The Kingmaker's Daughter (The Cousins' War #4) by Philippa Gregory

Number 1 bestselling author Philippa Gregory continues her series, The Cousins' War, with Jacquetta Woodville, mother of the White Queen 'I have lost my father in battle, my sister to Elizabeth Woodville's spy, my brother-in-law to Elizabeth Woodville's executioner, my nephew to her poisoner, and now my son to her curse...'

The gripping and ultimately tragic story of Anne Neville and her sister Isabel, the daughters of the Earl of Warwick, the most powerful magnate in England through the Cousins' Wars. In the absence of a son and heir, he ruthlessly uses the two girls as pawns but they, in their own right, are thoughtful and powerful actors.

Against the backdrop of the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne turns from a delightful child growing up in intimacy and friendship with the family of Richard Duke of York to become ever more fearful and desperate as her father's enemies turn against her, the net closes in and there is, in the end, simply nowhere she can turn, no one she can trust with her life.

http://goo.gl/JQvdDs

Another book about Anne Neville.I didn't like this book as much as I expected but It's very good 

The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York (Queens of England #8) by Jean Plaidy

In 1470, a reluctant Lady Anne Neville is betrothed by her father, the politically ambitious Earl of Warwick, to Edward, Prince of Wales. A gentle yet fiercely intelligent woman, Anne has already given her heart to the prince’s younger brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Unable to oppose her father’s will, she finds herself in line for the throne of England—an obligation that she does not want. Yet fate intervenes when Edward is killed at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Anne suddenly finds herself free to marry the man she loves—and who loves her in return. The ceremony is held at Westminster Abbey, and the duke and duchess make a happy home at 

Middleham Castle, where both spent much of their childhood. Their life is idyllic, until the reigning king dies and a whirlwind of dynastic maneuvering leads to his children being declared illegitimate. Richard inherits the throne as King Richard III, and Anne is crowned queen consort, a destiny she thought she had successfully avoided. Her husband’s reign lasts two years, two months, and two days—and in that short time Anne witnesses the true toll that wearing the crown takes on Richard, the last king from the House of York.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Reluctant-Queen-Queens-England/dp/0307346153

THE ECLIPSE

It grows darker with the passing of every minute. The people in the streets crowd together and gaze up at the sky. It is a portent of evil, they say. God is showing His displeasure by covering the face of the sun.

Very soon I shall lay down my pen. I am too tired to write more. My strength is slowly ebbing away and I feel Death close.

It is an unhappy time to leave this world. Suspicion and treachery are all around us. There are rumors to which I try to shut my ears. They frighten me. I tell myself I do not believe them. I do not want to hear the things people are saying--yet I must know.

"Tell me . . . tell me everything," I beg my ladies.

They shake their heads. They say, "There is nothing, your Grace."

That is not true. They know but they will not tell me.

We were happy at Middleham before Richard took the throne. Middleham will always be home to me . . . and, I believe, to him. It meant something very special to us both. It was there that we first knew each other. I always said it was there that love between us first began. The people there understood him. They knew his worth. They do not like him here. In their hearts they do not accept him as their king. He is not tall and handsome as his brother was. He lacks the gift of charm that Edward had in such abundance. How perverse human nature is! Richard would be a good king; he would serve his country faithfully; but it was Edward whom they loved because he was good to look upon; he was a giant among men; he smiled his way through his reign, beguiling rich and poor alike. His profligacy, his self-indulgence mattered not. He looked like a king and they had adored him. It was perhaps natural that they should resent his successor. Richard is not tall; he lacks the golden beauty of his brother; he is dark and serious and does not smile easily; he serves his country with zeal; but the people remember Edward's charm and mourn for him.

And in the streets they are whispering that I am dying on my husband's orders. The rumor is that he is having me slowly poisoned. How cruel they are! They cannot think of anything vile enough to say of him. It is his enemies of course--and they are all about us. They would make a monster of him. But who should know him better than I? And I know he is a good man. He would be a great king and good to them, greater than his self-indulgent brother--if they would let him.

