Katherine by Anya Seton

Title: Katherine

Author:  Anya Seton

Narrated by:  Lorna Bennett

Publisher: HarperAudio

Length: Approximately 29 hours and 50 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible.

  Do you still have any fall color in your area?  I still have a couple of trees in my yard that are slowly turning color, while most other trees are bare at this time.

 Katherine by Anya Seton is a historical fiction classic.  It tells the story of Katherine Swynford, and her love affair with John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son of the King.  This story is set during the 14^th century and the ripples of their love would affect the royal family for centuries to come.

 My thoughts on this novel:

·       I read this book as part of the Back to the Classics Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library for our October read.  I had previously read this book around twenty years ago for my classics book club in Milwaukee.

·       Anya Seton is one of my favorite authors, but it has been a while since I’ve read one of her novels.  She writes unique historical stories that capture my imagination.

·       In Katherine, Seton paints a vivid picture of life in 14^th century England.  I felt like I was there.

·       The black death was brutal.  Katherine comes across a castle where the inhabitants are infected.  Instead of running away, she goes into danger to help.  Besides the black death, there is also the peasants’ revolt later in the novel.  She lived through very tumultuous times.

·       Katherine is a virtuous woman who does not give into the Duke’s affections until the death of her husband.  They IMMEDIATELY get together at his death, which seemed rushed to me.

·       The first half of the novel is Katherine’s early life, her marriage, having her first children, and it ends with her husband’s death and her getting together with the Duke.  The novel then skips forward a few years at this point and the second half of the novel covered a longer time period.

·       I kept pondering, what choice does Katherine have in any of this?  I realized at one point that Katherine really has little say if John of Gaunt wants her as his mistress.  She realized this in the book right after I did.  She tries to leave and go back to her own land, but she is roped back into being with the Duke.

·       Religion and faith play a big role in Katherine’s life even though she is most famously known as a mistress.

·       The fact that John of Gaunt eventually married Katherine and legitimized their children really showed to me that there was true love in their relationship.

·       I listened to this very long audiobook while traveling for work last month.  I found it very engaging, and it made my drives seem very short.

Favorite Quote: “Why does the whole world smell of blood and fire?  Why?”

Overall, Katherine by Anya Seton is a masterpiece of historical fiction and paints a vivid picture of the medieval life of an extraordinary woman.

 

What Should I Read After I Finish the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon?

The Outlander series is a unique series of books by Diana Gabaldon that are filled with great characters, adventure, fantasy, and the romance of a lifetime.  While no books are quite like Gabaldon’s, there are some great books in similar veins that can fill your reading desires as you wait for the next book in the saga.  The following are my top picks.

1.       Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati.  I picked this novel up at a used book store at an airport while on a work related trip ten or so years ago.  I liked the premise, Elizabeth Middleton is an Englishwoman moving to the wilds of 18^th century New England to be with her family.  While there, she meets Nathanial Booner, the son of Hawkeye and Cora from Last of the Mohicans.  Elizabeth and Nathanial fall in love and work through the prejudices of the times.  Much to my surprise – Jamie and Claire Fraser make an appearance in this novel!  I had no idea when I was reading it that Claire and Jamie would be in the book until they were there.  Diana Gabaldon herself approves of this book.  I only made it to book three of this series and need to pick it back up one of these days!

2.       A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley (or anything by Susanna Kearsley).  Susanna Kearsley writes great novels that often contain a time slip or other mechanism to the past.  A

Desperate Fortune involves a codebreaker in the present day that is cracking the historical diary of Mary Dundas.  Mary is used by the Jacobites in France to help a mysterious man with an even more mysterious body guard to remain out of harm’s way.  Hugh Macpherson, the mysterious bodyguard, is a Scotsman with a deep soul.  The entire novel is a slow build to the reveal of one of the best romantic heroes I’ve read in a while.  I’ve also read Kearsley novels The Splendour Falls, The Firebird, The Shadowy Horses, Mariana, and The Rose Garden and have enjoyed them all.  I’ve read wonderful reviews of The Winter Sea, but it’s still on my wish list of books.

3.      The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick.  There is not time travel in Elizabeth Chadwick’s

novels, unless you consider that Chadwick’s novels make you feel like you are experiencing the Middle Ages.  William Marshal is a young knight with drive, passion, and a deep loyalty.  He uses his skills to climb up the ranks at court, and meets his match when he meets young Isabelle de Claire in The Scarlet Lion.  William and Isabelle’s love faces many trials, but their love grows stronger over time.  Elizabeth Chadwick is one of the best historical fiction writers of all time, and William Marshal is one of the best romantic heroes in literature.


