The Lady of the Ravens opens in 1485 just weeks after Henry Tudor had taken the throne to become King Henry VII of England and Lord of Ireland. This is historical fiction about the early years of Henry’s reign as seen through the eyes of Joan Vaux, a lady in waiting to Elizabeth of York, whose marriage in 1486 to Henry united the Houses of Lancaster and York after the end of the Wars of the Roses.

Henry comes across as a competent king, which is really all I knew of his reign before reading this book. I’ve read Joanna Hickson’s earlier book about him, The Tudor Crown, which is about his early life and how he gained the English throne. Joan Vaux also features in a small way in this book. In The Lady of the Ravens he is shown to be determined to hold on to his throne, dealing with several Yorkists’ claims to the throne, in particular those of Lambert Simnel, who claimed to be Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, Elizabeth’s cousin, and Perkin Warbeck, who claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, who was the second son of Edward IV, Elizabeth’s brother, one of the so-called Princes in the Tower. It is also about his family life – his marriage to Elizabeth,,the births of their children (three of them died in childhood), and his concern for his subjects – for example both he and Elizabeth were present at Joan’s wedding and we also see him enjoying dancing at court.

Joan Vaux is also a real historical character – her mother, Katherine was French and had been a lady-in-waiting to the former queen Margaret of Anjou (the wife of Henry VI).. Joan had served Elizabeth as a woman of her bedchamber before Elizabeth’s marriage to Henry and, after her own marriage to Sir Richard Guildford, as a lady-in-waiting. And before that she had been brought up in the household of Lady Margaret Beaufort, Henry’s mother. Joan became a good friend and confidante of Elizabeth, even after her marriage and the birth of her son Henry, known as Hal, who also became a good friend to the young Prince Henry.

The fictional element is in the story of Joan’s fascination for and care of the ravens of the Tower of London firmly believing in the legend that should the ravens leave the Tower for good then the crown will fall and ruin will return to the nation. I came to really like Joan, a warm and caring woman. Joanna Hickson goes into detail describing the traumatic birth of her son and the lives of ordinary people outside the royal court. It is a rich and vibrant novel, full of action and political unrest.

I particularly like the glimpses we see of the ill-fated Prince Arthur and his bride, Katherine of Aragon. And I was especially delighted by the portrait of Prince Henry (who later became Henry VIII) as a young charismatic child of nearly three. His father was furious about the imposters’ claims to the throne and had decided the best response was to invest his younger son as the trueborn and genuine Duke of York. Little Henry, with his bright red Tudor hair, was mounted on a gleaming black warhorse strapped into a specially made high-backed jousting saddle and escorted by his great-uncles, the Yeoman of the Guard and the King’s Archers as they processed around the streets of London to Westminster. He was in his element, waving to the crowd who cheered and threw flowers as he went by.

This novel is beautifully written, grounded in its historical context, full of colour and life. I loved all the descriptions of the various settings, especially the Tower of London, and the ravens. My grasp of English history in this period was very hazy and I learned a lot reading this book, especially as the characters came to life on the pages, but most of all I loved the portrayal of Joan Vaux, Lady Guildford. And I see from the Author’s Note at the end of the book that there is more to come about her, including a mystery, her second marriage and her close relationship with Katherine of Aragon and the early years of Henry VIII’s reign. I’m looking forward to reading that!

I very quickly bonded with this intelligent, sparky young woman, whose unfashionable looks didn’t bother her all that much, as she had developed a horror of marriage and childbirth. Through her eyes, in first person viewpoint, we get a real sense of her life as an attendant of Elizabeth of York, betrothed to Henry VII, the first Tudor king after years of savage fighting during the Wars of the Roses that tore apart the kingdom. I’d studied this period of history, so knew a lot about the events Hickson covers in the book – but it was a real joy having such a ringside seat to this fascinating time. Through Joan’s eyes, we see Elizabeth’s life unfold as the Yorkist princess, having to put aside her grief for her lost brothers (the princes in the Tower) and her dead father, as it is her place to found a new dynasty.

