Katherine by Anya Seton is a thoughtful, beautifully written book about the love shared between Katherine Swynfod and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. The two meet when Katherine is introduced at court after spending her life growing up in a convent. Katherine is quickly married off to Hugh Swynford and finds herself in a miserable life in a miserable "keep" with surly servants, unruly serfs and a crazy mother-in-law.
The love between Katherine and John grows slowly and following the deaths of both of their spouses evolves into an affair that astounds them both and puzzles many of their acquaintances. The book follows all these paths, both positive and negative, and traces the cosequences of such a love.
I liked the book. I thought it was very well researched and evoked the 14th century in amazing detail. You could feel the grit, dirt, and drafts; taste the food; feel the strife of living in a time when communication was so difficult; and find the transcending power of love throughout the whole. I look forward to reading the rest of Seton's repertoire.
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