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Catherine de Valois #2
The Tudor Bride
The thrilling sequel to The Agincourt Bride, and the story of Catherine de Valois - the French princess who became an English queen.
King Henry V’s new French Queen, Catherine, dazzles the crowds in England, blithely unaware of court undercurrents building against her. Her loyal companion, Guillamette, suspects conspiracies against her queen. But her warnings are ignored, for Catherine believes herself invincible as she gives birth to an heir.
Tragedy strikes when King Henry is struck down by fever back in France and Catherine rushes to his deathbed. A weak and weeping dowager queen follows the slow funeral cortège through France and the King’s Harper, Owen Tudor, plays to comfort her.
Back in England, the regency council removes the new young king from her care, and a defeated Catherine retires to her dower estates, taking Owen with her as Steward. At the secluded manor of Hadham, a smouldering ember bursts into flame as Catherine and Owen Tudor become lovers.
But their love cannot remain a secret forever, and when a grab for power is made by the Duke of Gloucester, Catherine – and those dearest to her – will once again face mortal danger….
King Henry V’s new French Queen, Catherine, dazzles the crowds in England, blithely unaware of court undercurrents building against her. Her loyal companion, Guillamette, suspects conspiracies against her queen. But her warnings are ignored, for Catherine believes herself invincible as she gives birth to an heir.
Tragedy strikes when King Henry is struck down by fever back in France and Catherine rushes to his deathbed. A weak and weeping dowager queen follows the slow funeral cortège through France and the King’s Harper, Owen Tudor, plays to comfort her.
Back in England, the regency council removes the new young king from her care, and a defeated Catherine retires to her dower estates, taking Owen with her as Steward. At the secluded manor of Hadham, a smouldering ember bursts into flame as Catherine and Owen Tudor become lovers.
But their love cannot remain a secret forever, and when a grab for power is made by the Duke of Gloucester, Catherine – and those dearest to her – will once again face mortal danger….
592 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2014
About the author
Joanna Hickson
13 books299 followersJoanna Hickson became fascinated with history when she studied Shakespeare's history plays at school. However, having taken a degree in Politics and English she took up a career in broadcast journalism with the BBC, presenting and producing news, current affairs and arts programmes on both television and radio. Now she writes full time and has a contract with Harper Collins for three historical novels. The Agincourt Bride is the first. She lives in Scotland in a 200 year old farmhouse and is married with a large extended family and a wayward Irish terrier.
Joanna likes people to join her on Twitter (@joannahickson) or Facebook (Joanna Hickson)and says if you can't find her she'll be in the fifteenth century!
Joanna likes people to join her on Twitter (@joannahickson) or Facebook (Joanna Hickson)and says if you can't find her she'll be in the fifteenth century!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
August 2, 2017
In the novel, “The Agincourt Bride”, author Johanna Hickson introduced readers to the early life of Catherine de Valois and her marriage to King Henry V of England. Catherine is back in “The Tudor Bride” living a life of intrigue with Henry and her coupling with Owen Tudor after Henry’s death which single-handedly starts the Tudor bloodline/dynasty.
As with “The Agincourt Bride”, “The Tudor Bride” is narrated through the eyes of ‘Mette’, the Keeper of the Gowns and lifelong maid/companion of Catherine de Valois. Although this presents the possibility of a textured story, sadly, the end-result is that “The Tudor Bride” feels a bit too contrived and on the fictional end of historical-fiction with Catherine not being as developed as one would hope. That being said, Hickson seems to have addressed some of the issues with the first novel and “The Tudor Bride” is slightly improved and less fluffy.
One of the predominant problems, however, with “The Tudor Bride” is a heavy emphasis on ‘talking’ about events rather than ‘living’ them in an, “As you know, Bob”- style. This drags the plotline and pace weakening “The Tudor Bride”. Although Hickson’s writing is illustrative, it often becomes slow and somewhat arbitrary with larger chunks serving as none other than filler material.
Expanding on this, the intrigue that is promised by both Hickson and Catherine’s real life appears to be missing in “The Tudor Bride”. Catherine comes off as rather dull and Mette’s storyline which should add depth is instead clunky, displaced, and out of touch with the novel, as a whole. The entire story feels like background when it should be foreground. No emotions are aroused and the reading is featureless.
“The Agincourt Bride” had a problem with spelling errors and the inclusion of fictional letters which didn’t add to the novel and instead heightened the fictional aspect. Both of these downfalls bleed over to “The Tudor Bride” and add to the negative traits.
With the progression of “The Tudor Bride” comes a decline of historical believability with both the story itself and the actual text being a bit too modern for the time period. This is also true of when “The Tudor Bride” focuses on Catherine’s marriage to Owen Tudor. Being that a large space opens for historical liberties to be taken on Hickson’s part; the novel takes a fluffy and romantic turn that is, simply, thin and flimsy. At this point, “The Tudor Bride” is nothing more than a young adult novel.
The final quarter of “The Tudor Bride” (although loosely based on historical truth) is arbitrary and disconnected from the rest of the story. The novel could have ended but Hickson unnecessarily prods on in a meaningless manner with no impact.
Surprisingly, the conclusion of “The Tudor Bride” is provocative enough tugging at some heart strings and therefore finalizes the novel well (which is much needed after the weak terminating chapters). Hickson also provides a quick note explaining some of the facts and fiction among the pages of “The Tudor Bride”.
Hickson’s “The Tudor Bride” is clearly not the best historical fiction novel on the shelves but credit is given for her portrayal of figures that aren’t always given the limelight (which is the only reason I continue to read her novels, as an aside). Plus, “The Tudor Bride” is improved upon from “The Agincourt Bride”. The disappointing factor is that readers will not take much away from the text nor be overly educated on the topic. “The Tudor Bride” is not recommended for those seeking a very-solid historical fiction novel but is suitable for those having an interest in Catherine de Valois, Owen Tudor, or those who read “The Agincourt Bride”.
As with “The Agincourt Bride”, “The Tudor Bride” is narrated through the eyes of ‘Mette’, the Keeper of the Gowns and lifelong maid/companion of Catherine de Valois. Although this presents the possibility of a textured story, sadly, the end-result is that “The Tudor Bride” feels a bit too contrived and on the fictional end of historical-fiction with Catherine not being as developed as one would hope. That being said, Hickson seems to have addressed some of the issues with the first novel and “The Tudor Bride” is slightly improved and less fluffy.
One of the predominant problems, however, with “The Tudor Bride” is a heavy emphasis on ‘talking’ about events rather than ‘living’ them in an, “As you know, Bob”- style. This drags the plotline and pace weakening “The Tudor Bride”. Although Hickson’s writing is illustrative, it often becomes slow and somewhat arbitrary with larger chunks serving as none other than filler material.
Expanding on this, the intrigue that is promised by both Hickson and Catherine’s real life appears to be missing in “The Tudor Bride”. Catherine comes off as rather dull and Mette’s storyline which should add depth is instead clunky, displaced, and out of touch with the novel, as a whole. The entire story feels like background when it should be foreground. No emotions are aroused and the reading is featureless.
“The Agincourt Bride” had a problem with spelling errors and the inclusion of fictional letters which didn’t add to the novel and instead heightened the fictional aspect. Both of these downfalls bleed over to “The Tudor Bride” and add to the negative traits.
With the progression of “The Tudor Bride” comes a decline of historical believability with both the story itself and the actual text being a bit too modern for the time period. This is also true of when “The Tudor Bride” focuses on Catherine’s marriage to Owen Tudor. Being that a large space opens for historical liberties to be taken on Hickson’s part; the novel takes a fluffy and romantic turn that is, simply, thin and flimsy. At this point, “The Tudor Bride” is nothing more than a young adult novel.
The final quarter of “The Tudor Bride” (although loosely based on historical truth) is arbitrary and disconnected from the rest of the story. The novel could have ended but Hickson unnecessarily prods on in a meaningless manner with no impact.
