Plaidy Giveaway Winner

And our Jean Plaidy Season is nearing its end so it's time to announce our giveaway winner. And the winner is:

teabird

You mentioned you had never read Plaidy so this is your opportunity. Please contact us at historical dot tapestry at gmail dot com with your contact details and we will send you the book as soon as possible.

HT News

Christi Phillips, author of The Rossetti Letters and The Devlin Diaries has been interviewed at A Book Blogger's Diary and also at Book Bird Dog.

Stacy from Stacy's Bookblog is giving away a copy of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy. The contest closes on July 10.

Savvy from Savvy Verse and Wit has a few things happening on her blog at the moment. Not only does she have an interview with Jennifer Cody Epstein about her book The Painter from Shanghai, she also has a giveaway for her blogiversary including Galway Bay by Mary Pat Kelly.

If you have visited my personal blog, you will know that I am something of a lover of reading challenges. There is a new one around that might interest Historical Tapestry readers - the Everything Austen challenge which is being hosted by Stephanie from The Written Word

If You Want to Know More...

There are several websites focusing on the life and work of Jean Plaidy (Eleanor Burford) and where you can also find information about the titles she penned under a different name.



Jean Plaidy's Royal Intrigue
Lucy and Arleigh's site. Here you find a book list, reviews and even a reading challenge.
Thank you for telling us why you love Jean Plaidy!

All About Plaidy
The most comprehensive site on Plaidy's life and works. It has a list of all of books under the different names.

Plenty About Plaidy
Susan Higginbotham's old site with interesting opinions and tidbits on Plaidy's books.

Random House where you can find the newly published books

HT News

Arleigh, over at historicalfiction.com is giving away a copy of Margaret George's The Memoirs of Cleopatra. The giveaway is open to everyone and it ends July 14th.

Sarah from Reading the Past is giving away three copies of Rachel Dupree's Personal History by debut novelist Ann Weisbarger.

Anna Elliott has unveiled the cover of her next book, Dark Moon of Avalon, on her blog. There may be a few changes between now and publication date next year, but they should be minor. I have to say I like it a lot.

Guest Post by Lezlie - Madonna of The Seven Hills

"In a castle in the mountains outside Rome, Lucrezia Borgia is born into history's most notorious family. Her father, who is to become Pope Alexander VI, receives his daughter warmly, and her brothers, Cesare and Giovanni, are devoted to her. But on the corrupt and violent streets of the capital it is a very different story: the Borgia family is feared, and Lucrezia's father lives up to his reputation as 'the most carnal man of his age'." (From the cover of the Arrow Books edition.)

I was gushing just the other day about the ability to get Jean Plaidy reprints from Book Depository. Madonna of the Seven Hills was my first purchase from there, and I'm so glad I took the plunge! I've read Jean Plaidy a couple of times before, and I still feel that she is great for that dose of "history lite" that I find I so often want. The stories tend to move quickly but highlight the important people and events.

One of the best parts of reading this version of Lucrezia Borgia's life is that my memories of The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis are so fresh in my mind. It was fascinating to compare how the two authors took the same set of facts and approached them in vastly different ways. For example, Kalogridis took the Borgia incest rumors head on, while Plaidy chose to portray the family as simply weirdly affectionate. They both agreed on the brutality of Cesare and Giovanni Boria and the corruption of Pope Alexander VI, but Plaidy hinted at it much more than blatantly showing their actions. Lucrezia's first pregnancy is told very differently in each book, but I believe the same man dies for it. (I can't check my Kalogridis book right now because a friend has it. Sorry!) Sanchia of Aragon, the heroine of The Borgia Bride, has a wildly different persona in Madonna of the Seven Hills. Both authors, however, cut Lucrezia some serious slack regarding her evil image. Now I'm wondering if she really was as bad as I've heard! Don't worry. I'll keep seeing what I can find out. :-)

Plaidy has split Lucrezia's story into two books, and I have Light on Lucrezia sitting right here to get to very, very soon. I already know how it ends, but it will be so much fun finding out how Ms. Plaidy gets there!

***

Lezlie can usually be found blogging at Books 'N Border Collies/

Guest Post by Ana O. - Flaunting, Extravagant Queen

At the age of fifteen, Marie Antoinette, beautiful and charming bride to the impotent Dauphin, is plunged into the intrigue of Versailles. Frivolous and reckless, she flouts the strict and demanding etiquette of the glittering court, and discovers the true nature of love, hate and jealousy. But the clouds of revolution are overhead, and Marie Antoinette, who only wishes to enjoy life, learns too late that the price of her enjoyment is very high...

Browsing through the extensive list of Jean Plaidy’s books I decided to read Flaunting, Extravagant Queen, about the life of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France from 1774 to 1792. I have to confess that my knowledge regarding French history is sadly lacking, which was one of the reasons that made me choose this book, plus the other day I saw a documentary about this fascinating and misunderstood woman and have been wanting to learn more about her ever since.

When the story begins, Marie Antoinette is a fourteen-year-old careless child somewhat neglected by her mother, Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria, being the youngest girl in a long line of brothers and sisters (her mother had 11 girls and 5 boys, 10 of whom reached adulthood), her education was slightly deficient, which resulted in a preference for music and dancing instead of languages and mathematics.

Wanting to strengthen the alliance between the two old enemy countries, Maria Theresa, managed to arrange the marriage between her youngest daughter and Louis Auguste, Dauphin of France. Due to the fact that Marie Antoinette was used to leading a relaxed court life in Austria, after the alliance was settled, her mother tried to educate her on French etiquette and rules. And from the start we notice that she finds it all a bit too much and even a little ridiculous!

On May 7th, 1770, Marie Antoinette is officially passed on to the French, on neutral territory, in a ceremony where for the first time she is humiliated and made to feel like a foreigner. Comtesse de Noailles, her first lady-in-waiting, later nicknamed Madame Etiquette by the Dauphine, made her undress and remove all of her Austrian clothes, not even a small ring which had been a present from her mother, was allowed, everything from head to toe had to be French, before she entered their country. We almost feel like this ceremony is an omen for what destiny holds in store for Marie Antoinette.

