Tagged: susanna horenbout
In Defense of the Queen by Michelle Diener
(Cover picture courtesy of Michelle Diener’s site.)
An artist never betrays her patron . . . especially one of the world’s most powerful kings.
Susanna Horenbout has learned this lesson from the cradle. But when she receives a letter from her father telling her to do just that, she faces a dilemma. Betray Henry VIII, or carry out the request of her father’s employer, Margaret of Austria, and pass secret information to Henry’s queen, Katherine of Aragon.
Caught between the machinations of her husband and her nephew, the Emperor Charles, Queen Katherine needs all the allies she can get. But what can Susanna really do to help her, and even if she does, will it be enough?
Susanna and her betrothed, Parker—one of Henry’s most trusted courtiers—balance on the knife’s edge of treason as they try to make sense of both international and domestic conspiracies. Sometimes, it’s better the enemy you know . .
[Full disclosure: I was sent a free paperback copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
With the serious cliffhanger at the end of the second book I knew I immediately had to start In Defense of the Queen. I’m very invested in this series by this point so you can understand why I was a little anxious to find Susanna in a lot of trouble in this third installment.
As with the previous two books, I loved the characters. Susanna and John’s bond is stronger than ever partly because of all of the trials they’ve gone through as a couple. Still, I was more than little worried about the two what with all of the assassination attempts and Susanna being accused of treason. I’ll admit that I have become quite attached to both Susanna and John.
I liked how we were in Susanna’s point of view a lot more than we were in the second book because she still is my favourite character. She’s tested again and again but I love that no matter how hard or awful the situation is, she stays loyal to John (even when it works against her). It’s not easy to be torn between your family’s loyalties and your loyalty to your patron and Michelle Diener played that dramatic tension perfectly.
The previous two books both had the complicated plots I’ve come to expect and love from Michelle Diener. This one tops them. There are twists and turns everywhere and the larger conspiracy is both well hidden and very believable. I honestly didn’t see the end coming and for a cynical reader like myself that’s very unusual. The ending wrapped things up nicely while at the same time leaving a little wiggle room for another sequel. I don’t think John and Susanna’s story is over quite yet.
If you haven’t read the first two books I can’t recommend them highly enough. Michelle Diener writes some darn good historical fiction and whether you’re looking for accuracy or a good plot you’ll be satisfied by her writing.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Keeper of the King’s Secrets by Michelle Diener
(Cover picture courtesy of Michelle Diener’s site.)
A priceless jewel. A royal court rife with intrigue. A secret deal, where the price of truth could come too high . . .
The personal artist to King Henry Tudor, Susanna Horenbout is sought by the queen and ladies of the court for her delicate, skilled portraits. But now someone from her past is pulling her into a duplicitous game where the consequence of failure is war. Soon, Susanna and her betrothed, the King’s most dangerous courtier, are unraveling a plot that would shatter Europe. And at the heart of it is a magnificent missing diamond. . . .
With John Parker at her side, Susanna searches for the diamond and those responsible for its theft, their every step dogged by a lethal assassin. Finding the truth means plunging into the heart of the court’s most bitter infighting, surviving the harrowing labyrinth of Fleet Prisonand then coming face-to-face with the most dangerous enemy of all.
[Full disclosure: I received a free print copy from Michelle Diener in exchange for an honest review.]
After the awesome novel that was In a Treacherous Court, I decided that I desperately needed to read the rest of Susanna Horenbout and John Parker’s story. After all, there’s still plenty of intrigue coming up in the court of Henry VIII at this point in time.
Michelle Diener didn’t disappoint with this sequel. Compared to her debut novel (which was good) this one is even better simply because of the quality of the writing. She slows down a little to describe things like how Susanna illuminates manuscripts but not too much so that the plot is any slower than the first book. The extra descriptions are relevant and on the whole just make the story better, not slower.
The characters are, as always, fantastic. I enjoyed seeing Susanna and John working together to find the Mirror of Naples because you can really feel their love for each other. They work well together as a team and even though they don’t always agree on things their love shines through and they’re able to reconcile. Compared to a lot of YA I’ve been reading lately, this adult historical fiction novel was a breath of fresh air because of the stable, loving relationship Susanna and John have.
One thing I was surprised at was how fleshed out King Henry VIII was in this book. We get to see a lot more of him this time around and you kind of see both the good and bad sides of his character. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’m sure I’m not the only Jean fan in this book because he truly is a fascinating character.
As with the previous novel in the series Keeper of the King’s Secrets kept me guessing right up until the very end. It was well researched and well plotted; you really couldn’t ask for more in historical fiction. There’s also a very interesting little cliffhanger at the end that will make you very, very eager to get your hands on the next book In Defense of the Queen.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
In a Treacherous Court by Michelle Diener
(Cover picture courtesy of Michelle Diener’s website.)
1525: Artist Susanna Horenbout is sent from Belgium to be Henry VIII’s personal illuminator inside the royal palace. But her new homeland greets her with an attempt on her life, and the King’s most lethal courtier, John Parker, is charged with keeping her safe. As further attacks are made, Susanna and Parker realize that she unknowingly carries the key to a bloody plot against the throne. For while Richard de la Pole amasses troops in France for a Yorkist invasion, a traitor prepares to trample the kingdom from within.
Who is the mastermind? Why are men vying to kill the woman Parker protects with his life? With a motley gang of urchins, Susanna’s wits, and Parker’s fierce instincts, honed on the streets and in palace chambers, the two slash through deadly layers of deceit in a race against time. For in the court of Henry VIII, secrets are the last to die…
Brilliantly revealing a little-known historical figure who lived among the Tudors, Michelle Diener makes a smashing historical fiction debut.
[Full disclosure: I requested a review copy from Michelle Diener and was sent a free physical copy in exchange for an honest review.]
As much as I’ve read about the Tudors I never actually heard of Susanna Horenbout or John Parker. It’s strange because you’d have thought that a female illuminator would be mentioned frequently (if only because it was such a rarity) but Susanna really hasn’t been recognized by history. Michelle Diener meant to remedy that in this book.
Susanna is an amazing character. I like how she’s constantly trying to prove herself in a world where men don’t really believe she is a talented artist. It’s not a typical girl empowerment story so much as a very realistic portrayal of the attitudes of the time. At the same time, Susanna loves her art. She loves to draw and paint and she’s good at it. Inspiration strikes her at odd times but she’s not your typical day-dreaming artist either.
She has a good head on her shoulders and she’s more than a match for the cunning, somewhat ruthless John Parker. John Parker is also a fascinating character. His horrible childhood combined with his ruthless determination to serve King Henry VIII would make him interesting enough, but it’s his change in personality caused by Susanna that really makes him memorable. Both characters change as they spend more and more time in each others’ company.
The plot was very fast-paced, but obviously not at the expense of character development. There’s assassins lurking behind every corner, romantic intrigue aplenty as well as plots that strike at the heart of England’s court. Michelle Diener did fabricate some of the details but in her note at the end I liked how she justified her decisions to change history just a little bit. She blended history and speculation together perfectly and it all came together in a great novel.
From the moment you read the first sentence, you’re sucked back in time. From its filthy streets to the hostile/merry court of Henry VIII you feel like you’re right there with Susanna and John. You feel their emotions as their own, especially their pain, love and determination. I can’t honestly speak to the total historical accuracy of In a Treacherous Court but I can tell you that the major details are accurate and Michelle Diener certainly created a very authentic feeling with the details of daily life in Tudor England. That’s what’s really important in historical fiction.
Basically, this was a great debut novel and I can’t wait to read about the rest of Susanna and John’s adventures.
I give this book 5/5 stars.