Tagged: carolyn meyer
Patience, Princess Catherine by Carolyn Meyer
(Cover picture courtesy of iNetGiant.)
Catherine of Aragon grew up expecting she would one day become the queen of England—not a dejected teenage widow. But that is exactly what happens when fragile Prince Arthur, to whom she has been betrothed since the age of three, dies only months after their wedding. Her power now obsolete, Catherine is exiled to a dank castle in a remote part of the country. She is stranded there for years with little money and no control over her fate.
There is one ray of light in Catherine’s lonely life—her friendship with handsome Prince Henry, her deceased husband’s younger brother. A marriage to Henry could elevate Catherine from her precarious position and give her the crown that she was once promised. But will Henry take the risk of making the destitute princess his queen? Only time will tell…
Catherine of Aragon is an oft-overlooked woman, having been outshone by her successor, Anne Boleyn. But after reading this novel, I found that there is a much to admire about her. I actually learned a lot from Patience, Princess Catherine because I knew Catherine had waited to marry Henry, but I never knew just how long she waited. She spent seven years in England upon Arthur’s death and her determination paid off: Catherine of Aragon became Queen of England. Believe me, she had far more patience than I would have had her place.
Carolyn Meyer’s portrayal of Catherine is very sympathetic; she is a fiery, determined young woman who believes she is destined to be Queen of England and will stop at nothing to achieve her destiny. Readers will cheer for her every step of the way through her long, hard journey to England her years of waiting to marry Henry. Unlike with Anne Boleyn in Doomed Queen Anne, her downfall is not featured nearly as prominently, but there is still a hint of sadness in the narrative as Catherine reflects on the events of her youth.
With an interesting, well-paced plot, even readers who hate history will love Patience, Princess Catherine. I would recommend it for 12+ because of brief scenes of sexuality, but it really depends on the reader’s maturity level.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
Doomed Queen Anne by Carolyn Meyer
(Cover picture courtesy of Fictional Appearances By…)
Anne Boleyn was born without great beauty, wealth, or title, but she’s blossomed into a captivating young woman—and she knows it. Determined to rise to the top, she uses her wiles to win the heart of England’s most powerful man, King Henry VIII. Not satisfied with the King’s heart, however, she persuades Henry to defy everyone—including his own wife—to make her his new queen.
This engrossing novel tells Anne’s fascinating story in her own voice—from her life as an awkward girl to the dramatic moments leading up to her beheading.
I’ve always liked the story of Anne Boleyn, the woman whose ambition propelled her up to the greatest heights. Unfortunately, the higher you rise, the farther you have to fall. And, oh, did Anne Boleyn fall to the lowest of the low.
Doomed Queen Anne is the story of her rise and fall, told in journal form on the eve of her execution as she recounts the events that lead up to it. It begins at her unhappy childhood and comes around full circle, which always adds a tinge of sadness to the narrative. Carolyn Meyer is a masterful writer of historical fiction and sticks to the facts while telling this excellent story. She shows that the women history has assigned bad reputations to weren’t really all that bad and were perfectly human, meaning they had flaws just like us.
I believe the best example of this is when she writes about Anne’s childhood as the ill-favoured daughter, overshadowed by her beautiful, dazzling older sister, Mary. She was told she was ugly, but learned how to hide her flaws while emphasizing her better traits. This well developed backstory is what makes her a memorable character that most readers will be able to sympathize with.
The plot of Doomed Queen Anne is reasonably well paced and the entire novel is historically accurate, as far as I can tell. Carolyn Meyer is a very gifted writer and uses her talent to draw readers in to the backstabbing court of the Tudors and move the plot along to its inevitable, tragic conclusion. I would recommend this book for people 12+ because there are brief scenes of sexuality, but nothing more than what you would encounter at most movies aimed at tweens.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
June is History Month
Well, it’s finally the month you’ve all been waiting for: June. And over here at The Mad Reviewer, that means only one thing: History Month. I’m going to be reviewing historical fiction for all ages as well as some nonfiction books I enjoyed. I’ll still be guest posting over at We Heart Reading every Wednesday, but those reviews will also be on history-themed books. If you’re curious about what June will hold, here are some hints:
- Carolyn Meyer. Lots of Carolyn Meyer.
- Non-sparkly vampires
- The French Revolution
- Troy
- Uther Pendragon
That’s just a few of the many subjects/authors/people my reviews will involve, so stay tuned! There will be something for everyone next month.
YA News and Upcoming Releases
Secrets of the Time Society by Alexandra Monir is yet another tie-in ebook. This time, it’s all about answering the questions from Timeless, like how the main character travels through time and such. It’s available from many different ebook sellers for $1.99, if you’re interested. I won’t buy it, mainly because I don’t actually own an e-reader, but looking at the synopsis, I wish I did.
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer is the last book in the Artemis Fowl series. Personally, I can’t wait for it to come out! Thankfully, it is going to be released July 10, 2012. From the blurb on Amazon, you can tell that this is going to be a thrilling conclusion.
As many of you know, I have Carolyn Meyer to thank for getting my little sister interested in history. So, as a sort of thank you, I would like everyone to know that Ms. Meyer is publishing yet another book in her series of diaries of famous women. This one, The Wild Queen, is about Mary, Queen of Scots. It will be published in June 2012, according to her website.
You can probably tell from my review that I’m pretty excited about the release of this book. Through NetGalley, I was able to read an ARC of this in e-book format (on my computer, not an e-reader). And you know what? This is actually a really good book that I would recommend to any lover of fantasy! So if you’re interested, the release date is set for May 13, 2012. Go on, check it out. You know you want to.
I’m a Michael Scott fan, so I’m also pretty excited about this book’s release. I’ve pre-ordered it from my local bookstore, but like everyone else, I’m going to have to wait for May 22 until I can get my hands on this book. Sigh. I’m not a patient person.