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Tudor Saga #6
Saint Thomas's Eve: (The Tudor saga: book 6): a story of ambition, commitment and conviction from the undisputed Queen of British historical fiction
Henry VII once warned his son, the future King of England, not to trust Thomas More; years later that same son made More his confidante and advisor. But the allegiance is dangerously one-sided. A family man, lawyer and writer, More's ambitions are humble, whilst Henry's are endless.
As More's career at court rises so too does his religious fervour, much to the concern of his eldest daughter, Meg. She is torn between her heretic husband and the secrets her father has confided in her, and already fears that one day her father will make the ultimate sacrifice for his faith.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1954
68 people are currently reading
1782 people want to read
About the author
Jean Plaidy
187 books1,589 followersEleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 26, 2016
I actually found this really short, sharp and sweet. It was really fast paced, I personally thought. I've always been fascinated with Thomas More and his family, especially his "favourite" daughter , Margaret.
I really enjoyed Jean Plaidy's writing style, her narration moved smoothly from Thomas More, to Margaret. Definitely an interesting family. Oh, and I liked how Plaidy portrayed Wolsey.
I really enjoyed Jean Plaidy's writing style, her narration moved smoothly from Thomas More, to Margaret. Definitely an interesting family. Oh, and I liked how Plaidy portrayed Wolsey.
August 10, 2013
St. Thomas’s Eve, republished as The King’s Confidante, is a story of the life of Sir Thomas More – scholar, lawyer, councilor to the King and ultimately Chancellor, after the fall of Wolsey. But most importantly to More, he was a loving husband and father, as well as father-figure to many.
The story begins with More’s difficult decision to pursue a family life instead of becoming a monk — something he will continue to question throughout his life. Though he was a family man at heart, he was also deeply religious, bordering on fanatical worship of the Catholic faith. His relative open-mindedness in the humanist respect when writing Utopia did not extend to his own deep-rooted faith. As the years passed he seemed to lean more and more to the tyrannical when it came to religion. He personally answered Martin Luther and persecuted heretics.
Even so, More is such a likable character in this novel. He is kind, thoughtful and generous. He treats everyone with respect and the utmost fairness. He is a perfect minister on the King’s council… until Henry elevates him under the impression that he will do as told. Henry VIII had much respect for Sir Thomas More, and at first was amused by his honesty and integrity, but soon learned that More would stand in the way of his divorce from Katherine of Aragon.
This novel is the story of a happy family that continually grows as adopted children, step-children, spouses and grandchildren, most of whom live in the household, flourish under More’s love and devotion for learning. Many scholars, artists and the like find solace in the More home as well, which adds even more culture to the atmosphere.
I don’t feel that the reprint title, The King’s Confidante, was a good choice. He wasn't seen as inside the King’s intimate circle. Henry was amused by him and somewhat valued his honesty, but I would not put him in the category of ‘confidante’. I think publishers are really overusing the terms king and queen these days to sell books, and this was the only thing they could come up with. I much prefer St. Thomas’s Eve, which has a meaning pertaining to the story.
The story begins with More’s difficult decision to pursue a family life instead of becoming a monk — something he will continue to question throughout his life. Though he was a family man at heart, he was also deeply religious, bordering on fanatical worship of the Catholic faith. His relative open-mindedness in the humanist respect when writing Utopia did not extend to his own deep-rooted faith. As the years passed he seemed to lean more and more to the tyrannical when it came to religion. He personally answered Martin Luther and persecuted heretics.
Even so, More is such a likable character in this novel. He is kind, thoughtful and generous. He treats everyone with respect and the utmost fairness. He is a perfect minister on the King’s council… until Henry elevates him under the impression that he will do as told. Henry VIII had much respect for Sir Thomas More, and at first was amused by his honesty and integrity, but soon learned that More would stand in the way of his divorce from Katherine of Aragon.
This novel is the story of a happy family that continually grows as adopted children, step-children, spouses and grandchildren, most of whom live in the household, flourish under More’s love and devotion for learning. Many scholars, artists and the like find solace in the More home as well, which adds even more culture to the atmosphere.
