Today, to celebrate the release of Sandra Byrd's new novel,
Roses Have Thorns, I am posting my review of the book as well as offering a fantastic giveaway, courtesy of Sandra!
Tudor Book Blog Book Reviews
Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd
Overview:
From the publisher
"In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power.
Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart."
Before I delve into my own thoughts, I wanted to assure you that I do not reveal any spoilers not revealed in the above overview! Sorry if some of my examples are a bit vague below. I'm trying not to give anything away!
My Thoughts:
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| Portrait thought to be of Helena. |
One of the main themes of this novel is
treason, and how the characters in the novel react to it. Treason is something Elizabeth I dealt with her entire life (from her mother's downfall to the "treason" of some of her favorites, whether politically or emotionally). While Elizabeth deals with treason in some very big ways (with one main focus being Mary, Queen of Scots), her lady-in-waiting, Helena, is also forced to deal with it, both politically and emotionally. She is eventually forced to make some big decisions focused around her Queen and her husband. These decisions do not come easy and cause much conflict and heartache for our heroine. I thought this theme very fitting for an Elizabethan novel, and like that the author chose to use another person, besides the Queen herself, to feel the pressure and heartache of having to deal with treason.
Many who have studied Elizabeth I know that she also had to deal with the theme of
marriage throughout her life. She often reacted badly to the marriages of her ladies-in-waiting. Many suspect it was bitterness from not being able to or allowing herself to marry. I like that Sandra chose to portray this aspect of Elizabeth and marriage through the events surrounding Helena, rather than just focusing on "famous" cases (i.e. Lettice Knollys or Elizabeth Throckmorton). Though Byrd does show this famous (and angry) side of Elizabeth, I felt that by portraying it through the eyes of Helena, Byrd really humanized the Queen, showing her stern and unyielding temper, but also a softer, more feminine side as her friendship with Helena grows.
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William Parr,
1st Marquess of Northampton |
Another aspect of the novel that differed from many Tudor novels I've read is that the heroine is not actually English, but rather from Sweden. This puts a different spin on her background and outlook throughout the novel. It was actually the first thing that really drew me to the novel. I enjoyed seeing the Tudor court from the eyes of an "outsider" who chose to be there, rather than someone who was forced to be by an ambitious parent or spouse.
As always (though I felt it needed mention), Byrd has done a wonderful job researching her novel. Though it is a novel, you can tell she has spent hours pouring over primary sources, weaving them throughout her narrative. That, for me, is one of the most important things about a historical novel. That, and being able to keep the narrative engaging and not dry (with so much historical fact). Byrd does a great job of balancing both aspects.
Though I really enjoyed this novel, there are always things that stick out, or bug you. I felt the pacing of the story odd at times. Helena seems to brush over some of the "bigger" events in her life (such as some of her pregnancies) with time passing in big chunks between pages. However, the novel spans quite a bit of time and covers several major events, so I can understand this.
As I've said before, I don't usually care for first-person narrative. I like to know what's going on in everyone's head! However, Byrd always does a marvelous job of instantly connecting you with her storyteller. I feel that of all the narrating ladies presented in Sandra's three books, Helena is my favorite.
Rating:
I think my favorite thing about Sandra's Ladies-in-Waiting Series is that she focuses on Tudor women, but not the ones you would normally think of. Rather than focusing on famous ladies like Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr, or Elizabeth I, she places them in the background and brings their ladies-in-waiting to the forefront, telling the famous stories and lesser known stories through the eyes of ladies that actually witnessed them. I highly recommend this (and the other novels in this series) with
5 Tudor Roses.
A huge thank you to author Sandra Byrd for providing me an advanced copy of her wonderful novel!
Now, for the exciting part...a giveaway!
Sandra has offered a complete set of her Ladies in Waiting Series, including
To Die For,
The Secret Keeper, and
Roses Have Thorns.
To enter to win, simply leave a comment on this page telling us your name and who your favorite Tudor lady-in-waiting (from the reigns of Henry VII to Elizabeth I) is and why she has stolen your heart. All entries must be in by April 16th. The winner will be randomly drawn (using random.org) and announced on April 17th.
Please take a minute to check out Sandra's fantastic website,
SandraByrd.com. She has a section on her Ladies-In-Waiting series, but also on some of her other books.
She is also on
Facebook,
Twitter, and
Pinterest. If you are on any of these sites as well, be sure to find her!
