Rate this book

The Pleasure Palace (2009)

by Kate Emerson(Favorite Author)

3.66 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1416583203 (ISBN13: 9781416583202)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Pocket

series

Secrets of the Tudor Court

review 1: This is the first book in the Secrets of the Tudor Court series. Jane arrives at the Tudor court from France with her mother as a young child. She grows up with and tutors the royal children, and when her mother dies unexpectedly, becomes a ward of the royal court. As she grows older, she is a member of the new king’s court (Henry VIII). When she starts a romance with a married French prisoner, King Henry takes advantage of her position by recruiting her as a spy. Jane is torn between her love and her loyalty and also begins to question the reason’s for her mother’s escape from France and her mysterious death. Her path leads her into danger and she must find a way to survive the intrigues that surround her. This is based on the historical figure, Jane Popyncourt, a w... moreoman with a scant history of record. The author does a nice job in incorporating actual historical events into this historical fiction.
review 2: This is an easy read for a complex and often ornate period, the period just before the big schism. 1498 begin is within the reign of Henvy VII. And the story moves onwards- through the decades thereafter, intersecting the reigns of various European royal houses as seen by a Lady in Waiting at the English Royal Court. It is NOT a 4 star in the sense of a Hilary Mantel. Do not expect that at all. But it is a 4 star for what it does. And does well. Which is to give you the base background and life of a female noble who is basically a servant to a Royal Court. And who lives and moves and flourishes, or does NOT, upon any aspect of change or pleasing or health condition, you name it, relating to the most important Royal served.The romance is treated as a secondary, which in reality, it was. And for me the royal girls and the young Harry who will be VIII, made the book. They are characterized quite well here. You rarely hear about the child Harry, or the teen-ager Harry. And this one nailed him. Beyond the descriptions of courts, mores, relationships- that formality and economics of power- all of that, making out the Harry psyche for what it was, and from day one! Good job. And in simplistic easy read basics brand English too. You do not have to be an historical scholar to get the "hoops" game, for instance. If he doesn't win, he will change the rules. Or call the others cheaters. less

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