The Tudor Crown

by Joanna Hickson

‘An intriguing tale, told with confidence’ The Times‘A great tale… the golden thread that led to the crown of England’ Conn IgguldenShe’ll betray her king to crown her sonWhen Edward of York takes back the English crown, the Wars of the Roses scatter the Lancastrian nobility and young Henry Tudor, with a strong claim to the throne, is forced into exile.

Recently widowed and vulnerable, his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, forges an uncomfortable alliance with Edward’s queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Swearing an oath of allegiance to York, Margaret agrees to marry the king’s shrewdest courtier, Lord Stanley. But can she tread the precarious line between duty to her husband, loyalty to her son, and her obligation to God and the king?

When tragedy befalls Edward’s reign, Richard of York’s ruthless actions fire the ambition of mother and son. As their destinies converge each of them will be exposed to betrayal and treachery and in their gruelling bid for the Tudor crown, both must be prepared to pay the ultimate price…

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Tudor Period, Audiobook, Royalty, British Literature

545 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2018

About the author

Joanna Hickson became fascinated with history when she studied Shakespeare's history plays at school. However, having taken a degree in Politics and English she took up a career in broadcast journalism with the BBC, presenting and producing news, current affairs and arts programmes on both television and radio. Now she writes full time and has a contract with Harper Collins for three historical novels. The Agincourt Bride is the first. She lives in Scotland in a 200 year old farmhouse and is married with a large extended family and a wayward Irish terrier.
Joanna likes people to join her on Twitter (@joannahickson) or Facebook (Joanna Hickson)and says if you can't find her she'll be in the fifteenth century!

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely sensational! I love the way that the narrative is divided between young Henry Tudor, a young king in waiting, coping with exile, and his mother back in England, the remarkable Margaret Beaufort. It's an extraordinary story and I love the way that Joanna Hickson tells it. I gobbled this up. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wars of the Roses – the 15th century series of conflicts between the House of York and the House of Lancaster – is one of my favourite periods of history to read about, partly because there are so many different ways in which the people and events of the time can be interpreted. Although I’ve read a few Wars of the Roses novels that take a more objective view of the period, authors – and readers – tend to be biased towards one side or the other. My personal preference is for York, but Joanna Hickson’s new novel The Tudor Crown is written from a decidedly Lancastrian perspective and shows both Henry Tudor and his mother, Margaret Beaufort, in a much more positive light than usual.

The Tudor Crown is a sequel to First of the Tudors and picks up where that book left off, but it does stand alone perfectly well so if you haven’t read the previous novel that shouldn’t be a problem. The story begins in 1471, just after the Lancastrians have been defeated at the Battle of Tewkesbury. With both Henry VI and his heir, the Prince of Wales, dead, and the Yorkist king, Edward IV, back on the throne of England, the Lancaster hopes seem to be in ruins. As one of the remaining Lancastrian claimants, young Henry Tudor’s life is now in danger and, accompanied by his Uncle Jasper, the Earl of Pembroke, he flees the country and takes refuge in Brittany. And here he must stay, for almost fourteen years, biding his time and trying to build up the support he will need to one day return to England and take the throne he believes is his.

Meanwhile, Margaret Beaufort, Henry’s mother, has been left widowed following the death of her husband at the recent Battle of Barnet and has married again, this time to Thomas Stanley. She returns to court where she serves the wives of first Edward IV, then Richard III, but she has still not given up hope of Henry becoming king and continues to work tirelessly on his behalf. If only she could persuade Thomas Stanley to help her…but Stanley has been walking a tightrope between York and Lancaster for years and won’t make a final decision until he is sure victory is within reach.

The Tudor Crown is written partly from Henry’s point of view and partly from Margaret’s, with the chapters alternating between the two. I found the Henry chapters the most interesting because I have never read about his time in exile in so much depth before. I was pleased to read in Joanna Hickson’s Author’s Note that most of the people Henry met during this time really existed. She does invent a romance for him with the fictional Catherine de Belleville, but I didn’t mind that as factual information on Henry’s exile is quite limited and if the author hadn’t used her imagination to fill in some of the gaps this wouldn’t have been much of a story. I loved the descriptions of the various places Henry visited and stayed at in Brittany, such as the Château de l’Hermine in Vannes (again a real place, but which sadly no longer exists in its original form). The Margaret chapters held less appeal for me simply because I am much more familiar with the events taking place in England during that period.

Both characters are portrayed with sympathy and understanding; in fact, I think Joanna Hickson might be the first author who has succeeded in actually making me like Henry (or Harri, as she refers to him, using a Welsh version of his name). He feels very human in this book and I almost found myself supporting him in his attempts to become king – although I still couldn’t bring myself to side with him against Richard at the Battle of Bosworth or to accept that Richard was responsible, beyond doubt, for the deaths of the Princes in the Tower. I think there is plenty of doubt, which is why it is still being discussed and debated more than five hundred years later.

This is Joanna Hickson’s third book about the Wars of the Roses, following Red Rose, White Rose and First of the Tudors (her other two novels, The Agincourt Bride and The Tudor Bride are set in the period just prior to this). She mentioned in her Author’s Note that she is planning to write about Margaret Beaufort again in her next novel, so I will look forward to that one.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This hurts me deeply. I was looking forward to this and wanted to love this book so much, cause there are really not many books that have Henry VII and Margaret Beaufort as heroes or even as a main protagonists. I've basically spent the last week or so in so much denial about disliking this book that I didn't even mark it as finished.

But I did dislike it.

The premise was actually great! Mother and son, separated because their side lost a war, trying to work their way back to one another and then towards the crown. Sprinkled in are other historical characters and some made up people to give the story more depths and the reader more characters to care about. Good stuff right there!

Sadly, the execution was terribly boring. I even started skipping pages near the end - and that's where the technically most exciting stuff was happening.

I usually don't mind changing up or adding to history a bit in my historical fiction. That's what the "fiction" part is for. I simply want to be entertained. (Now, if you claim that your version of history is 100% what happened, then we have a problem. Hello Philippa Gregory, how are you?)
Sadly neither the historical accurate, nor the made up stuff was in any way interesting most of the time. All the characters were pretty bland, with only the occasional sparks of life.
I do question the decision to have Jasper Tudor's made up illigetimate family join him and Henry in exile. I could have understood maybe a son/brother figure, but this way they didn't really ad anything, except some weird family drama that also amounted to basically nothing. It rather took away from the famous uncle/nephew relationship in my opinion.

For those who are interested in if the usual suspects were evil or not:

Elizabeth Woodwille wasn't portrayed as a villain. At first she seemed to be one, but with time in which her friendship with Margaret deepened (something that I did like), she was shown to be a practical, intelligent woman not without warmth - especially for her family.

Edward IV was portrayed pretty neutral in the sense that I didn't feel like I was supposed to hate him, but also get the feeling that he wasn't right for the throne. His eating and whoring habits weren't portrayed favorably, but they also weren't made up.

Sadly, Richard III had the usual main villain role without redeeming qualities. I prefer it when both sides of the conflict have at least some personality worth rooting for. Otherwise it's just boring - especially when you already know how it's going to end, like in this case. I'm totally able to root for Henry, even without hating Richard.

So yes. This one was a disappointment... but if the author decides to write a follow up about Henry's reign and his relationship with Elizabeth of York, I will be SO there. I'm starved for stories portraying them in a positive light (Hello again, Philippa Gregory... >_>)!

[Natasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surpassed my expectations in every way. I have a genuine passion for this era of English history, and this narrative brought it to life beautifully. As a work of historical fiction, it skillfully intertwines factual events with imaginative storytelling, offering a captivating portrayal of Henry VII's dramatic ascent to the throne. The vivid descriptions and rich detail transported me to the tumultuous times of royal intrigue and ambition, making each page a thrilling journey through history. Full review you can find on my blog: https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com

[Annelies - In Another Era · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the battle of Tewkesbury, Jasper and his cousin Henry Tudor have to flee England. While King Edward IV of the House of York sits firmly on his throne, they wash up on the coast of Brittany, where they plot their return for 14 years. Meanwhile, Henry’s mother Margaret Beaufort must look for a third husband and therefore becomes lady-in-waiting to Edward’s stunning queen Elizabeth. However, she will continue to fight for her son’s return as a duke, or who knows, even as king.

I really loved Hickson’s previous book ‘First of The Tudors‘ where she tells the story of Jasper Tudor. The Tudor crown starts after the events at Tewkesbury where the previous novel ended. This time the story is told from the point of view of Henry Tudor himself and his mother Margaret Beaufort. So the book is very pro Lancaster and anti York.

I never read about Henry’s exile before and this is yet another new perspective on the Wars of the Roses. I may not have found Henry to be Hickson’s best fleshed out main character so far, but I did find it fascinating to read about the intrigues at the courts of Brittany and France. It’s just a pity that Jasper and Jane, whom I loved dearly in the previous book, quickly fade into the background.

Margaret is portrayed as very human and even sympathetic. Her chapters tell a piece of history I know well. Yet I was surprised by Hickson’s portrayal of both Elizabeth Woodville and her daughter Elizabeth of York. We know that Margaret has been plotting with Woodville against Richard III for a long time, but in this book the queen has a lot of trust in Margaret, and I don’t quite imagine it that way. Margaret also seems to build up a good relationship with Elizabeth of York, whereas a few years later she will make her future daughter-in-law’s life difficult. So I found it a bit confusing that especially Richard III came forward as the bad one and both Elizabeths were looking so kindly at the only remaining Lancaster players at court.

I thought the ending with the Battle of Bosworth was well done. The focus is not on the battle itself but heavily focuses on the run-up to it. It was very nice to get to know Joan Vaux, the main character in Hickson’s next two books. That really is a gift: all her books flow seamlessly into each other and she manages to choose a new perspective that fits into the story every time. As a faithful reader, it gets an extra dimension that way, because you still encounter ‘old’ beloved characters.

Dutch review:

Na de slag bij Tewkesbury moeten Jasper en zijn neef Henry Tudor Engeland ontvluchten. Terwijl koning Edward IV van het huis York stevig op zijn troon zit spoelen zij aan op de kust van Bretagne, waar ze 14 jaar lang hun terugkeer beramen. Henry's moeder Margaret Beaufort moet ondertussen op zoek naar een derde echtgenoot en wordt daarom hofdame van Edward's bloedmooie koningin Elizabeth. Ze zal echter blijven vechten voor haar zoons terugkeer als hertog, of wie weet wel als koning.