Louis Auguste, Duc de Berry and Dauphin of France, was a fifteen-year-old boy who was never much interested in politics or court life, being shy and indecisive he felt more at ease spending his time with manual labour and playing with his locks. In the beginning he acted somewhat distant and cold towards his Dauphine, he almost seemed to be scared of her, and the marriage was never consummated because he thought he was impotent. With time they became a little closer and seven years later, with the help of her brother Joseph, Emperor of Austria, the couple figured out that the King only needed corrective surgery to be able to consummate the marriage.

On May 10th, 1774, Louis XV, King of France, died from an attack of the smallpox and his grandson, Louis Auguste finally acceded the throne as Louis XVI, Le Désiré. Despite his best intentions Louis XVI was never cut out to be King, he lacked the necessary backbone to lead the kingdom and its people. France at the time was having serious financial problems and the people were starving in the streets, and instead of blaming the right person, everyone turned against the Queen, the foreigner, the Autrichienne, as she was called.

Everything she did was observed, criticised, she was accused of spending too much money on clothes and jewellery while the people were starving, slandering publications were passed around portraying the Queen in the most shameful scenes, she was said to have lovers, men and women, in sum, she was an easy scapegoat, only because she was a foreigner, everything got blamed on her. The situation escalated with the affair of the necklace, a piece of jewellery said to cost 2.000.000 livres, which was stolen by Jeanne de Valois, who managed to involve the Queen in her plot. And even though the culprit had been found and imprisoned, there were those who said everything had been planned by Marie Antoinette and that she kept the necklace stored in a locked box.

On July 14th, 1789, one of the most important events of the French Revolution took place, the Storming of the Bastille. That was one of the first steps in the decline of the King and Queen, leading four years later to their death by the guillotine.

What I most liked about this book was the author’s objectivity, most of the time Marie Antoinette is portrayed as an airhead, a shallow woman and even a harlot, it usually depends on who’s telling the story, but Jean Plaidy tells us the facts and lets us draw our own conclusions. I don’t think that this is an easy book though, fans of light historical romance might be disappointed, the language is accessible, the story never gets boring but I’d recommend it to more hard core history fans who enjoy tons of details. There are certain scenes that had to be understandably abbreviated, nevertheless she managed to pack a lot of history in 482 pages.

As I said before, I’m far from an expert in French history, but I didn’t notice any huge flaws or anachronisms, and even one of the most polemic issues was lightly approached, Marie Antoinette’s affair with Count Fersen. Many say she was her lover and others say she wasn’t, so Plaidy chose to never really reveal her opinion, she described their common attraction, said how much they loved each other but apart from one or two scenes at the end (that to me can be interpreted both ways), the affair wasn't the focus and you can almost dismiss it from your mind. Which I thought was very smoothly done!

I liked it so much that I’d continue on writing about the details indefinitely, that’s a sure sign of enjoyment, sometimes I get stumped with what to say or criticise, with this book I just had to restrain myself not to write more. In the meantime I discovered that there’s one more book featuring Marie Antoinette, it’s The Queen of Diamonds. I’ll surely be looking out for it!

I have to thank the ladies at the Historical Tapestry for inviting me to review a book by this author, I probably wouldn’t have gotten to it at this time without their invitation, and I would surely be missing out.

Rating: 4.5/5

***

Ana O. can be visited at Miss Picky's Column, her newly revamped blog.

Guest Post by Alex - Queen of This Realm

In this "memoir" by Elizabeth I, legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy reveals the Virgin Queen as she truly was: the bewildered, motherless child of an all-powerful father; a captive in the Tower of London; a shrewd politician; a lover of the arts; and eventually, an icon of an era. It is the story of her improbable rise to power and the great triumphs of her reign--the end of religious bloodshed, the settling of the New World, the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Brilliantly clever, a scholar with a ready wit, she was also vain, bold, and unpredictable, a queen who commanded--and won--absolute loyalty from those around her. But in these pages, in her own voice, Elizabeth also recounts the emotional turmoil of her life: the loneliness of power; the heartbreak of her lifelong love affair with Robert Dudley, whom she could never marry; and the terrible guilt of ordering the execution of her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. In this unforgettable novel, Elizabeth emerges as one of the most fascinating and controversial women in history, and as England’s greatest monarch.

When I was invited to write a review about a book by Jane Plaidy, I readily accepted. I had heard so much about the author but never really had the chance to read any of her works. Queen of this Realm seemed like a good choice for this first experience, since the charismatic Elizabeth I, queen of England is one of my favorite historic figures.

The book opens with Elizabeth’s troubled childhood. Daughter of the all powerful Henri VIII and the attractive Anne Boleyn, who was executed when Elizabeth was only 3 years old, we sense how this child grew insecure of her place into her father affections and how deeply she was scarred by her mother’s destiny and her illegitimacy. Raised by governesses, servants and stepmothers (like Katherine Parr), we follow her life through the years, watching her slowly becoming the woman who gave her name to her time - the Elizabethan era.

The struggle between Protestants and Catholics create an unstable situation in England aggravated by Edward VI’s death and Mary’s ascension to the throne. These were hard times for the future queen who had to spend a year in prison after being accused several times of plotting against her sister’s life.

After Mary’s early death, she finally accedes to the throne, to the joy of the English people who were much in love for their princess. As a young queen (barely 25 years old), many were those who wanted to see her settle down and giving an heir to the country. Elizabeth decides to do exactly the opposite; she will be married to her people and will rule without a man by her side. Of course, this didn’t stop her to have several suitors over the years, mainly due to diplomatic reasons.

The later years come in a rush with the victory over the Invincible Armada, the sudden death of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester or even the queen’s tempestuous relationship with the deeply annoying Robert Deveraux, the stepson of Dudley.

