Review: An interesting rewrite of a fascinating period of history....
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2012
All in all I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to read a rewrite of Queen Catherine's history instead of having her relegated to the sidelines. On initial reading I felt that the author had been slightly harsh and making Catherine quite hard, but after reflection I realised that not only had she grown up raised by two monarchs who were also warmongers, but she had shown time and again how stubborn she could be in refusing to allow the annulment to go through.Another aspect of the book that fascinated me was the proposed change in Princess Mary. It went to show the affect of a caring father, one who was not trying to get his marriage to her mother annulled and making her illegitimate, could have had on her. Yet throughout this the author does not take away the fact that she also knows how to wield power, and show a strong back bone.I've read in some of the reviews that Harry would not have given way to Catherine and let her rule the roost so to speak, but for a long time she did. One thing I find integral into Henry VIII's character is that he knew that the Tudor dynasty was not secure (as it was only in its second generation) and the scars of the civil war were still very much remembered through out the country. For this reason he was constantly trying to have a legitimate son (or preferably the heir and the spare). For this reason I do believe that he would have changed drastically now that his wishes were fulfilled.As a history fan, with a keen interest in the Tudor period, I wasn't sure if I would like the alternative take, the `what if?' aspect, but as this book was free I said I would give it a chance. Now however that I've finished writing this review the only thing to do when I'm on the computer is to go and purchase the next book in this fascinating series and get absorbed for a few more hours!