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The King's Rose
Life in the court of King Henry VIII is a complex game. When fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard catches the king's eye, she quickly transforms from pawn to queen. But even luxury beyond imagination loses its luster as young Catherine finds her life--and her heart--threatened by the needs of an aging king and a family hungry for power. Will their agendas deliver Catherine to the same fate as her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn, sacrificed at the altar of family ambition? Engaging historical fiction with a throbbing YA heartbeat, this thrilling novel will draw readers into the intrigues and dangers of the Tudor court.
297 pages, Hardcover
First published February 12, 2009
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3001 people want to read
About the author
Alisa M. Libby
2 books119 followersHi there, it's me, Alisa. I write this bio blurb just one week before the release of my second book, The King's Rose. The feeling of waiting for a book's publication has been likened to standing in line for a very large rollercoaster, which I think is an apt description. Anxiety aside, I'm really thrilled to share this book with everyone: it's historical fiction about Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. She's just a teenager when she catches the eye of the powerful king. But Henry was no longer the strapping young prince when he cast his eye on the Catherine. Not to mention the fact that he had already beheaded one of his previous queens - Catherine's own cousin, Anne Boleyn. It would be a Cinderella story if it weren't so terrifying.
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November 1, 2024
4.5 stars.
"Protect me? Protect me from what? From the king? I fear him. I hadn’t realized it before now. I hadn’t been so close to him, so alone with him to know that I fear him. But I do. And it’s too late, now. Too late, too late. But perhaps it was too late from the very beginning, from the day he first saw me, first chose me. He has chosen me, above all others. He has chosen me."
Among all the books I’ve read about Catherine Howard, this one stands out as the only one that truly portrays her as a real person. It makes it clear that Catherine was just a child, consistently manipulated by those around her, treated like a puppet without any control over her own life.
She had no autonomy; every action she took was dictated by her family, who abandoned her at the first sign of trouble, just as they had betrayed her cousin Anne Boleyn. Whether she was guilty or innocent was irrelevant—the Protestant faction sought her downfall solely because she was a Catholic queen.
This book compels readers to sympathize with Catherine, highlighting that she was a vulnerable young girl with no one to defend her and that the men in her life exploited her for their gain.
Catherine Howard's take on Anne Boleyn added an interesting twist, but it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. It felt a bit off compared to how the book tries to make us empathize with Catherine. I get that she might have been reacting out of self-preservation, but I was really hoping for a deeper look into her feelings. Because of that, I ended up docking half a star, it definitely affected how I saw her as a young woman dealing with such a tough situation.
"Protect me? Protect me from what? From the king? I fear him. I hadn’t realized it before now. I hadn’t been so close to him, so alone with him to know that I fear him. But I do. And it’s too late, now. Too late, too late. But perhaps it was too late from the very beginning, from the day he first saw me, first chose me. He has chosen me, above all others. He has chosen me."
Among all the books I’ve read about Catherine Howard, this one stands out as the only one that truly portrays her as a real person. It makes it clear that Catherine was just a child, consistently manipulated by those around her, treated like a puppet without any control over her own life.
She had no autonomy; every action she took was dictated by her family, who abandoned her at the first sign of trouble, just as they had betrayed her cousin Anne Boleyn. Whether she was guilty or innocent was irrelevant—the Protestant faction sought her downfall solely because she was a Catholic queen.
This book compels readers to sympathize with Catherine, highlighting that she was a vulnerable young girl with no one to defend her and that the men in her life exploited her for their gain.
Catherine Howard's take on Anne Boleyn added an interesting twist, but it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. It felt a bit off compared to how the book tries to make us empathize with Catherine. I get that she might have been reacting out of self-preservation, but I was really hoping for a deeper look into her feelings. Because of that, I ended up docking half a star, it definitely affected how I saw her as a young woman dealing with such a tough situation.
January 24, 2009
Libby, Alisa. M. 2009. (March 2009) THE KING'S ROSE. Dutton. 296.
The King's Rose is one of those books that just captured my attention (and my heart!). It is a fictionalized account of Catherine Howard, and for those not in the know, she was the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Catherine Howard was just fifteen (perhaps even fourteen) when she caught the lusty eyes of the King. (And Henry liked them young.) Catherine's tale is tragic in that while the king chose her...she quite honestly didn't have a choice in the matter. Prompted and urged by her family--she became the person they created her to be, that the king wanted or needed her to be. And thus her life of deception began. For Catherine has a secret or two that may be her undoing...
The king is in love with me. But who am I? Who is this girl that the Howards created out of their words, to whom the king has given his love? I am King Henry's sweet wife--Catherine Howard, no more. I wonder if God can see me now, see the treason in my heart. I squeeze my eyes shut, pushing these thoughts from my mind. I am a player upon a stage, even when the stage is a bed, even in an intimate moment such as this, with no costume or mask to cover my nakedness, I must play my part well, especially in an intimate moment such as this. I must become my role, and nothing else. (56)
She's haunted by a kiss shared with her distant cousin, one of the King's men, Thomas Culpepper, a perfect kiss with much promise...because it occurred before she caught the King's attention.
My life will be more than I ever could have imagined--but perhaps it will also be a little bit less. All of this must be put aside now, the words and dreams that led to his perfect kiss, near midnight in the dark garden at Westminster, and all the happiness that kiss seemed sure to promise. This was a different Catherine who received these letters, who responded to that kiss--since then I have been transformed by the king's eyes, by the royal jewels around my neck and a cloth-of-gold gown...but who is the real Catherine: the shadow or the light? The smoke or the flame? (44)
The King's Rose is engaging and richly detailed. Libby is an excellent storyteller. It's just not the story itself that is fascinating, but how the story is told that makes it so captivating.
The King's Rose is one of those books that just captured my attention (and my heart!). It is a fictionalized account of Catherine Howard, and for those not in the know, she was the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Catherine Howard was just fifteen (perhaps even fourteen) when she caught the lusty eyes of the King. (And Henry liked them young.) Catherine's tale is tragic in that while the king chose her...she quite honestly didn't have a choice in the matter. Prompted and urged by her family--she became the person they created her to be, that the king wanted or needed her to be. And thus her life of deception began. For Catherine has a secret or two that may be her undoing...
The king is in love with me. But who am I? Who is this girl that the Howards created out of their words, to whom the king has given his love? I am King Henry's sweet wife--Catherine Howard, no more. I wonder if God can see me now, see the treason in my heart. I squeeze my eyes shut, pushing these thoughts from my mind. I am a player upon a stage, even when the stage is a bed, even in an intimate moment such as this, with no costume or mask to cover my nakedness, I must play my part well, especially in an intimate moment such as this. I must become my role, and nothing else. (56)
She's haunted by a kiss shared with her distant cousin, one of the King's men, Thomas Culpepper, a perfect kiss with much promise...because it occurred before she caught the King's attention.
My life will be more than I ever could have imagined--but perhaps it will also be a little bit less. All of this must be put aside now, the words and dreams that led to his perfect kiss, near midnight in the dark garden at Westminster, and all the happiness that kiss seemed sure to promise. This was a different Catherine who received these letters, who responded to that kiss--since then I have been transformed by the king's eyes, by the royal jewels around my neck and a cloth-of-gold gown...but who is the real Catherine: the shadow or the light? The smoke or the flame? (44)
The King's Rose is engaging and richly detailed. Libby is an excellent storyteller. It's just not the story itself that is fascinating, but how the story is told that makes it so captivating.
June 26, 2009
I love "The Tudors" and "The Other Boleyn Girl," so when I saw this book about one of Henry VIII's later wives I had to read it... a sneak peek into "The Tudors" season 5.
The story of Catherine's rise to the position of queen isn't much described; the story begins as Catherine is heading to be married to the king even as he divorces his 4th wife. Catherine's youth (she is only 15 when is married) plays a big part in her rise, as she is chosen for her looks by her family to entice the king, and for her age as she is easy to manipulate.
Although most of the story revolves around Catherine's desperate attempts to become pregnant with an heir, the graphic nature of the sexual content stops at the word "naked." Her desire and previous affair with Thomas Culpepper make for good conflict with her relationship with Henry and all those who want her removed from the throne.
I wish I knew more about Catherine's parents, for although I can imagine the Howard and Boleyn families turning their backs on her when things go sour, I have a difficult time imagining a mother or father who would not have feelings for their daughter.
This is an interesting story about a little known queen, which is based largely on the possible truth behind the accusations against her. Definitely an eye-opener as to why anyone would want to marry a king who had killed or divorced his other wives! If you're not ready to tackle Philippa Gregory, I'd recommend The King's Rose.
The story of Catherine's rise to the position of queen isn't much described; the story begins as Catherine is heading to be married to the king even as he divorces his 4th wife. Catherine's youth (she is only 15 when is married) plays a big part in her rise, as she is chosen for her looks by her family to entice the king, and for her age as she is easy to manipulate.
Although most of the story revolves around Catherine's desperate attempts to become pregnant with an heir, the graphic nature of the sexual content stops at the word "naked." Her desire and previous affair with Thomas Culpepper make for good conflict with her relationship with Henry and all those who want her removed from the throne.