I have to confess I was not expecting much from this book in terms of historical accuracy, since I heard the author is known to sometimes romanticize History. For what I previously read about Elizabeth I, these 400 pages are a fair account of her life, which is not an easy task to do in such a short length or even write as a memoir. Of course, several important moments are rushed in a few lines, it was almost expected. I’m nonetheless impressed that Plaidy still managed to pull it off so elegantly. Now I wish I had her entire backlist at home…

I particularly enjoyed reading about the queen’s relationship with Robert Dudley, how they met as children in court, found themselves imprisoned at the same time at the Tower and later built a very complex relationship that resisted during 30 years to everything and everyone: treasons, cheating, disputes, banishments… I was never very fond of Robert, I can actually understand Elizabeth’s fascination for him, but he really never wins my affections.

My favorite moments were mostly the portraits of some of Elizabeth’s pairs or close family, like Jane Grey, so insecure and innocent and clearly a puppet in the hands of the ambitious John Dudley. The poor child looks just like a little lamb sent to the slaughter…

The fatherly figure of Lord Cecil who always admired his young queen and wanted the best for her, even if she sometimes strongly disagreed with his opinions, is very touching. He is always there for her, no matter what. I confess the scene when he gets ill and is lying in his bed talking with Elizabeth brought some tears to my eyes.

In the other hand, I missed to read more about Walsingham. He always fascinated me and I was quite disappointed to see that if he is mentioned here and there, we don’t know much about him or even quite see how crucial his role was during Elizabeth’s reign. We end up knowing more about his daughter and her hidden affair and consequent marriage to the spoiled Robert Deveraux.

Mary, Queen of the Scots is described almost as I imagined her: pretty, attractive but probably not suited to rule and certainly not a match for her intelligent cousin, Elizabeth. After 18 years living as a captive in England, she was becoming a liability and a threat… After collecting enough evidence of Mary’s treason and plots against his queen, Walsingham, along with other advisors, convinced Elizabeth of the necessity to bring Mary to a trial and an execution. Elizabeth’s fears and hesitation clearly show she knew how delicate the situation was; any wrong decision could gain her the displeasure of her beloved people and overthrow her. She readily admitted ruling by popular consent and valued the advice of the parliament and her counselors.

Something that deeply annoyed me was the frequent pinching and slapping given by Bess to her ladies in waiting and even her favorites. She is indeed known by her mercurial temper, especially in her older years but making her punish physically and constantly everyone around her gives her a childish behavior that seems far from her personality, even as a child.

A subject much discussed about Elizabeth was her virginity. Plaidy preferred to follow the queen’s reputation and the iconic and virginal image she built to herself but other biographies do mention she had certainly some affairs. Some even suggest Thomas Seymour ravished her when she was an adolescent and living with her stepmother, Katherine Parr, leaving her somehow traumatized for her future amorous experiences.

While rushing some important parts of Elizabeth I life, I do find this Queen of this Realm an excellent debut for anyone who would like to know this queen a little better. Jean Plaidy gives us an intelligent, empathic and very astute Elizabeth who learned since early age how to reach for her goals with patience and insight. She’s not a model of perfection or sainthood, she can be vain and egocentric but she was an inspiration to the men and women of her time and even today she continues to fascinate us. Elizabeth I was certainly a woman ahead of her time.

As I mentioned before, this is my first Plaidy and certainly not the last! Thank you ladies of the Historical Tapestry for giving me this opportunity to discover another great author.

Grade: 4.5/5

****

Alex is the author of Historical Tapestry's design - header, background and icons all came from her imagination - and her favourite historical characters are Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. You can visit her at Le Canapé.

HT News

We just found out, via the Teach Me Tonight blog that there is a Georgette Heyer Colloquium being organised. As she is a favourite among us and was the object of our 2008 Season we couldn't wait to share the news.

Author Tasha Alexander has just announced that the release of her new book Tears of Pearl is set to September 1st and she now has an excerpt on her website.


It's Josephine Bonaparte's birthday so over at Enchanted by Josephine, Lucy is hosting a party. There are three giveaways, two of which are books, and the third a lovely Josephine B charm from Cupids Charms. Head on over to Enchanted by Josephine and enjoy your time in the garden at Chateau Malmaison.

Anna Elliott is guest blogging about writing historical fantasy over at The Burton Review today.

HT News

Brandy Purdy, author of The Confessions of Piers Gaveston, has been interviewed by the ladies at Historical Novel Review.

Thanks to News and Random Musings about Historical Novels for pointing us in the direction of this interview with Lisa See at Powells

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne has been awarded The Orange Readers Group Book of the Year award which is the "UK’s only annual award for reading groups and forms part of Orange’s portfolio of literary partnerships".

Not only are we giving away a Jean Plaidy book here (you only have a few days left to enter if you haven't already), but you can also win one from Virginie Says. This time you have to work for it though, by participating in her 4 month Reading Challenge. There are a number of categories which work for us historical fiction lovers! Check out all of the details of the challenge by clicking here.

My First Jean Plaidy Novel by Susan Higginbotham

When I get interested in a historical figure, I like to read everything I can about him or her, so when I first became interested in Edward II, I promptly began to look for novels about him. The first I happened upon was The Follies of the King by Jean Plaidy.

Amazingly, this was the first time I’d heard of Jean Plaidy, probably because I came to historical fiction relatively late in life. To think of all those mass market Jean Plaidy paperbacks I could have bought in the 1970’s and 1980’s, if only I’d had the gift of foresight! Unfortunately, after I got out of college I tended to read only the classics, which was fine, and contemporary literary fiction, most of which was completely forgettable but which I dutifully read anyway. In fairness, the covers of a lot of Plaidy novels in those days were enough to scare off even non-literary-snobs: generically beautiful women in clinging garments being embraced by ruggedly handsome men against backdrops that often bore no resemblance at all to the contents of the book. If I saw the books at all, I probably dismissed them as historical romance and passed them by.

But with my first Jean Plaidy, The Follies of the King, I was hooked—and I was delighted when I soon learned that this was part of a whole series about the Plantagenets, including figures like Eleanor of Provence who seldom figure into historical fiction. Soon I was cruising for Plaidys on Amazon and e-Bay, and to my delight I found that some of her novels about the Tudors, like The Rose Without a Thorn and The Lady in the Tower, were back in print and that more were on the way.

Why did my first Jean Plaidy lead me to more and more? Plaidy isn’t a showy writer: those who want fireworks and gimmicks and snappy dialogue will be disappointed. Some of her novels indeed feel somewhat rushed; Plaidy, after all, was only one of several pennames used by the very prolific Eleanor Hibbert, and sometimes it’s all too clear that these books, especially some of the earlier Plantagenet ones, were written quickly. No, what I think draws me to Plaidy the most is the sympathy she manages to evoke for all of her characters, even the ones of whom I suspect she doesn’t approve of very much—like the characters in The Follies of the King. You can tolerate a lot from a writer who’s tolerant of her characters. It also helps that Plaidy wrote not only about ubiquitous figures like Anne Boleyn, but about less popular subjects such as the Georgian kings and their families.

Back around 2003, I had one Plaidy novel on my shelf; now I have over forty, from one of the earliest, Beyond the Blue Mountains (which turned up, of all places, in a stack of used books in my mother-in-law’s house), to my favorite Plaidy title, Gay Lord Robert. There are still a number of Plaidy novels I’ve yet to buy and/or read, for although I think fondly of my first Plaidy, I’ll be rather sad when I’ve finally read my last one.

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Susan Higginbotham is author of The Traitor's Wife and Hugh and Bess. You can visit Susan's blog at Medieval Woman. Thanks for guest posting for us during Jean Plaidy Season.

The Reluctant Queen by Jean Plaidy

In 1470, a reluctant Lady Anne Neville is betrothed by her father, the
politically ambitious Earl of Warwick, to Edward, Prince of Wales. A gentle yet fiercely intelligent woman, Anne has already given her heart to the prince’s younger brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Unable to oppose her father’s will, she finds herself in line for the throne of England—an obligation that she does not want. Yet fate intervenes when Edward is killed at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Anne suddenly finds herself free to marry the man she loves—and who loves her in return. The ceremony is held at Westminster Abbey, and the duke and
duchess make a happy home at Middleham Castle, where both spent much of their
childhood. Their life is idyllic, until the reigning king dies and a whirlwind of dynastic maneuvering leads to his children being declared illegitimate.
Richard inherits the throne as King Richard III, and Anne is crowned queen consort, a destiny she thought she had successfully avoided. Her husband’s reign lasts two years, two months, and two days—and in that short time Anne witnesses the true toll that wearing the crown takes on Richard, the last king from the House of York.

I went searching for a blurb of the story at Random House's site and this what I found is what is written above- I must say that I am a bit puzzled, Anne was not bethrothed to the older brother of her childhood love and Plaidy certainly never made that mistake...

The Reluctant Queen is part of a series Plaidy wrote about the Queens of England and it’s the story of Anne Neville, Richard III’s queen. The story is told in the first person and reads like a memoir, as she lays sick and feeling death approach, Anne Neville recounts her life from childhood to Queen of England.

She was the youngest daughter of the Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker, and along with her sister Isabel the richest heiress of England. She spent her childhood in Middleham Castle, one of her father’s properties, and where she met Richard of Gloucester, the youngest son of the Duke of York and brother of the future Edward IV. Plaidy follows the usual route of showing them as a sort of childhood sweethearts but Anne is soon as a political pawn by her father.

After Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville the relationship between him and Warwick becomes strained, the Earl wanted to be the power behind the throne and Edward wants to follow his own way. Eventually Warwick changes his allegiance and supports Margaret of Anjou. As Anne’s sister had been married to Clarence, Edward VI’s brother to strengthen political ties, so Anne is married to Margaret’s son Henry in 1470. I found it a bit odd that Plaidy only mentions a betrothal and not a marriage as I was under the impression from other reads that Anne had indeed married Henry. However, when they arrive in England to fight for Henry’s claim to the throne the Earl of Warwick is dead, after the Battle of Tewksbury so is Henry and Anne becomes first a prisoner, and afterwards went to live with her sister Isabel and the Duke of Clarence.

Apparently, Clarence wanted to prevent Anne from marrying again and wanted her to stay as his ward so he could control the whole of the Warwick fortune. However, Anne and Richard wanted to marry and to prevent that Clarence has Anne kidnapped. It’s only after Richard finds her working as a maid in a common shop that she is taken to sanctuary and they finally marry in 1472.

After her marriage Anne and Richard settle in Middleham Castle. Richard is Governor of the North and they have one child, Edward. While telling her story Anne notes that Middleham is where she feels at home and was most happy. But after Edward IV’s death, when Richard is appointed Lord Protector for his nephews they have to travel to London. Being this Anne’s story, we only see Richard of Gloucester through her loving eyes. But after he becomes king and their son dies Anne is filled with doubts and insecurities. She feels the end is near and is haunted by rumours that the king is poisoning her to marry his niece. I found it interesting that Plaidy really makes us feel that the future will be bleak for both of them.

I thought the story was very well written in the sense that it is very clearly explained how the Wars of The Roses started and the complex political events of that time. It was less so when it comes to explain why and how Richard III became king. I had a bit of a problem with Anne as she at times seemed just too perfect. While she may be the object of admiration, I didn’t feel much empathy with her and I missed having a strong character to identify with and feel passionate about.

For readers already familiarized with the Wars of The Rose this book will probably not bring anything new but if you are just starting on the subject it might make for an interesting read.

Grade: 4/5

HT News

Over at Historical Fiction Online, one of my favourite authors Elizabeth Chadwick has announced the title of her next book, To Defy a King, and also a brief blurb of the book:

The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal’s life changes dramatically when her father is suspected by King John. Her brothers become hostages and Mahelt is married to Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. Adapting to her new life is hard, but Mahelt comes to love Hugh deeply; however, defying her father in law brings disgrace and heartbreak. When King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces her worst fears alone, knowing neither she, nor her marriage are likely to survive the outcome.

A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.

The book will be released in 2010, so there is a bit of a wait but I am already excited!

I know that novelist Eva Ibbotson has a lot of fans, so I was happy to read this interview of the aging novelist that was organised by Anne Gracie of Word Wenches.

Over at Passages to the Past, you have an opportunity to win the upcoming release from Susan Holloway Scott, The French Mistress. Susan will be visiting with us here at Historical Tapestry in the next couple of weeks as well, and I am currently reading this book. So far I am enjoying it a lot. The giveaway closes on July 6.

Another Pope Joan giveaway, this time over at Historical-fiction.com. Entries close on July 5.

Michele from A Reader's Respite is giving away a copy of Rebecca Dean's Palace Circle. This one sounds pretty interesting to me, so I will definitely be putting my name in the draw.

Cover Story: Plaidy's reprints

Arrow Covers

Jean Plaidy's titles are being reprinted by Three Rivers Press in the US and Arrow books in the UK. They both are a part of Random House. If you follow the links mentioned you will find many many more covers. It's fun to compare the same book with different covers.

Three Rivers Press Covers

Not only have they different covers but some of the books have different titles in each country, for instance To Hold The Crown was previously published in the UK as Uneasy Lies The Head.
The covert art is different with Three Rivers Press creating a look for the whole series which will definately make them easier to spot on the shelves. And Arrow following much of the current trend with lots of headless women.

Arrow cover

Three Rivers Press

Which ones do you prefer? Are you collecting them now or is Plaidy already in your bookshelves in some of the old editions?

To see more covers check Jean Plaidy's Royal Intrigue gallery

HT News

Over at Historical-fiction.com, Arleigh has a guest post from S J A Turney, author of Marius Mule, and also is giving away 3 copies of the book. Details can be found here.

Amy from Passages to the Past has an interview with Donna Woolfolk Cross on her blog today.

I don't know about anyone else but I have been reading a few posts from people who attending the Historical Novel Society conference last weekend and getting exceedingly jealous. I am semi-seriously considering trying to attend the next US one, but that may well be a pipe dream. So, if like me, you need to attend vicariously, Sarah Johnson from Reading the Past has a wrap up post with lots of links to posts by people who did attend.

You can listen to an interview with Sarah Dunant about her new book, Sacred Hearts at Interview Online. This is the third book that Dunant has written set in the Italian Renaissance after Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan.

Uneasy Lies The Head by Jean Plaidy

Uneasy Lies the Head is the story of Henry VII. The man who defeated Richard III at Bosworth, united the Lancaster and York Houses and spent his ruling years getting rid of potential rivals to the throne.

In the aftermath of the bloody Wars of the Roses, Henry Tudor has seized the English crown, finally uniting the warring Houses of York and Lancaster through his marriage to Elizabeth of York. But whilst Henry VII rules wisely and justly, he is haunted by Elizabeth's missing brothers; the infamous two Princes, their fate in the Tower forever a shrouded secret. Then tragedy strikes at the heart of Henry's family, and it is against his own son that the widowed king must fight for a bride and his throne...

I liked Plaidy's voice although at first I was a bit confused with the different point of views. I also would have preferred if the story had started a bit earlier. Henry VII acceptance as a king was a in part due to his marriage to Elizabeth of York and it was a bit odd seeing her so dependent of him when she must have been an important part of the day's politics.

But mostly the book is about Henry's political moves to guarantee his power, to prevent rebellions by York claimants. He had to deal with two fake pretenders - Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck - and kept a tight hold on the ones who might be a potential danger like the young Earl of Warwick. He comes across as cold, scheming and a detached murderer. He has no strong feelings - love or hate - towards anyone but he doesn't hesitate to murder, or better said convict with fake charges, the one's who might threaten his power. Unavoidably part of what bothers him is to explain the disappearance of the prince's in the tower in a way that doesn't make him look guilty.

Another important thing is the begetting of heirs to strengthen the dynasty. Having had the fragile Arthur, Henry and Elizabeth keep having more children and next come Margaret, Henry and Mary and a few other babies who didn’t survive. Their children are also an important part of the book and we follow the negotiations for Arthur and Katharine of Aragon's marriage and the early years of the princess's stay in England. The author also develops a bit of the future Henry VIII personality, presumably to set us on the right path for the next books.

All in all an enjoyable read which follows the historical facts closely but gives them a lighter and fictionalised approach.

Grade: 4/5

This books was also printed by Three Rivers Press with the title To Hold The Crown

HT News

Michelle Moran has interviewed Donna Woolfolk Cross, author of Pope Joan. This book has recently been rereleased and has also been turned into a movie which will be released later this year.

Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a blog tour going on for Jennifer Cody Epstein's novel, The Painter from Shanghai. If you would like a chance to win a copy of this book, head over to visit Dar at Peeking Between the Pages and enter her giveaway. Entries close on 5 July.

Are you interested in winning a copy of The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon? There is a copy being given away over at Novels Now.

HT News

Special thanks to Anne Gilbert for letting the world know that Helen Hollick, author of The Hollow Crown and the Pendragon series amongst other books has joined the blogosphere. You can check out Helen's new blog here.

Don't forget that our giveaway for The Heart of the Lion by Jean Plaidy is still open. You have until June 28 to enter by commenting on the original blog post.

Why I love Plaidy

Earlier this week we had a guest post from Arleigh, and now it is time for Lucy to share with us why she loves Jean Plaidy. Together Arleigh and Lucy run Royal Intrigue, a Jean Plaidy focussed site and the Plaidy's Royal Intrigue blog.

It’s not often you come across an author who consistently presents accurate historical facts in a captivating and intriguing read. I haven’t come across one Plaidy novel I haven’t enjoyed. The stories move along at a fast pace without dwelling too long on any given situation; yet nothing is left out. Her novels are complete and informative, as well as extremely interesting.

The other thing that I really find neat is the way she uses appropriate language and expressions of the time period. This highlights the dialog; giving a realistic picture reflective of the character’s behaviour and personality.

I also love the vast variety of works and time periods that I have to choose from. I think she’s covered every single historical figure worth noting! So if I want to read about a particular royal-I’m sure she’s written about her/him.

Not only does Plaidy satisfy my curiosity when it comes to learning about royalty and the past, her work essentially brings history to life. It makes learning about history what it should be: interesting, relevant and captivating. That’s what I love about Plaidy.

