Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bloomsbury Childrens (2016), 368 pages
Description
Romance. Historical Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: In the vibrant, volatile court of Henry VIII, can even the most willful young woman direct her own fate and follow her heart in a world ruled by powerful men? Clever, headstrong Elizabeth Rose Camperdowne knows her duty. As the sole heiress to an old but impoverished noble family, Eliza must marry a man of wealth and title â?? it's the only fate for a girl of her standing. But when a surprising turn of events lands her in the royal court as a maid of honor to Anne of Cleves, Eliza is drawn into the dizzying, dangerous orbit of Henry the Eighth and struggles to distinguish friend from foe. Is her glamorous flirt of a cousin, Katherine Howard, an ally in this deceptive place, or is she Eliza's worst enemy? And then there's Ned Barsby, the king's handsome page, who is entirely unsuitable for Eliza but impossible to ignore. British historian Lucy Worsley provides a vivid, romantic glimpse of the treachery, tragedy, and thrills of life in the Tudor court.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Welsh_eileen2
Lucy Worsley puts her considerable knowledge of Henry VIII's court to write an exciting story aimed at young people,set in Katherine Howard's time.
This story is about a young girl, Eliza, recently taken on as a Maid of Honour.
Great first novel and a good introduction to Tudor history for young
Look forward to reading more.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Bloomsbury Children's via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
This story is about a young girl, Eliza, recently taken on as a Maid of Honour.
Great first novel and a good introduction to Tudor history for young
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readers.Look forward to reading more.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Bloomsbury Children's via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
I found this quite interesting but wanted more by the end. Eliza is a member of the King's household and gets caught up in some of the events around Katherine Howard who is her cousin, it goes into some of the real politics and situations of the Tudor court, which is as you would expect from a
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historian writing this. Interesting and involving and it left itself wide open for a possible sequel, or even stories about the next generation. Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
This book by the popular British television historian Lucy Worsley was first published in Britain in 2016 as Eliza Rose.
It tells the story of Elizabeth (“Eliza”) Camperdowne, a fictional cousin of Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII. The author stated in an Afterword that she wanted
Katherine, when 16 or 17, married the 49-year-old Henry VIII in 1540, very soon after the annulment of his marriage to Anne of Cleves was arranged. Katherine only lasted sixteen months, however; she was beheaded on the grounds of treason for committing adultery.
Worsley does indeed come up with a compassionate and interesting explanation for Katherine’s behavior, although she doesn’t quite make her simpatico. But my main problem with the book was the fictional main character Eliza. This girl never reached the level of likable in my opinion. I found her to be spoiled, greedy, jealous, short-sighted, and cruel throughout the story, which began when Eliza was 12 and continued until she was 19. This also made it quite difficult for me to believe that the (also fictional) king’s page, Ned Barsby, would be so smitten with her. She was consistently mean to him, and looked down upon him for his low birth. The outcome between these two seemed quite fictional indeed.
As for the story in general, I thought it plodded a bit. As interesting as the Tudor period was, the author, who apparently is very successful at constructing stories for the BBC, never managed to make this book for young adults into a riveting story, in my view.
It tells the story of Elizabeth (“Eliza”) Camperdowne, a fictional cousin of Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII. The author stated in an Afterword that she wanted
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to look at Katherine’s history more sympathetically, which she thought she could accomplish by taking the point of view of a cousin/confidant.Katherine, when 16 or 17, married the 49-year-old Henry VIII in 1540, very soon after the annulment of his marriage to Anne of Cleves was arranged. Katherine only lasted sixteen months, however; she was beheaded on the grounds of treason for committing adultery.
Worsley does indeed come up with a compassionate and interesting explanation for Katherine’s behavior, although she doesn’t quite make her simpatico. But my main problem with the book was the fictional main character Eliza. This girl never reached the level of likable in my opinion. I found her to be spoiled, greedy, jealous, short-sighted, and cruel throughout the story, which began when Eliza was 12 and continued until she was 19. This also made it quite difficult for me to believe that the (also fictional) king’s page, Ned Barsby, would be so smitten with her. She was consistently mean to him, and looked down upon him for his low birth. The outcome between these two seemed quite fictional indeed.
