Katherine

An exceptional classic of historical fiction!

First published in 1954, the KATHERINE of the title is Katherine de Roet Swynford (1349-1403), one-time household governess, then mistress, and later third wife of John of Gaunt (1340-1399), 1st Duke of Lancaster. And a fascinating woman in her own right. Her chief claim to fame is that their descendants founded the ever-popular House of Tudor. She's also happens to be the sister-in-law of Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400), author of THE CANTERBURY TALES.

When I first read this book many years ago, I knew little of English history during this time period. But I found the story and especially the character of Katherine so compelling that it launched an entirely new fascination. So much so that show more I've now read dozens of books about assorted members of the House of Plantagenet, and its offshoots, the York and Lancaster rivals.

In a quirky piece of historical irony, John of Gaunt's son and heir by his first wife, Henry Bolingbroke, later King Henry IV (1367-1413) was instrumental in starting the Wars of the Roses (1455-87), whereas his great, great grandson, Henry Tudor (1457-1509 - aka King Henry VII) is credited with ending those wars.

The book is considered a well-researched historical romance for its time period (when far fewer resources were readily available) and is just one of the dozen well-received novels American author Anya Seton (1904-1990) wrote. Several of which were made into movies. For me, this was a true page-turner.

It's a shame Seton is not more widely known today because for me, she is one of the best historical novelists I've come across. She made Katherine, John of Gaunt, their romance, AND complex histories -- all come alive. I actually became extremely invested in whether their Beaufort descendants should be considered legitimate. (Read the book to find out more!) Clearly this is one of those works of historical fiction that has stayed with me over decades. show less

It is important to say up front that I am a sucker for good historical fiction. I like knowing that these people existed, that these events are part of the human record, that no one can know what these people actually thought or felt, but that this is one possible scenario that fits all the historical information. What is sure is that some things about people do not change with the exchange of horses for automobiles and kings for ego-driven politicians and that it is our ability to find common grounds in our feelings that make us relate to history so viscerally.

Having laid my prejudice for this genre on the table, I wish to say Anya Seton excels at what she does. I was completely invested in Katherine and John of Gaunt as historical show more characters and as individual people. It took quite a lot to survive in the sphere of the royal house in the 1300s and it is fascinating that these two persons so far down in the line of succession would be the grandfather and grandmother of a bevy of future kings and queens, including the Tutors.

It has been a long time since I have stayed up until 2:00 in the morning because I could not wait until the next day to finish a novel. I could not bear to leave John and Katherine hanging on the edge of finishing their story. I didn’t want to break the flow of the narrative and when I was done I was not ready to let go of these characters at all. I hope the real Katherine Swynford was half as strong and resilient as this novel heroine; I hope John was as handsome and charming and torn as this John. I hope they did experience a love that transcended common understanding. They broke the rules of their time. He lifted her to his station. There was a reason for that, that only a great love could explain. We all have heartbreak and tragedy, but not all of us have a love that makes that tragedy a footnote.

I have marked all Seton’s novels to read. I hope I enjoy them all this much. show less

Marvellous book. One of those I almost wanted to start again as soon as I'd finished. Historical fiction exactly as it should be, takes real events and adds flesh to the bare facts (without bending history too much) to make an enthralling tale. It helps that this is one of the rare romantic happenings in English history and that John of Gaunt is a fascinating character even before he's been fleshed out and made man (a terribly attractive man he is too). I devoured most of this in two sittings - and it was about 10000 times better than the housework I should have been doing!

The Katherine of the title is Katherine Swynford (1350-1403), an important figure in English history as she is the ancestress of many royal figures, and also, incidentally, sister-in-law to Geoffrey Chaucer, who married her sister Philippa. There are few known facts about what kind of woman Katherine was, which gave Seton plenty of leeway to turn her into a beautiful, strong-willed woman. Married off at a young age to a knight she actively disliked, she nonetheless caught the eye of John of Gaunt, of the House of Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Lancaster, the third son of King Edward III. They were lovers over a great number of years and had 4 bastard children, named Beaufort, and eventually married in 1396, three years before the passing of show more the duke. While their relationship is at the heart of the story, it is much more than a romance novel, as Seton does a wonderful job of bringing the 14th century vividly to life with rich detail, and putting the story firmly in the context of important historical events. Strongly recommended for fans of historical fiction. I listened to the audio version which is very well narrated by Wanda McCaddon, aka Nadia May. show less

“I only know that from wherever it is that we're going there can be no turning back.”

It is absolutely astounding to me that this hasn’t been made into a mini-series yet. It’s a fact that because of Katherine and her illegitimate children, the House of York (and Henry VII) and the Tudors and the Stuarts are not only all Plantagenets but Lancasters as well. So much for the fall of the house of Lancaster!

But for those of you who haven’t come for a summary of Who Dated Who: 1366, you’ll be pleased to hear that this novel is the most romantic biographical story I’ve ever read. It goes beyond the Bildungsroman, carrying us into Katherine’s late life, her time apart from her love and briefly touches on everyone she knew and show more encountered. If you’re a fan of historical fiction (romantic or otherwise) this is such a great book to read.

It’s only show of being dated is the (wonderfully) chaste descriptions of Katherine’s young passion and consequently of her (what else can you call it?) rape. The other is the dancing around of Richard II’s rumored homosexuality. All other rumors are given life, and considering how close she came to this infamous king... but it’s not important enough to the story in the end.

A little tedious was when the Young Katherine is looked upon with desire by every man she comes across, they all lust for her, in a mild way, and see the purity and innocence in her appearance. It is finally trumped when she meets a man, one whom many would scorn and shun for his appearance, that she knows what it is to be looked at with love by a man who does not desire her. In this same segment, where we meet Lady Julian, a woman who, like St. Hildegard von Bingen was, has not been officially canonized, but is still venerated as a saint. The religious aspects of this novel are well placed and wrought with care for the rest of the novel. As important as religion was then, and how pervasive it was, it cannot be for nought that Katherine’s growth happens with the aid of priests and monks, saints and nuns. Equally so for the revolts of the Lollards and the heretics; the demands of an unruly bourgeois who despise the wanton greed of the bishops and cardinals; this was also the time of the schism of the church, where there were two popes in the world.

Phillipa Gregory (famously the author of several novels about the medieval british royals) gives this book a very pointed introduction on the differences of romance fiction and historical fiction. While this book bears a resemblance to the stories of Tristan and Iseult, Arthur and Guinevere, her point is valid, Katherine’s life, while not shaping landscapes directly, mostly of childrearing and observation, did have a marked impact on British history. She’s often strongly admonished in the classic history texts, her role as paramour and later the First Lady of England, has her brandished as an interloper as notorious as Alice Perrers.

These contrasts of intent, greed versus love, and marriage versus love, are common to historical as well as medieval contemporary stories that explore a world obsessed with true love and empires built by men. The violence that intersperses the sanity and the abandon that pierces through the pious times without plague frame the troubles of Katherine’s life, even this fictionalized account of it. She lives long and sees much, and enjoys the width and breadth of what her world had to offer, even as unhappy as some of it was. I know that much of Katherine’s life is unknown, but there is something very noble about this woman nonetheless, her life is important, even if we don’t know the half of it.

Kudos to Geoffrey Chaucer, by the way, for writing absolutely nothing about his sister-in-law.

I can't believe I haven't said anything about the fantastic narration! Looking over lines of passages from the book, it sounds so much more classical and stodgy than it did when read by the lovely and talented Wanda McCaddon. She's apparently narrated a couple other classics, historicals and romances: I'm on it!

500pp. Fawcett Crest Books. 1954.
23:43. Tantor Media. 25 Mar. 2011. show less

The incredible love story of Katherine Swynford and John of Gault—ancestors to the Tudor dynasty and the Stuarts. Spanning much of the 14th century, we see Katherine develop from an innocent young girl raised in a convent into a strong and wise woman. Anya Seton writes in such a vividly descriptive style with such well-rounded “characters” that I felt transported to Medieval England. I felt Katherine’s awe upon coming to court, her anguish at her lack of control over so much of her own destiny and her love for an unobtainable man. And, it's so much more than a romance. Intertwined in this beautiful love story are many rich details of 14th century life--for both peasants and royals, including events like the Black Death, and the show more Peasant's Revolt. I listened to this on audio, Wanda McCaddon's narration is a beautiful complement to this wonderful work. show less

At its most basic, Katherine is the story of the love between Katherine Swynford, the widow of a relatively obscure knight, and John of Gaunt, one of the most powerful men in England. The novel follows Katherine through her young womanhood, her marriage to the oafish Sir Hugh Swynford, and her affair with John of Gaunt, which lasted for many years. Ultimately, Katherine grows from an innocent young girl to a royal mistress; but when multiple tragedies threaten her happiness, she must finally face the consequences of her decisions and discover how to rebuild her life.

While primarily a love story, the novel also shows a slice of history as it portrays the political, religious, and cultural concerns of fourteenth-century England. Seton show more does an amazing job of weaving the various threads together while remaining historically accurate: for example, Katherine's brother-in-law was Geoffrey Chaucer, who appears as a sympathetic but detached presence in Katherine's life. Seton also handles the intricate political machinations of the time very well, as she explores them through Katherine's eyes: the Peasants' Revolt, the preaching of John Wyclif, Richard II's ascent to the throne, and the wars with France and Spain, to name a few.

Since I'm very interested in medieval English history, I enjoyed the historical detail that Seton provided, but it often slowed the progress of Katherine's story. Though I liked the book, it took me a long time to read; the story is so epic that it took a lot of effort to overcome my inertia and open the book again! I think fans of Sharon Kay Penman would enjoy this novel. I'm glad I finally took the time to read it, and I'd say it was a worthwhile purchase, but now I'm turning to something a bit lighter! show less