The King's Curse
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3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher
The King's Curse
Buy Now for £19.83
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Narrated by:
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Bianca Amato
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By:
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Philippa Gregory
'Margaret's story is shocking, deeply moving… the depiction of Henry VIII's transformation from indulged golden boy to sinister tyrant is perfect pitched' Sunday Express
They trust her to watch the House of Tudor rise… Only she knows it will fall.
Heir to the Plantagenets, Margaret Pole, is a rival claimant to the Tudor throne. Buried in marriage to a loyal Tudor supporter, she becomes guardian to Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon.
But her destiny is not for a life in the shadows. Tragedy throws Margaret into poverty, yet the king's death restores her to a place at young Henry VIII's court, as a lady in waiting to Queen Katherine.
As the Tudor court sours, Margaret has to choose between her allegiance to the increasingly tyrannical King Henry, or to her friend, his abandoned queen. And Margaret is hiding a deadly secret… that a curse was cast on the Tudor line, and she is watching it come to pass.
Praise for Philippa Gregory:
‘Meticulously researched and deeply entertaining, this story of betrayal and divided loyalties is Gregory on top form’ Good Housekeeping
‘Gregory has popularised Tudor history perhaps more than any other living fiction writer… all of her books feature strong, complex women, doing their best to improve their lives in worlds dominated by men’ Sunday Times
‘Engrossing’ Sunday Express
‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ The Times
Continue the series
Critic reviews
'Without a doubt, Gregory has made another powerful addition to the genre (so much so that I hesitate to even call it historical fiction). This historian’s extensive knowledge of the English monarchy truly brings this famous story to life' The Sun News (Myrtle Beach)
'An excellent addition to the Tudor royalty genre, not only for its unique perspective, but also the easy flow of the narrative and the intriguing complexities of characters’ personalities' Historical Novel Society
What did you like most about The King's Curse?
Great story, despite the author's penchant for needless superlatives and "oh"s every so often, it's always fascinating to imagine the narrator's viewpoint and I forgive Philippa Gregory because she is foremost an historian!What aspect of Bianca Amato’s performance might you have changed?
Oh please somebody school Bianca Amato in English pronunciations! Mispronouncing things like "Berkshire" is pretty unforgiveable. Also no-one in England says "orf" anymore, not since my grandmother died. Just consult a native. FYI other mis-pronunciations include Magdalen College, and Chapuys (amongst many more). Sorry, pet hate :)Irritating if you're english!
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It did annoy me that Bianca Amato pronounced Berkshire in the American way but apart from that she is an excellent reader. She was Margaret!
Excellent story
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Would you consider the audio edition of The King's Curse to be better than the print version?
Actually (to my surprise as a book lover) yes, due to the ending...which I didn't know before and won't spoil. Essentially, the narration allowed the listener to keep completely in the moment with the character, unaware of the impending end to the book..What other book might you compare The King's Curse to, and why?
It's like any of the other books in this series... It's just a little longer although the character we follow reached a fair old age (at the time) so the length of her story merely reflects that.Which scene did you most enjoy?
That's really difficult... Probably the end as it has such an impact but maybe when Margaret leaves Reginald with the monks at Sheene...Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Oh yes... Thankfully (sort of) ive been ill so was able to listen in big chunks...although I'm not sure anyone could do the whole thing in one sitting..purely timewise.Any additional comments?
Thoroughly enjoyed the narration...Although from the start I found the accent a little strange, you soon get used to it and Bianca Amato is so passionate and truthful with her reading, by about half way through, she has completely embodied the character, her thoughts and feelings... so much so, that it quickly becomes tricky to separate the book, the history, Margaret and her voice...
Thank you PhilIppa Gregory and Bianca Amato - fantastic work.
A solidly good book and performance.
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Would you listen to The King's Curse again? Why?
The characters are interesting and I like the mix of fact and fictionWhat did you like best about this story?
I found the outlining of the characters and their desperate fight for survival in such unpredictable and dangerous times makes an excellent storylineHave you listened to any of Bianca Amato’s other performances? How does this one compare?
N/ADid you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
neither but it did make me grateful I do not live in Henry's court !Interesting mix of fact and fiction
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If you could sum up The King's Curse in three words, what would they be?
Interesting, enlightening and perceptive.What other book might you compare The King's Curse to, and why?
I'm tempted to compare it to "Wolf Hall". Although the writing styles are different, both books chart Henry viii's rapid decline from golden king to ruthless paranoid dictator.Which scene did you most enjoy?
Margaret Pole's description of Cromwell, "a stocky man", fighting with guards as he attempts to resist arrest.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Yes, the final moments when Margaret pole is on the scaffold; until that last secon, I'd hoped there would be a repreve.Any additional comments?
I downloaded this book not expecting very much, as I thought it would be about yet another strong woman who was reduced to windging. I'm glad to say however, that I was proved wrong. Like all the other novels in the Cousins' War series, "The King's CURSE is written in the first person. Events are seen through the eyes of Margaret Pole, who is the last surviving member of the Plantagenet dinasty. Although she is an unreliable narrator, it is clear to see that Margaret Pole is not merely fanatical, but a woman forced to use her wits in order to survive in a world where everyone seems to be expendeble.The Best Of The Series.
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