Ik was echt gek op Hicksons vorige boek 'First of The Tudors' waar ze het verhaal van Jasper Tudor vertelt. Dit boek start na de gebeurtenissen in Tewkesbury. Het verhaal wordt deze keer verteld vanuit Henry Tudor himself en zijn moeder Margaret Beaufort. Het boek is dus heel erg pro Lancaster en anti York.

Ik las nooit eerder over het ballingschap van Henry en dat is toch weer een nieuw perspectief op de Rozenoorlogen. Ik vond Henry misschien niet het best uitgewerkte hoofdpersonage van Hickson tot nu toe, maar ik vond het wel boeiend om te lezen over de intriges aan het hof van Bretagne en Frankrijk. Alleen jammer dat Jasper en Jane snel op de achtergrond raken.

Margaret wordt heel menselijk en zelfs sympathiek neergezet. Haar hoofstukken vertellen een stukje geschiedenis dat ik goed ken. Maar toch was ik verast met Hicksons neerzetting van zowel Elizabeth Woodville als haar dochter Elizabeth Of York. We weten dat Margaret met Woodville een hele tijd plannen heeft gemaakt tegen Richard III maar in dit boek is er een sterk vertrouwen van de koningin in Margaret en zo stel ik mij het niet helemaal voor. Ook met Elizabeth of York lijkt ze een goede relatie op te bouwen, terwijl ze haar toekomstige schoondochter enkele jaren later het leven zuur zal maken. Ik vond het dus wat verwarrend dat vooral Richard III als de slechte naar voren kwam.

Het einde met de battle of Bosworth vond ik goed uitgewerkt. De focus ligt niet op de veldslag zelf maar de aanloop er naartoe.

Heel fijn wel om al kennis te maken met Joan Vaux, het hoofdpersonage van Hickson's volgende twee boeken. Dat is echt wel haar gave, om al haar boeken naadloos in elkaar te doen overlopen en steeds weer een nieuw perspectief te kiezen. Als trouwe lezer krijgt het allemaal een extra dimensie op die manier.

[Mollie Ballinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually really liked this book but obvs the storyline was not at all surprising to me as I’ve spent the past two years learning the wars of the roses day-by-day timeline.

My A* was throughly deserved as I understood the entire plot and for once was not confused by the characters.

I liked the portrayal of Margaret Beaufort and her relationship with both Thomas Stanley and Elizabeth Woodville. Also loved the portrayal of Henry Tudor and his bond with Davy and Jasper. Elizabeth of York was very likeable too.

Howeverrr, I disliked the portrayal of Edward IV and William Hastings which felt rather reductive. Also, Catherine (Henry’s love interest) getting pregnant seemed unnecessary to me. Furthermore, Richard was once again portrayed as a villian with little redemption chances.

[Megan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Edward of York takes back the English crowns, the Wars of the Roses scatter the Lancastrian nobility and young Henry Tudor is forced into exile. His mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort forges an uncomfortable alliance with Edward’s queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Swearing an oath of allegiance to York, Margaret marries the king’s shrewdest courtier, Lord Stanley. Can Margaret tread the precarious line between duty to her husband, loyalty to her son and her obligation to God and the king? When tragedy hits Edward’s reign, Richard of York’s ruthless actions fire the ambition of mother and son.
This is fantastic, rich, historical novel charting a well-known period of history. Hickson tells this from the perspective of Margaret Beaufort and Henry and I have to be honest, I preferred the chapters from Margaret’s perspective. These chapters are evocative of the time, rich in detail with good historical licence taken and the reader really gets a sense of the emotions behind Margaret and her actions. I struggled a bit with Henry’s chapters, I did not always get the sense of who he was and a lot of detail is added in, potentially accurate but I did not get the realistic feel that I got from Margaret’s chapters. I thought Margaret’s chapters were more dramatic as well, she is in the centre of the danger and you can feel the desperation to get knowledge to Henry and to protect him. Towards the end, as Henry’s story races forward in time, I did enjoy Henry’s chapters a lot more as he becomes centre of the action and I got more of a feel for him as a person. It is just a pity that this is not carried through for the rest of the novel.
This aside, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Tudor Crown’, Hickson captures the excitement, the danger and most importantly the unknown. Despite knowing what would happen from history, I still found myself on the edge of my seat wondering how certain actions were going to play out. This was both a surprising and welcome addition to the novel. Hickson does do an excellent job in bringing the characters to life, at one point or another I felt sympathy for the characters and gained a good sense of who they were. This is a very sympathetic portrayal of Margaret Beaufort, different to others that I have read and again this was a welcome addition.
‘The Tudor Crown’ is a terrific, sumptuous retelling of a tumultuous period of history, I was taken in by this novel and was only too pleased to go along for the ride.

[Alana White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fine book! I loved every word of it--and it helped to know a bit about the War of the Roses going into the book. This one is from the pov of young Henry Tudor and his mother, Margaret Beaufort, who has one goal in life: to see her "exiled" son (for fourteen years) return to England as Henry VII. After crushing the "usurper," Richard III, of course. Nice to have this from Henry and Margaret's perspective, as most seem to settle on Edward IV and Richard III and their brother, George. Not to mention the two young princes in the tower. Here, the boys' disappearance/deaths at the hands of their uncle Richard contribute to English support for Henry to claim the throne. I purchased this after reading a wonderful Historical Novel Society review and seeing the setting is 1471-1485, since my work-in-progress is 1471-1473 Italy, and I love comparative history. (Lorenzo de' Medici "loaned" Edward IV funds the Medici Bank never got back.)

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hickson's novel tells the story of how Henry VII came to power, starting with his exile in Brittany at the age of 14 to the aftermath of the Battle of Bosworth where he defeated Richard III. Inbetween, we see the story of Margaret Beaufort and her efforts on behalf of her beloved son. This was a very good piece of historical fiction written in an engaging style that brought the era to life.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been a big reader of books written in the Tudor Era but I've only read a couple about Henry VII, as most are about Henry VIII, his wives and his mistresses. This book starts with the young Henry Tudor, one of the remaining potential claimants to the Throne of England for the Lancaster faction, fleeing the army of York King Edward IV, who want to wipe out the line of Royal blood that threaten Edward's position. Henry is smuggled out of England and a storm at sea lands him in Brittany with his uncle Jasper Tudor. Jasper is determined to protect Henry and prepare him for potential invasion and rule in England, while watching out for enemy attacks and fighting to keep them safe and protected by their host.

The book looks at the story of Henry's forced exile through his own eyes. It covers being moved around Brittany under the protection of the Brittany leader, the boredom of isolation, and the fear of the ever changing political landscape in England and France, which regularly affects his personal safety. I liked the dramatic chapters that occured whenever the Brittany leader took ill, as his advisors then seemed ready to sell Henry to King Edward for various prizes, only to be thwarted when he recovered from the illness. There were attempts to snatch Henry or have him transferred to France and it was only years later that France became a better option for Henry to flee to.

I liked the interaction with Henry and Jasper, and Henry's relationship with his companion Davey, his best friend and fiercest defender. To be honest I wasn't that bothered one way or the other about the invented romance for Henry and his child from the union. We know so little of Henry's life in exile that we assume he did have relationships of some kind over the years, so a fictional one didn't bother me. I was more interested in the changing nature of the proposed union with King Edward's daughter as a sub plot which changed with each development at the English Court.

The more interesting view in this story were the chapters following Henry's mother Margaret as she tries to stay safe in King Edward's Court and plot a way to send hope, money and support to her son while treading a fine line between mother to a rebel King and traitor to the King of England. I loved her complex relationships with King Edward's Queen Elizabeth, and how both women sought to manipulate the King to get what they wanted. Margaret's fight to try and get her son home either to live as a noble in safety or as the new King was fascinating. I liked her plotting and the way that the story was moved forward in stages by the use of letters between mother and son, which allowed weeks or months of developments to be given to the reader without turning the book into a George RR Martin epic!

Margaret's clever plotting kept her safe at a time when being part of the House of Lancaster was dangerous. The interesting wedded life with Lord Stanely, a man determined to remain as neutral as possible in the Wars, was part of what made her chapters really stand out. He was trying to keep his wife on the right side of the Yorkist King while assisting her to help her Lancaster born son, and trying not to be executed for treason in the process. He was a great character and the fact that he did manage to keep his head says a lot about his diplomacy skills!

The book got better as the invasion grew nearer. The death of King Edward, the fleeing of his Queen and her children into exile, their sons disinherited and vanishing in the Tower Of London feared murdered by his power hungry younger brother who becomes King Richard III...these are all historical events that have always fascinated me and it was fun to get a look at these key moments through the eyes of another author. I have never been sure about the guilt of Richard III in the murder of the Princes in the Tower but we are never going to know the truth so I like reading different views about it.

I very much enjoyed the book overall and I would love to see the author tackle the trials of King Henry VII and his children. There doesn't seem to be a follow up which is a bit of a shame. I'm not sure if I'll read more by the author, purely because it is the Tudor period that really holds my interest but I certainly liked her writing style and storytelling.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I would like to thank netgalley and Harper Collins for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved that recent archaeological finds have been used to inform the direction of the story. It's a complicated time period to put into fiction, and I loved that the author has thoroughly researched and kept up to date with research.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little is known about Henry Tudor's early life and this novel covers the time he spent in exile when he was fourteen years old up to the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 when he was twenty eight. The son of Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort, Henry was born in Pembroke Castle in Wales. As a Lancastrian claimant to the throne, Henry's life was in danger and so, together with his uncle, Jasper Tudor, he fled the country after Henry VI was killed in 1471 and Edward IV took the throne. They were aiming to seek refuge in France, but storms drove them to land in Brittany (I hadn't known that Brittany was not part of France at that time). Where they spent the next fourteen years.

If I knew little about Henry VII, I knew even less about his mother Margaret Beaufort. She was only thirteen when Henry was born and saw little of him during his early life in Wales and subsequent exile in Brittany. The Tudor Crown is told from both her perspective and that of Henry's, including letters between them telling of their plans for Henry's return to England. 

The funny thing about historical fiction, to my mind, is that although I know the outcome of events as I read I found that I was willing Henry on and wondering how he would be successful. Joanna Hickson has brought the period to life, capturing the danger and frustration and hopes for the future that both Henry and Margaret experienced. I could visualise the scenes, particularly the storm at sea and the perilous landing on the shores of Brittany, Henry's fictional love affair with Catherine de Belleville and the account of the Battle of Bosworth. She has filled the story with characters that have their own personalities. In particular I grew to like and admire Margaret Beaufort. She comes across as an intelligent and compassionate woman, loyal to her son, always ready to help him financially and ambitious for his future. 

I think this is a good mix of fact and fiction - in her Author's Note Joanna Hickson explains that 'with the odd exception' the people Henry met and the places he went to existed but their characters and descriptions are from her imagination. She say she 'has never doubted that Richard was responsible for the deaths of the Princes in the Tower' in contrast to other accounts that I've read, particularly Sharon Penman's The Sunne in Splendour in which she portrays a very likeable Richard and a different solution to what happened to the Princes. 

I really enjoyed reading this book, and as in all good historical fiction Joanna Hickson has included details of the sources she has used in her research for The Tudor Crown. Now, I'm hoping she will write more books about Henry's life after he became King.

Many thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for a review copy.

[Olga Miret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great female narrator and a must-read for lovers of all things Tudor. Thanks to NetGalley and to Harper Collins UK for providing me an ARC copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.
I must start by saying that although I’ve been reading more historical fiction recently, I am not an expert on the subject, and I know a bit more about other historical periods than about the rise to power of Henry VII of England. I was familiar with the bare facts and, like many people, knew of Richard III through Shakespeare’s play. So, please take my comments about historical accuracy with a pinch of salt (I might be totally wrong!).
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I had not read any of Joanna Hickson’s previous books but thought this would be an opportunity to familiarise myself with the period and to discover her writing. The book follows the adventures of Henry Tudor, whom we meet as a youth, as he escapes England with his uncle Jasper Owen, and also his mother’s, Lady Margaret Beaufort, who is left in the unenviable position of being widowed and a known supporter of the losing side (the House of Lancaster) in the new court of Edward IV (of the House of York). The chapters, written in first person from the points of view of the two protagonists, alternate as required by the action (at times we might have several chapters from Margaret’s point of view, and towards the end, when Henry returns to England, while his mother is confined to her husband’s household, we have several from his point of view), and we also have access to their epistolary interaction (as many years passed before they set eyes on each other).
To begin with I was overwhelmed by the large cast of characters, some with pretty complex titles and similar names, but the book offers a Family Tree and a Map at the beginning, that allow us to follow some of the intricacies of the relationships and to better understand the movements of the characters, and a glossary at the end, that includes definitions of some of the historical terms in use and others relevant to the story (some French and Welsh words that are introduced in the action). (Those who access the story in e-book format should be able to find most of the terms in the dictionary included with the e-reader). Do not be put off by talk of historical terms, as the language used in the story, although not jarringly modern or inadequate to the times, is easy to follow, flows well and feels completely natural to the setting and the situation.
As for the characters… I liked Margaret from the very beginning. Even though her circumstances are miles and centuries apart from most of us, it is easy to empathise with a woman who has lost her husband, is separated from her son, and has to make difficult decisions in order to survive and to further the cause of her son. She is intelligent, astute, determined, but also caring, generous, and kind-hearted. She takes on the children of noblemen and women who have lost their lives in the war or fallen on hard times (perhaps as a way of compensating for the loss of her son), and she is presented as a woman particularly attuned to the difficulties and tragedies other women are faced with. She is a staunch supporter of her son, schemes and puts herself at great risk, at times, to try and further his cause.
I found the early chapters from Henry’s point of view, less interesting. Although he finds himself in dire situations, he is too young to fully understand what is happening, and he gets side-tracked at times and behaves like a boy his age, no matter what fate might have in store for him. This is as it should be and shows the skill of the writer, who presents Henry as somebody aware of his position but also a young boy with much to learn, not only about becoming a king but also about life in general. The book is, in part, his coming-of-age story (including a romance, which the author explains in her note at the end, she made up), but as he grows, he comes into his own and ends up being the one to drive the action. Whatever our opinion of the historical events of the time, his life in exile, always at risk of assassination due to his bloodline, the early loss of his father and the forced separation from his mother make him another character easy to side with. The fact that we see the story from his point of view, and have no insight into Richard III or his actions (other than third-hand through comments and gossip from others) adds to our enjoyment of the story as it is told, although I found that, like Margaret, we come to appreciate some of the members of the York House (Edward IV, his wife, and his daughter, Elizabeth of York) and, like the country, we see that politics and alliances can be difficult to fathom and understand without full knowledge of the circumstances.
There are enigmatic characters (Margaret’s husband, Lord Stanley, is fascinating and plays his cards very well, although he is not heroic in the standard sense), and the novel offers us a good sense of the complexity of the historical period, of what passed for diplomacy at the time (that might include marrying somebody to further one’s claims to land, power, and titles), and of how easily somebody’s luck can turn. Survival was complicated in such a period, no matter who you were (in fact, it might be more difficult if you were of royal blood), and knowing how to present yourself and who to choose as your ally could be (and often was) a matter of life or death.
The author includes recent discoveries (like Richard III’s body being unearthed from a Leicester’s car park) and research to bring to life Bosworth Battle (or Redemore Battle, if we were trying to be more precise). The scene is set in detail and she manages to convey the brutality of it and the tactical elements. Richard III’s determination also comes through, and no matter what we might think of him as a person, it seems he was a brave and determined fighter.
The ending, which is satisfying (of course, not surprising), leaves us with Henry waiting to be crowned and talking about his marriage, after having finally been reunited with his mother. In her note, the author tells us she plans more books with Margaret as a character, and she explains her first-hand research (including visiting some of the Bretton and French castles where Henry spent his youth, and the Battle of Bosworth Heritage site, which sounds like a must for anybody interested in the topic), and the books and sources she has accessed. She also explains which liberties she took with the story and how much she made up (very little is known of Henry’s life in France), and it did not sound excessive, considering this is not intended as a history book but as a novel.
In sum, I enjoyed learning more about this historical period; I felt the first-person narration made it easier to get invested in the fates of the characters and enjoyed the mixture of politics and action. I recommend it to people interested in this historical period, lovers of historical fiction and all things Tudor, and to fans of the author. I will keep my eye on future releases and will check her other books.