I don’t feel that the reprint title, The King’s Confidante, was a good choice. He wasn't seen as inside the King’s intimate circle. Henry was amused by him and somewhat valued his honesty, but I would not put him in the category of ‘confidante’. I think publishers are really overusing the terms king and queen these days to sell books, and this was the only thing they could come up with. I much prefer St. Thomas’s Eve, which has a meaning pertaining to the story.
April 18, 2009
This was a pleasure to read about Sir Thomas More, a notable figure among the prolific Tudor court of Henry VIII. Thomas More was a brilliant scholar and wrote "Utopia." You can't read a Henry VIII book and not have mention of the infamous Thomas More. Yet, we never get to see him in a personal tone until you read "St. Thomas's Eve" by Jean Plaidy. This novel does not focus on Henry VIII, it follows Thomas More's personal life as he marries, has children, remarries and becomes a grandfather. His star rises in the courts, albeit unwillingly, because of his talented way with words, and as a lawyer King Henry enjoys his unique intellect. Thomas is portrayed as very religious and honest to a fault. He opened his home to others, housing an orphan and then a step-child, and taught several gentlemen on site as well.
There were several poignant scenes that I enjoyed that involved More's children. The novel features all of them quite well: the eldest Meg, Mercy Gigs (the orphan), Elizabeth, Cecily, Jack and the step-daughter Alice Middleton (Ailie). The story is about how this quaint little family evolves and grows, and even when the girls marry they all live under one family roof. There is emphasis placed on the bond between Thomas and his eldest daughter, Meg, who becomes a Mrs. Meg Roper. There are a few introductions to some of the other notable figures of the times, such as Erasmus, Hans Holbein, the Howards of Norfolk and the Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and many of the other names are mentioned in passing in a gossiping nature. We hear about the problems with Catherine of Aragon to the "Frenchified" and deformed Anne Boleyn and "The King's Secret Matter".
Plaidy seemed to be on a mission to make the novel not read like a book of the Court Life, but truly focused on the travails of this family who struggled to control the way the vengeful court affected it. The More family wanted for nothing but each other and the freedom of learning. Thomas More did not want to be a courtier but you cannot say no to a King. As the children grew, Thomas was away more and more at the beck and call of the King. His children had their premonitions that all would not be grand for long, one false step and tragedy would be theirs.
Once things were set in motion in Henry's love life, Thomas disapproved. He tried to step away, but the King did not want any of his towns people to flock to More's views. All Thomas had to do was to acknowledge King Henry as the Head of the Church, after the break with Rome due to the Pope's not allowing the divorce of Catherine and Henry. Thomas stayed fast to his virtue, would not sign the Act of Supremacy, and also would not condone the marriage of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Plaidy successfully demonstrates the sadness the family feels when they realize that the humble happiness that they crave will not come to fruition.
Although history tells us what fate befell Thomas More, I was still emotional as Plaidy spelled it out for me. The love that his family had for him is palpable and heartbreaking, and I am glad to have had a glimpse of the personal side of Sir Thomas More. Plaidy shows us the family behind the martyr, and I feel much more enlightened about one of the greatest scholars of our time.
There were several poignant scenes that I enjoyed that involved More's children. The novel features all of them quite well: the eldest Meg, Mercy Gigs (the orphan), Elizabeth, Cecily, Jack and the step-daughter Alice Middleton (Ailie). The story is about how this quaint little family evolves and grows, and even when the girls marry they all live under one family roof. There is emphasis placed on the bond between Thomas and his eldest daughter, Meg, who becomes a Mrs. Meg Roper. There are a few introductions to some of the other notable figures of the times, such as Erasmus, Hans Holbein, the Howards of Norfolk and the Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and many of the other names are mentioned in passing in a gossiping nature. We hear about the problems with Catherine of Aragon to the "Frenchified" and deformed Anne Boleyn and "The King's Secret Matter".
Plaidy seemed to be on a mission to make the novel not read like a book of the Court Life, but truly focused on the travails of this family who struggled to control the way the vengeful court affected it. The More family wanted for nothing but each other and the freedom of learning. Thomas More did not want to be a courtier but you cannot say no to a King. As the children grew, Thomas was away more and more at the beck and call of the King. His children had their premonitions that all would not be grand for long, one false step and tragedy would be theirs.
Once things were set in motion in Henry's love life, Thomas disapproved. He tried to step away, but the King did not want any of his towns people to flock to More's views. All Thomas had to do was to acknowledge King Henry as the Head of the Church, after the break with Rome due to the Pope's not allowing the divorce of Catherine and Henry. Thomas stayed fast to his virtue, would not sign the Act of Supremacy, and also would not condone the marriage of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. Plaidy successfully demonstrates the sadness the family feels when they realize that the humble happiness that they crave will not come to fruition.
Although history tells us what fate befell Thomas More, I was still emotional as Plaidy spelled it out for me. The love that his family had for him is palpable and heartbreaking, and I am glad to have had a glimpse of the personal side of Sir Thomas More. Plaidy shows us the family behind the martyr, and I feel much more enlightened about one of the greatest scholars of our time.
January 19, 2022
3.5 stars
November 16, 2025
I enjoyed it, but some parts of it were slow and not as enticing as her other books
October 24, 2019
"St. Thomas's Eve" has some engaging scenes, along with a lot of bland scenes that should’ve been dramatized. Like with all Plaidy novels, this features a lot of repeated info and dry facts.
The main reason why her works are so dry is because there’s far too much *telling*, as opposed to *showing*. The reader is often told what happened in a few sentences, when the author could’ve dramatized scenes to show what happened.
An example of telling: >Margaret was his own child and he could never love any as he loved
her.<
The above is also the theme most repeated, in that again and again the narrator tells us how much Thomas loves Margaret, and how much Margaret loves Thomas. When the narrator isn't telling us about it, the characters let us know in their dialogue. Some actions to *show* their mutual love would've made for much better reading.
Something else Plaidy’s guilty of is her continuous use of the passive voice, such as “The door of the Palace,” as opposed to the active, “The Palace door.”
Passive voice = passive prose.
Same can be said about reported speech. Dialogue is active, reported speech isn’t, and we get a lot of reported speech in this novel.
At times, there's an inconsistency in language. It’s a blend of old-style English and modern English At one stage, for example, Thomas says, "Meg, thou wilt not let them laugh at thy father?” Yet soon after he says,“I forget what a child you are.”
I guess the author is trying to make the characters feel as authentic as possible, but when writing for a modern audience, the choice of language should be contemporary. Granted, some readers like the authentic approach, but not everyone who reads historical fiction appreciates this method.
This is one of many novels I've read were a character's tears are described as silent: >tears began to flow silently down her cheeks.< Many authors write about "silent tears", which I find silly, as it's like stating, "I washed my face in wet water." You can cry silently or loudly, but tears can only ever be silent.
Something about Jean Plaidy’s books keep me coming back for more. Perhaps it’s her obvious love for English history, which I share, that draws me back. I wish she’d focused less on turning out as greater quantity of novels as possible and concentrated more on quality writing. A novel like this one should be revised about 20 times, yet this at best feels like a fifth draft.
The main reason why her works are so dry is because there’s far too much *telling*, as opposed to *showing*. The reader is often told what happened in a few sentences, when the author could’ve dramatized scenes to show what happened.
An example of telling: >Margaret was his own child and he could never love any as he loved
her.<
The above is also the theme most repeated, in that again and again the narrator tells us how much Thomas loves Margaret, and how much Margaret loves Thomas. When the narrator isn't telling us about it, the characters let us know in their dialogue. Some actions to *show* their mutual love would've made for much better reading.
Something else Plaidy’s guilty of is her continuous use of the passive voice, such as “The door of the Palace,” as opposed to the active, “The Palace door.”
Passive voice = passive prose.
Same can be said about reported speech. Dialogue is active, reported speech isn’t, and we get a lot of reported speech in this novel.
At times, there's an inconsistency in language. It’s a blend of old-style English and modern English At one stage, for example, Thomas says, "Meg, thou wilt not let them laugh at thy father?” Yet soon after he says,“I forget what a child you are.”
