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Mistress of Mourning a Novel
Mistress of Mourning
399 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2012
44 people are currently reading
1951 people want to read
About the author
Karen Harper
106 books1,499 followersA 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
August 26, 2012
WINNER OF GR GIVEAWAY
Even with all the Tudor hoopla; little seems to be known about Elizabeth of York, the mother of Henry VIII. Karen Harper’s “Mistress of Mourning” attempts to offer an insight into Elizabeth’s view of the disappearance of her princely brothers and of the death her son, Arthur.
“Mistress of Mourning” instantly off put my reading satisfaction by introducing the character of Varina Wescott with nothing more than elementary flair. Instead of “living” through or even with Varina; Harper spends too much time simply telling the character’s back story instead of following a natural, developmental arch. Furthermore, there is no gripping factor surrounding Varina and therefore the reader never truly roots for her throughout the novel. Plus, Varina lacks vigor, is very one dimensional, and has thoughts which remind me of an annoying teenager. Basically, her character isn’t solid or overly accessible and/or likable.
Harper does try to supplement this character by presenting “Mistress of Mourning” with alternating view points/storytelling by Varina and Elizabeth of York. Although Harper successfully distinguishes between the two voices which sets them a part (Elizabeth possesses way more poise than Varina); the swaps occur too often which prevents the reader from truly getting to know one character from another. It almost felt like Harper had two separate book ideas with each being unfinished and decided to try to combine them.
On a positive note, “Mistress of Mourning” was interesting when explaining the art form of candle making and wax effigies. Harper clearly did her research and sparks curiosity to the topic. The Tudor elements, however, are somewhat bland (although they include some accurate facts); and make Elizabeth of York seem crazy in her quest for answers to the mystery surrounding her brothers and Arthur’s death.
The entire novel is unbelievable and is a case example of a good idea with poor execution. The romance between Varina and Nicholas Sutton lacks intensity, growth, and chemistry; while the mystery elements are plain ridiculous and obviously untrue. There are several, “Are you serious?!” moments. Plus, “Mistress of Mourning” is very rushed with the feeling that something of substance will happen but it never does. For those who enjoy literary language and illustrious settings… you won’t find that here. Those are missing elements, as well.
Also unbelievable (and extremely grating) were the love scenes between Varina and Nicholas. Again, not only did they lack chemistry and feel forced but also were comparable to a high school-level couple. I would have even preferred a Fabio romance at this point!
Although seemingly small details, I couldn’t stand Varina CONSTANTLY having “tears in her eyes” (which depleted her characterization even more); or the fact that the characters called the King and Queen “Your Majesty” when that title wasn’t in use until the time of Henry VIII.
The conclusion of the novel is anti-climatic, predictable, and too “happily ever after”. This will certainly upset those readers who were by now annoyed with the already poor book.
“Mistress of Mourning” is barely above a fairy tale with fantastical ghosts, witches, etc. It is hardly a historical fiction novel and much too high on the fluff ladder. I am not a fan of Harper’s Queen Elizabeth mini-series (I only read one because it was so terrible), yet “Mistress of Mourning” is even worse. Truly only recommended for those not seeking any depth or historical credibility. Had I not won this on GR, I would have not been inclined to finish it.
Even with all the Tudor hoopla; little seems to be known about Elizabeth of York, the mother of Henry VIII. Karen Harper’s “Mistress of Mourning” attempts to offer an insight into Elizabeth’s view of the disappearance of her princely brothers and of the death her son, Arthur.
“Mistress of Mourning” instantly off put my reading satisfaction by introducing the character of Varina Wescott with nothing more than elementary flair. Instead of “living” through or even with Varina; Harper spends too much time simply telling the character’s back story instead of following a natural, developmental arch. Furthermore, there is no gripping factor surrounding Varina and therefore the reader never truly roots for her throughout the novel. Plus, Varina lacks vigor, is very one dimensional, and has thoughts which remind me of an annoying teenager. Basically, her character isn’t solid or overly accessible and/or likable.
Harper does try to supplement this character by presenting “Mistress of Mourning” with alternating view points/storytelling by Varina and Elizabeth of York. Although Harper successfully distinguishes between the two voices which sets them a part (Elizabeth possesses way more poise than Varina); the swaps occur too often which prevents the reader from truly getting to know one character from another. It almost felt like Harper had two separate book ideas with each being unfinished and decided to try to combine them.
On a positive note, “Mistress of Mourning” was interesting when explaining the art form of candle making and wax effigies. Harper clearly did her research and sparks curiosity to the topic. The Tudor elements, however, are somewhat bland (although they include some accurate facts); and make Elizabeth of York seem crazy in her quest for answers to the mystery surrounding her brothers and Arthur’s death.
The entire novel is unbelievable and is a case example of a good idea with poor execution. The romance between Varina and Nicholas Sutton lacks intensity, growth, and chemistry; while the mystery elements are plain ridiculous and obviously untrue. There are several, “Are you serious?!” moments. Plus, “Mistress of Mourning” is very rushed with the feeling that something of substance will happen but it never does. For those who enjoy literary language and illustrious settings… you won’t find that here. Those are missing elements, as well.
Also unbelievable (and extremely grating) were the love scenes between Varina and Nicholas. Again, not only did they lack chemistry and feel forced but also were comparable to a high school-level couple. I would have even preferred a Fabio romance at this point!
Although seemingly small details, I couldn’t stand Varina CONSTANTLY having “tears in her eyes” (which depleted her characterization even more); or the fact that the characters called the King and Queen “Your Majesty” when that title wasn’t in use until the time of Henry VIII.
The conclusion of the novel is anti-climatic, predictable, and too “happily ever after”. This will certainly upset those readers who were by now annoyed with the already poor book.
“Mistress of Mourning” is barely above a fairy tale with fantastical ghosts, witches, etc. It is hardly a historical fiction novel and much too high on the fluff ladder. I am not a fan of Harper’s Queen Elizabeth mini-series (I only read one because it was so terrible), yet “Mistress of Mourning” is even worse. Truly only recommended for those not seeking any depth or historical credibility. Had I not won this on GR, I would have not been inclined to finish it.
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August 2, 2012I got halfway through and skipped to the author's notes. I don't think this one is for me. I knew it would be light HF and I liked the idea that it covered Elizabeth of York's years as Queen (something new) but I didn't realize this was going to be a far fetched mystery. It started off fresh with the main character (Varina) in her wax shop missing her son, who had passed away. A suitor was pursuing her, which she wasn't thrilled with and then Nicholas walked into her store with a Royal request. She was to make wax effigies of the Queen's 2 dead children and her 2 dead brothers (The Princes in The Tower.) OK, to me it got a little hokey here, but I was willing to roll with it. Then a death occurs to someone associated with Varina, then Arthur The Prince of Wales dies and it's a full fledged "Who Done It?" I'm not into mysteries, so it could be me, but this story isn't serious at all. Even though I kept telling myself to keep a mind set that this was supposed to be a fun, light mystery, it just wasn't working. The Queen sends Varina and Nicholas to Wales to try and find out who killed Arthur (Yeah, OK) because he was murdered, by possibly the person who killed Varina's associate and the one who has been chasing Varina. I skipped to the author's notes. She said it's a mystery to this day how Arthur died.
October 21, 2025
Yet another book by Karen Harper that I could not put down. It’s a well written story of love, hate, treason and loyalty. Definitely worth a read.
July 27, 2012
Find the enhanced version of this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
Can I be honest? I think it helped that I didn’t have any expectations going into this one. I was excited about the premise of Karen Harper’s Mistress of Mourning but because I didn’t have any preconceived ideas about the book, I wasn’t upset that it fell on the lighter side of historic fiction. The story isn’t bad, I just think if I’d been craving a hard hitting historic piece as is more my norm, this one would have left me wanting.
The characters fit the time period which is more than I can say for a lot of published works. Varina is a great example in that she is possessed of an independent streak yet she isn’t so modern minded as to seem inappropriate in Tudor England. Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, Arthur and Catherine read a little flat for my tastes but as they are largely supporting characters it is something I’m willing to overlook. Really the only character I didn’t like was young Henry VIII. I think Harper allowed history to dictate her storytelling a little. Just once I’d love to see an author downplay the younger Tudor prince and really guide the reader towards Arthur. Here, as with most if not all the Tudor fiction I’ve read, the Prince of Wales gets less face time with the reader and though his death is key to the plot, his character is largely overshadowed by the Duke of York.
I really liked what Harper did with Arthur’s death in terms of resolving the circumstances of his demise but I wasn't as thrilled with the story of Elizabeth’s brothers. Harper started out strong, interweaving the two storylines but the finale left me feeling ‘eh.’ Maybe it was too much to tie together. Maybe it was because we never got into our villain’s head or really understood his motivations. Maybe I’m bias in that I am unconsciously comparing Mistress in Mourning to Robin Maxwell’s To the Tower Born. Maybe I just feel the latter solution seemed anticlimactic against the drama of Arthur’s situation. Whatever the reason I think the combined plots were a little too much for Harper to take on.
Finally, I don’t think Harper played the setting to its best advantage. I’ve read books featuring Ludlow before and I’ve seen an author bring this particular setting to life. Guess I’m just a little sad that Harper seemed to let it fall by the way side. Researching is easy; anyone can look up the historic notes on a particular place and time. To my mind, the key in fictionalizing the past is not simply recreating people or events, the same care needs to be taken in re-imagining the world they inhabit. There isn't anything wrong or particularly upsetting in what Harper achieved here, I've just think there is room to improve.
As always I would like to note that I’m harder on historic fiction writers than I am authors of any other genre. They are my favorite storytellers and so I hold them to a slightly higher standard. My commentary here comes off as nitpicky and critical but I really did enjoy Harper’s work and look forward to reading more of it in the future.
Can I be honest? I think it helped that I didn’t have any expectations going into this one. I was excited about the premise of Karen Harper’s Mistress of Mourning but because I didn’t have any preconceived ideas about the book, I wasn’t upset that it fell on the lighter side of historic fiction. The story isn’t bad, I just think if I’d been craving a hard hitting historic piece as is more my norm, this one would have left me wanting.
The characters fit the time period which is more than I can say for a lot of published works. Varina is a great example in that she is possessed of an independent streak yet she isn’t so modern minded as to seem inappropriate in Tudor England. Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, Arthur and Catherine read a little flat for my tastes but as they are largely supporting characters it is something I’m willing to overlook. Really the only character I didn’t like was young Henry VIII. I think Harper allowed history to dictate her storytelling a little. Just once I’d love to see an author downplay the younger Tudor prince and really guide the reader towards Arthur. Here, as with most if not all the Tudor fiction I’ve read, the Prince of Wales gets less face time with the reader and though his death is key to the plot, his character is largely overshadowed by the Duke of York.
I really liked what Harper did with Arthur’s death in terms of resolving the circumstances of his demise but I wasn't as thrilled with the story of Elizabeth’s brothers. Harper started out strong, interweaving the two storylines but the finale left me feeling ‘eh.’ Maybe it was too much to tie together. Maybe it was because we never got into our villain’s head or really understood his motivations. Maybe I’m bias in that I am unconsciously comparing Mistress in Mourning to Robin Maxwell’s To the Tower Born. Maybe I just feel the latter solution seemed anticlimactic against the drama of Arthur’s situation. Whatever the reason I think the combined plots were a little too much for Harper to take on.
Finally, I don’t think Harper played the setting to its best advantage. I’ve read books featuring Ludlow before and I’ve seen an author bring this particular setting to life. Guess I’m just a little sad that Harper seemed to let it fall by the way side. Researching is easy; anyone can look up the historic notes on a particular place and time. To my mind, the key in fictionalizing the past is not simply recreating people or events, the same care needs to be taken in re-imagining the world they inhabit. There isn't anything wrong or particularly upsetting in what Harper achieved here, I've just think there is room to improve.
As always I would like to note that I’m harder on historic fiction writers than I am authors of any other genre. They are my favorite storytellers and so I hold them to a slightly higher standard. My commentary here comes off as nitpicky and critical but I really did enjoy Harper’s work and look forward to reading more of it in the future.
May 30, 2013
One of my favorite periods of history is the War of the Roses and the Tudor Dynasty that starts after. In this book we have Elizabeth the Good, wife of Henry VII, who is grieving the loss of two of her children and her perceived part in the loss of her brothers, the Princes who were lost in the Tower. Elizabeth hires Varina Westcott to make wax effigies of them and ends up enlisting her to help discover if her son, Prince Arthur, was killed. Varina falls in love with Nick, who helps her in her hunt for the truth. Just so you know, they do get their HEA ;)
If you like this time period, this is a great theory on what happened to the Princes :)
If you like this time period, this is a great theory on what happened to the Princes :)
September 8, 2018
Novel ini berlatar belakang Dinasti Tudor di masa pemerintahan Henry VII. Saya suka novel ini karena sarat sejarah dari menghilangnya dua pangeran York di Tower hingga berdirinya dinasti yang penuh skandal dan spekulatif ini.
Varina Wescott adalah seorang janda muda yang baru kehilangan anak bungsunya. Sebagai pengrajin lilin untuk kerajaan dan gereja, Varina mendapat tugas rahasia membuat patung lilin untuk kedua anak Ratu Elizabeth of York yang sudah tiada, plus dua patung adik lelakinya yang hilang tsb.
Ternyata setelah tugas tsb kelar dikerjakan, Varina mendapatkan tugas lainnya dari Ratu, yaitu untuk menyelidiki kematian mendadak Putra Mahkota Arthur, yang baru saja menikahi Catherine of Aragon. Ditemani oleh Nicholas Sutton, mantan bangsawan yang pernah melawan Tudor, ex simpatisan Yorkist, mereka saling bahu-membahu utk menemukan siapa pembunuhnya ini dan motifnya.
Plot cerita termasuk lamban, tetapi tidak membosankan. Kita dibawa ke suasana masa Tudor dan cara-cara pembalsaman, perayaan-perayaan ala Tudor dsb. Karakter Varina dan Ratu Elizabeth of York mirip satu sama lain, sama-sama seorang ibu yang berduka karena kehilangan anak mereka, membuat mereka harus tabah dan kuat menghadapi kerinduan mereka kpd anak-anak mereka yang telah ke surga. Varina tadinya curiga dirinya akan dilenyapkan seusai pekerjaannya selesai dikerjakan, tetapi perkiraannya meleset sama sekali, karena sosok pembunuh yang mengejarnya, juga mengejar harta paling berharga di kerajaan, yaitu sang putra mahkota.
Ada beberapa hal aspek yg menarik di novel ini, salah satunya adalah untuk mengembalikan kejayaan dan kemuliaan keluarga mereka adalah mendekati dan menyatakan setia pada dinasti Tudor, seperti yang dilakukan Nick Sutton ini dan banyak ex pemberontak setia Yorkist yang mengubah haluan mereka setelah Henry VII sudah memantapkan posisinya sbg raja Dinasti Tudor.
Dari Ratu Elizabeth of York, kita belajar tentang kesetiaan dan kepatuhan pada suaminya di atas segalanya. Walau ada secercah keraguan di hatinya bhw ada kemungkinan suaminya-lah yang memerintahkan pembunuhan adik-adiknya utk memuluskan jalannya ke takhta, tidak sepatah kata pun dilontarkan oleh Ratu kepada suaminya tercinta. Sayangnya kesetiaan dan cinta kasih sayang Henry dan Elizabeth tidak bisa diwariskan ke rumahtangga anaknya, Henry VIII.
Varina Wescott adalah seorang janda muda yang baru kehilangan anak bungsunya. Sebagai pengrajin lilin untuk kerajaan dan gereja, Varina mendapat tugas rahasia membuat patung lilin untuk kedua anak Ratu Elizabeth of York yang sudah tiada, plus dua patung adik lelakinya yang hilang tsb.
Ternyata setelah tugas tsb kelar dikerjakan, Varina mendapatkan tugas lainnya dari Ratu, yaitu untuk menyelidiki kematian mendadak Putra Mahkota Arthur, yang baru saja menikahi Catherine of Aragon. Ditemani oleh Nicholas Sutton, mantan bangsawan yang pernah melawan Tudor, ex simpatisan Yorkist, mereka saling bahu-membahu utk menemukan siapa pembunuhnya ini dan motifnya.
Plot cerita termasuk lamban, tetapi tidak membosankan. Kita dibawa ke suasana masa Tudor dan cara-cara pembalsaman, perayaan-perayaan ala Tudor dsb. Karakter Varina dan Ratu Elizabeth of York mirip satu sama lain, sama-sama seorang ibu yang berduka karena kehilangan anak mereka, membuat mereka harus tabah dan kuat menghadapi kerinduan mereka kpd anak-anak mereka yang telah ke surga. Varina tadinya curiga dirinya akan dilenyapkan seusai pekerjaannya selesai dikerjakan, tetapi perkiraannya meleset sama sekali, karena sosok pembunuh yang mengejarnya, juga mengejar harta paling berharga di kerajaan, yaitu sang putra mahkota.
Ada beberapa hal aspek yg menarik di novel ini, salah satunya adalah untuk mengembalikan kejayaan dan kemuliaan keluarga mereka adalah mendekati dan menyatakan setia pada dinasti Tudor, seperti yang dilakukan Nick Sutton ini dan banyak ex pemberontak setia Yorkist yang mengubah haluan mereka setelah Henry VII sudah memantapkan posisinya sbg raja Dinasti Tudor.
Dari Ratu Elizabeth of York, kita belajar tentang kesetiaan dan kepatuhan pada suaminya di atas segalanya. Walau ada secercah keraguan di hatinya bhw ada kemungkinan suaminya-lah yang memerintahkan pembunuhan adik-adiknya utk memuluskan jalannya ke takhta, tidak sepatah kata pun dilontarkan oleh Ratu kepada suaminya tercinta. Sayangnya kesetiaan dan cinta kasih sayang Henry dan Elizabeth tidak bisa diwariskan ke rumahtangga anaknya, Henry VIII.
May 1, 2012
Too modern, too chatty, too light, too ridiculous, too scattered, too bad.
June 6, 2021
This is a rather disappointing novel with two very dull main characters. The plot takes an age to get going and it's all an odd combination of over-written melodrama and unlikely, almost laughable plotting. I was so glad when I finally got to the end.
April 2, 2019
An interesting yarn set in London in 1501, Elizabeth of York is married to King Henry Vll and she is mourning the loss of her two younger brothers ‘the princes in the tower’ who disappeared without trace. The queen is then faced with additional grief when her son the young prince Arthur, recently married to Catherine of Aragon dies.
The queen has heard of a widow who runs a candle making business and who also carves beautiful death candles with angels and the queen asks her to take on the funeral of Arthur and also to make likenesses of her brothers in wax. The candle maker Varina Westcott is a very gifted sculptor and is soon coming and going into the palace in secret to do the wax modelling for the queen. The story is a bit on the wishy washy side and Varina is often moist of eye, she also falls in love with Nicholas Sutton and aide to the royal couple. The Character of Varina is not as strong as it should be for a woman who has overcome so much to be able to run her own business in those days and I wanted her to be shown as more capable and less susceptible to romance.
I was fascinated to read all about the process of candle making and funeral procedures in the Tudor times and this was the part of the book that was good for me.
I was surprised that in the Author notes at the end of the book Ms Harper states: ‘If King Richard was behind the boys’ (the princes in the tower) murders, perhaps it is some sort of justice that, during the Reformation, his bones were thrown in the River Stour and his tomb was used as a horse trough and later broken up.’
It was only hearsay that his happened, no one knew what happened to the body of Richard lll and history has proved the statement above to be completely wrong.
King Richard was buried in Leicester in a grave with no coffin just a shroud (hence no horse trough) and since he was reburied in Leicester cathedral he was definitely not thrown in to the river. The events surrounding his ignominious burial have never been known until now.
Overall this was an entertaining read though very light, I would read others by this author bearing in mind that they are definite fiction.
The queen has heard of a widow who runs a candle making business and who also carves beautiful death candles with angels and the queen asks her to take on the funeral of Arthur and also to make likenesses of her brothers in wax. The candle maker Varina Westcott is a very gifted sculptor and is soon coming and going into the palace in secret to do the wax modelling for the queen. The story is a bit on the wishy washy side and Varina is often moist of eye, she also falls in love with Nicholas Sutton and aide to the royal couple. The Character of Varina is not as strong as it should be for a woman who has overcome so much to be able to run her own business in those days and I wanted her to be shown as more capable and less susceptible to romance.
I was fascinated to read all about the process of candle making and funeral procedures in the Tudor times and this was the part of the book that was good for me.
I was surprised that in the Author notes at the end of the book Ms Harper states: ‘If King Richard was behind the boys’ (the princes in the tower) murders, perhaps it is some sort of justice that, during the Reformation, his bones were thrown in the River Stour and his tomb was used as a horse trough and later broken up.’
It was only hearsay that his happened, no one knew what happened to the body of Richard lll and history has proved the statement above to be completely wrong.
King Richard was buried in Leicester in a grave with no coffin just a shroud (hence no horse trough) and since he was reburied in Leicester cathedral he was definitely not thrown in to the river. The events surrounding his ignominious burial have never been known until now.
Overall this was an entertaining read though very light, I would read others by this author bearing in mind that they are definite fiction.
January 14, 2016
An engrossing read, this book contains a bit of everything. There’s a romance, mystery, historical tidbits, and suspense. The rousing tale of two women caught up in the strictures of grief overcoming it to solve the mystery of who’s gunning for the Tudor dynasty kept me on the edge of my seat. I liked that the author was able to balance the different elements into one streaming and smooth story.
I especially liked Varina. She’s got guts, courage, and a caring heart. Though a bit blind at times to the emotions of those surrounding her, she’s an intelligent woman who dedicates herself to serving her Queen and protecting her family and loved ones. I also liked that she was practical in her perceived expectations for her future, yet there was still a bit of the romantic in her to not immediately jump on the first marriage proposal to come her way.
There were a ton of neat historical tidbits throughout the story: details of the burial practices of early Tudor England, some of the magic still present in the rural folklore, the role of women in the time period, and the mechanics of running a business in bustling London. Those historical tidbits made for a fun read for any history lover.
Yet, there wasn’t much meaty stuff here. The details were fun, yet a lot of stuff seemed a bit far-fetched to me to have actually happened. Elizabeth’s wax effigies in hiding, the lightning fast speed of Nick’s and Varina’s romance, and the varying roles that Varina played all seem a bit out there to me. The hypothesis the author puts forward for why Arthur died and responsible party behind the Princes in the Tower were intriguing, though.
A fun read, this book will definitely kill a weekend for you. It’s got some neat historical tidbits, a great lead, and a thrilling plot. And while it may not have a lot of meat on its bones when it comes to historical weight and story, I think this novel would still be very enjoyable for any historical fiction lover.
I especially liked Varina. She’s got guts, courage, and a caring heart. Though a bit blind at times to the emotions of those surrounding her, she’s an intelligent woman who dedicates herself to serving her Queen and protecting her family and loved ones. I also liked that she was practical in her perceived expectations for her future, yet there was still a bit of the romantic in her to not immediately jump on the first marriage proposal to come her way.
There were a ton of neat historical tidbits throughout the story: details of the burial practices of early Tudor England, some of the magic still present in the rural folklore, the role of women in the time period, and the mechanics of running a business in bustling London. Those historical tidbits made for a fun read for any history lover.
Yet, there wasn’t much meaty stuff here. The details were fun, yet a lot of stuff seemed a bit far-fetched to me to have actually happened. Elizabeth’s wax effigies in hiding, the lightning fast speed of Nick’s and Varina’s romance, and the varying roles that Varina played all seem a bit out there to me. The hypothesis the author puts forward for why Arthur died and responsible party behind the Princes in the Tower were intriguing, though.
A fun read, this book will definitely kill a weekend for you. It’s got some neat historical tidbits, a great lead, and a thrilling plot. And while it may not have a lot of meat on its bones when it comes to historical weight and story, I think this novel would still be very enjoyable for any historical fiction lover.
July 5, 2012
I reviewed this book for www.luxuryreading.com
The twisting mysteries throughout Mistress of Mourning were a pleasant surprise as I was expecting a more traditional historical fiction story. Karen Harper presents tiny pieces of the puzzle throughout the narrative with the final pieces not falling into place until the very end. She gives us clear answers to the questions regarding the disappearance of the Princes of the Tower as well as the death of Prince Arthur and even gives reasons why she reached these conclusions in her author notes.
Mistress of Mourning alternates between Varina and Queen Elizabeth as narrator and while Varina is by far the larger focus, I found Elizabeth’s point of view to be just as essential to the story. As the daughter, sister, niece and wife to Kings of England, she presents a side to the history unlike any other. Her presentation as a gentle, kind woman who is at the same time manically grieving and determined to find out the truth behind the strange deaths of her loved ones is quite compelling and sorrowful. I have often thought she would make a complex, interesting subject for a novel and that is exactly what this book gives us.
This is not my first Karen Harper book and will definitely not be my last. I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, mysteries or characters that are multi-faceted and not always what they seem.
The twisting mysteries throughout Mistress of Mourning were a pleasant surprise as I was expecting a more traditional historical fiction story. Karen Harper presents tiny pieces of the puzzle throughout the narrative with the final pieces not falling into place until the very end. She gives us clear answers to the questions regarding the disappearance of the Princes of the Tower as well as the death of Prince Arthur and even gives reasons why she reached these conclusions in her author notes.
Mistress of Mourning alternates between Varina and Queen Elizabeth as narrator and while Varina is by far the larger focus, I found Elizabeth’s point of view to be just as essential to the story. As the daughter, sister, niece and wife to Kings of England, she presents a side to the history unlike any other. Her presentation as a gentle, kind woman who is at the same time manically grieving and determined to find out the truth behind the strange deaths of her loved ones is quite compelling and sorrowful. I have often thought she would make a complex, interesting subject for a novel and that is exactly what this book gives us.
This is not my first Karen Harper book and will definitely not be my last. I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, mysteries or characters that are multi-faceted and not always what they seem.
February 22, 2014
What a great read!! Varina Wescott has been sworn to secrecy by Queen Elizabeth of York, having been commissioned to sculpt effigies of her dead children and her missing brothers in the tower. As Varina deals with her overbearing suitor, and her growing affection for Nicholas Sutton, she is trying to figure out many things about herself and her future.
When she is asked by Queen Elizabeth to go with Nicholas Sutton to Wales to attend to the body of the Prince, after his untimely death, and to find out if foul play was involved. Death seems to follow Varina. With her business mainly being funerary candles, it is not unlikely, but it also bring it to the forefront for her. She must confront one of her demons to get her son back alive, and she must also attempt to figure out who is trying to kill the King and Queen and their family and why.
Will she be successful for not??
I loved this book! It was quite interesting, but it also had some historical inaccuracies that as time has now shown are wrong. Being written when it was, some of the facts were not known, but there were also a few issues of guessing. Overall this book was wonderful! It was pretty clean, and the book itself was wonderful. This is one that I would read again!