4.      Discovery of Witches Trilogy by Deborah Harkness.  Diana is an avid historian of alchemy

and also a witch without powers.  Matthew is a vampire.  When the two meet in London over the mysterious manuscript Ashmole 782, sparks fly.  Although vampires and witches typically don’t get along, the two find themselves drawn to each other as they continue the search for the manuscript and its hidden meaning.  In the second book of the series, Diana and Matthew time travel back to Tudor England in their quest. The three novels in this trilogy are A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life.



5.      The Green Darkness by Anya Seton.  I discovered Anya

Seton as a teenager around the same time I discovered Outlander.  Anya Seton did not write series, but she did write stand-alone novels that are great historical fiction, but at times contain a bit of fantasy.  Richard Marsdon marries a young American, Celia, and moves her back to his estate in England.  While there, Celia has a breakdown and a doctor forces her to relieve her past life in Tudor England with her doomed romance with Stephan the Monk.  My favorite Anya Seton novel is Katherine, a young woman who has a passionate love affair with the son of a King, John of Gaunt, whom she is not allowed to marry. Devil Water is the story of staunch Jacobites that descended from the illegitimate line of Charles II.  I sadly read these books before my blog, so the only Anya Seton review I have on here is for Smouldering Fires.



6.      Irish Lady byJeannette Baker.  Diana Gabaldon gave her approval to this novel calling it,

“Wonderful . . . it grips from the first page to the very last.”  Irish Lady is a gripping tale with intrigue, romance, historical fiction ghosts, time slips, mystery, and grand passion and is set in both the 1590’s and the 1990’s in Ireland.  I also loved the Scottish setting and time travel in Jeannette Baker’s novel, Legacy. 






7.      The Poldark Series by Winston Graham.  I am only on book two of this

series, but the entire series by Winston Graham goes through the turbulent and passionate lifetimes of the main characters, Ross and Demelza.  A TV series based on the first two books is currently airing on Masterpiece Theatre and is excellent.  Set in Cornwall after the American Revolution, Ross has discovered the woman that he loves is engaged to his cousin, but he decides to bring his estate back to life and to help the common people along the way.  Ross Poldark is another greatest romantic hero in literature.



8.      Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.  I love the show, but haven’t read the series yet.  My husband has read this series and Outlander and he says I would be remiss if I didn’t put it on a list of good books to read if you like Outlander.

What have I missed?  What are your favorite books with great characters, romance, and or time travel that you read when you aren’t reading Outlander?

Other suggestions that I've received on this blog, Goodreads, and Facebook are as follows (I've been adding them to my "want to read" list).  Items in BOLD were mentioned by many people:
1.  The Bronze Horseman by Simmons
2.   The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
3.  Follow the River by James Alexander Thom
4.  Comanche Moon by Catherine Anderson
5.  Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
6.  Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost
7.  Dragonblade by Kathryn Le Veque
8.  The Graham Saga by Anna Belfridge
9.  Fall of the Giants by Ken Follet
10.  The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
11.  A Dance Through Time by Lynn Kurland
12.  Daphne Du Maurier Novels (My Favorite is Rebecca)
13.  The Innocent by Posie Graeme Evanss
14.  Through a Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen (I love this book!)
15.  Before Versailles by Karleen Koen
16.  Edward Rutherford Novels
17. Exit Unicorns by Cindy Brandner
18.  A Vision of Light by Judith Merkle Riley
19.  The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett
20.  The Nicholas Series by Dorothy Dunnett
21.  The King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett
22.  Highland Destiny by Hannah Howell
23.  Lady Julia Series by Deanna Raybourn
24.  The Welsh Trilogy by Sharon Kay Penman
25.  Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita White Clenney
26.  The Lord John Series by Diana Gabaldon
27.  Jane Austen Novels
28.  Dalraida Series by Jules Watson
29.  The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
30.  The Spymaster Series by Joanna Bourne
31.  The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
32.  The Tea Rose Trilogy by Jennifer Donnelly
33.  Gracelyn O'Malley Trilogy by Anne Moore
34.  The Templar Knights Series by Mary Reed McCall
35.  Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
36.  The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning
37.  The Angelique Series by Anne and Serge Golan
38.  Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor (I love this book also!)
39.  Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
40.  North and South Trilogy by John Jakes
41.  Swan Trilogy by Celeste De Blasis
42  The Plantagenet Series by Sharon Kay Penman

Legacy by Jeanette Baker

Scotland. History. Suspense. A Family Curse. Time Travel. Legacy by Jeanette Baker has all of the individual elements that I love in a novel, and Baker was able to combine these elements into one fantastic story. And even better, it was a story that kept me awake when I was feeding my infant at night!

Christina Murray is a 38-year old American scholar on Scottish history. After her recent painful divorce, she is excited to discover that she is the heiress of Traquiar House, the oldest continuously habited house in Scotland. After she starts living in Traquiar House, strange things start to happen to Christina and she starts to remember past lives of the women who came before her at Traquiar House. These women look eerily like Christina and all carry shared traits that pass down the family curse.

