Listen to Popular Titles Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical Popular Titles

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Title: Crowner Royal

Author: Bernard Knight

Narrator: Paul Matthews

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-12-09

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 57 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

London, 1196. At the command of Richard the Lionheart, Sir John de Wolfe has left his beloved West Country for the Palace of Westminster, where he has been appointed Coroner of the Verge. But with the king overseas, embroiled in a costly war against King Philip of France, Sir John is dismayed to discover that the English court is a hotbed of greed, corruption and petty in-fighting.

The murder of one of the palace clerks, stabbed in broad daylight and thrown into the River Thames, leads John to suspect that there's a conspiracy underway to overthrow King Richard. And with the visit of the dowager Queen Eleanor fast approaching, the new Coroner must risk his life to prove his suspicions are right, root out the traitors within and prevent a national catastrophe.

Members Reviews:

good

Sir John de Wolfe is easily one of the most believable of characters. He is far from perfect yet not one of the modern anti heroes. A firm sense of who he is an important part of all the Crowner John series. This book does not disappoint. I was especially delighted with the end....or should I say beginning?

Exceptional narration

If you are looking for a historical novel of this period check out The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion. For a murder mystery perhaps Medicus. I found myself wishing the author would move the plot along. There is a lack of surprises and twists that should make a book like this captivating. The characters are well developed and sympathetic.

I did enjoy this listen I think mostly for the exceptional narration of Paul Matthews.

One of my favorite Crowner John Books

As always, Crowner John delivers a great story. The change from Exeter to London was refreshing. I particularly enjoyed the details about the working of the Court under Richard Lionheart. Bernard Knight always weave historic details into his narrative, sometimes to the story's detriment.The author has a tendency to unnecessarily repeat details throughout a book.

12th C. England

This was interesting in that it shows the job of the coroner in this period of English history as well as giving a vivid description of London and the Court at Westminster; all powerful characters in this story. Sir John's trials and tribulations to bring his inquiry to a (successful) end, given a time constraint, is skillfully woven into this well-researched historical novel.

Bernard Knight has yet to put a foot wrong, that together with an intelligent narrator makes this an enjoyable story to listen to.

A pleasant listen

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It passed the time pleasantly but my test is whether I will want to listen to it again and I doubt I will. I did like the setting and it was good to hear details about the early courts. I could however have done without the detailed menu for each meal the Crowner took along the way.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The problem for me was with the central character, the Crowner himself. He is a charmless man, not very bright and ineffective as a coroner, something he feels himself if truth be told.

He would get nowhere without his clerk who pops up every now and then with a vital clue that he has discovered for himself or a flash of insight of which the coroner is himself incapable.

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Title: 1940

Author: Jay Neugeboren

Narrator: Jeff Woodman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The historical Bloch was the only Jew for whom Hitler ever personally arranged departure from Europe, and he must now, living in the Bronx, face accusations over the special treatment he received from the Nazi dictator.

1940 focuses on Dr. Bloch's relationship with Elizabeth Rofman, a medical illustrator at Johns Hopkins Medical School, who has come to New York from Baltimore to visit her father, only to find that he has, mysteriously, disappeared. The story grows more complex when Elizabeth's son, Daniel, a disturbed young adolescent, escapes from the institution in Maryland where his parents have committed him, and makes his way to New York, where he is hidden and protected by his mother...and by Dr. Bloch.

Critic Reviews:

"Jay Neugeboren traverses the Hitlerian tightrope with all the skill and formal daring that have made him one of the most honored writers of literary fiction and masterful nonfiction. This new book is, at once, a beautifully realized work of imagined history, a rich and varied character study and a subtly layered novel of ideas, all wrapped in a propulsively readable story. (Los Angeles Times)

Members Reviews:

1940

This book had 3 separate stories running at the same time. All were interesting but only one had to do with the interesting topic of Hitler's physician. He was in New York writing his remembrance of the Hitler family. He meets a young lady who is a medical illustrator at John Hopkins how is drawing the hearts of the blue babies as the researcher are trying to find a cure. She has a mentally ill son and the books discuss the moral and legal issue of the time in this area. A good book but you need to stay on your toes.

ho hum

snooze

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Title: Tempest-tost

Subtitle: The Salterton Trilogy, Book 1

Author: Robertson Davies

Narrator: Frederick Davidson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-08-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 75 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

An amateur production of The Tempest provides a colorful backdrop for a hilarious look at unrequited love. Mathematics teacher Hector Mackilwraith, stirred and troubled by Shakespeare's play, falls in love with the beautiful Griselda Webster. When Griselda shows she has plans of her own, Hector despairs on the play's opening night.

©1951 Clark, Irwin & Company, Ltd.; (P)1997 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Davies's characters fascinate, and his gentle, graceful style makes no demands on the reader. His civilized prose should read well aloud - indeed, Davidson helps one hear its strengths. He provides an intelligent, expressive, well-paced rendering of the narrative...as well as vivid impersonations of the characters." (AudioFile)

"An exercise in puckish persiflage." (Toronto Star)

Members Reviews:

First of the first (and shows it)

As the first book in Davies' first trilogy, Tempest-Tost sets the stage for what is to come in Salterton, then elsewhere in his world.

I have read all of his novels "in paper", and he is one of my favorite authors. By now I have experienced several in audio. His books were meant to be read aloud, as you would expect of a former actor.

In all of the novels Davies depicts multiple human beings as lively, sympathetic creatures who are trying to get on with life --- though to our delight, they do not generally know what that means. The drawing is less skilled here than in his later works, though he tells an amusing story.

Anyone who has been around amateur theatricals will enjoy the background. Tempest-Tost also introduces us to characters who will come to fuller life in the other parts of the trilogy.

Anyone who wants to spend an entire novel "inside" one person should know upfront that Davies may not be their man. To some extent in this work, and much more in later ones, he gives life and depth to multiple characters --- with a wonderful combination of humor, tragedy, and sympathy. The humanist peeks through here, as does the humorist. But they have yet to become one. The main object of both the humor and the sympathy here, a sad pedant, is too one-dimensional.

To me the book lacks the depth, grace and balance of the later ones. It is a worthy effort. If heard in sequence, you can see how rapidly Davies moved from talented beginner to far more.

If you are trying to pick a book that will help you decide whether or not to read more of Davies, this would not be the best first choice. But if you want a complete picture of his Salterton community it will be well worth your time.

Great book, inadequate reader

The other reviews here mainly address the book - I'll address the reading. I LOVE this book, as I love most of Robertson Davies' work. As another reviewer mentioned, Davies' work seems made to be read aloud, so I was really looking forward to this - but am constantly distracted by the failings of the reader. He's fine on narration, but really falls apart on characterization - especially for the female characters. Anyone who's read much Davies knows that he sets great store by how things sound; his books contain more than one description of the loveliness of a low, musical woman's voice. But these women are all made to sound like idiots or shrews.

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Title: A Mixture of Frailties

Subtitle: The Salterton Trilogy, Book 3

Author: Robertson Davies

Narrator: Frederick Davidson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-05-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A Mixture of Frailties is so much more than the story of Monica Gall's life in London and her education as a singer. It is an account of her education as a human being, and the result is an absorbing novel, comic in the true sense, vivid and frequently moving.

Critic Reviews:

"Third in a trilogy, yet independently satisfying, this presentation encourages listeners to seek more of Davies's beguiling prose." (AudioFile)

"It is impudent, amused and amusing, and sterling entertainment." (New York Times)

"Davies is equally familiar with the world of the Canadian provinces and with that of musical London, and portrays both with rich humor and sympathetic understanding." (Chicago Tribune)

Members Reviews:

even better than on paper, and that's saying a lot

I love Robertson Davies' books and have read them all. This is the second audiobook I've gotten. The first was Leaven of Malice. Because it is so comic and comparatively simpler, I had expected that to be more suitable for an audio version, and it was excellent. But this is even better.

As with all Davies, many of the characters are extremes, but all are vibrantly human, even the nastiest. The deep humanity of the author who was an actor, editor, professor, dean AND writer shines through.

The plot starts with a nasty joke of a will that leaves the son and daughter-in-law of a formidable and brilliantly vindictive woman with a hundred dollars, a huge house to maintain, and nothing else. However, they will inherit everything when, and only when, they produce a male heir. Meanwhile, the income from her (for the time) huge estate is to help a Canadian woman study "the arts" abroad.