It is true that I am dying--but not at his hands. He knows that I cannot live long and he is heartbroken. I can see the misery in his eyes. I am the only one whom he can trust. How could anyone think that he would want to be rid of me? I know I am sick, unable to bear the sons all kings want, but there has been a special bond between us since he came to my father's castle when we were children. If only he could cast away his crown! If only we could go back to Middleham and the North where the people love and understand us. Richard is paying too highly for his crown.

I try to comfort him. More than any I know his feelings.

"Whom can I trust?" he asks. "Who in this sad court can trust whom?"

I know he is thinking of Buckingham--his one-time friend, or so he thought--now turned traitor.

Sometimes when he looks hurt and bewildered he reminds me so much of the boy I knew all those years ago. I alone am able to see the real Richard; to others he is cold, aloof, a stern king, determined to hold what he believes to be his by right, dedicated, determined to do his duty.

Throughout the court there is a rumor that he wants to marry his niece, Elizabeth, when he has rid himself of me. I think this has grieved him more than anything.

"They hate me so much," he said. "They bring the most harmful accusations against me. They compare me with my brother. They say I have usurped the throne from young Edward. They do not believe he is a bastard. Oh, if only my brother had not died! How they loved him! He could do no wrong in their eyes and I can do no right."

I said, "Your brother was an unfaithful husband; he was profligate. He loved luxurious living. He cared more for his own pleasure than for the good of the country. You are a good man, Richard. You will be a good king; and in time the people will come to realize that."

He smiled at me sadly, fondly. I remember that, from the time he was a boy, he would not listen to criticism of his brother. Edward had been a god in his eyes. It had always been so. Like the rest of the country, he had succumbed to that charm.

"They are silent when I pass," he said. "Do you remember how they used to cheer Edward?"

"They will cheer you one day."

He shook his head. "And now they say I would remove you that I might marry Edward's daughter--my own niece! Anne, you could never think for one moment . . ."

I took his face in my hands and kissed it. I wanted to assure him of the contempt in which I held such gossip.

But secretly there were moments when I thought with some apprehension of Elizabeth of York. The eldest daughter of handsome Edward and his beautiful Queen. It was natural that she also should be beautiful--sparkling, radiant, healthy. If she were like her mother she would bear many children.

Before I was so ill I would see her at court. Did I fancy she watched Richard with speculation in her eyes? Did she flaunt her beauty, her radiant charm? Was she implying: "Look at me. How different I am from the poor, sickly queen." I did not believe for one moment that she was in love with Richard; but she was her mother's daughter and she would dearly love a crown.

And even I, knowing him as I did and understanding full well the venom of his enemies, was sometimes overtaken by cruel doubts. I am ill. I am barren, I would say. And is it not the duty of kings to get sons?

Common sense returns and I remind myself that it is I whom he has always loved; and then how I long for the days of peace at Middleham and I say, "If only Edward were back on the throne and we could return to the North--our true home, where we are known and loved and the people do not murmur evil slander against us."

Here there are enemies everywhere. There are sly rumors . . . ridiculous rumors, but the people accept them as truth because that is what they want to do.

Richard's enemies are all about us. They are whispering of a certain Henry Tudor, now sheltered by our enemies of France, waiting until that day when he is ready to make his spurious claim to the throne.

Yes, there is treachery all around us.

The light is fading. The face of the sun is almost obscured now and for me the end is near. What will become of Richard? What will become of the country? I shall never know.

My life is fading as the light is. Someone approaches. It is one of my women.

"My lady, the King is on his way to you."

I shall write no more. Richard is coming and something tells me this is the last time I shall look upon his face.

The story of Anne Neville,wife of Richard III and daughter of the Kingmaker Richard Neville,Earl of Warwick.I really like Anne Neville,I always wanted to read more about her
I loved this book 

The Rose Without a Thorn: The Wives of Henry VIII (Queens of England #11) by Jean Plaidy

From the pen of legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy comes an unforgettable true story of

royalty, passion, and innocence lost.

