The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II
London, 1675: Born to wealth and privilege, Katherine is introduced to the decadent court of King Charles II, and quickly becomes a favorite from the palace to the bawdy playhouses. She gleefully snubs respectable marriage to become the Duke of York's mistress.
But Katherine's life of carefree pleasure ends when Charles II dies, and her lover becomes King James II. Suddenly she is cast into a tangle of political intrigue, religious dissent, and ever-shifting alliances, where a wrong step can mean treason, exile, or death at the executioner's block. As the risks rise, Katherine is forced to make the most perilous of choices: to remain loyal to the king, or to England.
This book is rich in period detail and is well researched. Still, I found the book somewhat tedious, as it seemed to try too hard to be clever. So, though I enjoyed it I often found myself to be disengaged from it. Those who like historical fiction and tales of Restoration English, however, will find something to enjoy in this book.
I enjoyed it but I have read better novels by her. Try as I might I just couldn't really like Katherine Sedley. I mean I wanted to - here was a very plain girl (who knew it) full of wit (which I love) but I just wasn't buying what the author was selling. In the author's note she stated that Katherine was bothered by her lack of good looks, however, it was rarely shown in the book and I would have liked to have felt that with her more. In an era when women were mostly judged by their looks it HAD
Enjoyed this one very much. Katherine is very different than most historical heroines, and she was a breath of fresh air to this series. Very much recommended. For the complete review, please go here:http://www.epinions.com/review/Susan_...
This was my first book set during Restoration England. Heeding the voice of the English people was still a very new concept and it must have been a very dynamic time to live. Both Charles and James (I wonder what they would do to knowing a measly American is calling them by their Christian names ) never really grasped the concept of actually listening to the people rather than just hearing the words they were saying. While a lot of The Countess and the King: A novel of the Countess of Dorchester
The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway ScottHistorical Romance- Sept 7th, 20104 1/2 stars Katherine Sedley, the daughter of a mere baronet, was not blessed with either beauty or charms. But what she lacks in appearance, she makes up with her razor-sharp wit. Set in the decadent yet wildly dangerous royal court of King Charles II, Katherine captures the attention of the Kings brother, James Stuart, the Duke of York. Refusing to marry, she instead becomes the Dukes mistress, sacrificing
3.5 stars RTC
Susan Holloway Scott
Paperback | Pages: 384 pages Rating: 3.95 | 1022 Users | 68 Reviews
Be Specific About Books In Pursuance Of The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II
ISBN: | 0451231155 (ISBN13: 9780451231154) |
Edition Language: | English |
Characters: | James II of England and VII of Scotland, Catherine Sedley |
Narrative To Books The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II
Katherine Sedley lived by her own rules and loved who she pleased- until she became the infamous mistress of King James II...London, 1675: Born to wealth and privilege, Katherine is introduced to the decadent court of King Charles II, and quickly becomes a favorite from the palace to the bawdy playhouses. She gleefully snubs respectable marriage to become the Duke of York's mistress.
But Katherine's life of carefree pleasure ends when Charles II dies, and her lover becomes King James II. Suddenly she is cast into a tangle of political intrigue, religious dissent, and ever-shifting alliances, where a wrong step can mean treason, exile, or death at the executioner's block. As the risks rise, Katherine is forced to make the most perilous of choices: to remain loyal to the king, or to England.
Details Based On Books The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II
Title | : | The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II |
Author | : | Susan Holloway Scott |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 384 pages |
Published | : | September 7th 2010 by Berkley Books (first published July 29th 2010) |
Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. European Literature. British Literature. Fiction. Romance. Literature. 17th Century. Adult Fiction |
Rating Based On Books The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II
Ratings: 3.95 From 1022 Users | 68 ReviewsCrit Based On Books The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II
Unlike all of Scotts recent releases about the mistresses of Charles II, this book is about the mistress of Charles brother, James II. While still remaining in a world that is entirely familiar and comfortable to me, I was able to explore another side to the world that I loved. Charles is still a frequent visitor to the story without being the center of attention. There was one scene in the novel where all of the mistresses of Charles II, as well as the Katherine Sedley and I think James II,This book is rich in period detail and is well researched. Still, I found the book somewhat tedious, as it seemed to try too hard to be clever. So, though I enjoyed it I often found myself to be disengaged from it. Those who like historical fiction and tales of Restoration English, however, will find something to enjoy in this book.
I enjoyed it but I have read better novels by her. Try as I might I just couldn't really like Katherine Sedley. I mean I wanted to - here was a very plain girl (who knew it) full of wit (which I love) but I just wasn't buying what the author was selling. In the author's note she stated that Katherine was bothered by her lack of good looks, however, it was rarely shown in the book and I would have liked to have felt that with her more. In an era when women were mostly judged by their looks it HAD
Enjoyed this one very much. Katherine is very different than most historical heroines, and she was a breath of fresh air to this series. Very much recommended. For the complete review, please go here:http://www.epinions.com/review/Susan_...
This was my first book set during Restoration England. Heeding the voice of the English people was still a very new concept and it must have been a very dynamic time to live. Both Charles and James (I wonder what they would do to knowing a measly American is calling them by their Christian names ) never really grasped the concept of actually listening to the people rather than just hearing the words they were saying. While a lot of The Countess and the King: A novel of the Countess of Dorchester
The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway ScottHistorical Romance- Sept 7th, 20104 1/2 stars Katherine Sedley, the daughter of a mere baronet, was not blessed with either beauty or charms. But what she lacks in appearance, she makes up with her razor-sharp wit. Set in the decadent yet wildly dangerous royal court of King Charles II, Katherine captures the attention of the Kings brother, James Stuart, the Duke of York. Refusing to marry, she instead becomes the Dukes mistress, sacrificing
3.5 stars RTC
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