As for the story in general, I thought it plodded a bit. As interesting as the Tudor period was, the author, who apparently is very successful at constructing stories for the BBC, never managed to make this book for young adults into a riveting story, in my view.
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LibraryThing member LibraryCin
This is a YA book, with a fictional main character, Eliza, who was meant to be a cousin to Henry VIII’s 5th wife, Katherine Howard. Eliza is sent away at 12-years old, after a marriage proposal doesn’t work out, basically to learn to be a courtier. She and her cousin, Katherine, are later sent
I quite enjoyed this story! It was quick to read, and somewhat simple and easy to read, but then it’s YA, so that’s to be expected. I thought it was an interesting take on why Katherine did what she did (though I still didn’t particularly like her!).
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to Henry VIII’s court to be ladies to Anne of Cleves, Henry’s 4th wife. I quite enjoyed this story! It was quick to read, and somewhat simple and easy to read, but then it’s YA, so that’s to be expected. I thought it was an interesting take on why Katherine did what she did (though I still didn’t particularly like her!).
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LibraryThing member Sparkle64
Eliza Camperdowne is eventually sent to be a Maid at the court of King Henry the VIII and is also a cousin to the 5th wife, Katherine Howard. This is a delightful story of a behind the scenes life of royalty and those who are touched by it. What makes this story exceptional, is that it is so well
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written that you turn page after page until you are surprised to find yourself at the end. This would have taken me far less than 2 days to read if I didn't have other duties to attend to. I am not familiar with the author Lucy Worsley, but I am certainly a huge fan of hers now. I will be looking forward to other works of Ms. Worsley in the future. I don't want to give away any of the story but you just need to know that anyone who enjoys books on this topic will certainly enjoy this one as well! I highly recommend it! If the story line was more complex than I would have rated it higher. Show Less
LibraryThing member BittyCornwell
This is an historical fiction book meant for young adult readers. I start with that because I have read some complaints about the writing or implausibility of the love interest. I think it is important to remember the target audience and getting them interested in history. That being said, adults
This was an easy to read book about life in the Tudor court. It could have had a little more depth, but it was still a good novel to read. The story flowed well, and I am looking forward to reading the author's historical works. I liked that you could tell the author had done plenty of research, and still made an interesting tale for young readers.
I think fans of Tudor historical fiction will want to read this and introduce young readers to the topic with this book.
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who are fans of stories about the Tudors will find this an interesting perspective. I liked learning about court and Katherine from a cousin who is learning her place in the world. Yes, Eliza is immature, but that is to be expected in a young girl brought up to expect great things of herself and who has been taught her own importance. We get to watch Eliza grow and change as she develops more awareness of the world and herself. This was an easy to read book about life in the Tudor court. It could have had a little more depth, but it was still a good novel to read. The story flowed well, and I am looking forward to reading the author's historical works. I liked that you could tell the author had done plenty of research, and still made an interesting tale for young readers.
I think fans of Tudor historical fiction will want to read this and introduce young readers to the topic with this book.
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LibraryThing member Bitter_Grace
This YA historical novel centers around Katherine Howard’s arrival at the royal court of King Henry VIII, as told from the perspective of a fictional cousin, Eliza Rose Camperdowne. Teenage Eliza chronicles how the girls are groomed in order to make an advantageous marriage at court, and perhaps
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even claim the dubious honour of becoming Henry’s mistress. Worsley’s background as a royal historian means that the setting is accurate and rich, and the machinations of the nobility are laid out in detail. A few of the facts and characters are fudged for the story, but overall the time period is expertly captured. Eliza is a believable character, torn between following her own heart and the pressure of elevating her family out of ruin. Along the way she discovers the power of her sexuality, and observes how her cousin uses the same power to become queen. While not totally explicit, this book does not shy away from mature topics like sex and death, so it’s definitely meant for readers who are prepared for that. Show Less
LibraryThing member curioussquared
This is a fun middle-grade historical romp. Eliza is a likeable main character - she's independent and smart, but not unbelievably so for the time period, and has to work hard to navigate social constraints.