Born into an impoverished branch of the noble Howard family, young Katherine is plucked from her home to live with her grandmother, the Duchess of Norfolk. The innocent girl quickly learns that her grandmother's puritanism is not shared by Katherine's free-spirited cousins, with whom she lives. Beautiful and impressionable, Katherine becomes involved in two ill-fated love affairs before her sixteenth birthday. Like her cousin Anne Boleyn, she leaves her grandmother's home to become a lady-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII. The royal palaces are exciting to a young girl from the country, and Katherine's duties there allow her to be near her handsome cousin, Thomas Culpepper, whom she has loved since childhood.

But when Katherine catches the eye of the aging and unhappily married king, she is forced to abandon her plans for a life with Thomas and marry King Henry. Overwhelmed by the change in her fortunes, bewildered and flattered by the adoration of her husband, Katherine is dazzled by the royal life. But her bliss is short-lived as rumors of her wayward past come back to haunt her, and Katherine's destiny takes another, deadly, turn.

Katherine Howard's story from her point of view.A very good book, easy to read.A good mix of romance and history.I enjoyed this book even if I found the writing very repetitive.

The King's Confidante (Tudor Saga #6) by Jean Plaidy

An English lawyer and statesman, Sir Thomas More was a kind father who put as much emphasis on educating his daughters as on his son, declaring that women were just as intelligent as men. His favorite daughter, Meg, is the heroine of this novel in which we witness the everyday lives of people in Tudor England. Plaidy takes readers into a world far removed from the grandeur of the courts, into the home of a simple family and a caring father who only wants to do what is morally best–not just for his family, but for England.

As secretary and personal adviser to King Henry VIII, More becomes increasingly influential in the government, welcoming foreign diplomats, drafting official documents, and serving as a liaison between the king and the Archbishop of York. His own household stands in startling contrast to the licentious Tudor court, but as lord chancellor he gains recognition and becomes indispensable to the king. More’s love of faith surpasses his duty to the crown, and his refusal to accept King Henry VIII’s claim to be supreme head of the Church of England ends his political career...and leads to his trial for treason

Not really about Margaret More but about Sir Thomas More's life.The first chapter is horribly repetitive and a little bit boring but I enjoyed reading this book and found it informative

Mary, Queen of France (Tudor Saga #9) by Jean Plaidy

Legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy brings to life the story of Princess Mary Tudor, a celebrated beauty and born rebel who would defy the most powerful king in Europe—her older brother.

Princess Mary Rose is the youngest sister of Henry VIII, and one of the few people whom he adores unconditionally. Known throughout Europe for her charm and good looks, Mary is the golden child of the Tudor family and is granted her every wish.

Except when it comes to marriage. Henry VIII, locked in a political showdown with France, decides to offer up his pampered baby sister to secure peace between the two mighty kingdoms. Innocent, teenage Mary must become the wife of the elderly King Louis, a toothless, ailing man in his sixties. Horrified and furious, Mary has no choice but to sail for France. There she hones her political skills, bides her time, and remains secretly in love with Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk. When King Louis dies, after only two years of marriage, Mary is determined not to be sold into another unhappy union. She must act quickly; if she wants to be with the man she truly loves, she must defy the laws of church and state by marrying without her brother’s permission. Together, Mary and Charles devise a scheme to outwit the most ruthless king in Europe and gain their hearts’ desire, not knowing if it will lead to marital bliss or certain death.

The enchanting true story of the lovely Mary Tudor,Queen of France and Charles Brandon,Duke of Suffolk. I enjoyed this book but was hoping for a little more information about Mary's childhood and her life with Charles

Le Conseiller (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #1)/Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Angleterre, 1520. Règne des Tudors. Le roi Henri VIII n’a pas de fils pour lui succéder. Situation préoccupante qui pourrait entrainer le pays sur le chemin de la guerre civile. Aussi décide-t-il de divorcer de Catherine d’Aragon, avec qui il est marié depuis plus de 20 ans pour épouser Anne Boleyn, dont il est tombé amoureux. Son conseiller, le cardinal Wolsey échouant à obtenir l’accord du pape, un jeune homme plein de fougue et de ressources va peu à peu entrer dans les bonnes grâces du roi et l’aider à vaincre l’opposition. Son nom : Thomas Cromwell. Ambitieux, idéaliste et opportuniste à la fois, fin politicien et manipulateur né, celui-ci est au début d’une carrière qui va modifier profondément et durablement le visage du royaume.
Avec Dans l'ombre des Tudors, vainqueur du Booker Prize et salué dans le monde entier par une critique unanime, Hilary Mantel nous propose un fabuleux voyage au cœur d’une société en plein bouleversement. Prenant pour sujet l’une de ces périodes clés de notre civilisation où l’histoire, la politique, les passions et les destinées individuelles se confondent, elle nous livre un portrait sans précédent de la maison Tudor.

