What if Anne Boleyn had given birth to a son after Princess
Elizabeth?
What kind of king would he most likely have been? How would
this have affected Elizabeth? Would she still have turned
out as pragmatic and patient as the older sister of the
King? Would this king go the way that so many sons of
strong rulers have gone? That is, the way of indecision and
imprudence?
Laura Andersen proposes these questions and more in the
conclusion to her Boleyn Trilogy, THE BOLEYN RECKONING.
She attempts to answer them with the mastery of a historian
who obviously knows her history. Even though she is
contorting and interjecting fictional events into the
narrative, her characters feel true. Elizabeth, in her new
role, even feels true to form.
King William's trusted advisor and friend, known as "The
King's Shadow," is Dominic Courtenay, the Duke of Exeter.
His is the voice that William hears in his mind when he is
called upon to make decisions. Dominic's calm reasoning
helps tone down the king's tendency to make rash judgments.
William is determined to marry the woman he loves. Minuette
Wyatt and Will have been friends since childhood until one
day everything changes and the feelings deepen into
romantic love—at least for him. She poses no political
advantage in the marriage. She is the step-daughter of
Stephen Howard, of the meddling and troublesome Howard
family.
But what William does not know is that while he was going
through a life-threatening episode with smallpox, Minuette
and Dominic are secretly married. After he recovers, they
intend to tell him, but the opportunity passes and they
must desperately guard their secret.
The consequences of their actions make up the rest of this
tense, intriguing tale. The relationships of the four main
characters: William, Dominic, Minuette, and of course
Elizabeth evolve alarmingly over the course of the story.
Personally, I found the various point of views
remarkable as they struggle with decisions for their own
advantage versus that of their country. The definition of
treason is twisted and re-shaped so many times that the
true meaning is lost.
Andersen effectively and convincingly constructs a tale
that reflects the attitudes of this violent period of
history. Aficionados of the Tudor times, if they don't mind
some conjectures and what-ifs, will find THE BOLEYN RECKONING,
the conclusion to
the Boleyn Trilogy enthralling.
Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, The Boleyn Reckoning heralds the triumphant conclusion of Laura Andersen’s enthralling trilogy about the Tudor king who never was: the son of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn—Henry IX—who, along with his sisters and those he holds most dear, approaches a dangerous crossroads. The Tudor royal family has barely survived a disastrous winter. Now English ships and soldiers prepare for the threat of invasion. But William Tudor—known as Henry IX—has his own personal battles to attend to. He still burns for Minuette, his longtime friend, but she has married William’s trusted advisor, Dominic, in secret—an act of betrayal that puts both their lives in danger. Princess Elizabeth, concerned over her brother’s erratic, vengeful behavior, imperils her own life by assembling a shadow court in an effort to protect England. With war on the horizon, Elizabeth must decide where her duty lies: with her brother or her country. Her choice could forever change the course of history.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy