Tudor History Lovers discussion

The official folder for discussion of our June group read, have at it when you will!

Thanks for setting this up. I knew I was forgetting something :)

I have read this book. It was a while back and I enjoyed it. I will have to grab my copy and tag along once people start getting into this one.

As per my broadcast message, this is a reprint of Uneasy Lies The Head.

I am a little ways into the book, and so far it's pretty good. Although, I am not impressed at Elizabeth Woodville in this book like I was with her in The White Queen.

I read Victoria Holt when a teen ager and thought she was exciting. I have just finished To Hold the Crown and thought it trite. I think after reading many non fiction books it is difficult to go back to Plaidy.
One thing that is probably correct is the fact the royal children must have had loving nurses as their parents had very little to do with raising their children. They had nannies before there were nannies, but not yet edid they have large nursery schools in which to put their children.

This is our July/August book, right? So if I don't start until July 1 I am okay, right?

My library does have this book by either of the titles.

Lyn M wrote: "This is our July/August book, right? So if I don't start until July 1 I am okay, right?"

Yup... really, you can start anytime before August 31 :)

Which you know in my case will mean I will start around the 29th of August. LOL. I am always so late!

Better than me! I'll probably start it in December ;)

haha!!! I have to finish Marie Antoinette and Wolf Hall before I attempt this one. I feel hit or miss with Jean Plaidy, so I feel iffy about reading it.

I actually got it from the library today so I'll start it in a few days. I'm reading William's Wife by her right now and then will move onto the group read :)

You better hurry up Jen, I have read two books after getting all the way to p87 in this book! ;)

I really like it so far, I have never read anything on Elizabeth of York. Is anyone else reading yet?

MaryLou, what did you not like about this book?

I'll be starting it today :)

I will be starting sometime this week.

It's soooo good so far! I'm about 40 pages in and I love the contrast between Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort.

I am hoping to start it in the next few days. At least by this weekend.

Excellent Lyn and Sorrelpaw, can't wait for you guys to start reading it!

I myself am chomping at the bit waiting for Jennifer to catch up to me because I have been really enjoying learning about the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.

Jennifer wrote: "It's soooo good so far! I'm about 40 pages in and I love the contrast between Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort."


This one is very well done to show Just how different they were. OF course I like Plaidy so may be a little biased. I read this a while back but thought it very well written to bring all of the players of that time into play.

It is Sorrelpaw!

Thanks for your insight on the book Wen. :)

I like the little details that JP ads like the cutting of the cloth at Elizabeth of York's coronation.

Colleen wrote: "I like the little details that JP ads like the cutting of the cloth at Elizabeth of York's coronation."

I know you and I talked about this last night but wondered what others are thinking about it. It was crazy!

I'm at the part in the book where Elizabeth of York is awaiting the birth of Henry. Where is everyone else?

I'm picking my copy of from the library today!

Yay Amber, will you start it today?

I last stopped reading right after Henry gets his Duke of York ceremony. I like the rivalry going on between little Henry and little Margaret; so cute! JP has Henry as a loveable, strong willed little snot who sends his toy horse on wheels crashing into Margaret on purpose so he can rule the nursery then hiding in his nurse's skirts when she chides him for being mean to his sister.

Unfortunately no...after that I came home and napped for a few hours lol! I'm also in the middle of another book, but I've been going through them pretty fast so I'm hoping I'll start tomorrow or Friday. :)

I got a sample for my Kindle to see if I wanted to read it (they usually let you sample the first chapter for free). It's pretty interesting so far. It has caught my attention so much better than some of her others, like Murder Most Royal.

So are you still on the fence Aly?

I started it today, am only on page 20, am finding it really interesting, and hope to catch up, or not be far behind soon.

Yay Lyn! I am reading the AHoR gr while I wait for Jennifer to catch up to me and that is only about 100p in so you shouldn't be too far behind once I get to reading again.

I picked mine up from the library this evening! The entire Austin library system appeared to only possess one copy, and it's MINE, ALL MINE!! But I can't start it until I finish The Six Wives of Henry VIII, which should be soon, because Katherine Howard is currently under house arrest.

Awesome Heather!!! Except for KH being under house arrest :(

Well, no good for her, I guess, but... she kind of was a hussy. I felt bad for Anne of Cleves, though... but she did sort of make out on the deal. But I guess I'm digressing from the topic of the thread. :D

Oh, none of us EVER digress, Heather! We just have side conversations.

I've just got to get through one more chapter to be caught up, which I'll do at lunch today :)

I've got it and am going to get started tomorrow (headed to bed now). Sounds like I've got some catching up to do!

I'm really liking this one as I haven't read any books on the Tudors prior to Henry VIII. I started it early so I should finish it this weekend while camping in the U.P.

Well, I finished Six Wives at 4:30 this morning... and now I am very sleepy while I work, but ready to start To Hold the Crown!

I will be starting at lunch - VERY SOON!! :-D

** Chapter: Henry Duke of York **

So, is it just me or does Henry at three years old seem to have thoughts that are way too advanced for his age? I'm loving this book so far but this part is bugging me. My nephew is 4, a year older than Henry at this point, and I know he wouldn't be thinking in this manner. I understand that it is a way of narrating and letting the reader know what's going on but... Anyways, maybe it's just me? lol

Heather wrote: "I picked mine up from the library this evening! The entire Austin library system appeared to only possess one copy, and it's MINE, ALL MINE!! But I can't start it until I finish The Six Wives of He..."

So Heather, it's you that took the copy from me! =) I wonder if you and I compete for Tudor books through the Austin library a lot!!

That type of writing bugs me, too, Jennifer. I have read a couple of books on Elizabeth I where they did that. I mean, I know that she was precocious, but come on! Anyway - now I have something to look forward to, LOL.

I think there's a list somewhere on Listopia of "precocious kids," lol. Sounds like this one would be a good addition.

@Alex - I only just got myself a library card last week, in spite of living in Austin for over 3 years, because I now belong to two book groups and HAVE to curtail my Half Price Books visits somewhat, lol. So I'm your BRAND NEW Austin Public Library rival. :D I shall endeavor to read it quickly so you can have it!

Heather - haha no worries! I was just teasing you. I'm not going to be able to read it in time for this group read, though I do want to read it someday soon.

So where am I....I have read up to chapter 4 so far. I'm waiting for it to capture me a bit more. I'm a bit disappointed about how Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth of York are portrayed so far, but maybe because I'm more familiar with The White Queen by Philippa Gregory. I don't know too much about how these women were supposed to be in real life so I don't know which is truer. Also, the punctuation is throwing me off at points. What seem to be questions are sometimes punctuated with a period, for instance.

Isn't Cecelia's name really Cecily? I'm guessing they are interchangeable?

Sorry for the nit-picking...I guess I'm doing it in mind for sharing my thoughts later on my blog when I'm done LOL

Heather wrote: "Well, I finished Six Wives at 4:30 this morning... and now I am very sleepy while I work, but ready to start To Hold the Crown!"

Which six wives Heather?

I don't know Jennifer, I was not a child prodigy or anything but I had those kind of thoughts when I was about three or four, I have very early memories. On the other hand I think being a royal child would force a kid to grow up faster. They were crowned/given titles and land at all sorts of very young ages.

BTW- LOL @ Alex and Heather!

Amber, bad punctutaion in a book bothers me too.

Sorry about my spelling you all, I have had exhausting days at work this weekend

@Colleen - It was Weir's. Awesome read. I had for a long time been picking it up in the bookstore, then putting it back on the shelf and not buying it... then finally they had a copy at Half Price Books for like $6, and I could no longer resist. Glad I didn't; it was a GREAT read!

Colleen wrote: "I don't know Jennifer, I was not a child prodigy or anything but I had those kind of thoughts when I was about three or four, I have very early memories. On the other hand I think being a royal child would force a kid to grow up faster. They were crowned/given titles and land at all sorts of very young ages. "

I agree... I mean, I know that kids of three and four are very smart and intuitive and all. It's just some of the stuff strikes me as odd. I keep trying to compare my nephew with some of the passages in this novel and for example;

*Chapter: Henry Duke of York*
Henry's little blue eyes narrowed. He would have liked to send his bronze horse and knight rushing straight at her (Margaret). But this was not the time for retaliation so he merely scowled at her which did not bother her in the least and she laughed at him saying, 'Now you look really ugly!'

As though he ever did! As though he ever could! How often he heard the servants say he was the image of his grandfather Edward and he had been one of the most handsome men in England

I can totally see the first paragraph as a realistic thought for someone of Henry's age but I just can't see my nephew (he's really my only basis for comparison at this point) being concerned or even considering something like his appearance. It's a little thing and the first example I found but still. Am I just being picky? It's totally legitimate from a narration standpoint but something that's bugging me a little...

I'm not very far into the book yet, but I find this author to be a very poor writer. I keep wanting to sit down and re-write the story, lol.

I haven't gotten to any of the parts with small children, yet, but I find the narration of the thoughts of adults to be exactly the reverse; they seem to have no complex thoughts at all, and their minds seem to be always rambling disjointedly.

And please, someone send something about the proper use of the comma to wherever Plaidy is buried!