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The Agincourt Bride

de Joanna Hickson

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Séries: Catherine de Valois (1)

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15813171,636 (3.58)2
The best-selling novel about the queen who founded the Tudor dynasty. 'A bewitching first novel...alive with historical detail' Good Housekeeping. Her beauty fuelled a war. Her courage captured a king. Her passion would launch the Tudor dynasty. When her own first child is tragically still-born, the young Mette is pressed into service as a wet-nurse at the court of the mad king, Charles VI of France. Her young charge is the princess, Catherine de Valois, caught up in the turbulence and chaos of life at court. Mette and the child forge a bond, one that transcends Mette's lowly position. But as Catherine approaches womanhood, her unique position seals her fate as a pawn between two powerful dynasties. Her brother, The Dauphin and the dark and sinister, Duke of Burgundy will both use Catherine to further the cause of France. Catherine is powerless to stop them, but with the French defeat at the Battle of Agincourt, the tables turn and suddenly her currency has never been higher. But can Mette protect Catherine from forces at court who seek to harm her or will her loyalty to Catherine place her in even greater danger? t, the tables turn and suddenly her currency has never been higher. But can Mette protect Catherine from forces at court who seek to harm her or will her loyalty to Catherine place her in even greater danger?… (mais)
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Mostrando 1-5 de 13 (seguinte | mostrar todas)
This book has several advantages over other historical fiction novels covering the same period: it is told from that of the wet nurse of Princess Catherine of France, and that much of the "action" is held "off screen" where the future of Mette - and Catherine - is in the hands of others.

Mette, 14 years old and already the new mother of a stillborn baby, is requisitioned to be the wet nurse to the newborn Princess Catherine, daughter of the mad King Charles of France, who fears that since he is made of glass he will shatter at any moment. Her involvement with the royal family comes and goes, dependant on the moods of Catherine, the Queen, and the Queen's lover the Duke of Burgundy. The royal children suffer the vagaries of political machinations, where they are seen purely as pawns to aid power, and are rarely the recipients of parental or familial love.

Over the following 18 years, Mette becomes more useful to Catherine, and ends up being the Mistress of the Wardrobe. From her standpoint Mette sees the effect Burgundy has on Catherine, and what the political manoeuvring with regards to offering her hand in marriage to King Henry V of England. Henry's reputation preceeds him significantly within the book, and it is second or even third hand that rumour and gossip comes through to Catherine's group.

This book is clearly the start of a series and deals with the machinations leading up to a political marriage - Henry V appears as a specific character late in the narrative, Owen Tudor is a passing (though named) character in the last few chapters who, if you didn't know your history, would make you wonder why the author was labouring so much over a Welsh bowman.

Some characters are, by necessity perhaps, a little two dimensional. This is a story of Mette and her relationship with the future Queen of England. So the character development of Mette's son Luc (hound master to the exiled Prince Charles), daughter Alys (seamstress to Princess Catherine) and Son In Law (Alys's lover who gets her pregnant before they get married) are rather unfulfilled.

This is a nice take on a frequently raised story, decently executed and set up decently for the following books in the series
  nordie | Oct 14, 2023 |
I liked this book. I curled up in bed and read it one evening until I was tired, and then the following morning until it was finished. That’s a pretty good recommendation for a book, since it’s the first that I’ve read like that in a while. The book was weak in plot. If I was the editor, I’d have sat down and asked why a couple of scenes were in there, what was their purpose, and I would have queried who the protagonist was supposed to be. Maybe that’s my paranoia about the weaknesses of my own book speaking. ( )
  KittyCatrinCat | Aug 29, 2021 |
I'm not certain why more novels about the life of Catherine de Valois aren't in existence, but they should be. Few medieval queens lived such an adventurous or romantic life as Catherine, a French princess who married Henry V of England following the battle of Agincourt and then later wed Owen Tudor (becoming grandmother to the famous Tudor dynasty). This novel, told from the perspective of Catherine's nurse, covers the first half of her life and takes place entirely in France. It's a story rich for a novelist - there are mad kings, epic battles, nefarious dukes, scheming queens, fallen castles, and hints of romance. At times, I felt the novel was constrained by the limited perspective of the narrator (Catherine's nurse, then attendant), but overall I loved it and I hope to read the follow-up book (The Tudor Bride) shortly. ( )
  wagner.sarah35 | Apr 30, 2021 |
I actually read the two part series in reverse but I loved both books. I couldn't put it down and finished it in 3 days. A must read for any historical fiction fan! Definitely a fan of the author as well. ( )
  ChrisCaz | Feb 23, 2021 |

I got my copy as one of the firstreads winners and am glad to post this review.

Joanna Hickson’s Catherine de Valois in the Agincourt Bride, is a valiant attempt to break into a genre dominated by the likes of Phillipa Gregory.

Although a great debut, the Agincourt Bride falls short of the punch, characteristic of a Gregory novel. But then, it is unfair to be harsh on Hickson for the beginning of the novel pulls you right in. Told through the eyes of the nursemaid and confidante Guillaumette, it introduces the birth and traces the life of Catherine de Valois of France, during her tough childhood and the court intrigue surrounding her youth as the daughter of a manipulative, corrupt queen and a mad king.

The crucial thing with such peripheral characters such as the nursemaid telling the story is that they must always be in the sidelines, keeping the limelight on the main characters. Hickson’s Catherine though is projected as the beautiful, strong willed character, fails to match up to Guillaumette (called “Mette”) who often ends up being more stoic and better character of the two.

Phillipa Gregory’s "King’s fool" also had a similar character, a courtier who bears eyewitness to the power struggles between Elizabeth and Mary and often suffers the consequences of being in that unique position. Yet she never becomes the focus of the story which unfortunately is not the case with Mette.

The pace too tends to dry up in places, making it a chore to plough through. But then giving credit where it is due, Hickson's effective use of the epistolary device offers a new dimension to the story.The letters revealing Catherine’s most private emotions in her letters to her brother Charles, the heir to the throne of France, furthers the plot while offering insight into the character. That along with Mette’s perspective offers some great moments in the novel, albeit in parts.

What works for the Agincourt Bride:
A great start. Mette’s self introduction is very engaging and hooks the reader
Hickson’s idea to choose Catherine de Valois, an interesting character with a lot of potential
The epistolary device

What doesn’t:
The strong introduction fails to sustain interest
Writing tends to drag in places
The peripheral character ends up overshadowing the main character

Having said this, this debut novel holds a lot of promise and it is not easy to tackle such a subject especially for a first time author. Also, the book offers an extract to its sequel, which continues Catherine’s journey to England as the Queen where she founds the Tudor dynasty. Hope the story which has started on a bit of a shaky ground will come into its own in the second book.


A great attempt as a debut novel. Go for it but don’t expect it to be a White Queen or Red Queen and you won’t be disappointed. ( )
  ashkrishwrites | Aug 29, 2018 |
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Nome do autorFunçãoTipo de autorObra?Status
Hickson, Joannaautor principaltodas as ediçõesconfirmado
Harvey, CatherineNarradorautor secundárioalgumas ediçõesconfirmado

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The best-selling novel about the queen who founded the Tudor dynasty. 'A bewitching first novel...alive with historical detail' Good Housekeeping. Her beauty fuelled a war. Her courage captured a king. Her passion would launch the Tudor dynasty. When her own first child is tragically still-born, the young Mette is pressed into service as a wet-nurse at the court of the mad king, Charles VI of France. Her young charge is the princess, Catherine de Valois, caught up in the turbulence and chaos of life at court. Mette and the child forge a bond, one that transcends Mette's lowly position. But as Catherine approaches womanhood, her unique position seals her fate as a pawn between two powerful dynasties. Her brother, The Dauphin and the dark and sinister, Duke of Burgundy will both use Catherine to further the cause of France. Catherine is powerless to stop them, but with the French defeat at the Battle of Agincourt, the tables turn and suddenly her currency has never been higher. But can Mette protect Catherine from forces at court who seek to harm her or will her loyalty to Catherine place her in even greater danger? t, the tables turn and suddenly her currency has never been higher. But can Mette protect Catherine from forces at court who seek to harm her or will her loyalty to Catherine place her in even greater danger?

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