Cousins' War (6) - The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory
The last part of the series: The King's Curse (in German Der Königsfluch, in French La malédiction du roi) I heard it as an English audio book. It was originally published 2014.
Margaret was born a Plantagenet, daughter to Isabel Neville, one of the richest heiresses of her time, and George, brother to two kings. She herself was the bedmate of late queen Anne. She was born a princess. But in the Tudor regime, her name is a curse rather than a blessing – her brother was killed for nothing more than his name. To save herself, she marries a poor man and goes to Ludlow Castle in order to raise the new king, Arthur Tudor, and meet his famously beautiful wife, Katherine... But their luck will not hold long. Thrown into poverty by the death of Arthur and then of her husband, Margaret has to send away her children and live in prison... but under Henry VIII, everything will be better! But will it, will it really?
This is a fascinating series. Lady Margaret herself does not have a very interesting personality, but she is at the centre of events. She witnesses Katherine in her first and than her second marriage, how Henry looses his mind and interest in her and sets her aside. She even meets Queen Jane and later on hears about Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard.
Margaret is very, very, very much afraid. She wants the power and the place that are hers by right (at least she thinks so) but is too afraid of power to really claim them. She is fiercely loyal and proud of her family, but she never speaks out. It's clear why: Her father died of treason, her cousins were murdered in the tower, her brother was executed for his name, her mother was said to be poisoned by Elizabeth Woodville, her uncle was killed on battlefield. I'd be afraid of power as well. But I wonder. She had some kind of authority over the king – more than anyone else, in the end, since she helped raising him. I wonder if she could have made a difference if she advised him when he first came to power and then later on. He saw her as a second mother – and he loved Elizabeth of York very, very much. Maybe... but that's beside the point. Margaret is very good at thinking and no good at acting, it seems. But she is really great at lying.
Spoiler:
Once she finally starts to plot, she is very convincing when she declares she never said, thought or dreamed something against the king.
The king.
First of all, I was rather surprised at the death of Henry VII. He actually loved Elizabeth in the end – when she was dead... yeah. He kind of failed showing that when she was alive. But what was more surprising was how the people reacted. I would have thought they'd pretend to be sad. Well, I understand why they celebrated the occasion.
But who would have thought that his son, Henry VIII, would be so much worse? It's an interesting view. Henry VIII is usually shown as a Casanova, but this is the first time I saw him drawn as a tyrant. But it makes sense, and his development is really well done. How he's first a child on the throne and then, because he always gets his will, grasps for power and misuses it.
I'm very sorry for Katherine of Aragon. I liked her. But her fate really sucked. First she lost the love of her life, then she came to love his brother – whom she married due to a deathbed promise – and then she has one miscarriage after another? That's so sad. What's even worse is how Henry treats her and her dead children. “Sir Loyal Heart”. Sure.
Mary is an interesting princess as well. I'm sorry for her as well. How she clutched her body and had eating issues because of her parents. After seeing what Anne Boleyn did with her father – and to her mother and England – I understand why she had something against protestants. Even though she went to lengths...
As for Margaret's children: They are very diverse. We don't really hear anything about Ursula, but we hear a lot about Margaret's boys. I am so, so sorry for Reginald. That poor child! Seriously. How could Margaret be so cruel? I understand why she sent him away, I really do. But the rest? She needed to be convinced to take him in! How cruel and hart hearted is that?
My second favourite is Montague. He's constant, and even though he is as power-centred as his mother, he is more funny. In a drier way, of course.
Arthur is, well, not really described. But Margaret's youngest boy really is an ass.
Spoiler:
I'm sorry, but it's the truth. And I can not comprehend how Margaret could excuse him to his brother after he betrayed them. I understand why she loves him as she does – he was the only boy with her in sanctuary. But Ursula was there as well. He's the youngest and was born after her husband died. But that actually shouldn't make a difference. I understand why she clings to him. What I do not understand is that she favours him above anyone else, and hurts the children of hers who have stayed true to her, the family, and the course. She makes him into someone perfect who can make any mistake he wishes. And through that, she hurts Montague, who fights for her and works for her.
So far, so good.
Another thing that I found interesting is the role of religion. Sure, we all here at home or in school that religion had a different role in history. We all know the inquisition and the religious wars. Even today, people kill for their believes. But what I didn't know is the role the church had in every-day life: the shelter for the poor, the sick and travellers, how everyone was always in contact with them – and not just for praying or some religious festivals and the people who go from door to door. It was quite fascinating for me. I never could have imagined that one institution other than the government could make so much contact with the day-to-day lives of a people!
In brief:
As always, I give stars for style, ideas, content and the role of religion – very, very, very well done. The story has also deserved a star for characters this time, because the relationships of Margaret, Katherine, Henry and Margaret's children are very well done – even if I don't like Margaret as a mother.
Prequel: