Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: The Queen's Governess
Author: Karen Harper
Publisher: NAL
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-23206-9
Release Date: August 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Fiction
Year/Setting: Tudor England
Overall Rating: 3.0
Sexual Content Rating: Subtle/Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None/Mild
Violent Content Rating: Moderate/Intense
Karen's Website/Blog: www.karenharperauthor.com
Dear Readers:
Make no mistake, I love Karen Harper. In fact, I thought The Irish Princess was beyond a stellar novel, and this is…fine, too. It’s not that Karen Harper has written any ‘worse’ for this book, it just seems like the subject matter has become as overdone as the "fanged" ones have been in the YA market. Everyone loves Tudor England, but the wealth of books about Boleyn, Elizabeth, Henry VIII…etc., go on and on and on. It’s getting to the point where so many books have been written about the "secondary" characters that surrounded these royals, that the only one left to write about is the guy who held Henry’s horse.
In this novel we follow "Kat" - Katherine Ashley. This is a lovely young girl who is the daughter of a beekeeper. This beekeeper’s wife was found dead in the yard, with the body of a woman with blonde hair and a really horrific attitude standing above her. Now this woman couldn’t have possibly killed Kat’s mom…or could she? Soon, the buxom-blonde is the evil stepmother but, thankfully, a man by the name of Thomas Cromwell (and we ALL know him as everything from a religious man to a severe henchman and spy for Henry VIII) comes along and sees something spy-worthy and loyal in Kat’s eyes.
Suffice to say, Kat ends up at Court, and becomes friends with Anne Boleyn. That relationship is backwards and forwards until trust begins to form and the spying ends up to be a life’s pursuit for young Kat. What Kat also gets stuck with is…Elizabeth.
Now, as we all know when Anne was beheaded, Henry VIII said that Elizabeth wasn’t his - of course, all the man wanted was a son, which was ridiculous because his son was a sickly boy/man, whereas Elizabeth had the power to crush all and was just like her father…just more beloved by the people.
So when Anne loses her head, Kat becomes the Governess to young Elizabeth and the readers are taken through Elizabeth’s rise to power and how she gained her royal seat. Kat Ashley was renowned as the "mother" to Queen Elizabeth. In fact, Elizabeth was noted as saying that "Anne Boleyn gave me life, but Kat Ashley gave me love." So, this is yet another story about Queen Elizabeth and how the young girl, Kat Ashley, became a spy, governess, and all-round guard to the great Queen Elizabeth.
Again, the writing is superb as all of Karen Harper’s writing is, but the subject matter has just been done to death. It is very unfortunate for England that Henry VIII seems to be the only "interesting" King they ever had. Perhaps William, Kate, and the handsome Prince Harry will give them more life in the here and now!
Until next time,
Amy
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