Every little girl dreams of being a queen, at some time or
another. But for Catherine Howard, the dream of becoming
the Queen of England was something that was not so far
fetched. After all, the powerful and influential Howard
family prided themselves on raising and preparing their
women for the probability that someday they would be
considered as possible candidates for the wife of King
Henry VIII. After all, the family had already had one
Howard woman in the slot -- wife number three -- Anne
Boleyn.
In Diane Haeger's novel, THE QUEEN'S MISTAKE: IN THE COURT
OF HENRY VIII, she takes a fascinating in-depth look at
the life of Catherine Howard, her childhood, her journey to
Henry's court and her incredibly short marriage to the
ruthless monarch.
Sponsored by her uncle, The Duke of Norfolk, Catherine was
a vivacious addition to the English royal court. She
started out as a lady of honor for Anne of Cleaves, Henry's
unattractive but kind German wife.
Life changes drastically for Catherine when she catches the
King's attention. He begins to pursue the young girl, going
so far as to have his marriage to Anne annulled after four
months.
Catherine is flattered by the King's admiration, but is
also repulsed by his obesity and his ill-health. He was,
after all, nearly 30 years her senior. But forced by her
family into accepting the King's proposal of marriage,
Catherine became Queen of England, and did her best to be
loyal to her marriage vows. But when the King discovers
that Catherine's past was not as pristine as he was lead to
believe, he accuses her of infidelity, and ...well, we all
know how life turned out for most of Henry's wives. They
couldn't seem to keep their heads, for some reason.
Fans of tales of royalty will find Heager's novel both
historically accurate and sympathetically written. Even
though I knew what the outcome was going to be, I for one
couldn't help but pull for Catherine to somehow live
happily ever after.
From the author of The Secret Bride, the tragic
tale of the fifth wife of Henry VIII…
When the
young and beautiful Catherine Howard becomes the fifth wife
of the fifty-year-old King Henry VIII, she seems to be on
top of the world. Yet her reign is destined to be brief and
heartbreaking, as she is forced to do battle with enemies
far more powerful and calculating than she could have ever
anticipated in a court where one wrong move could mean her
undoing. Wanting only love, Catherine is compelled to deny
her heart’s desire in favor of her family’s ambition. But in
so doing, she unwittingly gives those who sought to bring
her down a most effective weapon—her own romantic
past.
The Queen’s Mistake is the tragic tale
of one passionate and idealistic woman who struggles to
negotiate the intrigue of the court and the yearnings of her
heart.
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