I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle
Published by Simon and Schuster
Publication Date July 8, 2014
Source: Netgalley
Genres: Historical Fiction
Goodreads
Early in Mary Tudor’s turbulent reign, Lady Catherine and Lady Mary Grey are reeling after the brutal execution of their elder seventeen-year-old sister, Lady Jane Grey, and the succession is by no means stable.
Neither sister is well suited to a dangerous life at court. Flirtatious Lady Catherine, thought to be the true heir, cannot control her compulsion to love and be loved. Her sister, clever Lady Mary, has a crooked spine and a tiny stature in an age when physical perfection equates to goodness -- and both girls have inherited the Tudor blood that is more curse than blessing. For either girl to marry without royal permission would be a potentially fatal political act. It is the royal portrait painter, Levina Teerlinc, who helps the girls survive these troubled times. She becomes their mentor and confidante.
But when the Queen’s sister, the hot-headed Elizabeth, inherits the crown, life at court becomes increasingly treacherous for the surviving Grey sisters. Ultimately each young woman must decide how far she will go to defy her Queen, risk her life, and find the safety and love she longs for.
Fond Of
- The opening scene of Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Freemantle with caught my attention. Jane Grey at the block held me in suspense despite knowing the outcome. It set a firm tone to the novel.
- Like Queen’s Gambit, Sisters of Treason was visually stunning. Icould clearly see the story that was playing out.
- The Sisters in question were well-built and instantly felt for them. I particularly liked Mary, she was the tortoise of the childhood fable that everyone just has to route for. Catherine, on the other hand, is the hare, hurrying to advance without thought to consequences and gets lost in the excitement.
- The Queen is a nasty piece of work. A royal I liked to dislike. She kept you on the edge of your toes. However, just when you thought she would grow a heart she twists the knife in deeper and puts salt in your wounds.
Not Fond Of
- There was a little more than just Sisterly Love going on between Jane Seymour and Catherine Grey. I felt it was unnecessary and irrelevant to the plot.
- Catherine’s time in the tower dragged and became a bit repetitive. While it was an “oh no” time in the book one can only pace around a room so many times.
- Levina, while like the rest of this cast of characters is well-developed. Although, I thought she distracted from the Grey’s story as they were the ones I was most interested in.
Final Thoughts
Sisters of Treason was a well thought out, plotted book with fantastic pacing. It is another great read from Elizabeth Fremantle. It is a must for fans of the Tudor era.
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