Hickson’s thorough research builds up a vivid sense of daily life, where Joan is at the beck and call of her royal mistress, learning of events that shake the kingdom through the people at the centre of it all. I knew that childbirth was a major issue for women up until medical advances made it safer, but this book brought home to me the sheer terror of facing such an ordeal with no effective painkillers and a high death toll from the likes of breech births and secondary infections. There was also the heartbreak of losing babies and children, who also were carried off by diseases and infections in very high numbers.

I’m aware that I’ve made this book sound a rather dreary round of catastrophes and death – and it’s nothing of the sort. Joan is a bright, engaging character with plenty of spirit and is strangely drawn to the ravens who roost around The Tower. She is aware of her good fortune, has a loving relationship with her mother and her benefactor, the Lady Margaret who looked after her while her mother was busy at court. It was interesting to see that Tudor working women had the same strains on their personal lives that we experience in modern life.

I’ve noticed that Hickson has written a number of other books centred on this period and I’m going to see if I can get my hands on them. Her deft, lively writing style and detailed knowledge that gave the book such a strong period feel without compromising the pace or narrative arc meant that I found this one difficult to put down. Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical adventures set around the Tudor period. The ebook arc copy of Lady of the Ravens was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest opinion of the book.
9/10

It was a fascinating and engrossing read that kept me hooked till the end.
I loved the well researched historical background, the mix of historical facts and fiction, and the well crafted plot.
The characters are well developed and interesting, the historical background is fascinating.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is a historical fiction book which is mostly set around The Tower of London. This interested me greatly as it is one of my favourite landmarks in London. This is the story of Joan Vaux who marries Richard Guildford. Joan becomes the Lady of the Ravens. The story starts at the beginning of Henry VIIs reign and details his coronation and his marriage to Elizabeth of York.

The descriptions in this book are fabulous and it makes you feel part of the book. This book has been so well researched and it is well written.
I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. If you are interested in Tudor history or a fan of historical fiction you will love this book.

I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, particularly books set in the Tudor era, so this book really appealed to me.

I hadn’t read much about Joan Vaux before so I found it very interesting to learn more about her story. I really liked Joan who came across as a very clever, honest lady who doesn’t take herself too seriously which made me warm to her. I also liked her husband Richard who underneath everything was a lovely, kind man whose love and loyalty to his family shined through. I enjoyed reading about the two of them throughout the book.

There is some amazing historical details in this book which helps make the era come to life. I especially enjoyed all the vivid descriptions of the big events like the coronation and Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth which made me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold. The author has clearly done her research and I liked the way she managed to blend the historical facts into the story making it really come to life.

The novel is set in and around the tower of London which I found fascinating as I don’t remember reading many books set there. The presence of the ravens made the book stand out to me and I liked learning more about the myths surrounding them. They also added a bit of a dark, almost gothic feel to the book as it felt like they were always watching and waiting!

Overall I really enjoyed this book and found it to be very absorbing and intriguing. The author paints a bleak picture of life at that time and all the dangers that were around then. I found myself feeling very glad that I didn’t live then especially, as a woman I think I’d have had a hard time.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of author’s like Philippa Gregory then you’ll enjoy this book as the styles are similar.

4.5 stars rounded up. Well. I have to confess that in recent years, I have had an aversion to historical fiction of the Tudor era. This is largely because I get bogged down in all the different characters of court, often with the same name. How many Margarets, Mary’s and Elizabeth’s, Henrys and Edwards do you need?! So this author did a fantastic job of keeping everyone straight in my head. I enjoyed this book because it concerned the period where Henry VII came to the throne. I’m so bored by stories concerning Henry VIII and Elizabeth. And another attraction to this book was the thread about the ravens and their establishment at the Tower of London. A fascinating and charming story that has reinspired my interest in the earlier years of the Tudors, before it really became a dynasty. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

What a fascinating historical tale this was, told from the female perspective, about the reign of Henry VII. It appears to be well researched but instead of concentrating on the King and his Council and their constant need to retain their Tudor rule we are given much detail about Elizabeth and her ladies and how the Queen's eldest son is housed and educated away from his mother and the children of the Ladies in Waiting have to come second to court life. That Jane Vaux actually existed and was at court was good to learn and incorporating the age-old belief that the Ravens nesting in and around The Tower of London preserved the safety of said Tower was an added and fascinating thread to the book.
Obviously well-researched and very readable. I look forward to the next chapter!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Joanna Hickson/Harper Collins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the first book by Joanna Hickson I have read.

