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eyreguide's review against another edition
5.0
This is the third and final adventure for Joanna Stafford, former novice to the Dominican priory. I have so enjoyed Joanna's journey, and the historical setting that the author has created from the real history, and I think this is a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. As this series has progressed, the focus has changed from a historical mystery for the main character Joanna to solve, to a mystery now more focused on Joanna. However, the mystery in this novel is less hair-raising compared to the dangers of living in the court of King Henry VIII. The author has created a perfectly chilling portrait of King Henry as a spoiled despot with a touch of vulnerability - especially when he is surrounded by so many ambitious men. This novel posed somewhat as a history lesson as many of the people featured were people who lived at that time and the author weaves Joanna's story perfectly around them. I was glad that I wasn't as familiar with the history, as I wasn't sure what would happen to some of the characters so there was a lot of suspense for me.
In this series, Joanna is faced with some great challenges - in the beginning it was adjusting to the loss of her priory and her plans for her life, and in this book, I felt one of the major challenges was dealing with the loss of Edmund who she had planned to marry until King Henry made it impossible. The romance in this book is very understated - mostly because Joanna finds it difficult to deal with her own feelings about men. Even though it's not a big part of this book, I was very invested in that aspect, especially as there is a bit of a twist towards the end and things did not go the way I was expecting. But to get the true impact of that, it's important to read the first two books to understand the characters and their actions.
I found this a very satisfying, and thrilling conclusion to Joanna's story. There's a lot of drama, suspense and twists and turns, and Joanna is the very epitome of a graceful, intelligent heroine. This whole series was a joy to read, and I'm glad Joanna received a fitting and touching finale.
(I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review.)
In this series, Joanna is faced with some great challenges - in the beginning it was adjusting to the loss of her priory and her plans for her life, and in this book, I felt one of the major challenges was dealing with the loss of Edmund who she had planned to marry until King Henry made it impossible. The romance in this book is very understated - mostly because Joanna finds it difficult to deal with her own feelings about men. Even though it's not a big part of this book, I was very invested in that aspect, especially as there is a bit of a twist towards the end and things did not go the way I was expecting. But to get the true impact of that, it's important to read the first two books to understand the characters and their actions.
I found this a very satisfying, and thrilling conclusion to Joanna's story. There's a lot of drama, suspense and twists and turns, and Joanna is the very epitome of a graceful, intelligent heroine. This whole series was a joy to read, and I'm glad Joanna received a fitting and touching finale.
(I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review.)
lizella's review against another edition
4.0
In the third book of the series we find Joanna trying to build her tapestry business in the hopes of bring Arthur back to her household. Still weary of intrigue and the danger to her person at court as a Stafford and a former novice, she is nevertheless made to appear by a summons by Henry VIII himself.
Her plans to stay unnoticed are immediately dashed by an attempt on her life followed by a number of events that put her directly in front of both the King and Cromwell. She is determined to quietly find out who is behind it so she can go back to her safe life, but finds that she is once again at the center of life-changing events for those around her.
Every book in this series builds seamlessly upon the previous installation and doesn’t lose any momentum. While the story pushes forward, it brings implications and characters from past books into the various story lines, making it a cohesive whole.
Her plans to stay unnoticed are immediately dashed by an attempt on her life followed by a number of events that put her directly in front of both the King and Cromwell. She is determined to quietly find out who is behind it so she can go back to her safe life, but finds that she is once again at the center of life-changing events for those around her.
Every book in this series builds seamlessly upon the previous installation and doesn’t lose any momentum. While the story pushes forward, it brings implications and characters from past books into the various story lines, making it a cohesive whole.
100pagesaday's review against another edition
5.0
Joanna Stafford is pulled from her quiet life in Dartford by a summons to Whitehall Palace. King Henry VIII was so impressed with the tapestry that Joanna wove for Anne of Cleves that he has commissioned Joanna to weave another for him. Joanna has no choice now but to return to the cousin and King who killed members of her family and whom she recently was involved in a plot to kill. As soon as Joanna arrives at Whitehall, trouble finds her. Joanna also finds out that her dear friend, Catherine Howard is being pushed toward the King as a mistress. While working on the King’s Tapestry, Joanna now finds herself deeply embroiled in another plot with someone attempting to hurt her while she attempts to protect one friend and find the whereabouts of another, Edmund . The time will come for Joanna to finally choose what she wants in life.
This was my favorite of the Joanna Stafford novels. Taking place within King Henry’s court, many historical players are introduced through Joanna’s eyes: Anne of Cleves, Hans Holbein, Thomas Culpepper, Catherine Howard and Jane Boleyn. Joanna’s relationship with each of these people colors her view of them differently than we have seen through history, especially her friendship with Catherine Howard; however much historical accuracy is still kept. Filled with intrigue, there are plots within plots that Joanna must wade through. With her quick wit, good senses and cleverness Joanna finds her way through the scheming while immersing me in Tudor England on an exciting adventure.