I wish I knew more about Catherine's parents, for although I can imagine the Howard and Boleyn families turning their backs on her when things go sour, I have a difficult time imagining a mother or father who would not have feelings for their daughter.
This is an interesting story about a little known queen, which is based largely on the possible truth behind the accusations against her. Definitely an eye-opener as to why anyone would want to marry a king who had killed or divorced his other wives! If you're not ready to tackle Philippa Gregory, I'd recommend The King's Rose.
April 2, 2009
Born into the ambitious Howard family, Catherine has never had much control over her life and fate. Her cousin, the infamous Anne Boleyn, lured King Henry VIII into marriage then met a grisly end. Hoping for a marriage that will benefit the family, Catherine’s relatives send her to court in 1540, when she is fifteen. There, Catherine catches the eye of the king, who decides to divorce his current wife, Anne of Cleves, and marry her. Though Catherine would prefer to marry for love, one does not refuse the king, and even if she could, her family is determined to gain power through her marriage.
From the start, Catherine feels like she is living a lie, and playing a part to be the wife Henry desires. He wanted a pure, innocent maiden, and Catherine had a foolish and youthful love affair before coming to court, an event the king must never learn about. Woefully unprepared for the life she must live, Catherine struggles with her own immaturity and the conflicting desires of the king and her family, and is forced to make terrible choices that will lead to her doom.
The King’s Rose is a wonderful historical novel for young adults - and adults as well - about the life of King Henry VIII’s fifth and youngest wife, Catherine Howard. The author did a good job of bringing Catherine to life and making it understandable why she made the choices she did. Catherine is tragic figure - a young girl, unprepared for the life of a queen, forced into a terrible situation by her family in a time when a young woman had few choices and little right to control her own destiny. I highly recommend this book to readers who are fascinated by the Tudors as well as those who enjoy historical fiction in general.
From the start, Catherine feels like she is living a lie, and playing a part to be the wife Henry desires. He wanted a pure, innocent maiden, and Catherine had a foolish and youthful love affair before coming to court, an event the king must never learn about. Woefully unprepared for the life she must live, Catherine struggles with her own immaturity and the conflicting desires of the king and her family, and is forced to make terrible choices that will lead to her doom.
The King’s Rose is a wonderful historical novel for young adults - and adults as well - about the life of King Henry VIII’s fifth and youngest wife, Catherine Howard. The author did a good job of bringing Catherine to life and making it understandable why she made the choices she did. Catherine is tragic figure - a young girl, unprepared for the life of a queen, forced into a terrible situation by her family in a time when a young woman had few choices and little right to control her own destiny. I highly recommend this book to readers who are fascinated by the Tudors as well as those who enjoy historical fiction in general.
December 12, 2010
This, quite frankly, was not a book I enjoyed reading (hence the three stars.) It is, however, a great book.
A few points:
1) The protagonist Catherine, as one of Henry VII's wives, is doomed from the start, and the author is unflinching in addressing this.
2) The prose can be a bit heavy-handed at times, too noticeable, too prosy. Mostly, though, it's smooth; different in exactly the right way, always reminding you while you read that the book is historical, but not distracting you from the story.
3) Catherine isn't a very likable character - she's a bit too selfish for that - but she is a sympathetic one. Partly because you know she's going to die, partly because she's fifteen. Fifteen.
4) The way her downfall is addressed - again, unflinching in its ugliness - is very well done. The way Catherine is haunted by the ghosts of former queens is brilliant.
5) The power struggles, the way Catherine is treated as a pawn, the way everyone tries to manipulate everyone else and is willing to lie and cause deaths for power, the way that parties with vested interests made sure that Catherine would die, is nightmarish.
6) The ending, oddly enough, reminded me of Lady Jane Grey. (There is an awful history of beheading queens in England.)
I was both admiring and cringing as I read this book. I didn't like it much, but it's definitely very good historical fiction.
A few points:
1) The protagonist Catherine, as one of Henry VII's wives, is doomed from the start, and the author is unflinching in addressing this.
2) The prose can be a bit heavy-handed at times, too noticeable, too prosy. Mostly, though, it's smooth; different in exactly the right way, always reminding you while you read that the book is historical, but not distracting you from the story.
3) Catherine isn't a very likable character - she's a bit too selfish for that - but she is a sympathetic one. Partly because you know she's going to die, partly because she's fifteen. Fifteen.
4) The way her downfall is addressed - again, unflinching in its ugliness - is very well done. The way Catherine is haunted by the ghosts of former queens is brilliant.
5) The power struggles, the way Catherine is treated as a pawn, the way everyone tries to manipulate everyone else and is willing to lie and cause deaths for power, the way that parties with vested interests made sure that Catherine would die, is nightmarish.
6) The ending, oddly enough, reminded me of Lady Jane Grey. (There is an awful history of beheading queens in England.)
I was both admiring and cringing as I read this book. I didn't like it much, but it's definitely very good historical fiction.
July 30, 2020
By YA standards, this is an above-average read; it's engaging, vivid, & paints a sympathetic portrait of a much-maligned young queen. Despite Catherine's youth she doesn't come across as a modern teenybopper -- adults can read this without drowning in a mire of phony whinging & angst.
That said... the First Person Present didn't flow well, & there was no depth to Thomas Culpepper. I couldn't help wondering WHY Catherine was so stuck on him, as the guy's not exactly a heroic dynamo. True, there's a lid for every pot, but this dude's sole recommendations seemed to be 1) generic handsomeness, & 2) bland courtly inquiries re: Catherine's needs, i.e. "Are you cold, my queen? May I help you down, my queen? Shall I escort you to your chair, my queen?" SO SEXY! Not. :P It could be that his lack of oomph is the author making a point -- that is, Catherine's so starved for genuine affection that she latches onto Culpepper & his banality for lack of anything more meaningful.
...But still. Zzzz. Definitely not worth dying for. 🙄
Catherine Howard's fate is well-known, & most of her fictional appearances are less than flattering, so it was nice to see her treated as something more than a bratty skank. But ultimately it's a depressing read & not one I care to revisit despite a quality rating.
That said... the First Person Present didn't flow well, & there was no depth to Thomas Culpepper. I couldn't help wondering WHY Catherine was so stuck on him, as the guy's not exactly a heroic dynamo. True, there's a lid for every pot, but this dude's sole recommendations seemed to be 1) generic handsomeness, & 2) bland courtly inquiries re: Catherine's needs, i.e. "Are you cold, my queen? May I help you down, my queen? Shall I escort you to your chair, my queen?" SO SEXY! Not. :P It could be that his lack of oomph is the author making a point -- that is, Catherine's so starved for genuine affection that she latches onto Culpepper & his banality for lack of anything more meaningful.
...But still. Zzzz. Definitely not worth dying for. 🙄
Catherine Howard's fate is well-known, & most of her fictional appearances are less than flattering, so it was nice to see her treated as something more than a bratty skank. But ultimately it's a depressing read & not one I care to revisit despite a quality rating.
March 27, 2011
First off, I'd like to say I hate when Katherine Howard is depicted as either a stupid twit or a wanton slut. Luckily, that wasn't the case with this novel.
While we know virtually nothing about the unfortunate fifth Queen of Henry VIII, I tend to think of her as a victim of her family, of her King and husband and of her youth. She was a young girl thrown into marriage with an old man and while I don't think she was stupid, I do think she was naive. I think she wanted the freedom to be what she was - young and in love (with Thomas Culpepper). She was naive enough to think that love would conquer all (something I can relate to) and she paid for that belief with her life. This is a believable portrayal of her life.
I was lucky enough to receive an autographed copy of this book from the author and loved adding it to my collection of Tudor books. Thanks Alisa for the copy of the book and for the great read. I read it in a day, barely putting it down :)
While we know virtually nothing about the unfortunate fifth Queen of Henry VIII, I tend to think of her as a victim of her family, of her King and husband and of her youth. She was a young girl thrown into marriage with an old man and while I don't think she was stupid, I do think she was naive. I think she wanted the freedom to be what she was - young and in love (with Thomas Culpepper). She was naive enough to think that love would conquer all (something I can relate to) and she paid for that belief with her life. This is a believable portrayal of her life.
I was lucky enough to receive an autographed copy of this book from the author and loved adding it to my collection of Tudor books. Thanks Alisa for the copy of the book and for the great read. I read it in a day, barely putting it down :)
October 14, 2017
Solid. I wish this author had a backlog I could read through. I'd love for her to write the other wives' stories.
Originally posted at Small Review
Catherine Howard is not a Henry VIII wife I've given much thought toward. My initial introductions to her were not very positive, nor did they go into much depth. Basically, Catherine was a fluffy headed wonton who died because she cheated on the king. The end.
Except, when is a person ever that simple?
Well, shame on me for not putting much thought into Catherine beyond that. But, thankfully, Alisa M. Libby decided to look deeper.
The King's Rose follows Catherine's first person perspective starting at the very end of Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves and covers her marriage to the king straight until her death. The chapters are very short and that, combined with the lower page count, make this a pretty quick book to read.