I consider it to be well researched and the subject interesting but somehow it didn’t excite me and seemed slow.

The setting in the amazing Tower of London is an interesting one but the main character Joan Vaux did not come alive to me and I kept hoping that would happen. I think that began to irritate and I struggled to finish the book, but did.

I love history but have read better historical mysteries and this left me wanting more.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Not one for me I'm afraid.I do like historical fiction but not books where 15th century characters speak and think like 21st century people.I couldn't take to the constant reference to the ravens either-I know it's in the title but I got tired of hearing about them.

This decadent and delightful novel transported me back in time to Tudor England. Henry VII has just taken the throne and his reign is still tenuous, under threat from Yorkists who see him as a usurper. The story takes us through the next sixteen years of his reign as they navigate conspiracies and try to establish the Tudor dynasty. It is narrated by Joan Vaux, an intelligent, independent young woman who is also the closest servant and friend of Elizabeth of York, Henry’s queen. Ravens are immediately very present and important to the story with Joan feeling an affiliation to them and talks of the suspicion that they guard the tower and if the ravens disappear then the king will fall. These themes are woven throughout the story as the ravens become almost a character themselves.

I absolutely adored Joan. She was a fascinating character who was all the more compelling to me because she was a real person. I admired her attempts to fly in the face of tradition and how she stood up for what she thought and believed in, even when it wasn’t advisable or would work against her. I felt immensely sad for her when talked about her wish to remain unmarried and her overwhelming fear of childbirth as it was expected that women would marry and become mothers at that time. Unless you became a nun there wasn’t the choice to remain single, especially when you lived at court. Marriages were a political power play, and women had no autonomy over themselves or their bodies, something Joan clearly loathed and found unfair.. It was hard to read the battle that would rage inside her when she was forced to yield to things because it what was expected and I desperately wished she and the other women could live in progressive societies today and experience more choice in their lives.

Elizabeth may have been the Queen of England, but she was a character I felt desperately sorry for. She is in a precarious position from the start of the story - needing to marry Henry to secure her place as part of royalty and securing her family’s position in society. After their marriage it is all about her royal duty to have children, particularly heirs and spares, reminding us of the thinking at the time that males were superior and that fertility and a baby’s sex were in the woman’s hands and the danger posed if she doesn’t fulfill her duties. Elizabeth is a doting mother but not only is she forced to be separated from her children shortly after their births, she suffers the tragic loss of two of them to illness, as well as multiple miscarriages. My heart broke for what she went through. I loved the sweet friendship between her and Joan. It was clear that Elizabeth relied on her as her support and confident, more than in a practical sense as time went on. She had a true friend she could trust, something needed when you have to use clandestine methods to go about things your husband wouldn’t agree with.

I’ve become a huge lover of historical fiction over the past few years and this novel had everything you could want from that genre. It is wonderfully written and well developed. The author knows how to draw in and captivate her audience, quickly having me fully immersed in the era. It felt like I was Joan, seeing everything through her eyes and feeling everything she did. I was in Tudor England, bearing witness to moments in history that shaped our country, and could almost smell the squalor. The author vividly portrayed not only the imagery of that time, but the emotions too. Life at court was a tightrope that had to be walked very carefully and a game that had to be delicately played - making the right move at the right time to advance further. We saw how both men and women were subject to rigid expectations and had to yield in order to not only maintain their position, but sometimes to save their lives. She also didn’t shy away from the darkest truths of that time and we witnessed some tragic moments that linger in my mind.

The Lady of the Ravens is a beautifully crafted novel that I couldn’t put down. Though it is based hundreds of years ago, the humanity of the story makes it relatable, affecting and uplifting. I enjoyed learning more about the era and plan on learning more about Joan after my interest has been sparked by this novel. I am thrilled that this is just the start of a new series and can’t wait for the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Lady of the Ravens is based on the real historical character of Joan Vaux. I find historical fiction fascinating, especially those books which have a foot firmly placed in what was the real world.

Joan and her mother are taken in to the care of Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s mother, during the end years of the Wars of the Roses. She becomes a good friend to Princess Elizabeth in the time before she marries Henry, and goes on to be a Lady in Waiting and eventually the Lady Governess to the Princesses Margaret and Mary.

I really enjoyed all of the historical detail and what life was really like in Tudor England: the preoccupation with death and the many ways that a woman especially, could die, and the precariousness of children’s lives.

I had never really thought about the Ravens in the Tower of London (you’re never interested about the places that are on your doorstep as you’re growing up, I fear 🤷🏼‍♀️), assumed they’d always been there and that they’d always been seen as important to the realm. But in this novel, we learn that they were actually seen as vermin by the nobility and soldiers stationed there, until Joan and her servant looked after them, convincing others - royalty especially - of their significance to the safety of England and the Royal Family.

I haven’t read Joanna Hickson books before, but I really enjoyed the characters, the insights into the royal family, the uncertainty around the possible sons of York (Perkin Warbeck for one), the descriptions of everyday life - and just the evocative styled her writing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for my copy of this great book to read and review.

I would like to thank netgalley and HarperCollins UK for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Set during the early reign of Henry VII, this book follows Joan Vaux, a lady in waiting to Elisabeth of York.

It's an interesting time period and I loved her fascination with the ravens of the Tower of London. I had a little trouble connecting to her character.

I love historical fiction and really enjoyed this book. Set in Tudor times in the reign of Henry VII this book is well written and a fantastic story. I highly recommend The Lady of the Ravens

Historical Fiction at its best:
In 1485 The Wars of the Roses ended on the battlefield of Bosworth Field, in which the reigning King Richard III lost his life and Henry VII won the previously disputed throne. Henry VII was the first Tudor Monarch, a dynasty which was to last until the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603.
Henry's marriage to Elizabeth of York (whose brothers perished in mysterious circumstances in the Tower during the reign of Richard III) in 1486 effectively united the claimants to the disputed throne and was to usher in a period of relative calm to English history. His marriage to Elizabeth was also symbolic of Henry's determination to bring the previously warring factions together and make the Tudor dynasty one of the greatest in Europe. Although initially a marriage of expediency it appears that Henry VII and Elizabeth were to have a loving marriage.
However, Tudor Courts were full of intrigue, potentially deadly, and it is against that background that Joanna Hickson sets her novel, "The Ladies of the Raven".
Narrated through the lives of Henry's wife, Elizabeth of York, and her Lady-in-Waiting, Joan Vaux, the reader is made aware that to survive in the Tudor Courts of England it was a necessity to keep one's eyes and ears open to plotting and intrigue. It is to that factor which the "Ravens" of the title refers. The two women, who are brought vividly to life by the author, used subtle influence and guile against those who they perceive as a threat to their own positions and the throne. The influence of women in the Courts of the day should never be underestimated.
Exceptionally well researched, although rather lengthy at 466 pages, the pages soon fly by as the reader is carried along by Joanna Hickson on an enthralling and educational journey. For lovers of Tudor historical fiction and historical fiction in general. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.

The Lady of the Ravens is about Joan Vaux, the lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth of York whose marriage to Henry VIII united the Houses of York and Lancaster and established the House of Tudor. Except, even though she is the protagonist, The Lady of the Ravens isn’t really about Joan Vaux at all, and that is the book’s biggest shortfall. The story is focused on royal drama and political intrigue that Joan has no control over and that makes her a passive observer of the events of the book, rather than an active participant. Joan has very few personal stakes in how the situation unfolds other than having always been loyal to the House of Lancaster, which is a rather abstract and uninteresting character motivation to a modern reader (unless you’re still for some reason very invested in the conflict between York and Lancaster, I guess).

Overall, this isn’t really Joan’s story, just one she happens to be present for. The book would be much stronger if its driving force was Joan’s wants and needs. Joan is especially lethargic at the start of the book, where her role is limited to describing the political conflict to us. This does improve somewhat as the story goes on, and occasionally the book gives Joan more to do. These rare moments are the best parts of the book, and it’s a shame the whole story isn’t more focused on Joan’s personal journey.

Still, despite its short comings, The Lady of the Ravens is a very benign and comfortable read. It is not going to challenge you in any way or make you think about these historical events differently, but if you’re looking to soak in the atmosphere of late medieval England and enjoy the period details, this book is a decent offering.

