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Tudor Court #1
Secrets of the Tudor Court
When young Mary Howard receives the news that she will be leaving her home for the grand court of King Henry VIII, to attend his mistress Anne Boleyn, she is ecstatic. Everything Anne touches seems to turn to gold, and Mary is certain Anne will one day become Queen. But Mary has also seen the King's fickle nature and how easily he discards those who were once close to him. . .
Discovering that she is a pawn in a carefully orchestrated plot devised by her father, the duke of Norfolk, Mary dare not disobey him. Yet despite all of her efforts to please him, she too falls prey to his cold wrath. Not until she becomes betrothed to Harry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond and son to King Henry VIII, does Mary find the love and approval she's been seeking. But just when Mary believes she is finally free of her father, the tides turn. Now Mary must learn to play her part well in a dangerous chess game that could change her life--and the course of history.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
D.L. Bogdan
4 books96 followersD.L Bogan is a history major, aiming for a master's so that she might lecture one day. She is also a musician with classical voice training who has been playing keyboards and singing in bands since she was 18. She also enjoys reading, traveling, summer activities, spending time with family and friends, and researching her next novel! She makes her home in central Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
May 8, 2010
I'm beginning to see a pattern developing in the latest offerings in historical fiction similar to what I'm accustomed to in romances - you have the solid gritty novels with real historical detail and then there are the wall-paper variety with a prettified historical setting - and in my IMHO this book falls into the latter category. Secrets is the story of Mary Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard the powerful Duke of Norfolk and wife to Henry VIII's illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy. As a young girl Mary is packed off to serve future Queen Anne Boleyn, and we see the story of Henry's court and his queens through Mary's point of view. *Yawn*
I think by now all Tudorphiles know the basics of Henry and his six wives and I'm not going to drag it out for one more recap. An interesting concept using an historical character of which little is known to tell the same old story, but unfortunately this one is a tad bit underwhelming. Norfolk is as bad as bad can be, from beating on his wife and daughter to scheming to get any and all Howard women married to Henry, to his somewhat questionable method of getting Kitty Howard to produce an heir for Henry. As for Mary, she is so darn sweet and Mary-Sueish (pun not intended) that you'll feel like fingernails are grating on the chalkboard anytime she opens her mouth - which considering this is first person narrative that would be on every page.
In the end, this book brings absolutely nothing new to the Tudor story, and I'd only recommend it for Tudor junkies who like their historical fiction on the *lite* side. Without an author's note to back up her *facts* I have no idea whether or not Thomas Howard beat his wife and daughter, but if you have been a victim of domestic violence I urge you to stay away, the scenes are quite disturbing and in more detail than was truly necessary. Get it from the library if you must and then buy it if you love it.
I think by now all Tudorphiles know the basics of Henry and his six wives and I'm not going to drag it out for one more recap. An interesting concept using an historical character of which little is known to tell the same old story, but unfortunately this one is a tad bit underwhelming. Norfolk is as bad as bad can be, from beating on his wife and daughter to scheming to get any and all Howard women married to Henry, to his somewhat questionable method of getting Kitty Howard to produce an heir for Henry. As for Mary, she is so darn sweet and Mary-Sueish (pun not intended) that you'll feel like fingernails are grating on the chalkboard anytime she opens her mouth - which considering this is first person narrative that would be on every page.
In the end, this book brings absolutely nothing new to the Tudor story, and I'd only recommend it for Tudor junkies who like their historical fiction on the *lite* side. Without an author's note to back up her *facts* I have no idea whether or not Thomas Howard beat his wife and daughter, but if you have been a victim of domestic violence I urge you to stay away, the scenes are quite disturbing and in more detail than was truly necessary. Get it from the library if you must and then buy it if you love it.
March 25, 2017
Divna knjiga, nezaboravna priča o izdaji i izgubljenoj nevinosti. Sudbina šest supruga engleskog kralja Henrija VIII. od kojih su neke završile pod oštricom mača. Uzbudljiva povijesna priča koja počinje dolaskom mlade Mary Howard na veličanstveni dvor kralja Henrija VIII. kako bi bila dvorska dama njegove ljubavnice, Anne Boleyn.
Mary je sigurna da će Anne jednoga dana postati kraljica. Ali kralj je prevrtljive naravi i često se surovo osveti onima za koje tvrdi da ih voli...
Pratimo priču Mary koja odrasta na dvoru, otkriva svu zlu narav i izdaju, i kada je otac uda za Harrya Fitzroy, vojvodom od Richmonda i kraljevim nezakonitim sinom ona i dalje nije slobodna, i na njenu veliku žalost sreća se okreće. Unutar zidova palače postaje marioneta, rob, čuvar tajni i sve ono što nije željela.
Mary je sigurna da će Anne jednoga dana postati kraljica. Ali kralj je prevrtljive naravi i često se surovo osveti onima za koje tvrdi da ih voli...
Pratimo priču Mary koja odrasta na dvoru, otkriva svu zlu narav i izdaju, i kada je otac uda za Harrya Fitzroy, vojvodom od Richmonda i kraljevim nezakonitim sinom ona i dalje nije slobodna, i na njenu veliku žalost sreća se okreće. Unutar zidova palače postaje marioneta, rob, čuvar tajni i sve ono što nije željela.
