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The Crown Joanna Stafford series Nancy Bilyeau Books

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The Crown Joanna Stafford series Nancy Bilyeau Books

Tudor novels have driven me away because of the trite retellings of a very well known story, often including totally far fetched theories and unlikely romances.

The Crown is told from the unusual viewpoint of a nun, Joanna Stafford, who has court connections, but is trying save both her father and her convent from destruction. Her enemies re powerful, her friends not.

Despite the potential for melodrama, Bilyeau steers clear of cliché and writes beautifully of Joanna's struggles. This is a wonderful book, and although there is a certain amount of religious talk, it is not preaching but a way of understanding the characters.

The author provides a lengthy bibloiography, evidently she did a tremendous amount of research. Well worth, I highly recommend this book.


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The Crown Joanna Stafford series Nancy Bilyeau Books Reviews

I really loved this book. I started it during a busy week and kept longing to get back to it. I don't want to say too much and give away any of the plot--which had twists that took me by surprise. One review calls this a cross between The Other Boleyn Girl and The Da Vinci Code. I'd say that was spot on. If you like Tudor novels and mysteries, this is the book for you.
Joanna Stafford forsook the life of a noblewoman that was her birthright as a niece to the Duke of Buckingham for a life of seclusion and spirituality as a Dominican novice at the famed Dartford Priory. These are turbulent times in which to dedicated oneself to the service of the Catholic Church, as ever since Henry VIII obtained the dissolution of his marriage from Katherine of Aragon, the monasteries and priories so beloved by that queen and her supporters have found themselves under attack. All are threatened with dissolution at best, torture and a martyr's death at worst for not bowing to Henry's edict demanding they swear an Oath of Supremacy, binding them to the king first and foremost and ceding to the authority of the new Church of England. But safely ensconced within Dartford's walls, Joanna paid little heed to the tumult of religious politics consuming the outside world, until she receives news she cannot ignore - her beloved cousin has been sentenced to death. Lady Margaret Bulmer may pay with her life for opposing the dissolution of the monasteries and priories, but Johanna determines she will not die alone, and defying the rules of enclosure embarks on a dangerous journey to Margaret's appointed place of execution.

But the day of Margaret's death nothing goes as planned. When Johanna's father attempts to interfere with the execution, both he and Johanna are arrested and thrown into the infamous Tower of London on suspicion of treason. While incarcerated within the Tower's formidable walls, Johanna finds herself the unwilling pawn of the ruthless Bishop of Winchester, Stephen Gardiner. He arranges for Johanna's release, on one condition -she is tasked with finding the legendary crown of Athelstan, the first king of a united Britain, whose crown is rumored to possess incredible and dangerous powers. The crown is rumored to be hidden at Dartford, and only when it is safely in Gardiner's possession will her father be released. And so Johanna returns to the priory under a cloud of suspicion and mistrust, her sacred home, once a refuge, now heavy with the portent of faceless dangers. For while her father's life hangs in the balance, Johanna is faced with an equally graver choice -- can one who sought the peace of a religious life survive the treacherous machinations of court? And more importantly, can her faith survive the trials and discoveries her search for the crown requires?

People, THIS BOOK. The Crown is a fresh, utterly captivating glimpse into Tudor England through the eyes of those faithful to the old ways, those who fought to preserve a way of life threatened by the politics of lust and power. Its a rare thing to discover a debut so absorbing and masterfully executed -- a pitch-perfect historical that reads like a tautly-plotted thriller. The intrigue of Henry's court has provided endless fodder for fictional retellings, from the television show The Tudors, numerous films, and countless novels examining the lives of Henry and his wives. Bilyeau smartly sets her debut outside the court proper -- its influence is felt, but The Crown stands apart by showcasing the ripple effect of Henry's policies on those who sought to live their lives and faith outside the court-proscribed norm.

The Crown is positively saturated with the history of faith. Through the characters of Johanna and those who join her in her bid to preserve a vanishing way of life, The Crown is one of the most stirring, well-drawn portraits of faith that I've ever read. This is an emotionally-charged, vibrantly-detailed picture of faith under fire, both personally and corporately, never shying from its oft-times brutally honest examination of the nature and cost of belief, doubt, and sacrifice. While persecution between groups of people, be it over religious, ethnic, or political differences, is as old as mankind itself, here I was particularly struck by the tragedy of the conflict between Catholic and Protestant. Both claiming belief in the same God and His Son, and each side in turn guilty of horrors in the name of advancing their faith.

Joanna is a wonderfully compelling, multi-faceted heroine. A fiery mix of faith, devotion, and a fierce loyalty and temper, the latter often putting her at odds with the lifestyle to which she aspires. In a world where women were confined to strictly proscribed roles, Joanna is a woman wholly of her time, yet determined to be her own woman, above all striving to be true to herself, her faith, and her God. Bilyeau's cast of supporting players are equally well-sketched -- and let me just say, I cannot wait to see what Bilyeau has planned for Joanna's relationships with the angst-ridden healer, Brother Edmund, and the DELICIOUS constable, Geoffrey Scovill. )

The Crown is an expertly-plotted, page-turning thriller replete with a wealth of historical detail and atmosphere, bringing the sixteenth-century to life. Bilyeau peppers the narrative with fascinating detail, everything from feast preparations to medical treatments for seizures. Given Joanna's status as a novice, Bilyeau deftly recreates the world of the priory, the beliefs and traditions that form the bedrock of Joanna's character. And the history of relics -- particularly the Athelstan crown -- the reverence with which they were viewed and shadowy legends that grew up surrounding their history. With her stunning debut Bilyeau has delivered a heady, unforgettable mix of fact and fiction. An author to watch, I cannot wait to see where she takes Joanna next!
Joanna Stafford is a novice at a Dominican convent when her cousin, her only friend from childhood, is set to burn after her role in Pilgrimage of Grace. Breaking all the rules, Joanna goes to the burning so that her cousin sees a friendly face and maybe to bury her. Instead, Joanna is arrested along with a nice constable and her father who ran gunpowder to the fire. This gets her sent to the tower as a possible rebel which puts her in the net of some powerful relatives who have no use for her antics. Bishop Gardiner sends her back with a quest for a mythic crown that is supposed to be hidden in the convent. Cromwell wants it as well. Intrigue and nasty secrets abound. Excited for the next adventure
It did move along. This is a part of English history that I don't know. I know of Henry VIII and his 6 wives. They are in the background, the story isn't about them.

The daily lives of the sisters, the constant threat of losing their home, and the very firm hand of all the men around them surprised me. I decided that isn't the life for me.

I hope you enjoy the book. It is quite eye opening. It's a mystery from a very different perspective. At this time I don't know if I will read the next one. Maybe I'll read a comedy next.
Author Nancy Bilyeau takes readers out of the glimmering Tudor court and into the hallowed halls of the institutions that were destroyed by the king's reforms. Using a complex and sympathetic character like Joanna Stafford, Bilyeau shines a light on the life of the nuns of Dartford Priory and puts a face and a name to the people who's lives were most affected in the dissolution of the monastaries. The Crown was riveting from the moment I picked it up and kept me interested through the end. I never knew which direction the story was going to go in and I was always pleasantly surprised at the turn of events.

The characters surrounding Joanna are nuanced and cleverly portrayed and it was fairly easy to keep them all straight, which is usually hard in historical fiction with so many Marys, Elizabeths, and Janes in most novels. Bilyeau's writing is straightforward, but hits on all the emotions. One scene in particular portrays a historical person that I admire in a light I don't necessarily agree with, but it is written with such skill and razor sharp observation that it was impossible for me to criticize it.

Nancy Bilyeau is an exciting voice in historical fiction and I look forward to reading how the rest of Joanna's story plays out. Don't miss this one!
Tudor novels have driven me away because of the trite retellings of a very well known story, often including totally far fetched theories and unlikely romances.

The Crown is told from the unusual viewpoint of a nun, Joanna Stafford, who has court connections, but is trying save both her father and her convent from destruction. Her enemies re powerful, her friends not.

Despite the potential for melodrama, Bilyeau steers clear of cliché and writes beautifully of Joanna's struggles. This is a wonderful book, and although there is a certain amount of religious talk, it is not preaching but a way of understanding the characters.

The author provides a lengthy bibloiography, evidently she did a tremendous amount of research. Well worth, I highly recommend this book.