Cor Rotto: A Novel of Catherine Carey

by Adrienne Dillard

The dream was always the same … the scaffold before me. I stared on in horror as the sword sliced my aunt's head from her swan-like neck. The executioner raised her severed head into the air by its long chestnut locks. The last thing I remembered before my world turned black was my own scream.

Fifteen year-old Catherine Carey has been dreaming the same dream for three years, since the bloody execution of her aunt Queen Anne Boleyn. Her only comfort is that she and her family are safe in Calais, away from the intrigues of Henry VIII's court. But now Catherine has been chosen to serve Henry VIII's new wife, Queen Anne of Cleves.

Just before she sets off for England, she learns the family secret: the true identity of her father, a man she considers to be a monster and a man she will shortly meet.

This compelling novel tells the life story of a woman who survived being close to the crown and who became one of Queen Elizabeth I's closest confidantes.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Tudor Period, Fiction, Historical, British Literature, 16th Century, Royalty

314 pages, ebook

First published November 4, 2014

About the author

Adrienne Dillard earned her Master's in History from Eastern Washington University. Her works include best-selling novels, Cor Rotto: A Novel of Catherine Carey and The Raven's Widow: A Novel of Jane Boleyn. Keeper of the Queen's Jewels: A Novel of Jane Seymour was released in autumn 2022. When she isn't writing, Adrienne works as a Chief Operations Officer in the financial services industry and enjoys spending time with her son, Logan, at their home in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I read a book worthy of devouring in a day.

While I found this to be a wonderful book, I found Catherine's constant pregnancies exhausting. Not because I felt it took away from the book but because I remember being pregnant. Exhausting.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book appealed to me because the author seemed to have the same philosophy toward writing historical fiction as my own. Catherine Carey is a relatively minor character in Tudor era drama though she is closely related to larger players, just how closely is a subject for debate. The story is a intimately told personal story of love, family, and loyalty that focuses on Catherine and her children rather than the historical events of the day. Since she was born during the reign of Henry VIII, survived Edward VI and Mary I, and served Elizabeth I, Catherine has an interesting story to tell.

That being said, she is above all else a wife and mother. Catherine avoids most of the drama of the Tudor court, the major exception to this rule being when she and her husband find refuge with Protestants on the Continent during the reign of Queen Mary. This gives an interesting glimpse into the decisions that each family had to make during the religious unrest of the 16th century.

Catherine is submissive to her husband and loyal to Queen Elizabeth (no matter how horridly the virgin queen behaves), which causes her story to largely be the story of others and events that are beyond he control. Sometimes, this causes more telling than showing, but the reader is at the mercy of Catherine's limited point-of-view. The most emotive moments are when she births, cares for, and inevitably loses several of her fourteen children. While she yearns to simply raise her children, the demanding Queen Elizabeth frequently keeps Catherine away from her beloved family so that she can fulfill important duties such as caring for the royal pet monkey. Suffice it to say that Catherine had far more patience for the situations she was placed in than I would!

We are given glimpses of Catherine's daughter Lettice, who promises to have a more dramatic story. I wonder if the author will be carrying on with her.

I was pleased to find this book available through Kindle Unlimited.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This type of book is totally out of my wheel house but boy did I enjoy it!

Loved the first person perspective and getting to know Elizabeth! I've learned a lot from reading this book and now have way more of an interest in this period in history. Big win!

[Juliew. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely,believable tale of Catherine Carey,possible sister to three English monarchs,Mary I,Edward VI and Elizabeth I.Although,we can never be certain Catherine Carey was the daughter of Henry VIII this intelligent novel gives free rein to the theory.I thought the events and the people that were portrayed were mostly on the accurate side and loved the atmosphere of the Tudor world the author created.I also enjoyed the mystery element and the romance between Catherine Carey and her husband.The author went one step farther and included a note at the back of the book letting you know what was fiction and what was fact.

I received this copy in exchange for a fair review by the author and in no way did it effect this review.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

.