When she is asked by Queen Elizabeth to go with Nicholas Sutton to Wales to attend to the body of the Prince, after his untimely death, and to find out if foul play was involved. Death seems to follow Varina. With her business mainly being funerary candles, it is not unlikely, but it also bring it to the forefront for her. She must confront one of her demons to get her son back alive, and she must also attempt to figure out who is trying to kill the King and Queen and their family and why.
Will she be successful for not??
I loved this book! It was quite interesting, but it also had some historical inaccuracies that as time has now shown are wrong. Being written when it was, some of the facts were not known, but there were also a few issues of guessing. Overall this book was wonderful! It was pretty clean, and the book itself was wonderful. This is one that I would read again!
December 7, 2017
Interesting story about a commoner in the time of Henry VII. Her interaction with a grieving Queen Elizabeth of York was sensitive and evocative at the same time.
October 11, 2020
"Yet was Her Majesty's grief any greater than mine when others had buried my dear son and I had watched from afar? Or was her joy any deeper than mine when we bore our sons and first looked upon their tiny faces? Not a bit, I swore to myself. And that was why, queen or citizen, highborn or low, we women were sisters under the skin no matter what befell us."
The premise of Karen Harper's Mistress of Mourning (also called The Queen's Confidante, but I prefer the first title) is, to be honest, kind of ludicrous. In 1501, widowed chandler and waxwoman Varina Westcott is secretly commissioned by Elizabeth of York to construct wax effigies of her deceased children and brothers (the Princes in the Tower). The two women bond over their shared grief, and when Prince Arthur dies mysteriously, Varina is dispatched to Wales alongside hunky love interest Nicholas Sutton to determine whether he met with foul play...
Yet I know what I hate - and I don't hate this.
For what it is - a fairly light historical romance/mystery - I found myself pleasantly surprised by Mistress of Mourning. Yes, the idea that Prince Arthur's death was suspicious is completely unfounded, but given that the idea's so central to the book, you kind of just have to go along with it. Varina's occupation is not something I've come across in historical fiction before, and I thought it a fascinating choice by Harper. It's an interesting way to give Varina access to the queen and the royal court, and affords her more agency than she otherwise might have, although the difficulties she faces as a widow are still made clear when she has to fend off an unwanted suitor. Varina isn't a particularly interesting character beyond her profession, but nor is she irritating or unlikeable.
Similarly, her love interest Nicholas (call him Nick, he insists!) is perfectly inoffensive. Their budding romance is fairly bland - their attraction is made obvious from the get-go, and they don't face any major roadblocks. And while Nicholas Sutton is a perfectly acceptable name for a 15th/16th century figure, reading about a character called Nick in this time period just felt jarring - he might as well have been called Chad or Jason. Particularly when you have someone like Henry VII addressing him by his first name, which would never have happened.
Elizabeth's desire to have life-sized wax figures of her dead children and brothers is a deeply bizarre request, and it's a testament to Harper's writing of her that she comes across as brave and stoic instead of totally unhinged by grief. Her relationship with Henry VII is a high point of this novel for me. Contrasting neatly with Varina and Nick's bland romance, their marriage is loving, yet difficult and complex, and has the potential to be torn asunder entirely by a secret revealed only at the book's very end. Their scenes together provide a level of nuance rarely seen in this type of story.
Sure, there were a few things that made me roll my eyes - Harper's insistence that Elizabeth was called 'Elizabeth the Good' by her subjects (she wasn't); the cartoon villainy of Varina's suitor Christopher Gage; the future Henry VIII coming across as obnoxious and calculating, even as a child. The ending, as well, is pretty lame - it kind of just peters out, with a confession that would have resonated far more if it had come earlier. But, when so many books set in this time period are very much "Yorkists good, Tudors bad", Mistress of Mourning sets itself apart by providing a more balanced offering. (Funnily enough, Harper has very little to say about Richard III, although one of his closest allies plays a major role.) If you're looking for a fairly light read set in the early Tudor period, you could do far worse than this book.
The premise of Karen Harper's Mistress of Mourning (also called The Queen's Confidante, but I prefer the first title) is, to be honest, kind of ludicrous. In 1501, widowed chandler and waxwoman Varina Westcott is secretly commissioned by Elizabeth of York to construct wax effigies of her deceased children and brothers (the Princes in the Tower). The two women bond over their shared grief, and when Prince Arthur dies mysteriously, Varina is dispatched to Wales alongside hunky love interest Nicholas Sutton to determine whether he met with foul play...
Yet I know what I hate - and I don't hate this.
For what it is - a fairly light historical romance/mystery - I found myself pleasantly surprised by Mistress of Mourning. Yes, the idea that Prince Arthur's death was suspicious is completely unfounded, but given that the idea's so central to the book, you kind of just have to go along with it. Varina's occupation is not something I've come across in historical fiction before, and I thought it a fascinating choice by Harper. It's an interesting way to give Varina access to the queen and the royal court, and affords her more agency than she otherwise might have, although the difficulties she faces as a widow are still made clear when she has to fend off an unwanted suitor. Varina isn't a particularly interesting character beyond her profession, but nor is she irritating or unlikeable.
Similarly, her love interest Nicholas (call him Nick, he insists!) is perfectly inoffensive. Their budding romance is fairly bland - their attraction is made obvious from the get-go, and they don't face any major roadblocks. And while Nicholas Sutton is a perfectly acceptable name for a 15th/16th century figure, reading about a character called Nick in this time period just felt jarring - he might as well have been called Chad or Jason. Particularly when you have someone like Henry VII addressing him by his first name, which would never have happened.
Elizabeth's desire to have life-sized wax figures of her dead children and brothers is a deeply bizarre request, and it's a testament to Harper's writing of her that she comes across as brave and stoic instead of totally unhinged by grief. Her relationship with Henry VII is a high point of this novel for me. Contrasting neatly with Varina and Nick's bland romance, their marriage is loving, yet difficult and complex, and has the potential to be torn asunder entirely by a secret revealed only at the book's very end. Their scenes together provide a level of nuance rarely seen in this type of story.
Sure, there were a few things that made me roll my eyes - Harper's insistence that Elizabeth was called 'Elizabeth the Good' by her subjects (she wasn't); the cartoon villainy of Varina's suitor Christopher Gage; the future Henry VIII coming across as obnoxious and calculating, even as a child. The ending, as well, is pretty lame - it kind of just peters out, with a confession that would have resonated far more if it had come earlier. But, when so many books set in this time period are very much "Yorkists good, Tudors bad", Mistress of Mourning sets itself apart by providing a more balanced offering. (Funnily enough, Harper has very little to say about Richard III, although one of his closest allies plays a major role.) If you're looking for a fairly light read set in the early Tudor period, you could do far worse than this book.