[Olga Miret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and to Harper Collins UK for providing me an ARC copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.
I must start by saying that although I’ve been reading more historical fiction recently, I am not an expert on the subject, and I know a bit more about other historical periods than about the rise to power of Henry VII of England. I was familiar with the bare facts and, like many people, knew of Richard III through Shakespeare’s play. So, please take my comments about historical accuracy with a pinch of salt (I might be totally wrong!).
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I had not read any of Joanna Hickson’s previous books but thought this would be an opportunity to familiarise myself with the period and to discover her writing. The book follows the adventures of Henry Tudor, whom we meet as a youth, as he escapes England with his uncle Jasper Owen, and also his mother’s, Lady Margaret Beaufort, who is left in the unenviable position of being widowed and a known supporter of the losing side (the House of Lancaster) in the new court of Edward IV (of the House of York). The chapters, written in first person from the points of view of the two protagonists, alternate as required by the action (at times we might have several chapters from Margaret’s point of view, and towards the end, when Henry returns to England, while his mother is confined to her husband’s household, we have several from his point of view), and we also have access to their epistolary interaction (as many years passed before they set eyes on each other).
To begin with I was overwhelmed by the large cast of characters, some with pretty complex titles and similar names, but the book offers a Family Tree and a Map at the beginning, that allow us to follow some of the intricacies of the relationships and to better understand the movements of the characters, and a glossary at the end, that includes definitions of some of the historical terms in use and others relevant to the story (some French and Welsh words that are introduced in the action). (Those who access the story in e-book format should be able to find most of the terms in the dictionary included with the e-reader). Do not be put off by talk of historical terms, as the language used in the story, although not jarringly modern or inadequate to the times, is easy to follow, flows well and feels completely natural to the setting and the situation.
As for the characters… I liked Margaret from the very beginning. Even though her circumstances are miles and centuries apart from most of us, it is easy to empathise with a woman who has lost her husband, is separated from her son, and has to make difficult decisions in order to survive and to further the cause of her son. She is intelligent, astute, determined, but also caring, generous, and kind-hearted. She takes on the children of noblemen and women who have lost their lives in the war or fallen on hard times (perhaps as a way of compensating for the loss of her son), and she is presented as a woman particularly attuned to the difficulties and tragedies other women are faced with. She is a staunch supporter of her son, schemes and puts herself at great risk, at times, to try and further his cause.
I found the early chapters from Henry’s point of view, less interesting. Although he finds himself in dire situations, he is too young to fully understand what is happening, and he gets side-tracked at times and behaves like a boy his age, no matter what fate might have in store for him. This is as it should be and shows the skill of the writer, who presents Henry as somebody aware of his position but also a young boy with much to learn, not only about becoming a king but also about life in general. The book is, in part, his coming-of-age story (including a romance, which the author explains in her note at the end, she made up), but as he grows, he comes into his own and ends up being the one to drive the action. Whatever our opinion of the historical events of the time, his life in exile, always at risk of assassination due to his bloodline, the early loss of his father and the forced separation from his mother make him another character easy to side with. The fact that we see the story from his point of view, and have no insight into Richard III or his actions (other than third-hand through comments and gossip from others) adds to our enjoyment of the story as it is told, although I found that, like Margaret, we come to appreciate some of the members of the York House (Edward IV, his wife, and his daughter, Elizabeth of York) and, like the country, we see that politics and alliances can be difficult to fathom and understand without full knowledge of the circumstances.
There are enigmatic characters (Margaret’s husband, Lord Stanley, is fascinating and plays his cards very well, although he is not heroic in the standard sense), and the novel offers us a good sense of the complexity of the historical period, of what passed for diplomacy at the time (that might include marrying somebody to further one’s claims to land, power, and titles), and of how easily somebody’s luck can turn. Survival was complicated in such a period, no matter who you were (in fact, it might be more difficult if you were of royal blood), and knowing how to present yourself and who to choose as your ally could be (and often was) a matter of life or death.
The author includes recent discoveries (like Richard III’s body being unearthed from a Leicester’s car park) and research to bring to life Bosworth Battle (or Redemore Battle, if we were trying to be more precise). The scene is set in detail and she manages to convey the brutality of it and the tactical elements. Richard III’s determination also comes through, and no matter what we might think of him as a person, it seems he was a brave and determined fighter.
The ending, which is satisfying (of course, not surprising), leaves us with Henry waiting to be crowned and talking about his marriage, after having finally been reunited with his mother. In her note, the author tells us she plans more books with Margaret as a character, and she explains her first-hand research (including visiting some of the Bretton and French castles where Henry spent his youth, and the Battle of Bosworth Heritage site, which sounds like a must for anybody interested in the topic), and the books and sources she has accessed. She also explains which liberties she took with the story and how much she made up (very little is known of Henry’s life in France), and it did not sound excessive, considering this is not intended as a history book but as a novel.
In sum, I enjoyed learning more about this historical period; I felt the first-person narration made it easier to get invested in the fates of the characters and enjoyed the mixture of politics and action. I recommend it to people interested in this historical period, lovers of historical fiction and all things Tudor, and to fans of the author. I will keep my eye on future releases and will check her other books.

[Kimberly Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a reader who absolutely loves books about the tudor court/war of the roses, I thoroughly enjoyed Joanna Hickson's latest novel, The Tudor Queen!
This book tells the story of Henry V11 struggle to claim the throne of England. It begins with Henry's 'escape' to the north of France with his Uncle Jasper after Edward of York has claimed the throne of England.
The characterisation of such well known people in History is excellent. Joanna Hickson's writing brings all of the characters to life vividly. The chapters alternate between Margaret Beauforts 'battle/conspiracy' to bring her son back to England safely to claim the throne of England for Lancaster and Henry's exile in France and his life/thoughts as a fourteen year old boy.
I really enjoyed the way Joanna portrays the character of Margaret Beaufort, her many sides and allegiances to others whilst always 'fighting' for her one true cause to save her son and make him King of England.
As well as bringing to life the major players in this story leading to the war of the roses, Joanna introduces lots of less well known characters such as Margaret Beaufort wards or 'nestlings' as Margaret calls them. Also the crew of the ship taking Jasper and Henry to France and Jasper's 'wife' Jane. Again Joanna makes every character seem so real and important in the part they have to play in this major historical story.
Equally, descriptions such as the treacherous journey to France are just as vivid and effective.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about this era in History.
A big thank you to net galley and the book's publishers for granting my wish to read this wonderful book!

[Helene Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review - I enjoyed this book, but I did find it hard-going in places, as it seemed to be quite repetitive in places so I struggled to get through those bits. However, overall, it was a very engaging read and made me think about things that I hadn’t considered before, like what life was like for English exiles in France in the sixteenth century. I thought that this book looked interesting because it focused on the lesser-known period of Henry VII’s life – his time in exile in Brittany and France before he became king. I thought that the portrayal of Henry VII was particularly engrossing because it is so different to the way he is typically portrayed as a miserly and miserable old man – Hickson makes him handsome, exciting, and a bit of a daredevil, in ways which I didn’t expect.

Genre? - Historical

Characters? - Henry VII / Margaret Beaufort / Richard III / Thomas Stanley / William Stanley / Davy Owen / Catherine de Belleville / Roland de Belleville / Thomas Grey Marquis of Dorset / Elizabeth Woodville / Anne Neville / Elizabeth of York

Setting? - London & Lathom (England) and Brittany (France)

Series? - N/A

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 18/20

To see full review please visit my blog https://bookbloggerish.wordpress.com/...

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find Henry VII's story fascinating; in part because he was the father of the Tudor dynasty and also because of his formidable mother, Mary Beaufort. I think that without her relentless determination to see her son on the throne, despite the fact that others had just as much of a legitimate claim to it, the course of British history might have been completely different. Although other authors also deal with the same period, Joanna Hickson allows us to see into the mind of young Henry Tudor. It is not easy to bring history alive yet somehow the author does so in a seemingly effortless way. I learnt more about Henry Tudor from this book than I ever did at school.

[Ginger Pollard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Court is my favorite place to be! I could just lounge there forever eating peeled grapes!😇 A book by Joanna Hickson is always a delight. I've read everything she's written and loved them all. This one is about Margaret Beaufort and her son Henry Tudor, who later became Henry VII, father of the wonderfully infamous Henry VIII. It's a long read, so be prepared to soak it in and take time with this book, as it deserves. Margaret and her boy are well worth knowing! I highly enjoyed it and I recommend it to every Tudor fan. I also recommend it to anyone who skipped out on The Tudors in school. You'll learn a lot!

[Avid Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the description of the court of the duke of Brittany, and I enjoyed some insight into the life of the principal female characters. As a whole though, not really a book for me . Hard going in places. A brutal editor could work wonders.

[Jossie Solheim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and written but I just couldn’t get into this one. It was very slow going and just not my style.

[Fiona Warburton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a lot of fiction around the Wars of the Roses, and this was OK, on a par with Philippa Gregory. It is a follow up to The First Tudors, which focused on Jasper Tudor and Margaret Beaufort, which I read in 2018. I feel there should be a book in the middle, - this feels like the third in a trilogy somehow, but I can't really put my finger on why, I can certainly find no record of a book in between these two.

Anyway, the plot is well known to me, so there was no real suspense. It is told my two narrators, Margaret Beaufort and her exiled son Henry who is the last of the Lancastrian line. There is a good deal of correspondence between them as Henry matures while in France as he realises he may be King, and Margaret as she navigates the complex loyalties of the English court while secretly hoping her son may one day be king. The dramatic years of the reign of Edward IV, his death, the disappearance of the Princes in the tower and the brief reign of Richard III is told mainly through Margaret's letters to Henry.

