Saturday, April 24, 2010

Secrets of the Tudor Court-D.L. Bogdan

Secrets of the Tudor Court
D.L. Bogdan
Kensington, May 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9780758241993

Mary Howard would do anything to gain her father’s approval. Thus when he directs her to stay near and assist King Henry’s latest love Anne Boleyn, she does. Doing this makes Mary feel bad as she feels for the kind hearted Queen Catherine rather than the arrogant Anne, but she needs daddy’s appreciative thanks so she obeys his wishes.

Over the years, Mary finds the monarch’s court filled with backstabbing as one queen replaces another. She hides her heart from everyone out of fear anyone who knows who she loves will use it as a weapon including her worshipped father the Duke of Norfolk, who would disown his daughter as he has ambitious plans for his daughter.

Using Mary Howard as a lens to look deeply at the court of King Henry VIII and his myriad of queens, readers obtain a somewhat fresh perspective on what has to be the zillionth historical fictional account of the monarch and his merry wives. Mary is an intriguing narrator who, until she finds love, lives to obtain her father’s approval. Though very well written with a fascinating lead, only fans of the Henry VIII saga will enjoy Secrets of the Tudor Court.

Harriet Klausner

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