Customer Reviews

The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II

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The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway Scott

Historical Romance- Sept 7th, 2010

4 1/2 stars

Katherine Sedley, the daughter of a mere baronet, was not blessed with either beauty or charms. But what she lacks in appearance, she makes up with her razor-sharp wit. Set in the decadent yet wildly dangerous royal court of King Charles II, Katherine captures the attention of the King's brother, James Stuart, the Duke of York. Refusing to marry, she instead becomes the Duke's mistress, sacrificing respectability for love and power. But when the King passes away and she becomes the new King's mistress, can she navigate the treacherous court? With the growing tension between the King and the people, who will she follow?

For a historical novel with tons of facts crammed into it, this is a surprisingly easy to read and an ENJOYABLE historical novel. My grasp of the English history is rather pathetic. (I usually don't read historicals unless it's a regency romance.) Thankfully, Scott is a skillful writer who doesn't rely on an information `dump' to tell us the setting. Instead, she begins the book from the viewpoint of a child who discovers the court and its treachery and wonders, bit by bit. By following Katherine from her childhood, we are slowly introduced to the English politics in 1660s. So instead of having to learn Whigs from Tories in one huge, off-putting paragraph, we learn it as Katherine learns it - piece by piece. Slowly the events build up, until in the end, I felt like I know the distinction between those two English parties and their relevance to the plot. Unconsciously, I also learn more about English history than I ever will by trudging through a history book.

Though her lover, the Duke, is a royal prince, he is only a supporting player in this novel. The star of this book has always been Katherine. She's so fully fleshed out and sympathetic character. Sure, I cringed at some of her bawdy humor, but I liked her all the same. I wanted her to succeed. I wanted her to best the duchess and keep the Duke's constant attention to herself. I admired her resourcefulness and bravery. It is women like her that feminists should look up to. Given her limited circumstances - lower birth and ugliness, she makes uses her intelligence and managed to keep the duke's attention for over seven years. She's inspiring, to say the least. If you are a fan of light historical novels, you should definitely give this book a try.

Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Reading about kings, queens, and how they conducted their lives has always intrigued me. The author did a outstanding job with the historical aspect of the story. Her characters were flawless and fit the plot smoothly. I liked how Katherine always referred to herself as "not a beauty" but she managed to catch the eye and keep the eye of a very powerful man. Her wit and outspokenness are probably what kept him interested. I loved this book so well, I'm interested in buying the author's other historical books. Definitely a keeper. - Theresa B.

"I deftly slipped free as soon as I could with a pretty, breathless show of resistance, enough to make him smile as he let me return to the ball. Seduction was better played in several acts, and we both knew it. But that single kiss had excited me mightily. I'd tasted the power of royalty in it, and of a man who was accustomed to having whatever he wanted. Yet I'd power, too, because what he wanted was me, exactly as I was and without any regard for my fortune. Was there any more heady realization than that?"

Thus, the big question of Catherine Sedley's life begins to rage inside her. How can a woman be in love and still keep a hold of what's hers? Raised to be willful and sharp-tongued by a father who participated in endless royal frivolity, a marriage contract for Catherine would mean a huge loss of wealth and freedom. So, despite the wishes of her father and the questionable morality of mistresshood, she decides to forsake that silly marriage idea in favor of becoming a professional bedfellow...a lowly station indeed in most situations. However, her situation is different.

Born in 1657 to an 18-year-old fledgling playwright, Catherine Sedley was never a pretty girl. Too thin, too small-chested, too pale, she learned quickly to distinguish herself from the sea of bedecked beauties with her clever humor and outspoken manner. Her mother had lost her mind and her father, being highly favored by King Charles II, was involved in a constant cycle of partying, recovering, and preparing to party again. Left to her own devices and without much direction from schooling, it was only a matter of time before Catherine joined in the royal debauchery. She learned the ropes, met the important figures, and began to impress the highest ranks of people with her unguarded intellect. So it was that she attracted the gaze of the king's brother, the Duke of York, and eventually became his most favored coital co-hort.