December 19, 2020
This is a combination of historical fiction and mystery writing. It might have been better if the author had concentrated on one rather than both. The main character, Varina Westcott, is a young widowed candlemaker with two sons (one living, one dead) who is summoned by the queen Elizabeth of York (wife of Henry VII) to create wax effigies of her dead sons and also of her missing/dead brothers (the Princes of the Tower).
When Prince Arthur dies several months after his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the queen sends Varina to help with his funeral and also to investigate the death. The queen is also concerned about whether Arthur's death is somehow tied to her brothers' deaths.
In the course of the book there were several paranormal events which were never clarified.
Also, there are periodic romantic scenes between Varina and Nicholas, but I never identified with Varina enough to care whether they w0uld be consumated or not.
When Prince Arthur dies several months after his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the queen sends Varina to help with his funeral and also to investigate the death. The queen is also concerned about whether Arthur's death is somehow tied to her brothers' deaths.
In the course of the book there were several paranormal events which were never clarified.
Also, there are periodic romantic scenes between Varina and Nicholas, but I never identified with Varina enough to care whether they w0uld be consumated or not.
October 30, 2018
Alright, so I was recommended this as it suggested that if I like Phillipa Gregory, then I'll love Karen Harper. Although I did enjoy the book, it wasn't the most readable.
Varina Westcott is a widow who runs a wax chandlery shop that she inherited from her late husband. She is asked by Queen Elizabeth of York to create wax effigies of her brothers (The Princes in the Tower) and her two dead children. They bond as they have both lost children. When her eldest son, Prince Arthur Tudor dies mysteriously at Ludlow Castle with his new wife Catherine of Aragon, Elizabeth appoints Varina to help uncover the plot behind her son's death.
Since discovering Phillipa Gregory, I have become a fan of historical fiction. Harper has picked the roots of the Tudor era, and as such is able to dig and interpret 2 mysteries that still remain unsolved - the death of The Princes in the Tower and the death of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales. Harper is able to write her own answers to these mysteries, and I thought they were brilliantly entertwined with the story. Harper also shows that anxiety and depression that Elizabeth still feels after the death of her brothers.
The plot overall was good, but it took a while for me to get into the story. The book itself isn't as readable as Gregory, I found myself having to read sentences a couple of times to understand what Harper meant. I wouldn't not recommend this book however, as it shows Varina making her way through the plot without the assistance of a man (one trait which she doesn't realise). This makes her both desirable and a hindrance to those who seek her affections.
Varina Westcott is a widow who runs a wax chandlery shop that she inherited from her late husband. She is asked by Queen Elizabeth of York to create wax effigies of her brothers (The Princes in the Tower) and her two dead children. They bond as they have both lost children. When her eldest son, Prince Arthur Tudor dies mysteriously at Ludlow Castle with his new wife Catherine of Aragon, Elizabeth appoints Varina to help uncover the plot behind her son's death.
Since discovering Phillipa Gregory, I have become a fan of historical fiction. Harper has picked the roots of the Tudor era, and as such is able to dig and interpret 2 mysteries that still remain unsolved - the death of The Princes in the Tower and the death of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales. Harper is able to write her own answers to these mysteries, and I thought they were brilliantly entertwined with the story. Harper also shows that anxiety and depression that Elizabeth still feels after the death of her brothers.
The plot overall was good, but it took a while for me to get into the story. The book itself isn't as readable as Gregory, I found myself having to read sentences a couple of times to understand what Harper meant. I wouldn't not recommend this book however, as it shows Varina making her way through the plot without the assistance of a man (one trait which she doesn't realise). This makes her both desirable and a hindrance to those who seek her affections.
March 15, 2017
this was a great book for those who enjoy mysteries set in the Tudor period--specifically Henry VII--and also has intersting insight into the murders of the 2 princes in the Tower and also young Prince Arthur Tuor, who died supposedly of a sudden illness. The book is told from the POV of a young woman chandler/waxmaker named Varina Westcott who is summoned to the palace to work for the Queen Elizabeth of York, who wants her to make wax effigies of her two dead children, one of whom was a baby, and her two lost brothers, presumed murdered by their uncle Richard III. Varina is talented but denied entrance into her local guild because she is a woman, despite running her own shop since she was widowed and also has sympathy for the queen because she too suffered the loss of a child to sickness. Ironically both their lost sons were named Edmund, and Varina has a small boy named Arthur, named for the eldest prince.
Varina is quickly enmeshed, through no fault of her own, in a web of intrigue and murder, and made the target of a dangerous man who wishes to topple the Tudors. She forms an alliance with a loyal queen's man named Nicholas Sutton who helps her to investigate the strange happenings.
Alongside Varina is Elizabeth of York, a kind and generous queen, the daughter of Edward IV, whose marriage to Henry VIII brought an end to the Cousin's War--what is now called the War of the Roses--between Lancaster and York. Elizabeth is haunted by dreams of failing to protect her two little brothers in the Tower and is determined to find out who killed them, since the actual killers were never found. Oddly enough, her husband doesn't seem too eager to put the murders to rest, and thinks she grieves too much over her dead children and her brothers and so Elizabeth swears Varina and Nicholas to secrecy about the wax effigies. She hides them in a secret room that she says is for her devotions.
I was happy to see that Harper doesn't go down the well worn trail of accusing Richard of murdering his nephews, and instead uses deduction and logic to show the possible and more likely suspect of another powerful figure. She also puts forth another interesting mystery in the form of Arthur's death, and shows how precarious the reign of the Tudors was on the throne until Henry VIII, who won the hearts of most of the people in the beginning of his reign.
I enjoyed Varina and Elizabeth's POV, the mystery was well done, and so was the romance between Nick and Varina.
Varina is quickly enmeshed, through no fault of her own, in a web of intrigue and murder, and made the target of a dangerous man who wishes to topple the Tudors. She forms an alliance with a loyal queen's man named Nicholas Sutton who helps her to investigate the strange happenings.
Alongside Varina is Elizabeth of York, a kind and generous queen, the daughter of Edward IV, whose marriage to Henry VIII brought an end to the Cousin's War--what is now called the War of the Roses--between Lancaster and York. Elizabeth is haunted by dreams of failing to protect her two little brothers in the Tower and is determined to find out who killed them, since the actual killers were never found. Oddly enough, her husband doesn't seem too eager to put the murders to rest, and thinks she grieves too much over her dead children and her brothers and so Elizabeth swears Varina and Nicholas to secrecy about the wax effigies. She hides them in a secret room that she says is for her devotions.
I was happy to see that Harper doesn't go down the well worn trail of accusing Richard of murdering his nephews, and instead uses deduction and logic to show the possible and more likely suspect of another powerful figure. She also puts forth another interesting mystery in the form of Arthur's death, and shows how precarious the reign of the Tudors was on the throne until Henry VIII, who won the hearts of most of the people in the beginning of his reign.