Surprisingly, the conclusion of “The Tudor Bride” is provocative enough tugging at some heart strings and therefore finalizes the novel well (which is much needed after the weak terminating chapters). Hickson also provides a quick note explaining some of the facts and fiction among the pages of “The Tudor Bride”.
Hickson’s “The Tudor Bride” is clearly not the best historical fiction novel on the shelves but credit is given for her portrayal of figures that aren’t always given the limelight (which is the only reason I continue to read her novels, as an aside). Plus, “The Tudor Bride” is improved upon from “The Agincourt Bride”. The disappointing factor is that readers will not take much away from the text nor be overly educated on the topic. “The Tudor Bride” is not recommended for those seeking a very-solid historical fiction novel but is suitable for those having an interest in Catherine de Valois, Owen Tudor, or those who read “The Agincourt Bride”.
January 23, 2018
A sequel to The Agincourt Bride, about the latter portion of Catherine of Valois' life. It's as good as the first, and again written in first person from the point of view of Catherine's servant, Mette. It dragged a little bit in the middle, the beginning and end were much more eventful, but I suppose that was to be expected given that not much was going on in Catherine's world at the time. Still, it manages to hold your interest and the ending was moving.
I still think it might have been better written in third person or from multiple character's points of view. Limiting the narrative to one character who was normally by Catherine's side, but not always privy to everything going on felt a little like you didn't get to see everything.
Overall, a read good and good follow up to The Agincourt Bride, though it could be read as a stand alone, if you enjoyed the first book, definitely read this sequel.
Historical Readings & Reviews
I still think it might have been better written in third person or from multiple character's points of view. Limiting the narrative to one character who was normally by Catherine's side, but not always privy to everything going on felt a little like you didn't get to see everything.
Overall, a read good and good follow up to The Agincourt Bride, though it could be read as a stand alone, if you enjoyed the first book, definitely read this sequel.
Historical Readings & Reviews
March 12, 2016
This is not a great book. There are problems with it. You know, the standard problems when you have Princess Perfect character, in this case Mette.
Yet, I have to say there is something enjoyable about reading it, and it isn't as guilt educing as saying you enjoyed reading The Other Boleyn Girl, a truly guilty pleasure read.
While some plot points make one raise an eye brow or two, it is quite clear that Hickson really enjoys the time period and her characters, in particular the story of Catherine of Valois and Owen Tudor (though the love story here seems a bit tame). It was a enjoyable, fast read.
Yet, I have to say there is something enjoyable about reading it, and it isn't as guilt educing as saying you enjoyed reading The Other Boleyn Girl, a truly guilty pleasure read.
While some plot points make one raise an eye brow or two, it is quite clear that Hickson really enjoys the time period and her characters, in particular the story of Catherine of Valois and Owen Tudor (though the love story here seems a bit tame). It was a enjoyable, fast read.
November 27, 2018
In dit tweede deel volgen we Catherine en haar trouwe dienstmeid naar Engeland waar Catherine gekroond zal worden tot koningin van Henry V, de overwinnaar van Agincourt. Maar Henry heeft heel wat broers en vooral met de jongste, Humphry, duke of Gloucester, ontketent Catherine een niet zo liefdesvolle relatie. Al snel bevalt ze van een erfgenaam voor de troon. Maar mooie liedjes duren nooit lang. De koning sterft als zijn zoon nog niet eens een jaar oud is. Zal Catherine zich staande houden in dit vreemde land?
Ik vond het begin van dit boek heel sterk en Mette is nog steeds een zeer aangename vertelster. Halverwege zakt het tempo wat en worden de personages op de hoogte gehouden via via. Ook komt er een focus op Mette's persoonlijke verhaal. Dat was even wennen. Het einde heeft enkele zeer sterke momenten, al is de rekker historisch gezien dan al breder gemaakt laten we zeggen.
Toch heb ik historisch gezien niet super veel issues met het verhaal. De relatie tussen Henry en Catherine wordt niet romantischer voorgedaan dan ze was en ook met Owen is het niet altijd dat sprookje.
Het enige minpuntje vond ik hoe weinig de relatie tussen Catherine en Charles, haar broer die in Frankrijk tegen haar troon vecht, is uitgewerkt. Catherine wordt via via op de hoogte gesteld maar toont weinig echte emotie.
Mooi om te lezen over de begindagen van Henry VI als koning en de start van de Tudordynasty. Toch vond ik the Agincourt bride een tikkeltje beter, al kon ik bij deze beter volgen en is haar schrijfstijl duidelijk verbeterd.
Ik blijf fan van Hickson, gelukkig maar, er staan nog een aantal boeken van haar in mijn kast.
Ik vond het begin van dit boek heel sterk en Mette is nog steeds een zeer aangename vertelster. Halverwege zakt het tempo wat en worden de personages op de hoogte gehouden via via. Ook komt er een focus op Mette's persoonlijke verhaal. Dat was even wennen. Het einde heeft enkele zeer sterke momenten, al is de rekker historisch gezien dan al breder gemaakt laten we zeggen.
Toch heb ik historisch gezien niet super veel issues met het verhaal. De relatie tussen Henry en Catherine wordt niet romantischer voorgedaan dan ze was en ook met Owen is het niet altijd dat sprookje.
Het enige minpuntje vond ik hoe weinig de relatie tussen Catherine en Charles, haar broer die in Frankrijk tegen haar troon vecht, is uitgewerkt. Catherine wordt via via op de hoogte gesteld maar toont weinig echte emotie.
Mooi om te lezen over de begindagen van Henry VI als koning en de start van de Tudordynasty. Toch vond ik the Agincourt bride een tikkeltje beter, al kon ik bij deze beter volgen en is haar schrijfstijl duidelijk verbeterd.
Ik blijf fan van Hickson, gelukkig maar, er staan nog een aantal boeken van haar in mijn kast.
August 12, 2019
The Saga of the Tudor Bride
This is a great historical fiction as told by Mette , Catherine's friend, servant and companion. It's a story of suspense, love and intrigue. Check it out for a great read!
This is a great historical fiction as told by Mette , Catherine's friend, servant and companion. It's a story of suspense, love and intrigue. Check it out for a great read!
February 22, 2015
I didn't find this sequel to be as good as "The Agincourt Bride". The first novel really allowed us to get to know Katherine of Valois on a very human level, whereas within these pages she was somewhat lost. By distancing herself from her companion and former wet nurse, Mette, she became distant from the reader also, which was a shame as in the first novel her personality really shone through the pages. In this novel however it was Mette who glowed, which did a lot to improve the story in my opinion.
Mette is incredibly loyal to Katherine, often to the detriment of her own personal life. Her family takes second place to Katherine and it has always been something that has played on Mette's conscience. In this novel this issue is explored deeply and I was very happy for the way that the author chose to end Mette's story. Although a tragic end for Katherine, Mette and her family found happiness, which gave the novel a very bittersweet ending.
The thing I enjoyed most about this novel were the little bits of fact that I learnt throughout. Things I had previously not known about the beginnings of the Tudor family. For example, that Owen and Katherine had a daughter as well, although she is lost to history. I love how the author chose to include Margaret in her story. Furthermore, I learnt that any record of Owen and Katherine's marriage is also lost to history. It is generally accepted that it did take place, but it's interesting to me that there is technically no proof, especially considering who Katherine's grandson ended up becoming. Food for thought.
Mette is incredibly loyal to Katherine, often to the detriment of her own personal life. Her family takes second place to Katherine and it has always been something that has played on Mette's conscience. In this novel this issue is explored deeply and I was very happy for the way that the author chose to end Mette's story. Although a tragic end for Katherine, Mette and her family found happiness, which gave the novel a very bittersweet ending.
