life at Dragonwyck.whilst, when we do get inside John’s head, his hardline tactics with the populace are explained as “there was this boy once who told me I was a changeling and I must prove myself to everyone! To read more about the site or if you want a graphic to link to us, see the about page for more details. She also enjoyed an affectionate relationship with two queens, Philippa of Hainault and Isabella of Valois. Our features are original articles from our print magazines (these will say where they were originally published) or original articles commissioned for this site. Her thoughts consist of inconsequential observational narrative, and the Epic Love that she shares with John.