By: Lucy from Royal Intrigue

Guest Post by Daphne - Jean Plaidy's Covers

In 2006 I was introduced to historical fiction by (like many others) Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl. I was fascinated by the fictional telling of real people’s lives and anxiously wanted to get my hand on more. It didn’t take me too long to discover the name “Jean Plaidy”. As the ‘grand dame’ of historical fiction, she tackled hundreds of years of English history as well as covering Catherine de Medici, Isabella of Spain, the French Revolution and Lucrezia Borgia. Sadly, most of her books were out of print, although her “Queen of England” series had recently been reissued in the US. I simply had to have her books and went on an obsessive ebay quest to find them. I currently own 44 Plaidys ranging from mass market paperbacks from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, hardcover book club editions and some of the newer UK releases which have gorgeous covers (which I have excluded from this post since you can easily see them on Amazon UK).

As I began my search I realized that her books had been published several times over the last 30 years and the variety of covers intrigued me. I began electronically collecting different covers for fun and it soon became almost an obsession of itself which led me to start a blog specifically for the purpose of highlighting book covers.

To help celebrate Historical Tapestry’s Jean Plaidy event, I am delighted to share some Plaidy covers. I hope you enjoy them!

1988 about Anne Boleyn


1952 about Jane Shore (mistress to Edward IV)


1970 about Caroline of Brunswick, wife of George IV


Unknown year about Edward I


1953 about Catherine de Medici




1981 about Henry V


1972 about Mary Tudor and her husband Phillip of Spain


1979 about the wife of Henry III, Eleanor of Provence


1989 about Katherine of Valois, Wife of Henry V



Unknown year about Lucrezia Borgia



Unknown year about William II and Henry I



1973 about Charles II

Late 1980’s about Edward III

Guest Post by Marie Burton - The Murder In The Tower

I chose this book to spotlight for Historical Tapestry because I think that readers who come across the title 'Murder in The Tower' immediately assume it is another Anne Boleyn type fictional piece; in reality it is an intriguing novel set against the height of the Stuart era, and perhaps is lesser known but a very worthy read of a wicked countess.

Book Review: "The Murder in the Tower" by Jean Plaidy

"The Murder in The Tower" by Jean Plaidy (pseudonym used by Eleanor Hibbert, aka Victoria Holt)

(The first book in the Stuart Saga series)(1964)

"The drama is played out against the background of the Court of James I."

After finishing this first installment of Plaidy's Stuart Saga by Jean Plaidy, I would still love to delve more into the characters that Plaidy described. When you think of a Tudor or Stuart novel, with this title of Murder, one tends to think of Anne Boleyn, or maybe Mary Queen of Scots. This novel is actually concerning the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, who is not the main protagonist of this intriguing novel.

The book is based on the life of Frances Howard, and her loves and her wicked ways to attain all that she desires. She starts out as a passionate young woman and we think we like her, but as she grows and becomes more and more of a selfish evil woman, there is no sympathy for her. I did find sympathy for Robert Carr, the man she fell in love with when she was a married woman.

Robert Carr caught the King James' eye when he fell from his horse as a young man, and quickly shot up in the ranks with titles and favoritism from James. He is portrayed as a pretty boy who really didn't deserve the posts he had since he had to have another man, Thomas Overbury, secretly do most of the work for Robert Carr. They called Thomas a scribe. One thing led to another and once Thomas realizes that Robert wants to marry Frances Howard, he is incensed. He has no respect for Frances and happens to know she had visits with unworthy people who dealt with witchcraft. Since Thomas would not back down, Frances and her witchcraft friends decided to take matters into their own hands. Supposedly Robert Carr has no idea what is going on.

Even though this book has James I in it, it is not a typical Stuart Saga, as it was only set within the time period of James I and his family. There was a small storyline with Frances and the King's son, Henry, and a bit on the royal family and the royal children but not an incredible amount. I don't know what the rest of the Stuart Saga books are about so maybe they are just based in the time period like this one, or maybe they are more having to deal with the actual Stuarts.

This was a quick read, and I definitely loved the deliciously entertaining Frances Howards and her intense need to fulfill her every whim. Although not an influential person by herself in the era, she caused quite a scandal and led a very interesting life which was a joy to read about. Plaidy fans do not want to miss this one, this was a quick read that stays with you.

The Burton Reviews

Spotlight On Jean Plaidy

Jean Plaidy was born Eleanor Alice Burford in 1906. She wrote books under her own name and also as Jean Plaidy, Philippa Carr, Victoria Holt and several other pseudonyms. Under the Jean Plaidy name she wrote a series of books of historical fiction covering an extensive period of the history of England and some dedicated to french, spanish and italian historical figures. Jean Plaidy died in 1993.

She was one of the most famous british novelists during the 1950s and 60s and her books sold millions of copies. For a time they were hard to find and very expensive in the second hand market but fortunately a number of titles are being reissued nowadays and they will possibly bring Jean Plaidy's novels to a whole generation of readers.

Bibliography:

Norman Series
The Bastard King Vol. 1
The Lion of Justice Vol. 2
The Passionate Enemies Vol. 3

Plantagenet Series
The Plantagenet Prelude Vol. 1
The Revolt of the Eaglets Vol. 2
The Heart of the Lion Vol. 3
The Prince of Darkness Vol. 4
The Battle of the Queens Vol. 5
The Queen from Provence Vol. 6
Edward Longshanks (The Hammer of the Scots) Vol. 7
The Follies of the King Vol. 8
The Vow on the Heron Vol. 9
The Passage to Pontefract Vol. 10
The Star of Lancaster Vol. 11
Epitaph for Three Women Vol. 12
The Red Rose of Anjou Vol. 13
The Sun in Splendour Vol. 14

