Reviews

 

I really enjoyed this book as it was a fantastically written and the plot was well thought out. This book was set during the reign of King Henry VIII and I thought the history in the book was realistic. I really liked the style and the plot of this book and I already knew that she was a good author since I had read one of her previous novels, Street Child, which was also set in a historical setting. My favourite character was Nick, a street boy, this is because of his lively personality and how he became Will, the main character's guardian angel. I think that it was a very unique book and it kept me wanting to read, in addition it stimulated your thoughts and makes you wonder how the main character would manage to escape the various scenarios he was in. My only complaint is that I thought the ending was cut short and that they could have made the second half of the book longer and more interesting with more involvement of Nick.

by Bijal

 

This story is about William Montague, a young boy who is given the job of page to King Henry's son, Prince Edward. This draws attention to him and his family and also makes him some enemies, as the son of one of England's most powerful families wanted the post himself. The Montague family worship in the Roman Catholic way, a way that the king had banned. When this becomes known at the court William's father is sent to Newgate and William goes on the run and sets about trying to get him freed.

I enjoyed this book very much; it is such a compelling read. I particularly like the wise words and ways of Brother John, Will's tutor. I have read a few historical fictions set in the Tudor times, and I found the history in this book to be very believable. This book has certainly kept me interested in the Tudor era and I will definitely read more books written by Berlie Doherty. I have found it to be an excellent read and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wants a good read.

by anon

 

Being a huge fan of books set during the times of Henry VIII and of books that describe the tense and dangerous times when he was on the hunt for his fourth wife, I very much expected Treason to be an superb and enjoyable book and to be honest it definitely matched the standards.

One the most fascinating and interesting point that I find almost all books set in the period of Henry VIII say is that they were incredibly dangerous times. I always felt that a rich and respectable life at court would be a dream job that anyone would want, however, court life was not all that glorious as they sound. This is exactly what Will Montague finds out when he is made page of Prince Edward, only son of King Henry VIII and heir to the throne of England.

As the page of Prince Edward, Will soon gains many enemies at court and they convince the King that Will's father has committed treason by following the Pope even after the reformation. Father half-dead at Newgate prison, sister married to a man in France, mother and brother both dead, Will has no one to turn to, but he is determined to save his father. From being the page of Prince Edward, Will transforms into one of London's street children and finds family and friends in this unknown world and he will rescue his father... or will he?

This book beautifully illustrates the court life of Henry VIII and how you will be his favourite on Monday and your head will be chopped off on Tuesday by the same King. The elaborate description of the setting and costumes of the time brought the book to life and leads you into the world of Henry VIII. Very realistic and believable history was portrayed in this book, through the precise language and the beautiful story line and made you live every chapter of the book.

The book does not only look at the court life but also the relationship between father and son and what it feels like when you know that your father would swap you to be dead for your brother. The very powerful and elegant structure of the book demonstrated how the relationship develops throughout the book and how important family is for a person.  

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Treason and thought it beautifully illustrated two main points on relationships and family, and court life and the power of King Henry VIII. The simple but powerful language was very efficiently used and the strong story line, brought a good structure to the book. An excellent author, definitely one of my favourites and I am looking forward to reading many more books like this.

by Chatura