Huzzah! What an exalted position! It was better than being some rich guy's wife, and way better than living a life of spinsterhood. Each day was a veritable fountain of finery for Catherine, and she lived a life removed from the bonds of royal matrimony...no pressure to produce an heir, no need to be presented as a paradigm of good principles, no reason to uphold the honor and integrity that the bonds of marriage were supposed to represent. She lived like this for several years, standing by her man as he ascends to become King of England himself. He put her up in her own place, gave her a large allowance by which to support herself and their daughter, and continued to care for her even as his own circumstances were in question. It wasn't so bad.

This is the story of Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester as told by Susan Holloway Scott in The Countess and the King. It's a wonderful book, impeccably researched and extremely well written. The vocabulary is delicious, the imagery beautifully detailed, and the characters are full of depth and intrigue, all of which combine to successfully breathe life into this dusty `ol narrative that, if it hadn't been so skillfully crafted, could've been as sleepy as a little kid in the back of a car. Ms. Scott weaves a fantastic example of historical fiction and romance, intertwined with life in 17th century England and its constant trouble with religion. Should the kingdom be Catholic? How about Anglican? What about our allies...what religion are they? Round and round it goes, bouncing back and forth between the two royal brothers, King Charles and the Duke of York, who each have a foot in a different pool. This battle of spirituality is explored exhaustively, so much that I found the last half of the book to drag a bit. But in the larger sense, The Countess and the King was an enjoyable romp through the palaces of English royalty, a naughty little glimpse behind the bedroom doors of those who made history, and most definitely an educational look at the plight of women. I think you'll like it.

Katherine Sedley is the offspring of a hedonistic womanizer and an insane mother who insists she was the queen. With that type of heritage, everyone who knows of her peerage expects her to be an affluent lunatic.

Unperturbed, in 1675 Katherine comes to the court of King Charles II to serve as a lady in waiting. She and Charles' younger brother James are attracted to each other and begin an affair. However, when Charles II dies, James becomes the monarch while Katherine is trapped in a web of deceit and avaricious intrigue.

This is an entertaining Restoration Era biographical fiction that brings to life the courts of Charles II and James II through the latter's mistress. The support cast enhances the deep look at the Countess and the King, who come across as genuinely decadent and lewd. Sub-genre fans will enjoy this historical and should consider reading Susan Holloway Scott's similar treatment of The French Mistress of Charles II.

Harriet Klausner

Pity the fate of the plain woman in the Restoration Court of Charles II. Fortunately for Katherine Sedley, only child of a wealthy family, such worries are premature. Attended by "Romish" priests, Katherine's mad mother is scuttled off to a convent, leaving the child's father, Charles Sedley, to frolic at will with his libertine friends, King Charles, the Dukes of Dorchester and Buckingham- and his ten-year-old daughter, who cuts her teeth on the bawdy discourse of plays and the ribald humor of her father and his cronies. Charmed by actress Nell Gywn and in awe of stage and players, the young Katherine is celebrated for her cutting wit, an enfant terrible with a ready riposte, the adults screaming with laughter.

Promised the right to choose her own husband, who can blame a young woman who has no interest in the ordinary men who propose with one eye on her fortune? As she grows, Katherine never loses sight of the fact that she is not beautiful in a world where kings select their mistresses from the great beauties at court. Ironically, Katherine's intelligence charm and humor are her most attractive features, not insignificant in a shallow court of sycophants and revelers. At odds with her newly-reformed father, the fortunate Katherine is invited to court on the day that the Duke of York weds the exotic, very Catholic Mary Beatrice d' Este, Katherine's long interest in the handsome James Stuart finally bearing fruit.