The events aren't all that spectacular or exciting, so readers who aren't historical fiction fans, and in particular historical biographical fiction, will likely be pretty bored with Catherine's story. While there is romance, it is not particularly romantic and definitely not swoony. Also, Catherine has a lot of sex, so this one is much more YA and up. But that's all pretty much a limitation of, you know, historical fact.
Mostly the book focuses on Catherine's feelings, and in this Alisa M. Libby excels. It's easy to judge Catherine's situation from the outside looking in and it's easy to conclude she was stupid and got what she deserved (a sentiment seared into my memory by wife number six in Ann Rinaldi's excellent Nine Days a Queen).
But how would you feel if you were a child, trapped in a marriage you didn't ask for, pressured by your family, forced to sleep with an old man, blackmailed, in love with someone else, desperate for a son, and terrified by the example of four prior wives—two of whom were rejected, one who died in childbirth, and one (your cousin!) who was beheaded?
That's a pretty sucky situation. In The King's Rose, Catherine's emotions are vividly portrayed. I felt consumed by constant fear and desperation and finally, finally I felt like I could understand why Catherine would do what she did. Of course we don't know if that explanation is what actually motivated her, but it makes sense and I imagine even if that wasn't the actual impetus she was probably still feeling those things to some degree.
Bottom line
I'm a big fan of historical biographical fiction, so The King's Rose was a hit with me. I appreciated this closer look at Catherine as a person and I finally feel like I sympathize with her and her situation. Alisa M. Libby humanized Catherine and I now care about her as a person instead of brushing her off as "the silly fifth wife, now moving on." I hope Alisa M. Libby writes more historical fiction.
Originally posted at Small Review
Originally posted at Small Review
Catherine Howard is not a Henry VIII wife I've given much thought toward. My initial introductions to her were not very positive, nor did they go into much depth. Basically, Catherine was a fluffy headed wonton who died because she cheated on the king. The end.
Except, when is a person ever that simple?
Well, shame on me for not putting much thought into Catherine beyond that. But, thankfully, Alisa M. Libby decided to look deeper.
The King's Rose follows Catherine's first person perspective starting at the very end of Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves and covers her marriage to the king straight until her death. The chapters are very short and that, combined with the lower page count, make this a pretty quick book to read.
The events aren't all that spectacular or exciting, so readers who aren't historical fiction fans, and in particular historical biographical fiction, will likely be pretty bored with Catherine's story. While there is romance, it is not particularly romantic and definitely not swoony. Also, Catherine has a lot of sex, so this one is much more YA and up. But that's all pretty much a limitation of, you know, historical fact.
Mostly the book focuses on Catherine's feelings, and in this Alisa M. Libby excels. It's easy to judge Catherine's situation from the outside looking in and it's easy to conclude she was stupid and got what she deserved (a sentiment seared into my memory by wife number six in Ann Rinaldi's excellent Nine Days a Queen).
But how would you feel if you were a child, trapped in a marriage you didn't ask for, pressured by your family, forced to sleep with an old man, blackmailed, in love with someone else, desperate for a son, and terrified by the example of four prior wives—two of whom were rejected, one who died in childbirth, and one (your cousin!) who was beheaded?
That's a pretty sucky situation. In The King's Rose, Catherine's emotions are vividly portrayed. I felt consumed by constant fear and desperation and finally, finally I felt like I could understand why Catherine would do what she did. Of course we don't know if that explanation is what actually motivated her, but it makes sense and I imagine even if that wasn't the actual impetus she was probably still feeling those things to some degree.
Bottom line
I'm a big fan of historical biographical fiction, so The King's Rose was a hit with me. I appreciated this closer look at Catherine as a person and I finally feel like I sympathize with her and her situation. Alisa M. Libby humanized Catherine and I now care about her as a person instead of brushing her off as "the silly fifth wife, now moving on." I hope Alisa M. Libby writes more historical fiction.
Originally posted at Small Review
July 10, 2009
I loved Alisa Libby's story about Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's 5th wife. It is a tragic story of a young girl of 15 who is used by her family, loved by a king and betrayed by her past.
One of the things made clear in this novel is the greed of the main players at court, the Howard's and the Seymour's. This poor girl never had a chance, the Seymour's wanted her dead so that Jane's son Edward would be King and as he was only 4 years old one of them would be the caretaker of the crown. These families would stop at nothing, they used their young beautiful woman like cattle, caring nothing for them and their young men as pawns. The court of Henry VIII was a dangerous place indeed! You would rather have been born a peasant in this time than be born into one of these families.
Henry died when he was 56 years old, which is quite a feat considering his ailments and ulcerated leg. He was a very old 49 year old man when he married Catherine Howard and she was a young and terrified girl. Yes she was seduced by the glittering jewels and beautiful gowns and her own stupidity got her beheaded, however Alisa Libby opens up a different side to Catherine than the brief accounts I've read of her before. She takes her out of the history books and into the real world, she gives her a heart and soul and fear. A fear she lives with every day.
I highly recommend this historical novel about Henry VIII's 5th wife, it takes you deep into the frightening world of the Tudor court.
One of the things made clear in this novel is the greed of the main players at court, the Howard's and the Seymour's. This poor girl never had a chance, the Seymour's wanted her dead so that Jane's son Edward would be King and as he was only 4 years old one of them would be the caretaker of the crown. These families would stop at nothing, they used their young beautiful woman like cattle, caring nothing for them and their young men as pawns. The court of Henry VIII was a dangerous place indeed! You would rather have been born a peasant in this time than be born into one of these families.
Henry died when he was 56 years old, which is quite a feat considering his ailments and ulcerated leg. He was a very old 49 year old man when he married Catherine Howard and she was a young and terrified girl. Yes she was seduced by the glittering jewels and beautiful gowns and her own stupidity got her beheaded, however Alisa Libby opens up a different side to Catherine than the brief accounts I've read of her before. She takes her out of the history books and into the real world, she gives her a heart and soul and fear. A fear she lives with every day.
I highly recommend this historical novel about Henry VIII's 5th wife, it takes you deep into the frightening world of the Tudor court.
April 17, 2009
Alisa Libby tackles the events of Henry VIII's fifth marriage, and takes a shot, like so many historical fiction writers before and after her, at getting into the main player's heads. This isn't the best re-creation of the historic events, but it is a very good story, suggesting Katherine perhaps wasn't as stupid as everyone thinks. I don't agree with all the choices Libby makes with her characters, (Thomas's character, for example, is way too softened - let us not forget he was a rapist) but I love the language she uses, over and over empathizing the fact that to live in Tudor England was to be trapped in a play within a play within play, always acting out many roles, and flubbing a line meant death on Henry's stage.The use of masks was very well done, especially for Dereham, and her suggestion as to why Henry loved masques so much struck me as quite brilliant. Also, she mixes together her fact and fiction together quite well - always a hard task with historical fiction.
August 30, 2010
Recently I've been reading a lot of historical fiction, and it's hard to tell which are going to be good, and which are the duds.
Happily, this one turned out well.
I've always been interested by Katherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth and youngest wife. She always struck me as a girl too young (or perhaps just too silly) to maneuver through the treacherous waters of the Tudor court. This is that story.
Katherine is caught up in her family's machinations as they try to re-create the power they held when Katherine's cousin Anne was queen. She's a bit of an innocent, but savvy enough to know that marrying the king is a safer choice than marrying for love. Eventually she grows fond of Henry, but her inability to bear a son causes a chain reaction that ends in the tower, as she waits for her doom.
Happily, this one turned out well.
I've always been interested by Katherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth and youngest wife. She always struck me as a girl too young (or perhaps just too silly) to maneuver through the treacherous waters of the Tudor court. This is that story.
Katherine is caught up in her family's machinations as they try to re-create the power they held when Katherine's cousin Anne was queen. She's a bit of an innocent, but savvy enough to know that marrying the king is a safer choice than marrying for love. Eventually she grows fond of Henry, but her inability to bear a son causes a chain reaction that ends in the tower, as she waits for her doom.
December 9, 2012
My review - http://lovinorhating.blogspot.com/201...
Amazing. It is just an amazing historical fiction book. And this is going to be a bit long review..or maybe a lot lol
It is a remarkable story of King Henry VIII's fifth wife (and for those who don't know, he had 6 wives), Catherine Howard. She was married to the King at the age of fifteen (when the King was nearly 50) and was executed under the charge of adultery approximately two years after her marriage with the King. This book is told from Catherine's perspective, young and beautiful but with a doomed life. Alisa M. Libby has provided an up-close and personal narrative that truly brings Catherine to life. No detail has been overlooked, every aspect has been thoroughly researched. Libby has a way of writing that captivates the reader. Well, I was captivated by this one at least.
Catherine was born in a family that technically uses her to increase their status at the court. She was just fifteen (as mentioned before) when she caught the eyes of the King. She was given no right to choose whether to accept it or vice versa since she was not a royal, plus with the urge from her family. She ended up accepting the proposal. What interesting here is, she became the girl her family created her to be, or the girl the King wished her to be. Catherine was pictured to the King as a pure girl, who had so much common things with the late Queen Jane who was much loved by the King. So, she was forced to be the girl and to burn her past, pretended like it never existed at the first place. And thus, her life of deception began.
