The Irish Princess: A Novel

by Karen Harper, Ana Clements (narrator)

Elizabeth "Gera" Fitz Gerald had a privileged life in her youth in Ireland, daughter of the FitzGerald Dynasty. Her privileged world is overturned when her father, the ninth earl of Kildare, is imprisoned in the Tower of London by King Henry VIII and her family is destroyed by corruption charges and scandal. Torn from her island home and the rest of her family spread out across Europe, Elizabeth has no choice but to accept a place in England's glittering court. Now a member of King Henry VIII's royal court and a companion to his infant daughter, Elizabeth, Gera has to navigate the ever changing politics and alliances - all while nursing her own desire for revenge.

From the lush green fields of Ireland's County Kildare to England's treacherous and opulent royal court, New York Times best seller Karen Harper delves into the life of a real, daring woman who cannot be tamed...or satisfied until her family's good name is restored.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Ireland, Historical, Fiction, Romance, British Literature, 16th Century

Audible Audio

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Karen Harper is a former college English instructor (The Ohio State University) and high school literature and writing teacher. A lifelong Ohioan, Karen and her husband Don divide their time between the midwest and the southeast, both locations she has used in her books. Besides her American settings, Karen loves the British Isles, where her Scottish and English roots run deep, and where she has set many of her historical Tudor-era mysteries and her historical novels about real and dynamic British women. Karen's books have been published in many foreign languages and she won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for 2005. Karen has given numerous talks to readers and writers across the county. Her most recent books include THE SOUTH SHORES TRILOGY (CHASING SHADOWS, DROWNING TIDES and FALLING DARKNESS.) Her latest historical is THE ROYAL NANNY. Please visit her website at www.KarenHarperAuthor and her fb page at www.facebook.com/KarenHarperAuthor

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and I'm glad that I read it. It is a historical Tudor era novel, but is about more peripheral characters than you usually get. (For example Queen Elizabeth is a minor character instead of one of the main ones). Actually a lot of the things that happen in the book really did happen. I ended up really liking the main character, Gera. I thought that the book started out slowly which is why I gave it 4 stars. The rest of the book is a 5. I liked that Gera evolved and didn't let vengeance or bitterness consume her life even though she clearly went through many trying things. I also really related to her difficulties with childbirth, etc. After I finished it, I looked up some things about Gera and her family and was surprised at the fact that she really did do many of the things in the book. I think that a lot of books that are written today about women from the past impose our current ideas about women and what we would have thought, felt or done in their circumstance on these historical women. But, Gera really did many of the things in the book (like hijacking a pirate ship). I ended up respecting the amount of research that Karen Harper put into this book and I would read another book by her.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy a good historical fiction novel. The author calls it a "historical faction" meaning most is fact while some stuff was added to keep the story running smoothly. Of course I was googling the people in this book as soon as I finished!

This story was about Elizabeth "Gera" Fitzgerald .. from a noble family in Ireland in the 1500s, and who would more than likely have been the royal family if not for the stinken English (seriously, they caused problems for everyone back in the day!) Henry VIII ultimately is responsible for the deaths of Gera's father, brother, and Uncles ... so this story is dedicated to her resolve to get revenge. I enjoyed her journey to get there. She was one awesome lady, and I wish there were more women out there like that. Someone to truly look up to. Her love story with Edward Clinton was bittersweet and left me heartbroken for her at times, and with happy butterflies in my stomach at the end.

This book, as with others I've read about this time period, makes me thankful I wasn't alive during this era. It was a "man eat man" kind of world. People did whatever they could to raise themselves in status, no matter who they trampled over to get there. No one seemed sincere or seemed to have any kind of personal integrity. That's why Gera was a refreshing heroine to me. She wasn't afraid to stand up for herself and her beliefs.

This was a good meaty, substantial read and took me a while to read. I love a book that takes a while! There was no language or "adult situations" which I really appreciated. A good book doesn't need that!

Read this! :)

[Rio (Lynne) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I was Tudored out, but this book tells the story of people that I was not familiar with. Elizabeth Fitzgerald's family was beheaded for treason because of an uprising in Ireland and we all know Henry 8th didn't allow anyone the opportunity to overthrow him. Elizabeth came to England after her family was overthrown and was forced to live among those that killed her family all the while hoping for revenge one day and to hopefully see her family brought back to power in Ireland. Karen Harper brings us a story where we not only learn about the Fitzgeralds, but also Elizabeth's husbands...Sir Anthony Browne and Edward Clinton who served under John Dudley and all the Tudors (Henry, Edward, Mary and Elizabeth.) This story covers Elizabeth's life. She was a Lady in Waiting for two of Henry's wives, then Mary and Elizabeth 1. This book started out a little fluffy for me (reminding me of a Kate Emerson book) but knowing I was reading about real characters kept me interested. There were some really great and interesting parts and some real fluffy and over of the top parts. All in all I enjoyed this story.