I guess the author is trying to make the characters feel as authentic as possible, but when writing for a modern audience, the choice of language should be contemporary. Granted, some readers like the authentic approach, but not everyone who reads historical fiction appreciates this method.
This is one of many novels I've read were a character's tears are described as silent: >tears began to flow silently down her cheeks.< Many authors write about "silent tears", which I find silly, as it's like stating, "I washed my face in wet water." You can cry silently or loudly, but tears can only ever be silent.
Something about Jean Plaidy’s books keep me coming back for more. Perhaps it’s her obvious love for English history, which I share, that draws me back. I wish she’d focused less on turning out as greater quantity of novels as possible and concentrated more on quality writing. A novel like this one should be revised about 20 times, yet this at best feels like a fifth draft.
June 27, 2012
"When good fortune is greatest, then is trouble close at hand. For Fortune delights to strike down those who are too high and to raise those who are low; and if we do not anticipate trouble, should it come, we shall face it with greater fortitude".
Saint Thomas's Eve takes a step aside from the Palaces of King Henry VIII and his wife trouble, and concentrates on the life of one his closest friends and confidantes, Thomas More, and his family. After reading this book, my dislike of Henry VIII - which was already pretty strong - is stronger! He wasn't a King - he was a murderer. If anyone disagreed with him, he would conjure up tales about that person in order to get them executed - and this is what happened to lovely Thomas More on St Thomas's Eve.
The novel traces More's rise from being lawyer, writer and family-man to his reluctant position of Lord Chancellor, and his life following his resignation from the Lord Chancellor's post. His benevolence is described, both towards members of his family, and to beggars in the street; whilst running through the novel the strong relationship between More and his children - especially Margaret (Meg) - is evident.
The ending is tragic - More is executed for standing fast to his beliefs, which as he wrote to his fellow prisoner in the Tower, Bishop John Fisher, "is no crime".
"Too many honours were being thrust upon the master, and honours brought envy; they brought sycophants, the false friends, who were like wasps that fed on the lovely fruit until it was ruined and dropped from the branches."
I have to admit to not having known a lot about Sir Thomas More before reading this book - now I feel like I know the man; the Courtier and the father. I have also discovered the background to the common expression "More's pity". How awful it must have been to have been called to serve the King in the Tudor days; doing so was almost like taking on a death sentence!
Loved this book. I have yet to read a Jean Plaidy historical novel that has not been a pleasure. Highly recommend.
Saint Thomas's Eve takes a step aside from the Palaces of King Henry VIII and his wife trouble, and concentrates on the life of one his closest friends and confidantes, Thomas More, and his family. After reading this book, my dislike of Henry VIII - which was already pretty strong - is stronger! He wasn't a King - he was a murderer. If anyone disagreed with him, he would conjure up tales about that person in order to get them executed - and this is what happened to lovely Thomas More on St Thomas's Eve.
The novel traces More's rise from being lawyer, writer and family-man to his reluctant position of Lord Chancellor, and his life following his resignation from the Lord Chancellor's post. His benevolence is described, both towards members of his family, and to beggars in the street; whilst running through the novel the strong relationship between More and his children - especially Margaret (Meg) - is evident.
The ending is tragic - More is executed for standing fast to his beliefs, which as he wrote to his fellow prisoner in the Tower, Bishop John Fisher, "is no crime".
"Too many honours were being thrust upon the master, and honours brought envy; they brought sycophants, the false friends, who were like wasps that fed on the lovely fruit until it was ruined and dropped from the branches."
I have to admit to not having known a lot about Sir Thomas More before reading this book - now I feel like I know the man; the Courtier and the father. I have also discovered the background to the common expression "More's pity". How awful it must have been to have been called to serve the King in the Tudor days; doing so was almost like taking on a death sentence!
Loved this book. I have yet to read a Jean Plaidy historical novel that has not been a pleasure. Highly recommend.
