The Crown

By: Nancy Bilyeau

Narrated by: Nicola Barber

Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

In this debut historical thriller, an aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father’s life and preserve all she holds dear.

When novitiate nun Joanna Stafford learns her rebel cousin is condemned by King Henry VIII to be burned at the stake, she makes the decision to break the sacred rule of enclosure and flee her Dominican order in Dartford to stand at her cousin’s side.

Arrested for interfering with king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, Sir Richard Stafford, is sent to the Tower of London. Joanna’s father is brutally tortured by Stephen Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester, who leads the Catholic faction bent on saving England’s monasteries from destruction. In order to save her father, Joanna must submit to Gardiner’s will and become a pawn in the struggle between religious extremes. Gardiner forces Joanna to return to Dartford Priory with a mission: find the long-hidden crown worn by Saxon King Athelstan in AD 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain. Gardiner believes the crown itself to possess a mystical power that will halt the Reformation.

Uncovering only dark betrayals and murder at Dartford, Joanna flees with Brother Edmund, a troubled young friar, and with time running out, their hunt for the crown leads them through royal castles, to Stonehenge, and finally to the tomb of the mysterious King Athelstan under Malmesbury Abbey. There Joanna learns the true secret of the crown - a secret tracing all the way back to Golgotha and the relics of the Passion - and must finally determine who to trust and how far she is willing to go to protect a way of life that she passionately loves.

©2012 Nancy Bilyeau (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Nancy Bilyeau’s polished, inventive debut has all the ingredients of the best historical fiction: a broad cast of characters, well-imagined settings, and vivid storytelling…In Joanna Stafford, Bilyeau has given us a memorable character who is prepared to risk her life to save what she most values, while Stafford’s desperate search for a lost religious relic will satisfy even the most ardent mystery fans.” (Deborah Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches)

Marvelous Historical Fiction

I thought this book was a bit slow at the start but was just a great read once it got going. I have read all of the Matthew Shardlake books that take place during the dissolution of the monestaries in England under Henry VIII, and this is just as good. The history is accurate and the characters interesting. Good plot. I have downloaded the second book, The Chalice.

A good debut

"In this debut historical thriller, an aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father’s life and preserve all she holds dear."

And what a great debut it is! This is not a story of Henry VIII rather set in time when Henry went against the Pope and the Catholic Church to rid himself of his second wife, Ann. Catholic houses of study, seclusion, and religious life as well as church followers are in constant danger. It is a time of bloody persecution.

How is this young nun to find a crown she knows little about...history or vision or any clues except that it should be in her nunnery?

Once I got stared, I could not stop listening as I followed her search!

Not fabulous

Just ok. Love the historical period but this story had twists and turns that diluted it. Not a huge fan but I finished it.

Who knew nuns had such adventurous lives?!

Where does The Crown rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I really enjoyed this book a LOT! I'd say it's right up in my favorites for sure.

What other book might you compare The Crown to and why?

It's a little bit like the Da Vinci Code, in that someone with a seemingly mundane daily life is thrust into an exciting adventure.

What about Nicola Barber’s performance did you like?

Nicola Barber has a really lovely voice; just perfect for narration, in my opinion. She has great diction and a nice, soothing timbre, plus she does a good job of using different, easily distinguishable voices so you don't get confused about who's talking at any given point.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were a couple of instances where I laughed or cried and one instance in particular when I actually had to stop listening for a few minutes because I started crying, but I tend to be very emotive, so it could just be me.

Any additional comments?

I was happily surprised/interested by the historical information that was included. I know that it was heavily fictionalized but all the same, I feel as though I learned some things.

The Crown

Good story excellent narration. The ending was disappointing. I can imagine how it would go but I thought it was too abrupt.

Very long, have enough time to devote

What did you love best about The Crown?

Very well written, interesting seeing the monarchy and that time period from a "bystander" perspective

Great mystery

Any additional comments?

The Crown is an entertaining mystery set during the reign of Henry the VIII of England, revolving around Sister Joanna Stafford. Although it slows down a little at times, it quickly picks up again with a satisfying, although dragging, conclusion. I'm definitely looking forward to Nancy Bilyeau's next novel.

Worth the purchase!

What made the experience of listening to The Crown the most enjoyable?

This book was very solid. I enjoy historical fiction and Nancy Bilyeau clearly knows her stuff. She spends a lot of time developing the characters, which i particularly enjoy. The story is good and the interweaving of historical characters with fictitious ones is seamless. It is a nice long book, which may sound silly; however for me if the book is good, this is only an added bonus! It can make a long day of housework or boring paperwork tolerable. I look forward another book by Nancy Bilyeau.

very good reading

Enjoyed from beginning to end. Sorry it didn't go further with Joanna Stafford life until her death.

Enjoyed very much

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If you enjoy historical fiction (or non fiction) like I do, especially the Tudor era then you will enjoy this book. I am looking into being a nun myself, so that made the story even better.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Crown?

Her reflecting back to her time at the Court of Henry VIII

What does Nicola Barber bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She expressed the characters well.