Customer Reviews

The Queen's Governess

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Queen's Governess is the story of Kat Ashley (nee Champernowne), governess to Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth I. Kat, like the Tudors and Boleyns (and Thomas Cromwell, for that matter), literally came from nowhere, plucked from obscurity by Thomas Cromwell and placed in the household of Anne Boleyn. The Tudor court was full of self-made men and women, and Kat became one of those who fought for her reputation in a place when one's position there was uncertain. Kat Ashley became the Princess's governess in 1537, eventually becoming one of Elizabeth's closest confidants and First Lady of the Bedchamber. The novel opens when Kat is a young girl and meets Thomas Cromwell by fortuitous chance, and closes when Elizabeth becomes Queen.

I wanted to like this novel better than I did. Karen Harper certainly knows her period--the 16th century--and her dialogue and characters seem mostly authentic (the exception being Thomas Seymour, who comes across as a lot worse than I think he really was, and Kat herelf, which I'll explain in a bit). Unfortunately, this didn't really translate into a really good story for me. It's sort of hard for me to see what the focus of the novel is--is it Kat, whose life wasn't really all that interesting (even her romance with John Ashley is underplayed), or is it the story of Elizabeth, who doesn't get all that much on-screen time?

Sometimes I felt as though this novel read like a recitation of facts, not fiction based upon facts; and I felt that the novel jumped around a lot in time. Maybe, if the novel had been a bit longer, it might have allowed the author to go more in depth with the plot. Also, I didn't really buy the idea that Thomas Cromwell used Kat Ashley as one of his spies--though, of course, knowing what Cromwell was like, it could very likely have happened as not. The novel portray Kat Ashley as a bit of an innocent, but I believe that she must not have been entirely scrupulous, as it took a certain amount of wiliness to survive in the Tudor court. In comparison with some of Harper's other books, I would rate this slightly below Mistress Shakespeare. It's not Karen Harper's best novel, but as usual, she's definitely done her research.

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be among the court of the English King Henry VIII? He was the only King to ever have absolute power during his reign. He had the power to build you up and also the power to destroy you. We often hear the tales of those who reign, their stories told from their perspectives. Now emerges the story of Katherine Ashley, the only woman to have been in the midst of it all. This is Kat's story which begins during the end of Queen Katherine's reign and ends during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.


Katherine's story begins with an unforeseen accident that land's Kat as Thomas Cromwell's nurse. Proving herself to be trustworthy, and highly educated for a girl of her means Cromwell decides to send Kat to be further educated so he could use her as a spy to help elevated his status at court. Placing Kat as the go between for himself and the Lady Anne, Cromwell soon discovers many secrets that can be used to his advantage. Quickly gaining the trust and friendship of the new crowned Queen Anne, Kat is now privy to more knowledge than she could have ever imagined. With the Queen's failed attempts to produce an heir for the throne, Henry's favor soon turns to young Jane Seymour. Wanting to please the King as well as increase his own coffers Cromwell is quick to draw up a list of treasonous charges regarding Anne to place before an eager King. With Anne's fate sealed, she placed her one true friend Kat in charge of her small daughter. Caring for Elizabeth as she would care for her own child Kat forms the beginning of the Princess who will later become one of the greatest Queen England has ever seen. Together they survived through claims of illegitimacy, scathing scandals, and imprisonments in the Tower of London. They also survived the turbulent reigns of 3 monarchs.



The poet Thomas Wyatt once wrote
"These bloody days have broke my heart,
My lust, my youth did them depart,
And blind desire of estate.
Who hastes to climb to seek revert.
Of truth, circa Regna tonat.
Circa Regna tonat, meaning around the throne thunder rolls. What better way to sum up the era in which Kat Ashley was living. Knowing at any minute her world and that of Elizabeth's could come crashing down around them at any minute. It was a world in which you kept your enemies close and trusted few. I think Karen Harper went to great lengths to research and accurately portray in The Queen's Governess. She chose to shed a new light on the perspective in which we as readers view the Tudor reign by having Kat Ashley a woman who was privy to an enormous amount of court secrets and as well as scandals during a 4 reign, to narrate this story. I believe that fans of the Tudor and Elizabethan era will find a The Queen's Governess to be one of their favorite books of 2010.

Katherine Ashley has no hope for her future ever since her mother drowned and her father married Maud. Her stepmother treats Kat with contempt and uses her as a drone nursemaid to her half siblings.

Her impoverished slavish life changes when she does something for Thomas Cromwell, advisor to King Henry VIII. He takes her from her father's home, has her educated and sent to the court serving Anne Boleyn, but actually is a spy for him. In 1536 when the Queen is executed, Kat survives becoming governess to Boleyn's daughter, Elizabeth. She remains with the Princess through some hard times and continues to serve when Elizabeth becomes queen.