June 10, 2014
I was very excited for this book, since I love everything Tudor-related. However, I felt Plaidy undertook too much in this book, and as a result, we are left with a very superficial take on Thomas More's life.[return][return]Part of the problem stemmed from Plaidy's attempt to delve into the psyches of too many characters--Katherine, Thomas More, Queen Katherine, Jane, Alice, King Henry VIII, to name some. Such treatment leaves little room for character development, and I was never left with the impression of a fully developed character.[return][return]At times, the narrative seemed awkward. The style vacillated between very proper, "thou" and "thees" to more relaxed, improper style; there seemed to be no rhyme or reason between the vacillations.[return][return]Overall, I did not feel this book presented other viewpoints from the Tudor era. There are better written, more developed books over the Tudors out there. The idea of such a book from More's viewpoint is intruiging--but alas, we weren't given that with [The King's Confidante].
April 4, 2014
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August 6, 2025
Some time ago, I started reading a series of books written by Eleanor Alice Beaufort, commonly known as Jean Plaidy. When she was only ten, her parents took Alice to Hampton Court, which she said influenced her greatly. Since then, Alice’s only passion has been history.
During her long life, many books of different historical series came from her pen – about Victorian rulers, the Spanish Inquisition, European royals, and, of course, plenty of topics from British history. This book, St Thomas’s Eve, belongs to her Tudor series.
Not so many fictional writers choose this topic when it comes to the Tudors. St Thomas, or Thomas More, was a lawyer, judge, philosopher, and renowned author. Thanks to him, we have a genre of Utopia, as Thomas More was the one who invented it. He was also famous for his courage – not so many people would have dared to object a king, yet Thomas did it twice – he refused to indulge King Henry VII's irrational spending, and, being a faithful Catholic, refused to accept Henry VIII's separation from the Catholic Church, and therefore refusing to acknowledge the king as a head of the Church of England and the annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. This would not go so easily with a person as self-willed as Henry VII. Thomas More was convicted of treason and executed.
What I like about Jane Plaidy’s books, they are quite historically accurate, fictional, and they explain important events of British history in a clear and nice way. Her style is easy and comprehensible, and the topics which the writer chooses are unique, and I wish they had more representation in literature.
You can find books by Jean Plaidy for free access in online libraries such as the Internet Archive.
During her long life, many books of different historical series came from her pen – about Victorian rulers, the Spanish Inquisition, European royals, and, of course, plenty of topics from British history. This book, St Thomas’s Eve, belongs to her Tudor series.
Not so many fictional writers choose this topic when it comes to the Tudors. St Thomas, or Thomas More, was a lawyer, judge, philosopher, and renowned author. Thanks to him, we have a genre of Utopia, as Thomas More was the one who invented it. He was also famous for his courage – not so many people would have dared to object a king, yet Thomas did it twice – he refused to indulge King Henry VII's irrational spending, and, being a faithful Catholic, refused to accept Henry VIII's separation from the Catholic Church, and therefore refusing to acknowledge the king as a head of the Church of England and the annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. This would not go so easily with a person as self-willed as Henry VII. Thomas More was convicted of treason and executed.
What I like about Jane Plaidy’s books, they are quite historically accurate, fictional, and they explain important events of British history in a clear and nice way. Her style is easy and comprehensible, and the topics which the writer chooses are unique, and I wish they had more representation in literature.
You can find books by Jean Plaidy for free access in online libraries such as the Internet Archive.
October 21, 2017
This is the story of Sir Thomas More told through the eyes of his daughter. The King's Confidante focuses more on More the family man, and his life outside of his role at court, so the title seems a bit of a misnomer. Regardless, it is an interesting alternate perspective on the man, tempered as it is by the love of a daughter and her inability to see faults in her father. So here we get More the loving father, More the doting grandfather, More the friend, More the reluctant statesman... And it is of course an important perspective, for as much as we've read about Sir Thomas More at court, by necessity his life outside of court would be much different. It is the tale of a contented family, ruled by a moral man. His extremist role in the persecution of heretics is glossed over here, but we are treated to stories of his role as teacher and his belief that women could be as smart as men if educated.
It's nice to see Sir Thomas More outside of the intrigue of King Henry the VIII's court. The family life depicted in this novel is serene and befitting the author of Utopia.
It's nice to see Sir Thomas More outside of the intrigue of King Henry the VIII's court. The family life depicted in this novel is serene and befitting the author of Utopia.