Tudor Series
Uneasy Lies the Head Vol. 1
Katharine the Virgin Widow Vol. 2
The Shadow of the Pomegranate Vol. 3
The King's Secret Matter Vol. 4
Murder Most Royal Vol. 5
St. Thomas's Eve Vol. 6
The Sixth Wife Vol. 7
The Thistle and the Rose Vol. 8
Mary, Queen of France Vol. 9
The Spanish Bridegroom Vol. 10
Gay Lord Robert Vol. 11
Katherine of Aragon Vol. 2,3,4

Mary Stuart Series
The Royal Road to Fotheringay Vol. 1
The Captive Queen of Scots Vol. 2

James I
The Murder in the Tower

Charles II Trilogy
The Wandering Prince Vol. 1
Health Unto His Majesty Vol. 2
Here Lies our Sovereign Lord Vol. 3
Charles II Vol. 1,2,3

Stuart Saga
The Three Crowns Vol. 1
The Haunted Sisters Vol. 2
The Queen's Favorites Vol. 3
Last of the Stuarts Vol. 1,2,3

Georgian Series
The Princess of Celle Vol. 1
Queen in Waiting Vol. 2
Caroline, the Queen Vol. 3
The Prince and the Quakeress Vol. 4
The Third George Vol. 5
Perdita´s Prince Vol. 6
Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill Vol. 7
Indiscretions of the Queen Vol. 8
The Regent's Daughter Vol. 9
The Goddess of the Green Room Vol. 10
Victoria in the Wings Vol. 11

Queen Victoria Series
The Captive of Kensington Palace Vol. 1
The Queen and Lord M Vol. 2
The Queen's Husband Vol. 3
The Widow of Windsor Vol. 4

Queens of England Series
Myself My Enemy Vol. 1
Queen of this Realm Vol. 2
Victoria Victorious Vol. 3
The Lady in the Tower Vol. 4
The Courts of Love Vol. 5
In the Shadow of the Crown Vol. 6
The Queen's Secret Vol. 7
The Reluctant Queen Vol. 8
The Pleasures of Love Vol. 9
William's Wife Vol. 10
The Rose Without a Thorn Vol. 11

Ferdinand and Isabella Series
Castile for Isabella Vol. 1
Spain for the Sovereigns Vol. 2
Daughters of Spain Vol. 3
Isabella and Ferdinand Vol. 1,2,3

Lucrezia Borgia Series
Madonna of the Seven Hills Vol. 1
Light on Lucrezia Vol. 2
Lucrezia Borgia Vol. 1,2

de'Medici Series
Madame Serpent Vol. 1
The Italian Woman Vol. 2
Queen Jezebel Vol. 3
Catherine de’Medici Vol. 1,2,3

Henry of Navarre
Evergreen Gallant

French Revolution Series
Louis, the Well-Beloved Vol. 1
The Road to Compiegne Vol. 2
Flaunting Extravagant Queen Vol. 3

Spanish Inquisition Series
The Rise of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1
The Growth of Spanish Inquisition Vol. 2
The End of the Spanish Inquisition Vol. 3
The Spanish Inquisition Vol. 1,2,3

Other Titles
Together They Ride
Beyond the Blue Mountains
The Goldsmith's Wife (King's Mistress)
Daughter of Satan
Lilith
It Began in Vauxhall Gardens (Melisande)
Milady Charlotte
The Scarlet Cloak
Defenders of the Faith
Madame Du Barry
The Queen of Diamonds
The King's Adventurer (This Was a Man)
A Triptych of Poisoners
Mary Queen of Scots: Fair Devil of Scotland
King's Pleasure (Murder Most Royal)
The Unholy Woman (The Italian Woman)
Mary Queen of Scotland: The Triumphant Year (Royal Road to Fotheringay)
The King's Mistress (The Goldsmith's Wife)
Melisande (It Began in Vauxhall Gardens)

Children's Titles
Young Mary Queen of Scots
Young Elizabeth
Meg Roper; Daughter of Sir Thomas More

Source

HT News

Arleigh at Historical Fiction is giving away a copy of Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund. The deadline to enter is June 23.

It's the Braveheart Week over at Royal Reviews and there's some interesting recommended reading, including a Jean Plaidy book.

Jean Plaidy Giveaway

To celebrate our Jean Plaidy Season we are giving away a copy of The Heart of The Lion. To enter just leave a comment on this post till June 28th and we will announce a winner on June 30th. The giveway is open to everyone.

At the age of thirty-two, Richard the Lionheart has finally succeeded Henry II to the English throne. And, against his father's wishes, he intends to make Berengaria, daughter of the King of Navarre, his Queen. But first he must fulfil his vow to his country to win back Jerusalem for the Christian world. Leaving England to begin his crusade, Richard's kingdom is left in the hands of his brother, John, who casts covetous eyes on the crown, and his sister, Joanna, who is willing to defy even a king.

Why I Love Jean Plaidy

When we first thought about having a Jean Plaidy season, one of the first ideas was to ask a couple of people who we know are passionate Jean Plaidy fans about why they are. So today we have a post from Arleigh and later in the week from Lucy, who together run a Jean Plaidy focussed site at Royal-Intrigue , a blog at Plaidy's Royal Intrigue and the Jean Plaidy reading challenge.

I was introduced to historical fiction by Philippa Gregory. I knew right away that some facts were skewed, as The Queen’s Fool has a mystical element, but the fact that the kings and queens depicted in the novel truly existed piqued my interest in the genre. Directly after reading The Other Boleyn Girl, I found Robin Maxwell and enjoyed her version of Anne Boleyn so much more than the haughty, calculating jade that Gregory made her out to be. Thus my obsession with Anne Boleyn began.

The first Jean Plaidy novel I read was, of course, The Lady in the Tower. I was floored not only by the writing style, expert dialect and amazing vocabulary, but of the extreme accuracy. Plaidy’s characterization of Anne showed both her strengths and her weaknesses in equal measure. The reader can understand and sympathize with Anne’s reasoning knowing that many of the reputed facts are no more than embellished rumors.

To date I have read 29 of Jean Plaidy’s nearly 100 historical novels. I am quite amazed, not only that she has written so many novels, but that they are so good. When I am asked -- as I often am in my profession -- who my favorite author is, I answer without skipping a beat: Jean Plaidy! Not very many people give her a try and it is a shame; they are missing out on the best historical fiction has to offer!