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
This was my favorite of the Joanna Stafford novels. Taking place within King Henry’s court, many historical players are introduced through Joanna’s eyes: Anne of Cleves, Hans Holbein, Thomas Culpepper, Catherine Howard and Jane Boleyn. Joanna’s relationship with each of these people colors her view of them differently than we have seen through history, especially her friendship with Catherine Howard; however much historical accuracy is still kept. Filled with intrigue, there are plots within plots that Joanna must wade through. With her quick wit, good senses and cleverness Joanna finds her way through the scheming while immersing me in Tudor England on an exciting adventure.
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
kristarainwater's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC via NetGalley...
....and loved this book. Joanna is so headstrong! I love reading any history, regardless if it's fact or fiction, as long as it has ties back to credible information... Or what could seem like credible information. This is a well written book. A page turner, most definitely! I was actually one of the people who was unaware this was a series, had no trouble picking up with this book, but will definitely be getting the previous books.
Reading about Catherine, my heart almost went out to her... As a friend, you felt Joanna WANT to be there for her but couldn't understand why Catherine fluidly went along at some points. Who hasn't been there? It was a greatly descriptive book, one that I can still see in my mind.
It's on the longer side, which I like, so thanks author for not sparing the meat of the writing because of word count! Joanna is a fighter and I loved reading about her.... Really enjoyed this one!
....and loved this book. Joanna is so headstrong! I love reading any history, regardless if it's fact or fiction, as long as it has ties back to credible information... Or what could seem like credible information. This is a well written book. A page turner, most definitely! I was actually one of the people who was unaware this was a series, had no trouble picking up with this book, but will definitely be getting the previous books.
Reading about Catherine, my heart almost went out to her... As a friend, you felt Joanna WANT to be there for her but couldn't understand why Catherine fluidly went along at some points. Who hasn't been there? It was a greatly descriptive book, one that I can still see in my mind.
It's on the longer side, which I like, so thanks author for not sparing the meat of the writing because of word count! Joanna is a fighter and I loved reading about her.... Really enjoyed this one!
kbuchanan's review against another edition
3.0
Listened to the audio-book version of this trilogy by Bilyeau. A fun set of historical mysteries with a dash of magical mysticism, centering on the Tudor court and the religious conflicts gripping Europe during this time. Joanna Stafford, former Dominican novice and a distant kinswoman to the Tudor king Henry VIII, navigates court politics and intrigue, spies and assassins lurking around every corner. For art nerds, court painter Hans Holbein makes a special guest appearance in this volume.
vnesting's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent narrator and a strong storyline quickly drew me in to this wonderful historical mystery set in Tudor England. This is a third book in the series, but even though I had not read or listened to earlier books, the author seamlessly wove the necessary background into the story so new readers would not feel lost. Highly recommended. (Now I need to go back and listen to the two earlier books.)
leialocks's review against another edition
4.0
In the middle of the book, I was afraid the book wasn't going to tie everything up. Luckily, we get the full Joanna saga, though the pace is speedy at the end. I enjoyed Joanna as a character and liked how this book takes on the Catholic perspective on Henry VIII. The details are so rich and the research is spot on. The author does a great job of reminding you of all the connections of the characters, showing how small the court world could be. The mysticism was also turned down in this one. It's a fine conclusion to the series but doesn't capture the imagination as much as the first installation.
colleenlovestoread's review against another edition
4.0
This was reviewed for www.luxuryreading.com.
I think it’s important to first note that The Tapestry is the third book in author Nancy Bilyeau’s Joanna Stafford series. Having not previously read the first two books in the series before tackling The Tapestry, I would definitely advise others interested in the book to start at the beginning of the series. While it’s not completely necessary to do so, there is obviously a lot of backstory and history between the characters that, even with the author doing a very good job of trying to catch up new readers like me, just can’t be fully appreciated or understood when starting at book three. This somewhat diminishes the impact of the shocking turns of events that happen within the pages, which there are quite a few of. This being said, The Tapestry is still a very exciting and immersive dip into the dangerous world of the Tudor court.
When the novel begins our heroine Joanna Stafford is living a peaceful life in the country, weaving tapestries and living as devout a life as she can since Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and ended her life as a novice in the Dominican church. This peace is shattered, however, when she receives a summons to come to court for a possible tapestry commission. As much as she doesn’t want to go, how can she refuse the King? Especially when she needs to prove she can support herself financially in order for her cousin, the head of the Stafford family, to allow her to raise her deceased cousin’s son, Arthur. With dread in her heart, she heads back to the court she hoped to never return to again.
Her trepidation is well founded when someone attacks her as soon as she steps into Whitehall Palace. Unable to leave court without the King’s permission and needing to know who is behind the attack, especially when so many powerful men seem to despise her – most notably Thomas Cromwell, Eustace Chapuys and the Duke of Norfolk – Joanna attempts to quietly find out who wishes her dead. With the help of Thomas Culpepper, gentleman of the King’s privy chamber, and later Constable Geoffrey Scovill, Joanna will use the skills she learned in her training as a spy for the Bishop of Winchester to unravel this mystery and keep herself and those she cares about safe from harm.