[Jennifer N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. I love historical novels set in the Tudor Era especially when I learn about someone new. This is about Gera Fitzgerald - an Irish relation who becomes very close to Queen Elizabeth. It starts with the execution of her father - who was ruling Ireland - by Henry VIII and how Gera swore revenge.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually disappointed in this one. After reading Karen Harper's The Queen's Governess, I found myself a fan of her approach to history and how she brought the past to life. Though I wouldn't say Harper is my favorite historical author out there, I enjoyed reading here and wanted to read more. So, of course, I put The Irish Princess on hold as soon as it popped up at the library. But when I got it, however, I soon found that it just wasn't that good. Perhaps I had over hyped it in my mind or I was expecting something different, but I could just never get fully engaged in this book.

The Irish Princess tells the story of Elizabeth Fitzgerald (aka Gera), the daughter of a high-ranking Irish Earl who is king of Ireland in all but name. Gera and her people have long been oppressed by Henry Tudor and the British. When Gera's father dies, she and her family are captured and she is sent to live with the Grey family -sort of distant cousins. Gera finds herself thrown into the political webs of the Tudor court, complete with drive to kill Henry Tudor himself.

The Irish Princess felt like a run-of-the-mill Tudor novel. Though it seemed like Harper's goal was to give a different view of Henry VIII's reign through the eyes of an unknown historical figure and tell here story. Instead, I felt like I was reading a brief history of Henry VIII's reign from the vantage point of a very minimal side character and, even though some interesting things do happen to her, mostly in the romance department, I never felt like the story was fully about her. Perhaps I'm just Tudor-mania-ed out, but I really didn't care about re-counting all of Henry's wives, yet again, and hearing about the family Tudor drama.

Sadly, I felt like Gera's story just wasn't compelling enough to keep me going. While she had some interesting motivations and a unique past, she didn't really seem like she was moving toward much of a future. I'm not sure if it was Gera or Harper, but I felt like there was little direction for much of the novel. Plus, I feel as though Harper's writing quality had dropped here.

Not great, but not horrid. I'd give Irish Princess a pass.

[Sheli Ellsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fitzgeralds were considered Irish royalty when the English Tudors deposed them in 1533. Harper follows the young Elizabeth Fitzgerald from the imprisonment of her father in the Tower of London and the siege of her family’s castle to the execution of her half brother and five uncles in London.
Gera, as she was called, was determined to exact revenge on the Tudors—especially Henry VIII, and eventually positioned herself in the epicenter of English Royal court and becomes a lady-in-waiting for Catherine Howard. After Howard was charged with treason and beheaded, Gera maintained her ties with Henry VIII’s two daughters Mary and Elizabeth and became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth. The story is a fascinating glimpse of the machinations of royal social climbing as Gera seeks to restore her family’s position in Ireland.
Gera becomes acquainted with the handsome Englishman Edward Clinton, and is instantly attracted to the married captain. Gera and Edward maintain a long-standing mutual admiration that almost erupts into romance, even though at the age of 16, Gera marries the older Sir Anthony Browne. After the death of her husband, she is fortunate enough to become the Countess of Lincoln and eventually commandeers a pirate ship and claims her victory, in the name of the queen, hoping to gain Elizabeth’s trust.
The author deftly works this fascinating and tragic time in history into Gera’s personal memoir, accurately capturing the period’s social practices.

[Elis Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gem by Karen Harper details the life of Elizabeth Fitzgerald (a/k/a The Fair Geraldine)


Yeah, I don't get it either.

Let's just say Gera (as she was called) had plenty of reason to despise the Tudors. In fact her story kinda makes you want to dig the lot of them up and raise them to life just so you can kick their butts.

Maybe it's just that I have a fascination with the Fitzgeralds, going back to the early antecedents, Nest ferch Rhys and her husband Gerald of Windsor, but this gave life to one of their many fascinating descendants (in a line that includes the Kennedys here in the US). But this was a ripping good read.