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Lady of the Ravens’ by Joanna Hickson in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of corvids and especially ravens, so I was naturally interested in this work of historical fiction with its title referencing the ravens within the Tower of London. Even if the origins of the legend of their connection to the fate of the Crown is unknown, there is no doubt that they are a potent symbol that has continued to the present day.

Hickson’s narrator is Lady Joan Guildford, formerly Vaux, an aristocratic woman within the household of Elizabeth of York, Queen consort to Henry VII. She had been raised by Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond, the mother of Henry, and is very dedicated to the Tudor cause. She later became the Lady Governess to the Tudor princesses.

During the early reign of Henry VII there were many ‘pretenders’, claiming to be one of the missing sons of Edward IV. While much of this happens away from Joan’s presence, she does encounter the doomed Edward of Warwick during his imprisonment in the Tower. It was a moving segment and emphasises the ruthlessness of Henry and the Tudors. (Note: the author warns her readers that she is not a Ricardian, whereas I certainly am.)

The Tudor period is a fascinating one and novels focusing on the lives of women, so often ignored in history texts, have become more commonplace.

While this felt a well researched and solidly written novel, allowing the reader to view events through the eyes of a little known historical figure, it was written in an understated style that read at times like a work of non fiction, precise and focused. This might be due to Joanna Hickson’s long career in journalism.

Joan’s sense of connection to the ravens making their home in the grounds of the Tower was an interesting aspect; though mainly focused on Joan’s attempt to keep them safe and encourage their breeding. This probably was a prudent move as weaving in elements of folklore might have clashed with the down-to-earth nature of the majority of the novel’s narrative.

The ARC had no additional material such as Author’s Note or Historical Notes that I would expect to see in the final published edition. This likely would have answered questions about sources and where artistic licence was taken.

The novel is listed as the first in her ‘Queens of the Tower’ series. Will the next book continue Joan’s story? ‘The Lady of the Ravens’ ends in 1501 with the marriage of Prince Arthur to Catherine of Aragon and Joan’s life and involvement in the Tudor Court continued beyond this date. We shall just have to wait and see.

I will note that the cover art is exquisite with ravens upon a background of Tudor roses.

Lady of the Ravens is set in the Court of Henry VII shortly after the Battle of Bosworth which heralded the end of the Wars of The Roses and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. Seen through the eyes of Joan Vaux, sometime ward of Margaret Beaufort and friend to Elizabeth of York, Henry's bride, this is a pleasing tale of life in Tudor London.

Giovanna Vaux, who is known as Joan is the narrator of this fictionalisation of Tudor England from the period when King Henry VII reigns after the death of Richard III until the marriage of Prince Arthur to Katherine of Aragon.
Joan is an extremely likeable, measured and balanced individual that is lady in waiting for Queen Elizabeth with whom she forms a close and lasting relationship.
The story is more about Joan and her life being set up and married to a widowed knight and his children, living in the Tower of London, enduring her fear of child birth, navigating disease, as well as the strife of war and the perilous life that co-exists when working as part of the royal repertoire.
There’s a lovely additional side story of Joan’s love of the Ravens at the Tower, even though the soldiers hate them and use them for shooting practice. It is proves to be quite captivating and a memorable addition that is steeped in Tower lore.
The perils of Tudor life, the sustainability risks of the Royal tenure is captivatingly written. The story glides effortlessly and is immersive to read. I had a vivid image of the historical period and to a lesser degree the characters. I was keen to keep reading as the story gently traversed. There wasn’t tension but a steady insight into Tudor life that may have been painted a little easier than the reality. Joan has a privileged life and is able to remain a strong woman more in control of her life than I would have imagined given her role and the time period. It was nonetheless a gentle read, one that was a pleasure from start to end.

Henry VII's struggles to found the Tudor dynasty and unite the houses of York and Lancaster are chronicled form the viewpoint of Joan Vaux, daughter of Lancastrian parents who becomes a lady-in-waiting to Henry's wife, Elizabeth, and becomes closely involved in the politics of the kingdom.
This book is compelling as it chronicles history from the viewpoint of the women close to the throne, unlike many other historical novels, which focus on male historical figures.
Readable and enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this book set in Tudor times. Elizabeth of York and Joan Vaux find themselves drawn together. The research of the historical detail was both compelling and very interesting. I am looking forward to Queens of the Tower Book 2.