Tudor England. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is charged with securing his divorce. Into this atmosphere of distrust comes Thomas Cromwell - a man as ruthlessly ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages.

Sous l'emprise du destin/ At the Queen's Summons (Tudor Rose #3) by Susan Wiggs

Séparée de ses parents dès son plus jeune âge, au cours d'un naufrage, Pippa de Lacey a grandi dans les rues de Londres parmi les jongleurs et les comédiens. Mais voilà qu'un jour, son insolence de fille des rues heurte un gentilhomme parmi les badauds, la condamnant au pilori. Arrêtée, Pippa ne doit son salut qu'à l'intervention d'un seigneur irlandais, Aidan O'Donoghue. Séduite par son sauveur, elle accepte avec reconnaissance la protection qu'il lui offre et la proposition qu'il lui fait de l'aider à retrouver sa famille. Un cadeau inespéré que le destin lui retire lorsque Aidan est jeté en prison sur ordre de la reine. Révoltée, Pippa décide de le faire évader. Même si cela doit la conduire à l'exil... et compromettre sa seule chance de revoir un jour la famille qu'elle n'a jamais oubliée.

Feisty orphan Pippa de Lacey lives by wit and skill as a London street performer. But when her sharp tongue gets her into serious trouble, she throws herself upon the mercy of Irish chieftain Aidan O'Donoghue.

Pippa provides a welcome diversion for Aidan as he awaits an audience with the queen, who holds his people's fate in her hands. Amused at first, he becomes obsessed with the audacious waif who claims his patronage.

Rash and impetuous, their unlikely alliance reverberates with desire and the tantalizing promise of a life each has always wanted but never dreamed of attaining.

Deux soeurs pour un roi/The other Boleyn girl by Philippa Gregory

" Je serai sombre, française, à la mode et difficile ; vous serez douce, ouverte, anglaise et belle. Quelle paire nous formerons ! Quel homme pourra nous résister ? " Tels sont les premiers mots prononcés par Anne Boleyn à l'endroit de sa soeur Marie quand elle la rejoint, en 1522, à la cour d'Angleterre. Introduite au palais de Westminster, à l'âge de 14 ans, Marie Boleyn séduit le roi Henri VIII auquel elle donnera deux enfants. D'abord éblouie par le souverain, elle comprend qu'elle sert d'appât au milieu des complots dynastiques. Quand l'intérêt du roi pour elle s'émousse, Anne est chargée de le séduire à son tour. Désir, haine, ambitions, trahisons. Se déroulant sur quinze ans, cette fresque historique, racontée à la première personne par Marie Boleyn, dépeint les rivalités au sein de la dynastie des Tudor. Une histoire qui se terminera dans le sang.

Note:2,5/5

J’apprécie autant ce livre que je le déteste,  un sentiment étrange
Mon erreur a été de voir le film avant de lire le livre.De tout les livres que j'ai pu lire sur Anne et Mary Boleyn ce livre est celui qui m'a le plu " dérangé" 
Anne y apparaît méchante ,cruelle et bien qu'elle eut du tempérament , je ne crois absolument pas qu'elle put être aussi vile
Philippa Gregory a dès le début décidé que Mary était une héroine, douce et parfaite et Anne la méchante soeur
Dommage

Two sisters competing for the greatest prize: the love of a king

When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her family's ambitious plots as the king's interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands.