Four and a half stars, and I look forward to reading more by Harper.

[Sarah Hearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read, confirming for me once again - as if I needed the confirmation - but a total nutbar Henry VIII was. Karen Harper writes really well-researched historical "faction".

[Chana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining history of Elizabeth Fitzgerald of the Fitzgerald family of Ireland, most of the story taking place in the mid 1550's. Political and Court intrigue, romance, famous historical figures; a good balance between history and romance for those of us who love history but a little romance does not go amiss.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry VIII & all his wives and children, the political turmoil & intrigues of courtly life, England-Ireland-Scotland, never knowing who you can trust, vengance & betrayal & loyalty, marriages of protection & convenience, marriages of love, corruption for power, corruption with power, the Tower of London ... it all describes the Tudor era of England and this book perfectly.

I am always intrigued by stories of England during the Tudor reign especially Henry VIII and his wives. This story begins in Ireland and takes you through 20+ years of Henry's England right into Mary Tudor's England and finally Elizabeth Tudor's England.

The majority of events are indeed based on facts, with, I'm sure, a few liberties thrown in, but they create a very engaging story that is not easy to put down. I thought KH did an excellent job weaving facts & fiction to give us this story of Elizabeth 'Gera' Fitzgerald and the Fitzgerald's of Ireland with Edward Clinton of Lincolnshire.

[Meg Ulmes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books is an easy read. I love historical fiction--especially about Great Britain. This novel is written almost at a young adult level--nothing wrong with that--but it has been merchandised as an adult novel. Too much of the novel is telling instead of showing--not much depth--a lot of shallow narration. The story is an excellent one that could have and would have made a more serious adult read. The characters are appealing--but some are well drawn and others are quite flat. Some of the plot events that allow a happy ending are not only unbelievable--they are unsatisfying as well. I was very frustrated by its lack of depth, detail, and seriousness.

[Makita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED this book!!! What a heroine! I wish they made a really long movie about this story.

[Poptart19 (the name’s ren) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Three solid stars mainly because I enjoyed it. The writing style is decent though not subtle, although 1st person narratives aren’t my favorite. The scene settings & sense of place were well done at least.

Gera’s hatred of the English & desire for revenge dominated the first half the book. Understandably, but it felt a bit over done at times. I liked her as a character, and most of the supporting cast. Dudley was a rather black & white villain & could have used a bit more nuance. I wish Gera’s relationship with Edward had been developed more.

The action & suspense & character motivations held my attention, although some of Gera’s exploits seemed truly unbelievable. I won’t go into details, but including her misadventure on the royal progress, her encounter with Henry VIII, having roused crowds to cheer for traitors, etc.

Even the naval exploit at the end, although the author’s note says it truly happened, didn’t feel real. Perhaps because it was just stuck in at the end without any narrative connections to the rest of the novel.

Some of the dates are a bit confusing if you are familiar with the history behind this story. I know birth dates aren’t always exact, but the author made Anthony Browne 20 years older than he was in reality. I’m not sure why that choice was made, unless she wanted a greater contrast between the “old man” Sir Anthony & the dashing “young lover” Edward. (In reality, they were both around 40 at the times she married them, respectively.)

All in all, this was fun & worth the read, especially for Tudor court intrigue enthusiasts. Not sure if I’ll reread it again though.

[Caite 🌷 · Rating 5 out of 5]

*spoiler free!*
First off, let me say that I loved this book! As a reader who adores history (especially Irish history) this was a home run for me. The main character Gera is extremely interesting and personable; I found myself whispering her family battle cry along with her. The story focuses on Gera whose family has been uprooted and torn at the seams. We see her transplanted from her beloved Ireland into the treacherous Tudor court. I thought the writing was artfully done. I've seen a complaint that the author sometimes "tells" us information instead of "showing;" however, this is a novel that spans more than a decade of time. It would not be useful for the author to show every little thing that happens. She shows us the important things then allows the narrator, Gera, to summarize. I think this works because the novel is supposed to be Gera looking back on her life, so she wouldn't go into detail about everything, especially with so many people in and out of Tudor court. And it would have been too long and would drag had she done that. So, I stand by Harper's narration and detail style. I think it works very well, and I never felt like anything was too rushed over.