May 24, 2012
I think my main problem with this book is that Mary, as imagined by Darcey Bonnette, is such a whiner. Barely a page passes without her feeling nauseous with fear. Her guts churn, her stomach aches, she vomits – it’s all about her and her belly-aching (literally and metaphorically). So I have a recommendation for anyone about to head out on reading this book. Rather than reading it for pleasure, use it as a drinking game. Every time Mary mentions her stomach problems, take a shot of vodka. Before too many pages have passed you will undoubtedly be in much the same state stomach-wise as Mary is throughout the book, and maybe therefore able to sympathise a bit more with the tedious and repetitive state of the prose, examples of which are (numbers are Kindle locators):
My stomach churning in revulsion (186);
My stomach settles a bit upon hearing the soothing sincerity (380);
I have the worst stomach pains (688);
I say against the nausea in my throat (979);
I do not want to tell him of the heaviness in both stomach and heart at the thought of him (1010);
My stomach is upset, whether from the rich food or his stern vigilance I do not know (1900);
My stomach hurts (2362);
My stomach churns and lurches (2479);
I took leave of the festivities early as my stomach is upset (2619);
My stomach is constantly upset (2795);
The stomach-turning testimony of his wife (2828);
My stomach aches (3069);
My stomach aches (3237);
In a display that churns the stomach (3548);
The stench of his ulcerated leg causing my stomach to churn (3583);
My stomach churns (3827);
My stomach aches (3880);
I place a hand on my churning stomach (3890);
I wait at Kenninghall, my stomach aching (3965);
My stomach churns (4184);
My stomach lurches (4198);
If I keep looking at him I will vomit (4461);
Bread, the thing least likely to upset my stomach (4636);
I am beleaguered by terrible stomach pain (5978);
Clutching my stomach (5994)
PS. Also, what’s with the disclaimer? It reads: ‘This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.’ Eh? So Ms Bonnette is claiming that she made up Henry VIII and that he happens to resemble the English monarch of the same name is ‘entirely coincidental’.
My stomach churning in revulsion (186);
My stomach settles a bit upon hearing the soothing sincerity (380);
I have the worst stomach pains (688);
I say against the nausea in my throat (979);
I do not want to tell him of the heaviness in both stomach and heart at the thought of him (1010);
My stomach is upset, whether from the rich food or his stern vigilance I do not know (1900);
My stomach hurts (2362);
My stomach churns and lurches (2479);
I took leave of the festivities early as my stomach is upset (2619);
My stomach is constantly upset (2795);
The stomach-turning testimony of his wife (2828);
My stomach aches (3069);
My stomach aches (3237);
In a display that churns the stomach (3548);
The stench of his ulcerated leg causing my stomach to churn (3583);
My stomach churns (3827);
My stomach aches (3880);
I place a hand on my churning stomach (3890);
I wait at Kenninghall, my stomach aching (3965);
My stomach churns (4184);
My stomach lurches (4198);
If I keep looking at him I will vomit (4461);
Bread, the thing least likely to upset my stomach (4636);
I am beleaguered by terrible stomach pain (5978);
Clutching my stomach (5994)
PS. Also, what’s with the disclaimer? It reads: ‘This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.’ Eh? So Ms Bonnette is claiming that she made up Henry VIII and that he happens to resemble the English monarch of the same name is ‘entirely coincidental’.
August 29, 2010
Free Kindle download.
Even though I'm a huge fan of Showtime's TV series The Tudors and have recently read Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl (the e-book version but not in Kindle format, or I would have written a review), I really don't know anything about the main character in Secrets of the Tudor Court. She is Lady Mary Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, the third Duke of Norfolk, and cousin to Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII's second of six wives. I'm familiar with Norfolk, the hard and manipulating uncle of Anne Boleyn who did everything he could to promote the Howard family name in the king's court, and of course who couldn't know Anne Boleyn herself, the ill-fated queen; but Norfolk's daughter and Anne's cousin, Lady Mary Howard, was a total mystery to me.
So I found the book compelling. I knew the big events, but I knew nothing about what would happen to Mary Howard personally. I had a thought that she might have a happy ending like Anne Boleyn's sister Mary in The Other Boleyn Girl, and actually, I kept hoping for it, given that Mary Howard had such a strict, demanding, and abusive father in Norfolk. She was made to spy on Anne and then later watch her executed. She was allowed to marry the man she loved but not allowed to go with him. She was made to keep an eye on another cousin queen of hers and then had to see her beheaded as well. In a nutshell, she had a pretty hard life.
And despite all the tears this book caused me, feeling so awful for poor Mary, I couldn't stop reading; I read the book the whole night through. I had to find out if life got better for her. It did, but not nearly so well as Mary Boleyn's life turned out. I finished the book feeling sad but not unsatisfied — the book is really mostly about her love/hate relationship with her father, her need for his love and approval, and her devotion despite his ill treatment of her. It was heartbreaking.
So I'm not quite sure why I'm rating this book so high — mostly because it's so compelling and because it left me so emotional, but also because it introduced me to one of the more obscure nobles in King Henry VIII's court.
Downloaded May 3, 2010. Finished August 28, 2010.
Even though I'm a huge fan of Showtime's TV series The Tudors and have recently read Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl (the e-book version but not in Kindle format, or I would have written a review), I really don't know anything about the main character in Secrets of the Tudor Court. She is Lady Mary Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, the third Duke of Norfolk, and cousin to Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII's second of six wives. I'm familiar with Norfolk, the hard and manipulating uncle of Anne Boleyn who did everything he could to promote the Howard family name in the king's court, and of course who couldn't know Anne Boleyn herself, the ill-fated queen; but Norfolk's daughter and Anne's cousin, Lady Mary Howard, was a total mystery to me.
So I found the book compelling. I knew the big events, but I knew nothing about what would happen to Mary Howard personally. I had a thought that she might have a happy ending like Anne Boleyn's sister Mary in The Other Boleyn Girl, and actually, I kept hoping for it, given that Mary Howard had such a strict, demanding, and abusive father in Norfolk. She was made to spy on Anne and then later watch her executed. She was allowed to marry the man she loved but not allowed to go with him. She was made to keep an eye on another cousin queen of hers and then had to see her beheaded as well. In a nutshell, she had a pretty hard life.