August 9, 2017
This is the first of Jean Plaidy's books I have read and I am definitely eager to read more. I found it surprisingly personal and descriptive regarding the inhabitants of More's home and I found the characters easy enough to remember and get my head around; I knew who was who. I liked the fairly fast pace and the lack of needless description, allowing the reader to create the images themselves.
The only thing I think it lacked was a strong plotline, which is the problem with true stories. I found myself drifting at times because it didn't grip me. I feel like there was a lack of shock and excitement, however that may be because of the age of the book and the fact that I am not accustomed to the writing style.
Conclusively, the book was rather enjoyable and I have learnt an awful lot of history without seeming to try. I look forward to reading more of Plaidy's work.
The only thing I think it lacked was a strong plotline, which is the problem with true stories. I found myself drifting at times because it didn't grip me. I feel like there was a lack of shock and excitement, however that may be because of the age of the book and the fact that I am not accustomed to the writing style.
Conclusively, the book was rather enjoyable and I have learnt an awful lot of history without seeming to try. I look forward to reading more of Plaidy's work.
April 15, 2021
This was a book kept from my youth to re read. It would appear that my obsession with all things Tudor has lasted a lifetime and I enjoyed this tale told from the perspective of Sir Thomas More and his daughter Margaret.
It gives a fascinating insight into Tudor life and politics whilst keeping family life at its heart.
Having read other more current Tudor novels recently, I found it interesting how Plaidy uses language from the time as well as descriptions of food and herbal remedies which shows considerable research for a short novel.
This piqued my interest for further enquiries of my own.
Sir Thomas More was a man who put faith and principle above all else, including his own life. I fear we will not see his like again.
It gives a fascinating insight into Tudor life and politics whilst keeping family life at its heart.
Having read other more current Tudor novels recently, I found it interesting how Plaidy uses language from the time as well as descriptions of food and herbal remedies which shows considerable research for a short novel.
This piqued my interest for further enquiries of my own.
Sir Thomas More was a man who put faith and principle above all else, including his own life. I fear we will not see his like again.
January 29, 2024
Wow! Did Jean Plaidy just become my favorite author? I absolutely loved reading The King’s Confidante. I always enjoy reading about historical novels such as this. I really didn’t know much about the important figure such as Thomas More before I started reading this book. I did fall in love with his character.
Plaidy portrays More as someone who is simple, humble and wise, someone who loves and cares about his family, his friends and his work.
He was a feminist. His women in his life played a role in developing his idea that women are just as capable as men.
This book will definitely be with the rest of my book collection. Well deserving 5 stars !
Plaidy portrays More as someone who is simple, humble and wise, someone who loves and cares about his family, his friends and his work.
He was a feminist. His women in his life played a role in developing his idea that women are just as capable as men.
This book will definitely be with the rest of my book collection. Well deserving 5 stars !
September 29, 2018
I enjoyed the book but not one of my favorites. The book described itself as the story of Thomas More and his family - primarily his relationship with his favorite daughter Meg. I did enjoy "learning" about the members of his family and his extended family and I have always admired Thomas More for he was one of the very few who stood firm against King Henry VIII in what he believed in which ultimately cost him his life but it just lacked something for me which is why I didn't give it 5 stars which I usually do with a Jean Plaidy book.
March 31, 2022
Another Monster
Jean Plaidy writes so brilliantly about the history of this period. In doing so, she also succeeds in revealing the elements of monsterhood and the people who support them; the Cromwells, Cramers and Rich's of Henry's time and the system and people that support Putin now. A great read for lovers of Tudor history and, perhaps, a despairing read for those who recognise yet another Monster among us. Henry's time passed and, hopefully, soon will Putin's.
David Ellis
Jean Plaidy writes so brilliantly about the history of this period. In doing so, she also succeeds in revealing the elements of monsterhood and the people who support them; the Cromwells, Cramers and Rich's of Henry's time and the system and people that support Putin now. A great read for lovers of Tudor history and, perhaps, a despairing read for those who recognise yet another Monster among us. Henry's time passed and, hopefully, soon will Putin's.