I adored this novel and devoured it (even though I obviously had other things to do as well). It enveloped me into its world. Truth be told, I'll probably read it again someday. A Geraldine! A Geraldine! A Geraldine!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Irish Princess was the perfect book to read while I was in Ireland! This was a very detailed historical fiction novel about the life of Irish princess Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Her story showed how Henry the VIII’s reign resulted in her family’s death and turned her world around when she was forced to flee Ireland. She was a spunky lass who was determined to avenge her family.

It merged the history of both England and Ireland into a tale that really showed the detrimental impact that England’s political power and Henry’s aggression had on this young woman and her family. Gera, as she called herself, was spunky! She was outspoken and full of family pride. I did get a little tired of hearing how she planned to kill King Henry to avenge the deaths in her own family. There was only one time she actually took action to kill him, so for most of the book this was just a whinny and empty threat.

Her presence at his Court gave her a front row view into Henry’s wives and the political schemes that swirled around at that time. I loved her interactions and relationships with Henry’s daughters, Princesses Mary and Elizabeth. I was fascinated by her experiences in their court. I liked that she was a spunky character who interacted with other male characters with confidence. There was a lot of history crammed into these pages that spanned decades, but it all came together in a succinct and readable story that was an entertaining journey.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born into a first family of Ireland, with royal ties on both sides, Elizabeth Fitzgerald -- known as Gera -- finds her loving, carefree world overturned when tyrant Henry VIII imprisons her father, the Earl of Kildare, and brutally destroys her family.

Torn from the home she loves, and with her remaining family scattered, Gera dares not deny the refuge offered her in England's glittering royal court. There she must navigate ever-shifting alliances even as she nurtures her secret desire for revenge. Beautiful, bold, and rebellious, Gera eludes dangerous suitors, encourages others, and holds close to her heart a private attachment to Edward Clinton, a handsome, ambitious courtier who understands her strong-willed spirit. And even as Gera works to undermine King Henry and win support for her family, she seeks to protect his young daughter Princess Elizabeth, a kindred spirit fighting to survive, whose future is linked to Gera's own.

From County Kildare's lush green fields to London's rough-and-tumble streets and the royal court's luxurious pageantry, The Irish Princess follows the journey of a daring woman whose will cannot be tamed, and who won't be satisfied until she restores her family to its rightful place in Ireland."

Accurately depicted a woman's role in 1500's Medieval Ireland & England and the distrust between the 2 countries. Gera is an outspoken Irish rebel and determined to fight for her family's legacy and her home at Maynooth Castle, Ireland.

[Dayanara Ryelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

A little too soon to tell how I feel about this, except for realizing that I went past the castle every day for a week on my exchange (possibly multiple times) and never noticed it. 🤦🏼‍♀️

But this caught my eye and I wanted to comment on it:

My feet felt like stone as I walked away. Father’s voice was hoarse and almost breathless as he gave the old Gaelic farewell, “Go raibh maith agat,” which meant, “May it go well with you.”

That may have been what it meant back then, but in modern times, GRMA (one of the few Irish phrases I know and can pronounce) means "thank you". [If you were wondering: "go ravh ma agat", though that may vary based on your region. That's how it's pronounced when Duolingo teaches it.]

=27 Nov=
More issues:

- Elizabeth says that Ireland has been under English rule for "nigh on 80 years" at that point, but England conquered Ireland in the 1100s.
- I'm not sure why the author decided to send Elizabeth to England three years later than she actually arrived. So far, there doesn't seem to be any justification for it.

=28 Nov=
I couldn't finish it.

If you're going to write alternative history where the protagonist is bent on getting revenge for her deceased family members, maybe actually try having her do something, rather than one vain trip to drench some papers and then sitting on her hands for years, hoping someday she'll be able to marry someone who can get her close enough to let her murder the king!

