A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith is one of those books that kept being recommended to me and I kept thinking “I’m just not sure I’m going to like it all that much because it sounds like a tawdry romance story.” I mean any story that is about a king and his mistress is all about sex right?
Well, not necessarily. This book is actually a very good historical romance. It deals with issues of class, forbidden love, politics, women’s rights/plight, geography, and growing up. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Though it is a big book it only took me a little over a week to complete, and I looked forward to every reading—in fact, I stole a few from my otherwise insanely busy schedule of late.
The basic story line follows Katherine Haute as she changes from a farmer’s daughter to the mother of the king’s son and daughter. She is sent to a cousin’s to be a companion to his daughter and there is educated and introduced to the finer things that wealth can buy while comparing those to the love she misses from her family. After she is married to man much older than her, she realizes that she can make the best for herself and does so in the few short years they are married.
He dies, though, and she is once again free. This time she chooses her mate, a choice that is not necessarily a good one for her, but allows her the freedom to embark on a love relationship with then King Edward’s brother, Richard (soon to be King Richard III). After Richard marries, however, he ends the relationship with Kate, but provides a life for their children at court.
A few themes I found really interesting about the book were the absolute lack of choice in life. Marriage was for merging of property and politics and while you could try to make the best of it, it was still tough. Another thing I found interesting was the definition of a “great” distance. The house that Kate moves to is only 10 miles from her childhood home, and yet she could only go home on very special occasions and then it was a considerable journey with the poor roads and means of transportation.
I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to the next production by Smith.
Well, not necessarily. This book is actually a very good historical romance. It deals with issues of class, forbidden love, politics, women’s rights/plight, geography, and growing up. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Though it is a big book it only took me a little over a week to complete, and I looked forward to every reading—in fact, I stole a few from my otherwise insanely busy schedule of late.
The basic story line follows Katherine Haute as she changes from a farmer’s daughter to the mother of the king’s son and daughter. She is sent to a cousin’s to be a companion to his daughter and there is educated and introduced to the finer things that wealth can buy while comparing those to the love she misses from her family. After she is married to man much older than her, she realizes that she can make the best for herself and does so in the few short years they are married.
He dies, though, and she is once again free. This time she chooses her mate, a choice that is not necessarily a good one for her, but allows her the freedom to embark on a love relationship with then King Edward’s brother, Richard (soon to be King Richard III). After Richard marries, however, he ends the relationship with Kate, but provides a life for their children at court.
A few themes I found really interesting about the book were the absolute lack of choice in life. Marriage was for merging of property and politics and while you could try to make the best of it, it was still tough. Another thing I found interesting was the definition of a “great” distance. The house that Kate moves to is only 10 miles from her childhood home, and yet she could only go home on very special occasions and then it was a considerable journey with the poor roads and means of transportation.
I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to the next production by Smith.
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