Historical novels can be
exceptionally well written, and are truly captivating when reading in this
modern age. One of my favorite authors of this genre is Nancy Bilyeau. Two of
her best-selling books are now available in paperback, and if you haven’t read
these yet, I strongly urge you to!
The
Crown - Book
Description
“An
aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her
father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The
year is 1537. . .
Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite
cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the
sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s
side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her
father, is sent to the Tower of London.
The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes
terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s
life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the
ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home
to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history
worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first
united Britain.
But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when
more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young
monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal
castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final
resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find
the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of
the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince,
Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The
crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not
fall into the wrong hands.
With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory,
bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the
crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life.
This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and
brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and
critical moment in England’s past.” – The Crown
My
Thoughts
The
Crown’s main character, Joanna Stafford, is a very intriguing
character. She is a nun, and yet she is quite opinionated, takes charge, and
really fights for what she believes in. This is no stereotypical nun, so don’t
think that a novel about a nun is necessarily boring, because this one sure
isn’t!
Bilyeau
is able to create the settings in such detail it really does make you feel like
you are walking in this part of history through the story. Sometimes authors
use of descriptions are boring and quite honestly, I just skim over it.
Bilyeau’s text doesn’t make me want to skim over it. She is able to draw the
reader in, and wants to read more, which is a true talent!
The
Crown is
an extremely well researched historical fictional novel. I don’t pretend to be
overly knowledgeable on this part of history, but from what I remember from
college history courses (and looking up things online that are in the book), it
does remarkably well.
Overall,
the text is a little drawn out in some places, but it is a very enjoyable read.
The main character is fabulous, and is a very worthy read. I recommend it for
all historical fiction fans to read, especially those who also enjoy watching The Tudors.
The Chalice - Book
Description
“In the
midst of England’s Reformation, a young novice will risk everything to defy the
most powerful men of her era.
In 1538, England’s bloody power struggle between crown and
cross threatens to tear the country apart. Novice Joanna Stafford has tasted
the wrath of the royal court, discovered what lies within the king’s torture
rooms, and escaped death at the hands of those desperate to possess the power
of an ancient relic.
Even with all she has experienced, the quiet life is not for
Joanna. Despite the possibilities of arrest and imprisonment, she becomes
caught up in a shadowy international plot targeting Henry VIII himself. As the
power plays turn vicious, Joanna realizes her role is more critical than she’d
ever imagined. She must choose between those she loves most and assuming her
part in a prophecy foretold by three seers. Repelled by violence, Joanna seizes
a future with a man who loves her. But no matter how hard she tries, she cannot
escape the spreading darkness of her destiny.
To
learn the final, sinister piece of the prophecy, she flees across Europe with a
corrupt spy sent by Spain. As she completes the puzzle in the dungeon of a
twelfth-century Belgian fortress, Joanna realizes the life of Henry VIII as
well as the future of Christendom are in her hands—hands that must someday hold
the chalice that lies at the center of these deadly prophecies…” – The Chalice
My Thoughts
The Chalice is the story of Joanna Stafford, an aristocratic nun whose
life is crashing down around her, thanks to King Henry VIII. She is highly
intelligent, cunning, and has an outstanding personality that makes the reader
truly care about her as a character. She gets highly involved with plots for
political and religious power, but the choice of her actions is all hers.
The author did excellent research for this book, and you can
really tell she took time to know what she was writing about as you read it.
You’ll get an amazing story form her, but you will also learn about the royal
court, ladies in waiting, religion, prophecies, and much more in this book.
This is marvelously crafted book that will keep you reading
until you have to put it down, so be sure to set large amounts of time away
before you get started! I love this book and definitely recommend it to all
historical fiction lovers, and those who just like a good book.
*
Thank you to the publisher of The Crown and The Chalice, Touchstone,
for providing me with a copies of these books for review. All opinions
expressed are my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment