The story of a young French Princess, Catherine de Valois, and her marriage to the conqueror of her country (Henry V of England), Blood Royal by Vanora Bennett delves into the question of how such a young girl--subject to so much tragedy and upheaval--managed to eventually make her life her own. The novel also deals with Catherine's lifelong friendship and romance with Welshman Owain Tudor (yes, those Tudors) and her attempts to protect herself and her son from the grasping and scheming going on around her.
I'm a fan of interesting historical novels like The Other Boleyn Girl (and Bennett's own Queen of Silks), mostly because I like to imagine the people behind the historical figures and their motivations. Admittedly, I didn't know much about Catherine prior to reading this novel and before I even finished it I was busily researching her to find out which parts of Bennett's story were historical fact. Funny how sometimes the truth is so much more fanciful than fiction. If you like historical fiction and some romance then this is a good one.
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I'd also like to wish my baby sister (who is not much of a baby anymore) a very, very Happy Birthday! Love you E!
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