David Ellis
February 4, 2024
Plaidy does a good job at drawing the reader into the circle of More’s family and highlighting his goodness and saintliness as it might’ve been seen by those who loved him best.
At times her characters seem a little flat, more like vehicles repeating the words committed to history, but as the novel presents broader details about More’s family life than most do it’s still worth the read if you like Tudor historical fiction.
At times her characters seem a little flat, more like vehicles repeating the words committed to history, but as the novel presents broader details about More’s family life than most do it’s still worth the read if you like Tudor historical fiction.
January 17, 2025
A historical “Faction” book which focuses on the life of Sir Thomas More.
Aside from the imagined thoughts & conversations this reads as well as any biography would do.
Fans of Philippa Gregory et al really should try Jean Plaidy she’s the original Tudor History Faction writer & in my opinion definitely the best
Aside from the imagined thoughts & conversations this reads as well as any biography would do.
Fans of Philippa Gregory et al really should try Jean Plaidy she’s the original Tudor History Faction writer & in my opinion definitely the best
February 27, 2019
Another smoothly written book in Plaidy's Tudor saga. Thomas More was an unambitious man, but one whose intelligence and integrity attracted notice and advancement. This book looks at both the man, and the effect his career had on his family.
February 22, 2022
I think Jean Plaidy is one of the best writers of historical fiction, she tells a story using a little bit of artistic license. This is the story of Sir Thomas More, his life, family, beliefs and, ultimately, his death at the hands of Henry VIII. A really interesting read.
April 8, 2018
Interesting story of the life of Sir Thomas More, focusing on his personal and family life - enjoyable if a bit light on the details of his time at the court of Henry VIII.
January 9, 2020
Very interesting and from several different characters’ perspectives. Comparing Jean Plaidy’s novels on a raging scale of 1 to 10 scale this was an 8.
August 8, 2020
Another great historical story by Jean Plaidy, I never knew Thomas Moore was such a lovely chap!!
August 31, 2021
Read it again and again
December 31, 2024
One of my favourite authors. Jean Plaidy tells us the story of the counsellor of Henry VIII. A very touching story that is now one of my most beloved books.
March 1, 2019
"The Kings Confidant" begins pretty intensely. You are thrown into the book and the story, apposed to being slowly introduced. It's almost as though you walked up to someone, who is in the middle of telling a story and you try to jump right in and figure out what they are talking about. It starts off by introducing the characters by jumping to different peoples perspectives. It was confusing at first, but it became entertaining once you figure out who everyone is and what their relationships are. My biggest criticism, is that I felt like the beginning was mostly just them repeating how much they loved each other the entire time, with a few events thrown in between. It started to feel weird, like it went a little beyond father daughter relationship, especially considering that he did have multiple daughters who he did not give the same amount of attention to. As the story progresses and more happens, it mellows out though. Aling those lines, I also was kind of bummed out by his lack of morning for his first wife, who gave him the daughter he so dearly loves. It just seemed kind of messed up. On a different note, something I really enjoyed was reading from the perspective of Sir Thomas More. He is present in any story about Henry 8th, but rarely do I read about him as the primary focus and not just about situations that involved him. It was also interesting to get a more in depth view of his family, since they are rarely explored. I have studied Sir Thomas More from both the historic records of his involvement with King Henry 8th and from reading his books, the one that specifically comes to mind, that is also mentioned frequently in "The Kings Confidant", is "Utopia", classic of his time and a book that makes you think deeply about society and how the world works. I would recommend this book to anyone who is highly interested in Tudor History, because it dives beyond the royals that most people focus on. I didn't love this book, but I enjoyed reading it once I got into the thick of it.
October 18, 2014
After reading this book, I realized that the publishers are re-releasing a bunch of Victoria Holt/Jean Plaidy books with different titles. i call this switch-and-bait because I get excited to see a new title out by a favorite/trusted author so I buy it only to learn that it's just an old book re-packaged.
I was disappointed in this book. The writing is up to par but the cover misled me. The sub-title suggests that the book is about Sir Thomas Moore's daughter. I wondered how I'd never heard that Meg Moore was a king's favorite.
