Summary:
Regarded as yet another threat to the volatile King Henry
VII’s claim to the throne, Margaret Pole, cousin to Elizabeth of York (known as
the White Princess) and daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, is married off to
a steady and kind Lancaster supporter—Sir Richard Pole. For his loyalty, Sir
Richard is entrusted with the governorship of Wales, but Margaret’s contented
daily life is changed forever with the arrival of Arthur, the young Prince of
Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon. Margaret soon becomes a
trusted advisor and friend to the honeymooning couple, hiding her own royal
connections in service to the Tudors.
After the sudden death of Prince Arthur, Katherine leaves for London a widow, and fulfills her deathbed promise to her husband by marrying his brother, Henry VIII. Margaret’s world is turned upside down by the surprising summons to court, where she becomes the chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. But this charmed life of the wealthiest and “holiest” woman in England lasts only until the rise of Anne Boleyn, and the dramatic deterioration of the Tudor court. Margaret has to choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical king, or to her beloved queen; to the religion she loves or the theology which serves the new masters. Caught between the old world and the new, Margaret Pole has to find her own way as she carries the knowledge of an old curse on all the Tudors.
After the sudden death of Prince Arthur, Katherine leaves for London a widow, and fulfills her deathbed promise to her husband by marrying his brother, Henry VIII. Margaret’s world is turned upside down by the surprising summons to court, where she becomes the chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. But this charmed life of the wealthiest and “holiest” woman in England lasts only until the rise of Anne Boleyn, and the dramatic deterioration of the Tudor court. Margaret has to choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical king, or to her beloved queen; to the religion she loves or the theology which serves the new masters. Caught between the old world and the new, Margaret Pole has to find her own way as she carries the knowledge of an old curse on all the Tudors.
Review:
I
have recently finished devouring the greatly anticipated finale to Philippa
Gregory’s Cousin’s War Series entitled The
King’s Curse, and I must say it was well worth the wait! In this final
installment, Gregory brings the reader into the lavish and dangerous court of
King Henry VIII as seen through the eyes of Margaret Pole. Margaret is the
close cousin of Elizabeth of York, mother of King Henry VIII. She is the
daughter of his uncle George, Duke of Clarence, who was killed for speaking
treasonously against his own brother, King Richard. With such a strong link to
the throne, Margaret is safely married off to a loyal Knight to ensure that she
is not a threat to the reign of King Henry VII, a Tudor and sworn enemy of the
York dynasty. She lives in utter anonymity until the fateful day when the newly
married Prince of Wales is sent to live under her roof.
As the story
opens, Arthur, the Prince of Wales and his young Bride, Katherine of Aragon are
being looked after by Margaret, who has been appointed their royal guardian
during their honeymoon. Events quickly turn tragic, and Prince Arthur falls ill
and dies of the Sweat, leaving poor Katherine a young widow. On his deathbed,
Arthur commands Katherine to promise that she will deny that they consummated
the marriage, leaving her free to marry his younger brother Henry, who is to be
the heir to the throne. Katherine, strong willed just as her mother the Spanish
militant Queen Isabella I, heads for London to fulfill her promise to her dying
love. Once there, the accusations stir up in regard to her claim of a
non-consummated marriage to Arthur, prompting Margaret to be summoned for
questions by the overly pious grandmother of the king. Margaret keeps her
promise to Katherine and Arthur, and never reveals the knowledge of their
honeymoon bliss, insisting that Katherine is a still as pure as the driven
snow. Margaret is rewarded by being installed as Queen Katherine’s chief
Lady-in-Waiting, beginning a fiercely loyal and loving bond between the two
women.
Rumors and
turmoil begin to fly around the court as the King openly courts, not one, but
two young Boleyn girls, leaving many to wonder what type of king would raise a
commoner so high. While many at court privately discuss their displeasure, no
one dares confront him on the matter for fear of being on the receiving end of
his ever increasing temper. Katherine is publicly shamed with the knowledge
that her once dotting husband has allowed not only his eyes, but his heart to
stray, leaving her devastated and demeaned in the wake of the Boleyn scandal
that all but shattered England. Though it threatens to destroy all that she
holds dear, Margaret manages to hold firmly to her beliefs, even when confronted
with the choice between her fealty to a pompous and irresponsible King and her
love and loyalty for Katherine. This determination to do what is right,
however, may very well cost her her life.
If I have not already expressed this fact, I
feel I must disclose out of complete transparency that Philippa Gregory is my
favorite author of this genre of historical fiction. I particularly like her
way of telling the story not from the obvious voice of the royal involved, but
often from a bystander, or from the vantage of someone who merely plays a
supporting role. She is a master of finding the strength and fortitude of the
women who becomes the storyteller. Also, her attention to historical detail and
accuracy speaks volumes to her academic prowess in research and writing. I have
previously reviewed the series “The White Queen” that covers the material in
this, as well as three other books in the Cousin’s War series. (The White Princess, The Red Queen, and The
Kingmaker’s Daughter). I highly recommend the series, both book and film,
to anyone interested in this time period.
Now, back to
this novel. . . In the final installment of the Cousin’s War, Gregory totally
outdoes herself, and writes a book that, even as a standalone, is captivating
and full of royal intrigue. This is by no means a Chick-lit book. Oh no!
Margaret and Katherine are tough, independent women who stand up for what they
believe, regardless the cost. This story does not mince words when it comes to
violence and death, allowing the reader an intimate and accurate look into the
Tudor Era. As told from the perspective of Margaret Pole, a York royal denied
her birthright, The King’s Curse
takes you from the elegant, over-the-top court of Henry VIII to the gritty,
backroom conspiracies that directed the course of British, and quite possibly
world history. It was bittersweet to finish this book knowing it was the last
in the series, but I feel as though I have been thoroughly entertained and
completely educated given her strict adherence to using a fact based timeline
of events. I give this book a full 5 stars, and wait with baited breath to see
what Philippa Gregory comes up with next!
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