Summary:
The post-Pilgrimage of Grace
religious upheaval late in Henry VIII’s reign finds credence in another of
Philippa Gregory’s prolific Tudor series. The protagonist in this story is
Kateryn Parr, the sixth wife of England’s most notoriously wedded monarch.
While most readers know her fate, the author puts a spin on the tangle of rival
factions and also describes the reasoning behind the madness of the King of
England.
Review:
Why would anyone knowingly marry a
serial killer? In the most recent installment of Philippa Gregory’s Tudor Court
series, The Taming of the Queen, the
answer to that question becomes all too clear: because he is the KING! Kateryn
Parr, the final Queen in the reign of Henry VIII, is the subject of this latest
piece of historical fiction. Picking up shortly after the execution of
Katherine Howard, King Henry’s fifth wife, this book introduces the world to
the little known Queen Kateryn. With
most of the attention given to the more eccentric and flashy queens like Anne
Boleyn and Katherine of Aragón, little has been published about Queen Kateryn until
recently. I was pleasantly surprised to find that she is just as noteworthy as
the more scandalous wives of King Henry.
She takes some comfort in the fact
that King Henry initially adores his new bride. She is kind and gentle with the
infamous wife killer, even as he suffers from a chronic leg injury that skews
his attitude and judgement in a most violent and sporadic way. Kateryn slowly begins to trust him and makes
great efforts to unite his extremely fragmented royal family. Her success leads
her to be allowed more freedom. She uses this new found trust to create a free
thinking study group at the heart of the court, and even rules as Regent in the
absence of the King.
As trusted as she seems to be, are
her efforts enough to keep her safe? As her influence as a religious reformer
grows, suspicion of the Queen runs rampant amongst the anti-protestant movement
that is sweeping the country. Kateryn dangerously stands out as an independent
woman with a mind of her own, as evident in being the first woman to publish in
English. Her exertions and sacrifices, however, are for naught as Henry’s perilous
gaze turns on her. Persuaded by the
clergy and other power hungry rivals, Kateryn finds herself accused of heresy.
The punishment for such a crime is death by fire, and her husband, the king,
has signed the warrant…
(As those who regularly read the
Lit Writ know, it can be safely assumed that Philippa Gregory is my favorite
writer in this genre. So, in the spirit of full disclosure, I feel I must
preface the following commentary by divulging that bit of info.)
After finishing the previous book
in this series, a small part inside me was sad to say the very least. Like an
addict, I searched frantically to find my next historical fiction fix. After
reading several other authors, who were fantastic in their own right, I was
still left feeling a little empty. Then, much to my joyous elation, I saw The Taming of the Queen on an upcoming
release list and immediately put it on hold. While this is not my favorite book
in the series, I am happy to report that I learned more from this work than
from any of the others.
Kateryn Parr is a little known
force in the long list Henry’s wives. She was well educated and strong willed.
Considerably older than most of Henry’s brides, Kateryn was the perfect match
for an aging and debilitated Henry. She managed to bring his royal children all
under the same roof…a feat unsuccessfully attempted by others in the past.
While Henry was easily swayed by his mates in religious matters, she was the
first to have the royal authority to translate and publish religious works into
the common tongue – an allowance that almost cost her her life. Ultimately, in
a great disservice to her legacy, history would push her aside in favor of more
“Hollywood- ready” queens like Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon. This, however, does nothing to diminish her
spirit and achievements throughout her reign.
As I close yet another series by
Philippa Gregory, I am sadden by the fact that it is over, while none the less
excited that I was able to delve into such a little known Queen who pleasantly
surprised me with her tenacity and bravery in the face of a monstrously evil
force like King Henry VIII. I highly recommend not only this book, but the
entire series to anyone interested in this time period. I give The Taming of the Queen 4 stars and look
forward to devouring whatever dynasty Philippa Gregory decides to tackle next.
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