Provided by the King's love and the power and support she gained from her family, Catherine believed that she had more power than her late cousin who were also the King's widely known second wife, Anne Boleyn. Boleyn was also executed in the charge of bewitching the King in their marriage. At least that was what everyone thought. Catherine then learned that Boleyn was nothing like that. She was destroyed because the King was annoyed with her or something which made her family came to the conclusion that she was no longer a help to them. So, they came together to destroy her. I know... Back to Catherine's story. Then, long story shorten, Catherine soon found herself shadowed by her past life. She was forced to take girls from Lambeth (her old home) in her household, basically to keep their mouths shut for they knew some black secrets of her during her past life there. She was also pressured by her undying love for her past partner, Thomas Culpepper (who actually worked for the King) and the fact that she was unable to provide an heir to the King, she was forced to restart her affair with Culpepper. Then, her love for him bloomed again and bla bla bla she slipped back into her old life.
Fast forward. Then her foolish actions came to light. The Howards came to the conclusion that she was no use to them anymore, so Catherine was abandoned. The King no longer thought of her as his rose without thorn, and the fact that she had hurt, humiliated and broke his heart is too painful to bear. One by one people related to Catherine was taken in into the Tower, and was tortured and asked about information of the real Catherine. Here is the part where it touched my heart the strongest. Catherine was betrayed by Thomas-the man who used to vow that he would protect her from anything, condemned by her family as well as Lady Rochford, who helped her all the way into the court and stayed by her side every seconds. She was haunted by the ghost of Boleyn. She then realised that her fate and her cousin's fate was intertwined. They were both known as traitors to the King's heart.
During her imprisonment, she was aided by three maids, who were so kind to her. They treated her like a queen although they knew she would be executed. They prayed with her, and they forced her to share her pain with them, as Catherine became hysterical day by day about the truth that she crammed inside her. After spitting everything out to her three trusted maids, she felt better. And she no longer acted hysterically. At the night before her execution day, she was said to practise laying her head on the block, brought to her room at her request. She accept her death calmly, though she was afraid and needed aid from her crying maids to get up the stairs. She put a coin into the hand of the executioner and said she forgave him for what he would do later. (THAT was so...huh...) She asked the people to pray for her, and silently prayed for forgiveness from God. And after a little bit of pain, she saw a bright light that does not hurt her eyes. And she was smiling. She said, she was finally home. Oh my...
It's a book that touched my interest, and eventually my heart. We always hear that this not famous queen was a mere traitor to the King. Through this book, I can actually see that she was merely a young and fresh girl, too young to carry the burden of becoming a queen, adjusting herself to survive in the court and at the same time satisfying the need of an aging King despite the all the knowledge she learnt from the Duchess. And about Thomas, I really think that he spit out the truth about Catherine after being tortured too much. I am quite sure that he still loved her until his death because the day he died, Catherine saw him outside her window, pale but serene, smiled to her and waved before he turned and walked away. Or it could may be just something Catherine pictured herself, since she was not really in her right mind then. But, according to popular folklore, her final words were, "I die a Queen, but I would rather have died the wife of Culpeper," although this is widely discredited. One of the parts that will stay embedded in my memory from the book is at the end where Catherine is pleading to the King to show mercy and Henry just passes by without even a nod in her direction. To think that she was not famous compared to her extremely infamous cousin is such a sad thing.
This will be one my fav books of ALL time. 6/5. Libby is just so awesome.
Amazing. It is just an amazing historical fiction book. And this is going to be a bit long review..or maybe a lot lol
It is a remarkable story of King Henry VIII's fifth wife (and for those who don't know, he had 6 wives), Catherine Howard. She was married to the King at the age of fifteen (when the King was nearly 50) and was executed under the charge of adultery approximately two years after her marriage with the King. This book is told from Catherine's perspective, young and beautiful but with a doomed life. Alisa M. Libby has provided an up-close and personal narrative that truly brings Catherine to life. No detail has been overlooked, every aspect has been thoroughly researched. Libby has a way of writing that captivates the reader. Well, I was captivated by this one at least.
Catherine was born in a family that technically uses her to increase their status at the court. She was just fifteen (as mentioned before) when she caught the eyes of the King. She was given no right to choose whether to accept it or vice versa since she was not a royal, plus with the urge from her family. She ended up accepting the proposal. What interesting here is, she became the girl her family created her to be, or the girl the King wished her to be. Catherine was pictured to the King as a pure girl, who had so much common things with the late Queen Jane who was much loved by the King. So, she was forced to be the girl and to burn her past, pretended like it never existed at the first place. And thus, her life of deception began.
Provided by the King's love and the power and support she gained from her family, Catherine believed that she had more power than her late cousin who were also the King's widely known second wife, Anne Boleyn. Boleyn was also executed in the charge of bewitching the King in their marriage. At least that was what everyone thought. Catherine then learned that Boleyn was nothing like that. She was destroyed because the King was annoyed with her or something which made her family came to the conclusion that she was no longer a help to them. So, they came together to destroy her. I know... Back to Catherine's story. Then, long story shorten, Catherine soon found herself shadowed by her past life. She was forced to take girls from Lambeth (her old home) in her household, basically to keep their mouths shut for they knew some black secrets of her during her past life there. She was also pressured by her undying love for her past partner, Thomas Culpepper (who actually worked for the King) and the fact that she was unable to provide an heir to the King, she was forced to restart her affair with Culpepper. Then, her love for him bloomed again and bla bla bla she slipped back into her old life.
Fast forward. Then her foolish actions came to light. The Howards came to the conclusion that she was no use to them anymore, so Catherine was abandoned. The King no longer thought of her as his rose without thorn, and the fact that she had hurt, humiliated and broke his heart is too painful to bear. One by one people related to Catherine was taken in into the Tower, and was tortured and asked about information of the real Catherine. Here is the part where it touched my heart the strongest. Catherine was betrayed by Thomas-the man who used to vow that he would protect her from anything, condemned by her family as well as Lady Rochford, who helped her all the way into the court and stayed by her side every seconds. She was haunted by the ghost of Boleyn. She then realised that her fate and her cousin's fate was intertwined. They were both known as traitors to the King's heart.
During her imprisonment, she was aided by three maids, who were so kind to her. They treated her like a queen although they knew she would be executed. They prayed with her, and they forced her to share her pain with them, as Catherine became hysterical day by day about the truth that she crammed inside her. After spitting everything out to her three trusted maids, she felt better. And she no longer acted hysterically. At the night before her execution day, she was said to practise laying her head on the block, brought to her room at her request. She accept her death calmly, though she was afraid and needed aid from her crying maids to get up the stairs. She put a coin into the hand of the executioner and said she forgave him for what he would do later. (THAT was so...huh...) She asked the people to pray for her, and silently prayed for forgiveness from God. And after a little bit of pain, she saw a bright light that does not hurt her eyes. And she was smiling. She said, she was finally home. Oh my...
It's a book that touched my interest, and eventually my heart. We always hear that this not famous queen was a mere traitor to the King. Through this book, I can actually see that she was merely a young and fresh girl, too young to carry the burden of becoming a queen, adjusting herself to survive in the court and at the same time satisfying the need of an aging King despite the all the knowledge she learnt from the Duchess. And about Thomas, I really think that he spit out the truth about Catherine after being tortured too much. I am quite sure that he still loved her until his death because the day he died, Catherine saw him outside her window, pale but serene, smiled to her and waved before he turned and walked away. Or it could may be just something Catherine pictured herself, since she was not really in her right mind then. But, according to popular folklore, her final words were, "I die a Queen, but I would rather have died the wife of Culpeper," although this is widely discredited. One of the parts that will stay embedded in my memory from the book is at the end where Catherine is pleading to the King to show mercy and Henry just passes by without even a nod in her direction. To think that she was not famous compared to her extremely infamous cousin is such a sad thing.
This will be one my fav books of ALL time. 6/5. Libby is just so awesome.
January 11, 2010
In “The King’s Rose”, author Alisa M. Libby brings to life the fifth wife of King Henry VIII.
Born into a family that was notorious for using the women of their family as stepping stones to enhance their status at court, young Catherine Howard becomes their pawn in the devious game of court elevation. Allowed to behave in an unscrupulous manner while living in the house of her grandmother the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, Catherine must now burn her past and pretend it never existed. Knowing that the King’s marriage to Anne of Cleves is drawing close to an end, the Howard’s are once again determined to place one of their own back upon the English throne. Placing Catherine in front of the King, they have built her up as a woman of amazing virtue, much like Henry’s much beloved Queen Jane. Catherine soon finds that she has won the heart of the aging King. Concluding that combination of the King’s love, and the power of the Howard’s Catherine allows herself to believe that she would hold more power than any of Henry’s previous Queens, including her cousin Anne Boleyn. The new Queen soon finds herself surrounded by her old life. The girls that Catherine shared her lodgings and her secrets with during her stay with the Dowager Duchess come calling for a position in her Royal household. Allowing them to join her retinue, Catherine knows she must keep them close to avoid her past from coming to light. Unable to rid herself of the past she was told to destroy and unable to provide King Henry with an heir to throne, she is told that she must restart her affaire with her previous lover, Thomas Culpepper. Enlisting the aid of Lady Rochford, Anne Boleyn’s sister-in-law, who was the downfall of Ann, Catherine slips back into her old life. Suddenly Catherine’s fears become reality when a pair of familiar eyes greet her from behind the mask of a devil, she now realizes that her past is alive and raging like an inferno. The Howard’s now have come to the conclusion that Catherine is of no use to them and brings her transgressions to light. No longer is she the King’s rose without a thorn, she has hurt, betrayed, and humiliated the man who has loved her, the man who has the power to destroy those whom he has raised. Catherine finds herself condemned by her lover, Thomas, the man who has sworn to protect her, and betrayed by her family as well as Lady Rochford. Continuously haunted by her cousin Anne Boleyn, she now learns that she will share her fate as well as her final resting place. Anne and Catherine’s fate are now intertwined forever to be known as traitors to the Kings heart.