And despite all the tears this book caused me, feeling so awful for poor Mary, I couldn't stop reading; I read the book the whole night through. I had to find out if life got better for her. It did, but not nearly so well as Mary Boleyn's life turned out. I finished the book feeling sad but not unsatisfied — the book is really mostly about her love/hate relationship with her father, her need for his love and approval, and her devotion despite his ill treatment of her. It was heartbreaking.
So I'm not quite sure why I'm rating this book so high — mostly because it's so compelling and because it left me so emotional, but also because it introduced me to one of the more obscure nobles in King Henry VIII's court.
Downloaded May 3, 2010. Finished August 28, 2010.
Read
May 17, 2010I rather liked this book as a whole, though I wish there had been more interactions between Mary and her brother, since an important part of the plot hinged on her role in his trial for treason. I thought Bogdan actually did a good job of portraying Thomas Howard; despite all of his flaws, which were shown in abundance here, I couldn't help but feel some sympathy for him. There were times when the narrator's voice sounded too modern, as when she spoke of the need for "closure," and some of the old canards about Henry VIII's six wives, like Catherine Howard's "I would rather have died the wife of Thomas Culpeper" speech, made distressing appearances, but all in all I thought that this was a decent first novel. I'll be reading Bogdan's second. Incidentally, though this publisher (Kensington) has a reputation for publishing racy novels, there's no explicit sex here; what little sex there is is described very obliquely.
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November 17, 2011
I just can't resist books where the author grabs a little known historical character and writes a story, within history, for her. That's why I decided to pick this one up. The main character here is Mary Howard, the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. As his nieces Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard she will also be a pawn in her father´s plans to maintain his powerful position with the King.
Unfortunately I didn't find Mary all that appealing as a character. She was a bit too good to be true and she endures too much to be true. Well about that last part maybe her father is too bad to be true. Norfolk is painted as a true villain who spends his time abusing women. Mary's mother first - he even beats her while she is in labor - and eventually Mary herself. All this written with modern of undertones, suggesting a pattern of domestic violence which, although I'm sure it happened in other eras, sounded too contemporary in its description.
Despite how he mistreats her and controls her life, making her miserable, Mary still loves her father and ends up being a victim of his schemes one time after another. I felt that went on for too long and that Mary never really rises from being a victim to being her own woman. I ended up thinking Norfolk was one creepy man and vowed to stay away from books about him in the future.
History wise, the background of this story is a well known one. The story of Henry VIII and his wives has been the main or secondary interesting of many historical fiction novels and I think Bodgan failed to bring us something different with this one. All that plotting for power on Norfolk's part is well known and it ended up not being enough to capture my interest and make me ignore who I didn't love Mary.
Lovers of the Tudor period might find this one an interesting read, because it is from a minor character point of view, but lovers of "meatier" historical fiction will probably find it a bit too light and, eventually, a bit disturbing.
Unfortunately I didn't find Mary all that appealing as a character. She was a bit too good to be true and she endures too much to be true. Well about that last part maybe her father is too bad to be true. Norfolk is painted as a true villain who spends his time abusing women. Mary's mother first - he even beats her while she is in labor - and eventually Mary herself. All this written with modern of undertones, suggesting a pattern of domestic violence which, although I'm sure it happened in other eras, sounded too contemporary in its description.
Despite how he mistreats her and controls her life, making her miserable, Mary still loves her father and ends up being a victim of his schemes one time after another. I felt that went on for too long and that Mary never really rises from being a victim to being her own woman. I ended up thinking Norfolk was one creepy man and vowed to stay away from books about him in the future.
History wise, the background of this story is a well known one. The story of Henry VIII and his wives has been the main or secondary interesting of many historical fiction novels and I think Bodgan failed to bring us something different with this one. All that plotting for power on Norfolk's part is well known and it ended up not being enough to capture my interest and make me ignore who I didn't love Mary.
Lovers of the Tudor period might find this one an interesting read, because it is from a minor character point of view, but lovers of "meatier" historical fiction will probably find it a bit too light and, eventually, a bit disturbing.
November 2, 2011
An interesting insight into the court of Henry V111 and his six wives. As such there isn't too much detail given to each of the wives, unlike other novelists who concentrate on one of the queens at any given time-such as Gergory, for example. Also, unlike Gregory et al, Bonnette examines the court in a much darker way, giving much detail about double dealings and the underhand way the courtiers behave in order to safeguard their survival.
Narrated from the point of view of young Mary Howard, who accompanies all of the queens at one stage or another, the novel really does give much detail, accompanied by an emotional intensity which is moving in the extreme at times. Moreover, the underlying violence and threats (I was petrified of her father from a very early point!), makes it a page turning novel with much to commend it.The emotional angle can be heart wrenching at times-and added to the poetic quality of the narrative, can move the reader close to tears at times.
I would certainly recommend this to anyone fascinated with the Tudor Era-I learned much from it, but at the same time, it wasn't a didactic novel-just a well researched one which, although we all know the outcome, can still thrill the reader and made this one press on to the conclusion as quickly as possible, so fond had I become of Mary Howard, that I was desperate to know what would ultimatley happen to her.
Narrated from the point of view of young Mary Howard, who accompanies all of the queens at one stage or another, the novel really does give much detail, accompanied by an emotional intensity which is moving in the extreme at times. Moreover, the underlying violence and threats (I was petrified of her father from a very early point!), makes it a page turning novel with much to commend it.The emotional angle can be heart wrenching at times-and added to the poetic quality of the narrative, can move the reader close to tears at times.
