A Novel with Thoughts and Ponderings

PALE ROSE OF ENGLAND

Author: Sandra Worth ISBN:9780425238776 2/2011 HISTORICAL FICTION Publisher: BERKLEY
Time Period: Tudor England 1495-1520

Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth
It is 1497. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, has set royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocked the fledgling Tudor dynasty. With the support of Scotland's King James IV, Richard-known to most of England as Perkin Warbeck-has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Stepping finally onto English soil, Lady Catherine Gordon has no doubt that her husband will succeed in his quest.

But rather than assuming the throne, Catherine would soon be prisoner of King Henry VII, and her beloved husband would be stamped as an imposter. With Richard facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the glittering but deadly Tudor Court, must find the courage to spurn a cruel monarch, shape her own destiny, and win the admiration of a nation.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS: 4 Rose Read

Sandra Worth's PALE ROSE OF ENGLAND is well written, steeped with history and characters who come alive.

Lady Catherine has undying faith in her husband, Richard, who threatens the Tudor dynasty. It is perhaps her faith which is the most compelling feature of the story, which, for me, was both good and bad. On the one  hand, I believed in her completely. I understood her beliefs, especially since she based some of what she felt on a prophecy that seemed in every way to be coming to fruition. I saw her points as valid as she supported her husband and nurtured her small family. And maybe, most importantly, I felt her suffering as she lost her dear husband. Her agony jumps right off the pages and honestly, was sincerely disconcerting. I cried for her more than once.

Fans of Tudor historicals will love this book. It is emotionally stirring, mesmerizing and inspirational. Ms. Worth's writing style is flawless, and her skill as a storyteller makes PALE ROSE OF ENGLAND shine.

Kay James

Close Window or Back to Previous Page