“The King’s Rose”, is a remarkable story showcasing the short life of Catherine Howard. Told from Catherine’s perspective, “The King’s Rose”, offers a fresh perspective on the life of this young, doomed queen. Alisa M. Libby has provided us with an up-close and personal narrative that truly brings Catherine to life. No detail has been overlooked, every aspect has been thoroughly researched. Alisa M. Libby has a way of writing that captivates the reader. You can feel the inner war that Catherine is constantly wagging within herself.
As a reader of both nonfiction and fiction works pertaining to the Tudors, I found this book to be a very interesting read. I enjoyed the fact that Alisa chose to write about one of Henry’s lesser known queens. I feel that she has given a voice to Catherine, so that her story though it may be fictional is told. One of the parts that will stay embedded in my memory from the book is at the end where Catherine is pleading to the King to show mercy and Henry just passes by without even a nod in her direction. Reading “The King’s Rose” is sure to provoke an endless steam of thoughts and discussions.
Born into a family that was notorious for using the women of their family as stepping stones to enhance their status at court, young Catherine Howard becomes their pawn in the devious game of court elevation. Allowed to behave in an unscrupulous manner while living in the house of her grandmother the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, Catherine must now burn her past and pretend it never existed. Knowing that the King’s marriage to Anne of Cleves is drawing close to an end, the Howard’s are once again determined to place one of their own back upon the English throne. Placing Catherine in front of the King, they have built her up as a woman of amazing virtue, much like Henry’s much beloved Queen Jane. Catherine soon finds that she has won the heart of the aging King. Concluding that combination of the King’s love, and the power of the Howard’s Catherine allows herself to believe that she would hold more power than any of Henry’s previous Queens, including her cousin Anne Boleyn. The new Queen soon finds herself surrounded by her old life. The girls that Catherine shared her lodgings and her secrets with during her stay with the Dowager Duchess come calling for a position in her Royal household. Allowing them to join her retinue, Catherine knows she must keep them close to avoid her past from coming to light. Unable to rid herself of the past she was told to destroy and unable to provide King Henry with an heir to throne, she is told that she must restart her affaire with her previous lover, Thomas Culpepper. Enlisting the aid of Lady Rochford, Anne Boleyn’s sister-in-law, who was the downfall of Ann, Catherine slips back into her old life. Suddenly Catherine’s fears become reality when a pair of familiar eyes greet her from behind the mask of a devil, she now realizes that her past is alive and raging like an inferno. The Howard’s now have come to the conclusion that Catherine is of no use to them and brings her transgressions to light. No longer is she the King’s rose without a thorn, she has hurt, betrayed, and humiliated the man who has loved her, the man who has the power to destroy those whom he has raised. Catherine finds herself condemned by her lover, Thomas, the man who has sworn to protect her, and betrayed by her family as well as Lady Rochford. Continuously haunted by her cousin Anne Boleyn, she now learns that she will share her fate as well as her final resting place. Anne and Catherine’s fate are now intertwined forever to be known as traitors to the Kings heart.
“The King’s Rose”, is a remarkable story showcasing the short life of Catherine Howard. Told from Catherine’s perspective, “The King’s Rose”, offers a fresh perspective on the life of this young, doomed queen. Alisa M. Libby has provided us with an up-close and personal narrative that truly brings Catherine to life. No detail has been overlooked, every aspect has been thoroughly researched. Alisa M. Libby has a way of writing that captivates the reader. You can feel the inner war that Catherine is constantly wagging within herself.
As a reader of both nonfiction and fiction works pertaining to the Tudors, I found this book to be a very interesting read. I enjoyed the fact that Alisa chose to write about one of Henry’s lesser known queens. I feel that she has given a voice to Catherine, so that her story though it may be fictional is told. One of the parts that will stay embedded in my memory from the book is at the end where Catherine is pleading to the King to show mercy and Henry just passes by without even a nod in her direction. Reading “The King’s Rose” is sure to provoke an endless steam of thoughts and discussions.
March 25, 2012
Despite the lavish abundance of Tudor stories (including mine!) that currently occupy the market, I’m a helpless slave to the period and can’t help reading just about all of them. So it was with The King’s Rose, which tells the brief, tragic story of Catherine Howard—Henry VIII’s fifth queen and the second he beheaded—at the tender age of sixteen.
Every author has her own take on the doomed, romantic figures of Henry’s many queens. Alisa M. Libby’s first person account of Catherine’s rise and fall is beautifully written, and at times very poignant. I pleasurably sobbed my way through the last fifty pages of naïve and helpless Catherine’s imprisonment and slow acceptance of her looming fate. The tempestuous young queen is tormented (much like teenagers everywhere) by her doomed love for king’s groom Thomas Culpeper, terrified of her royal husband’s growing madness, haunted by the ghosts of past Tudor tragedies and the dangerous indiscretions of her thinly-veiled past. Ultimately, despite her frustrating immaturity and a corresponding inability to become anything more than the king’s pretty plaything, the lonely Catherine Howard in The King’s Rose is a deeply sympathetic and endearingly flawed heroine. In the end, her downfall is hastened by her own ruthlessly ambitious family, the same Howards and Norfolks whose abandonment betrayed her cousin Anne Boleyn to her grave.
Overall, I found Libby’s treatment of Catherine Howard’s brief life to be a compelling and moving retelling of this Tudor tragedy. The narrative remains firmly on Catherine rather than the colorful Tudor offspring, the northern rebellion against Henry called the Pilgrimage of Grace, or other historical highlights of the period. Nonetheless, the author offers a richly-textured alternative to the view of Catherine as a thoroughly selfish simpleton in Philippa Gregory’s The Boleyn Inheritance, which I also heartily recommend. Indeed, I consumed Libby’s entire novel in a day, staying up into the wee sma’s to finish it! This is a worthy addition to the Tudor mythos and a recommended read for fans of the period and character-driven, woman-centered historical fiction.
Every author has her own take on the doomed, romantic figures of Henry’s many queens. Alisa M. Libby’s first person account of Catherine’s rise and fall is beautifully written, and at times very poignant. I pleasurably sobbed my way through the last fifty pages of naïve and helpless Catherine’s imprisonment and slow acceptance of her looming fate. The tempestuous young queen is tormented (much like teenagers everywhere) by her doomed love for king’s groom Thomas Culpeper, terrified of her royal husband’s growing madness, haunted by the ghosts of past Tudor tragedies and the dangerous indiscretions of her thinly-veiled past. Ultimately, despite her frustrating immaturity and a corresponding inability to become anything more than the king’s pretty plaything, the lonely Catherine Howard in The King’s Rose is a deeply sympathetic and endearingly flawed heroine. In the end, her downfall is hastened by her own ruthlessly ambitious family, the same Howards and Norfolks whose abandonment betrayed her cousin Anne Boleyn to her grave.
Overall, I found Libby’s treatment of Catherine Howard’s brief life to be a compelling and moving retelling of this Tudor tragedy. The narrative remains firmly on Catherine rather than the colorful Tudor offspring, the northern rebellion against Henry called the Pilgrimage of Grace, or other historical highlights of the period. Nonetheless, the author offers a richly-textured alternative to the view of Catherine as a thoroughly selfish simpleton in Philippa Gregory’s The Boleyn Inheritance, which I also heartily recommend. Indeed, I consumed Libby’s entire novel in a day, staying up into the wee sma’s to finish it! This is a worthy addition to the Tudor mythos and a recommended read for fans of the period and character-driven, woman-centered historical fiction.
August 19, 2010
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before in previous reviews, but I'm a huge history buff, so when it comes to historical fiction reads, I'm always up for them, epically when they involve the Tudor time period. And when I heard of The King's Rose and how it had both of those aspects, I was overjoyed, and the cover was stunning to boot. Sadly enough, this is one those times were the cover was better than the actual contents inside.
The King's Rose tells the tale of Catherine Howard, the fifth wife King Henry VIII, and the complicated life she has been dealt. You see, while Catherine is overjoyed have caught the king's eye out of all the girls at court, she's not at all up for the drama, backstabbing, and lying that's done to someone of her newly found power, but soon enough she's rushed into it all, and quickly catches the eye of everyone in England. But will she ultimately fail as the king's wife? And what will happen as one of her past two secret lovers make an appearance? Only history can tell this one.