Katrine is a lovely Jacobite supporter that falls in love with an Englishman. When Bonnie Prince Charlie returns to try to capture the throne, Katrine is torn between her family and her husband. Jeanne has a wonderful husband and two beautiful children, but after a tragedy takes the life of one of her children, her visions lead her to warn King James about the Battle of Flodden Field. These visions lead her to be accused of witchcraft. Mairi has a forbidden passion for King Edward Longshacks of England, but marries her childhood sweetheart David. After Mairi allows Edward to take Scotland’s Stone of Destiny, Mairi’s fate is sealed and a curse is cast on her and all her descendents. All of these women have a ravaging beauty and a tragic history, will Christina be able to lift the curse and find true love?

Legacy is a real page turner and a great story. It reminded me of one of my favorite books, The Green Darkness by Anya Seton. If you like The Green Darkness, you will really enjoy Legacy. I loved the modern day characters of Christina and her handsome neighbor Ian. I wanted Christina to discover the cause of the curse and to lift it. It was fascinating each time she had a flash to the past and the story continued to build to a great conclusion.

I was a bit thrown by one character though (who shall remain nameless to not spoil it for others) who seemed like a kind person at first, but suddenly became a really evil character. I don’t know what I missed –but it threw me for a loop!

Legacy is part of the Casablanca Classics – classic romance novels that have sadly gone out of print that Sourcebooks is bringing back out for a new generation. I am glad they are doing this as I’ve discovered some great new authors and novels!

Overall Legacy is a wonderful novel full of romance, mystery, and a family curse that will leave you reading way too long into the night.

Legacy is based on fictional characters in a historical setting at a real historical home. I’m counting it as my seventh item in the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2011.

Book Source: Review Copy from Sourcebooks. Thank-you!

Smouldering Fires by Anya Seton

Anya Seton is one of my favorite authors of all-time. She writes engrossing historical fiction novels, and each novel is set is a very different place and time. Some of the novels even carry a hint of fantasy with them (Green Darkness and Foxfire to name two). I often would be reading one of the novels and think, this could not possibly be a true story, and then look up the history only to discover it was indeed a true story. Before the days of internet research, Anya Seton was able to find these fascinating vignettes of history and create compelling tales.

I first discovered Anya Seton at a library used book sale during the annual big car show in Vicksburg, Michigan. The novel was The Hearth and the Eagle and I was a teenager that loved historical fiction. I was riveted by this novel and wanted to read more Anya Seton novels. Alas, at that time, Ms. Seton’s novels were out of print so I began a decade long search for her novels at any used book sale or book store that I could find. I built up a pretty good collection, but I was more than excited when in 2004, the Chicago Review Press started to republish Anya Seton’s works in beautiful new editions. They started with Katherine, one of the novels I had been unable to find, and I was riveted by the classic novel. In fact, I chose it for a book club selection and my book club loved it as well. I am very happy that these books are being republished and have found new readers. I have been able to finish my Anya Seton collection as well as give them as gifts to fellow friends and family that love historical fiction.

Smouldering Fires is Anya Seton’s last novel. Originally published in 1975, it has just been republished this past month by the Chicago Review Press. Smouldering Fires differs in many ways from Anya Seton’s typical works. First of all, it is a very short book that is set in the present day with references to the past. This is somewhat similar to Green Darkness, another favorite Seton novel of mine, but in Smouldering Fires, the total action is set in the present and the past is only discussed. The main character is a teenage girl named Amy Delatour, but much of the story is set from her teacher Martin Stone’s point of view.

Amy Delatour is a dowdy, lonely, but very smart high school girl in Greenwich Connecticut. She lives in a small apartment with her domineering Yankee mother and loving French grandfather in the 1970’s. Amy has periods of “dreaming true” where she has visions of Greenwich as it appeared in the 1700’s and of a life in which she is a French Arcadian searching for her long lost love Paul, after the “grand derangement” of Arcadians by the British from Canada during the French and Indian war. Amy has come to believe that these visions are of the “true” Evangeline of Longfellow’s famous poem.

Amy finds a sympathetic ear in her new English teacher, Martin Stone. Martin has an interest in psychology and with the help of his girlfriend Claire; he is able to help Amy deal with her past life images and strange fear of fire.

I would classify Smouldering Fires as a young adult novel, almost a Green Darkness “light”. It deals a lot with Amy’s teen angst and inability to belong in society because of her special problem. Amy tries to find love and even her love life is tinged with problems from her past life.

I enjoyed the novel, but I must admit that I was a bit disappointed that it was very light on history. Unlike previous Seton novels, Smouldering Fires does not go into depth on the history of the Arcadian people and Amy’s past life experience. It is an interesting piece of history that I was previously unaware of, and it would be fascinating to learn more about.

Book Source: Review Copy from Chicago Review Press. Thank-you!