This is an intriguing look at the Tudor sixteenth century reign from the perspective of a servant caught in the middle several times during the rule of King Henry and Queen Mary while serving as s surrogate mother in many ways to Elizabeth before she becomes queen in 1558, over two decades after her mom was executed. Imprisoned twice during plots and counterplots, The Queen's Governess survived family and court intrigue; as Karen Harper provides fans of English royal biographical fiction with a fresh perspective.

Harriet Klausner

As a fan of all things Tudor fiction, I'm always happy to devour more. Though I admit the period has started to get a little stale, especially surrounding the infamous Anne Bolyen scandal, there are still a few gems out there. I would consider Karen Harper's first Tudor novel, The Queen's Governess, to be one of those gems. Though there is plenty of discussion around Henry VIII's second queen, the focus is on the intelligent, well-schooled commoner Katherine Ashley, who practically raised the young Elizabeth I and helped her become one of the most important monarchs in British history.

The Queen's Governess tells the story of Katherine Ashley, a young woman born into a common family. After a by-chance meeting with the notorious "climber" Thomas Cromwell, Katherine (usually known as "Kat"), becomes a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne Bolyen -and spy for Cromwell. After Anne's demise, she becomes the tutor and eventually governess to the forgotten Princess Elizabeth. Under Kat's guidance, Elizabeth into an intelligent, clever woman more capable than any of her kin. While developing a strong attachment to Elizabeth, Kat observes Henry VIII's many queens, the short reigns of Edward Tudor, Lady Jane Grey and Mary Tudor and Elizabeth's dangerous journey to the throne.

The story, unlike many historical fiction novels out there, is fast-paced, thrilling and manages to keep readers hooked on nearly every page. Harper also has a powerful and fluid writing style that is comfortable and enjoyable. Most importantly, she has the ability to create compelling female characters. Though other characters are neglected in favor of Kat and Elizabeth, it's not so flat that it destroys the book overall.

As much as I enjoyed this book, there were a few flaws (and that's being really picky). The main problem I had was that everything just seemed to happen so fast. Perhaps that's just a result of being so quickly-paced, but at times I found myself stopping to take a deep breath and remind myself of where exactly we were in the Tudor period (basically, what wife are we on now?). Also, the ending was a little off. It seemed to just drift off into nothing, without a full resolution.

A must-read for any Tudor fiction fan, The Queen's Governess is a great book that shouldn't be missed.

This book is a wonderful historical novel from the point-of-view of Elizabeth I's goerness,Kat Ashley, so it offers a unique perspective on the Tudor period during the reins of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth II, and is very believable. The background of the governess is not clear, but then the author has checked it against all possibilities. I could not put this book down and was left wanting more. It is set against the social changes of the Tudor period and shows all the mistrust at court. This point-of-view shows someone who unconditionally loved Elizabeth I, and this love and trust undoubtedly was valuable to the future queen becoming the woman she did. I highly recommend a first-rate novel that is full of action and suspense even though we know how things played out.

I had anxiously awaited the publication date for this book and was so pleased when it arrived at my door! I love Amazon's pre-order capability!


This book is told through the voice of Elizabeth Tudor's governess, companion and friend, Kat (Katherine) Champernowne Ashley (Astley). The book recounts the story of Kat's life and spans the years 1516-1560; a tour through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey and Mary Tudor. We follow Kat's story, beginning with Kat as a poor young girl living in the wilds of Devon with a step-mother she hates. We follow Kat as she is first noticed for her with and intelligence by Lord Cromwell - himself and up and coming 'player' in the Tudor Court- and we follow her journey as she rises withing the ranks of the Court.


Some people may have heard about the locker ring that Elizabeth I wore until her death in 1603. It had been thought to have been simply a ring until it was removed from her hand and was found to contain portraits or Elizabeth as a toddler and her mother, Anne Boleyn. Common history has it that Elizabeth herself commissioned this ring to be made - but the book take's up another potential story for the ring. What if it had been designed for Anne Boleyn herself?


This book fleshes out the story behind Kat, a woman who was pivotal in Tudor history but about whom we know very little. Subplots of intrigue, tragedy, love and redemption are all superbly interwoven in the pages of this delightful book. Karen Harper's research was so well done that this is a thoroughly believable read that I could not put down. I had to give it 5 starts because I could not stop reading it, the history is so well researched and the characters were so real!


Karen Harper is also the author of "The First Princess of Wales", "The Last Boleyn" and, "Mistress Shakespeare" among many others. For lots more information go to her website!

