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The Marwood Family #4
Lady of Misrule
An intriguing page-turning drama at the heart of the Tudor court! For fans of Philippa Gregory, Elizabeth Chadwick, Carol McGrath and Anne O’Brien.
Has time run out for Queen Catherine of Aragon…?
1528
The mood at court is sombre. The fractures in the royal marriage are spreading and King Henry’s desires are threatening the stability of the realm.
Eighteen-year-old Thomasin Marwood feels aged beyond her years in service to Queen Catherine of Aragon.
Her time as a lady-in-waiting has exposed her to intrigues and dark plots that have cast a shadow over her future.
And now King Henry is becoming more open in his plot to divorce the queen and marry Lady Anne Boleyn.
Queen Catherine has sent for her daughter, Princess Mary to join her at court and remind Henry of his fatherly duties. But Anne Boleyn is always at Henry’s side, resplendent in her lavish gowns, reminding the king of her youth and ability to carry an heir.
Thomasin is loyal to her mistress, Queen Catherine, but she finds herself noticed by the Boleyns and she fears her position at court may soon change.
What will happen to Thomasin if the king is successful in his petition for a divorce? Will Queen Catherine be cast out of court?
And will Lady Anne Boleyn finally get the throne she has been lusting after…?
LADY OF MISRULE is a page-turning historical drama set at the court of King Henry VIII and featuring Anne Boleyn. It is the fourth book in the Marwood Family Tudor Saga Series.
THE MARWOOD FAMILY TUDOR SAGA
Book Dangerous Lady
Book Troubled Queen
Book False Mistress
Book Lady of Misrule
Has time run out for Queen Catherine of Aragon…?
1528
The mood at court is sombre. The fractures in the royal marriage are spreading and King Henry’s desires are threatening the stability of the realm.
Eighteen-year-old Thomasin Marwood feels aged beyond her years in service to Queen Catherine of Aragon.
Her time as a lady-in-waiting has exposed her to intrigues and dark plots that have cast a shadow over her future.
And now King Henry is becoming more open in his plot to divorce the queen and marry Lady Anne Boleyn.
Queen Catherine has sent for her daughter, Princess Mary to join her at court and remind Henry of his fatherly duties. But Anne Boleyn is always at Henry’s side, resplendent in her lavish gowns, reminding the king of her youth and ability to carry an heir.
Thomasin is loyal to her mistress, Queen Catherine, but she finds herself noticed by the Boleyns and she fears her position at court may soon change.
What will happen to Thomasin if the king is successful in his petition for a divorce? Will Queen Catherine be cast out of court?
And will Lady Anne Boleyn finally get the throne she has been lusting after…?
LADY OF MISRULE is a page-turning historical drama set at the court of King Henry VIII and featuring Anne Boleyn. It is the fourth book in the Marwood Family Tudor Saga Series.
THE MARWOOD FAMILY TUDOR SAGA
Book Dangerous Lady
Book Troubled Queen
Book False Mistress
Book Lady of Misrule
- GenresHistorical Fiction
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2024
70 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Amy Licence
41 books321 followersMedieval and Tudor historian, with a particular interest in women's lives and experiences, also dabble in Modernism. I write fiction and non-fiction, also journalism for The Guardian, BBC History website, The New Statesman, The Huffington Post, The English Review and The London Magazine. I appeared in TV documentaries "The Real White Queen and her Rivals" and "The Private Lives of the Tudors." Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 27, 2024
Stunning!
Amy Licence has a wonderful way of telling a story. She draws you in, gets you invested in the characters, and then takes you through all their worries, fears and agonies.
Lady of Misrule allows the reader to experience what must have been a wonderful tradition - a Tudor Christmas at court. The colours, the music and merriment all add to the dramatic atmosphere of the story.
My only complaint is the book is too short - I was not ready for it to finish quite yet.
Amy Licence has a wonderful way of telling a story. She draws you in, gets you invested in the characters, and then takes you through all their worries, fears and agonies.
Lady of Misrule allows the reader to experience what must have been a wonderful tradition - a Tudor Christmas at court. The colours, the music and merriment all add to the dramatic atmosphere of the story.
My only complaint is the book is too short - I was not ready for it to finish quite yet.
August 14, 2024
Prima boek maar er gebeurde deze keer niet erg veel. Pas het laatste kwart werd het verhaal echt juicy.
September 9, 2024
How disappointing was the conclusion on this series.
What will happen to Thomasin and her family/ We will never know as the writer does not tell us.
It went exactly nowhere.
I enjoyed books one and two in this series however the writing seemed to drag in book three and four.
#TudorTember.
What will happen to Thomasin and her family/ We will never know as the writer does not tell us.
It went exactly nowhere.
I enjoyed books one and two in this series however the writing seemed to drag in book three and four.
#TudorTember.
July 24, 2024
Overblown prose
These books have become just a little bit too boring for me to continue.
