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The Rose Without a Thorn

The Rose Without a Thorn

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disapointing:(
Review: After reading 'The Thistle and The Rose' (which I thought was considerably well writen), I decided to read this book to help me get a better picture of that era. It was a TOTAL waste of money (considering it cost $13)!! I gave it only 3 stars for four reasons: first, it had several adult situations, second, it was quite boring (it took me a week to read it,because it was SO boring I kept putting it down), third, it lacked detail, and fourth, it lacked the style you often find in other books by Jean Plaidy- there was NOTHING interesting about it. Although disliked it rather strongly, I must admit that after reading it I know a little bit more about Katherine Howard than before.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: wonderfully written
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: top - rate
Review: i read this book a few years back and to this day i remember it vividly. i loved it! its portrayal of emotion was great.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Compelling and Haunting
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantastic book...full of everything
Review: 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.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: THE FIFTH WIFE OF HENRY VIII...
Review: In this, the final novel in her "Queens of England" series of books, the author weaves a tapestry of political intrigue, romance, and historical detail into the story of young Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII. A masterful storyteller, the author, who also writes under the name Victoria Holt and has a cavalcade of devoted readers, creates a work of historical fiction that will transport the reader to another time.

The book details the rise and fall of Katherine Howard, a young, impoverished noblewoman of an illustrous family. As a young girl, she was sent to live with her grandmother, the Duchess of Norfolk, where she, unfortunately, fell in with a licentious group of retainers and became ensnared in two unsuitable affairs of the heart. Little did she know that they would serve to haunt her a way she could never have imagined.

An opportunity, orchestrated by her Machiavellian and ambitious uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, arises for the beautiful, though foolish, Katherine to go to the Royal Court as Lady -In-Waiting to the fourth wife of Henry VIII, the kindly Anne of Cleves. Katherine obligingly goes. There, she falls in love with her cousin, Thomas Culpepper, a gentleman of the King's Bed Chamber. Her hopes of marriage to her handsome cousin are soon dashed, however, when she catches the wandering eye of the King, who loathes his current wife.

Having charmed the King and having little say in the matter, Katherine becomes his fifth wife, once he divorces Anne of Cleves. Katherine's initial happiness as Queen is cut short, however, when her lurid past comes to light and is brought to the King's attention. This, coupled with her indiscretions with Thomas Culpepper, are enough to abruptly terminate her brief reign over England as its Queen and cause a number of heads, including hers, to roll.

This is an intriguing blend of fact and fiction, which is laced with enough historical detail to satisfy those readers who enjoy historical fiction. It is with good reason that the author has a legion of devoted readers.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Rose Without a Thorn
Review: This is an awesome book, I'd reccomend it to anyone who is interested in Tudor times or Kathryn Howard. We're all so lucky it came back into print! This book weaves a rich tapestry of romance, polotics in Tudor times, and other such subjects. Read it quickly.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I Die A Queen...
Review: This was a completely awesome book! I'd recomend it to anyone.

I read it when I was studying Kathyrn Howard for a report for school. I wasn't expecting much at all, but I got an awesome book.

I plan to buy it next moth when it comes back into print.


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