[Jenny Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book! I was expecting another fantasy type book, but this was the furthest thing from a mystical fantasy, and I was ALL IN. It was a historical fiction, taking readers on a journey through Tudor England under the rule of Henry VIII and his successors, as told by the “Irish Princess,” Elizabeth “Gera” Fitzgerald and her family’s struggle to retain control of their legacy in Kildare, Ireland. I was absolutely fascinated to read about the despicable Henry and his wives, (being a recent “Six the Musical” aficionado) and gain a deeper insight into his children, particular the would-be Queen Elizabeth. I was enamored with Gera and her strong devotion to her family and heritage and her fiery (and adaptable) spirit that saw her through multiple tragedies, falling in love and ultimately, finding her own way. Highly, highly recommended to anyone a fan of this era on time.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stunning Tudor era novel centered around Elizabeth Gera Fitzgerald, the unofficial princess of Ireland during the reign of the Tudor monarchy. It chronicles her happy childhood in Ireland, the violent deaths of her family members, her forced exile from Ireland, and her new life in England at the royal Tydor court. This beautifully written and crafted novel had me hooked from the very beginning! The sights, sounds, tastes, and scents of 16th century England and Ireland jump off the pages and bring to life the culture of ill-fated and well-favored aristocrats under the rule of Henry VIII and his successors. Harper blends the perfect amounts of historical fact, adventure, intrigue, and romance to deliver an enthralling historical tale that is guaranteed to sweep you off your feet.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to finally get a new person/character in a period historical fiction has beaten beyond a bloody pulp, but unfortunately the opportunity was cut off at the knees, to mix my metaphors. Felt tedious at times, then skipped years often leaving me confused where we were in the timeline which is a feat since it feels like I’ve read most of those Tudor and Tudor-adjacent books. I get the arc the author made but it was superficial, which may have contributed to the character often feeling so as well. She matured, but one more forced-feeling act of “Irish temper” or “Irish rebellion” and I was ready to throw the whole thing over.

[Macha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Misleading title. This is not about an Irish princess, this is about an English princess living in Ireland during the Tudor era. Writing and research are fine enough, but I don't really like the anti-nativism of this book. Irish history and what we might call Irish nobility is extremely fascinating, bloody and complicated and that's what I hope I was reading about. I don't know why they had to mislead people, reading about the Tudor era England would have been fine, but that's not what I thought I was about to read.

[Gael Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm very interested in the Tudor Era and this book especially because my 12th (yes!) great-grandmother, Catherine Fizgerald, was The Fair Geraldine's half sister. Yes, almost all their male relatives were beheaded in the Tower, which is unbelievable, but too true. This book certainly romanticized Elizabeth's life, but you have to admit that her life WAS stranger than fiction! My ancestor lived a lot more quietly in Ireland, thank God, or I might not be here! A fun read.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Tudor period, and I especially enjoyed this book because I learned about Gera Fitzgerald, who I know nothing about. It was a fresh take on events I'm already familiar with. The story felt a little jerky at times, jumping around, but not enough to ruin the book for me. It was a fun, fast read!

[Sherry Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book centered Elizabeth Fitzgerald, an Irish "princess", who hated the Tudor King, Henry VIII due to the killing of her father, uncles and loss of her Irish home. It is a biographical novel that was outstanding in its solid research.
The story itself is fascinating. If you like Tudor history, this book is well worth the read.

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

The opening of this movie feels a lot like the Disney movie Brave. The start definitely feels like that. It does have a ton of moving parts and character names. I was reading this in the bath at one point and fell asleep getting the pages soaked. It caused me to set the book down for a while, so it could dry out, and I completely forgot the plot at that point.

The Irish princess ‘Gera’, is called so many names I can’t keep up. And it’s hard reading because you forget who they are taking about.

I just felt like every time I opened the book I was beginning it again and reading blankly.

[Ang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, clean, and a great story!! Loved it!

What a great book! Action packed, kept me turning the pages, and I learned a lot about the Tudors, Ireland, and the Fitzgeralds. I loved that the story was clean, and found just a wonderful historical fiction book! Can't wait to read more from this author!!!!

[Meredith Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a Tudor era novel that isn’t focused solely on the Tudor family I suggest picking this one up. You still get the court drama but you also get a little Irish history in the mix as well.

Excellent writing from a new to me author and I look forward to reading more from Karen Harper.

[Cary Boswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accurately researched. I learned more about Henry VIII and the Tudors and Dudley. Gera Fitzgerald becomes a lady-in-waiting for the Tudor court and subsequently for Queens Mary and Elizabeth. Great history along with the love story of Gera,(the Irish princess) and Lord Edward Clinton.

[Darlene Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a time when King Henry VIII rules with an iron hand, the Fitzgerals, are allowed to rule Ireland for Henry. Elizabeth Fitgerald, Gera, is forced to run for her life with a a servant away from her beloved Ireland. As she grows Gera becomes one of those serving in King Henry VIII court. This book was researched as with the books Karen Harper writes and allows a person to view events of the past.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of the Tudor history but didn't know very much about Elizabeth (Gera) Fitzgerald, an Irish noblewoman and lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth I.
I enjoyed this book and loved the chemistry between Gera and her second husband, Edward Clinton.
Nearly as good as Anne Weir and Philippa Gregory.