I would certainly recommend this to anyone fascinated with the Tudor Era-I learned much from it, but at the same time, it wasn't a didactic novel-just a well researched one which, although we all know the outcome, can still thrill the reader and made this one press on to the conclusion as quickly as possible, so fond had I become of Mary Howard, that I was desperate to know what would ultimatley happen to her.
November 9, 2011
3.75 If you are in the mood for some lite historical fiction and looking for a new character to read about, during the Tudor times, this will fit the bill. Mary Howard, the daughter of King Henry VIII's Lord Treasurer, the evil Thomas Howard The Duke Of Norfolk is sent to court during the rise of Ann Boleyn. We follow her years through 5 Queens and her marriage to Henry's illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy. The author portrays the Duke of Norfolk as an abusive evil man and Mary being the daughter always looking for his love and approval. She learns quickly that there is no love or devotion in his world. Only blood thirsty power and ambition at all costs. Even though I knew the outcome of Henry's court I found the story of Mary interesting. What I didn't like was how the author jumped on popular Tudor propaganda. I also didn't like the author not having any "Author's Notes" at the end. Overall, I enjoyed this read and look foward to the next Bogdan book on Howard's early years.
May 8, 2010
Wow. Far and away the most depressing book I've read in awhile. The plot is very simple: the duke of Norfolk is cruel to the heroine, the heroine cries. Over and over and over again. If you like books about abuse and weepy characters, then this is the book for you. Otherwise, avoid at all costs!
October 26, 2024
3.5* actually. Interesting read.
July 2, 2012
Originally published at
Crickhollow Books
I wasn’t expecting this one to be a literary masterpiece, but the subject, Mary Howard, got me interested in the book. Mary Howard was the daughter of the notorious Duke of Norfolk and wife of Henry VIII’s illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy. She outlived Henry VIII’s and all of his wives. Now I don’t know a lot about Mary Howard but there a lot of other historical inaccuracies I noticed in the book so I wouldn’t take most of Bonnette’s material on her as fact.
When I did pick up the book and was reading the blurb I got the impression the book was going to be based on an unfounded theory I have read on Henry Fitzroy (which I am not going to mention so we can avoid spoilers) This would have actually made a pretty interesting read, but as it’s only brought up very briefly much later on in the book I was disappointed. This spans over two decades, (five wives in Henry VIII-years) in only 350 pages, so a lot of it feels rushed.
I know a lot of people liked this portrayal of Anne Boleyn as it tried to give her a bit of complexity and depth but I found most of it was Anne wringing her hands and cackling, and a lot of very undignified moments. I did, however, like her handling of Katherine Howard, it was a refreshing spin which showed her as a vulnerable young woman in desperate need of affection. Jane Boleyn doesn’t get a lot of love here, not does Jane Seymour but I have to admit Mary Howards unbridled hatred of both women made me laugh.
I would have liked Mary Howard to be a little less weak, she did grow a bit towards the end, but generally she is helpless and at the mercy of Norfolk throughout, and spends a lot of her time in tears or ill. I don’t know, maybe that is a realistic portrayal of her but it makes for a frustrating read.
The real stand-out in this book is the twisted relationship between Mary and her father, Norfolk. Most Tudor history fans will know Norfolk’s sins are too many to mention, but the portrayal of Norfolk in this book is absolutely chilling. Some of the scenes where he is beating his wife and daughter really made me ill, and I do applaud Bonnette for not holding back here. It’s a cold slap of reality in an otherwise fairly unremarkable book.
This isn’t a light read, but it is a quick read, I polished it off in a day. There’s not much around about Mary Howard so if you’re a big Tudor fan I would give this one a go. I’ll be reading Bonnette’s next book on Thomas and Elizabeth Howard.
I wasn’t expecting this one to be a literary masterpiece, but the subject, Mary Howard, got me interested in the book. Mary Howard was the daughter of the notorious Duke of Norfolk and wife of Henry VIII’s illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy. She outlived Henry VIII’s and all of his wives. Now I don’t know a lot about Mary Howard but there a lot of other historical inaccuracies I noticed in the book so I wouldn’t take most of Bonnette’s material on her as fact.
When I did pick up the book and was reading the blurb I got the impression the book was going to be based on an unfounded theory I have read on Henry Fitzroy (which I am not going to mention so we can avoid spoilers) This would have actually made a pretty interesting read, but as it’s only brought up very briefly much later on in the book I was disappointed. This spans over two decades, (five wives in Henry VIII-years) in only 350 pages, so a lot of it feels rushed.
I know a lot of people liked this portrayal of Anne Boleyn as it tried to give her a bit of complexity and depth but I found most of it was Anne wringing her hands and cackling, and a lot of very undignified moments. I did, however, like her handling of Katherine Howard, it was a refreshing spin which showed her as a vulnerable young woman in desperate need of affection. Jane Boleyn doesn’t get a lot of love here, not does Jane Seymour but I have to admit Mary Howards unbridled hatred of both women made me laugh.
I would have liked Mary Howard to be a little less weak, she did grow a bit towards the end, but generally she is helpless and at the mercy of Norfolk throughout, and spends a lot of her time in tears or ill. I don’t know, maybe that is a realistic portrayal of her but it makes for a frustrating read.
The real stand-out in this book is the twisted relationship between Mary and her father, Norfolk. Most Tudor history fans will know Norfolk’s sins are too many to mention, but the portrayal of Norfolk in this book is absolutely chilling. Some of the scenes where he is beating his wife and daughter really made me ill, and I do applaud Bonnette for not holding back here. It’s a cold slap of reality in an otherwise fairly unremarkable book.
