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  • The Fifth Queen

  • And How She Came to Court
  • By: Ford Madox Ford
  • Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
  • Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
  • 3.3 out of 5 stars (9 ratings)

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The Fifth Queen

By: Ford Madox Ford
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
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Summary

The Fifth Queen is Ford Maddox Ford’s masterful trilogy of historical fiction centered on Katharine Howard, a young girl of a proud, noble, and impoverished family who catches the jaded eye of Henry VIII and becomes his controversial fifth Queen.

In this first volume, Katherine arrives at the King's court to find its dimly lit corridors vibrating with corruption and fear, as unscrupulous courtiers hungry for power maneuver for advantage. Clever, beautiful, and outspoken, Katherine soon becomes caught in a web of intrigue and romance as she fights for political and religious change.

Ford saw the past as an integral part of the present experience and understanding. His sharply etched vision of the court of Henry VIII, first published in 1908, echoes aspects of Edwardian England as it explores the pervading influence of power, lies, fear, and anxiety on people’s lives.

Public Domain (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
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Critic reviews

“The best historical romance of this century.” ( Times Literary Supplement [London])

What listeners say about The Fifth Queen

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not an easy listen

I downloaded this as I've really enjoyed recent books on the reign of Henry VIII, most notably Hilary Mantel's books. I gave up on it after a few chapters. I found the writing style very clunky with too much 'telling not showing' about the characters. Ford Madox Ford really likes his adverbs! I might have persevered in written form but Ralph Cosham's narration finished it off for me in this audio book. He reads too fast and has a 'rat a tat' style of delivery that gets wearing very quickly.

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9 people found this helpful