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Songbird (The Tudor Court) Paperback – December 21, 2021

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,398 ratings

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Can a girl come from nothing and rise to the heart of the Tudor court?

Ten-year-old Bess possesses a glorious voice, but in a world of poverty and hardship, singing is nothing more than a frivolous luxury. When her father sells her to the king of England, she leaves behind everything she’s ever known and enters a world of opulence and music.

Bess flourishes at court, building a new family and becoming the king's favorite minstrel, his "Songbird." As she comes of age, she witnesses firsthand the fragility of life in a world where every corner holds a secret and every smile could mask betrayal. Even the king isn't safe.

When Bess becomes entangled with a young Anne Boleyn, she is drawn into a world beyond the confines of her position. She craves freedom, love, and the chance to be her own person. But is she strong enough to break free from the gilded cage she's built for herself, when a single wrong note could cost her everything?

Through all the turbulence of life at court, there is one constant: Tom, her childhood friend and confidant. Their bond is a reminder of a simpler time before the complications of growing up and falling in love.

If you've ever dreamed of stepping back in time and experiencing the intrigue and drama of Henry VIII's court, then this immersive historical novel is for you.

Buy Songbird today and embark on a journey you'll never forget!

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From the Publisher

A firelit room with people and the words, "Ordinary people, extraordinary times."
A firelit room with people and the words "The Tudor Court was more than a king and too many queens."
A firelit room with people and the words, "It was minstrels and maids, secretaries and spies..."
A firelit room with people and the words, "Living and working in dangerous proximity to the crown."

Editorial Reviews

Review

"With elegant, self-assured prose, Heenan finds a fresh way into the Tudor Court. Songbird is a tale of art, creativity, survival and womanhood in Renaissance England." - Nichelle Tramble Spellman, creator of Truth Be Told, Apple TV+

"No one here steps out of their period, even for a second." -
Discovering Diamonds Historical Fiction Review Blog

"The drama is driven by two things: the historical setting, and the characters themselves. A very satisfying read."
- Annie Whitehead, author of To Be a Queen and Alvar the Kingmaker

"[W]itty and inspired and so incredibly vivid. It is a book that deserves to be read over and over again."
-Mary Anne Yarde, The Coffee Pot Book Club

"I wanted to read this book in one long sitting, immersing myself in its beautifully drawn world both familiar and new. I didn't: I rationed myself, to make it last longer." -
Marian L Thorpe, author of Empire's Legacy

"Songbird... just gets better and better until all I am capable of is professional envy and turning the pages, dreading the fact that the book has to end at some point and no matter when that happens, I won't be ready."
Bjorn Larssen, author of Storytellers

"This book provided a completely new look at the court of Henry VIII, and also was a page-turning coming of age historical novel, the kind I miss reading, the kind with excellent storytelling at its core." -
Sydney Young, Paris Life Magazine

About the Author

As an only child, Karen Heenan learned early that boredom was the enemy. Shortly after she discovered perpetual motion, and has rarely been seen holding still since.She lives in Lansdowne, PA, just outside Philadelphia, where she grows much of her own food and makes her own clothes. She is accompanied on her quest for self-sufficiency by a very patient husband and an ever-changing number of cats.One constant: she is always writing her next book.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Karen Heenan (December 21, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 342 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1957081015
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1957081014
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.86 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,398 ratings

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Karen Heenan
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As an only child, Karen Heenan learned early that boredom was the enemy. Shortly after she discovered perpetual motion, and has rarely been seen holding still since.

She lives in Lansdowne, PA, just outside Philadelphia, where she grows much of her own food and makes her own clothes. She is accompanied on her quest for self-sufficiency by a very patient husband and an ever-changing number of cats.

One constant: she is always writing her next book.

Sign up for her mailing list at: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/g9n7e7

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,398 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story captivating and multi-layered. They describe the book as an interesting historical novel with believable characters. The characters are well-written and relatable, with human foibles and weaknesses. The book offers an interesting perspective and relevant concepts in an educational way. Readers appreciate the rich details and realistic portrayal of the Tudor court. The writing style is well-crafted and spellbinding. The emotional content is heartbreaking and painful.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

32 customers mention "Storytelling"32 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling. They find the story captivating and beautiful, bringing life at the court vividly to the reader. The multi-layered story weaves in various characters and is entertaining and riveting. While some reviewers mention problems with the plot, they do not distract from the story.

