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breezy610's review against another edition
4.0
very heartbreaking to read. It just shows you to be careful on who you give your friendship to. I hope this is other book to go with this one. I really want to read more about Kitty and see how she goes in life.
shhchar's review against another edition
4.0
This book throws the reader into the marvelous court life of Catherine Howard and her friends. Catherine is one of the infamous Henry VIII's wives, and this book captures her short life through the eyes of her best friend, Kitty Tynley.
I really, really loved this book. I'm a fan of reading this era of historical-fic, and this book was a total guilty pleasure. But it wasn't fluffy, at all. It was a deep and rather dark book, that exposed you, the reader, to the lies, deception, and scheming that went on in Henry VIII's court. It also had some sexual scenes. I figured out that it was Viking Juvenile only when I looked on the Goodreads page. It honestly strikes me as a borderline YA-adult book with its dark and provocative nature.
All the characters in the book were twisted and extremely interesting. Except Cat, she was just a. I'm not even going to lie, the fifth star is knocked off mostly because of her attitude. But, she is one of the most vital parts of this story. And for her insanity--I thank its existence. It was definitely fun to read about. Her dysfunctional relationship with Kitty, and all of her 'friends' added so much depth to the story.
Although really, Cat & Kitty? I spent the first chapter thinking they were the same person.
I recommend this to fans of historical-fiction. Especially those who are fascinated by Henry VIII (as I am.) Fans of The Luxe would especially like this book, anyone who likes to read about big dresses and even bigger lies.
I really, really loved this book. I'm a fan of reading this era of historical-fic, and this book was a total guilty pleasure. But it wasn't fluffy, at all. It was a deep and rather dark book, that exposed you, the reader, to the lies, deception, and scheming that went on in Henry VIII's court. It also had some sexual scenes. I figured out that it was Viking Juvenile only when I looked on the Goodreads page. It honestly strikes me as a borderline YA-adult book with its dark and provocative nature.
All the characters in the book were twisted and extremely interesting. Except Cat, she was just a
Spoiler
bitch.Although really, Cat & Kitty? I spent the first chapter thinking they were the same person.
I recommend this to fans of historical-fiction. Especially those who are fascinated by Henry VIII (as I am.) Fans of The Luxe would especially like this book, anyone who likes to read about big dresses and even bigger lies.
natashazaleski's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
courtknee_bee's review against another edition
3.0
Gilt is an interesting read about the doomed Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII. Overall, I found this novel to be a fun read, although Longshore doesn’t really do anything new or different from other authors who have attacked this subject. The characters didn’t stand out from anything done before, and the language and sentiments expressed seemed overly modern at times. Don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
The novel follows Catherine’s best friend Kitty Tylney, a distant, unimportant Howard relative who stays with the other female wards at the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Kitty serves as the adoring minion to Cat’s bossy leader. Kitty narrates the rise, coronation, and fall of Cat through her own experiences as a member of Cat’s court. There’s also the intrigue of court life, the betrayal of relationships, and a love interest.
The characterization of Cat is well done, but it’s also pretty by the books. In my experience, novels about Catherine Howard either portray her as a silly, stupid girl or a slutty, self-obsessed teenager. This novel falls into the latter camp - by the end, we’re suppose to think that Cat gets what she deserves. It’s a cliched characterization, but it’s written just as well as anyone else who’s done it. Kitty is less well-developed, in my opinion, or maybe just more boring. Her character is contradictory - she expresses feelings of being tired of living in Cat’s shadow, but we never really see jealousy in her. She fluctuates between being pretty wise about what’s going on, yet a few pages later she acts incredibly naive about court life.
The pacing and plot were both fine, and as far as I know, events were fairly historically accurate. Of course, there was some places where the author fudged some of the details - for example, Katherine (Kitty) Tylney was real person, but we know very little about her, especially after. That means a lot of the scenes that feature her might be a little flubbed.
What wasn’t particularly historically accurate, however, was the language. There were multiple cases of someone being called a “bitch” because she was mean or catty, and I don’t believe that term was used in such a manner then. The language was just very modern, and while I don’t necessarily need (or even want) my historical fiction to be written in old English, I do think authors need to be careful about including modern slang or conventions.
Would I recommend this novel? Sure. It’s an easy read that most fans of historical fiction will enjoy as long as they don’t expect anything of a high caliber. If you enjoyed this novel and want to read a different perspective on Catherine Howard, I’d definitely recommend Philippa Gregory’s
[b:The Boleyn Inheritance|16180|The Boleyn Inheritance (The Tudor Court, #3)|Philippa Gregory|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347740381s/16180.jpg|816515].
The novel follows Catherine’s best friend Kitty Tylney, a distant, unimportant Howard relative who stays with the other female wards at the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Kitty serves as the adoring minion to Cat’s bossy leader. Kitty narrates the rise, coronation, and fall of Cat through her own experiences as a member of Cat’s court. There’s also the intrigue of court life, the betrayal of relationships, and a love interest.
The characterization of Cat is well done, but it’s also pretty by the books. In my experience, novels about Catherine Howard either portray her as a silly, stupid girl or a slutty, self-obsessed teenager. This novel falls into the latter camp - by the end, we’re suppose to think that Cat gets what she deserves. It’s a cliched characterization, but it’s written just as well as anyone else who’s done it. Kitty is less well-developed, in my opinion, or maybe just more boring. Her character is contradictory - she expresses feelings of being tired of living in Cat’s shadow, but we never really see jealousy in her. She fluctuates between being pretty wise about what’s going on, yet a few pages later she acts incredibly naive about court life.
The pacing and plot were both fine, and as far as I know, events were fairly historically accurate. Of course, there was some places where the author fudged some of the details - for example, Katherine (Kitty) Tylney was real person, but we know very little about her, especially after
Spoiler
she left the towerWhat wasn’t particularly historically accurate, however, was the language. There were multiple cases of someone being called a “bitch” because she was mean or catty, and I don’t believe that term was used in such a manner then. The language was just very modern, and while I don’t necessarily need (or even want) my historical fiction to be written in old English, I do think authors need to be careful about including modern slang or conventions.
Would I recommend this novel? Sure. It’s an easy read that most fans of historical fiction will enjoy as long as they don’t expect anything of a high caliber. If you enjoyed this novel and want to read a different perspective on Catherine Howard, I’d definitely recommend Philippa Gregory’s
[b:The Boleyn Inheritance|16180|The Boleyn Inheritance (The Tudor Court, #3)|Philippa Gregory|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347740381s/16180.jpg|816515].
bmg20's review against another edition
4.0
"You still remember that?" she said. "How we used to play that we were at court?"
"Used to?" I said. "We never stopped."
The game had just changed - from little girls playing princesses to a more grown-up and complicated hierarchy of status and favor.
I am far from a professional when it comes to history but I would consider myself a huge fan of the Tudor era. I've read up on the era enough to know the majority of what occurred but possibly not enough to point out historical inaccuracies when I read a story like Gilt. Based on what I do know; however, it is important to me that these stories maintain as much of the true to life story as possible. That said, I feel that the author did an outstanding job of the story of Catherine 'Cat' Howard and how she became the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Was it completely accurate? No. But it was damn fun. I've read stories about Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Anne of Cleves, so it was interesting to finally read a story on Catherine Howard.
The story is told from the POV of Kitty Tylney, Cat's best friend, who is sent to court in order to stay close to Catherine and to keep a close eye on her at court. The two grew up together and were wild; always having fun of some sort. Midnight parties. Sharing their bed with boys. Cat was the Queen of Misrule over all the girls living in the house and had no idea that someday she would be a true Queen. Queen of England.
Cat was quite the stuck-up brat and I know for a fact I would not have enjoyed it as much if I had to listen to a story told through her eyes. Kitty was an extremely realistic character that I loved for her strength and determination. Life at court was as can be expected with the lies, the cheating, the double-crossing, and all the disloyalty anyone could ask for. I was hooked from page one.
I'm a huge historical fiction fan; however, I have had a difficult time finding good YA historical fiction that I truly enjoy. I'm happy to say that this one has an official spot at the very top of that list. Am quite excited to see how the author continues this series!
"Used to?" I said. "We never stopped."
The game had just changed - from little girls playing princesses to a more grown-up and complicated hierarchy of status and favor.
I am far from a professional when it comes to history but I would consider myself a huge fan of the Tudor era. I've read up on the era enough to know the majority of what occurred but possibly not enough to point out historical inaccuracies when I read a story like Gilt. Based on what I do know; however, it is important to me that these stories maintain as much of the true to life story as possible. That said, I feel that the author did an outstanding job of the story of Catherine 'Cat' Howard and how she became the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Was it completely accurate? No. But it was damn fun. I've read stories about Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Anne of Cleves, so it was interesting to finally read a story on Catherine Howard.
The story is told from the POV of Kitty Tylney, Cat's best friend, who is sent to court in order to stay close to Catherine and to keep a close eye on her at court. The two grew up together and were wild; always having fun of some sort. Midnight parties. Sharing their bed with boys. Cat was the Queen of Misrule over all the girls living in the house and had no idea that someday she would be a true Queen. Queen of England.
Cat was quite the stuck-up brat and I know for a fact I would not have enjoyed it as much if I had to listen to a story told through her eyes. Kitty was an extremely realistic character that I loved for her strength and determination. Life at court was as can be expected with the lies, the cheating, the double-crossing, and all the disloyalty anyone could ask for. I was hooked from page one.
I'm a huge historical fiction fan; however, I have had a difficult time finding good YA historical fiction that I truly enjoy. I'm happy to say that this one has an official spot at the very top of that list. Am quite excited to see how the author continues this series!
ang0521's review against another edition
4.0
I definitely feel like this book has a slow start. Once I got about a third of the way through it really picked up. Major events happened and the story became much more interesting. This is a great historical fiction read, especially for anyone who enjoys court in the 14th century.
skyhazzard's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was fun to listen to but it didn’t feel like much was going on besides whatever drama Cat would find herself in and then drag everyone else into it. Kitty didn’t have much going on on her own outside of Cat. Honestly she should have left her when she had the chance, she was a terrible friend.
postitsandpens's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 of 5 stars.
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.
When I first heard about Gilt I was really excited to read it, and tried over and over to get my hands on an ARC. I was lucky enough to win an ARC via a contest on Shelf Awareness Pro, and once I received it, immediately dove into it. Unfortunately this book didn't live up to my expectations. I so wanted to love it, but there were just things about it that really affected my overall enjoyment. Gilt reminded me of The Other Boleyn Girl, in terms of the fact that we're talking about yet another of King Henry VIII's wives, the story takes place in Henry's court, and the book was a little slow to develop. However, unlike with Anne Boleyn in that book, we get to see some of Cat and Kitty's childhoods. Another similarity is that both books are told from someone other than the Queen's point of view: in The Other Boleyn Girl we got Anne's sister, Mary, and in Gilt we got Katherine "Kitty" Tylney, Cat Howard's best friend. However, while I enjoyed Mary, for the most part, Kitty really grated on me, for reasons I'll get into below.
In my opinion, this book used language that was far too modern for the times. It was like Kitty and Cat were living in the 21st Century, instead of 16th Century England. When you're writing historical fiction, and you want to draw your reader in and immerse them in the world you're describing, it works better to use the turns of phrase of the times and have historical characters speak like they actually did. It just helps set the mood and the scene and make things more realistic. This book really failed in that, aside from the terms used to describe the dresses the girls wore (and we got a lot of that, because Cat is obsessed with fashions, and Kitty blindly tags along with her).
It was easier to put myself down than build up hope only to have it crushed. (pg. 199 in ARC)
Our narrator, Kitty, is perhaps one of the weakest characters I have ever read. She is befriended by Cat when they are girls growing up in the Dowager Duchess's house. Cat is the most popular, prettiest girl there, and Kitty sees herself as nothing more than Cat's shadow. Cat is a master manipulator even at a young age, and basically can convince Kitty to do whatever she wants. Kitty has absolutely no spine whatsoever; she can't think for herself, she can't stand up to Cat (even when she knows Cat is wrong and/or making mistakes) and she is willfully blind to Cat's faults. This makes her a very hard main character to warm up to, at least for me personally. I have a big problem with characters that are little more than doormats, and instead of feeling sorry for her, I spent the wide majority of the book being thoroughly frustrated with her. It did not make for the most enjoyable reading experience.
Cat had used me my entire life. Made me do things I didn't want to do ... She had taken away the things I loved. Convinced me to do things I knew were wrong. But I always came back for more. So who was at fault? (pg. 376)
And then we have Cat, who is also so unlikable I just couldn't stand her. While Kitty allows herself to be used by Cat, it is Cat herself that just sees no reason not to use whatever or whomever is at her disposal to do what she wants. This only intensifies when she becomes Queen, because now she has the royal standing to do so. She brings Kitty and the other girls to court mainly because they know her secrets, and she doesn't want anyone to spill them, as that could put her marriage to the King in jeopardy. She also endangers their lives while they're at court when she includes them in her adultery; they are aware of her affair with Culpepper, and it makes them culpable to treason, which could cost them their heads. All Cat is concerned with is herself: her pretty dresses, her jewels, her station in life. She spares absolutely no thought to anyone but herself. She is perhaps the most conceited character I've ever read about, and I felt absolutely no sympathy for her plight at all.
I had wanted to be at court. Because it was what Cat wanted. I hadn't thought for myself since I was eight years old. And when I did, I spoke too late. (pg. 343)
While Kitty did finally speak up to Cat (only after they were all in trouble, mind), just like her doing so was too late to make a difference, her growing a spine was too late for me to warm to her, or this book. The entire thing was just really disappointing for me. Now obviously, because this is based on historical fact, it could be that Kitty really was a doormat and Cat really was a horrid person who used others; I don't know if this is true, because I don't know very much about Catherine Howard, and I don't think too much is really known about Kitty Tylney at all. But both girls were just really difficult for me to read, and it definitely made the book itself suffer in its tale.
If nothing else, this was a book that shed light on King Henry VIII's fifth of six wives. It gave me some history behind Catherine Howard, and detailed her fall from grace. I definitely learned some new information about the time, and Henry's court. But the story itself just wasn't terribly enjoyable, at least not for me.