Catherine was a character I found fascinating, and I thought Alisa did a great job of capturing the feel of Catherine's past as well as her current life and the troubles she faces in it. I especially liked how she dealt with the Thomas and Henry situations in a way it didn't become too much like a soap opera. I also enjoyed how she incorporated many key players in the Tudor court into The King's Rose but I would have preferred to have seen perhaps a little more back story into each because it was easy to get them confused with one another.
The premise of this was great because I loved learning more about Catherine's life, but the execution was a little iffy, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it was okay but at times it sounded like a textbook instead of capturing the full voice of this time and bringing it to life. This made it tremendously boring at times and fail in my eyes.
In all, The King's Rose was a decent and enjoyable read that quite a few redeemable qualities, but I hate say I've read better about the same topic.
Grade: C
The King's Rose tells the tale of Catherine Howard, the fifth wife King Henry VIII, and the complicated life she has been dealt. You see, while Catherine is overjoyed have caught the king's eye out of all the girls at court, she's not at all up for the drama, backstabbing, and lying that's done to someone of her newly found power, but soon enough she's rushed into it all, and quickly catches the eye of everyone in England. But will she ultimately fail as the king's wife? And what will happen as one of her past two secret lovers make an appearance? Only history can tell this one.
Catherine was a character I found fascinating, and I thought Alisa did a great job of capturing the feel of Catherine's past as well as her current life and the troubles she faces in it. I especially liked how she dealt with the Thomas and Henry situations in a way it didn't become too much like a soap opera. I also enjoyed how she incorporated many key players in the Tudor court into The King's Rose but I would have preferred to have seen perhaps a little more back story into each because it was easy to get them confused with one another.
The premise of this was great because I loved learning more about Catherine's life, but the execution was a little iffy, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it was okay but at times it sounded like a textbook instead of capturing the full voice of this time and bringing it to life. This made it tremendously boring at times and fail in my eyes.
In all, The King's Rose was a decent and enjoyable read that quite a few redeemable qualities, but I hate say I've read better about the same topic.
Grade: C
March 4, 2011
A historical fiction book about Catherine Howard, the 5th wife of Henry VIII and the most enigmatic in my opinion. I am fast deciding that Catherine Howard is the most fascinating of Henry's wives. She was the only one of his wives to never have her portrait painted, which kind of symbolizes her whole marriage to Henry. It was like it wasn't even there. She was also his youngest wife, and as such, she has been portrayed as everything from a complete harlot to a naive teenager, with the truth most likely being somewhere in the middle. In this book, she is portrayed as a the naive young girl buffeted about by the intrigues of court and the machinations of the power hungry Howard family of which she is a member. As a result, it took me a while to get into the book because I had to get used to the one sided Catherine the author chose to portray. Once I did, though, the story was captivating. I found Libby's take on Henry VIII as an aging man determined to feel young again perhaps the best part of the book.
Although the portrayal of Catherine in this book was one sided, neither she, nor the other characters were one dimensional. The portrayal of the court of Henry VIII and the various players was enjoyable. In addition, the story, while not exactly believable in all respects, was a good fictional story. The only drawback was that I had to convince myself not to get caught up in the characterization of Catherine and view her as simply a girl in WAY OVER her head.
Just a word to the wise, also. This book is considered as a Young Adult novel, and it stands well as young ADULT. However, since it is a book that deals with the court of Henry VIII, there is a lot of instances of a sexual nature both within and without of wedlock. Although the descriptions are quite tame by today's standards, I would caution whether this a good book for 'tweens and very young teens.
As an aside, I think it very interesting that the only two wives that Henry VIII had beheaded were both Howards.
Although the portrayal of Catherine in this book was one sided, neither she, nor the other characters were one dimensional. The portrayal of the court of Henry VIII and the various players was enjoyable. In addition, the story, while not exactly believable in all respects, was a good fictional story. The only drawback was that I had to convince myself not to get caught up in the characterization of Catherine and view her as simply a girl in WAY OVER her head.
Just a word to the wise, also. This book is considered as a Young Adult novel, and it stands well as young ADULT. However, since it is a book that deals with the court of Henry VIII, there is a lot of instances of a sexual nature both within and without of wedlock. Although the descriptions are quite tame by today's standards, I would caution whether this a good book for 'tweens and very young teens.
As an aside, I think it very interesting that the only two wives that Henry VIII had beheaded were both Howards.
June 8, 2012
Firstly, many thanks go to Ms. Libby for sending me a copy of her book! I really enjoyed reading it, as you will see...
Well, I imagine that if you had any dreams of being the queen of England, you would likely reconsider them after reading this novel. Libby's breathtaking presentation of Catherine Howard's story certainly gives a revealing account of what it likely would have been like to be a young queen in Tudor England. There is nothing romantic about the life Catherine is forced to lead--she seemed to be merely a puppet of the rest of her family, a pawn in their plan to work the Howards back into the royal family.
Certainly this is a fictional account of Howard's story, but it is vividly told and beautifully written. And there are certain factual events and people that are included, showing that Libby obviously did her research. After the story, she has also included a helpful note about some of the true events depicted in her novel. It truly was a fascinating look into life in the royal court during Henry VIII's reign. It was a life I certainly would not have wanted to live. I appreciated the fact that Libby's account was more sympathetic with Catherine, though I don't imagine we will ever truly know what happened to cause her downfall. All I know is that it seems you could not trust anyone if you were Catherine, and that likely applied to all royalty. Throughout the story I found myself questioning various characters--lords, ladies, members of Catherine's court--and whether or not they could be trusted. Small actions and words frequently seemed suspicious and I felt sorry for the life poor Catherine Howard had to lead.
I would imagine fans of historical fiction and Tudor England would enjoy this book. Not surprisingly, there are many allusions to sex, but there is nothing very graphic. I'm not sure that I would market it as a young adult novel, but it is certainly written that way and has that feel. I thought Catherine's story was beautifully told, engaging throughout, and the pages flew by as I read.
Well, I imagine that if you had any dreams of being the queen of England, you would likely reconsider them after reading this novel. Libby's breathtaking presentation of Catherine Howard's story certainly gives a revealing account of what it likely would have been like to be a young queen in Tudor England. There is nothing romantic about the life Catherine is forced to lead--she seemed to be merely a puppet of the rest of her family, a pawn in their plan to work the Howards back into the royal family.
Certainly this is a fictional account of Howard's story, but it is vividly told and beautifully written. And there are certain factual events and people that are included, showing that Libby obviously did her research. After the story, she has also included a helpful note about some of the true events depicted in her novel. It truly was a fascinating look into life in the royal court during Henry VIII's reign. It was a life I certainly would not have wanted to live. I appreciated the fact that Libby's account was more sympathetic with Catherine, though I don't imagine we will ever truly know what happened to cause her downfall. All I know is that it seems you could not trust anyone if you were Catherine, and that likely applied to all royalty. Throughout the story I found myself questioning various characters--lords, ladies, members of Catherine's court--and whether or not they could be trusted. Small actions and words frequently seemed suspicious and I felt sorry for the life poor Catherine Howard had to lead.
I would imagine fans of historical fiction and Tudor England would enjoy this book. Not surprisingly, there are many allusions to sex, but there is nothing very graphic. I'm not sure that I would market it as a young adult novel, but it is certainly written that way and has that feel. I thought Catherine's story was beautifully told, engaging throughout, and the pages flew by as I read.
May 1, 2014
Catherine Howard's arrival at Court entices Henry VIII away from unwanted Queen Anne of Cleves. But Catherine has secrets about her past that she must keep hidden at all costs to keep her crown and her head.
I read this book months ago and I'm only just getting my review online now. I enjoyed this novel about the 5th Queen and while there is no fresh content in the story, I liked the simplistic way that the story was told with no complicated bits. Whether it is correct in all historical facts and dates is for those with better memories to comment on! But if you want to read a light tudor tale, you may well enjoy this book.
The author takes the view that the pressure came to Catherine from the Dowager Duchess to hide her past and use Thomas as a bedmate to get pregnant when the King proves unable. Catherine is certainly portrayed here as a victim who was told what to say and do, what to think and forget, and that her own wishes never came into it. The scheming Jane Rochford lurks to guide her and cover up her affair as instructed. The ladies in waiting all hint that they might tell tales if they aren't kept happy with parties and other things, leaving Catherine helpless and at their mercy. The spurned ex lover threatening to expose her unless he is given a job. While I do not personallybelieve that Catherine was this totally innocent girl used unwillingly by everyone, I did enjoy reading the story from this point of view.
I think one of the reasons that I find Catherine Howard's story so fascinating is that I love the intrigue that surrounds the real life character of Jane Rochford. She is one of the most interesting females from Tudor times and we rarely get decent books about her. So I have a lot of novels of Catherine and Jane yet to read. Hopefully I will enjoy the others as I did this one.
I read this book months ago and I'm only just getting my review online now. I enjoyed this novel about the 5th Queen and while there is no fresh content in the story, I liked the simplistic way that the story was told with no complicated bits. Whether it is correct in all historical facts and dates is for those with better memories to comment on! But if you want to read a light tudor tale, you may well enjoy this book.
