Katheryn Howard, the Scandalous Queen

April 1, 2020
A lusty teenager caught the roving eye of Henry VIII. Continuing a fictional chronicle of the Six Tudor Queens, Weir brings thorough research and spirited storytelling to her portrayal of Katheryn Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife. Katheryn was 19 when her manipulative, ambitious uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, and her stepgrandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, summoned her with a proposal: Henry VIII had tired of his German wife, Anne of Cleves, and, rumor had it, had not yet consummated their marriage. He sought an annulment; soon he would need a new wife. The Howards saw Katheryn, one of Anne's many maids of honor, as a means to elevate their position and wealth as well as to bring a Catholic into the court. Of course, Katheryn had to be--or pretend to be--a virgin. "Chastity is to be prized," Katheryn knew. "But what was wrong with taking your pleasure where you found it?" She easily and ardently fell in love: with her music teacher; with a distant cousin, a rakish courtier who "rode her like a stallion, gasping and moaning" and insisted they were married; and with the handsome Tom Culpeper, whom she had known as a child. Now a good-looking man "with a strong jaw and high cheekbones," he was an esteemed member of the king's Privy Chamber. Weir sees Katheryn as an impetuous, superficial young woman--far less sympathetic than Jane Seymour or Katherine of Aragon--dazzled by wealth and glamour. As maid of honor, she exulted, "she would live in palaces, have beautiful gowns, dance and make merry." To her great delight, seducing Henry involved many luxurious new vestments and jewels. After their marriage, "dizzy with elation," she exclaimed to herself, "She really was queen!" But not for long: Betrayals, plots, subterfuge, and her unbridled passion caused "the whole glittering edifice" of her life to implode. A vivid re-creation of a Tudor tragedy.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 15, 2020
Katheryn Howard, Henry VIII's rose without a thorn, not only deceived the king about her previous lovers but dallied with another man during their marriage. What on earth was she thinking? In the fifth novel in her Six Tudor Queens series, Weir convincingly imagines the answer to that question. Incorporating period sources about Katheryn (which weave smoothly into the narrative), she plunges readers into the viewpoint of a fun-loving, naive young woman whose unorthodox upbringing and poor choices precipitated her downfall. Raised by caring relatives after her mother's death, the attractive, powerless Katheryn later enters the lax household of her step-grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, and falls in with a sexually adventurous crowd. After her ambitious Catholic uncle pushes her toward King Henry VIII, she decides becoming queen has definite appeal and develops affection for her aging, devoted royal husband. Her past, however, leaves her vulnerable to blackmail, and it's fascinating and disquieting to see how she justifies her decisions. Though Katheryn lacks the intellectual depth of Weir's previous heroines, her character portrait is similarly astute.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

April 24, 2020

Best-selling author and historian Weir continues her "Six Tudor Queens" series (after Anna of Kleve, The Princess in the Portrait) with this story of Henry VIII's fifth wife, Katheryn Howard. Beginning with the death of Katheryn's mother in 1528, the story follows Katheryn through her teenage years. After she is compelled by her ambitious relatives to catch the king's eye, Henry falls head over heels in love with her. Flattered by his attention and affection but under orders of her relatives, Katheryn holds out for marriage. Shortly after Henry annuls his marriage to Anne of Cleves, they wed. As Katheryn becomes genuinely fond of Henry, despite his ailments and obesity, their marriage seems perfect if only she can give birth to a son...and keep her scandalous past a secret. Soon those secrets come to light and seal the fate of the na�ve 19 year old. The characters are well developed, and readers will feel compassion and understanding for Katheryn, who is trapped by her youth and a pawn to her friends and relatives alike. VERDICT This entertaining novel will appeal to historical fiction readers, especially those who enjoy the works of Phillippa Gregory. Fans of The Tudors will be excited to learn more about this fascinating royal. [See Prepub Alert, 11/11/19.]--Terri Lent, Patrick Henry High Sch., Ashland, VA

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.