We are shown both the hardships imposed on the young couple left in Salterton and the unexpected good fortune of the young woman chosen to benefit from the legacy. The characters include an "old puss", a churchman, the young couple, the young female singer being trained, a famous conductor, a gifted composer, and numerous others.

The main emphasis is on watching the development of the young singer. We also watch the son develop some backbone and a sense of humor. The incidents combine warm sympathy for the characters, a great sense of the absurd, and a mixture of joy and loss. Since this is not a tragedy, it ends well for the main characters.

The reader is excellent. The writing is excellent. The characters and incidents are enjoyable. Who could ask for anything more?

A good read

I enjoyed this book and recommend it. It is the 3rd book in a trilogy but you do not have to read the 2 that came before to enjoy this one. Love the narrator. Sad to hear he had died. Great voice. In some ways, (Canadians might be offended) this work is English-like. Perhaps that is the narrator. But I mean it as praise, nothing less. It is essentially a book of manners, so if you do not like that sort of thing you will need to pass. However, the story of Monica, the main character, is always interesting. The write-up says something to the effect that Davies is "comic". Do not be misled. No belly laughs here. Comic in the sense of high motives and sometimes flawed achievement. Good writer, a good way to use a credit.

Davies at his best

Davies wrote several trilogies and the Salterton Trilogy shows the real strength of his writing.

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Title: The Lazarus Project

Author: Aleksandar Hemon

Narrator: Jefferson Mayes

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-04-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 52 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

On March 2, 1908, nineteen-year-old Lazarus Averbuch, a recent Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe to Chicago, knocked on the front door of the house of George Shippy, the chief of Chicago police. When Shippy came to the door, Averbuch offered him what he said was an important letter. Instead of taking the letter, Shippy shot Averbuch twice, killing him. When Shippy released a statement casting Averbuch as a would-be anarchist assassin and agent of foreign political operatives, he all but set off a city and a country already simmering with ethnic and political tensions.

Now, in the twenty-first century, a young writer in Chicago, Brik, also from Eastern Europe, becomes obsessed with Lazarus's story-what really happened, and why? In order to understand Averbuch, Brik and his friend Rora-who overflows with stories of his life as a Sarajevo war photographer-retrace Averbuch's path across Eastern Europe, through a history of pogroms and poverty, and through a present-day landscape of cheap mafiosi and cheaper prostitutes. The stories of Averbuch and Brik become inextricably entwined, augmented by the photographs that Rora takes on their journey, creating a truly original, provocative, and entertaining novel that will confirm Hemon once and for all as one of the most dynamic and essential literary voices of our time.

Editorial Reviews:

Aleksander Hemon's new book is like a family photo album that spans the last hundred years and covers two continents. It is the immigrant story of diaspora, displacement, and despair, but all handled with an irony that captures the poetry of the text much as a camera frames images.

The irony is heightened by the performance of Tony Award-winning actor Jefferson Mays, whose mannered, clipped delivery keeps events largely at arm's length (though paradoxically this treatment tends to reinforce the horror of the violent passages, where Hemon seems determined to make the reader viscerally experience the brutality of power used to oppress).

The story is based on the true case of the 1908 murder of a recently-arrived Jewish immigrant, Lazarus Averbuch, at the hands of Chicago's chief of police. Another imagined narrative is that of Sarajevo-born struggling author Bric and his grant-funded journey from Chicago through East Europe to trace the story of Averbuch in reverse. It is a strength of Hemon's writing that both voices the heartbroken, outcast sister in 1908 and the somewhat self-absorbed writer of a century later ring true, as do the descriptions of turn-of-the-century Chicago and the more dilapidated corners of modern Chernivtsi. Mays manages to make the transition between both time periods almost imperceptibly, which compliments the tale's meshing of the past and present.

Critic Reviews:

"There's pathos and outrage enough to chip away at even the hardest of hearts." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

betwin migrations and imaginations

you feel it slamming between the past and the present as muslims and jews conect across centeries by the balkanik spirit of tragedy and hope

Worth Listening to, but Purchase a Paper Copy

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rora is wonderfully bright and is the driving force behind the narrative.

Any additional comments?

The reader does a really good job at bringing the characters to life. The story itself is intriguing, and keeps you engaged.

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Title: The Two Destinies

Author: Wilkie Collins

Narrator: Samuel West

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-05-08

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 40 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In this late romantic novel, the author explores the powers of telepathy while telling a skilful tale that interweaves suspense with the familiar ingredients of Victorian melodrama.

© and (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Members Reviews:

Uneven story, really well read

I love Wilkie Collins's stories. They plunge you into a whole different world and keep you wanting to know what happens next. At the same time, I have to admit this is not one of his best (there's an excellent version of the Moonstone read by Peter Jeffrey on Audible). There's still a lot to enjoy and Samuel West does a great job of keeping you going through the bits that are not so good. I'm left with a few very vivid portrayals and descriptions of places and a rather uneasy feeling towards the protagonist.

Not my favourite Collins

I am a Wilkie Collins fan, but perhaps this is the book I have liked the least. Not the usual lightness of touch and humour he uses, except for one excellent character, Mr McGlue the doctor. Feels quite long and hard going despite the short length, though still a well crafted book with the usual vaguely supernatural twist

excellent

I just couldnt stop listening to this Audio Book day and in the night. Sam West is a brilliant reader, accents and appropriate pauses all perfect. The authors format is most unusual and like any good story, poem, symphony, it has all the necessary sections in place.

long and dull

Samuel West reads it beautifully- though why he bothered I can't say....

The Cambridge companion to Lit in Eng. says something to the effect that Wilkie Collins talent died with the 1860s. This was written in the 1870s.

It's long, it's tedious, it's sentimental and, a few twists excepted, completely predicable.

Avoid it- unless you happen to be fascinated by telepathy.

A twisting tale...

Samuel West narrates a largely overlooked title by an excellent writer. He manages to make all the voices commencing and compelling and draws you firmly into the narrative. Would definitely recommend.

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Title: The Last Station

Subtitle: A Novel of Tolstoy's Last Year

Author: Jay Parini

Narrator: Kirby Heyborne, Lorna Raver, Rebecca Lowman, Mark Bramhall, Richard McGonagle, Robertson Dean

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-18-08

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Torn between his professed doctrine of poverty and chastity and the reality of his enormous wealth, his 13 children, and a life of relative luxury, Tolstoy makes a dramatic flight from his home. Too ill to continue beyond the tiny rail station at Astapovo, he believes that he is dying alone, while over one hundred newspapermen camp outside awaiting hourly reports on his condition. A brilliant re-creation of the mind and tortured soul of one of the world's greatest writers, The Last Station is a richly inventive novel that dances between fact and fiction.

Critic Reviews:

"Utterly satisfying. . . . A loving and thoughtful rendering of the complex character of Leo Tolstoy." (Washington Post Book World)

"One of those rare works of fiction that manage to demonstrate both scrupulous historical research and true originality of voice and perception." (The New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

The Passing of a Lion

I bought this book after seeing a trailer for the new movie starring Christopher Plummer as Leo Tolstoy in the final year of his life and Helen Mirren as his embattled wife. It was immediately clear that these were fine roles for two great actors; was the movie based on an equally great book?

In some ways, it did not need to be, for the greatness was already there in Tolstoy's writings and example. In the second part of his life, following the inclinations of his own Levin inANNA KARENINA, he took up a simpler life in the country, working alongside the peasants and at least attempting to renounce his wealth. In 1910, when Parini introduces him to us, he is living at his estate of Yasnaya Polyana surrounded by a virtual commune of Tolstoyans (one of several such communities in Russia and abroad) almost worshipping the master and trying to live by his tenets of chastity, poverty, and peace. For Tolstoy himself, this involved many contradictions; the still-married father of numerous children was an unlikely prophet of celibacy, and Russia's most celebrated author might live simply but was certainly not poor. There were also great tensions with his wife, Sofya Andreyvna (Sonya), who was unwilling to renounce the comforts she felt she was due as Countess Tolstoy and mourned the distancing of the affections of her once-beloved husband.

Much as Michael Shaara had done in his Gettysburg novelTHE KILLER ANGELS, Parini tells the story of Tolstoy's final year through a series of different voices: his wife Sonya, his daughter Sasha, Makovitsky his doctor, Chertkov his closest disciple and agent, and his new secretary Bulgakov; there are also letters and diary entries by Tolstoy himself and three poems by the author. Most of this is based on actual documentary material, but Parini is most effective, I think, when he most uses his own imagination as a novelist. Sonya's reminiscences of their courtship, for example, have a grace that offsets the mentally ill woman she eventually became. Sasha's service as her father amanuensis and ally is humanized by the warmth of a growing love for another woman.

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Title: Room of My Own

Author: Ann Tatlock

Narrator: Kate Forbes

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

This charming, old-fashioned story of a girl growing up during the depression will convince you that anything is possible. Against a backdrop of authentic hardship and despair, 13-year-old Virginia Eade discovers the true source of happiness. A doctor's daughter, Virginia spends her days dreaming of romance with "the two Charlies" - Charles Lindburgh and Charlie Chaplin. Soon Virginia is forced to give up her room to less fortunate relatives, and failed banks, closed shops, and breadlines crop up in her insulated world. When her father asks her to accompany him as he provides much needed medical care in the notorious hobo village, Virginia's life is changed forever. The 1930s become poignantly real with the novel's wealth of period detail, providing a dramatic backdrop for a message of hope and compassion. Kate Forbes' narration of this best-selling inspirational novel is guaranteed to touch your heart. She so skillfully portrays Virginia and conveys the ambiance of the depression era that the result is truly magical.

©1998 Ann Tatlock; (P)1999 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Most enjoyable and highly recommended...

Another enjoyable listen from Ann Tatlock. Ann has a wonderful gift of historical storytelling that brings to life the history of our parents and grandparents. In these days of economic trial, Ann reminds us how fortunate we are to be living in this wonderful country of wealth, prosperity and freedom. This thanks to our forefathers who endured the unthinkable and the blessings of God. We need to remember how fortunate we are and this book will do just that. "Room of My Own" is most enjoyable and highly recommended.

Hobo Town, Hatred, Giving in the Great Depression

I never cease to be amazed at the horror and hatred that fellow human beings are able to feel towards one another . . . in the midst of one of the saddest, most devastating times in the history of our country, the Great Depression, it seems that it either brought out the BEST in people . . . or the worst . . . so when Ginny's aunt, uncle and their children come to live with them, after her uncle lost his job, Ginny had to give up her room . . . Ginny's family sacrificed, loved and demonstrated the BEST during the Great Depression. . . But when the WORST comes out and evil resides in those in power, those who are sworn to protect us, untold damage is done . . . Ann Tatlock always makes you think, when you read/listen to her books . . . I, for one, am not a fan of unions . . . but I believe that as Americans, we have the right to form unions, the right to fair wages, a right to safe work environments . . . and if it were not for unions, in the beginning, many factories would have had no incentive to give their employees fair pay or safe work conditions . . . I greatly enjoyed the story of relationship between Ginny's father and mother . . . her father, Dr. Eades, goes out to treat the homeless at Hobo Town, and her mother, worries every single time that he goes . . . and when her father, one day, says he is taking their daughter, Ginny, (thirteen years old) with him, she is beside herself . . . but off they go . . . thus begins the hard and glorious lessons of giving . . . and loving . . . in ways that Ginny never knew existed before . . . even when the danger escalated, Dr. Eades continued to go to Hobo Town, not only to treat their illnesses, but to sing and visit with the people there . .

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Title: Mountain Devil

Subtitle: Wilderness Series #9

Author: David Thompson

Narrator: Rusty Nelson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-27-08

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In 1832, life in the Rocky Mountains was filled with danger and mystery. Indian legends held that deep in secluded valleys lurked bizarre creatures bent on destroying man. Although Indians shunned such places, courageous settlers like Nathaniel King had no time for such tales, and they willingly braved these forbidden areas. But when Nate led a hunting expedition into a valley where one of these monsters was said to live, several of his fellow hunters were viciously slain. And before long Nate himself became prey of a beast that might have come out of his worst nightmare.

Members Reviews:

One of the best in the entire Wilderness Series.

