REVIEW: The Shadow of the Pomegranate

The Shadow of the Pomegranate
Author: Jean Plaidy

After languishing in England for several years following the untimely death of her husband Arthur, Katharine of Aragon is married to Henry VIII. She has been a pawn in the games of kings for years, and she sees her marriage as a new beginning. She is queen of England now. But little does Katharine know....once a pawn, always a pawn. Everything rides on her producing a son...a healthy baby....a Tudor heir. Henry showers her with love and affection, and Katharine does her best to be a good wife and queen...but there is always the implied threat. Produce an heir....or else.

Or else what?

The Shadow of the Pomegranate is the second book about Katharine by Jean Plaidy, and the 3rd book in her Tudor Saga. It follows Katharine's life from the time of her marriage to Henry until the birth of her daughter, Mary. Katharine learns that the Queen of England can wield some power within court and the kingdom, but she is nothing when it comes to Henry's will. He wants a son....it is Katharine's duty to give him a healthy son. Henry tries to be a good husband and king, but as the years progress with miscarriages, babies who only live a short time, and a healthy daughter....he starts to obsess. No heir. That must be his wife's fault, right? What a precarious position Katharine found herself in! I can only imagine the stress, sorrow and fear that touched her life during those years. The pain of knowing that Henry was turning to mistresses.....that a mistress had given him a son but she could not.....  I can't even imagine. Katharine's life runs the full spectrum -- incredibly happy, joyous and powerful to completely sad, abandoned and powerless. Producing baby after baby without the desired result and seeing her husband begin to resent and even dislike her must have been incredibly difficult.

I have been collecting Plaidy's books for years. I am a completist and don't like to read a series until I have all the books on my shelf. That's a bit hard with writers like Plaidy (a pen-name for author Eleanor Hibbert. She also wrote under other names including Victoria Holt and Philippa Carr) because some of her books are long out of print. It finally dawned on me that it is ridiculous to collect an author's works for a decade, and not read any of them! So, with the help of 3 library cards (one metro, two small regional), online resources and buying a few titles still missing, I am finally diving into my Plaidy collection with gusto! I started with the Tudor Saga. I know the history, but I'm enjoying Plaidy's take on events. She takes the historical facts and fills in details -- conversations, thoughts, emotions, intrigue, drama....she puts the humanity and its faults in place. I wish I had started reading much sooner! These books are wonderful!

Plaidy does NOT write historical romance. These books are historical fiction. There is a difference. Plaidy weaves the tale of history, adding in what might have taken place between key figures. The main portion of the story is not romance, sex, etc.....the crux of the story is the history. What happened? Why? What was the result? How did the historical figures involved feel about it? Sure, there is some sex, emotions, relationships, drama....because we are dealing with kings, marriages, politics, and human lives. Readers who want a bit of history but more kingly bedroom antics need to turn to a romance writer's books. Those who are looking for history with just a tiny touch of sex and sin will enjoy Plaidy's works. It's all about the history, baby. Not Henry VIII's naughty bits. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with naughty bits.....just don't want readers to be disappointed that there are no heaving bosoms and passionate embraces in these books. Naughty bits are implied, but never dangle freely, if you know what I mean.

Awesome book! I pause before moving on to the next book, The King's Secret Matter. We all know what happens next.....and I'm not sure I'm ready to read Plaidy's account of the King's treatment of his first wife. I need to watch some Disney channel and read a couple middle grade books to clear my head before I delve into the last years of Katharine's life. Henry was a bit of a wanker.....and Katharine paid the price for disappointing him. Such a sad story....

Wonderful book!! I'm loving this series!