I enjoyed Varina and Elizabeth's POV, the mystery was well done, and so was the romance between Nick and Varina.
March 25, 2025
3.5 stars. I had a feeling all the way through that I’d read this book but if I did, it was ages ago and I only vaguely remembered bits and pieces so it was pretty much a new read. Karen Harper posits a different take on what happened to the Princes in the Tower, who was responsible and why, which was interesting though not new. I’d even thought of that one. Still Mistress Varina Westcott, a chandler in London (though not a member of the Guild because she’s a woman) carves mourning candles with angels on them. Queen Elizabeth of York, the wife of Henry VII comes to hear of her and commissions Varina to carve wax likenesses of her dead children and her two dead (presumably) brothers. Through this she meets Nick Sutton, a former Yorkist whose male family members had died at Bosworth and at Stoke fighting for the Yorkists. He is trying to serve the new king in order to get his family lands back. When he and Varina are sent to Ludlow to find out what happened to Prince Arthur and Princess Catalina (Katherine of Aragon). Arthur is dead suddenly and Catalina is recovering from the same illness. Were they poisoned or was it the Sweating Sickness. Lurking through all this, appearing and disappearing like a ghost is a mysterious man, apparently intent on killing all the Tudors (I totally get that feeling). Who is it and what does he want with a humble London chandler?
January 15, 2018
Akhirnya, setelah sebulan membaca dengan ogah-ogahan dan diselingi light novel jepang kekinian, aku bisa menamatkan novel ini. Penyebabnya lagi-lagi, kualitas terjemahan yang sungguh mengerikan. Typo dan susunan kalimat yang bagaikan di-copy langsung dari google translate sangat mengganggu saat membaca. Bagi para penerjemah, mohon perhatiannya.
Ceritanya sendiri berada di sekitar kehidupan seorang pengukir lilin dan Elizabeth of York. Penulisan dengan menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama untuk menceritakan kisah dua wanita ini cukup mengganggu sebenarnya, tapi masih dapat dimaklumi. Selain itu penokohan kedua lakon utama ini juga tidak menarik. Satu-satunya yang membuatku bertahan membaca buku ini adalah rasa penasaran tentang apa yang sebenarnya terjadi pada kedua pangeran york di menara london, dan itu pun ditutup dengan kepasrahan ratu saat ajal menjemput. Pengen bilang "cuma gitu doang? terus perjalanan bolak-balik dan kejar-kejaran ala princess diary itu buat apa?"
Ceritanya sendiri berada di sekitar kehidupan seorang pengukir lilin dan Elizabeth of York. Penulisan dengan menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama untuk menceritakan kisah dua wanita ini cukup mengganggu sebenarnya, tapi masih dapat dimaklumi. Selain itu penokohan kedua lakon utama ini juga tidak menarik. Satu-satunya yang membuatku bertahan membaca buku ini adalah rasa penasaran tentang apa yang sebenarnya terjadi pada kedua pangeran york di menara london, dan itu pun ditutup dengan kepasrahan ratu saat ajal menjemput. Pengen bilang "cuma gitu doang? terus perjalanan bolak-balik dan kejar-kejaran ala princess diary itu buat apa?"
June 11, 2019
Lovely book, with a lot of historical detail, suspense, and a love story. The background to this is the life of Elizabeth of York, the loss of her two brothers, the princes in the tower, the loss of her own son. Varina is the Mistress of Mourning, a chandler employed for a covert operation to carve wax figures of Elizabeth's two sons and also the her nephews, the princes in the tower.
The novel tells the two parallel stories, Varina, a widow who has also lost a child and is sympathetic to Elizabeth's loss. Meantime Varina who has a surviving child, becomes involved with Nicholas Sutton, a handsome and engaging suitor with his own issues.
There is a lot of adventure during which Varina and her son Arthur are in jeopardy, will the handsome Nicholas come to their rescue? Read on for more.
I found this an engrossing and engaging novel and a real page turner. Will be looking out for more of Karen Harper's books. Can recommend this to anyone who enjoys a riveting read.
The novel tells the two parallel stories, Varina, a widow who has also lost a child and is sympathetic to Elizabeth's loss. Meantime Varina who has a surviving child, becomes involved with Nicholas Sutton, a handsome and engaging suitor with his own issues.
There is a lot of adventure during which Varina and her son Arthur are in jeopardy, will the handsome Nicholas come to their rescue? Read on for more.
I found this an engrossing and engaging novel and a real page turner. Will be looking out for more of Karen Harper's books. Can recommend this to anyone who enjoys a riveting read.
June 9, 2023
This is a lovely cozy read, stress free because we know nothing bad will happen to our main characters but engaging due to its great plot and realistic character building.
Varina is a strong-minded woman in the early Tudor period who is smart at looks at all angles to keep herself and her family safe. As both the daughter and widow of tradesman, candlemakers, she never expected to have close dealings with a man like Nicholas Sutton, a disgraced nobleman trying to earn back his families title and lands from the 1st Tudor king. But a series of secret tasks undertaken first for Queen Elizabeth and later for Henry Tudor (King Henry VII) as well, lead Nick and Varina to really on each other to solve an evolving set of mysteries and keep each other safe. Their relationship progresses in a realistic manner as the story focuses on the mysteries they are working to solve.
Very enjoyable!
Varina is a strong-minded woman in the early Tudor period who is smart at looks at all angles to keep herself and her family safe. As both the daughter and widow of tradesman, candlemakers, she never expected to have close dealings with a man like Nicholas Sutton, a disgraced nobleman trying to earn back his families title and lands from the 1st Tudor king. But a series of secret tasks undertaken first for Queen Elizabeth and later for Henry Tudor (King Henry VII) as well, lead Nick and Varina to really on each other to solve an evolving set of mysteries and keep each other safe. Their relationship progresses in a realistic manner as the story focuses on the mysteries they are working to solve.
Very enjoyable!
July 22, 2018
Review - I really enjoyed this novel, though I wasn't expecting to get so engrossed in it. The idea that the death of Prince Arthur wasn't accidental is an intriguing one, as it seems that the Tudors did have appalling luck with their heirs. This was an intriguing mystery, but I don't want to give too much away. All I can say is that it is worth a read for anyone who has ever wondered about the death of Prince Arthur.
Genre? - Historical / Mystery
Characters? - Elizabeth of York / Varina Westcott / Nick Sutton / Henry VII / Jamie / Arthur Westcott / Gil / Maud / Katherine of Aragon / Prince Arthur / Lord Lovell
Setting? - London (England) & Ludlow (Wales)
Series? - N/A
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 17/20
Genre? - Historical / Mystery
Characters? - Elizabeth of York / Varina Westcott / Nick Sutton / Henry VII / Jamie / Arthur Westcott / Gil / Maud / Katherine of Aragon / Prince Arthur / Lord Lovell
Setting? - London (England) & Ludlow (Wales)
Series? - N/A
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 17/20
January 4, 2024
Interesting concept so far. I didn't catch at first that a name popping up in the midst of the story meant a change in point of view, but now I appreciate the notification. (If there's a scene break or similar, I turn my eyes away from the story for a moment as if to close out what I just read before I continue.)
One tiny error so far: when the Queen considers the room she's had transformed into Varina's workshop, the book says that the garderobe won't be missed, as they've moved on from those and chamber pots and on to the era of close stools.
Except the item in a stool that catches the waste is a chamber pot.
(was actively reading at the end of 2023)
=4 Jan=
A gripping,
One tiny error so far: when the Queen considers the room she's had transformed into Varina's workshop, the book says that the garderobe won't be missed, as they've moved on from those and chamber pots and on to the era of close stools.
Except the item in a stool that catches the waste is a chamber pot.
(was actively reading at the end of 2023)
=4 Jan=
A gripping,
September 19, 2019
3.5*.
Give me all the Tudors, all the time. I was not expecting a mystery to be honest, I was expecting a historical romance. I definitely got better than I bargained for. But it is lacking something, and that lack screams to me the fact that this was written by an american. I don't know why and I don't want to think like that, and maybe I'm being daft and biased, but there you have it.
Give me all the Tudors, all the time. I was not expecting a mystery to be honest, I was expecting a historical romance. I definitely got better than I bargained for. But it is lacking something, and that lack screams to me the fact that this was written by an american. I don't know why and I don't want to think like that, and maybe I'm being daft and biased, but there you have it.
January 3, 2020
I enjoyed this novel - the question of what happened to the Princes in the Tower has always been an unanswered one. Although no one will ever know who really was responsible I enjoyed this read and the characters involved. A lot of English history though so it might not be such a popular read for anyone who didn't grow up in the UK.
September 6, 2020
Good British history. This concerns Queen Elizabeth of York, wife of King Henry VII, who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her two younger brothers who disappeared from the Tower. Her research indicates it could have inadvertently been Henry himself, who wanted to secure his advance to the throne.
March 27, 2023
I found the concept behind the story interesting, Elizabeth of York - the wife of Henry VII being sad about the loss of her children wanting wax effigies. And I have never heard of angel candles before, but I found the style of writing uncomfortable until I was well into the mystery part of the story.
October 27, 2024
I've read quite a few Karen Harper novels and have never been disappointed...".Well up until now "...We have a good beginning and characterisation and language for the period works well....halfway the novel has lost believability and everything becomes rather bland like some tudor sherlock Holmes novel....thats lost its way...DNF ...at 75%.
March 4, 2017
What I liked:
– that the main character was initially an outsider from the Tudor Court.
– Varina, was a character of many layers. She was proud when she needed to be, and highly heartbroken after the loss of her two children.
– The bond between Varina and Elizabeth of York. It was so beautifully written and my favorite part of the book.
– The dual perspective between Varina and Elizabeth of York. It was beautifully done and flowed from one narrator to the other clearly.
– The characterisation of Elizabeth of York. She was written exactly how I see her as. I loved the intimate and personal scenes between her and Henry Tudor. Their marriage was really well portrayed.
– The detail to the candle and embalming references. At times they were so detailed it was haunting.
– How the book made me think is history all it seems? Did Arthur Tudor really die of the sweating sickness? Which we know he did but what if a Tudor enemy killed him in the hope to restore the Plantagenet rule?
What I didn’t like:
– It was anticlimatic. I felt like the ending was rushed. Even the announcement of who the killer was, made me unsatisfied with how it was played out.
– It was dragged out. I feel like quite a few pages could’ve been cut and nothing would’ve been lost.
– It was not as atmospheric as I would’ve liked. Yes Harper had all the candle lingo to a tee, but the supposedly spooky scenes in the dungeons didn’t do it for me. Even like Varina, I don’t like enclosed spaces, but the scenes where she felt confined didn’t bother me.
– The characterisation wasn’t remarkable. The supporting characters mostly weren’t that interesting, though there was a scene where young Henry confronts his mother and was rather beastly to her. That did give me chills, once again we see sparks of how Henry will be as Henry VIII in years to come.
– The death of Elizabeth of York was rushed. Okay, we know she died in childbirth and I liked how that scene was presented but it needed to be longer.
Summary:
Okay, so I borrowed this book at the library. It caught my eye, and I gave it a go. I’m utterly fascinated by Elizabeth of York, so I was so happy when I saw the book was told from her POV.
It was a great read in some places but it fell flat by the end, but I’ll definitely read this author again.
Why? Because I like her characterisation of Elizabeth and Henry, and also I have on my tbr her book, “Shakespeare’s Mistress.”
– that the main character was initially an outsider from the Tudor Court.
– Varina, was a character of many layers. She was proud when she needed to be, and highly heartbroken after the loss of her two children.
– The bond between Varina and Elizabeth of York. It was so beautifully written and my favorite part of the book.
– The dual perspective between Varina and Elizabeth of York. It was beautifully done and flowed from one narrator to the other clearly.
– The characterisation of Elizabeth of York. She was written exactly how I see her as. I loved the intimate and personal scenes between her and Henry Tudor. Their marriage was really well portrayed.
– The detail to the candle and embalming references. At times they were so detailed it was haunting.
– How the book made me think is history all it seems? Did Arthur Tudor really die of the sweating sickness? Which we know he did but what if a Tudor enemy killed him in the hope to restore the Plantagenet rule?
What I didn’t like:
– It was anticlimatic. I felt like the ending was rushed. Even the announcement of who the killer was, made me unsatisfied with how it was played out.
– It was dragged out. I feel like quite a few pages could’ve been cut and nothing would’ve been lost.
– It was not as atmospheric as I would’ve liked. Yes Harper had all the candle lingo to a tee, but the supposedly spooky scenes in the dungeons didn’t do it for me. Even like Varina, I don’t like enclosed spaces, but the scenes where she felt confined didn’t bother me.
– The characterisation wasn’t remarkable. The supporting characters mostly weren’t that interesting, though there was a scene where young Henry confronts his mother and was rather beastly to her. That did give me chills, once again we see sparks of how Henry will be as Henry VIII in years to come.
– The death of Elizabeth of York was rushed. Okay, we know she died in childbirth and I liked how that scene was presented but it needed to be longer.
Summary:
Okay, so I borrowed this book at the library. It caught my eye, and I gave it a go. I’m utterly fascinated by Elizabeth of York, so I was so happy when I saw the book was told from her POV.
It was a great read in some places but it fell flat by the end, but I’ll definitely read this author again.
Why? Because I like her characterisation of Elizabeth and Henry, and also I have on my tbr her book, “Shakespeare’s Mistress.”
June 1, 2021
While a bit unplausible...a candle makers Widow becoming a confident of the Queen...and a bit tangled, this mystery surrounding the parents of Henry VIII is entertaining to the point of nailnibbling. I'll give the series another try. For sure
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