The author takes the view that the pressure came to Catherine from the Dowager Duchess to hide her past and use Thomas as a bedmate to get pregnant when the King proves unable. Catherine is certainly portrayed here as a victim who was told what to say and do, what to think and forget, and that her own wishes never came into it. The scheming Jane Rochford lurks to guide her and cover up her affair as instructed. The ladies in waiting all hint that they might tell tales if they aren't kept happy with parties and other things, leaving Catherine helpless and at their mercy. The spurned ex lover threatening to expose her unless he is given a job. While I do not personallybelieve that Catherine was this totally innocent girl used unwillingly by everyone, I did enjoy reading the story from this point of view.
I think one of the reasons that I find Catherine Howard's story so fascinating is that I love the intrigue that surrounds the real life character of Jane Rochford. She is one of the most interesting females from Tudor times and we rarely get decent books about her. So I have a lot of novels of Catherine and Jane yet to read. Hopefully I will enjoy the others as I did this one.
March 26, 2010
The stories of King Henry VIII his wives, and his children have to be some of my favorite ever! I absolutely love that time period in English History. So needless to say I was really excited to read this book!
This is the story of King Henry's fifth wife, and one of the ones that is less heard of. I really enjoyed learning more about Catherine Howard, I enjoyed seeing her relationship and confusion during her marriage with Henry, Alisa Libby really shows the doubts that Catherine must have felt as well as the confusion she would have had at the end of her life.
I enjoyed seeing the characters in new and different more personal ways! One of the things that ruined this book for me was knowing all the while how it ended, but thats just me, and the book has to end that way because that is how it really ended.
Overall I loved the book! It dove into the intrigue of the court, and Henry's little heard of fifth wife. I really enjoyed this historical novel!
This is the story of King Henry's fifth wife, and one of the ones that is less heard of. I really enjoyed learning more about Catherine Howard, I enjoyed seeing her relationship and confusion during her marriage with Henry, Alisa Libby really shows the doubts that Catherine must have felt as well as the confusion she would have had at the end of her life.
I enjoyed seeing the characters in new and different more personal ways! One of the things that ruined this book for me was knowing all the while how it ended, but thats just me, and the book has to end that way because that is how it really ended.
Overall I loved the book! It dove into the intrigue of the court, and Henry's little heard of fifth wife. I really enjoyed this historical novel!
September 2, 2013
I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would.
It was very well told and I'll be honest I guess like most people I knew very little about Catherine Howard.
The poor thing, she was really only a child with no real ambitions bar having a good time & not really fully realising the repercussions of her actions.
She was a tool for her family's ambition and as with Anne Boleyn before was just as disposable.
The author really managed to convey the panic any bride of Henry's must of felt. Pressure to keep his interest without being too obvious about it. Pressure to produce an heir when he wasn't proven to be that fertile though obviously no fault of his.
And just the general backstabbing & underhandidness of the royal court of the time.
I really hadn't expected it to hold my interest like it did but it was a very pleasant surprise & I will certainly look out for more by this author.
It was very well told and I'll be honest I guess like most people I knew very little about Catherine Howard.
The poor thing, she was really only a child with no real ambitions bar having a good time & not really fully realising the repercussions of her actions.
She was a tool for her family's ambition and as with Anne Boleyn before was just as disposable.
The author really managed to convey the panic any bride of Henry's must of felt. Pressure to keep his interest without being too obvious about it. Pressure to produce an heir when he wasn't proven to be that fertile though obviously no fault of his.
And just the general backstabbing & underhandidness of the royal court of the time.
I really hadn't expected it to hold my interest like it did but it was a very pleasant surprise & I will certainly look out for more by this author.
May 15, 2009
If anyone knows anything about English history, then they most likely know about Henry VIII. If the know about any of his wives it would probably be the most notorious one, Anne Boleyn, the tragic queen that Henry split off from the Roman Catholic Church for. The mother of the woman who would have an era named after her(Elizabethan).
But few know about her cousin, Catherine Howard, who meets an equally disturbing fate. Her predicament of marriage is almost even worse- she was fifteen and in love with someone her own age, Thomas Culpepper, when her ambitious family handed her to an obese, 50-year-old, woman-hater/womanizer.
Catherine Howard is the perfect age for YA. The prose is suspensful and lush. My only complaint about the book is that some scenes didn't go into as much depth as I would've liked.
But few know about her cousin, Catherine Howard, who meets an equally disturbing fate. Her predicament of marriage is almost even worse- she was fifteen and in love with someone her own age, Thomas Culpepper, when her ambitious family handed her to an obese, 50-year-old, woman-hater/womanizer.
Catherine Howard is the perfect age for YA. The prose is suspensful and lush. My only complaint about the book is that some scenes didn't go into as much depth as I would've liked.
August 9, 2014
The King's Rose was definitely an interesting read. I didn't know much about Catherine Howard other than the fact that she was one of King Henry VIII's six wives. I didn't know she was related to Anne Boleyn, nor did I know Catherine was only fifteen at the time of her marriage.
There are all kinds of historical facts throughout this story that made it interesting. And there's personality added to the character most people despise in some way: the King himself. The man married six women, killed two, started his own church to divorce the first, and sent one packing after she didn't look as beautiful as he thought she would be.
But we see a side to him we didn't know of. Henry is portrayed as a king who really does want to do good, but sometimes his emotions get in the way. His temperment mostly, but occasionally his lust for women. I quite enjoyed the book overall.
There are all kinds of historical facts throughout this story that made it interesting. And there's personality added to the character most people despise in some way: the King himself. The man married six women, killed two, started his own church to divorce the first, and sent one packing after she didn't look as beautiful as he thought she would be.
But we see a side to him we didn't know of. Henry is portrayed as a king who really does want to do good, but sometimes his emotions get in the way. His temperment mostly, but occasionally his lust for women. I quite enjoyed the book overall.
March 31, 2010
The story of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife.
I really enjoyed this. I think I have a soft spot for Tudor England and the court of Henry VIII. I was a bit worried that this was going to be too much romance and not enough history (from the book jacket) but it wasn't at all. I commented early on to a friend that I wished I knew more history so I would know what happened before I read it - and then she told me and I wished I hadn't asked! But, the book was very well done. I think Catherine was characterized quite nicely. I didn't like the very last section (it was too cheesy for me) but I really liked the rest of the book. We shall see how accurate it was (though an author's note at the end helps distinguish fact from fiction) when I read my non-fiction companion.
I really enjoyed this. I think I have a soft spot for Tudor England and the court of Henry VIII. I was a bit worried that this was going to be too much romance and not enough history (from the book jacket) but it wasn't at all. I commented early on to a friend that I wished I knew more history so I would know what happened before I read it - and then she told me and I wished I hadn't asked! But, the book was very well done. I think Catherine was characterized quite nicely. I didn't like the very last section (it was too cheesy for me) but I really liked the rest of the book. We shall see how accurate it was (though an author's note at the end helps distinguish fact from fiction) when I read my non-fiction companion.
June 11, 2010
Review in 75 words or less: A throughly enjoyable historical fiction novel. I found this novel to be a breath of fresh air in a sometimes dry and/or dull genre. The plot was well researched, and the reader can tell that the author cares very much about the topic as well as the characters, both fictional and historical.While the whole novel was great, it was the ending that had me amazed. It was filled with breathtaking emotions that will move you.
Final verdict: A lovely historical novel which focuses on one of my favorite historical periods. Those who are interested in King Henry VIII and his many wives or English history will fall in love with this novel and the emotions that it evokes.
Final verdict: A lovely historical novel which focuses on one of my favorite historical periods. Those who are interested in King Henry VIII and his many wives or English history will fall in love with this novel and the emotions that it evokes.
May 31, 2010
I really enjoyed reading it, a fresh look at the life and trials of Kathryn Howard. Alisa Libby did a great job in bringing the hardship of being a young girl married to a king much less an older man and the yearning to live life and experience all the things it offered. I also liked how Henry wasn't made out to be a mad-monster but a man with weakness' and the illusion of regaining his youth through his young wife.
Altogether 4.5 stars!! Job well done Alisa!!
Altogether 4.5 stars!! Job well done Alisa!!
March 18, 2011
I really liked Alisa Libby's style, so I decided to read her other book about Catherine Howard. I know this book will have a tragic end.
December 31, 2024
This was a stunning, complex character study of Catherine Howard, who like her cousin Anne Boleyn married King Henry VIII and was executed by him (or at least by his councillors, while he stood by). Do you like the musical The Six? Then this is the book for you.
Although it is about a teen, this book feels far too mature and subtle for YA. Not that YA can't be both - but it's often not appreciated by its audience, especially when it is a slow, often repetitive deep dive into the psyche. I think with very little re-working this could have been marketed as an adult historical fiction and enjoyed more popularity (I mean, Wolf Hall is slooooooooow and that book has all kinds of acclaim and attention). It looks like Libby has only published two books, and that is a damn shame because she is an incredible writer who can take complicated historical figures and bring them to life.