This is one of the most exciting in the entire Wilderness Series - have read all 68 (to 75 depending on how one is counting :- ).

More specifically, this novel is about the main character, Nate King, and his 3 companions, fur trapping in an area beset with adversaries, human and, actually more importantly, otherwise. I do not want to say anymore for fear of giving away some of the intrigue and nail biting !!!

I am posting this at this time because I have loved the series so much that I am now going back thru and re-reading. I just completed this Mountain Devil Wilderness #9 in my re-read process.

In addition to the above, I enjoyed this book, as well as the series, for several overall reasons:

1. The author vividly describes the great outdoors in detail.

2. Every book stands on its own - which is to say that it is not necessary to read in sequence; however, I personally prefer sequencing because it is enjoyable to learn more and more of each character and related life developments over time.

3. The author has no trouble with infusing his stories with 'God, Country, Motherhood and Apple Pie.'

Five Stars

Loved it

EXCELLENT.

The first book i ever read from this series, and now i want them all!The story of Nate king, a mountain man, dealing with old indian legend of a vicious beast roaming the yet uncharted northwest. The writing keeps you glued to the story, as the book is so fun an fascinating to read! my only bummer point about this series, is that it reads so quick! at only 173 pages, why not? if you like wilderness adventure, indians, leading the simple life, because this book , and the whole series, i believe, brings the message across, about family values, love, friendship, and i got to go back to saying this, leading the hard, dangerous, yet SIMPLE life, makes me want to stop and smell the roses, what we all should do. This series will change your life! Read them all!

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Title: The Shadow of the Pomegranate

Author: Jean Plaidy

Narrator: Anne Flosnik

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-25-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 37 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Everything depended on the answer, especially the destiny of Queen Katharine herself.

In this second novel of the series, Jean Plaidy has brilliantly written the bittersweet true story of young King Henry and his dear Kate, who wanted only to please her beloved husband but seemed thwarted at every turn.

Members Reviews:

It looms over her

This is the second book in the trilogy about Katherine of Aragon, written by Jean Plaidy. This book tells the lesser known part of her life, the part before Anne Boleyn enters. The book starts out full of hope, as Katherine quickly becomes pregnant and has children, but it then devolves into fear and internal chaos. Katherine looks to be secure and comfortable in her role, but is fearing the worst, that none of her children, but one lives, and that a girl. But despite all of that she does manage to give England a great victory over Scotland, something Henry does resent. You do begin to feel the fear Katherine does at her continual miscarriages and still births. You begin to worry for her as Henry looks elswhere for comfort and women. Jean Plaidy is a masterful novelist and does an excellent job showing you the inner workings of a young Henry VIII's court.

The narrator does the book justice, but like in her last one, her Spanish and other accents leave a lot to be desired. I know they're not always easy to do, but I think the narrator could have tried a little harder, or maybe they could have found someone who was capable of doing the accents along with the English ones.

Heart breaks for Catherine.

What did you love best about The Shadow of the Pomegranate?

This is not a happy story and I kept wondering how things would have been different had she given birth to a living son. Catherine of Aragon is my favorite of Henry's wives so I enjoyed this book. Not spectacular, but good.

What about Anne Flosniks performance did you like?

Anne did a very good job.

If you could take any character from The Shadow of the Pomegranate out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Catherine without a doubt.

from queen catherine's point of view

while henry viii's second wife, ann, and mother of elizabeth i seems to get written about more, this is a story about queen catherine, first wife and mother of henry's first surviving child, queen mary.

this catherine loves her husband very much. she wants to give her a husband the son he so desperately wants. she seems to get pregnant easily but all but 2 are stillborn. she finally delivers a son, but he dies shortly after. mary is the only child who lives.

the book is through her eyes. while she was raised by queen isabell of spain to be a good queen, henry was not raised to be a king. she is not only older in age but in maturity. she is a most adept negotiator, while the king is not. she is calmer and more sedate than the king who is in constant motion. he really appears to be a spoiled, uncontrolable brat.

Good version of Catherine

I liked this version of Cetherine which was neither too romantic, nor too harsh - a realistic vision of what an older woman married to and dependent on a spoiled selfish boy might have to endure....