My biggest complaint is the ending - everything is wrapped up very quickly and not really in
The book also ends very quickly after Katherine Howard's death. I understand that Eliza serves more as a vehicle to tell Katherine's story (as Worsley mentions in her author's note), but it would be nice to give her a more complete ending than the ~10 short pages we got that tied everything up nicely in a bow.
Overall, the book is fun and fast-paced, with a disappointing ending. Recommended to fans of Michaela MacColl and Carolyn Meyer.
My biggest complaint is the ending - everything is wrapped up very quickly and not really in
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a satisfying way. Throughout the book, Eliza bears with her duty and perseveres because she knows she has to save her family's ancestral home, Stoneton. For that reason, she needs to find a rich husband at court - and her bastard page friend, Ned, won't do, since he won't inherit anything. By the end of the book, Eliza seems to cast away any thoughts of duty, and Stoneton is forgotten. Nothing changes - she just all of a sudden decides that it's okay if nothing she's been aiming for for the past five plus years ends up happening. Couldn't she have met somebody different? Couldn't Ned's letter declaring his love (which isn't anything new?) also have included the news that he's suddenly in line to inherit? It seems out of character and a little too tidy. It's romantic - and certainly what the reader wants to happen - but not really logical.The book also ends very quickly after Katherine Howard's death. I understand that Eliza serves more as a vehicle to tell Katherine's story (as Worsley mentions in her author's note), but it would be nice to give her a more complete ending than the ~10 short pages we got that tied everything up nicely in a bow.
Overall, the book is fun and fast-paced, with a disappointing ending. Recommended to fans of Michaela MacColl and Carolyn Meyer.
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LibraryThing member LauraBrook
What a fascinating and immersive way to get into Henry VIII's Court! I loved spending time with Eliza, she was such a real, honest character that I felt like I knew her. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Tudor times, especially those who don't mind something written for a young adult
Also, I've seen lots of newer publications with strange fonts and print sizes and things lately, so I feel the need to mention that I loved how this novel was presented. A nice, slightly larger font that was easy to read, plenty of white space on the pages, and the binding was lovely. Tight, but not too tight so you were forced to break the spine (one of my pet peeves). The physical experience of reading this was wonderful, and only enhanced this well-written and well-researched novel. If I wasn't already a fan of Ms. Worsley, I would be now for sure!
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audience. (Though this 30-something enjoyed the heck out of herself.)Also, I've seen lots of newer publications with strange fonts and print sizes and things lately, so I feel the need to mention that I loved how this novel was presented. A nice, slightly larger font that was easy to read, plenty of white space on the pages, and the binding was lovely. Tight, but not too tight so you were forced to break the spine (one of my pet peeves). The physical experience of reading this was wonderful, and only enhanced this well-written and well-researched novel. If I wasn't already a fan of Ms. Worsley, I would be now for sure!
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LibraryThing member karen813
This is a well written and well researched book that offers a peek into life in the Tudor court during the reign of King Henry VIII. The story is told from the point of view of Eliza Camperdowne, the fictional cousin of Katherine Howard. Using Eliza to tell the story is an effective way to give the
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reader a look at the life of Katherine Howard while still telling a story that will be appealing to the audience. I thought the details about court life were interesting and the story was engaging. The ending was a little rushed and lacked a bit of depth but I think it was overall a good read and I enjoyed it. I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review through the early reviewers program. Show Less
LibraryThing member goth_marionette
I felt that this was a fairly good YA book. The characters were well written and the story had good pacing. I am a fan of historical fiction so this was an enjoyable read. The use of a character from the time period that is not often written about made it a fresh read.
LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
An historical young adult novel about a young lady who is sent to the court of King Henry VIII, presumably to find a suitable husband. The story is interesting and informative. I am far from a young adult, but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Since it's by Lucy Worsley, I knew the history would be
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impeccably researched. Show Less
Awards
Young Quills Award for Historical Fiction (Shortlist — 2017)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
368 p.; 7.8 inches
ISBN
1408869438 / 9781408869437