Libby writes with a great deal of sympathy and heart for Catherine Howard, a pretty young girl who was wed to a king at 17, and executed a little over a year later for allegedly not being a virgin upon her marriage and having an affair with Thomas Culpepper while married. Historians have not always been kind to Catherine - Alison Weir called her an "empty-headed wanton" and David Loades said she was a "stupid and oversexed adolescent" who "certainly behaved like a whore."
Libby's Catherine Howard is not any of thes things. She is vivacious and young and naive, trying to grasp what little happiness she is allowed in a dangerous court and a tenuous position. She is a pawn to be used and disposed of by all the adults around her. She is told to seduce King Henry, so she does. She is told to marry him, so she does. She is told to keep his attention, so she tries. She is told to bear him a son, so she tries (it's pretty clear these days that the heir problem was on Henry's side, not the women's). And then when the Howard-Seymour rivalry puts her in the crosshairs, her family cuts her loose to die.
She is not an empty-headed wanton nor a whore. Any more than any other woman sold by their families to the highest or most influential husband is a whore. Even if she did have an affair with Thomas Culpepper, so what? She was married to a volatile, aged, smelly man who saw her as his newest pretty toy, so that her family could become richer and more influential. What loyalty does that deserve?
This book is a bit slow - Catherine's life as the wife of King Henry was short and often tedious. The middle is bogged down by Catherine continuosly trying to keep the attention and favor of the king, and being consumed by the concern that she will fail to do so before she bears him a son. There is not a lot of action. As I said, this is a character study, so it's about Catherine and what she may have thought and felt, a girl whose only power was her charm and beauty, reliant on the men in her life continuing to find her charm and beauty beneficial to them. As one of the women says:
"We inspire lust in men; it is our power. But does it really make us powerful - or vulnerable? We are desired, and then we are debased. First we are goddesses, then mere mortal women, then harlots."
Although it is about a teen, this book feels far too mature and subtle for YA. Not that YA can't be both - but it's often not appreciated by its audience, especially when it is a slow, often repetitive deep dive into the psyche. I think with very little re-working this could have been marketed as an adult historical fiction and enjoyed more popularity (I mean, Wolf Hall is slooooooooow and that book has all kinds of acclaim and attention). It looks like Libby has only published two books, and that is a damn shame because she is an incredible writer who can take complicated historical figures and bring them to life.
Libby writes with a great deal of sympathy and heart for Catherine Howard, a pretty young girl who was wed to a king at 17, and executed a little over a year later for allegedly not being a virgin upon her marriage and having an affair with Thomas Culpepper while married. Historians have not always been kind to Catherine - Alison Weir called her an "empty-headed wanton" and David Loades said she was a "stupid and oversexed adolescent" who "certainly behaved like a whore."
Libby's Catherine Howard is not any of thes things. She is vivacious and young and naive, trying to grasp what little happiness she is allowed in a dangerous court and a tenuous position. She is a pawn to be used and disposed of by all the adults around her. She is told to seduce King Henry, so she does. She is told to marry him, so she does. She is told to keep his attention, so she tries. She is told to bear him a son, so she tries (it's pretty clear these days that the heir problem was on Henry's side, not the women's). And then when the Howard-Seymour rivalry puts her in the crosshairs, her family cuts her loose to die.
She is not an empty-headed wanton nor a whore. Any more than any other woman sold by their families to the highest or most influential husband is a whore. Even if she did have an affair with Thomas Culpepper, so what? She was married to a volatile, aged, smelly man who saw her as his newest pretty toy, so that her family could become richer and more influential. What loyalty does that deserve?
This book is a bit slow - Catherine's life as the wife of King Henry was short and often tedious. The middle is bogged down by Catherine continuosly trying to keep the attention and favor of the king, and being consumed by the concern that she will fail to do so before she bears him a son. There is not a lot of action. As I said, this is a character study, so it's about Catherine and what she may have thought and felt, a girl whose only power was her charm and beauty, reliant on the men in her life continuing to find her charm and beauty beneficial to them. As one of the women says:
"We inspire lust in men; it is our power. But does it really make us powerful - or vulnerable? We are desired, and then we are debased. First we are goddesses, then mere mortal women, then harlots."
November 5, 2025
A satisfying tale of Henry 8's overlooked, unfortunate wife, Katherine Howard, that gives her a voice she deserves.
January 18, 2017
Catherine Howard, King Henry’s 'rose without a thorn' was only fifteen years old when she caught the his lustful eye. Her life changed that very moment. She was introduced to a glamorous and luxurious world which she had not encountered before she became Queen. At first, she found it interesting to pamper herself with gorgeous, specially-tailored gowns and dresses, exquisite, one-of-a-kind jewels and indulge herself in elaborate revelries.
It was not long before she realized the truth that she was merely a pawn of the Howard clan in a game of power and politics. She had to hide her true self and burn her past, for many were out there, waiting for a chance to pull her down into the big, black abyss of no return.
I feel pity for Catherine Howard, because she did not have a choice. In fact, she never had. She was only a teenage girl who had no rule over her own fate. I won't reveal the ending for those who haven't read this book, but I assure you that The King's Rose, a story constructed on accurate historical facts, is exceptionally well-written, highly entertaining, and plausible.
Alisa uses her fascinating style of writing to deliver the story in Catherine’s point of view, which gives me a more exact idea of her feelings, emotions and life. Catherine’s character is portrayed realistically, but somehow, readers will feel that this young girl is very naïve. Alisa describes the Tudor court brilliantly. Thou shalt not trust anyone in court. The court is a dangerous place full of conspiracies, backstabbers and powerful clans who are hungry for power.
The King’s Rose is written for young adults but I think adults will enjoy it as well. Through this novel, you will know more about Catherine's life as the fifth wife of King Henry, relish the grandeur of the Tudor court, and have a real view of what is it like to life in a place where you are all alone and there is nobody you can trust. Overall, The King's Rose is a great read. If you are a fan of historical fictions, you MUST read this book. I promise you will love it! Lastly, if you think being married to a King means a fairytale with a happy ending, maybe you would want to consider about it again.
It was not long before she realized the truth that she was merely a pawn of the Howard clan in a game of power and politics. She had to hide her true self and burn her past, for many were out there, waiting for a chance to pull her down into the big, black abyss of no return.
I feel pity for Catherine Howard, because she did not have a choice. In fact, she never had. She was only a teenage girl who had no rule over her own fate. I won't reveal the ending for those who haven't read this book, but I assure you that The King's Rose, a story constructed on accurate historical facts, is exceptionally well-written, highly entertaining, and plausible.
Alisa uses her fascinating style of writing to deliver the story in Catherine’s point of view, which gives me a more exact idea of her feelings, emotions and life. Catherine’s character is portrayed realistically, but somehow, readers will feel that this young girl is very naïve. Alisa describes the Tudor court brilliantly. Thou shalt not trust anyone in court. The court is a dangerous place full of conspiracies, backstabbers and powerful clans who are hungry for power.
The King’s Rose is written for young adults but I think adults will enjoy it as well. Through this novel, you will know more about Catherine's life as the fifth wife of King Henry, relish the grandeur of the Tudor court, and have a real view of what is it like to life in a place where you are all alone and there is nobody you can trust. Overall, The King's Rose is a great read. If you are a fan of historical fictions, you MUST read this book. I promise you will love it! Lastly, if you think being married to a King means a fairytale with a happy ending, maybe you would want to consider about it again.
October 30, 2009
As someone whose love of history (especially the Tudors) dates back to her early teens, I was really looking forward to reading this book aimed at readers aged 14 and up. I did find the book to be an engaging treatment of the story of Catherine Howard's marriage, especially as she is so often overlooked in favor of her more flamboyant predecessor. The writing was crisp and the pacing of the book was excellent.
I also think Libby did a wonderful job capturing the voice of her 15 year-old protagonist, though I quibble a little with Catherine's naivete in parts. I cannot help but believe that even the most sheltered 15 year-old would have been forced into a greater awareness of political realities in such a tumultuous time. Regardless, Libby made Catherine live, and revealed the pathos of her situation. Even knowing as I did how this story would end, I found myself wishing she would in fact receive a reprieve from her Henry.
Given the complexity of the cast of characters involved in this story, I would like to see a chart or list to help readers less familiar with the subject matter keep track of everyone. I read an ARC, so this oversight may in fact have been rectified during final printing. Also, some readers may be uncomfortable with the sexual component of the story (though it is minor and essential to the story). All in all, a highly recommended read for high schoolers interested in historical fiction.
I also think Libby did a wonderful job capturing the voice of her 15 year-old protagonist, though I quibble a little with Catherine's naivete in parts. I cannot help but believe that even the most sheltered 15 year-old would have been forced into a greater awareness of political realities in such a tumultuous time. Regardless, Libby made Catherine live, and revealed the pathos of her situation. Even knowing as I did how this story would end, I found myself wishing she would in fact receive a reprieve from her Henry.
Given the complexity of the cast of characters involved in this story, I would like to see a chart or list to help readers less familiar with the subject matter keep track of everyone. I read an ARC, so this oversight may in fact have been rectified during final printing. Also, some readers may be uncomfortable with the sexual component of the story (though it is minor and essential to the story). All in all, a highly recommended read for high schoolers interested in historical fiction.
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