Nonetheless, I have seen plenty of excellent ratings for this book, so don't just take my word for it. Gilt will be available in North America on May 15, 2012.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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.
When I first heard about Gilt I was really excited to read it, and tried over and over to get my hands on an ARC. I was lucky enough to win an ARC via a contest on Shelf Awareness Pro, and once I received it, immediately dove into it. Unfortunately this book didn't live up to my expectations. I so wanted to love it, but there were just things about it that really affected my overall enjoyment. Gilt reminded me of The Other Boleyn Girl, in terms of the fact that we're talking about yet another of King Henry VIII's wives, the story takes place in Henry's court, and the book was a little slow to develop. However, unlike with Anne Boleyn in that book, we get to see some of Cat and Kitty's childhoods. Another similarity is that both books are told from someone other than the Queen's point of view: in The Other Boleyn Girl we got Anne's sister, Mary, and in Gilt we got Katherine "Kitty" Tylney, Cat Howard's best friend. However, while I enjoyed Mary, for the most part, Kitty really grated on me, for reasons I'll get into below.
In my opinion, this book used language that was far too modern for the times. It was like Kitty and Cat were living in the 21st Century, instead of 16th Century England. When you're writing historical fiction, and you want to draw your reader in and immerse them in the world you're describing, it works better to use the turns of phrase of the times and have historical characters speak like they actually did. It just helps set the mood and the scene and make things more realistic. This book really failed in that, aside from the terms used to describe the dresses the girls wore (and we got a lot of that, because Cat is obsessed with fashions, and Kitty blindly tags along with her).
It was easier to put myself down than build up hope only to have it crushed. (pg. 199 in ARC)
Our narrator, Kitty, is perhaps one of the weakest characters I have ever read. She is befriended by Cat when they are girls growing up in the Dowager Duchess's house. Cat is the most popular, prettiest girl there, and Kitty sees herself as nothing more than Cat's shadow. Cat is a master manipulator even at a young age, and basically can convince Kitty to do whatever she wants. Kitty has absolutely no spine whatsoever; she can't think for herself, she can't stand up to Cat (even when she knows Cat is wrong and/or making mistakes) and she is willfully blind to Cat's faults. This makes her a very hard main character to warm up to, at least for me personally. I have a big problem with characters that are little more than doormats, and instead of feeling sorry for her, I spent the wide majority of the book being thoroughly frustrated with her. It did not make for the most enjoyable reading experience.
Cat had used me my entire life. Made me do things I didn't want to do ... She had taken away the things I loved. Convinced me to do things I knew were wrong. But I always came back for more. So who was at fault? (pg. 376)
And then we have Cat, who is also so unlikable I just couldn't stand her. While Kitty allows herself to be used by Cat, it is Cat herself that just sees no reason not to use whatever or whomever is at her disposal to do what she wants. This only intensifies when she becomes Queen, because now she has the royal standing to do so. She brings Kitty and the other girls to court mainly because they know her secrets, and she doesn't want anyone to spill them, as that could put her marriage to the King in jeopardy. She also endangers their lives while they're at court when she includes them in her adultery; they are aware of her affair with Culpepper, and it makes them culpable to treason, which could cost them their heads. All Cat is concerned with is herself: her pretty dresses, her jewels, her station in life. She spares absolutely no thought to anyone but herself. She is perhaps the most conceited character I've ever read about, and I felt absolutely no sympathy for her plight at all.
I had wanted to be at court. Because it was what Cat wanted. I hadn't thought for myself since I was eight years old. And when I did, I spoke too late. (pg. 343)
While Kitty did finally speak up to Cat (only after they were all in trouble, mind), just like her doing so was too late to make a difference, her growing a spine was too late for me to warm to her, or this book. The entire thing was just really disappointing for me. Now obviously, because this is based on historical fact, it could be that Kitty really was a doormat and Cat really was a horrid person who used others; I don't know if this is true, because I don't know very much about Catherine Howard, and I don't think too much is really known about Kitty Tylney at all. But both girls were just really difficult for me to read, and it definitely made the book itself suffer in its tale.
If nothing else, this was a book that shed light on King Henry VIII's fifth of six wives. It gave me some history behind Catherine Howard, and detailed her fall from grace. I definitely learned some new information about the time, and Henry's court. But the story itself just wasn't terribly enjoyable, at least not for me.
Nonetheless, I have seen plenty of excellent ratings for this book, so don't just take my word for it. Gilt will be available in North America on May 15, 2012.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
literaryanna's review against another edition
5.0
What a fantastic take on the story of Catherine Howard!!!! Amazingly written, and historically accurate to a t :)
aneeqah's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the setting of this one: 1500's set in a court. Really wonderful and intriguing to read about. However, so many other things just fell flat for me, like our main character and that love triangle.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!