Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Column of Fire in Books
Aug 6, 2020
Book
A column of fire ( Kingsbridge 3)
By Ken Follet
Christmas 1558, and young Ned Willard returns home to Kingsbridge to find his world has changed.
The ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn by religious hatred. Europe is in turmoil as high principles clash bloodily with friendship, loyalty and love, and Ned soon finds himself on the opposite side from the girl he longs to marry, Margery Fitzgerald.
Then Elizabeth Tudor becomes queen and all of Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country's first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions and invasion plans.
Elizabeth knows that alluring, headstrong Mary Queen of Scots lies in wait in Paris. Part of a brutally ambitious French family, Mary has been proclaimed the rightful ruler of England, with her own supporters scheming to get rid of the new queen.
Over a turbulent half-century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed, as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. With Elizabeth clinging precariously to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents, it becomes clear that the real enemies - then as now - are not the rival religions.
The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else - no matter the cost.
Ken Follet and this series has completely stolen my heart I love these books! I’m a huge fan of historical based fiction and I think he just does it so well!! I did find some parts were a little rushed but it was still an amazing book. The characters were as usual full of life, I have loved and hated them he has a way of hooking you into these peoples lives. If I had one issue it was this one spent a lot of time away from kingsbridge I think the characters weren’t as linked to the city as they were in other books! I’m looking forward to to the new kingsbridge book!
The Lady of Misrule
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I saw her file it away: a good Catholic girl come to supervise her in her detention. Every girl in...
Anonymous (2011)
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As royal troops set fire to the Globe Theatre, Elizabethan-era playwright Ben Jonson (Sebastian...
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Before the Crown in Books
Jun 14, 2020
Before the Crown is a beautiful historical novel which delves deep into the romance between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece, perhaps better known as Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
However, this is not a traditional romance and Harding does not hold back in laying out all the struggles Elizabeth and Philip faced. From the King and Queen's disapproval of the match for their daughter to the effects of public opinion on the relationship, Flora Harding covers it all.
Nor does this novel present the engagement as all hearts and flowers. Despite Elizabeth being attracted to Philip from a young age, this is initially a one-sided crush and a political arrangement for the couple. However, due to Flora Harding presenting her novel from the perspective of both Elizabeth and Philip, the reader is able to experience first hand the doubts, worries, longing and evolution of this infamous relationship.
I will be honest it is hard not to envision the Netflix series when you read this novel but it is by no means a copy cat situation. Harding provides such interesting insights into Philip's lifestyle and his family that it is hard not to pity the sacrifices that he makes in order to be with Elizabeth.
In 'The Crown' young Philip was a bit of a dirt bag and, although Harding's Prince is no angel, he is clearly fighting an uphill battle against the aristocracy's view of him. It is difficult not to sympathise.
I would have liked an author's note to know how much of the story is fact and how much is fiction or speculation. However, given the privacy of the Royal Family I imagine any factual insights are rare.
In summary, 'Before the Crown' is a captivating read, exploring the sacrifices and struggles where we often blindly see prejudice, all against the backdrop of WWII Europe.
The Seymours of Wolf Hall: A Tudor Family Story
Book
Although the Seymours arrived with the Normans, it is with Jane, Henry VIII's third queen, and her...
Sasha (36 KP) rated Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) in Movies
Jan 19, 2018
Both of the actors do an amazing job of portraying the characters and there are many turning points in the movie to keep the viewer entertained. For example my heart broke for Anne after she give birth to Elizabeth and Hendry acted like she just committed the worst crime in the worst. I suppose in his eyes she did, his drive for a son was obvious from the beginning and it’s not like she didn’t promise him one before she became queen.
The movie is definitely worth watching :)
Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles, Austria - France, 1769 (Royal Diaries #4)
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"I look up now into the oval mirror and see barely a trace of the mud-splattered girl tearing...
Mary Queen of Scotland and The Isles
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She became Queen of Scots when she was only six days old. Life among the warring factions in...
Dangerous Days in Elizabethan England: Thieves, Tricksters, Bards and Bawds
6.0
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The reign of Elizabeth I - a Golden Age? Try asking her subjects...Elizabethans did all they could...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Lady of the Ravens in Books
Oct 18, 2022
Book
The Lady of the Ravens ( Queens of the Tower book 1)
By Joanna Hickson
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Elizabeth of York, her life already tainted by dishonour and tragedy, now queen to the first Tudor king, Henry the VII.
Joan Vaux, servant of the court, straining against marriage and motherhood and privy to the deepest and darkest secrets of her queen. Like the ravens, Joan must use her eyes and her senses, as conspiracy whispers through the dark corridors of the Tower.
Through Joan’s eyes, The Lady of the Ravens inhabits the squalid streets of Tudor London, the imposing walls of its most fearsome fortress and the glamorous court of a kingdom in crisis.
It was good. I enjoyed it but got slightly bored towards the end. I’m a huge fan of the Tudors and liked reading this adaptation of the start of their reign. It was a decent read.