The Tudor Prophecy

New Release

The Tudor Prophecy

Julie released her new novel, The Tudor Prophecy on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

It has taken Julie 25 years to complete this novel, but finally the book is out there, and she hopes that it will find its way into readers’ hands to enliven the winter months ahead.

Synopsis

England, 1541. An ailing Henry VIII reigns from a contested throne. In parallel story lines, The Tudor Prophecy follows two young women, Lady Alice Grantmire and Hester Vaughan, cousins who each suffer greatly from the King’s unjust decrees. Lady Alice and her mother are evicted from their estate and take residence in a cottage where they earn a subsistence selling herbal remedies—until they are accused of witchcraft. After being molested by the King, Hester is summoned to her estranged father’s home in Wales. There she becomes betrothed to a Welsh bard whose mentor has visions foretelling the ascendancy of Henry’s second daughter, Elizabeth. When Hester encounters the eight-year-old Lady Elizabeth, the two forge a relationship whereby Hester can persuade the future queen to temper her own rule with mercy. This epic, literary tale—a Game of Thrones meets Little Women—is also for readers who enjoyed the Wolf Hall trilogy by Booker-Prize winner Hilary Mantel.

An astonishment of riches—impeccably researched, gorgeous detail; wry, earthy humour; nimble, beautiful prose—The Tudor Prophecy recreates a world in which nature’s resplendence and humanity’s place in its order outshine the brutal throne and dominion of Henry VIII. Strong’s novel is fiercely ambitious, deeply felt, at once playful and wise as it reveals the eternal feminine in an era driven by animus and marked by violent schism. No holds barred, it reflects upon the mystery of genuine power in the sphere of humble human relations, its players’ melodramas guided by true nobility: the spirit of benevolence and love.

– CAROL BRUNEAU, author of Brighten the Corner Where You Are.

The Tudor Prophecy is a tremendous read and testament to Julie Strong’s diligent research into Henry VIII and his break with the Roman Catholic Church. Amid dips into Welsh mythology and folklore, the stories of Hester and Alice are told with pathos tinged with defiance. An epic tale of Tudor machinations thwarted by loyalty and love.

– APPLE GIDLEY, author of the novels Fireburn, Transfer, and Have You Eaten Rice Today?

A fast-paced, exciting narrative that follows the trials and adventures of two young women in the turbulent times of Reformation England. Spanning a few hectic months, and ranging from London to North Wales, Julie Strong’s novel presents the struggles of ordinary women and their families as she traces the perilous journeys of Alice and Hester in parallel storylines while they attempt to keep their tattered lives together, and find love along the way. The plot twists and turns in surprising and entertaining ways, introducing a vile Henry VIII and leading us through the pagan remains of the Goddess in Wales, to an encounter with a princess. Careful research comes to life in engaging prose, and a vivid story carries the reader along swiftly.

– DR. ELIZABETH EDWARDS, Inglis Professor, University of King’s College, Halifax