This isn’t a light read, but it is a quick read, I polished it off in a day. There’s not much around about Mary Howard so if you’re a big Tudor fan I would give this one a go. I’ll be reading Bonnette’s next book on Thomas and Elizabeth Howard.
April 16, 2015
I was interested in reading this book because Mary Howard's name is well known to Tudor fans but this was the first book that I've found that tells her story. As with all Tudor books, you have to consider that this is fact based fiction, meaning the author has added their own spin on events and things may not be totally accurate. I can usually take these books at face value and just enjoy the story.
History has not looked kindly on the Duke of Norfolk. He is thought of as the ruthless monster who put Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard on the throne and abandoned them when they fell. But this book takes matters a step further and has him as a violent bully who beats his wife and daughter. The domestic violence scenes in this book are pretty graphic and nasty. Whether this was how he really treated his women, well we can only guess. But even as a fictional character this guy would be chilling and scary!
There is an undertone to this book which was not pleasant. At times you had the feeling that the author was hinting at a relationship between the Duke and his daughter which bordered on incest and I wasn't comfortable with this. Perhaps the author was unaware of doing it or maybe it was just the way I interpreted her words but I felt as if Mary's feelings for her dad were that of a woman with a violent lover who can't stay away from him. That 'I know I should hate him, I fear him but I'll love him forever'. She goes running every time he calls, she is obsessed with him, and always declaring her love. I didn't like that-it made my skin crawl every time Mary talked about her feelings and the way she acted around him.
Mary was very much a victim of an abusive family, so she appears to be a weak character. However if you lived in Tudor times when women obeyed men or were beaten, AND you had an important and noble father like Norfolk, you would do what he told you to do without question. I think that this is how Mary Howard would have behaved given these circumstances. However, it does not make for an entertaining book when you have a spineless main character so I can understand why people didn't like her.
I liked seeing more about Mary and Henry Fitzroy and seeing the major events of the Court and Henry VIII from the eyes of a different character who we do know was actually there. I'm always fascinated my Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard anyway.
It was an interesting read but the issues I mentioned made it a dark read and not something that I could read again for fun.
History has not looked kindly on the Duke of Norfolk. He is thought of as the ruthless monster who put Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard on the throne and abandoned them when they fell. But this book takes matters a step further and has him as a violent bully who beats his wife and daughter. The domestic violence scenes in this book are pretty graphic and nasty. Whether this was how he really treated his women, well we can only guess. But even as a fictional character this guy would be chilling and scary!
There is an undertone to this book which was not pleasant. At times you had the feeling that the author was hinting at a relationship between the Duke and his daughter which bordered on incest and I wasn't comfortable with this. Perhaps the author was unaware of doing it or maybe it was just the way I interpreted her words but I felt as if Mary's feelings for her dad were that of a woman with a violent lover who can't stay away from him. That 'I know I should hate him, I fear him but I'll love him forever'. She goes running every time he calls, she is obsessed with him, and always declaring her love. I didn't like that-it made my skin crawl every time Mary talked about her feelings and the way she acted around him.
Mary was very much a victim of an abusive family, so she appears to be a weak character. However if you lived in Tudor times when women obeyed men or were beaten, AND you had an important and noble father like Norfolk, you would do what he told you to do without question. I think that this is how Mary Howard would have behaved given these circumstances. However, it does not make for an entertaining book when you have a spineless main character so I can understand why people didn't like her.
I liked seeing more about Mary and Henry Fitzroy and seeing the major events of the Court and Henry VIII from the eyes of a different character who we do know was actually there. I'm always fascinated my Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard anyway.
It was an interesting read but the issues I mentioned made it a dark read and not something that I could read again for fun.
May 22, 2011
This is a tricky one to rate! On one hand, the writing was really good and very vidid (definitely made me feel like I was right there). On the other, there was something that really bothered me ... and bothered me enough that I can only give this book 3 stars.
First, there is the theme of domestic violence - and the victim's acceptance of said violence - throughout out the story. Mary's father beats and threatens both her and her mother repeatedly (and brutally).
Which leads me to second --- Mary's love for and idolization of her father. This guy beats her, threatens her, and in effect ruins her entire life. She watches him use two of her cousins - Anne Boleyn and later Catherine Howard - to further advance his family, and later - when they are out of favor with the king - stand aside to watch them be executed.
She rails against him for not letting her live with her husband and for not helping either Anne or Catherine. She mourns both of her cousins (or, rather, all three since Anne's brother George was also executed) and is clearly unhappy with the way she is being used by her father.
Yet despite all of that Mary constantly says how much she loves her father. There is even a point towards the end of the book where she calls him "the man who was at the same time her mortal enemy and her greatest love". To me, that sounds a little sick and twisted. Even after she finds out about all the horrible things he has done --- further to what I have already described above --- she still wants to protect him.
All of that didn't ring very true for me. I can believe that her father would beat and threaten her (and her mother) --- that was probably rather common back in the 16th Century. But that she would still love him and think well of him despite it ... I have trouble believing that.
It was such a huge part of the storyline, and it took away from my enjoyment of the book.
Having said that, I would absolutely read another book by this author simply because the style of writing was so very good! Hopefully there won't be quite so much abusive violence in the next one ...
First, there is the theme of domestic violence - and the victim's acceptance of said violence - throughout out the story. Mary's father beats and threatens both her and her mother repeatedly (and brutally).
Which leads me to second --- Mary's love for and idolization of her father. This guy beats her, threatens her, and in effect ruins her entire life. She watches him use two of her cousins - Anne Boleyn and later Catherine Howard - to further advance his family, and later - when they are out of favor with the king - stand aside to watch them be executed.
