The Queen's Sorrow

By Suzannah Dunn

Book Overview

Plain and dutiful and a passionate Catholic, Mary Tudor is overjoyed when she becomes Queen of England. After the misery of her childhood, when her father, Henry VIII, rejected her and her mother, Mary feels at last that she is achieving her destiny. And when she marries Philip of Spain, her happiness is complete. But Mary's delight quickly turns sour as she realizes that her husband does not love her--indeed, that he finds her devotion irritating. Desperate for a baby, she begins to believe that God is punishing her. Her people are horrified at the severity of the measures she takes and begin to to turn against their queen, who is lonely, frightened, and desperate for love. Rafael, a member of Philip of Spain's entourage, reluctantly witnesses the tragedy that unfolds as the once-feted queen tightens her cruel hold on the nation. As Rafael becomes closer to Mary, his life--and newfound love--are caught up in the terrible chaos.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0046LUF2C
• ISBN13: 9780061704277
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

interesting Tudor historical

Queen Mary feels euphoric that she has become the monarch and thanking God plans to reverse the trend away from Catholicism to Protestantism by her subjects. Being half Spanish as her mom was the ill fated Catherine of Aragon, she feels even more ecstatic when her potential rival King Philip of Spain, a devout Catholic, marries her. Philip sends one of his retainers Rafael to his wife Mary Tudor to build her a special sundial. However, the Spaniard has a difficult time adjusting to the damp climate and worse the mistreatment by the nobles who loathe and perhaps fear Catholic Europe. His project is delayed by the weather and the lack of funding, which adds to his sorrow as he misses his family who stayed in balmy Spain. He is attracted to Cecily the housekeeper and soon they become best friends before falling in love even though the confused foreigner still misses his devoted spouse. In spite of the title, for much of the story line Mary plays a secondary role as Rafael and Cecily play the lead characters; the climax abruptly but exhilarating twists the prime role so Mary's sorrow becomes known. Through the actions of the cast, the story line digs deep as to what motivates the Queen who never forgot her daddy's rejection of her and her mother; his first wife. Rafael's constant lament even when he is with caring Cecily feels overwrought as how many times and ways can a protagonist tell his audience he misses his home and family before he becomes redundant. Still this is an interesting Tudor historical that uses a forbidden romance to provide an indirect look at Queen Mary's sorrows. Harriet Klausner