Katheryn Howard, the Scandalous Queen by Alison Weir is a novel about the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. I don’t ever remember reading or hearing much about her whenever I read about the Tutors, so I was curious. I have enjoyed Alison Weir’s novels in the past, so I decided to dig in. What I found both surprised me and reinforced the mercurial level of the king.

Katheryn was born poor with a father who gambled constantly. Her mother was the key figure in her life who kept her children fed and clothed. When she died Kathryn was passed on to other relatives and then to others. In each place she was looking to be loved and adored. Much was made of her beauty and her vivacity. She ended up in a household with the Dowager Duchess.

She caught the eye of the King while he was married to Anne of Cleves. Her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk encouraged the King’s interest and counseled Katheryn on her behavior and demeanor. What was not known was that Katheryn did have an amorous past with other lovers, which continued to haunt her, even while married to the King. Katheryn was young and foolish with her actions which led to her demise.

I have always found that the history books are rather critical and unforgiving of Katheryn’s character. Alison Weir’s portrayal of Katheryn has reminded me that history is almost always written by the winners. I found Katheryn to be more complex and while she was indeed capricious and flighty, she was also a teenager who thought more about herself than others.

I did enjoy the book, although it seemed long, but thorough. I found the characters well drawn and felt immersed in the politics and political intrigue at the time. Katheryn Howard, the Scandalous Queen by Alison Weir was a thoughtful read about a time in history of political upheaval and intrigue with a mercurial man as king.

Alison Weir is one of my favorite authors and I have read all of her books including the other four books in this series on the six wives of Henry VIII. So many books have been written about these women fact and fiction and yet I am still not tired of reading about them. This latest offering by Ms. Weir is historical fiction about Kathryn Howard, Henry's fifth, and I think the saddest wife.
The book begins when Kathryn is seven years old and her mother has just died in childbirth. Her father, Edmund Howard, a spendthrift has spent his wife's fortune and now must farm his many children out to relatives as he cannot support them. Katherine is first sent to her maternal aunt and then after two years, she is sent to the Great house of Lambeth, the home of her step-grandmother, the dowager Duchess of Norfolk. At Lambeth, Kathryn is to be educated to be a lady and wait for her family to arrange a marriage for her. At Lambeth, many young girls are sent to be educated as was the custom but oversight and discipline are lax and the girls get the wrong kind of education. Kathryn was pretty, young, foolish, but also kind-hearted and generous.
Kathryn's family is politically powerful and they see an opportunity to use her to seize power with disastrous results for Kathryn as they hide her past indiscretions from Henry. I liked this book the best so far about Henry's wives with the book about Katherine of Aragon as my second favorite. I was fortunate to receive this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

This is one of the series the author is writing about the six wives of Henry VIII and is a work of fiction. It is the first in the series that I have read. It was not at all what I was expecting. This is poorly written soft porn at best. The author's writing style did not resonate with me and I found the book very boring, but I plodded through it as I made a commitment to Net Galley and the publisher. I am sure that fans of the Fifty Shades series (which I did not read) will find enjoy this book as it is on the same level.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

Well written. Not a lighthearted book if you are looking for something light to read. The book is about Catherine Howard, one of Henry VIII's wives, who died when she was beheaded. I am puzzled by the different spelling of her name as Katheryn instead of Catherine /Katherine. Perhaps the original documents spelled her name as Katheryn ?

The book covered her life before she met and married the King of England. I wonder if she was born in the 21st century, would she have been diagnosed with dylxesia or Attention Deficit Syndrome?

It was really tough being a woman in these days. No wonder Queen Elizabeth I never married!s

Highly recommended for people interested in reading about the Tudor Queens.

A wonderfully written book by Alison Weir. Her best yet! Don't miss this one. But be sure you read them in order!

For lovers of Philippe Gregory, check our Alison Weir and this phenomenal read about pretty Kitty Howard. Masterfully written, it takes you to the time of King Henry VIII and his fifth wife. Descriptive and emotionally charged, you are left in awe of the life, secrets and undoing a of Queen Katherine Howard.

Thank you NetGalley, Alison Weir and Ballantine Books for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I've been eager to try Alison Weir's historical fiction because she has such a stellar reputation for her knowledge of the Tudors. Over the years, I've breezed through Jean Plaidy's and Phillipa Gregory's versions of the Tudor family, and I was anxious to read Weir's take on Henry VIII's many wives.

Katheryn Howard's story is just as compelling as Anne Boleyn's, and in some ways it's even more tragic. Howard wasn't particularly ambitious, especially when compared to Boleyn, and I can't help but feel sorry for her even though I wanted to scold her for being so dumb as to think she could have a lover on the side, when she was married to a king with a reputation for discarding his wives, either through divorce or death, whenever the mood suited him.

The book starts early in Katheryn's childhood and follows her through her romantic relationships with a series of men, a couple of whom will come back to haunt her after she's married to the king. The action picks up once Katheryn and Henry are married and she becomes entangled with former lover, Tom Culpepper. Anyone who's familiar with Howard's story will know what's coming, and in some ways that made the story even more suspenseful. You know it's going to end badly. And every time Katheryn makes a stupid move, you want to yell at her to be more careful.

At times, the story reads like a wanton bodice-ripper, which is the reason I'm deducting one star. Some of the love scenes are a bit much, even if they fit with Katheryn's character. But I'm still eager to read Weir's other books about Henry VIII"s sixth wives.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have always loved Alison Weir books and this one is no exception. I have always found the Tudor family very interesting. I love how the story came from Kathryn Howard's point of view. I thought the book was amazing and I cant wait to read more book from Alison Weir.

I knew how it would end but still enjoyed the read. Classic Weir at her best showing different layers of the main character. Engaged entire time reading this.

This is a hard one, I was really excited for it when I got approved for it on net galley but it was a struggle to get through. I understand why it was written the way it was but because of the way it was written I couldn’t bring myself to care about Kathryn at all. I was bored and found myself rolling my eyes more and more the further I got into it. I tend to love everything I read about the Tudors but this one unfortunately just didn’t do it for me

I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and author Alison Weir for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

Agh, this series! I love it! If you have finished The Tudors TV show and have a severe emotional hangover, turn to these books! They will help to somewhat soothe that void. Katheryn Howard is Henry’s fifth queen who is somewhat of a mystery. Weir has brought her back to life and I am so thankful for that. Howard is quite honestly a child, interested in boys and sex. We get to follow her through her journey filled with mistakes, misjudgments and betrayal. I can’t give these books enough praise, and this one doesn’t disappoint either! I really believe this will change your opinion on Katheryn Howard.

Thank you again to those named above for the opportunity to read and review this novel!

Poor Katheryn Howard.....she's always been the least-known of Henry's wives, so I was thrilled to see Weir take up her case at long last. As always, Weir's historical fiction doesn't disappoint - thoroughly researched, beautifully woven and just a perfect read during these crazy times. I can't wait to recommend it.

The story of Katheryn Howard, Henry Viii's fifth queen, may be the saddest. Like Jane Seymour and Anna of Kleves, not a great deal is known about her--even her date of birth is speculation. She comes into the picture after Henry has lost Jane Seymour in childbirth, has rejected Anna, and is feeling old and unmanly. And he still needs more sons.

Katheryn came from the poor end of the Howard clan. Her father was unsuccessful at everything and always on the hunt for money. Kathryn was raised in a household of halfsibings, step-siblings and "cousins", who were related in one way or another. At about age 12 she was sent to live with her step-grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, who had a number of young wards and companions under her care. There was little supervision, These were teenagers, and there was a lot of fondling, kissing and sex. Katheryn had no dowry, so the Dowager Duchess arranged for her to be taught some music and her letters to make her more attractive as a bride, although Katheryn's looks made her very popular with the boys. Her first pre-contract of marriage was with her music teacher, the second with a young noble who was another of the Duchess's "cousins." because of her looks, the Howards see that Katheryn is sent to court to be one of Anna of Kleves' waiting women.

Henry's eye falls on her. Her Howard relatives push her toward him. She is told to deny that she had any pre-contract of marriage--the thing used to annul Henry's marriage to Anna. Katheryn is naive and easily manipulated. She's given no choice in the matter, even though she has fallen for Thomas Culpeper, one of Henry's courtiers and would rather marry him than be Queen. Her family threatens her to keep her mouth closed. She does, but what use is that when so many people from the Duchess's house are at court and know exactly what she did? She is blackmailed, extorted, and actually loves Henry, who is kind and thoughtful, raising various Howard relatives to important posts.

As history knows, no good came of any of it. Katheryn brought down not only herself but those who knew she had been pre-contracted in marriage to others. The Howards, who thought they'd recovered the favor they'd forfeited when Katheryn's cousin Anne Boleyn lost her head, are now really in the soup. And Katheryn, and the young men she'd loved, pay the ultimate price.

Katheryn may have been as young as seventeen when she died, a happy, flirty girl with lots of love to give. She loves the king, and they have an active sex life. She also loves the handsome young men around her and doesn't know where to draw the line. For Henry, she is the death of youth.

Katheryn's story lacks the historical depth of the other wives. She had no particular beliefs or interest in the life of the mind (she's horrified by the precocious Princess Elizabeth, who wants to speak with her in Latin). She's just a girl who makes one bad decision after the other, and lacks the guidance of an adult who sees her as anything but a commodity.

Alison Weir is an historian first and novelist second. She's used all her skills to make Katheryn a full human being, rooted in what we know about her. I've enjoyed her series very much (especially the novels about Anna of Kleves and Jane Seymour) and am sorry she has only one more queen to go. Perhaps she could take on Lady Rochford, the widow of Anne Boleyn's brother, the one accused of incest? Talk about somebody who loved to stir the pot. . .

Even knowing the outcome, this is a fine historical novel.

Once again the author brings history alive. Katheryn Howard has always been a mystery to me but no more. I learned so much about her and Henry. Some real surprises in this story

The book was good, but I wouldn't recommend it to teens or younger readers. This is more a book for adults to read.

Well written, although I found a few grammatical errors.

Very enjoyable and easy to follow along with Katheryn's adventures! I have read all of the novels in this series so far and I am always engaged and learning new facts along the way.

