Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt by Katherine Longshore
2012, Viking Juvenile

Synopsis: In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free-- and love comes at the highest price of all.

When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.


Why read: Received for review

What impressed me: I loved the idea of reading about King Henry VIII's romantic relationships from a young adult viewpoint, especially since many of his women were teenagers. The voice was authentic for the age group.

What disappointed me: Being written for the YA crowd, the constant scandal and debauchery that surrounds King Henry VIII was severely less than in adult books. Gilt was definitely the tamest King Henry book I've ever read. And while I liked the idea of a YA focus, back in King Henry's day, women married much younger than they do today, so one assumes the girls would have matured earlier and wouldn't have felt like a gaggle of high schoolers.

Recommended: Gilt can be an interesting introduction to the King Henry histories, but I would recommend readers choosing a more adult book for the full effect.

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