Book 161: Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Freemantle
Book 161: Sisters of Treason.
Author: Elizabeth Freemantle, 2014.
Genre: Historical Fiction. England 16th Century.
Other Details: Hardback. 496 pages.
Mary Tudor clings fearfully to the English throne. Seeing the threat posed by her cousin, Lady Jane Grey, the Queen orders her execution. But what of Lady Jane's young sisters - Katherine and Mary? Cursed with royal blood, they must endure the perils of a Tudor court, closely observed by its paranoid Queen. Entranced by the drama, intrigue and romance of court life, young Lady Katherine's desire for love leads her to make ill-advised and dangerous liaisons. Burdened with a crooked back, her younger sister, Lady Mary - the 'mouse' - is seen as no threat and becomes privy to the Queen's most intimate secrets. Yet Mary, who yearns to escape court dramas, knows her closeness to the Queen could be her undoing. For the Queen is childless and in ill-health. If she should die, her fearsome sister Elizabeth will inherit the crown. Then Katherine and Mary will find court a maze of treachery and danger - where possessing royal blood is the gravest crime of all . . . - synopsis from UK publisher's website.
After a couple of disappointing historical novels it was so good to read this, which was so well written and obviously well-researched covering the reigns of Mary I and Elizabeth I.
The story is narrated by Katherine and Mary Grey with a third perspective in third person focusing on Levina Teerkinc, a Flemish painter who served in the courts of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I. I had not known anything about Levina as she was not mentioned in my art history courses even though the tutors were seeking to include women artists that had been largely forgotten. So learning about her was a revelation and I was fascinated by her role in popularising miniatures and certainly will be seeking out more information on her as recommended by Freemantle in the work of art historian Susan E. James.
The tragic story of the Grey sisters was deeply moving and I felt that Freemantle was able to express the complexities of the Tudor courts with great skill.
Cross-posted to 50bookchallenge.