Pale Rose of England [Paperback]

Historical fiction is a double-edged sword, the fleshing out of historical detail through the interpretation of characters and events. The genre is rich with contributions, from the unabashedly romantic and frivolous to those who hew most carefully to available documentation. Some tales are born of time, imagined circumstances and fellow travelers, the most trustworthy authors melding fiction to fact rather than supposition or sheer inventiveness for the sake of story. In the matter of Lady Catherine Gordon of Scotland, Worth writes in her "Author's Note" that besides "the general facts of her life, nothing endures of Lady Catherine" save the trenchant words recorded for posterity: "It is the man, and not the king I love." How then to tell Catherine's story?

In Pale Rose of England, Worth proves her mettle as writer and researcher with a memorable character who reflects the inherent strengths and chronic powerlessness of royal women caught in the maw of history. The Scottish Catherine is wed to "the Pretender", or Perkin Warbeck, who may have been Edward IV's true heir, the surviving Prince in the Tower, Richard, Duke of York. One of history's enduring mysteries, the fate of the Princes in the Tower, though much debated, remains unresolved. Worth considers the significance of the Pretender's claim through Catherine's perspective after her husband's arrest, at the mercy of Henry Tudor, postulating that Perkin is indeed Richard of York, home at last to demand his rightful throne. Catherine's personal tragedies reflect the power of Richard's threat, witness to the capture, humiliation and destruction of a young man who bears the physical traits of his Plantagenet ancestors as well as the grace of royalty.

Richard imprisoned, her small son rudely torn from her arms, the Scot's beauty becomes the object of Henry's obsession in a court where her putative sister-in-law, Elizabeth of York, is dominated by the king's mother, Margaret Beaufort, "the imposter queen". And while the dreams of a young wife and mother are extinguished by a king who dare not risk a pardon of his abject prisoner, who is put to death at Tyburn, Catherine endures, reconstructing her shattered life and remarrying three more times, ultimately witness to the beheadings of Sir Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. Forged in the crucible of the Pretender's defeated ambitions, the heinous punishment meted out by a ruthless king and the forced separation from her infant son, Lady Catherine Gordon confronts the wrath and passion of the Tudors, hostage to the whims of men, her beauty both curse and blessing.

Catherine puts a human face on the terrible confrontation between Henry VII and "Perkin Warbeck", a young wife's innocence forfeit to Henry's fear of Richard's claim and his inability to relinquish this reluctant Scottish prize. Through the recreation of events and personalities, Worth contributes a provocative and thoughtful scenario, one worthy of serious consideration for its quality of writing, extensive research and lack of sentimentality. For those who like their historical fiction plausible and intriguing, Worth is a reliable chronicler of all things York, with an eye for the idiosyncrasies of human nature and the historical imperative of dynasties. Luan Gaines/2011.

Sandra Worth closes out her Rose of York series with Pale Rose of England with the heroic story of a young prince and the equally compelling story of his Scottish princess. This saga encompasses romance, mystery, war, history, and races along like a thriller. And, it asks the historical question: Was Perkin Warbeck truly a pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII?
It is 1497. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, has set royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocks the fledgling Tudor dynasty. With the support of Scotland's King James IV, Richard--known to most of England as Perkin Warbeck--has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Lady Catherine Gordon has no doubt that her husband will succeed in his quest as a prophecy from a seer says that she will be loved by a king.

Rather than assuming the English throne, her husband is denounced as an imposter and Catherine becomes the captive of King Henry VII. She does not give up on Richard and tells Henry: "It is the man and not the king I love." Her dazzling beauty brings the unwanted attention of a jealous and childish Tudor King. With Richard facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the flashy yet lethal Tudor Court, finds the courage to spurn a cruel monarch and to shape her own destiny. In the process, she wins the admiration of a nation.

Pale Rose of England is magnificently written--balancing tenderness and terror, and romance and ruthlessness. The story is fascinating and well plotted, with tension holding the reader to every page. This novel is a must-read for historical readers and others who simply appreciate fiction writing at its best.

"Even so, she had brought to mind a pale rose that shines bright against the gloom of downcast skies." Lady Catherine Gordon joyfully fell in love with the long-lost Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. He was presumed dead after being imprisoned in the infamous Tower of London by King Henry VII of England, but it turns out he was kidnapped and raised abroad as Perkin Warbeck. Now hiding in Scotland, he finds his true love, is befriended and supported by King James of Scotland, and prepares to claim his rightful place as King Richard IV.

This Prince Richard has doubts about his potential success for he knows his enemy, the wily, cruel, obsessive Henry, who knows he has not the love of his people but rules by fear, oppression, and spying. Catherine is the bolster behind Richard's dread of the future, the force that finally impassions him enough to sally forth to do battle in a turning historical moment.

The remainder of the story is one of tightrope-walking for survival in which Richard is labeled a traitorous coward, as well as a fraud; and Catherine desperately plays King Henry VII who has deeply fallen in love with her. As she manages to hold his attraction but reject his advances, she waits for word of the whereabouts of one she loves more than life, hints arriving from those who secretly affirm her cause and whose admiration for her stamina increases over time.

The story may seem proverbial in one sense, but Sandra Worth has depicted her characters in this novel in a refreshing, profound, and powerful manner. The artist's pen herein depicts every significant character in his or her complex personality. The reader is riveted not only by Richard's transitions from despair to giddy certitude and back again, but also by the almost tender, pleading, and desperately needy revelations of King Henry to Catherine. These latter, vulnerable moments enable her to pity this man whom she really hates for the barbaric hate and cruelty he displays at a moment's notice. The author even shows him in both extremes in such a convincing manner that at times one holds one's breath from the tension of not knowing which side will burst forth.

So Catherine proves herself to be a multi-faceted character - read it yourself to relish this beautiful portrayal of a noble, tender, sharp, and formidable character.

The Pale Rose of England: A Novel of the Tudors is a story that must be told, in all its vicissitudes, for this tale brings us characters who wear distinctive, admirable laurels of personal victory on every page! Magnificent literary feat!

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