Rated 5+ Stars
From my shelves
This is a reread for me as it's one of my favorite books and it was time to revisit it. Also, Alison Weir has a new book about Katherine Swynford coming out on January 27, 2009 titled Mistress of the Monarchy: The Life of Katherine swynford, Duchess of Lancaster
Katherine, by Anya Seton tells the true story of the love affair that changed history—that of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of most of the British royal family. Set in the vibrant 14th century of Chaucer and the Black Death, the story features knights fighting in battle, serfs struggling in poverty, and the magnificent Plantagenets—Edward III, the Black Prince, and Richard II—who ruled despotically over a court rotten with intrigue. Within this era of danger and romance, John of Gaunt, the king’s son, falls passionately in love with the already married Katherine. Their well-documented affair and love persist through decades of war, adultery, murder, loneliness, and redemption. This epic novel of conflict, cruelty, and untamable love has become a classic since its first publication in 1954.