This being the Tudor court, Joanna also finds herself in the middle of other mysteries and dreadful occurrences. Her dear friend, Catherine Howard, is being pushed into the King’s bed by her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, a power play that has proven fatal in the past. The man she almost married, Edmund, has disappeared somewhere in Germany and, desperate to find him, she goes on a mission to do so with the help of Constable Scovill, another man she has complicated feelings for. And on top of all this, Joanna finds herself amongst men she cares for who have elicited the help of those that practice dark magic in the hopes of freeing the King from the clutches of Thomas Cromwell, the man many see as responsible for the downfall of the Catholic Church in England. With all of this swirling around her, only an intelligent and resourceful woman like Joanna can hope to come out of it all with her head still on her shoulders and her feet firmly on the ground.
Anyone who enjoys reading novels set in the Tudor court will already be familiar with some of the more widespread issues being discussed – the religious upheavals, the constant shifts in allegiances between the King and his favored courtiers, the horrifying fates of Henry VIII’s wives – as well as the well-known characters populating the pages. Even without knowing Joanna’s backstory or her previous interactions with the other characters, anyone familiar with the court will already know the fates of some of the characters and will enjoy seeing them unfold from Joanna’s unique perspective. I would not recommend anyone unfamiliar with the Tudors to tackle The Tapestry without first reading the previous books in the series as there are a lot of characters and situations going on and, without knowing the actual history, it’s easy to get lost within the tangled web.
Having finished The Tapestry I’m very intrigued to go back and read the first two books in the series to see how we get to the actions in this book and to prepare for any future books in the series. This series seems a very well written and worthwhile addition to the wonderful world that is Tudor fiction.
I think it’s important to first note that The Tapestry is the third book in author Nancy Bilyeau’s Joanna Stafford series. Having not previously read the first two books in the series before tackling The Tapestry, I would definitely advise others interested in the book to start at the beginning of the series. While it’s not completely necessary to do so, there is obviously a lot of backstory and history between the characters that, even with the author doing a very good job of trying to catch up new readers like me, just can’t be fully appreciated or understood when starting at book three. This somewhat diminishes the impact of the shocking turns of events that happen within the pages, which there are quite a few of. This being said, The Tapestry is still a very exciting and immersive dip into the dangerous world of the Tudor court.
When the novel begins our heroine Joanna Stafford is living a peaceful life in the country, weaving tapestries and living as devout a life as she can since Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and ended her life as a novice in the Dominican church. This peace is shattered, however, when she receives a summons to come to court for a possible tapestry commission. As much as she doesn’t want to go, how can she refuse the King? Especially when she needs to prove she can support herself financially in order for her cousin, the head of the Stafford family, to allow her to raise her deceased cousin’s son, Arthur. With dread in her heart, she heads back to the court she hoped to never return to again.
Her trepidation is well founded when someone attacks her as soon as she steps into Whitehall Palace. Unable to leave court without the King’s permission and needing to know who is behind the attack, especially when so many powerful men seem to despise her – most notably Thomas Cromwell, Eustace Chapuys and the Duke of Norfolk – Joanna attempts to quietly find out who wishes her dead. With the help of Thomas Culpepper, gentleman of the King’s privy chamber, and later Constable Geoffrey Scovill, Joanna will use the skills she learned in her training as a spy for the Bishop of Winchester to unravel this mystery and keep herself and those she cares about safe from harm.
This being the Tudor court, Joanna also finds herself in the middle of other mysteries and dreadful occurrences. Her dear friend, Catherine Howard, is being pushed into the King’s bed by her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, a power play that has proven fatal in the past. The man she almost married, Edmund, has disappeared somewhere in Germany and, desperate to find him, she goes on a mission to do so with the help of Constable Scovill, another man she has complicated feelings for. And on top of all this, Joanna finds herself amongst men she cares for who have elicited the help of those that practice dark magic in the hopes of freeing the King from the clutches of Thomas Cromwell, the man many see as responsible for the downfall of the Catholic Church in England. With all of this swirling around her, only an intelligent and resourceful woman like Joanna can hope to come out of it all with her head still on her shoulders and her feet firmly on the ground.
Anyone who enjoys reading novels set in the Tudor court will already be familiar with some of the more widespread issues being discussed – the religious upheavals, the constant shifts in allegiances between the King and his favored courtiers, the horrifying fates of Henry VIII’s wives – as well as the well-known characters populating the pages. Even without knowing Joanna’s backstory or her previous interactions with the other characters, anyone familiar with the court will already know the fates of some of the characters and will enjoy seeing them unfold from Joanna’s unique perspective. I would not recommend anyone unfamiliar with the Tudors to tackle The Tapestry without first reading the previous books in the series as there are a lot of characters and situations going on and, without knowing the actual history, it’s easy to get lost within the tangled web.
Having finished The Tapestry I’m very intrigued to go back and read the first two books in the series to see how we get to the actions in this book and to prepare for any future books in the series. This series seems a very well written and worthwhile addition to the wonderful world that is Tudor fiction.
cwolfeboynton's review against another edition
5.0
Wrap Yourself in The Tapestry >> My review on the Literary New England blog http://litnewengland.tumblr.com/post/117390764422/wrap-yourself-in-the-tapestry-the-3rd-satisfying