She rails against him for not letting her live with her husband and for not helping either Anne or Catherine. She mourns both of her cousins (or, rather, all three since Anne's brother George was also executed) and is clearly unhappy with the way she is being used by her father.
Yet despite all of that Mary constantly says how much she loves her father. There is even a point towards the end of the book where she calls him "the man who was at the same time her mortal enemy and her greatest love". To me, that sounds a little sick and twisted. Even after she finds out about all the horrible things he has done --- further to what I have already described above --- she still wants to protect him.
All of that didn't ring very true for me. I can believe that her father would beat and threaten her (and her mother) --- that was probably rather common back in the 16th Century. But that she would still love him and think well of him despite it ... I have trouble believing that.
It was such a huge part of the storyline, and it took away from my enjoyment of the book.
Having said that, I would absolutely read another book by this author simply because the style of writing was so very good! Hopefully there won't be quite so much abusive violence in the next one ...
December 30, 2012
I wrote a review for "Rivals in the Tudor Court" and a lot of it ties in with this book. I really think it should be read before this one even if they weren't published in that order.
Something new for this review is that I love reading about different smaller characters in Tudor history. In the genre, I would estimate half of the books are about Anne Boleyn. I love seeing the supporting characters and extras get leading roles. You don't hear too much about Mary Howard other than the fact she was married to Henry VIII's illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy. She kind of fades in and out of history. I was glad to read more of her because I was curious about her marriage and also what it was like to be the daughter of Norfolk (we know very well what it was like being one of his nieces!). Let's just say it was a very complicated relationship. I'm also surprised there aren't a lot of books written about her since she was a real person that saw history firsthand and was impacted by it.
I'm guessing some people might not like her in this book because she pretty much was a pawn and was manipulated her whole life. People like strong female characters like Anne Boleyn. There is a showy that can be seen and a strong that is quiet and endures. Mary Howard had to be strong to live the way she did for forty years. I would love to be able to sit down with her and have a little chat.
Also, one more thing about the author's style of writing: she's one of those amazing people who can say a lot in a few pages without it feeling rushed. That is something I obviously need help with :P
The reason I gave this four stars and "Rivals" five stars is because their combined average is 4.5 stars which I would have given both if I could.
Something new for this review is that I love reading about different smaller characters in Tudor history. In the genre, I would estimate half of the books are about Anne Boleyn. I love seeing the supporting characters and extras get leading roles. You don't hear too much about Mary Howard other than the fact she was married to Henry VIII's illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy. She kind of fades in and out of history. I was glad to read more of her because I was curious about her marriage and also what it was like to be the daughter of Norfolk (we know very well what it was like being one of his nieces!). Let's just say it was a very complicated relationship. I'm also surprised there aren't a lot of books written about her since she was a real person that saw history firsthand and was impacted by it.
I'm guessing some people might not like her in this book because she pretty much was a pawn and was manipulated her whole life. People like strong female characters like Anne Boleyn. There is a showy that can be seen and a strong that is quiet and endures. Mary Howard had to be strong to live the way she did for forty years. I would love to be able to sit down with her and have a little chat.
Also, one more thing about the author's style of writing: she's one of those amazing people who can say a lot in a few pages without it feeling rushed. That is something I obviously need help with :P
The reason I gave this four stars and "Rivals" five stars is because their combined average is 4.5 stars which I would have given both if I could.
May 9, 2020
ISBN? - 9781847562395
Genre? - Historical / Romance / Drama / Tudor
Characters? - Mary Howard / Thomas Howard / Henry Howard / Henry Fitzroy / Anne Boleyn / Catherine Howard / Katherine Parr / Henry VIII / Cedric Dane
Setting? - Reigate & Kenninghall & London (England)
Series? - N/A
Title? - The Tudor Court seems to have been made of secrets, though this book suggests some which historians have never looked at, like the fact that Henry VIII poisoned his own illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond. How accurate this is, we'll never know.
Character Analysis? - Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, is someone who does not get enough attention in the historical record, as is Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. Both are intriguing characters on their own, but together make the novel seem like a story of neglect, murder and violence more than love.
General Comments? - I enjoyed this book more than I envisaged, even with the multiple historical errors. For example, that the home of the Seymours was Savernake when in reality it's Wolf Hall. Most people probably wouldn't notice, but that did ruin it for me. I did like how the story spanned the reigns of all six of Henry VIII's queens and even the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I.
Recommend? - Yes, though not for historical accuracy.
For discussion questions see my blog https://bookbloggerish.wordpress.com/...
Genre? - Historical / Romance / Drama / Tudor
Characters? - Mary Howard / Thomas Howard / Henry Howard / Henry Fitzroy / Anne Boleyn / Catherine Howard / Katherine Parr / Henry VIII / Cedric Dane
Setting? - Reigate & Kenninghall & London (England)
Series? - N/A
Title? - The Tudor Court seems to have been made of secrets, though this book suggests some which historians have never looked at, like the fact that Henry VIII poisoned his own illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond. How accurate this is, we'll never know.
Character Analysis? - Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, is someone who does not get enough attention in the historical record, as is Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. Both are intriguing characters on their own, but together make the novel seem like a story of neglect, murder and violence more than love.
General Comments? - I enjoyed this book more than I envisaged, even with the multiple historical errors. For example, that the home of the Seymours was Savernake when in reality it's Wolf Hall. Most people probably wouldn't notice, but that did ruin it for me. I did like how the story spanned the reigns of all six of Henry VIII's queens and even the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I.
Recommend? - Yes, though not for historical accuracy.
For discussion questions see my blog https://bookbloggerish.wordpress.com/...
June 24, 2012
I liked this book better when it was called "The Other Boleyn Girl".
