Richard III discussion

Just started Figures in Silk and I was curious if Jane really had a sister or is that part of Jane's life made up? I hate to peek at the author's notes so early in the book, in case there's spoilers.

I think she's invented. In his will, Jane's father mentions Jane (actually named Elizabeth) and several sons, but no other daughter. Jane's mother Amy also mentioned only sons and one daughter in her will.

Does anyone know why she goes by Jane?

According to the bio of her in the online Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, the name Jane was given to her by dramatist Thomas Heywood in 1599.

So in her own time, she was called Elizabeth?

Iiiinteresting. I love Goodreads. So much new stuff to learn. :)

Yeah, "Elizabeth" is the name under which she appears in papal letters involving the annulment of her marriage and in her parents' wills. Richard III referred to her just as "the late wife of William Shore" and as "Shore's wife." Thomas More also calls her just "Shore's wife."

There's a nonfiction book about her by Margaret Crosland called The Mysterious Mistress that discusses what's known about her life as well as her depiction in literature. Nicolas Barker wrote an article about her for Etoniana back in 1972. I'd be happy to scan it and e-mail it if anyone's interested in it.

I didn't know she was Elizabeth either. Poor Edward had his hands full with ladies of that name then, didn't he?

I started Figures in Silklast night but was having a hard time with it. I'm thinking its going to be more about the "sister" than Jane herself, along with a sneaking suspicion there's going to be someone else with a mad passion for Richard. Time will tell.

Speaking of FIS, the one I've got is an ARC and I'm still a bit new to the world of them. I know typos are to be expected as they aren't the final proof but this one's over the top. Way too many commas and odd sentences. I've not read this author before, perhaps that's just her style?

In "The Sunne in Splendour", the lady in question introduces herself to Edward as 'Elizabeth Jane'. They agree she is better called Jane since Edward points out there are already too many Elizabeths in his life.

ARC?

MAP, advanced reader copy.

Ikon, thank you.

Misfit,
Pat made the same observations you did about the typos and run on sentences and I don't believe her copy was an ARC.

Is it self-published?

It's published by a major publisher. I'm too lazy to check which one, but it's certainly not self-published.

William Morrow.

It was released last year sometime and then it became hard to find anywhere and was listed as 'out of print not available' on Amazon. And now it's been released again. I'm wondering if the typos and errors were corrected for this second edition?

Well mine is definitely marked as an ARC but they've got a lot of work cut out for them. I read a bit more after the last posting and I actually came across a sentence twice - one right after the other. I don't think I have ever seen that before.

Publisher is marked as William Morrow "An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

I'm not too impressed so far but I'll plod on. I can't put my finger on it, but I feel like I'm on the outside looking in.

Another question. Twice now the author has Jane Shore sitting and reading a french romance novel. Where novels readily available to the merchant class? And were the merchants daughters educated enough to read at that time?

Misfit wrote: "Another question. Twice now the author has Jane Shore sitting and reading a french romance novel. Where novels readily available to the merchant class? And were the merchants daughters educated eno..."

As far as I know, the daughters of wealthier merchants would have been literate, and their families would have been able to afford books and would have likely had their daughters taught to read French as well as English. Thomas More described Jane as being able to read and write well.

Susan, I don't know what we'd do without you :)

Lisa Jardin puts the wide availability and appreciation of printed books at the second half of the fifteenth century. So it is entirely likely that a merchant of some means would have in his possession printed books as an indication of his success if for no other reason. I think they would have been displayed much as plate was in the public rooms of a house.

I think i have a copy of the book but under a different title - Queen of Silks? It's confusing when they do that!

Since were talking about Shores has anyone read
The Wife of Shore : A Search
by Arthur R. G Solmssen?
There aren't any reviews of it here on GoodReads
But I thought it looked interesting.
I loved SKP's depiction of Jane Shore in SIS and that made me want to read more about her.

Well, I bit for The Wife of Shore just now and ordered a used copy from Amazon, though I hate it when authors don't put excerpts on their websites.

Oooh, then you will be my guide/guinea pig!?

I looked around at prices a while ago and couldn't find a bargain, I was thinking of using my birthday gift card at B&N but I was afraid it might be a dud.

Will you let me know what you think?

Sure will! I figure if I hate it, I can always donate it to the library.