"...Songbird" is a multi-layered story that weaves in various characters and their sub-plots into a tapestry rich with themes of love, revenge, coming-of..." Read more

"I love books that explore the way talent, ambition, and ordinary life intersect, especially for women, and this book delved deeply into all of..." Read more

"...The storyline is deceptively simple, yet with a complexity that really shines through the characters’ relationships and the scope of time covered,..." Read more

"...A few editing problems in the book, but none that distracted from the story. I would recommend for history and music lovers." Read more

29 customers mention "Readability"29 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an engaging historical novel. They enjoy reading it and appreciate the original take on Tudor court life. The story is well-written, but some characters lack depth. However, the end is unexpected. Readers say it's a great read for Allison Weir and Phillipa Gregory fans.

"...It is a journey back in time to Renaissance England with universal themes of love, self-discovery, and redemption relevant to modern times...." Read more

"...The characters are well-drawn, and the world building is also excellent...." Read more

"...are all fictional, it was interesting to see how the historical events were weaved in in a non-intrusive, non-dry, and, most significantly, relevant..." Read more

"I really enjoyed the author's take on this historical glimpse. A few editing problems in the book, but none that distracted from the story...." Read more

17 customers mention "Character development"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and believable. They appreciate the well-written characters with human flaws and weaknesses. The strengths of each character are accurately described.

"..." by Karen Heenan is a richly-layered story with engaging, memorable characters that will keep a reader turning the pages to find out what happens..." Read more

"...The characters are well-drawn, and the world building is also excellent...." Read more

"...Since the main characters are all fictional, it was interesting to see how the historical events were weaved in in a non-intrusive, non-dry, and,..." Read more

"...It's a love story of sorts and follows the lives of two characters. Held my interest the entire way through and the end was a surprise." Read more

13 customers mention "Interest"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and relevant. They appreciate the depth of research and world-building. The themes of love, self-discovery, and redemption are universal. Readers recommend it for history and music enthusiasts.

"...back in time to Renaissance England with universal themes of love, self-discovery, and redemption relevant to modern times. Highly Recommended." Read more

"...weaved in in a non-intrusive, non-dry, and, most significantly, relevant way. I also really loved the author’s treatment of the romance...." Read more

"...I would recommend for history and music lovers." Read more

"I appreciate the depth of research that surely went into the writing of this book...." Read more

12 customers mention "Detail"12 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detailed portrayal of the Tudor court. They find the details realistic, evocative, and believable. The book provides an insightful view of the court from the perspective of a minstrel.

"...The storyline is deceptively simple, yet with a complexity that really shines through the characters’ relationships and the scope of time covered,..." Read more

"...-to-day life of people below stairs are all written beautifully and evocatively. Highly recommend." Read more

"...I have reread it many times and enjoyed each one. The book is that intricately detailed and well written...." Read more

"...Detailed accounts of furnishings, palaces and characters provide a delicious background for heartbreak and triumph...." Read more

10 customers mention "Writing style"10 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing style as well-written, beautifully told, and spellbinding. They find the book a beautiful read with lyrical pacing and beautiful voices. The author is described as talented and the reading experience is enjoyable.

"...Author Karen Heenan is a gifted storyteller who has written a spelling-binding novel from the first-person perceptive of Bethan, a musical servant..." Read more

"...The prose is true to the time, does not get bogged down with description while keeping a song-like lyricism to the words and sentences, and tells a..." Read more

"I loved the storyline! Truly a beautiful read. The detail to the atmosphere, relationships and clothing is remarkable. Looking forward to more." Read more

"...and the day-to-day life of people below stairs are all written beautifully and evocatively. Highly recommend." Read more

5 customers mention "Emotional content"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotional and heartbreaking. They appreciate how the characters deal with their feelings and improve over time.

"...The romance in Songbird is poignant without being cheesy; it is heartbreaking and painful, as all great love should be...." Read more

"...It has everything,such as love, adventure, heartbreak, joy, and much more." Read more

"...I really enjoyed how the characters changed and how they dealt with their feelings, improving over time...." Read more

"...of view of a singer purchased by King Henry VIII, Songbird is an emotional tale that pulls at the heartstrings in a good way...." Read more