A decent easy read.

[Mary Higginson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tudor Crown - Joanna Hickson

Told from a dual perspective those of Henry V11 and his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, this is a gripping re-telling of a fascinating period in history.

Dramatic, detailed and rooted in a period we know little about this novel has the ring of authenticity. We are shown the long wait and struggle for Henry’s accession to the crown of England against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses.

Margaret Beaufort is ruthless in her determination to help Henry. She schemes and plots in her efforts to get the throne she believes is rightfully his and is ruthless in her determination to this end. Nevertheless, unlike in a lot of modern re-tellings we sympathise with her rather than Richard.

There is a good sense of period and the atmosphere of danger is tangible. The characters are well drawn and convincing.

If you enjoy strong, well written historical fiction this is for you. If you don’t normally read this period you are in for a treat.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tudor Crown details the period that Henry VII was in exile in Europe before returning to England to claim the crown from Richard III. It isn't a period that a great deal is known about so the author has a certain amount of licence to play with. Thankfully she's taken it and woven a believable and relatable story. You feel Henry's impatience and impotence to return home, although at first with no desire for the throne and equally his mother's frustration and heartbreak at always been kept away from her only son.

This is my first Joanna Hickson novel. She's perhaps not as well known a name as some historical fiction big names but she really should be. To be able to breathe fresh life into a story told many times without resorting to adding spuriously whilst keeping it interesting and enjoyable is a talent indeed.

[gem · Rating 4 out of 5]

An outstanding historical novel which focuses on the young Henry and his mother, Margaret Beaufort.

I've read dozens of books about Henry VIII after he claimed the throne, but this book focuses on the time before that and it was fascinating, exciting and intriguing in equal measure and I loved the way Joanna Hickson brought the characters and action to life.
The alternating narratives give us insight into both characters and that's a really interesting angle and I do love a good dual narrative.

The factual elements mean there wasn't anything too shocking that came to pass however it's the way that it's written that makes it stands out from other books on the same time period.

I will be adding Joanna Hickson to my must read list and I know my mother in law will want to read this and the previous one in the series too.

[Emmi Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read any books about Henry the 7th as a central character before, and I loved the peek into the history of his exile. The book felt really researched and I enjoyed the author's characterisations of both Henry and his mother, Margaret Beaufort, who was written as a strong, determined and focussed woman full of charity, care and desire to see young people succeed.
A lot of the events in this book are told via letters between Henry and Margaret, which helped move the book along it's timeline, but could feel a bit removed for the reader after spending chapters in first person with the characters. However, overall it was a really enjoyable Tudor novel, from a Tudor period not often written about.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Hickson’s books, she writes about these historic figures with a lot of tenderness and knowledge which I really appreciate.

Having this story split between a young Henry Tudor and Margret Beaufort’s accounts was a great way to tell the story leading up to him becoming queen and their reunion.

I enjoyed the first three parts of the book as we followed Henry in Brittany and France and Margret keeping in good graces with king and queen.
I think the final part lost momentum for me, maybe because it the part I am most familiar with.
I found I skipped through parts of it to get to the ending. I also felt the reunion was a bit rushed, I would of liked something a bit more heartfelt and meaningful.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read about the start of Henry Tudor's reign which I gave something close to 4 stars. ( rounded up) I liked the " Margaret "chapters much the best, although Joanna Hickson explained how little is known about Henry's exile. I found it difficult to go back and forth between the two accounts and am sure it was a difficult task for an author.

Henry VII is not my favorite king, but hopefully the last chapter where he explains himself very gracefully sheds a more hopeful light for a sequel about his marriage to Elizabeth. Those years are sort of sparse on authentic historical narrative also. I am anxiously awaiting another book being in the works.

[Susanne Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love reading historical novels, especially about the Tudor period so I was excited to find this book covering a part of the Tudor period that I haven’t read much about. Based on the time Henry VII was in hiding in Brittany and France from the age of 14 years until his return to England at the Battle of Bodsworth. Chapters were split between him and his mother Margaret who was fighting for her son to be able to return home to her.
It was interesting to hear what the Young Harri (as he was known in his youth) endured to be able to become the man and leader that we are more familiar with.
I found this a very enjoyable read.

[Rhona Arthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual study of the rise of the Tudor Dynasty told through the perspectives of Margaret Beaufort and, her son, Henry Tudor. I do love the mystery, intrigue and complexities of the Plantagenets. The fascinating Wars of the Roses culminates in the reign of Edward IV and exile of Henry. The novel focuses on recreating Henry from a teenager upwards, how he became a man ready to invade and fight for his country. It also describes the loving mother, separated from her only child through contracted marriages with her loyalties always putting her life in peril.

It’s the first of Joanna Hickson’s works I’ve read and I will be tracking down more very shortly.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5 for me. Mostly well written, though the ending got a bit bogged down with too much military and technical language (cool for some readers, just not this one). It felt a little too "ra ra, hail the tudor king!!!!!" for me, too - like, Henry was the golden hero and Richard the black devil. I like my historical fiction to be more nuanced. I'm no Tudor historian, but I can guarantee Henry VII had some demons of his own. Those are the best part of historical fiction for me and were sadly lacking from this story.