England, 1541. King Henry VIII receives an anonymous letter suggesting that his fifth wife, the young Katherine Howard, may have led an unchaste life before they married...
England, 1541. King Henry VIII receives an anonymous letter suggesting that his fifth wife, the young Katherine Howard, may have led an unchaste life before they married...
Alternative history, Historical, Tudor
England, 1541. King Henry receives an anonymous letter suggesting that his fifth wife, the young Katherine Howard, whom he had called a rose without a thorn, may have led an unchaste life before they married.
In the rose gardens of Hampton Court Palace, Henry feels the illusion of youth and virility slip away; he faces an uncertain future. Must he dispatch yet another wife? Old, overweight and increasingly infirm, could he find love and marry again to further secure the Tudor line?
Written with literary invention, Thorns in a Realm of Roses spans the final years in Henry’s reign. Peeling back the layers of life at Court, it examines the hearts and minds of Henry, his often misbegotten queens, neglected daughter Mary and his many loyal, though wary, advisors as they all struggle to survive in a world embroiled in political and religious upheaval ruled by a petulant King.
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If only every novel I read could be this engrossing! THORNS IN A REALM OF ROSES: THE HENRY QUEENS is a brilliant work of historical narrative fiction elucidating that famed tyrant-king Henry VIII of England, and the poor ladies summoned to be his multiple consecutive wives. A fine work of character delineation as well as revelation of history, the novel kept me beyond enthralled throughout, as I kept turning the pages without really realizing so, as I was so enrapt with the story line and characters. I especially admire the way in which the author balances the viewpoints of multiple characters and also how he managed to delineate the character and personality of Henry throughout his life, from his ascension at age seventeen, to his literally "larger than life" middle age (tall, grossly obese, a constant daily consumer of rich, fatty foods in astonishing quantities, in poor health, unable to properly joust, ride, or tour his country). THORNS IN A REALM OF ROSES is a truly remarkable narrative, both as history and as fiction, and is definitely one to re-read. ~ Mallory Haws , NetGalley
It is not a boring history tome: it is a fascinating novelization of a bat-crap-crazy king and his court and courtier: I cannot even imagine 600 years later a king being able to change the given religion of his entire realm so he can bed/impregnate/marry a younger woman! This will be a book club pick for my history and also my biography bookclubs - oh, I almost shiver at the mere thought of the tangents we will go off on now.! For full review visit: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2761636229 ~ Janet Pole Cousineau , GoodReads
This book finds you in the treacherous court of King Henry VIII, in his last days. It focuses mostly on his last two wives, Katherine Howard and Catherine(Kathryn) Parr. The author gives the reader excellent background on the previous four wives, so you're not at a loss as to how His Majesty came to have six wives. Two lost their heads. Most people, when you mention Henry VIII, think he had all six wives heads chopped off. I enjoyed this author's perspective of King Henry VIII. I've been a huge fan of His Majesty and his Court since 10th grade, many years ago! I read every book I can find about him. This is thanks to a wonderful English teacher, who introduced me to him and his wives and his fascinating life. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction and His Majesty, The King, Henry VIII. ~ Ginger Pollard, NetGalley
I really enjoyed this book, focusing on the last two marriages of Henry VIII but also touching on his other marriages... one of my favourite periods in English history, I found it well researched and a joy to read. Perfect for any lover of historical fiction. ~ Shelley Myers, NetGalley