As I read I realized that I'd never heard that Meg Moore was a king's favorite because she wasn't. The story is really about Sir Thomas Moore told by two of the women in his life: his first wife and his eldest daughter.
I continue to be fascinated by the Tudor world but I'm going to be more careful about the books I get. This one wasn't a keeper.
I was disappointed in this book. The writing is up to par but the cover misled me. The sub-title suggests that the book is about Sir Thomas Moore's daughter. I wondered how I'd never heard that Meg Moore was a king's favorite.
As I read I realized that I'd never heard that Meg Moore was a king's favorite because she wasn't. The story is really about Sir Thomas Moore told by two of the women in his life: his first wife and his eldest daughter.
I continue to be fascinated by the Tudor world but I'm going to be more careful about the books I get. This one wasn't a keeper.
May 16, 2009
The title of this book is somewhat misleading. While Meg More's relationship with her father is central to the book; it is Sir Thomas More's life which is the main feature. Still, this fact doesn't detract from my pleasure in this quaint novel.
There is much to admire in the humble Sir Thomas; but the loving family life he held so dear,especially the bond between him and Meg is most admirable. More's goodness was evident in his dealings with his family, extended family, friends and countrymen. He strove to always do right and upheld justice even at the expense of his family. The high values he maintained couldn't be bought or swayed. He served the king well, but didn't fear the wrath of King Henry VIII when their interests weren't the same, because he was loyal to God first, then the king. Although I knew the outcome, the ultimate beheading of More, the story was nonetheless heartwarming.
There is much to admire in the humble Sir Thomas; but the loving family life he held so dear,especially the bond between him and Meg is most admirable. More's goodness was evident in his dealings with his family, extended family, friends and countrymen. He strove to always do right and upheld justice even at the expense of his family. The high values he maintained couldn't be bought or swayed. He served the king well, but didn't fear the wrath of King Henry VIII when their interests weren't the same, because he was loyal to God first, then the king. Although I knew the outcome, the ultimate beheading of More, the story was nonetheless heartwarming.
August 15, 2012
I think the title of the book is confusing. The book is really about Thomas More who most certainly WAS the king's confidante. But the sub-title says the story of the daughter of Thomas More. Although Meg is a main character, it is very obvious that Thomas is THEE main character, not Meg. I think this is a publishing company trying to capitalize on the rise of popularity of Philipa Gregory and other such authors. Which is unfortunate because Jean Plaidy is superior to Gregory in every way. Her stories are researched and well founded. Her characters are interesting and her stories move quickly. The only thing that can be daunting is that Plaidy wrote most of her sagas in the 70s and occasionally some turns-of-phrase or idioms seem odd. Because it's supposed to be the Renaissance and not the 70s, these issues are very minor.
I will certainly be excited to read the others book in her Tudor Saga.
I will certainly be excited to read the others book in her Tudor Saga.
March 12, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, I finished it one day. I liked seeing the old story of Henry the eighth in a different way, specifically from the point of view of the King's counselor Thomas More and the More family.
Thomas More has always confused me as a historical figure. He writes "Utopia" and other papers about religious tolerance and a "perfect state" ruled by wise and learned men. He raised and educated his daughters and son the same, a very unusual practice for the times. He was known as a wise and fair counselor, listening to the poor and rich alike. Yet at the same time he was almost violent in his hatred of those who he saw as heretics. He was a man ruled by his faith which was greater than his loyalty to his King.
This fictional book attempts to understand his motives and tell his story. It was both interesting and well-written. I would reccomend this book to anyone who likes history, or a good historical fiction.
Thomas More has always confused me as a historical figure. He writes "Utopia" and other papers about religious tolerance and a "perfect state" ruled by wise and learned men. He raised and educated his daughters and son the same, a very unusual practice for the times. He was known as a wise and fair counselor, listening to the poor and rich alike. Yet at the same time he was almost violent in his hatred of those who he saw as heretics. He was a man ruled by his faith which was greater than his loyalty to his King.
This fictional book attempts to understand his motives and tell his story. It was both interesting and well-written. I would reccomend this book to anyone who likes history, or a good historical fiction.
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