In spite of public opinion and the outrage of the king's intimates, Katherine becomes the mistress of the Duke of York, bearing the pointed barbs of critics for the sake of her lover. It isn't love, but politics and religion that eventually deliver Katherine to an unavoidable reckoning with fate. Upon the death of Charles II, James Stuart is next in succession to become king of England, his attachment to Catholicism signaling trouble, the country riven with fear and dissent, citizens suspicious of the Pope's influence on the throne. It is at this point that Katherine meets her most difficult challenge, faced with an impossible choice between country and lover. At last, the sharp-tongued, brutally frank Katherine Sedley is blunted by political expedience, buffeted by her emotional attachment to James and the instinct for survival in an unfriendly court.

It is impossible to know the true character of Katherine Sedley, particularly in the context of the political and religious conflicts of that era, easier to relate to the little girl basking in the laughter of self-satisfied libertines and their female companions, when Charles was a lively king and the Duke of York the handsome heir without the taint of Catholicism to turn England against him, a man who saw the beauty in Katherine's nature... and loved her for it. Luan Gaines/2010.

I haven't read as much on the Stuarts as I have most of the other royal families of England, so I was looking forward to being enlightened on this Countess of whom I had not heard. I will readily admit that I am far more interested in the people, places & events of any period of history than I am in what took place in someone's bedroom, but this book had a surfeit of clandestine couplings and pillow talk. Although the author was not as lurid in the details of the physical relationships and individual encounters as others have been, I came away feeling that the book was nothing so much as a vehicle to get from one dalliance to another once Mrs. Katherine Sedley comes of age and gets herself into the Court circle. At that point, any real charcter development stopped, and though I read the book to the end, I found myself merely pushing through the second half of the book in (vain) hopes of gleaning something of historical significance beyond the bedroom shenanigans of the various characters. The fact that Katherine Sedley is crude and bawdy (yet witty) wears thin when that is all there seems to be to her existence outside the King's bed. The tale ends with the temporary/somewhat voluntary exile of Mrs. Sedley/Countess of Dorchester to Ireland, shortly before James II is deposed in favor of his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange. The Epilogue by the author implies that Mrs. Sedley/Countess of Dorchester was involved in the life of the Court during the reigns of both of James II's daughters (as her exile to Ireland was both temporary and short-lived), but provides no details. While I realize the title is "The Countess and the King," and that interaction is fully terminated by her exile (followed shortly by his own permanent exile to France), it would have been nice to have finished out her history as it related to her country, since the author states throughout the story that this was her first loyalty, even above loyalty to her lover, King James II.

Historical fiction author Susan Holloway Scott returns to the world she knows best: the racy Stuart court with yet another novel of a Stuart monarch's mistress. Straying somewhat from her Charles II plus mistress formula, Scott instead explores the life and relationship of Lady Katherine Sedley, the long-time mistress of King James II, Charles' brother and successor. By now I've read all of Scott's other novels, and have grown to enjoy them (I wouldn't say they would appeal to everyone, but definitely to certain readers). Particularly, I enjoyed her exploration of fascinating and fairly unknown women from history who defied social norms.

Katherine Sedley is no except. Growing up in a well-to-do home, Katherine preferred to swear openly, indulge in "male" hobbies -like politics, and even dare to take lovers outside of marriage as she pleased. Katherine, with a highly political father, ends up catching the eye of James, heir apparent and brother of King Charles II. Despite Katherine's lack of physical beauty and unremarkable connections, she finds herself as James' mistress and later mother of his illegitimate daughter.

Countess felt a little lighter on the politics than previous Scott novels, which made me a little sad -I always enjoyed the intrigue, but here it just seemed like there were just squabbles between Parliament's houses and parties, and between Parliament and Charles II, and Katherine was not really part of all this -it was offered as more of a backdrop to the period than anything else. However, Katherine was still portrayed as a strong female protagonist who frequently and without care defied what would have been expected of her for the time. Most interestingly, her relationship with James is shown as loving and powerful, rather than lustful and purely for convenience.

