Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: Pale Rose of England: A Novel of the Tudors
Author: Sandra Worth
Publisher: Berkley Trade
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-23877-6
Release Date: February 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Fiction
Year/Setting: 1400's/1500's/England
Overall Rating: 4.0
Sexual Content Rating: Subtle/Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None/Mild
Violent Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Sandra's Website/Blog: www.sandraworth.com
Dear Readers:
Every once in a while the Tudors come back with a vengeance, which of course not only teaches us history in a fun , exciting way, but also saves us from those pesky vampires.
In this very well-written tale, Richard Plantagenet, the Duke of York, has survived his imprisonment in the Tower of London and is coming to claim the crown of England from Henry Tudor VII. Richard was one of the two little princes that vanished into the Tower of London…apparently never to be seen again. Now Richard does have people by his side; in fact, his claim is being supported by none other than the King of Scotland. Richard is known in England by the name Perkin Warbeck, and he is joined by his wife, Catherine Gordon, Princess of Scotland. Catherine is an extremely ‘cool’ character, who was told by a Sorceress/Soothsayer that she would be loved by a King. So, of course, she believes that Richard will be successful in his bid for the English Crown. Let’s just say that those Tudors loved to fight and never backed down from anything, so, unfortunately, things didn't turn out as Catherine had hoped and instead of becoming Queen, she becomes a prisoner of King Henry VII and her husband is lauded as an imposter.
Luckily Catherine becomes a favorite of Henry's Queen and acts as a lady-in-waiting, while NEVER losing her loyalty to the man she loves. Her great beauty brings her sorrow as she has to put up with the unwanted attention from the King. She soon finds herself in a triangle of mammoth proportions, stuck in the midst of the (very corrupt, at the time) Tudor Court who wanted nothing more than her beloved husband executed for treason (and…just in case he actually WAS the Duke of York.) Catherine must find a way to reject the advances of a rude and crude King, without being beheaded, and ends up becoming a favorite of the English people.
The author does a good job in this story of Richard and Catherine. The romance, as well as the slightly disgusting Tudor Court was so well-written that the reader can actually feel the cold, frightening surroundings that made a monarchy that would be written about for the rest of time. As a person who is extremely interested in the mystery surrounding the two Princes that supposedly perished inside the Tower, this was an excellent "spin" that leads me back to Google for more research.
Warbeck's claim that he was the "lost prince" was never authenticated, and he now lies in an unmarked grave. Catherine lived a long life and married four husbands, two of which were involved in plans to get rid of the Tudor monarchs. Catherine truly did believe that her husband was Richard of York; she even persuaded her future husbands of this fact, and wore black the rest of her days to honor the man she loved.
Ms. Worth writes with charm and sincerity, creating a good tale that only comes along once in a great while.
Until next time,
Amy
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