This book is so much more than the official blurb...
5 out of 5 stars
This book is so much more than the official blurb...
The official blurb, above, does not do this book justice. It's not that there's anything inaccurate about it, but this book is so much more than what's described. We first meet Bess when, as a young girl, she is taken to court by her father and left there. She's confused, she doesn't understand why she can't go home again and she's more than a little intimidated by having to sing in front of a giant. This giant, of course, turns out to be Henry VIII, and Bess has been sold to Henry so that she can join the King's Music. She's a young girl when this happens, and she's a young woman by the end of the book and so we really do see her grow up at court.We get a fascinating glimpse of that rich, vibrant Tudor court, and we do get to meet some key players there - as well as the king, we meet Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Thomas Wolsey. Bess, Tom, and their friends interact with these people, but the real drama is with the fictional characters, who walk a strange path between members of the court and the life of a servant. It's not a view which is often presented and I found the premise an interesting one.Tom and Bess' relationship is fraught with difficulties and what I enjoyed was how those difficulties were based on problems which arose from the historical setting. No one here steps out of their period, even for a second. Their attitudes and their circumstances are very 'Tudor', but within that, of course, there is scope for people to behave in very different ways. Bess matures in a believable way, as does Tom. Other characters, though minor, are well drawn: devout, tragic Agnes, Robin, and the minstrel Ewan, all have their distinct character traits.Bess' younger years are almost like being at boarding school, and she does come to view the court as her home. This is a mixed blessing for her and her dilemmas, longings and regrets felt very real.Ms Heenan uses the history well, tying in known events, such as the outbreak of the Sweating Sickness, to provide drama for her fictional characters. This too made their travails seem all the more real.Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2021
    The opening sentence in "Songbird" by Karen Heenan immediately sets the dark tone of Renaissance England and hooks you into the story: "Two days before my tenth birthday, my father sold me to the King of England." The historical novel, "Songbird" (The Tudor Court, Book 1), is set in the backdrop of King Henry VIII's court and has an element of romance. The story begins when Bethan's impoverished father presents her to King Henry VIII to audition for an elite group of singers and musicians that entertain the court. A young musician, Tom, offers to accompany her on a string instrument to help her relax as she sings and brings out the quality of her singing voice. The courtiers hush as she sings like a songbird, more to the young musician for whom she feels an instant connection. Her father relinquishes Bethan at a high price to the King. Tom shows her kindness and helps her to adjust to a new family of minstrels at the court. He gives her the pseudonym Bess Llewelyn, more befitting of her Welsh background. The story spans from her coming-of-age teen years to her maturation as an adult. She is caught up in the decadence of courtly life and the lure of passion, dismissing Tom's strong feelings for her. Consequences of past and present reckless liaisons collide when Bethan must come to terms with her place in life and relationships.

    Author Karen Heenan is a gifted storyteller who has written a spelling-binding novel from the first-person perceptive of Bethan, a musical servant behind the scenes in the King's court. Bethan's underlying beauty, similar to Anne Boleyn, enthralls men. Impetuous, she often lives for the moment and gives no thought to how her reckless action and words affect others. Devastated by her father's abandonment, Bethan struggles to understand how she fits in the world. I particularly empathize with Tom, whose mother, a prostitute, sells him as a choir boy to the King. Losing his boyish voice at a young age, Tom has to play an instrument and compose music to remain at court. He is Bethan's soulmate, always there to support and advise her. But she dismisses his loyalty and feelings in pursuit of loftier passions. Yet, he has limits on what he will accept from her unrequited love.

    Though the novel centers around Bethan and Tom, you can also get caught up in the lives of memorable secondary characters. It reminds me somewhat of the "Downtown Abbey" series that shows the lives of both the aristocratic family members and their servants. Although there is a romantic component to the story, it also explores the consequences of social inequities and injustices forced on children born out of wedlock due to reckless dalliances of nobles with women beneath their status. This theme parallels the national consequences from King Henry's break with tradition to divorce Queen Catherine of Aragon in favor of marrying Anne Boleyn.

    "Songbird" is a multi-layered story that weaves in various characters and their sub-plots into a tapestry rich with themes of love, revenge, coming-of-age, perseverance, and redemption. For the most part, the writing style, descriptions, and pacing are eloquent and lyrical like a song. One example of a unique and vivid description is how Bethan perceives the King when she first meets him as follows: "The giant was immense, and from his bright hair to the tissue-like fabric that made up his costume, he seemed to be fashion entirely of gold." A memorable quote that resonated with me is as follows: "A cat may look at a king, but it upsets the natural order of things when the King looks at the cat."

    "Songbird" by Karen Heenan is a richly-layered story with engaging, memorable characters that will keep a reader turning the pages to find out what happens next. It is a journey back in time to Renaissance England with universal themes of love, self-discovery, and redemption relevant to modern times. Highly Recommended.
    24 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2021
    I love books that explore the way talent, ambition, and ordinary life intersect, especially for women, and this book delved deeply into all of that.

    The characters are well-drawn, and the world building is also excellent. I'd have preferred less explicit love-making, but I suspect some might enjoy the scenes I found myself skimming or skipping.

    All in all, a very good book, though.
    15 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2020
    This novel made me realize how much I missed my first historical fiction love—Tudor England. More than that, it made me realize why I love reading and writing: to feel an emotion that gets lost in the whirl of the everyday, to peek into a past long gone, to fall in love with a story, plain and simple. Well, I fell completely and utterly in love with Karen Heenan’s Songbird.