By: Arleigh from Royal Intrigue

HT News

Deanna Raybourn has left a hint on her blog about where the new Julia Grey book will be set. It sounds very intriguing!

Not so recent news but also of interest, Tears of Pearl, Tasha Alexander's fourth book in the Lady Emily Ashton series will be released in September.

Arleigh of Historical-Fiction is giving away East of the Sun by Julia Gregson. Enter by June 12th, here.

Royal Reviews is giving away The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Enter by June 29th, here.

Plaidy’s Royal Intrigue is giving away Victoria Holt’s The Queen’s Confession. Enter by June 9th, here.

Here's a non-fiction Historical: Dolleygurl of The Maiden's Court is giving away Sex with the Queen by Eleanor Herman. Enter by June 21st, here.

Announcing a Jean Plaidy Season

It's been almost a year since we had our first "Season" here at Historical Tapestry. We enjoyed it so much that we thought it would be an event to repeat in the future. And so we are proud to announce that the next few weeks will be devoted to author Jean Plaidy - it's the Jean Plaidy Season.

If you are interested in participating in the Season by contributing a post, then let us know either by leaving a comment (and we'll get in contact with you as long as there is an email address in your profile) or by email to historical.tapestry at gmail dot com. Your guest post could be a review of a favourite Plaidy novel, or a post about why you love to read Plaidy...anything..as long as it is Plaidy related!


We will also continue to bring you posts about other Historical Fiction novels we are reading, upcoming releases and anything else that captures out attention during this time as well, so be sure to visit, and visit often!

HT News

There are more historical fiction giveaways around, Lucy and Arleigh at Royal Intrigue are giving away a copy of Jean Plaidy's The Queen's Confession. Go there for a chance to win and come visit us next week for a few posts on Jean Plaidy here at Historical Tapestry.

And LizzyJ of Historically Obsessed was kind enough to present us with the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks LizzyJ!

Why I Love to Write About Russia

A couple of years ago, I discovered a book called The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall, mainly because I really, really liked the cover. Since then I have waited for each new book by this author to be released. I was therefore very pleased when Kate agreed to write a Why I Love post for us!



I love to write about Russia because I am part Russian. This may sound like a simple statement but for me it’s a very complicated one.

I’d always thought I was English through and through. It wasn’t until I was in my forties that I discovered that my grandmother, Valentina, was a White Russian. She had fled across Siberia with her two-year-old daughter, Lydia, hiding in forests by day and travelling only at night to escape the fury of the Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution in 1917.

This came as a shock. In fact you could have knocked me down with a babushka. Russian? Me?

How do you cope with a discovery like that? I was forced to rethink myself. I devoured everything I could lay my hands on about Russia. Books, films, paintings, and of course travelling to the country itself to see it with my own eyes. I was mesmerised. By its fascinating history, its breath-taking geography, its amazing art and literature and by the passion of its people. Above all by its dramatic and often bloody politics that loomed so large over the world throughout the twentieth century.

Then my mother died and in an odd sort of way I felt I had inherited her story – and that I mustn’t waste it. I thought long and hard about her perilous journey as a child from Russia to China to India and finally to England, where she kept secret her past as a Russian refugee. I was hooked. It was too good a story to walk away from.

That’s how The Russian Concubine and Under a Blood Red Sky (The Red Scarf in USA) came to be written. I wanted to celebrate the Russianness of my ancestry. And now the publication of The Concubine’s Secret (The Girl From Junchow in USA) this summer takes me back to Moscow where my grandmother lived for part of her life.

The Russian Concubine was the start. Though set in 1928 China, the shadow of Russia drives the story, and when I’d finished it Under a Blood Red Sky grew in my mind. It is a love story set entirely in Russia in 1933, totally immersed in its culture, its conflicts and its communism. It explores how the powerful bonds of love, belief and friendship shape people’s lives. I took great pleasure in writing The Concubine’s Secret because it is the sequel to The Russian Concubine and continues the story of Lydia Ivanova in Russia. I felt a deep connection with this wilful Russian creature and wasn’t ready to let her go.

All three books study the concept of the outsider. Isolation and loneliness are themes that recur. As do characters who come from one country and live in another. A Russian who lives in China, a Dane who lives in Russia. Even a young woman who strives to become part of a rural village that sees her as an outsider. This, I realise, came from seeing my mother never quite fitting in, though at the time I didn’t understand why.

One of my problems with writing these books about Russia is that I adore doing the historical research. Imagine it. Sitting all day reading, preferably on the lawn in the shade of a beech tree, and calling it work. What could be more blissful? I make hundreds of pages of notes but only use a small fraction of them in the finished books. Yet I need them. The notes I make are part of the process. I have to feel so familiar with the Russian world I am about to create that I can move around in it with ease and confidence. I fill my head with every little detail of the time I’m exploring.

I am often asked how much of The Russian Concubine was based on my mother’s and grandmother’s lives. It was a decision I had to make – where to draw the line between fact and fiction. I didn’t actually agonise over this. I used the factual situation of my mother and grandmother as Russian refugees in one of the International Settlements in China – and even used their real names, Lydia and Valentina – but the whole story is pure fiction. As is the return to Russia in the sequel The Concubine’s Secret (The Girl From Junchow in USA). But I loved writing about a time in that country’s history when a whole new Russia was being formed under the hammer of communism. It was a momentous era.

As you can tell, I have found myself on a rollercoaster of addiction to all things Russian. My house is filling up with matryoshka dolls and my shelves with books by Tolstoy, Chekhov and Bulgakov. But I’m not ready to climb off this rollercoaster yet. I have one more Russian book to write – but this time set in the tsarist regime of the Romanovs. And then? Who knows? I can’t see a time when I won’t love to write about this magnificent country.

For me the exciting thing is that Russia has bought my books and they will soon be published there. My stories are going home.


Thanks to Kate for such an interesting piece. Kate's newest book is being issued under the title The Girl from Junchow on June 2 and under the title The Concubine's Secret in the UK on June 26.