⇒ Descargar Gratis The Taming of the Queen Philippa Gregory 9781471132971 Books

The Taming of the Queen Philippa Gregory 9781471132971 Books

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The Taming of the Queen Philippa Gregory 9781471132971 Books

In this latest chapter in the Tudor saga, glorious King Henry has receded into a bloated tyrannical child-king, fretfully trying to make sense of his marital history while his latest wife acts as his nurse. The story is narrated by Kateryn Parr, who sets aside her own hopes for marriage with her lover, to become Henry's last queen. While Gregory can only speculate about the thoughts and motives of these colourful historical characters, she does it superbly within a carefully researched historical context.
Kateryn is haunted by her predecessors and tries to avoid their fatal "mistakes" yet she also finds that a living queen cannot compete with the dead Jane Seymour, mother to Henry's only living son. She even finds it difficult to deal with Anne of Cleves, who had graciously side-stepped marriage with the King, and was now a favoured member of court. In a double irony that Tudor lovers will appreciate, while Henry's previous wives were obsessed with delivering a healthy male heir, Kateryn is portrayed as terrified of becoming pregnant to Henry, because another failed pregnancy would humiliate the King, endangering her life.
While Kateryn navigates these challenges and becomes a loyal loving step-mother to Henry's three motherless children, she also makes her own significant contribution to the era, translating religious passages into English. Gregory's examination of the changing church and attitudes to education, particularly for women, is extremely illuminating. Kateryn also takes the role of Regent when Henry is away at war, competently managing the country in his absence - a formidable task for a young woman who has only previously run a small estate. There are also interesting glimpses of the man Henry could have been if he hadn't been gluttonous for power and for food - a man who respected higher education for women as well as men; a man who was prepared to make changes to the Church.
Kateryn's secret love story runs as a recurring thread throughout the book, the lost passion between the lovers creating a dramatic contrast to the sordid sickly business of intimacy with King Henry. This is an excellent finale to the saga of Henry's wives and I'm glad to learn more about Kateryn's achievements as a writer and a Queen. Overall, the book conveys the frighteningly precarious nature of life with despotic and fickle Henry - when a dearly beloved wife or friend can be banished or destroyed at any moment.


Tags : The Taming of the Queen [Philippa Gregory] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Why would a woman marry a serial killer? Because she cannot refuse...Kateryn Parr, a thirty-year-old widow in a secret affair with a new lover,Philippa Gregory,The Taming of the Queen,Simon & Schuster Ltd,1471132978,Fiction Historical,Historical & Mythological Fiction,Historical fiction

The Taming of the Queen Philippa Gregory 9781471132971 Books Reviews

The story focussing on and told from Kateryn Parr’s perspective leaps into action from the first pages. In keeping with most interpretations Henry the VIII is portrayed as a monster. The story opens with Henry’s proposal and expectation that Kateryn, a 30 year old widow and already passionately in love with Thomas Seymour will marry him. Torn between following her heart and duty to her king and her family, she identifies herself as shrewd and intelligent. As a future Queen her personality resonates more with a modern day woman’s expectations. Knowing that like before her when the attention falls upon a member of the court it is a double edged sword; making the wrong move with brutal and capricious Henry will result in death.
This story should appeal to romance fiction readers, although some might consider it a bodice ripper and Kateryn too sexualised for the sixteenth century. Before Kateryn accepts her fate as Henry’s sixth wife, she commiserates with her lover, Seymour, and her sister, Nan, who reminds her of her duty to their family’s legacy and fortune. Phillipa Gregory portrays Kateryn Parr as deeply conflicted with the dead body of her late husband barely cold in the grave, her hopes of marrying her dashing lover doomed when Henry, old, bloated and grotesque, throws himself at her feet. She is not only repulsed by the very thought of marrying Henry, but is terrified that when like her predecessors she falls out of favour she will be dragged to the Tower. As Kateryn faces her fate, Gregory likens Henry VIII more to the murderous Bluebeard than an autocratic and aging monarch.
Despite facing the pain of being torn from her lover’s arms, Kateryn Parr is mature and astute enough to recognise that unlike her predecessors it’s essential that she survive. Having grown up within Henry VIII’s court she is only too aware of the importance to gain the King’s favour to serve self-interest. If she must sacrifice love, in the spirit of a 21st Century woman she seeks to command influence and power. However, her ambitions place her in danger with the King’s court where she encounters enemies and must navigate a dangerous path to survive.
If you enjoyed Wolf Hall, the Cousins War series and other stories from the Tudor Court novels this one should impress, and I believe surpass them.
I usually love this writer...I enjoy the historical retelling reimagined and the sexual overtones of her books. The stories are usually enthralling, intriguing and interesting. This was not the case. In fact, very much the opposite. I drug myself through a little over half the book and finally I decided to give up...which I never, never do but I just couldn't take one more minute of forcing myself to read a book that I didn't care for. The subject matter was horrid and the religious discussions dragged on and on and the relationship between this Queen and Henry was just revolting. That part was captured perfectly. She has oodles of books way better than this one. Choose one of those.
In this latest chapter in the Tudor saga, glorious King Henry has receded into a bloated tyrannical child-king, fretfully trying to make sense of his marital history while his latest wife acts as his nurse. The story is narrated by Kateryn Parr, who sets aside her own hopes for marriage with her lover, to become Henry's last queen. While Gregory can only speculate about the thoughts and motives of these colourful historical characters, she does it superbly within a carefully researched historical context.
Kateryn is haunted by her predecessors and tries to avoid their fatal "mistakes" yet she also finds that a living queen cannot compete with the dead Jane Seymour, mother to Henry's only living son. She even finds it difficult to deal with Anne of Cleves, who had graciously side-stepped marriage with the King, and was now a favoured member of court. In a double irony that Tudor lovers will appreciate, while Henry's previous wives were obsessed with delivering a healthy male heir, Kateryn is portrayed as terrified of becoming pregnant to Henry, because another failed pregnancy would humiliate the King, endangering her life.
While Kateryn navigates these challenges and becomes a loyal loving step-mother to Henry's three motherless children, she also makes her own significant contribution to the era, translating religious passages into English. Gregory's examination of the changing church and attitudes to education, particularly for women, is extremely illuminating. Kateryn also takes the role of Regent when Henry is away at war, competently managing the country in his absence - a formidable task for a young woman who has only previously run a small estate. There are also interesting glimpses of the man Henry could have been if he hadn't been gluttonous for power and for food - a man who respected higher education for women as well as men; a man who was prepared to make changes to the Church.
Kateryn's secret love story runs as a recurring thread throughout the book, the lost passion between the lovers creating a dramatic contrast to the sordid sickly business of intimacy with King Henry. This is an excellent finale to the saga of Henry's wives and I'm glad to learn more about Kateryn's achievements as a writer and a Queen. Overall, the book conveys the frighteningly precarious nature of life with despotic and fickle Henry - when a dearly beloved wife or friend can be banished or destroyed at any moment.