Excellent historical fiction. I really enjoyed this book. The author did a particular good job of characterizing Katheryn Howard, wife of Henry VIII. Katheryn comes across as a typical young girl interested in boys and sex. She makes mistakes in her naïveté, of course not knowing to whom she will find herself married to in later years. In this account of her life, Katheryn is portrayed as used and manipulated by her Howard relatives in their quest to re-gain power and favor with the king after the death of Anne Boleyn.

If you like historical fiction, this is a great choice for a good, long book to read. Young Katheryn keeps your interest with her exciting love life and inevitable mistakes and misjudgments, leading to a bad ending you see as plain as day but she can't imagine.

Fantastic story. Katheryn Howard is the wife I know the least. I always considered her a frivolous, foolish child. My opinion has not changed, however, being a young woman (a child,really) she was at the mercy of her older, MALE, family members. Unfortunately , she attracted the attention of an aging man who happened to be the king. Imagine this happening today with the me too movement...king or not, Henry would be lynched. And rightly so.

This is a well written story, by a master storyteller. I have never read a book by Alison Weir that wasn’t fabulous. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the conclusion of this series. FYI, I have purchased a hardcover version of each book in this series. I don’t purchase many books these days, preferring ebooks, but this series is a keeper for my bookshelves.

I have read several of Alison Weir’s novels and find her to be an expert on all things Tudor-related. I have also read many fictional accounts of Henry and his wives, including Katherine Howard. Yet this story was not repetitive. I learned new things about Henry’s fifth queen and thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this time period. I look forward to Catherine Parr’s story next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book! Release date - May 12, 2020

So. I am not a fan of Alison Weir. I am 5 books into her Six Tudor Queens series and I have only genuinely liked one of them. And yet, I stalked NetGalley until this was available to request and waited on the edge of my seat hoping I would be approved. I am a living contradiction.

I just think I always expect so much more from these books than Alison Weir actually delivers. I’m a HUGE fan of historical fiction and Tudor history in particular, so I think I just get really excited to read a new book about one of my favorite subjects. And you would think that having a respected historian start writing fiction would result in the most accurate and reliable historical fiction accounts. But I truly can tell that she’s not really a novelist. I know I know, sue me for being a Philippa Gregory fan. It’s up for debate how accurate her novels are, but there’s no question that they are entertaining. They read like fiction and totally suck you in. I think that’s what most people expect from historical fiction. I like it to be accurate too like the best of them, but Philippa Gregory keeps me way more entertained than Alison Weir. And honestly if Alison Weir was like 100% stick to the book as accurate as possible, I might be able to forgive her for being boring, but she’s thrown out some outlandish theories throughout this series. It goes to show that even historians can be biased. And to be totally honest, her fiction is making me distrust her nonfiction.

Anyway, first the positives. Finally, the books are getting shorter. One of my biggest complaint about all the previous books has been that they are FREAKISHLY long. Way way way too long to be enjoyable. This one is still long, 400+ pages, but it was really a manageable size and I read it pretty quickly. Then again, Katheryn Howard had the shortest life of all of Henry’s queens, so maybe Alison Weir had no choice.

(If the most positive thing I can say about a book is that it was short....)

I definitely don’t have nearly the complaints I had about Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession, but I still feel like some weird choices were made here. Although she states her reasons for making Katheryn’s age what it was, and her birth date is disputed, I still feel like she was likely younger than 16 when she became involved with her music teacher. I also think it was much more likely that he molested or at the very least took advantage of her lack of knowledge than that it was a consensual “love” relationship, as Alison Weir proposes here. For an author that was so quick to accuse Henry of raping Mary Boleyn in Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession, it’s almost laughable that she didn’t put forth that theory here when it’s MUCH more likely in this instance.

But I do think Katheryn’s frivolous and promiscuous personality was spot on, especially in her younger years. The relationship with Francis Dereham was spot on too in my opinion.

Now, on to the Thomas Culpeper/Jane Boleyn storyline. I know Jane’s motives for potentially helping Thomas and Katheryn have an affair are murky, but her actions were SO DUMB in this book. She wants Katheryn and Tom to be together, arranges for them to meet in secret in the middle of the night, stands guard to warn them....and then tells Katheryn you better not give yourself to him. Like what? It makes 0 sense. Not to bring up Philippa Gregory again (ok yes, she always has a special place in my heart), but in The Boleyn Inheritance her theory was at least logical, whether it was plausible or not (part of a plan by the Howard higher-ups to get Katheryn pregnant since they believed Henry was no longer fertile). Alison Weir presents a theory that is no theory at all. Jane helped...just cuz. She wanted to. But don’t get any ideas kids! Just TALK.

Of course, the whole affair is speculation to begin with, and I can see her reasons for thinking that they didn’t actually go all the way, since down to her dying day Katheryn said that they didn’t. I can accept that theory but I just think it was executed in an illogical way.

Anyway. I’m this far into the series now so I know I’ve got to read the last one on Catherine Parr. I might even look forward to it. I do think she was a really really interesting person so we’ll see how Alison Weir handles her portrayal.