The Queen's Governess by Karen Harper
Historical Romance - Aug 2nd, 2011
4 stars

Katherine Champernowne is the daughter of humble beekeeper in Devon. Throughout her adolescent years, she longs to escape her simple life, go to London and catch a glimpse of the court. By a lucky chance, she meets with Cromwell who later recruits her as a spy. Steadily, Kat climbs the ladder in court and becomes one of Anne Boleyn's ladies. Kat watches the rise and the fall of Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour as she is assigned to be Elizabeth's governess. Kat must watch her every step and conversation as she navigates the treacherous Tudor court. Worse of all, she must be careful of the ambitious men who would do anything for power, especially Tom Seymour. Scarred by her first romance, can Kat learn to trust the steady, dependable John Ashley? Will her burgeoning love with John cause her and Elizabeth's downfall?

Less of a romance novel and more of a historical, this is a fascinating read into the supposed mind of Kat Ashley, who is the mother Queen Elizabeth never had. Ambitious and intelligent, Kat longs for the exciting London court only to realize too late, that it is a dangerous place to be. Childless and utterly devoted to Elizabeth, Kat will sacrifice anything to keep her ward safe. I really admire Kat for her devotion even though Elizabeth sounds like a handful. Although Kat eventually marries John Ashley, I don't find him as interesting as Kat. He is such a stable, dependable guy, which, unfortunately, makes him a bit bland in comparison to Kat. As a woman, Kat has a difficult path to tread especially in the Tudor times where women are treated as chattels.

Thought provoking and insightful, this book is a treat for all historical readers!

Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Club

I'd really like to give it 3 and 1/2 stars. It was a bit more than okay, but not quite 4 stars, in my opinion. It was an enjoyable read. I liked first off that it is about Kat Ashely, Queen Elizabeth's governess/caretaker, a character that is usually not in the spotlight. I thought Harper did a wonderful job portraying her life, and I found the first part of the book to be the most riveting. I didn't know that she had come to court before Elizabeth was even born to serve Anne Boleyn. That was probably my favorite aspect of the novel--what her life was like before she served Elizabeth. It was very exciting, although her relationship with "that wretch," Thomas Seymour, was hard to read about, although fairly realistic for the time, I'd hazard to guess.

The latter half flagged a bit for me. The writing was still superb, but I tend not to like books that emphasize a character other than the main one. Granted, her life probably did revolve around Elizabeth, and while I am fascinated by Elizabeth I, I still enjoyed the parts that were about Kat's life the most, especially the relationship between her and John Ashley.

The first person narration worked so well. It was written as if Kat had written the story of her life and was now relating it to you. It felt so genuine, and I love stories that are narrated like that. The ending was a bit abrupt in my opinion, and again, centered to much on Elizabeth for my taste.

I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes novels about the Tudors and Elizabeth I; I definitely will seek out Harper's other novels to read as well.

This is the first Karen Harper book I have read (although I have Mistress Shakespeare waiting for me on my TBR shelf) and I loved it! I have read many fiction and nonfiction books about the Tudors but this is the first time I have read it from such a new and intriguing perspective: that of Kat Ashley, longtime governess and confidante of Queen Elizabeth I. She has played minor parts in other books I have read but in this one she is front and center, telling the reader her story of the tragic and fearful Tudors. We also hear much of other famous and infamous people surrounding the Tudors and how they might have interacted with this key figure. Who else would have had the ear of the queen and her eyes on almost everything that happened during this time. Absolutely fascinating and I will definitely be picking up and reading more from this author

Anyone who's read anything about Queen Elizabeth I has come across the name Kat Ashley. She's the woman who took over the responsibility of raising the outcast princess after her mother lost her head. I've come across Kat in many different books, so it was a treat to finally read her story.

I won't summarize this book since it's already been done here many times, but I absolutely recommend it to Tudor fans. It's always refreshing (at least for me) to read the Tudor story from the eyes of someone outside the family. While Elizabeth is, without a doubt, my LEAST favorite Tudor (I can't stand how needy and arrogant she becomes), I really enjoyed this telling of her upbringing and the early years of her reign. Ms. Harper has toned down Elizabeth's arrogance and constant need for compliments enough that I was able to enjoy this, or maybe she only became that way once she she ruled for many years...I'm not sure.

Overall though, I definitely say give this a go if you're at all interested! The story of this very important person to the Virgin Queen of England is a good one, and I'm glad I'll now know the background of Kat Ashley whenever I come across her in future novels. I knew she raised Elizabeth, but I didn't realize just how close they were, nor that she was a trusted friend of her mother, Anne Boleyn. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Harper, and hope she keeps with 16th century England as she does such a good job with it.