About the movie and the book:http://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/anne-boleyn-and-the-other-boleyn-girl/

Lady Megan de Jennifer McGowan//Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan

Lorsque Meg Fellowes, 17 ans, voleuse et comédienne de la troupe de la Rose d’Or, est arrêtée, elle sait que la sentence va être la mort. C'est ce à quoi les voleurs sous le règne d’Élisabeth 1re d’Angleterre doivent s'attendre. Pourtant, on lui propose une alternative : accepter de faire partie d’un groupe de demoiselles d’honneur très spéciales : des espionnes. Avec ses nouvelles compagnes, Jane, Anna, Béatrice et Sophia, Meg doit protéger la couronne des intrigues de la cour. En ces temps troublés, mille complots guettent la jeune reine protestante. Grâce à son sens inné de la comédie et à sa mémoire extraordinaire, Meg doit espionner la délégation espagnole, composée de fervents catholiques, opposés à Élisabeth, dont le séduisant Rafe, comte de Martine, qui vient d’arriver à la cour. Mais dans le paysage complexe de ce début de règne, la jeune fille comprend vite que les frontières entre ennemis et alliés sont mouvantes et qu’elle ne peut se fier à personne. Si elle entend sauver la vie de sa reine et retrouver sa propre liberté, elle devra aussi démasquer le meurtrier d’une autre demoiselle d’honneur, mystérieusement assassinée quelques mois avant son arrivée…

Orphan Meg Fellowes makes her living picking pockets—until she steals from the wrong nobleman. Instead of rotting in prison like she expected, she’s whisked away to the court of Queen Elizabeth and pressed into royal service, where she joins four other remarkable girls in the Maids of Honor, the Queen’s secret society of protectors.

Meg’s natural abilities as a spy prove useful in this time of unrest. The Spanish Court is visiting, and with them come devious plots and hidden political motives. As threats to the kingdom begin to mount, Meg can’t deny her growing attraction to one of the dashing Spanish courtiers. But it’s hard to trust her heart in a place where royal formalities and masked balls hide the truth: Not everyone is who they appear to be. With danger lurking around every corner, can she stay alive—and protect the crown?

Rating:5/5

La dame de cour de Ruth Langan// Conor by Ruth Langan

Irlande, 1563.

Depuis toujours, Conor O'Neil n'a qu'une ambition : bouter les Anglais hors d'Irlande. Mais plutôt que d'affronter directement l'ennemi, il préfère intriguer pour s'immiscer à la cour d'Angleterre et gagner la confiance de la reine Elizabeth, dont tout le monde connaît l'inclination pour les jeunes et séduisants gentilshommes. S'il se montre assez habile, pense-t-il, la souveraine ne sera pas insensible à son charme - et à son influence.
Au palais, en effet, tout se déroule selon ses voeux, à un détail près : Conor ignore que l'une des dames d'honneur d'Elizabeth a pour mission de le séduire afin de mieux recueillir ses confidences...

Ireland of 1546 is a time when Ireland is at conflict with England. Conor uses his smooth tongue and Charming way to influence Queen Elizabeth to soften her heart to the Irish and keep her from send more soldiers into Ireland.

Rating:3,5/5

The Lady in the Tower (Queens of England #4) by Jean Plaidy

One of history's most complex and alluring women comes to life in this classic novel by the 

legendary Jean Plaidy.

Young Anne Boleyn was not beautiful but she was irresistible, capturing the hearts of kings and commoners alike. Daughter of an ambitious country lord, Anne was sent to France to learn sophistication, and then to court to marry well and raise the family's fortunes. She soon surpassed even their greatest expectations. Although his queen was loving and loyal, King Henry VIII swore he would put her aside and make Anne his wife. And so he did, though the divorce would tear apart the English church and inflict religious turmoil and bloodshed on his people for generations to come.

Loathed by the English people, who called her "the King's Great Whore" Anne Boleyn was soon caught in the trap of her own ambition. Political rivals surrounded her at court and, when she failed to produce a much-desired male heir, they closed in, preying on the king's well-known insecurity and volatile temper. Wrongfully accused of adultery and incest, Anne found herself imprisoned in the Tower of London, where she was at the mercy of her husband and of her enemies.

It's the best book about Anne Boleyn I've read in recent memory!Easy to read,well written and very well researched

I don't want to finish this book !!!

