The King's Rose, Alisa M. Libby
The King's Rose is a young adult book about Katheryn Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, following her from Henry's proposal to her death. There's not a lot I can say about it plot-wise; it's the same story we all know. Old king sees young girl and decides to marry her, young girl has no choice but to go along with it. Young girl cheats, king finds out, young girl is executed. I think where this book really stands out is its reasoning behind the choices Katheryn made.
Or, I should say, the choices Katheryn had made for her. One of the things The King's Rose emphasizes is how little choice Katheryn had in anything that happened to her. Her initial sexual escapades? Those were her choice. Those were what she wanted to do, but that was the last time she had any real agency in the story. Even her relationship with Thomas Culpeper has a whiff of coercion about it, since she's desperately trying to get pregnant and this is the only way she knows how, when Henry won't sleep with her. She's a child trapped in a miserable, frightening situation, and the book is quite clear about that.
It's not the most historically accurate thing ever? It misspells Katheryn's name, for one, and it portrays her as much better educated than I think she really was. Still, it's a good and very sympathetic look at a much-maligned queen.
This entry is crossposted at http://bookblather.dreamwidth.org/342723.html. Please comment over there if possible.
Or, I should say, the choices Katheryn had made for her. One of the things The King's Rose emphasizes is how little choice Katheryn had in anything that happened to her. Her initial sexual escapades? Those were her choice. Those were what she wanted to do, but that was the last time she had any real agency in the story. Even her relationship with Thomas Culpeper has a whiff of coercion about it, since she's desperately trying to get pregnant and this is the only way she knows how, when Henry won't sleep with her. She's a child trapped in a miserable, frightening situation, and the book is quite clear about that.
It's not the most historically accurate thing ever? It misspells Katheryn's name, for one, and it portrays her as much better educated than I think she really was. Still, it's a good and very sympathetic look at a much-maligned queen.
This entry is crossposted at http://bookblather.dreamwidth.org/342723.html. Please comment over there if possible.