Helpful Score: 4
Excellent book. Rich characters, great storyline, moves at a reasonable pace and is very well written and historically researched.
This is my first Anya Seton books, but I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
This is my first Anya Seton books, but I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
Helpful Score: 4
Unbelievable ... I would give it 10 stars if I could ... I am a lover of historical fiction, and one of the best things about it is that it doesn't matter so much when the book was actually written ... Anya Seton was an amazing writer and I would recommend this book to anyone who loves history and wants a long, gorgeous tale of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and his lover, Katherine.
Helpful Score: 2
A beautiful historical picture of life in England during the medieval period as well as a story of unwavering love.
Helpful Score: 2
Wonderfuly fascinating book. Makes you fall in love with the Duke. Romatic, tragic, heroic, and gripping. Well written and researched.
Helpful Score: 2
This is a wonderfull book, that adds the wonders of courtly romance, while also manageing to stay fairly historical. As someone who adores, the time period this book is set in, and has researched the times of John of Gaunt alot I was very happy and entranced with this book. I couldnt put it down.
Helpful Score: 2
I HAVE READ THIS BOOK AT LEAST 8 TIMES IN THE LAST 25 YRS. EACH TIME, I FALL IN LOVE WITH IT ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS REALLY IS A MUST READ STORY. TRAGIC, BUT ALL ENDS RIGHT WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE. THE TRUE TRAGIC WOULD BE IF YOU, THE PBS MEMBERS, DID NOT GET ACHANCE TO READ IT.
Helpful Score: 1
Pretty solid historical novel about Katherine Swynford.
It doesn't get much better than this...and trust me, I've been looking.
Helpful Score: 1
A lovely story that tugs on the heartstrings. While it dragged a bit in the middle (and the end was far too short) I was amazed at how historically accurate the story was. One of the best historical fictions I've read!
Helpful Score: 1
A classic romance about young, common Katherine Swynford's love affair with the noble John of Gaunt. Not to be missed!
Great classic romance based on real people.
The romance of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt (14th century English history) with Chaucer, the Black Death, and all the jostling for the Throne of England interwoven
Katherine is just one more example of Anya Seton's incredible research into old England. It was well written and visually descriptive. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in English history or just loves a love story.
Interesting slice of life in 14th, well told. Reading was a bit tiring at some times, but overall a good historical novel.
I read this when I was 18 and I recently found it again. I was so impressed with it then I did a book report on it and talked my high school teacher into reading it and he was very impressed. I was so glad to find it again and reread it. I loved that it was true history. There is a wonderful spiritual aspect in it too. This is a richly drawn portrait of a scintillating love affair in a time that was rife with political intrigue. Set in a medieval landscape with all the pageantry, strife, and turbulence that constituted fourteenth century England, this beautifully written narrative is peppered with those characters and individuals that made the period memorable. It is a novel to be savored and one with which the most discerning reader would be well satisfied.
excellent book and an easy read
Excellent for an historical review but too dramatic in the romantic aspect.
this gave you a detailed description of what life was life in 14th century England. It was also interesting reading about a person in history that I knew nothing about. The ending got a little more into the politics of the time. While i liked it, it was a little long at times.
Even though this book was originally published in 1954, it stands the test of time amazingly well. It might help that it is historical fiction set in England in the mid 1300's, but Anya Seton does a great job of setting the tone and moving the story forward.
I enjoyed learning more about Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster. Even though I know quite a bit about English history, I didn't know that there had been a 'People's Revolt' against King Richard in 1381.
I liked the fact that while the overarching story was a star-crossed love story the supporting details were rich in authentic history.
I enjoyed learning more about Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster. Even though I know quite a bit about English history, I didn't know that there had been a 'People's Revolt' against King Richard in 1381.
I liked the fact that while the overarching story was a star-crossed love story the supporting details were rich in authentic history.
Classic love story of love an loss. A love that lasts a lifetime.
Historical romance, exquisitely researched and based on the lives of the Plantangenet Duke of Lancaster, John o'Gault, and the woman who was the love of his life, Katherine Swynford.
***Excellent*** historical fiction. One of the best I've read!
This book is heads and shoulders above today's historical fiction writers--not to denigrate today's, some of whom are fantastic, but to elevate Ms. Seton's work. Thoroughly believable, exquisite period detail--so much so you'll need a dictionary close by--make this a lovely engrossing read. This book shows you how historical fiction should be done.
This is the second time I've read this book. It's a perfect combination of all that made up the 14th Century: royalty, forbidden romance and the turmoil that plagued England during the time that this novel takes place.
This love story of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of much of the Rooooooooyal family sets the background of this book. Knights went to battle while peasants died of the Black Death. The Plantagenets fought and fell in love and this is perhaps the most stirring love story of the 14th century.
Engaging historical fiction.