    In short, Bess is a young girl who is sold to Henry VIII by her father. She grows up at the royal court, where she meets Tom, another musician. Their relationship blossoms as they grow and as the years pass, but so do the complexities of adulthood, human loss and pain, and of course, romantic love.

    The storyline is deceptively simple, yet with a complexity that really shines through the characters’ relationships and the scope of time covered, rendering it fresh and beautiful. I have such an admiration for writers who expertly use exposition in a way that doesn’t bore or confuse the reader, and I found this author does this so well. The prose is true to the time, does not get bogged down with description while keeping a song-like lyricism to the words and sentences, and tells a pure story, the type of story you don’t see very often because of the emotion and humanity behind it.

    The author has a strong handle on the history of the time, and a talent for using it as a background to the plot. Since the main characters are all fictional, it was interesting to see how the historical events were weaved in in a non-intrusive, non-dry, and, most significantly, relevant way. I also really loved the author’s treatment of the romance. In my opinion, it is the hardest to pull off. The romance in Songbird is poignant without being cheesy; it is heartbreaking and painful, as all great love should be.

    So many novels these days have great concepts but very little substance behind the storyline and characters; very few move me to tears. Songbird did in a way I didn’t expect it to. This coming of age story absolutely touched my heart. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next. I’ll be eagerly waiting to get my hands on it!

    Olesya Gilmore
    15 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2024
    I really enjoyed the author's take on this historical glimpse. A few editing problems in the book, but none that distracted from the story. I would recommend for history and music lovers.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2024
    I loved the storyline! Truly a beautiful read. The detail to the atmosphere, relationships and clothing is remarkable. Looking forward to more.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2023
    Slow start, but it's well worth learning the outcome of this 12 year love triangle set in Tudor times. It is always enjoyable when you get a major setting, such as the time of King Henry,with a minor court member as the lead character.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2024
    Good story, but none of the characters seem fully fleshed out. I’d prefer a bit more description to be able to clearly see the people and places in my head.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024
    I appreciate the depth of research that surely went into the writing of this book. I felt as if Bess could have been known to me at some point in my life. I especially like the way the story ended - happily together at long last - it took all the different and challenging phases of their lives to bring Bess and Tom together.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book. Well researched and characters you grow to love.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2024
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It weaves in and out of the Tudor Court of Henry 8th and Anne Boleyn story. Bringing to life the music and intrigue of the court and those within the Royal Palaces. I loved the characters of Bess and Tom and how the story keeps you following their lives. Now to read the next book
  • lls
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is a beautiful novel.
    Reviewed in Canada on October 13, 2020
    This is a beautiful novel. I prefer a murder or some conspiracy in my historical fiction, but this held me. It's a real feel story of young romance set against Henry VIII's own romantic turn from Katherine to Anne Boleyn told from the perspective of the court's musicians. I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying it. Give yourself the treat of spending time in this world and with these characters.
  • Marilyn Carol Mayhew
    4.0 out of 5 stars Songbird
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 2, 2023
    Highly enjoyable read showing another side to Henry's Tudor Court and the turbulent life of both its occupants and times
  • CRB
    5.0 out of 5 stars A richly presented world
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 26, 2022
    I hadn’t known before reading Songbird about Henry VIII’s purchase of children for his Music. Although to modern minds it sounds horrific, Songbird shows that some benefited hugely from this practice, and the young Bess was one of these although not without a great deal of struggle and strife.
    What I very much enjoyed about this book was how Heenan presented a great deal of historical detail without information dumping – a rare talent! We are used to Tudor stories of the rich and famous, but to see them through the eyes of the common folk of the court and to hear of their own stories too, was fascinating. Ann Boleyn is portrayed here in very human terms, for better and worse!
    Heenan builds wonderful word pictures of settings, so that I felt really present in the court and London of the time. Her characters are real, warts and all! Bess is a likeable protagonist, although there were times when I could have strangled her. My heart went out to Tom and I wasn’t at all sure what kind of resolution we would get. Which keeps you reading, of course.
    A highly satisfying read. I have the next in series waiting on my TBR pile to enjoy at leisure some time soon.
  • Sooz F
    5.0 out of 5 stars The complex years of Tudor times
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2024
    I was immersed in this book from the first to the last page. I felt part of every twist of the story and feel it would make an excellent film or tv production. I could easily see the trappings of the Courts and smell the perfumes and stenches that were around then. And despite having read or watched other stories from this era, this one really got through to me . I felt part of the musicians at court .