The thing I enjoyed most about this novel were the little bits of fact that I learnt throughout. Things I had previously not known about the beginnings of the Tudor family. For example, that Owen and Katherine had a daughter as well, although she is lost to history. I love how the author chose to include Margaret in her story. Furthermore, I learnt that any record of Owen and Katherine's marriage is also lost to history. It is generally accepted that it did take place, but it's interesting to me that there is technically no proof, especially considering who Katherine's grandson ended up becoming. Food for thought.
January 9, 2018
This is historical fiction at its very finest and every bit as wonderful and mesmerising as its predecessor The Agincourt Bride. Characters both historic and fictional shine in this novel, each leaving their own mark, led by Catherine de Valois, Henry V's queen and widow, and her faithful servant and companion Mette. I cannot praise this superb novel enough, I only wish I hadn't finished it.
September 28, 2015
So what did I think of the Tudor Bride?
Its safe to say that I greatly preferred the Tudor Bride to its predecessor The Agincourt Bride. Personally I found the Tudor Bride (TTB) to be better written, its characters more sympathetic and interesting, the plot more focused on historical fact. Overall I consider TTB to be a noted improvement over the Agincourt Bride (TAB) which, if you have seen my review on TAB, I found to be rather.....disappointing.
The Tudor Bride begins with Catherine of Valois, the wife of King Henry V of England and Princess of France, as she travels to her kingdom and, as ever, she is accompanied by the ever faithful Mette, who serves as Catherine's Keeper of the Wardrobe and as the books first person narrator. Catherine is crowned Queen of England and quickly produces an heir to the throne, the future King Henry VI. Despite her successes in winning over the English people, taking on the role and duties of a royal consort with aplomb and giving Henry V a son and heir, Catherine fails to notice just how religious, fanatical, war-like and single-minded her husband is in reality. Naturally Prince Henry of Windsor is crowned as King Henry VI and thus a regency is established which include his two royal uncles but not his foreign mother. Catherine is banished and isolated from court, with only several loyal servants including Mette accompanying her to Hadham manor. Its there she is reunited with the musician Owen Tudor and the rest they say is history....
Now to the review….
Firstly, the greatest improvement to TTB is the absence of rape as a shock tactic. In my review of TAB I was angry, very angry with TAB’s depiction of rape; not only was it badly portrayed and used as a melodramatic ploy to heighten sympathy for our two lead females it also failed spectacularly to correctly portray the awful emotional and mental aftermath that rape victims suffer from on a daily basis. I wont go into detail about TAB though (check my review on TAB for that). Instead I can happily say that Hickson decided not go down a similar route in TTB and, I have to say, this action has greatly aided in me giving TTB a positive review. The book has gained believability and the absence of such poorly conceived melodrama (using rape as melodrama and portraying it insensitivity is just not acceptable in any medium) is definitely a bonus as far as I am concerned. Kudos for this change in thought Ms. Hickson.
One of the massive problems I had with TAB was the rather ham-fisted and caricatured portrayal of the leading villain, Jean the Fearless duke of Burgundy. Burgundy is shown to be utterly evil and sadistic; he’s a wicked, heartless monster with no gleam of redemption from his tainted soul. Sigh. For TAB, there was a horrifying lack of decent characterisation and a childish tendency towards black-and-white morality. Thankfully, this has been rectified in TTB to a large extent and the book is made that much stronger as a result. The main antagonists of TTB are Humphrey duke of Gloucester, the youngest brother of Henry V and his deceitful second wife Eleanor Cobham. Both are characters are despicable and intriguing in their own ways. Their mutual antipathy of Catherine stems from the personal and political. Humphrey does not wish to see his nephew unduly influenced by a foreign French dowager queen. His attempts to banish and isolate Catherine from the court are successful and after he has driven Catherine to dreary seclusion he ceases to torment her. IMHO, Humphrey is far better and more subtle villain than Burgundy. Humphrey was never over the top with evil but was instead driven by ambition and mistrust; way more believable than simple inclination towards evil!!! Likewise Eleanor Cobham, though a spiteful and malicious woman, is shown to be desperate to attain the rank of Queen and is willing to destroy anyone who stands in her way. Her hate for Catherine is more personal in nature and is rooted in jealously but it is still more compelling and relatable. Eleanor wants to be Queen, to look down upon those who sneered at her lowly upbringing and stand over her detractors. TTB is brought alive by such cruel yet interesting characters that are firmly placed in their correct historical time and mind-set. It’s a refreshing change from TAB.
In TAB we see an incredibly idealised relationship between Catherine of Valois and her former wet-nurse Mette. I wont go into detail about how their relationship stretched credibility and often veered towards ridiculously anachronistic territory. However, in TTB, we pay witness to a startling change in their relationship. Catherine, taking solace in her title as a crowned Queen of England and mother to the future heir to the throne, becomes cool, distant and haughty towards her once beloved Mette. Its almost as if Catherine has only realised that she, as an anointed Queen, should not be overly familiar with her paid servants and for the most part shouldn’t treat them as family members. While this is a somewhat upsetting development in Mette’s POV, its makes perfect historical sense and adds much needed complexity to once rosy friendship between Mette and Catherine. Yes she is unduly influenced by the snobbish Jacqueline of Hainault and their relationship is happily repaired by the time Catherine is driven from court, but the fact that Catherine finally acted the part of the medieval queen and treated (however briefly) Mette as her social inferior is still significant. Throughout the TTB Mette’s and Catherines grows and changes, going through periods of tenderness and alternatively mistrust. This is certainly a far cry from TAB…..
Being a book about Catherine of Valois and her romantic marriage with Owen Tudor a Welsh squire, TTB does a remarkable job of depicting their relationship; it is sweet and loving but neither is it wildly overblown or reminiscent of a fairy tale. This is, at its core, a cheerful and fulfilling relationship between two individuals who bring happiness to each other but who fight and argue when life turns around to bite them in the ass. While sometimes it can get a bit starry-eyed around Team Catherine/Owen, it rarely gets unbearable. Likewise Mette meets the English merchant who becomes her second husband, Geoffrey. Their relationship, while loving, is very down to earth and sensible. No crazy mad love here! All very calm and dignified in Metteville. Mette and Geoffrey certainly provide the nice contrast to the hot-headedness of Owen and Catherine.
My favourite characters were Henry V and his son and unfortunate heir Henry VI. Henry V because Hickson really did capture his aloofness, determination, religious devotion and subtle disregard for Catherine. Its just a shame that Henry V died just as he could have succeeded to the Throne of France. It certainly would have been fascinating to see how Catherine’s relationship with Henry would have transformed if he had lived. Henry VI was by far the most complex and intriguing character of the lot. King at nine months, Henry VI has gone down in history as the King who started the Wars of the Rose, lost his throne and kingdom twice, imprisoned in the Tower of London and finally murdered at the behest of Edward IV. Henry VI was not a warlike king; he loved music, religion, books, learning and culture. Thoughts that he would follow his glorious father into battle and win back France turned out to be wildly optimistic. Even from an early age, Hickson emphasised Henry’s piety, disinclination for war, aptitude for music and the subtle beginnings of a somewhat fragile and easily alarmed mind. Personally this rendering of Henry VI only made it easier to see him turn into the man who would bring such grief and chaos upon his own kingdom.
There were however some issues with TTB. Firstly the dialogue often became anachronistic and childish; it was highly off-putting to hear modern turns of phrases out of the mouths of medieval individuals! Secondly, there was the occasional historical inaccuracy. But as this novel is more in the YA section of historical fiction these minor problems shouldn’t bother you unless you’re an absolute stickler for precise accuracy (and honestly if you are this is NOT the right place!).
This should be you....
I would definitely recommend The Tudor Bride as it is superior to its unfortunate predecessor; better written, with more interesting characters and a more refined interest on medieval lives, The Tudor Bride is a satisfactory end to the life of Catherine of Valois.
Please just skip the TAB and read this please!
Its safe to say that I greatly preferred the Tudor Bride to its predecessor The Agincourt Bride. Personally I found the Tudor Bride (TTB) to be better written, its characters more sympathetic and interesting, the plot more focused on historical fact. Overall I consider TTB to be a noted improvement over the Agincourt Bride (TAB) which, if you have seen my review on TAB, I found to be rather.....disappointing.
The Tudor Bride begins with Catherine of Valois, the wife of King Henry V of England and Princess of France, as she travels to her kingdom and, as ever, she is accompanied by the ever faithful Mette, who serves as Catherine's Keeper of the Wardrobe and as the books first person narrator. Catherine is crowned Queen of England and quickly produces an heir to the throne, the future King Henry VI. Despite her successes in winning over the English people, taking on the role and duties of a royal consort with aplomb and giving Henry V a son and heir, Catherine fails to notice just how religious, fanatical, war-like and single-minded her husband is in reality. Naturally Prince Henry of Windsor is crowned as King Henry VI and thus a regency is established which include his two royal uncles but not his foreign mother. Catherine is banished and isolated from court, with only several loyal servants including Mette accompanying her to Hadham manor. Its there she is reunited with the musician Owen Tudor and the rest they say is history....
Now to the review….
Firstly, the greatest improvement to TTB is the absence of rape as a shock tactic. In my review of TAB I was angry, very angry with TAB’s depiction of rape; not only was it badly portrayed and used as a melodramatic ploy to heighten sympathy for our two lead females it also failed spectacularly to correctly portray the awful emotional and mental aftermath that rape victims suffer from on a daily basis. I wont go into detail about TAB though (check my review on TAB for that). Instead I can happily say that Hickson decided not go down a similar route in TTB and, I have to say, this action has greatly aided in me giving TTB a positive review. The book has gained believability and the absence of such poorly conceived melodrama (using rape as melodrama and portraying it insensitivity is just not acceptable in any medium) is definitely a bonus as far as I am concerned. Kudos for this change in thought Ms. Hickson.
One of the massive problems I had with TAB was the rather ham-fisted and caricatured portrayal of the leading villain, Jean the Fearless duke of Burgundy. Burgundy is shown to be utterly evil and sadistic; he’s a wicked, heartless monster with no gleam of redemption from his tainted soul. Sigh. For TAB, there was a horrifying lack of decent characterisation and a childish tendency towards black-and-white morality. Thankfully, this has been rectified in TTB to a large extent and the book is made that much stronger as a result. The main antagonists of TTB are Humphrey duke of Gloucester, the youngest brother of Henry V and his deceitful second wife Eleanor Cobham. Both are characters are despicable and intriguing in their own ways. Their mutual antipathy of Catherine stems from the personal and political. Humphrey does not wish to see his nephew unduly influenced by a foreign French dowager queen. His attempts to banish and isolate Catherine from the court are successful and after he has driven Catherine to dreary seclusion he ceases to torment her. IMHO, Humphrey is far better and more subtle villain than Burgundy. Humphrey was never over the top with evil but was instead driven by ambition and mistrust; way more believable than simple inclination towards evil!!! Likewise Eleanor Cobham, though a spiteful and malicious woman, is shown to be desperate to attain the rank of Queen and is willing to destroy anyone who stands in her way. Her hate for Catherine is more personal in nature and is rooted in jealously but it is still more compelling and relatable. Eleanor wants to be Queen, to look down upon those who sneered at her lowly upbringing and stand over her detractors. TTB is brought alive by such cruel yet interesting characters that are firmly placed in their correct historical time and mind-set. It’s a refreshing change from TAB.
In TAB we see an incredibly idealised relationship between Catherine of Valois and her former wet-nurse Mette. I wont go into detail about how their relationship stretched credibility and often veered towards ridiculously anachronistic territory. However, in TTB, we pay witness to a startling change in their relationship. Catherine, taking solace in her title as a crowned Queen of England and mother to the future heir to the throne, becomes cool, distant and haughty towards her once beloved Mette. Its almost as if Catherine has only realised that she, as an anointed Queen, should not be overly familiar with her paid servants and for the most part shouldn’t treat them as family members. While this is a somewhat upsetting development in Mette’s POV, its makes perfect historical sense and adds much needed complexity to once rosy friendship between Mette and Catherine. Yes she is unduly influenced by the snobbish Jacqueline of Hainault and their relationship is happily repaired by the time Catherine is driven from court, but the fact that Catherine finally acted the part of the medieval queen and treated (however briefly) Mette as her social inferior is still significant. Throughout the TTB Mette’s and Catherines grows and changes, going through periods of tenderness and alternatively mistrust. This is certainly a far cry from TAB…..
Being a book about Catherine of Valois and her romantic marriage with Owen Tudor a Welsh squire, TTB does a remarkable job of depicting their relationship; it is sweet and loving but neither is it wildly overblown or reminiscent of a fairy tale. This is, at its core, a cheerful and fulfilling relationship between two individuals who bring happiness to each other but who fight and argue when life turns around to bite them in the ass. While sometimes it can get a bit starry-eyed around Team Catherine/Owen, it rarely gets unbearable. Likewise Mette meets the English merchant who becomes her second husband, Geoffrey. Their relationship, while loving, is very down to earth and sensible. No crazy mad love here! All very calm and dignified in Metteville. Mette and Geoffrey certainly provide the nice contrast to the hot-headedness of Owen and Catherine.
My favourite characters were Henry V and his son and unfortunate heir Henry VI. Henry V because Hickson really did capture his aloofness, determination, religious devotion and subtle disregard for Catherine. Its just a shame that Henry V died just as he could have succeeded to the Throne of France. It certainly would have been fascinating to see how Catherine’s relationship with Henry would have transformed if he had lived. Henry VI was by far the most complex and intriguing character of the lot. King at nine months, Henry VI has gone down in history as the King who started the Wars of the Rose, lost his throne and kingdom twice, imprisoned in the Tower of London and finally murdered at the behest of Edward IV. Henry VI was not a warlike king; he loved music, religion, books, learning and culture. Thoughts that he would follow his glorious father into battle and win back France turned out to be wildly optimistic. Even from an early age, Hickson emphasised Henry’s piety, disinclination for war, aptitude for music and the subtle beginnings of a somewhat fragile and easily alarmed mind. Personally this rendering of Henry VI only made it easier to see him turn into the man who would bring such grief and chaos upon his own kingdom.
There were however some issues with TTB. Firstly the dialogue often became anachronistic and childish; it was highly off-putting to hear modern turns of phrases out of the mouths of medieval individuals! Secondly, there was the occasional historical inaccuracy. But as this novel is more in the YA section of historical fiction these minor problems shouldn’t bother you unless you’re an absolute stickler for precise accuracy (and honestly if you are this is NOT the right place!).
This should be you....
I would definitely recommend The Tudor Bride as it is superior to its unfortunate predecessor; better written, with more interesting characters and a more refined interest on medieval lives, The Tudor Bride is a satisfactory end to the life of Catherine of Valois.
Please just skip the TAB and read this please!
May 1, 2020
Here's the thing: this and the other book, The Agincourt Bride, were on sale and I thought, "I better get these both while they are super cheap." Then I got around to reading the first book and realized it wasn't very good. But I had paid for the sequel and by golly I was going to force myself to read it!
What I don't like about this type of story is that another person (a loyal servant or lifelong friend, etc.) is telling us about the historical personage but we end up learning more about the narrator's life than we do the subject they're talking about. These two book are supposed to be about Catherine's varied life, yet after reading all these pages I still don't feel like I know her.
What I don't like about this type of story is that another person (a loyal servant or lifelong friend, etc.) is telling us about the historical personage but we end up learning more about the narrator's life than we do the subject they're talking about. These two book are supposed to be about Catherine's varied life, yet after reading all these pages I still don't feel like I know her.
May 17, 2021
Catherine of Valois' life is rich ground for a novel and this one, about her life as Queen of England and then her clandestine marriage to Owen Tudor, makes much of the little known about Catherine. Like its predecessor, this novel is told from the perspective of Catherine's longtime companion, Mette, and includes plenty of detail not just about royal life, but also the servants and courtiers who acted behind the scenes. A few figures which make appearances in other historical fiction (like Jacquetta of Luxembourg) show up, but I was most intrigued and wanted to know more about Joan of Arc (mentioned mostly from a distance) and Eleanor Cobham, who really deserves more fiction written about her life. Overall, this was a compelling novel, and one that delivers a satisfying ending.
May 21, 2022
Being a history lover I loved this book. I enjoyed the writing style, the authenticity and the wonderful story that it was.
I am especially interested in the ‘War of the Roses’ period and have read quite a few novels about this time as well as doing a bit of research. This book became the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle for me as I knew very little about Catherine de Valois and Owen Tudor - only reading about them in someone else’s story! Suddenly all that history made sense and it was wonderful to be able to join the dots so to speak and trace the family trees knowing who the people were and how they become part of this history.
A truely enjoyable read!!
I am especially interested in the ‘War of the Roses’ period and have read quite a few novels about this time as well as doing a bit of research. This book became the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle for me as I knew very little about Catherine de Valois and Owen Tudor - only reading about them in someone else’s story! Suddenly all that history made sense and it was wonderful to be able to join the dots so to speak and trace the family trees knowing who the people were and how they become part of this history.
A truely enjoyable read!!
September 12, 2017
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
Catherine de Valois, King Henry V’s French bride, is a beautiful and intelligent woman and easily dazzles the English people. Yet life at court is often full of intrigue and conspiracies abound. However Catherine believes herself invincible as she gives Henry a son and heir, securing the family line.
When King Henry is stricken with fever and subsequently dies, Catherine finds herself adrift in a foreign land. The regency council takes her young son to raise him as befitting a king and forces her to retire from court. At the secluded manor of Hadham, Catherine surrounds herself with familiar faces from her life in the royal household. Among them is Owen Tudor who served with her husband Henry, and who now serves as chief Steward for her.
Away from prying eyes, Catherine and Owen become lovers; the love between them burning brightly. When someone from the regency council makes a bid for power and tries to seize the throne, Catherine – and those around her – face more than scathing gossip. They face mortal peril.
The truth surrounding Catherine de Valois is generally spotty at best. During this particular time, women weren’t held in the same regard as men and the records reflect that. What really happened to Catherine after Henry’s death is open to interpretation and it is something Hickson takes and runs with.
Told from the point of view of her friend and nursemaid, Guillaumette, we are with Catherine from her marriage to Henry to her eventual illness and death. We are witness to the ups and downs in her short life; the happiness and the heartbreak.
Hickson builds a fascinating world based on what knowledge there is available. It is quite obvious she has done her research for the characters (a goodly number of them real people) seem to come alive on the page. She weaves a tale of mystery and intrigue that captures the imagination. Several times while reading I had to remind myself that much of what she was describing actually happened.
As there is so much of Catherine’s life that is unknown, Hickson does take some liberty with telling the young Queen’s story. This is understandable and is dealt with in quite a believable manner. Those readers who are real sticklers for true historical accuracy might have a few quibbles, but they would be few and far between.
While I am not the biggest fan of books set in this particular era, I enjoyed The Tudor Bride. Readers who enjoy Hickson’s other works as well as the myriad of books set in this time will enjoy this tale.
Catherine de Valois, King Henry V’s French bride, is a beautiful and intelligent woman and easily dazzles the English people. Yet life at court is often full of intrigue and conspiracies abound. However Catherine believes herself invincible as she gives Henry a son and heir, securing the family line.
When King Henry is stricken with fever and subsequently dies, Catherine finds herself adrift in a foreign land. The regency council takes her young son to raise him as befitting a king and forces her to retire from court. At the secluded manor of Hadham, Catherine surrounds herself with familiar faces from her life in the royal household. Among them is Owen Tudor who served with her husband Henry, and who now serves as chief Steward for her.
Away from prying eyes, Catherine and Owen become lovers; the love between them burning brightly. When someone from the regency council makes a bid for power and tries to seize the throne, Catherine – and those around her – face more than scathing gossip. They face mortal peril.
The truth surrounding Catherine de Valois is generally spotty at best. During this particular time, women weren’t held in the same regard as men and the records reflect that. What really happened to Catherine after Henry’s death is open to interpretation and it is something Hickson takes and runs with.
Told from the point of view of her friend and nursemaid, Guillaumette, we are with Catherine from her marriage to Henry to her eventual illness and death. We are witness to the ups and downs in her short life; the happiness and the heartbreak.
Hickson builds a fascinating world based on what knowledge there is available. It is quite obvious she has done her research for the characters (a goodly number of them real people) seem to come alive on the page. She weaves a tale of mystery and intrigue that captures the imagination. Several times while reading I had to remind myself that much of what she was describing actually happened.
As there is so much of Catherine’s life that is unknown, Hickson does take some liberty with telling the young Queen’s story. This is understandable and is dealt with in quite a believable manner. Those readers who are real sticklers for true historical accuracy might have a few quibbles, but they would be few and far between.
While I am not the biggest fan of books set in this particular era, I enjoyed The Tudor Bride. Readers who enjoy Hickson’s other works as well as the myriad of books set in this time will enjoy this tale.
August 30, 2016
I really enjoyed this book about Henry V's queen and what happens to her after his death, this predates 'The White Queen' by Phillipa Gregory. I much prefer Joanna Hickson's writing, it was an interesting take on what must have been a very unusual marriage.
October 2, 2018
The Tudor Bride is a nice sequel to the Agincourt Bride. There is some interesting history to be learned, and the side story about Mette and Catherine's relationship, while fictional, adds depth to the book. Definitely a worthwhile read.
July 15, 2019
$1.99
April 11, 2018
It is unfortunate, perhaps, that I didn’t manage to pick this up immediately after I’d finished the preceding novel, The Agincourt Bride.
If I had, I probably would’ve enjoyed this a lot more. Even though I’d noted issues with The Agincourt Bride – thin characterisations, the tendency of the author to turn to vilification for some cheap drama – I didn’t know enough about the history to be properly put-off by the way Hickson deformed some historical figures. By the time I picked up The Tudor Bride, I’d read a lot more about Catherine, Henry V and his brothers.
So, let the ranting begin. And be warned, I spend a long time ranting. And there's... 2 instances of profanity, but they're behind the spoiler cut.
I’d previously found Hickson’s Catherine to be shallowly characterised, but with all the basic tenants that I love when about (potentially) powerful female characters. She was wily, competent and steely. But in The Tudor Bride, she’s sort of whatever the narrative needs her to be. Still faultless and perfect, but everything else is changeable. At some stages, she seems incredibly naïve, others she seems to love living like a commoner, nursing her own and her servant’s children, digging in the garden yet she always pulls out a gorgeous gown and is instantly regal again, with a bonus round of dictating to the king (her firstborn son) what positions her commoner-reared sons should hold.
At one stage she’s talking about how marriage should be about true love. Dear Catherine, all of your family – your brothers, your sisters – were married in political matches. Your own marriage to Henry V was a political match that had been talked about for years, and you married him without so much of a whimper about not loving him. Your own beloved common-born Mette, wet-nurse and surrogate mother, married her husband because he got her pregnant. Where on earth do you have the idea that marriage should be made on the basis of love?! Also, why the hell would you expect to nurse your own son?
I know, I know. It’s because readers are apparently incapable of comprehending the medieval conceptions and expectations of marriage, motherhood and family unless we have a character wringing their hands and crying out a protest about how things should be done the modern way, even when they have no reason to think so and/or every reason to find the modern way abhorrent to their own way of thinking.
This is actually an issue with some sections of the story. In effort, I assume, to drive in how bad fifteenth century England was for women, Hickson reinvents fifteenth century France as a truly progressive place. At one stage, Catherine asks to be part of the regency council to rule England – in spite of the fact that she hasn’t actually had any experience at ruling – and when told that the last queen-regent was incredibly unpopular, she immediately starts talking about France’s “strong” queen-regents, explicitly citing her own mother as an example. Did Hickson forget what book this is a sequel to? I read The Agincourt Bride. I remember how Hickson characterised her mother as a corrupt, power-hungry, morally bankrupt regent and a worse person who seriously neglected her children. Exactly why is Catherine holding her up as a model?
The romance between Catherine and Owen Tudor is… well, it’s there. Look, I can buy the historical/real versions of these characters having a big love affair, you know? But I got tired of seeing Owen Tudor’s name pop up again and again as though Hickson is trying to replace foreshadowing with fore-anvil-dropping. When it finally happens, it’s as lifeless as Catherine herself is in this book. Perfect, sweet, anything you want it to be except interesting.
The designated villain of this piece, Humphrey, the Duke of Gloucester and Henry V’s youngest brother, is treated better by Hickson than the Duke of Burgundy was in The Agincourt Bride – but only just. He doesn’t rape Catherine, he just threatens to. Because, apparently, no one will know who the bad guy is or if he’s really that bad if he doesn’t indulge in sexual violence. From his first appearance, it’s obvious he’s Hickson’s chosen villain and is characterised as such, so I’m not sure we needed rape threats thrown around as well.
I’m actually fond of Gloucester as a real historical person. I don’t think he’s a 100% good guy – in my head, I call him a tragic trash bag of an idiot – and I don’t ignore the fact that he did make things hard for Catherine to remarry. He’s fascinating and quite a tragic figure in history, but in The Tudor Bride he’s reduced to a power-hungry villain. There’s no real reason to assume, for instance, that he had a personal vendetta against Catherine, but was instead motivated by his power struggle with the Beaufort family (her first suitor was Edmund Beaufort) and a fear of how her remarriage might disrupt the fraught political balance. His hatred or vendetta against Catherine in The Tudor Bride were pretty much characterised as “Reasons”, or “because he’s the villain and she’s perfect”.
Hickson also seems somewhat disingenuous in her characterisation of him, to the point where you can almost see the gears grinding away to make him evil. Gloucester was popular with the commoners, who saw him as someone actually interested in their plight as opposed to Henry VI and his disinterested court. Yet Hickson depicts him as openly and obviously classist, looking down on Mette, the narrator and closest confidant of Catherine, because of her low birth. Sure, people in positions of privilege can be giant hypocrites, but given Hickson doesn’t highlight that aspect of his character at all, it feels more like “well, the protagonists are either lowborn or love commoners, therefore the villain must think people of low birth are scum”. Historically, Gloucester has been noted as the most scholarly in a family of bibliophiles, but the idea that he might be more than a vain, ambitious pretty-boy is pretty much mocked by Hickson’s story.
Likewise, there is no doubt that Gloucester was devoted to the memory of his brother, Henry V, with terms like “hero-worship” being thrown around by historians. Yet this has no appearance in The Tudor Bride. In their only scene together, Gloucester does something (kind of) mean to Catherine that spurs Henry into an over-the-top rage at his brother. For the rest of the novel, it’s as though Henry never existed in Gloucester’s life, unless he’s seemingly dissing his brother immediately before threatening to rape Catherine. Again, you can see the gears grinding away. Catherine and Henry have a relatively good relationship, albeit with Henry busy with his duties as king much to Catherine’s great confusion (although, why is she confused? Does she not know what kings do?). But Henry cannot possibly like his villain of a brother, or vice versa, or else Henry’s relative goodness is tainted.
It felt, nearing the completion of her novel, Hickson skimmed the Wikipedia page about Gloucester and went “whoops, he was popular, scholarly and he really loved Henry, quick I’ll slide three sentences into these late chapters and not change his characterisation at all”.
(As an aside, Hickson’s suggestion that Henry’s favourite brother was Thomas, Duke of Clarence, is downright odd given we have evidence of them being in conflict at least once, but probably more.)
Likewise, Gloucester’s future wife, Eleanor Cobham, is depicted as a wily villain from the beginning. Even though she’s only 13! And all the characters who notice something’s up with her behaviour are the good guy adults who are either in a position of power over her, or in a good position to take it to someone who is. And they just write her off completely, not even attempting to correct her, they just shrug their shoulders and go, “oh well, she’s evil”. She’s thirteen!
The historical Eleanor was tried and found guilty of using treasonable necromancy against Henry VI. This was mostly likely an exaggerated charge, designed by the Beauforts to reduce Gloucester’s influence and popularity, and to check his ambition. Hickson, however, takes it as gospel and thus, Eleanor is a murderous witch.
The positives of The Tudor Bride is that it is a book that’s easy to read. It’s a thumper of a book, but I read it in two days. The language does sometimes feel a bit too modern and anachronistic at times and there are some historical inaccuracies (Henry V did not attend Catherine de Valois’ coronation as Hickson depicts him as doing; kings did not attend the coronations of queens unless they were being coronated together). But on the whole, it’s an easy read. Would’ve been easier if I didn’t have to stop every so often to eyeroll and scream into the void.
In the end, I’m thinking four things:
1. Conflict is complicated. It is not black and white. It is not good vs evil.
2. Dear god I want to write an essay on why the relationships between women in historical fiction are always depicted as Miss Perfect vs. Miss Bitch.
3. I have a burning but petty desire to read a novel exactly like this in style, but from Eleanor’s POV. Meaning, she’s the innocent party with the sappy but tragic romance, and Catherine is the evil banshee. And, for the record, I’m very fond of the historical Catherine.
4. Don’t. Defame. The. Dead.
If I had, I probably would’ve enjoyed this a lot more. Even though I’d noted issues with The Agincourt Bride – thin characterisations, the tendency of the author to turn to vilification for some cheap drama – I didn’t know enough about the history to be properly put-off by the way Hickson deformed some historical figures. By the time I picked up The Tudor Bride, I’d read a lot more about Catherine, Henry V and his brothers.
So, let the ranting begin. And be warned, I spend a long time ranting. And there's... 2 instances of profanity, but they're behind the spoiler cut.
I’d previously found Hickson’s Catherine to be shallowly characterised, but with all the basic tenants that I love when about (potentially) powerful female characters. She was wily, competent and steely. But in The Tudor Bride, she’s sort of whatever the narrative needs her to be. Still faultless and perfect, but everything else is changeable. At some stages, she seems incredibly naïve, others she seems to love living like a commoner, nursing her own and her servant’s children, digging in the garden yet she always pulls out a gorgeous gown and is instantly regal again, with a bonus round of dictating to the king (her firstborn son) what positions her commoner-reared sons should hold.
At one stage she’s talking about how marriage should be about true love. Dear Catherine, all of your family – your brothers, your sisters – were married in political matches. Your own marriage to Henry V was a political match that had been talked about for years, and you married him without so much of a whimper about not loving him. Your own beloved common-born Mette, wet-nurse and surrogate mother, married her husband because he got her pregnant. Where on earth do you have the idea that marriage should be made on the basis of love?! Also, why the hell would you expect to nurse your own son?
I know, I know. It’s because readers are apparently incapable of comprehending the medieval conceptions and expectations of marriage, motherhood and family unless we have a character wringing their hands and crying out a protest about how things should be done the modern way, even when they have no reason to think so and/or every reason to find the modern way abhorrent to their own way of thinking.
This is actually an issue with some sections of the story. In effort, I assume, to drive in how bad fifteenth century England was for women, Hickson reinvents fifteenth century France as a truly progressive place. At one stage, Catherine asks to be part of the regency council to rule England – in spite of the fact that she hasn’t actually had any experience at ruling – and when told that the last queen-regent was incredibly unpopular, she immediately starts talking about France’s “strong” queen-regents, explicitly citing her own mother as an example. Did Hickson forget what book this is a sequel to? I read The Agincourt Bride. I remember how Hickson characterised her mother as a corrupt, power-hungry, morally bankrupt regent and a worse person who seriously neglected her children. Exactly why is Catherine holding her up as a model?
The romance between Catherine and Owen Tudor is… well, it’s there. Look, I can buy the historical/real versions of these characters having a big love affair, you know? But I got tired of seeing Owen Tudor’s name pop up again and again as though Hickson is trying to replace foreshadowing with fore-anvil-dropping. When it finally happens, it’s as lifeless as Catherine herself is in this book. Perfect, sweet, anything you want it to be except interesting.
The designated villain of this piece, Humphrey, the Duke of Gloucester and Henry V’s youngest brother, is treated better by Hickson than the Duke of Burgundy was in The Agincourt Bride – but only just. He doesn’t rape Catherine, he just threatens to. Because, apparently, no one will know who the bad guy is or if he’s really that bad if he doesn’t indulge in sexual violence. From his first appearance, it’s obvious he’s Hickson’s chosen villain and is characterised as such, so I’m not sure we needed rape threats thrown around as well.
I’m actually fond of Gloucester as a real historical person. I don’t think he’s a 100% good guy – in my head, I call him a tragic trash bag of an idiot – and I don’t ignore the fact that he did make things hard for Catherine to remarry. He’s fascinating and quite a tragic figure in history, but in The Tudor Bride he’s reduced to a power-hungry villain. There’s no real reason to assume, for instance, that he had a personal vendetta against Catherine, but was instead motivated by his power struggle with the Beaufort family (her first suitor was Edmund Beaufort) and a fear of how her remarriage might disrupt the fraught political balance. His hatred or vendetta against Catherine in The Tudor Bride were pretty much characterised as “Reasons”, or “because he’s the villain and she’s perfect”.
Hickson also seems somewhat disingenuous in her characterisation of him, to the point where you can almost see the gears grinding away to make him evil. Gloucester was popular with the commoners, who saw him as someone actually interested in their plight as opposed to Henry VI and his disinterested court. Yet Hickson depicts him as openly and obviously classist, looking down on Mette, the narrator and closest confidant of Catherine, because of her low birth. Sure, people in positions of privilege can be giant hypocrites, but given Hickson doesn’t highlight that aspect of his character at all, it feels more like “well, the protagonists are either lowborn or love commoners, therefore the villain must think people of low birth are scum”. Historically, Gloucester has been noted as the most scholarly in a family of bibliophiles, but the idea that he might be more than a vain, ambitious pretty-boy is pretty much mocked by Hickson’s story.
Likewise, there is no doubt that Gloucester was devoted to the memory of his brother, Henry V, with terms like “hero-worship” being thrown around by historians. Yet this has no appearance in The Tudor Bride. In their only scene together, Gloucester does something (kind of) mean to Catherine that spurs Henry into an over-the-top rage at his brother. For the rest of the novel, it’s as though Henry never existed in Gloucester’s life, unless he’s seemingly dissing his brother immediately before threatening to rape Catherine. Again, you can see the gears grinding away. Catherine and Henry have a relatively good relationship, albeit with Henry busy with his duties as king much to Catherine’s great confusion (although, why is she confused? Does she not know what kings do?). But Henry cannot possibly like his villain of a brother, or vice versa, or else Henry’s relative goodness is tainted.
It felt, nearing the completion of her novel, Hickson skimmed the Wikipedia page about Gloucester and went “whoops, he was popular, scholarly and he really loved Henry, quick I’ll slide three sentences into these late chapters and not change his characterisation at all”.
(As an aside, Hickson’s suggestion that Henry’s favourite brother was Thomas, Duke of Clarence, is downright odd given we have evidence of them being in conflict at least once, but probably more.)
Likewise, Gloucester’s future wife, Eleanor Cobham, is depicted as a wily villain from the beginning. Even though she’s only 13! And all the characters who notice something’s up with her behaviour are the good guy adults who are either in a position of power over her, or in a good position to take it to someone who is. And they just write her off completely, not even attempting to correct her, they just shrug their shoulders and go, “oh well, she’s evil”. She’s thirteen!
The historical Eleanor was tried and found guilty of using treasonable necromancy against Henry VI. This was mostly likely an exaggerated charge, designed by the Beauforts to reduce Gloucester’s influence and popularity, and to check his ambition. Hickson, however, takes it as gospel and thus, Eleanor is a murderous witch.
The positives of The Tudor Bride is that it is a book that’s easy to read. It’s a thumper of a book, but I read it in two days. The language does sometimes feel a bit too modern and anachronistic at times and there are some historical inaccuracies (Henry V did not attend Catherine de Valois’ coronation as Hickson depicts him as doing; kings did not attend the coronations of queens unless they were being coronated together). But on the whole, it’s an easy read. Would’ve been easier if I didn’t have to stop every so often to eyeroll and scream into the void.
In the end, I’m thinking four things:
1. Conflict is complicated. It is not black and white. It is not good vs evil.
2. Dear god I want to write an essay on why the relationships between women in historical fiction are always depicted as Miss Perfect vs. Miss Bitch.
3. I have a burning but petty desire to read a novel exactly like this in style, but from Eleanor’s POV. Meaning, she’s the innocent party with the sappy but tragic romance, and Catherine is the evil banshee. And, for the record, I’m very fond of the historical Catherine.
4. Don’t. Defame. The. Dead.
May 13, 2017
I would like to preface this review by saying that I did not read the first book in this series, but picked up The Tudor Bride thinking it was a standalone.
I give this book three stars.
I think the story was interesting, it was a nice look at an important historical figure, and I did enjoy that it was told from the point of view of her servant, rather than Catherine herself. I think it lent an element to the story that made it interesting and intuitive.
There were two main problems in this book for me, that stopped me rating it above a three/five.
The first was the fact that Catherine's character seemed to change when the story demanded it. When it was time for her and Owen Tudor to get together, she was suddenly in love with, despite the absence of a previous build up. I know this can be partly explained by it being Mette, not Catherine, to tell the story, but it also just seemed a bit like lazy writing to me. I think the growing passion there could have been easily shown, and I think Joanna Hickson missed an opportunity here for some pretty great writing. Again, when Catherine needed to recluse herself following Owen's birth, she suddenly became more pious, where although she was shown to be devout before, there was again no build-up to this. I just felt like these radical changes were designed to serve he plot and explain when things that happened in real life to Catherine of Valois needed explaining.
Another problem that I saw was simply simple writing. There was no rich imagery, or interesting narrative, which I think Mette's character could easily have allowed. I would have very much enjoyed to read a book with more in depth imagery and imagination.
I give this book three stars.
I think the story was interesting, it was a nice look at an important historical figure, and I did enjoy that it was told from the point of view of her servant, rather than Catherine herself. I think it lent an element to the story that made it interesting and intuitive.
There were two main problems in this book for me, that stopped me rating it above a three/five.
The first was the fact that Catherine's character seemed to change when the story demanded it. When it was time for her and Owen Tudor to get together, she was suddenly in love with, despite the absence of a previous build up. I know this can be partly explained by it being Mette, not Catherine, to tell the story, but it also just seemed a bit like lazy writing to me. I think the growing passion there could have been easily shown, and I think Joanna Hickson missed an opportunity here for some pretty great writing. Again, when Catherine needed to recluse herself following Owen's birth, she suddenly became more pious, where although she was shown to be devout before, there was again no build-up to this. I just felt like these radical changes were designed to serve he plot and explain when things that happened in real life to Catherine of Valois needed explaining.
Another problem that I saw was simply simple writing. There was no rich imagery, or interesting narrative, which I think Mette's character could easily have allowed. I would have very much enjoyed to read a book with more in depth imagery and imagination.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2017
Joanna Hickson has a way of bringing history to life, even if it's through a fictional tale. I also enjoyed the previous book about Catherine de Valois, The Agincourt Bride. Through these books I feel as if I'm living in the 1400's. It's interesting that both books are told through the voice of Mette, who started as Catherine 's wet nurse and servant and became her friend.
Catherine was married without any choice to Henry V of England. She has his son Henry VI. This book discusses the early life of Henry VI and Catherine's marriage to the Welshman, Owen Tudor. Together Catherine and Owen have 3 sons and a daughter, although only the oldest 2 sons will be a part of history.
Mette herself is able to remarry in this story and have a son of her own. In addition her daughter, Alys' husband dies so Alys and her two daughters are brought from France to live as part of Catherine's household.
This book shows the jealousies and vindictiveness of court life and the plight of an unmarried women, even if she is the former Queen of England.
I have always been fascinated by the Tudors and have read a number of books about Elizabeth I. It is fascinating to now read about her ancestors!
Catherine was married without any choice to Henry V of England. She has his son Henry VI. This book discusses the early life of Henry VI and Catherine's marriage to the Welshman, Owen Tudor. Together Catherine and Owen have 3 sons and a daughter, although only the oldest 2 sons will be a part of history.
Mette herself is able to remarry in this story and have a son of her own. In addition her daughter, Alys' husband dies so Alys and her two daughters are brought from France to live as part of Catherine's household.
This book shows the jealousies and vindictiveness of court life and the plight of an unmarried women, even if she is the former Queen of England.
I have always been fascinated by the Tudors and have read a number of books about Elizabeth I. It is fascinating to now read about her ancestors!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2021
Hickson continues the story of Catherine of Valois as told by her loyal nurse Mette. All her life Catherine has been a pawn between French and English dynastic powers. In this book her marriage to Henry V, the famous hero of the battle of Agincourt, cements the Treaty of Troyes promising the thrones of both England and France to Catherine and Henry's son. Sadly, the marriage is short-lived when Henry contracts dysentary and dies and Catherine's son, the future Henry VI is taken from her to be raised and controlled by court factions led by Henry's brother the Duke of Gloucester. Catherine is exiled to the country and cut off from her son. In one of the rich ironies of history, She falls in love with and marries Owen Tudor, a Welsh archer in the king's army, and their descendants form the basis for the later Tudor dynasty. Happily, unlike The Agincourt Bride, this book contains a useful author's note.
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October 26, 2020The best part about reading Catherine de Valois, is there are few historical documents providing insight into her private life. Yet, Hickson manages to provide an historical setting where the events of this story are plausible. Add to the history is the flawed narrator, a commoner companion to the former queen of England. The Tudor Bride and the prequel the Agincourt Bride, are more about the narrator, Met, than the queen.
Her flaws are her charm. She's devoted (like a mother) Catherine. Who cannot see this without feeling some compassion for a mother's devotion. She also has certain very modern sensibilities. Without this touch of our modern way of thinking, the background and the events surrounding Catherine's life might get lost in translation.
I enjoyed both books as the light, historical novels they were intended.
Her flaws are her charm. She's devoted (like a mother) Catherine. Who cannot see this without feeling some compassion for a mother's devotion. She also has certain very modern sensibilities. Without this touch of our modern way of thinking, the background and the events surrounding Catherine's life might get lost in translation.
I enjoyed both books as the light, historical novels they were intended.
January 4, 2024
OMG! If I thought the first book was amazing this book beats it hands down. I literally cried tears throughout the entire last couple of chapters. I just couldn't put this book down. If I didn't have to take care of my kids or sleep I would have read it straight through.
The writing was superb! The way Joanna kept you wanting to read was astonishing! It can be difficult for a historical fiction (my favourite genre) to keep you spellbound but this book did not seem to suffer that issue.
Mette, has become one of my favourite characters of all time. We can only dream of having someone so loyal in our lives. Queen Catherine suffered some astonishing moments in her life and managed to come through them stronger each time.
I can't recommend this book enough. Make sure you read The Agincourt Bride first!
The writing was superb! The way Joanna kept you wanting to read was astonishing! It can be difficult for a historical fiction (my favourite genre) to keep you spellbound but this book did not seem to suffer that issue.
Mette, has become one of my favourite characters of all time. We can only dream of having someone so loyal in our lives. Queen Catherine suffered some astonishing moments in her life and managed to come through them stronger each time.
I can't recommend this book enough. Make sure you read The Agincourt Bride first!
January 13, 2018
As a lover of history, historical fiction is similar to crack. Especially when you know what is going to happen and continue to read even though your heart will probably be broken. Catherine de Valois was pushed from her crown and pushed out of her son's life, yet we can still remember her not only as the mother of a king, but the grandmother of a king a well - an outcome not probable during the War of the Roses. I loved this portrayal of Catherine, of Owen, and of the family that they built and fostered and hid from the world. The entwinement of Catherine's story with that of her nurse was especially pleasurable - and for a lover of happy endings if Catherine's was not and could not be, Mette's happy ending have me solace after the tragic death of the queen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2017
This was a terrific book, the ending left me a little cold with the kidnap comspiracy, but the rest of it was stellar! I know it is a novel, with not a lot known about Catherine's death, so it worked out in the end. I read the First of the Tudors before this one, when I reread them ( and I will) I will do it in order and after the Tudor Crown is released.
Mette and her family were my favorite characters and had great depth, although her fanatical allegiance to Catherine was a bit extreme. I do recommend this book and the others by this fine author.
Mette and her family were my favorite characters and had great depth, although her fanatical allegiance to Catherine was a bit extreme. I do recommend this book and the others by this fine author.
June 25, 2020
Great Historical Read! Great Story!
I really enjoyed this story; English history is my passion and being able to read about a part of it that I had not read before was wonderful! The relationship between Catherine and Mette was so special that it gave the story a great and enduring focus. Joanna Hickson is a very good writer and is able to make her characters come alive. I would highly recommend this book!
I really enjoyed this story; English history is my passion and being able to read about a part of it that I had not read before was wonderful! The relationship between Catherine and Mette was so special that it gave the story a great and enduring focus. Joanna Hickson is a very good writer and is able to make her characters come alive. I would highly recommend this book!
June 8, 2022
The Tudor Bride is about Catherine whom was married to Henry V, but remarried to Owen Tudor in secret for love, when Henry died. Sadly this marriage was not accepted and so Catherine had to hide away as the Dowager. Her son Henry VI is now King of England. This is the start of the Tudor's as she has two sons Jasper and Edmund Tudor and when Margaret Beaufort marries Edmund, their child Henry VII is born.
June 4, 2017
Mette is still a perfect "Mette Sue", but The Tudor Bride was an improvement on its predecessor. Catherine de Valois' story is fascinating but tragic. This book shows us the years of happiness that I hope she had in real life. Owen may have also been a bit too perfect, but I'm not going to lie, my heart fluttered a little at his answers to Geoffrey Vintner's interrogation.
November 9, 2017
Loved it and so happy to have found a new author that I love. If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory, as I am, then you will love Joanna Hickson. She writes in the same style and I can't wait to order all her other books too. Fast read and learned a lot as I was not familiar with Queen Catherine.
July 15, 2019
Continues Catherine de Valois's story following on from "Agincourt Bridge" and covers period 1421 to 1437 and her developing relationship with Owen Tudor, again all told through the eyes of Catherine's life-long servant Mette. Really like the way she weaves very well researched historical fact with her own imagination to make such a readable tale. Highly recommended.
August 14, 2019
I love this series. I was somewhat surprised to learn that this series is considered YA, but so was the Hunger Games and I loved that one, too. Hickson makes me laugh and cry, and as far as I'm concerned, that's what makes a book a 5 star. The characters are great, and the plot -- well, you can't beat history, can you?
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