Katherine came to the court of Edward III at the age of fifteen: the orphan daughter of a minor herald, betrothed to an obscure knight. And soon, the beloved mistress of the king's son and the mother of his children.

Their dramatic and brilliantly told love story is set against the superbly recreated pageant of fourteenth-century England.

 

 
This is another BBC Big Read book, and one I'm apprehensive about reading. Romances aren't really my thing, and historical novels doubly so! As a history buff I can't help pick at the details if the accuracy's lacking, however much I don't want to. I'm hoping this will transcend my prejudices and be an interesting and absorbing read.

 

 
August 1st 2004
Page 1

I read a page before I knew I couldn't go on. It was everything I feared most; horribly written revisionist history told in a slushy, over-romanticised voice that made me want to vomit.

When I was a kid I used to go to the library for my Great-Aunt Agnes, and she absolutely loved historical romances. I used to have a pretty fool-proof method of choosing her books; the strength of my negative reaction to the book blurb would be in direct contrast to Agnes's appreciation. This book would have, without a doubt, been on her top 10 all time favourites list.

As I haven't finished it, and probably won't, I'll leave it unrated