Probably the only thing that bothered me here is that Scott continued to stay in safe waters -there's really not much new here accept that she shifted to another Stuart monarch's collection of mistresses (guess she finally exhausted all of the interesting ones for Charles II). Other than that, same old story here....

I really enjoy Scott's novels, and I thought Countess was a solid offering from her, but I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her other novels and, frankly, I think I'm ready for something new from her.

I reviewed this book for Romance Reader At Heart website.

This year I've decided to venture out of my comfort zone and read some historical fiction. I always thought them a bit of too much history and not enough action, plot or romance. Since the plot is summarized by the blurb, let me jump in and tell you that this book has proven me wrong.

I wasn't really familiar with this time period, having only read one book set in it a couple of years ago. I did see couple of movies, notably "The Libertine" with Johnny Depp.

I think it a great gift for an author to have when she makes you believe you're a part of a story; makes you feel, taste, and smell the period as well as have you completely lost in this painting of life in England during this time period.

In giving such a vivid description, this book read and played out in my mind as a movie, or an even better description would be as if I were there next to Katherine. By the time the book ended, I felt like I lived and knew all the players personally. I was fascinated with every character she chose to introduce me to, and I was made to feel like I was hanging out with the King and his entourage!

What surprised me the most is how UN-boring it was. Ms. Holloway Scott's writing and knowledge of the Restoration Era was superb. What I didn't like is how Katherine and the author went out of their way in telling us that she was no beauty, but thanks to Google, I disagree. She was a very handsome and pretty woman. I don't think that only her wit and charm would have been enough to keep someone like James II interested for over seven years.

Regardless of that, I am in awe of this author and highly recommend you read this fascinating story full of well rounded characters, historical accuracy, a rich and evocative setting, love and intrigue, as well as substance.

Melanie

Katherine Sedley, daughter of a notorious Libertine found trauma at a young age when her mother was placed in a convent because of mental illness. Since mama was sick and not in the picture dad was Katherine's everything. Since dad was a notorious Libertine you can only imagine what she was exposed to at a tender age. She was like her dads mini me, where ever he went she went too, her childhood was far from conventional because her father decided not to pack her off to a governess and instead kept her close to him. Some of her father's closest friends were two of my all time favorites Nell Gwyn and Jon Wilmot Earl of Rochester. You can just imagine the bawdy jests between them. In the midst's of all of the exploits of a known Libertine Katherine grew up to possesses a wickedly honest gift of speaking the truth and developed a heart of daring gold that was not held back by anything. Though she was no the prettiest she was the wittiest of all the court ladies. I loved Katherine because she was the under dog who was on a legitimate mission in life to find a true love that was on her level. She was very intelligent and quick as a whip but possessed one thing that doomed King James II's rein. Katherine had street smarts and for her they were a survival instinct she daringly exposed out of necessity. It was that special spark in her that first drew the attention of the kings' brother James. The one problem the lovers faced was not that he was already married but what did the future hold for Katherine and the Duke after Charles was gone, could England accept a proclaimed Catholic king? Or were they doomed from the beginning? This novel was sent to me by the publisher for review.

This book was a nice read, especially if you enjoy the time period. It had enough historical authenticity to it to give the flavor of the times, yet did not lose the thread of the stories and the importance of making the characters believeable. Interweaving some of the remnants of the writing of the day was wonderful and added to the feel of the times.

This is not just some everyday ordinary shallow historical romance, but a book that actually knows a thing or two about history and gives you a real (or as real as possible) glimpse into those days.

The main character is fascinating, as is her relationship with some the leading wits of the day, including my favorite, the Earl of Rochester, John Wilmot. Her relationship with the Duke--later, the King--is also a wonderful and romantic, though practical at the same time, as makes sense considering the main character.

I enjoyed reading about her, sharing in her joys and sorrows. In actuality, I would have loved for the book to continue and cover her later life until her death...that would be my only disappointment with the book.