Friday, October 26, 2012

Kates and Katherines

A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Summary: England's Tower of London was the terrifying last stop for generations of English political prisoners. A Dangerous Inheritance weaves together the lives and fates of four of its youngest and most blameless: Lady Katherine Grey, Lady Jane's younger sister; Kate Plantagenet, an English princess who lived nearly a century before her; and Edward and Richard, the boy princes imprisoned by their ruthless uncle, Richard III, never to be heard from again. Across the years, these four young royals shared the same small rooms in their dark prison, as all four shared the unfortunate role of being perceived as threats to the reigning monarch.

Review: A tale of two women at the beginning and end of the Tudor era that turns into a needless mystery story.

Having both the main female characters named Katherine was a little confusing at first. I know one was called Kate instead of Katherine and that one story was told in first person while the other was told in third person, but I might not always notice if I was reading Kate's story or Katherine's story. It was easy enough to tell once historical issues were brought up though. I like that the stories are told from the point of views of someone at the beginning of the Tudor reign and someone at the end of the Tudor reign.

I liked Katherine more than I liked Kate. I still think Katherine was stupid in how impulsively she acted, but history is history and there is no changing that. Barely anything is known about Kate, which allows for much more liberty. She was so stubborn in believing the best of her father and it grated on my nerves. I enjoyed this book until it turned into a solve the mystery of the princes in the tower with both characters. I could believe Kate, but not Katherine searching for answers. 

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction about the Tudors, the princes in the Tower, or Richard III.

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