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A review by donnaadouglas
Katherine by Anya Seton
3.0
'Katherine', based on a true story, follows thw romance between Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and son of Edward III of England. The story begins when Katherine first enters court and bewitches Hugh Swynford, the knight who becomes her first husband, through to her eventual second marriage to John of Gaunt (after her first husband's death, many years of adultery and four bastard offspring).
The book itself is quite long, unnecessarily so, I believe, as within it there's not much action. It's not entirely boring - as a historical romance it's fine - but it's too much icing and not enough dough, too passive for me. It focuses too much on the romance, putting some of the - very interesting - historical events of the time on the sidelines. Not a lot of substance, but too long for a 'holiday read'. Take it or leave it.
The book itself is quite long, unnecessarily so, I believe, as within it there's not much action. It's not entirely boring - as a historical romance it's fine - but it's too much icing and not enough dough, too passive for me. It focuses too much on the romance, putting some of the - very interesting - historical events of the time on the sidelines. Not a lot of substance, but too long for a 'holiday read'. Take it or leave it.