Her life was fascinating until the sad end

Rating:5/5

Les Tudors de Liliane Crété

Dynastie mythique, les Tudors ont régné pendant plus d’un siècle, entre 1457 et 1603, faisant entrer l’Angleterre dans les temps modernes. De Henry VII à Elizabeth Ire, ce sont cinq souverains qui se sont succédé, parmi lesquels des figures devenues légendaires : Henry VIII, monarque de la démesure, beau, athlétique, musicien, poète et protecteur des arts, qui épousa six femmes, toutes mortes brutalement, et rompit avec le pape, instituant une royauté théocratique ; Mary Tudor dite la Sanglante, la fille de Henry et de Catherine d’Aragon, qui passa à la postérité en raison des bûchers qu’elle fit allumer pour y consumer les évangéliques opiniâtres ; quant à Elizabeth, la Reine Vierge, ultime fleuron de la dynastie, elle refusa de se marier pour se vouer corps et âme à son royaume.

Exploitant d’innombrables sources originales, correspondances, témoignages, rapports des ambassadeurs…, ce livre raconte, de manière très narrative, les tribulations des Tudors, inséparables de la destinée de l’Angleterre, dont ils firent un royaume puissant et riche : fresque sanglante et dorée, traversée par la question de la légitimité et de la succession, pleine d’amours contrariées et de meurtres fratricides, de tentatives de coups d’État, de persécutions et de guerres.

Je recommande ce livre à tout ceux qui cherchent à en savoir plus sur "les Tudors",très facile à lire avec de nombreuses informations.Même si le résumé peut laisser sceptique,ce livre n'est pas mal du tout et va à l'essentiel

Note:4/5

Katherine Howard: A Tudor Conspiracy by Joanna Denny

Joanna Denny, author of Anne Boleyn, reveals another sensational episode in Tudor history—illuminating the true character of Katherine Howard, the young girl caught up in a maelstrom of ambition and conspiracy, which led to her execution for high treason while still only 17 years old. Who was Katherine, the beautiful young aristocrat who became a bait to catch a king? Was she simply naive and innocent, a victim of her grasping family's scheming? Or was she brazen and abandoned, recklessly indulging in dissolute games with lovers in contempt of her royal position? Joanna Denny's enthralling new book once again plunges the reader into the heart of the ruthless intrigues of the Tudor court—and gives a sympathetic and poignant portrait of a girl tragically trapped and betrayed by her own family.

I was highly disappointed and I seriously learned nothing with this book

Rating: 2/5

Trilogie de Catherine Hermary-Vieille

Tome I:

1465. La fin du Moyen Age, l'aube de la Renaissance. Entre l'Angleterre, la France et les Flandres, rois, reines, grands seigneurs et aventuriers se déchirent pour le pouvoir. Une époque sombre et mystique, fastueuse et violente, que hantent des personnages hors du commun des femmes jolies et ambitieuses, comme Marguerite d'Anjou, fille du roi René, et la parvenue Elizabeth d'York, des enfants à la dramatique destinée, comme les deux fils du roi Edouard IV, étouffés à la Tour de Londres sur ordre de leur oncle, le très controversé Richard III. La mort tragique de l'ultime descendant des York met un terme à la sanglante guerre des Deux Roses qui opposa de 1455 à 1485 les cousins ennemis, les Lancastre et les York. Héroïsme, lâchetés, amours voluptueuses ou passionnées créent un univers inoubliable, entre ombre et lumière, rédemption et damnation, que ressuscite Catherine Hermary-Vieille avec la rigueur historique d'une biographe et le talent sensuel d'une romancière, dans la lignée des Rois maudits de Maurice Druon. Le Crépuscule des rois comprend : La Rose d'Anjou, Les Reines de Cœur

Tome II:

Figures romanesques, passionnées, solitaires et tragiques, quatre reines - Margaret, Mary, Catherine et Anne - évoluent autour du roi Henry VIII, personnage autoritaire, sensuel, tyrannique et flamboyant. Margaret, sa sœur aînée, devient, à quatorze ans, reine d'Ecosse, tandis que Mary, sa cadette, épouse à dix-neuf ans un Louis XII vieillissant qui la fait reine de France. Longtemps, Catherine d'Aragon lutte pied à pied pour ne pas se laisser balayer par la passion qui saisit son mari Henry VIII pour l'intelligente, l'ambitieuse, la trop séduisante Anne Boleyn. Quatre femmes, quatre destins aux antipodes les uns des autres, mais qui ont en commun une lutte obstinée pour aimer et être aimées, connaître le bonheur, objectif fascinant et fuyant. Ces reines de cœur sont les emblèmes d'une Renaissance qui transforme l'Europe politiquement et artistiquement, et qui ouvre aux femmes les portes du pouvoir dont leurs filles et petites-filles vont s'emparer pour le meilleur comme pour le pire.

