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Title: Katherine by Anya Seton, Philippa Gregory ISBN: 1-55652-532-X Publisher: Chicago Review Press Pub. Date: 01 May, 2004 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.83 (6 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A LOVE AFFAIR THAT ROCKED FOURTEENTH CENTURY ENGLAND...
Comment: Written half a century ago, this well-researched historical fiction is as vibrant and as stirring today, as it, undoubtedly, was when it was first written. A best seller in its day, the book regales the reader with the story of Katherine De Roet and John of Gaunt.
Born commoners to a herald who was knighted before he died, Katherine and her older sister Philippa, who went on to marry Geoffrey Chaucer, were left poor as church mice. While Philippa managed to obtain a post in the household of the Queen, wife to King Edward III of England, Katherine was sent to a convent.
When she had grown into her early teens and become a raving beauty, Katherine left the convent to join her sister at Court. Upon doing so, her youthful beauty captivated a boorish knight, Sir Hugh Swynford, who lusted after her. He, eventually, married Katherine, when it became clear that it would be the only way by which he could satisfy his desire.
At the same time that she met her husband to be, she also caught the eye of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, son of King Edward III and brother to the heir to the throne, Edward, the Black Prince. John was, at the time, happily married to a beautiful woman named Blanche, who would befriend Katherine.
After reluctantly becoming Lady Swynford, Katherine retired to her husband's estates. She would meet John of Gaunt again, igniting a passion that upon the death of Blanche and that of Sir Hugh Swynford would be consummated. For John of Gaunt, Katherine would remain the love of his life and his mistress, even though, for reasons of state, he could not marry her, at the time. He, instead, married the heiress to the throne of Castile.
Still, Katherine remained with him, bearing him many children. Their illicit union was to cause much unrest and scandal throughout England, until they finally parted, only to reunite in their later years. John of Gaunt would then do something unprecedented. This act would bring them much happiness in their final years.
This is a richly drawn portrait of a scintillating love affair in a time that was rife with political intrigue. Set in a medieval landscape with all the pageantry, strife, and turbulence that constituted fourteenth century England, this beautifully written narrative is peppered with those characters and individuals that made the period memorable. It is a novel to be savored and one with which the most discerning reader would be well satisfied. Bravo!
Rating: 5
Summary: Absolutely magnificent
Comment: "Katherine" is Anya Seton's finest book, which is high praise considering her talent. She is a very fine writer with excellent attention to detail and historical accuracy, as well the ability to make the characters come vividly alive.
This is of course a very fine and entertaining story. There is our heroine Katherine, with all of her trials and tribulations, and who finds herself unexpectedly thrust into a turbulent life with a turbulent royal family! It is interesting to note that through the children she had with John of Gaunt, she is a direct ancestress of all of ruling Kings and Queens of England from that time on (and a great many members of European royal families as well)! Katherine made her mark on history in many, many ways.
This is an utterly charming and beautiful book. I was about 12 when I first picked it up and was immediately enchanted by the writing, the adventure and the history, and return to it time and time again. The book is peppered with other interesting historical characters - for example Geoffrey Chaucer was married to Katherine's sister, and appears from time to time full of wit and stories.
So read it for yourself, and introduce it to a young lady in your life. You could not bestow a finer gift.
Rating: 4
Summary: wonderful
Comment: Anya Seton wrote a wonderful, lushly romantic book. Katherine is the story of Katherine Swynford the mistress of John of Gaunt. Their romance was remarkable in that it lasted until his death. In spite of all practical concerns after years of waiting John and Katherine shocked the world by marrying.
Anya Seton takes you right into Katherine's world and you fall in love with John just as she does.
Another great thing Seton does is the way she handles Sir Hugh's character. It would have been easy to make him a cardboard villain but she doesn't. Crude, ugly and not much more sophisticated than the lowliest serf Hugh becomes a sympathetic figure becasue Seton clearly shows that he loves his wife but it too proud and too afraid to show it.
Now, is this the true story? Was Katherine really as great a heroine as she's presented in this book? Well, as the saying goes if this isn't the true sotry it ought to be. I loved this book as a teen and it's still a favorite. I'm so happy that this new edition has been published.
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Title: The Queen's Fool : A Novel by Philippa Gregory ISBN: 0743246071 Publisher: Touchstone Books Pub. Date: 04 February, 2004 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory ISBN: 0743227441 Publisher: Touchstone Books Pub. Date: 04 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: The Favored Child : A Novel by Philippa Gregory ISBN: 0743249305 Publisher: Touchstone Books Pub. Date: 02 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Wideacre : A Novel by Philippa Gregory ISBN: 0743249291 Publisher: Touchstone Books Pub. Date: 02 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Meridon by Philippa Gregory ISBN: 0743249313 Publisher: Touchstone Books Pub. Date: 02 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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