A review of ‘The Crown’ by Nancy Bilyeau

Synopsis

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

An aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The year is 1537. . .

Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.

The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.

An early 20th century engraving of King Athelstan's tomb

But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.

With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past.

Review of The Crown

When Nancy Bilyeau’s debut historical novel landed on my doorstep, I promised myself that I would only have a little peek at the opening paragraph, as I had lots of jobs to tackle that day. But three chapters later, I was having difficulty prying myself away from the pages of this captivating thriller.

The opening line alone fired my imagination:

“When a burning is announced, the taverns of Smithfield order extra barrels of ale, but when the person to be executed is a woman and one of noble birth, the ale comes by the cartload.”

Malmesbury Abbey in the 14th century. Only the brightened area is now used, following collapses of the spire and West Tower

I was immediately drawn into the world of Joanna Stafford and eager to join her on her quest to find the Athelstan Crown. The journey takes us from Stafford Castle to Dartford Priory, Smithfield, Henry’s court, Malmesbury Abbey and even Stonehenge!

For the first time I truly saw and felt the impact that Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries had on the people who lived in these religious houses. Normally accustomed to witnessing the religious upheaval from the outside, seeing the events through the eyes of sister Joanna was unique, insightful and an incredibly powerful reminder of the human loss and spiritual destruction caused by Henry’s policy.

I basked in the historical detail masterfully weaved throughout; there is no denying that Bilyeau did her research and did it well. The broad range of historical and fictional characters leapt from the pages and interacted seamlessly.

Even George Boleyn made a somewhat confronting appearance…

The engrossing, fast-paced and complex storyline, driven by the quest to find the Crown and combined with the struggle to save Dartford Priory – make for a truly unmissable read. One of the best historical fictions I have read in a long time.

And the journey has not yet concluded for me. Even after turning the last page, I found myself reflecting on the characters and events from the story and inspired to find out more about the Stafford and Bulmer families, monastic life and Dartford Priory.

Piquing curiosity in the real historical personalities and events  – the mark of great historical fiction!

Keep an eye out for the sequel coming soon I hope.