I understand the concept of historical fiction is to provide some insight into how society functioned in a time when entire lives were spent living in the shadows of the same ruling classes, having to work, sleep, eat and move all within the power and whims of a monarch who, at best, became a monster within just a few years.
Conversations were entirely made up, as they would have to be. Family fortune was never guaranteed or even stable within a single generation. Life for those who, although somewhat privileged, were still essentially servants could never have been predictable but still it's not as though they were mucking out stables or toiling in fields to survive.
The privileged still had to eat and continue to keep themselves healthy and in good favor.
Still.
I have for years been fascinated by the shifting and volatile relationship between Henry8 and his six wives, most importantly between the two featured in this series, Katharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. One a true born royal and one a daughter of a middling house of unimportant rank.
The first a queen where the second most likely would have been only a brief sexual conquest soon enjoyed and then married off to some lesser known man of unimportant rank but possibly decent money and property.
Except for her cunning and desire for a larger life than the one she'd been born into.
That is what made her so different and so difficult to ignore throughout history.
In this book however, there's just so much window dressing and very little substance. Who doesn't know how this played out?
There's simp!y too much focus on the decorations, the odd food, the gowns and peculiar clothing worn by the male characters. The shady stories about the men who most assuredly ran the business of the church, and the suspiciously heretical concepts contained within the "bible". The concept that if Henry wanted it, Henry got it, whether it was a book, a woman, a horse or a play, Henry8 was the law of the land and no one would risk his or her neck to argue the point. Until Anne Boleyn.
In fairness it is fictional, for the most part, and the dialogue or behaviors are strictly invention. Some are more creative than others but that is an author's prerogative.
Unquestionably Anne Boleyn set the stage for religious reforms to begin in England, even as she challenged just about every single member of the clergy by doing so. Her bold behavior was unprecedented and yet not entirely unwelcome. The discord of course came from her refusal to be anything more to Henry 8 than a simple mistress, but by seeking to replace Queen Katherine as England's rightful queen she of course brought about her own death.
In today's science we know that the sex of a fetus is determined by the father but in historical times that was unknown. Blame for having a daughter was always the fault of the mother. Modern science was not on Henry's side, more is the pity. He did sire one of the greatest queens England has ever known, Elizabeth I. But for the time no one knew or would have believed that would turn out to be true.
So the history bears kut, but I think there was just too much filler and silly character chatter to leave me thinking this was anything more than a very light read, and not a well developed description of the community that surrounded one of the most monstrous monarchs to ever ascend the throne of England. For all the developments he did effect on his kingdom and his subjects, I think this book left most of the essence lying on the floor of the dining hall along with soiled rushes, spent tallow and rotting vegetation. I'm a bit disappointed and I really don't think I can recommend this book for anyone wanting a close up look at how this flawed Kingdom eventually caved in upon itself and joined other stories of supposed dynastic greatness.
The world remains impacted by the shifting time between but the lessons remain hidden within this account unless the reader desperately wants to know how overblown and fluffy the conversations might have been.
These books have become just a little bit too boring for me to continue.
I understand the concept of historical fiction is to provide some insight into how society functioned in a time when entire lives were spent living in the shadows of the same ruling classes, having to work, sleep, eat and move all within the power and whims of a monarch who, at best, became a monster within just a few years.
Conversations were entirely made up, as they would have to be. Family fortune was never guaranteed or even stable within a single generation. Life for those who, although somewhat privileged, were still essentially servants could never have been predictable but still it's not as though they were mucking out stables or toiling in fields to survive.
The privileged still had to eat and continue to keep themselves healthy and in good favor.
Still.
I have for years been fascinated by the shifting and volatile relationship between Henry8 and his six wives, most importantly between the two featured in this series, Katharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. One a true born royal and one a daughter of a middling house of unimportant rank.
The first a queen where the second most likely would have been only a brief sexual conquest soon enjoyed and then married off to some lesser known man of unimportant rank but possibly decent money and property.
Except for her cunning and desire for a larger life than the one she'd been born into.
That is what made her so different and so difficult to ignore throughout history.
In this book however, there's just so much window dressing and very little substance. Who doesn't know how this played out?
There's simp!y too much focus on the decorations, the odd food, the gowns and peculiar clothing worn by the male characters. The shady stories about the men who most assuredly ran the business of the church, and the suspiciously heretical concepts contained within the "bible". The concept that if Henry wanted it, Henry got it, whether it was a book, a woman, a horse or a play, Henry8 was the law of the land and no one would risk his or her neck to argue the point. Until Anne Boleyn.
In fairness it is fictional, for the most part, and the dialogue or behaviors are strictly invention. Some are more creative than others but that is an author's prerogative.
Unquestionably Anne Boleyn set the stage for religious reforms to begin in England, even as she challenged just about every single member of the clergy by doing so. Her bold behavior was unprecedented and yet not entirely unwelcome. The discord of course came from her refusal to be anything more to Henry 8 than a simple mistress, but by seeking to replace Queen Katherine as England's rightful queen she of course brought about her own death.