Tome III:

Peut-on imaginer histoire plus riche en rebondissements et en violences que celle du règne de Henry VIII ? La Renaissance est à son apogée. Aux côtés de François Ie et de Charles Quint, le roi d'Angleterre fait et défait les alliances dans une Europe ensanglantée par les guerres de Religion, où fleurissent pourtant les arts et les lettres. Brillant, cruel, cynique, jouisseur, Henry est un amateur de femmes. Il en aura six, qu'il aimera, répudiera ou supprimera au gré de ses envies, obsédé par le souci d'assurer au trône une descendance. De l'austère Catherine d'Aragon à la troublante Anne Boleyn, de la fragile Jane Seymour à la légère Katherine Howard, ces " lionnes d'Angleterre " vont se livrer une lutte sans merci pour régner sur le cour du souverain et lui offrir l'héritier mâle qui leur donnerait enfin pouvoir et reconnaissance. Des fastes de la cour au pied de l'échafaud, Catherine Hermary-Vieille évoque avec un rare talent les vies brèves ou brisées des " reines maudites " du Crépuscule des rois, insufflant à l'Histoire un grand vent de liberté romanesque.

J'ai lu il y a quelques mois cette passionnante trilogie sur les Tudors

Superbement écrit et très bien documenté, le premier tome raconte la guerre des deux roses.La rencontre d'Elizabeth Woodville avec Edward IV...en comparaison avec "The White queen" de Philippa Gregory,On en apprend bien plus sur Marguerite d'Anjou,Margaret Beaufort et Anne Neville

L'histoire est raconté du point de vue de plusieurs personnages et il n'est pas question de juger ici telle ou telle personne , j'ai aimé son point de vue sur le meurtre des deux jeunes princes dans la tour

le second tome un peu plus long raconte le début de règne d'Henry VII et l'enfance d'Henry VIII,le mariage d'Arthur et Katherine d'Aragon,le mariage de Mary avec Charles Brandon après son court règne en France,et la vie amoureuse tumultueuse de Margaret.

le troisième tome est trop court à mon goût,trop court pour raconter la vie d'Henry VIII et de ses six reines,cela aurait mérite un troisième tome pour en savoir plus sur le règne de Mary,Edward VI et Elizabeth I 

Note: 5/5

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Hermary-Vieille

The lady in the tower by Alison Weir

The imprisonment and execution of Queen Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, in May 1536 was unprecedented in English history. It was sensational in its day, and has exerted endless fascination over the minds of historians, novelists, dramatists, poets, artists and film-makers ever since.

Anne was imprisoned in the Tower of London on 2 May 1536, and tried and found guilty of high treason on 15 May. Her supposed crimes included adultery with five men, one her own brother, and plotting the King's death.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances leading up to her arrest. Was it Henry VIII who, estranged from Anne, instructed Master Secretary Thomas Cromwell to fabricate evidence to get rid of her so that he could marry Jane Seymour? Or did Cromwell, for reasons of his own, construct a case against Anne and her faction, and then present compelling evidence before the King? Or was Anne, in fact, guilty as charged?

Never before has there been a book devoted entirely to Anne Boleyn's fall. Alison Weir has reassessed the evidence, demolished many romantic myths and popular misconceptions, and rewritten the story of Anne's fall, creating a richly researched and impressively detailed portrait of the dramatic last days of one of the most influential and important figures in English history

 non-fiction book,an intimate view of Anne Boleyn's final days 

Great job as usual by Alison Weir

rating:5/5

http://alisonweir.org.uk/books/bookpages/lady-in-the-tower.asp