No, seriously. The first part of it was nearly a rip-off of TOBG, complete with the heroine feeling sorry for the poor Catherine of Aragon and hating her own family for, let's see, essentially behaving like every family depending on the king's favor would behave. It got a little better afterwards, the main character (Mary Howard, the wife of Henry VIII's illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy, and the daughter of Thomas Howard the duke of Norfolk) wholeheartedly trying to help and sympathizing with Anne Boleyn.
The language of the book is absolutely anachronistic, words like "sadism" and "snobbism" abound. Basically it reads like a SM incest fantasy, the main pair being Mary and her father Norfolk. I have cut my teeth on fanfics and I know a smut fic when I see one. All the elements are here: night, secrecy, closed and guarded rooms, the victim drawn to the executioner like a moth to the flame, the beatings and humiliations (verbal and physical) described in loving detail... absolutely! And apart from this one little thingy, there are no "secrets" which the title promises.
The heroine is pretty annoying, but she has some generous moments and thoughts, and I think the author might be a nice person, so am adding one star.
By the way, I bought the book for the cover. Can't you tell?
No, seriously. The first part of it was nearly a rip-off of TOBG, complete with the heroine feeling sorry for the poor Catherine of Aragon and hating her own family for, let's see, essentially behaving like every family depending on the king's favor would behave. It got a little better afterwards, the main character (Mary Howard, the wife of Henry VIII's illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy, and the daughter of Thomas Howard the duke of Norfolk) wholeheartedly trying to help and sympathizing with Anne Boleyn.
The language of the book is absolutely anachronistic, words like "sadism" and "snobbism" abound. Basically it reads like a SM incest fantasy, the main pair being Mary and her father Norfolk. I have cut my teeth on fanfics and I know a smut fic when I see one. All the elements are here: night, secrecy, closed and guarded rooms, the victim drawn to the executioner like a moth to the flame, the beatings and humiliations (verbal and physical) described in loving detail... absolutely! And apart from this one little thingy, there are no "secrets" which the title promises.
The heroine is pretty annoying, but she has some generous moments and thoughts, and I think the author might be a nice person, so am adding one star.
By the way, I bought the book for the cover. Can't you tell?
March 9, 2011
The Tudor/Elizabethan eras are two of my favourite eras to study so therefore this book immediately appealed. I couldn't stop reading (even though it suffers from long chapters; my personal pet hate with books.) I felt it was a good balance of drama and historical fiction and offers a different perspective on that era.
The character of Mary is one where you remain sympathetic toward throughout. Norfolk is the type of person you never wish to meet; he's a proper villain. This book develops the main characters well.
It explores how women were seen and used for political/personal gain and also how they were seen after and it does this well. Overall, I think it's a good and original interpretation of history.
The character of Mary is one where you remain sympathetic toward throughout. Norfolk is the type of person you never wish to meet; he's a proper villain. This book develops the main characters well.
It explores how women were seen and used for political/personal gain and also how they were seen after and it does this well. Overall, I think it's a good and original interpretation of history.
June 21, 2011
have recently finished reading Secrets of the Tudor Court by D.L. Bogdan and I have to say that it fits my Tubor England mood well. I have been really into this time period lately and I am fascinated by how the English lived and dealt with King Henry. I also love reading about what life was like for women and the roles that they played. The parts of this book that I found extremely interesting was the in depth look into the life long feud between the Howards and the Seymours. It was a great story and did a nice job telling the tale of the numerous wives of Henry VIII as well as Duke of Norfolk. Although not the greatest book I have ever read on Tudor England still a great read and well worth the time if you are into this Era as I am. I would rate the book Four out of Five stars.
May 12, 2010
Meh...written from Mary Howard's perspective (daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, widow of Henry Fitzpatrick). Supposedly she was next in line to woo the king, too bad he died first. Another story of how women in the Tudor court were property to be bartered with. Kinda sad. Duke of Norfolk sounds like one bad mamma jamma.
May 11, 2010
I've read enough Tudor era historical fiction that it's all blended together. While the read was enjoyable enough, I found absolutely nothing in this one to set it apart. Totally unobjectionable. Which is...well...unobjectionable I guess. Damning with faint praise, huh?
June 26, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. I really felt Bess's heartache at being separated from Will. It's hard to imagine in this day and age the Crown telling you your marriage was illegal and then suddenly becoming legal again with a change of monarch.
July 21, 2014
Secrets of the Tudor Court(Tudor Court series) had me breathless - clever dialogue, captivating characters, fast paced pulling the reader along, rich and exciting. This one is a winner, I can't wait to read the second book, Rivals in the Tudor Court.
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September 25, 2011Bah...I yield! I can handle books that are light on plot if it has a well-written story and engaging characters. This book, in my opinion, has neither.
June 23, 2011
Really enjoyed this one.
January 29, 2019
Excellent book! Extremely enjoyable! Definitely will be looking for other books by this author. Any author that could make me feel empathy for Thomas Howard definitely is an exceptional writer.
This book starts with Mary hearing a fight between her parents. Her parents had no love for each other. her mother actually had wanted to marry someone else and was in love with someone else but wasn't able to marry him. Thomas Howard had loved his first wife and becomes cold, calculating, and heartless after the death of his first wife and their children.
Mary is a sweet girl. more than anything she wants to please her father. She is married to Henry the 8th illegitimate son Henry. According to this book they were not able to consummate the marriage. They did love each other but will kept apart by her father. Later we learn her father kept her from him in order to protect her because King Henry wanted his son dead.
Mary is at Court a maid of honor to Anne Boylen. The only person that shows her any kindness are her father's mistress, it was also her nurse as a child and he cousin Mary Carey, Anne's sister.
