Katherine came to the court of Edward III at the age of 15: the orphan daughter of a minor herald, betrothed to an obscure knight. And soon, the beloved mistress of the King's son and the mother of his children.
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'Perhaps the greatest gifts Anya Seton brings to her historical novels are the zest of her narrative, the life she breathes into the most insignificant characters, and the atmosphere of the era she evokes around them' (Books and Bookmen )
'Brilliant historical construction' ( Evening News )
'Miss Seton's enthusiasm for both character and period is infectious. Katherine emerges a glowing, vital figure' (Daily Telegraph )
'Anya Seton takes us into other worlds, making us live for a few hours on a grand scale'
'Brilliant historical construction' ( Evening News )
'Miss Seton's enthusiasm for both character and period is infectious. Katherine emerges a glowing, vital figure' (Daily Telegraph )
'A great adventure, powerfully told'
(Philippa Gregory )'Anya Seton takes us into other worlds, making us live for a few hours on a grand scale'
(Women's Journal )
'wonderful historical novels'
(Alison Weir ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.From the Publisher
Hodder has introduced its Great Reads series to create a platform for the stunning titles in the backlist to reach a new generation of readers. All the books selected were huge bestsellers at the time of publication, and have stood the test of time. Though very different, they are all fantastic stories, peopled by wonderful vivid characters. They will sweep you away from this world to somewhere extraordinary.
--This text refers to the
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First Sentence
IN THE TENDER GREEN TIME of April, Katherine set forth at last upon her journey with the two nuns and the royal messenger. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
IN THE TENDER GREEN TIME of April, Katherine set forth at last upon her journey with the two nuns and the royal messenger. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
89 of 92 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Katherine de Roet, mistress and later wife of John of Gaunt, son of Edward III, through her children by John is the ancestress of just about every Royal English line - Plantagenets, Tudors and Stuarts. I first read this book when I was in my early teens and am still reading it 40 years later. Jewel bright in its descriptions, it takes the reader through turbulent times in the 14th century. So much we can never know, but it seems that the affair between Katherine and John was a great love story - they eventually married. It inspired me to visit her tomb in Lincoln Cathedral and the little Lincolnshire village of Kettlethorpe where she once lived. Was she as beautiful as the book implies? I would have loved to have met her.
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By Sarah Allen
Format:Paperback
I have just re-read this book for the third time,having fallen in love with it many years ago in my early teens.Anya Seton's characterisation of the people thronging this book is its main strength, but the historical research places it firmly in its period and really brings those times to vivid life for the reader, without being stuffy or worthy. Anya Seton draws the reader into the medieval world of England as it really must have been, describing life for the rich and poor, and those in between, in a way that is completely credible. Katherine's story is amazing and uplifting, and of course the fact that it is true makes it all the more entrancing. If you believe in 'love conquers all' and enjoy stories set in the past, this is the novel for you. A real page-turner that will make you wish you had a time machine to travel back to Katherine's era. I can't recommend the novel highly enough!
50 of 52 people found the following review helpful
By Mrs. D. J. Smith
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Anya Seton's Katherine is both a romance and an historical novel. It is the story of Katherine Sywnford (nee de Roet) and of course her romance with John of Gaunt, son of Edward III, from which union sprung the Beaufort line. The historical detail is good and characterisation is excellent. Some of the novel is seen from the view of Katherine's brother-in-law, Geoffrey Chaucer, and extracts of his poetry are used in chapter headings. Seton makes her characters sympathetic, but real. You can clearly see the attraction of the powerful John of Gaunt, but his faults not passed over and it is clear where the pride of the House of Beaufort came from! I found Seton's portrayal of Richard II to be quite unsympathetic, but this worked within the context of her story, so I shan't quibble too much as I did find this hard to put down once I got going!
The only thing I would really have liked would have been a bit more of an historical note at the end, in the style of Sharon Penman, giving a little more information on some of the characters and events. There is some of this in the introduction, for example on the existence of Blanchette, but I feel it would have been better at the end and enlarged on slightly. The only biography I have seen available on Katherine Swynford has been very short, and Seton says most of what we know of her is from where her life intersects with that of John of Gaunt, so I would be interested in knowing how Seton surmised other events she depicts, and her reasoning on decisions on the fate of Blanchette who has seemingly not been acknowledged by all historians.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
i love anya seton books
great book mystical and draws the reader into the story the kind of book it is heard to put down
Published 19 days ago by sandra walbrin
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not easy reading but I felt glad not to have been alive in those...
Very well researched but the author crammed too much of her information into the book, and sacrificed the flow and continuity of the story. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Zanya
4.0 out of 5 stars
used copy of katherine
all fine arrived on time book in fine condition
no problems
have yet to read text so will comment on its content later
but delivery was fine
no problems
have yet to read text so will comment on its content later
but delivery was fine
Published 1 month ago by M. Roche
5.0 out of 5 stars
Books
The wife loves these types of books, she has a lot of them , I only read picture books I cant get through 2 paragraphs before i fall asleep
Published 1 month ago by Witchnannie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Katherine - fantastic read!!!
i read this book twenty years ago and lent it to a friend - never returned it. However i bought it again and have to say i still
love it and learn something each time i read... Read more
love it and learn something each time i read... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rusken
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Order as described and desptched quickly . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Published 2 months ago by Arnie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Katherine
Very interesting as Katherine was my 17th great grandmother. Have visited her Table Tomb by the Alta in Lincoln Cathedral many times. Read more
Published 3 months ago by John W, Fox
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction at its best
I was reminded of this teenage favourite of mine and re-read it after many, many years. The author's creative imagination was needed since there is little documentation about... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mia
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great classic
I have read Katherine before and looked forward to reading it again. I was not disappointed and will no doubt read it again.
Published 4 months ago by Mary
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great introduction to the period
This was a replacement for my original copy that I read time and time again until it fell apart. I bought this with the Alison Weir factual account of the same story, and whilst it... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Potty Dimley
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