In today's science we know that the sex of a fetus is determined by the father but in historical times that was unknown. Blame for having a daughter was always the fault of the mother. Modern science was not on Henry's side, more is the pity. He did sire one of the greatest queens England has ever known, Elizabeth I. But for the time no one knew or would have believed that would turn out to be true.
So the history bears kut, but I think there was just too much filler and silly character chatter to leave me thinking this was anything more than a very light read, and not a well developed description of the community that surrounded one of the most monstrous monarchs to ever ascend the throne of England. For all the developments he did effect on his kingdom and his subjects, I think this book left most of the essence lying on the floor of the dining hall along with soiled rushes, spent tallow and rotting vegetation. I'm a bit disappointed and I really don't think I can recommend this book for anyone wanting a close up look at how this flawed Kingdom eventually caved in upon itself and joined other stories of supposed dynastic greatness.
The world remains impacted by the shifting time between but the lessons remain hidden within this account unless the reader desperately wants to know how overblown and fluffy the conversations might have been.
April 13, 2024
It's such a joy when a new book in a series is published especially when the author is Amy Licence. Although this is the 4th book, only one year has passed for Thomasin Marwood in the Tudor Court. The setting for this one is the Christmas season of 1528, which sees the arrival of Cardinal Campeggio from Rome and Princess Mary from Ludlow. The reader can feel the tension in the court with both Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn determined to rule over the festivities. The author's trademark research and attention to detail are fascinating as the Tudor Christmas celebrations are described, from food and decorations to fashions and customs.
When I was young, I chose sides in the drama of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, switching from Team Anne or Team Catherine frequently. But, with age comes wisdom or at least a bit of enlightenment and I've realized that in this royal match, these women were actually the ball as powerful men entirely controlled the game. This book is bittersweet knowing that the world as Queen Catherine and her daughter Mary know it is about to come crashing down on top of their heads. What will be Thomasin's fate when it does? I can't wait for the next book!
When I was young, I chose sides in the drama of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, switching from Team Anne or Team Catherine frequently. But, with age comes wisdom or at least a bit of enlightenment and I've realized that in this royal match, these women were actually the ball as powerful men entirely controlled the game. This book is bittersweet knowing that the world as Queen Catherine and her daughter Mary know it is about to come crashing down on top of their heads. What will be Thomasin's fate when it does? I can't wait for the next book!
April 21, 2024
I love this series, but this one is not her best
I have devoured this series, the Marwood family saga by Amy licence. Amy Licence is such a skilled author, she is masterful at setting a scene, and bringing the Tudor court alive. I love the main character, Thomasin. She is intelligent, humble, loyal, and tries to do what is right.
The previous books in this series have been excellent, please read them if you like reading about this time period. This book felt a bit rushed, and it ended abruptly. I have to admit I was disappointed with the ending. I was so hoping for a more complete, slightly more romantic ending, where Thomasin was concerned.
Throughout the book, it kept seeming like something major was going to happen, but nothing really did. Also, I'm still not sure who the Lady of Misrule was, I think I have an idea though. It just wasn't as clear as in the previous novels.
I have devoured this series, the Marwood family saga by Amy licence. Amy Licence is such a skilled author, she is masterful at setting a scene, and bringing the Tudor court alive. I love the main character, Thomasin. She is intelligent, humble, loyal, and tries to do what is right.
The previous books in this series have been excellent, please read them if you like reading about this time period. This book felt a bit rushed, and it ended abruptly. I have to admit I was disappointed with the ending. I was so hoping for a more complete, slightly more romantic ending, where Thomasin was concerned.
Throughout the book, it kept seeming like something major was going to happen, but nothing really did. Also, I'm still not sure who the Lady of Misrule was, I think I have an idea though. It just wasn't as clear as in the previous novels.
April 16, 2024
It only took me two days to read this fantastic book it’s a real page turner I have adored the whole series if
Your into the Tudors then you will adore this series of
Books by Amy Licence #KindleUnlimited
Your into the Tudors then you will adore this series of
Books by Amy Licence #KindleUnlimited
May 21, 2024
Wonderfully rich Tudor story
Amy does an amazing job of bringing the Tudor court to life. I'm looking forward to the next book - this is a great read for lovers of a well written historical novel
Amy does an amazing job of bringing the Tudor court to life. I'm looking forward to the next book - this is a great read for lovers of a well written historical novel
June 13, 2024
Best Tudor Book I've Read this Year
I am in awe about how much I love thie book. It's a refreshing take on the Tudor court- and I love not knowing what is going to happen with the characters that are brought to life in this book!
I am in awe about how much I love thie book. It's a refreshing take on the Tudor court- and I love not knowing what is going to happen with the characters that are brought to life in this book!
July 24, 2024
2 1/2 stars
June 24, 2024
Another look at Henry VIII's court.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews