Historical romance at its best--The World View in Novels

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	• Katherine Anya Seton Chicago Review Press, 2004 - 512 pages average customer review:based on 248 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Superb reading!!!!

If you like books saturated with accurately historical events, intrigue and romance - then THIS one is a MUST READ! I was first introduced to Anya Seton when I read 'The Winthrop Woman' - which I LOVED and highly recommend! I could not wait to find another book by this master of writing! 'Katherine' was totally absorbing. I have read hundreds of books and do not gush over many, but I could not wait to jump on the sofa any time I had a free minute (which turned into hours.....) to read this book. I could not get enough of the Duke of Lancaster's love and desire for his precious Katrine. I admired Katherine's humility and staunch morals while she was married to Hugh. The writing and the story is outstanding. I cannot say enough! I even found myself 'Googling' both of them to find out more about their history and lives. Superb, fantastic, compelling, outstanding....does that say enough?!?!?!?!?!

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A Must Read

This isn't a Romance where everything turns out right. This is a genuine, real life, actually happened, love story. Read it and you'll be forever changed. Also, if you enjoyed this book please locate a copy of "Forever Amber" and read it too. This book is set in the time of Restoration England. Bonnie Prince Charlie has just come back to claim the throne of England. Read it and enjoy!

Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor

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Historical romance at its best--The World View in Novels

This book as been described as one of the best historical romances. And it is. The reason is Seton's ability to believably capture the "world view" of her characters. Many times I have started an historical novel only to throw it aside in disappointment because it was populated by modern characters in period dress. Too many writers believe that throwing a few "thees" and "thous" into a conversation and making sure your dates are in line with history books are all you need to produce historical fiction.

But in reading Katherine you feel that you are glimpsing how a woman of her class and time actually might have lived and loved. Seton has practiced not only meticulously researched history but has disciplined her writing to remain within the world view of that time. If you are a picky reader like me who wants her historical fiction romantic, accurate and superbly written, Katherine is for you.

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Obsession!

I am obsessed with this book! It is one of the best novels that I have read in many, many years and I cannot get KAtherine and her cohorts out of my mind. I am an avid reader, I read all the time, and have since I was a child; I am now an old woman, a great grandmother, so I have read a lot of books! It is not the first novel that I have read that was written by Anya Seton, and I have loved her other books, also. "Green Darkness" is as good as "Katherine" but is not based on real people that can be traced back to the English Royal family of modern day, all the characters in "Green Darkness" are fictional, whereas they are/were real people that Anya wrote about in "Katherine." It is a fascinating story, and tells you better than anything that I have ever read that the royal family came from very ordinary human beings, just like the rest of us commom folks. Though they were royals, their morals were not any better than the present lot of royalty as we know it today. I mean, how can Charles have high morals and treat Diana like he did, sneaking around with Camilla Parker Bowles? Both were married to other people at the time and blatantly commited adultery! There was also gallantry and great bravery in the ranks of the royals then, as now. Prince Harry has proven that not all royals are pampered namby-pambys. But the story of Katherine Swynford and John o' Gault is a real love story, between two honorable human beings. It is so interesting to me that their children are the parents and grandparents, etc., in other words, the ancestors of the ruling family that is still in power over the British empire today. Also interesting is the fact that a lot of their ancestors were illegitimate, and sprang from Katherine and John. When you read this book, you are going to be spending a lot of time on the Internet researching the characters, and you will find that Ms. Seton is fairly accurate on all of her facts. Historically speaking, it is like an encyclopedia on life in the 14th Century. Though I finished reding the book a few weeks ago, I am still on the Internet looking up different characters from the story and am learning more details about all of them. Almost every character in the book can be authenticated through Google. A few characteristics have been changed but does not effect the realism of the book. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history, but even if you are not all that intent on finding out about life in Mediaeval England, it is still a great and wonderful love story. And while enjoying the love story, you can learn a small bit of history as well.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, page 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

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