The Rose Without a Thorn

Jean Plaidy is by far my favorite historical fiction author. She has a style that is both infomative and addicting. She is able to put a familiar face on a woman that lived so long ago and make you feel like you know her on a personal level. The Rose Without a Thorn is a 260 page novel that's written from the perspective of Katharine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, and his second to lose her head. Katharine was raised in the household of her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. She was taken into the households of Horsham and Lambeth at 10 years old because he parents were too poor to give her a proper upbringing. She was enchanted by her music tutor, Henry Manox and had a fairly innocent love affair with him. Katharine meets Francis Dereham soon after casting off Henry Manox. She starts her relationship with him at age 15, right after the death of Jane Seymour, who was Henry VIII's third wife. Francis Dereham and Katharine swear to marry each other. They are soon discovered by her grandmother and he is banished and leaves for Ireland. She receives a place at court with Anne of Cleves at age 18. Dereham returns not long after and she dismisses him and their relationship as "child's play." There is talk of betrothal between her and her cousin, Thomas Culpepper. When she enters court, she befriends Jane Rochford, who is still something of a paraiah after the execution of her husband and sister-in-law. She catches the eye of the king when she is forced to sing at a banquet. Henry has his marriage to Anne of Cleves annulled and makes Katharine his new wife. After becoming queen, Katharine is blackmailed by one of her grandmother's former ladies, Joan Bulmer. Joan threatens to tell of Katharine's indiscretions when she was at her grandmother's unless she gets a place as a lady in waiting. Soon after Joan joins Katharine's household, Henry Manox returns and is given a place with the court musicians. Dereham then returns and is appointed Katharine's secretary. The king leaves on a campaign to restore peace in the northern territories and while he is gone, Katharine starts up her affair with Thomas Culpepper, who is she totally in love with, with the help of Jane Rochford. Katharine is charged with treason for her early affairs and lying about them to the king. Three ladies from her grandmother's house all testified against her - Joan Bulmer, Kathryn Tylney, and Mary Lassels. Dereham and Culpepper are executed for their affairs with Katharine. Before her execution, she asked to have the block brought to her so she could practice and the next morning, lost her head for being a wanton woman. Too many lover, too much to hide.

Katherine Howard, the young and pretty fifth wife of Henry VIII (and cousin to Anne Boleyn) is the subject of one of Plaidy's last novels, written in the style of The Lady in the Tower. Katherine, through the aid of a scribe (she was not greatly educated), tells her life story. Born into an impoverished branch of the great Howard family, she is sent to live with her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, and it is not long before her good looks and bad company begin to get her into trouble. When she is given a place as a lady to Anne of Cleves, her family attempts to use Henry VIII's infatuation with her to serve their own interests. The Rose Without a Thorn is a very moving and intelligent historical read. Readers see how the young, foolish Katherine goes from the Queen of England to a prisoner when her past comes back to haunt her and she is also charged with adultery. Most likely to add more validity to the love story with Culpepper, there is a small historical inaccuracy at the end...Katherine did not actually say that she would rather die the wife of Thomas Culpepper than as a queen. However, a wonderful page turner. I was actually moved to tears at the end.

I loved this book, and read it in a day because I just couldnt put it down.The author jean plaidy writes as if she was an actual witness to the turbulance of henry VIII. After reading this book I found she writes many historical novels under this name and also the names, victoria holt , phillipa carr, and eleanor hibbert.I highly reccomend this author, for her wonderful insight to historic events.

I recently bought this book along with Lady in the Tower, the other new Plaidy re-release. This shorter volume tells of Katharine Howard, the cousin of Anne Boleyn who also became queen of England and who also shared a similiar fate. Katharine is born into an impoverished branch of the Howard family, a very noble English family that is also very stable at court. When her powerful Grandmother comes to visit their meager country estate, Katharine intrigues her Grandmother and is whisked off to live at her Grandmother's large and beautiful estate. While there, her Grandmother neglects her and Katharine gives into the daring acts of the girls who work in the estate who share her bechamber. Katharine befriends her music teacher, Mannox, and invites him into her bed at night. The affair ends fast and one Francis Weston comes into Katharine's life. However, this ends once Katharine's Grandmother comes upon Francis and Katharine frolicking upon a parlor floor. Around this time Anne Boleyn is crowned queen and so the entire entourage and family moves to the Lambeth estate on the Thames River in London. Now Katharine falls for her own cousin, Thomas Culpepper. However, Katharine's powerful uncle has plans for his neice and finds her a place in Anne of Cleves short-lived entourage (Anne Boleyn has hence forth been executed and Jane Seymour has died). Henry VIII begins to notice Katharine and after demissing his marriage to Anne of Cleves, he courts Katharine and soon she is thrust onto the same stage her older cousin came upon a decade or so before. Katharine is wedded to the king in a short ceremony and soon begins her short reign as Queen of England. However, when rumors of her past affairs come back Katharine finds herself in danger. Franics Weston comes to court, as does Mannox, bringing back haunting memories that could cost Katharine her head. But when Katharine commits adultery with Thomas Culpepper one night, her fate is sealed. Henry, in his first happy marriage in decades, is brought the horrible news by those insanely jealous of Katharine's new fame and the Howard's rising fortune (even though they were already very dominant and had more power than the Tudors). Katharine is guilty, as are her lovers, and all are brought to the block or the gallows. And even on the scafold Katharine declared "I die a queen, but I would rather die the wife of Thomas Culpepper". I loved this book and found it highly enjoyable. I find it no wonder that Jean Plaidy is acclaimed a sone of the greatest historical fiction writers ever. A haunting and compelling story full of intrigue and unexpected twists and turns, Katharine's story was a short lived one that is often overshadowed by her cousin's story, but is just as interesting.

I was told to read this book as I love anything about history especially the tudors so when I did read this book it was like stepping back in time. It had a real feel to it..as if you were with Katherine Howard all along.