Mary is a witness to the downfall of Queen Catherine, the rise and fall of Anne Boylen. Throughout everything she is still able to maintain a sense of innocence and sweetness that is rare at court. Her entire life all she wanted was to make her dad proud. I believe in his own way that he loved her but was never able to show his softer side. When he told her that her sister died of the plague. He told her with no emotion and dismissed her after. She wasn't able to see her mother often at court because her mother was a lady in waiting 4 Queen Catherine. She was also extremely loyal to Catherine and was punished for helping the former Queen smuggle letters.
A truly excellent book that that shed some light on a woman who was witness to some of histories biggest events.
Highly recommended!!!!
This book starts with Mary hearing a fight between her parents. Her parents had no love for each other. her mother actually had wanted to marry someone else and was in love with someone else but wasn't able to marry him. Thomas Howard had loved his first wife and becomes cold, calculating, and heartless after the death of his first wife and their children.
Mary is a sweet girl. more than anything she wants to please her father. She is married to Henry the 8th illegitimate son Henry. According to this book they were not able to consummate the marriage. They did love each other but will kept apart by her father. Later we learn her father kept her from him in order to protect her because King Henry wanted his son dead.
Mary is at Court a maid of honor to Anne Boylen. The only person that shows her any kindness are her father's mistress, it was also her nurse as a child and he cousin Mary Carey, Anne's sister.
Mary is a witness to the downfall of Queen Catherine, the rise and fall of Anne Boylen. Throughout everything she is still able to maintain a sense of innocence and sweetness that is rare at court. Her entire life all she wanted was to make her dad proud. I believe in his own way that he loved her but was never able to show his softer side. When he told her that her sister died of the plague. He told her with no emotion and dismissed her after. She wasn't able to see her mother often at court because her mother was a lady in waiting 4 Queen Catherine. She was also extremely loyal to Catherine and was punished for helping the former Queen smuggle letters.
A truly excellent book that that shed some light on a woman who was witness to some of histories biggest events.
Highly recommended!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2024
I bought this book because of the pretty cover….
spoilers
The first chapter was about a man nearly killing his wife while his kid was in the room next door. When I continued reading (I don’t know why) the book was about the live of Mary at court. The king was brutal and Mary’s father could be considered even worse. Yet Mary always respected her father. This was rather annoying to me, half way through the book she started to develop and see how evil het father really was. However she still loved him?!?! Meanwhile the king was killing wife after wife and beheading nearly half the people at court. I thought: how unrealistic why would this girl still love her father and why can’t the king stick to his wife and stop killing people. But it was sadly enough not unrealistic, because apparently this book was written about actual history. I thought the story was bad, but I guess that is just live back then. The writing was good but I was annoyed most of the time while reading it, because of the loyalty of Mary that just did not make sense to me. Definitely would not want to have lived in that time.
spoilers
The first chapter was about a man nearly killing his wife while his kid was in the room next door. When I continued reading (I don’t know why) the book was about the live of Mary at court. The king was brutal and Mary’s father could be considered even worse. Yet Mary always respected her father. This was rather annoying to me, half way through the book she started to develop and see how evil het father really was. However she still loved him?!?! Meanwhile the king was killing wife after wife and beheading nearly half the people at court. I thought: how unrealistic why would this girl still love her father and why can’t the king stick to his wife and stop killing people. But it was sadly enough not unrealistic, because apparently this book was written about actual history. I thought the story was bad, but I guess that is just live back then. The writing was good but I was annoyed most of the time while reading it, because of the loyalty of Mary that just did not make sense to me. Definitely would not want to have lived in that time.
October 2, 2017
A truly amazing read!
Where to start? This book was beautifully written, I found myself living the world of the Tudor court alongside Mary. My heart breaking with hers and preying she finds the happiness she deserved! Living her fear and heartbreaks alongside her in this greatly written book. The way Darcey Bonnette brought the characters to life was amazing. The historical beauty of Royal Court, The terrifying reign of King Henry VIII, the demise of his queens and close companions all brought to life and able to be relived through the amazing writing talent of Darcey Bonnette. I am eager to read more by this amazing author!!
Where to start? This book was beautifully written, I found myself living the world of the Tudor court alongside Mary. My heart breaking with hers and preying she finds the happiness she deserved! Living her fear and heartbreaks alongside her in this greatly written book. The way Darcey Bonnette brought the characters to life was amazing. The historical beauty of Royal Court, The terrifying reign of King Henry VIII, the demise of his queens and close companions all brought to life and able to be relived through the amazing writing talent of Darcey Bonnette. I am eager to read more by this amazing author!!
May 18, 2018
Overall this story contained great historical content from the view of Norfolk’s daughter. That is the only good thing. The character depth is what made this book so hard to read. It was puddle deep. She was annoying, weak, so naive, and had see-sawing emotions. I had high hopes for this read and was so disappointed. It had such great potential. My favorite part, the last chapter, of you can call it that. It was the epilogue, written from the viewpoint of her mother that was most enjoyable to read.
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March 9, 2021I have probably read 20 books about this era - King Henry the VIII, his 6 wifes, the deception and manipulations of the people in the royal courts, their influence on the King, and the separation from the Catholic Church. This book brought them all together and gave a very good overview of the events and timeline. The story is written from the perspective of one of the young girls who was a lady in waiting to the many queens. Even thought I knew the history of this time, I still enjoyed the book
June 28, 2017
Another book that came to me via someone else that I might not have picked up otherwise, the cover suggesting, to me, a more romance led book. I love the Tudors, and I thought this account of a highborn woman on the fringes of the inner court was an interesting take, and certainly showed well just how the court functioned, was manipulated and controlled by various competing characters, and how the axe, noose, or much worse, was never far away, for men or women. A good read.
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