This is the story of Mary Howard, daughter to Thomas Howard the Duke of Norfolk and wife in name to Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Henry VIII's illegitimate son. As a member of the powerful Howard family Mary was lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard both cousins to her and stayed at court till the King's death. The book portrays her father as a harsh and cruel man who beat his wife and daughters to bend them to his will and was willing to do anything to promote the Howard name and himself in particular. History has shown that he did just that in order to make Anne Queen and when she no longer pleased the king he turned his back on her and oversaw her trial and death while plotting to replace he with another Howard girl.In such a dangerous time Mary was lucky to survive and after her husband's death she never remarried and died at the age of 38. ISBN? - 9781847562395Genre? - Historical / Romance / Drama / TudorCharacters? - Mary Howard / Thomas Howard / Henry Howard / Henry Fitzroy / Anne Boleyn / Catherine Howard / Katherine Parr / Henry VIII / Cedric DaneSetting? - Reigate & Kenninghall & London (England)Series? - N/ATitle? - The Tudor Court seems to have been made of secrets, though this book suggests some which historians have never looked at, like the fact that Henry VIII poisoned his own illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond. How accurate this is, we'll never know.Character Analysis? - Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, is someone who does not get enough attention in the historical record, as is Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. Both are intriguing characters on their own, but together make the novel seem like a story of neglect, murder and violence more than love.General Comments? - I enjoyed this book more than I envisaged, even with the multiple historical errors. For example, that the home of the Seymours was Savernake when in reality it's Wolf Hall. Most people probably wouldn't notice, but that did ruin it for me. I did like how the story spanned the reigns of all six of Henry VIII's queens and even the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I. Recommend? - Yes, though not for historical accuracy.
What do You think about Tajne Tudorova Dvora (2000)?
Very entertains story of Mary Howard. I had not read anything about her
—oksanna
Very good story and great writing, it just was very sad and depressing.
—mani