Loved this and read it straight through you know it's good when you cannot put it down. Well researched .If you enjoy knowledgeable historical fiction you will find that here.I look forward to discovering more by this author

[Jessica Honarvar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Peek into Elizabethan England

I loved this book for the look into a fascinating Renaissance woman's life. I love the love story between Catherine and Francis, it's beautiful to watch them blossom and grow. Their children take on a whole life of their own and I had so much fun following the various adventures she embarked on, such as fleeing the reign of Mary I. I highly recommend this book for all Tudor fans.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific

Much more in depth story of the life of Catherine Carey. I really love this author's style of writing and how easily engaged you get with the characters and the situation surrounding them. This story travels a great period of time and you will find it hard to put down and disappointed when it ends.

[Joy H. Lee-Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

One feels right part of the environment of the 1500s. I loved every line. Ms. Dillard brought this reader into the period, and the characters. Probably will re-read this book in the next year or so.

[Olivia Castetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this alternative, plausible story for Catherine and her (probable) sister, Elizabeth. I know this book was historical fiction, but I wish it were true.

[Suzanne Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Hearted love

I enjoyed this story of Catherine Carey and he life. The love between Catherine and Francis Knollys is one of true love. I found the story to be written historically correct concerning the main characters. Elizabeth I has always been an enigmatic and powerful queen; most books focucing on her decision-making as a queen. However, the author shows a more intimate side of the queen in her youth. This book does focus on all the Tudor kings/queens from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I during Catherine's lifetime and the role she must play between court lady and manor lady/wife/mother and her personal struggle to adjust. How she could have 13 children and not be with them every day of their life: but that was the life of a courtier. Maybe with 13 children, she needed the court life as a break!

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable book on a very fascinating family line who have always been a bit mysterious in their paternal origins. Were Catherine and Henry Carey offspring of Henry VIII or was that even known at the time has been conjectured for centuries?

This author and historian has a very good premise and follows that forward in a very engrossing and extremely readable fashion. Perhaps a bit more depth to their characters could have worked but Catherine and Francis were courtiers, after all, and kept their emotions in check.

I read it straight through and will look forward to the next offering by Adrienne Dillard. An excellent first novel, by a fine historian, about this important family whose history helps define the Tudor period.

[Kevin E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first work of historical fiction I can remember reading, and I think I'm HOOKED! I had recently done quite a bit of research regarding the paternity of Catherine (who, incidentally, is an ancestor of mine), and concluded that "common sense" dictated that she was, indeed, the daughter of King Henry VIII. To summarize, he could not publicly acknowledge her as it could've likely incited a rebellion among the nobility, he would've looked the GRAND FOOL as he was fervently pursuing Catherine's mother's SISTER while simultaneously establishing himself as the HEAD of the Church of England for the sole purpose of obtaining a divorce from his current wife which the Pope wouldn't grant him. The affair with Mary Boleyn also appeared to occur DURING the time she was married to William Carey--hardly something a pious church leader would want to ADMIT, and something from which he had absolutely nothing to gain from--and everything to lose. However, he and his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, highly favored her and her children (and her mother, at times.) But I digress...

The book is centered around the relatively recent discovery of a Latin dictionary kept by Catherine's husband, Francis Knollys. In it, he recorded the births of all SIXTEEN of their children. The dates corroborate the above timing of Mary Boleyn's affair with Henry VIII, and the birth of Catherine. However, the diary isn't referenced throughout the book--it was mainly used as a primary source. The author spent 10 years in its production.

The book opens with the child form of Catherine having a (recurring, haunting) dream of her aunt (Queen Anne) being beheaded--hence, the beginning of a "Cor Rotto" (broken heart.) Throughout, she laments the loss of her aunt, she very soon discovers the truth of her paternity (and why she looks so different from her brother), and tries to make peace with the knowledge, even as she is called to favorable positions in the court of her father, King Henry VIII.

Dillard is spectacular in her portrayal of Catherine. I often had to step back and try to separate fact from FICTION--and then take ANOTHER step back to realize this was a depiction of my ancestor! This almost took on the level of a multifaceted paradigm shift! Dillard maintained (in a special message at the end) that she used several fictional characters to provide depth and insight, but the characters were realistic, and stayed with me long after I finished the piece--making a lasting impression. And it was chilling watching-vicariously through Catherine's eyes-the burning of Protestants at the behest of her half-sister, Queen Mary. I won't give away too many details here, but I will say that I would LOVE to see Dillard's work made into a movie.

The romantic love portrayed between Catherine and Francis was uplifting and inspiring--even allowing one to temporarily suspend belief that a perfect "love match" could result from an arranged marriage--when more than HALF of freely-entered marriages end in divorce contemporarily! Dillard DOES show some disagreements, but Catherine's steely resolve, diplomacy, and toughness seem a little too polished. But perhaps she DID inherit that from her hustling father!

I will say that I would've liked to have seen more portrayals of the common classes--but I realize Catherine's life was more privileged. The vignettes of a few of them (like her maid, Matilda), were very believable. A screenplay would be coy to show some humorous interplay with the unwashed masses.

It was tear-jerking to read of the loss of life (particularly of infants)--humanizing. But it spoke to the strength of the human spirit. Dillard did well to portray a very full, impactful-yet BRIEF-life. And she made me feel subtly devastated with the inevitable passing of Catherine--I almost felt like I was THERE. VERY WELL-DONE!

[Ashley Cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing I want to say is that I truly enjoyed this book. I knew a little bit about Catherine Carey prior to reading this book, mostly through previous Tudor themed books read and podcasts that I listened to, but admittedly didn’t know a ton about her life. I get like this book helped me to grow my knowledge of Catherine and I came to think very highly of her.

This is a work of historical fiction, so I understand it’s not going to be 100% accurate but I really had no major complaints with the conclusions that the author drew. I enjoyed getting a more in depth picture of Catherine, her life, her family, and her relationships (especially the one that she had with her cousin Queen Elizabeth 1). This was an enjoyable book and I plan to read more of this author’s work.

[Ashleigh Watt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently have read three of these Tudor centric books by Adrienne Dillard and I LOVED them! She really breathes fresh life and perspective into stories that have been told a dozen times over. As a history fan, and avid reader of historical fiction, I appreciate her attention to detail and the evident research she’s put into her work. This particular story of Catherine Knollys was beautifully written, and offered a glimpse into the life of a fascinating woman in the courts of many different Tudor queens. Highly recommend this and “The Raven’s Widow” as well!

[Linda Claudine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Historical Novel

Having read Tudor history and historical novels extensively, I had become somewhat bored. But this book about Catherine Carey is well-written, historically accurate and, best of all, plausible. It’s always great to read about a little-known character, especially one who played such an important role. I highly recommend this book - and I don’t use “highly” very often.

[Irina Kermong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Might as well give a little explanation as for the rating - 3 stars because of the few nitpicks and criticisms I might have here and there, but I will add that I read Adrienne Dillard's novel about Jane Boleyn first (The Raven's Widow), and let me tell you, whatever points I could criticize for this book, I could see a MASSIVE improvement in The Raven's Widow. I really can't wait for this author's next book on Jane Seymour and Margery Horsman.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Tudor novel

A very enjoyable novel based on history about Catherine Carey. I have not read much about Catherine's life and I think this book did a wonderful job of portraying her life. Well written and easy to read, great for reading on a Sunday under a tree.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story about the life of Catherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn and (probably) Henry VIII, showing the many ups and downs she and her family went though during the turbulent Tudor dynasty.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Philippa Gregory's "THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL" and have often wondered what happened to Mary's child. Adrienne Dillard answers that question brilliantly. She fleshes out a very believable story about an incredible woman on the edges of the Tudor stage. The period details of both Court and country life enhances the story, especially as she highlights the role of a wife, mother and royal relative. I really enjoyed her relationship with Elizabeth I... were they step sisters or cousins???

[Danielle Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has you hooked from the first page all the way to the end. Catherine is a Tudor character that you may not have thought much about before reading this book, but she’s been transfixed in my mind ever since. The author does a fantastic job in making Catherine a relatable person while also seeing court through the eyes of someone outside the royal family. It’s been over a year and I still think about this character and this book

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick look at an often over-looked Tudor character. Whether Catherine Carey was Elizabeth's cousin or half-sister, her life made for an interesting historical novel. So little is actually known about most of these Tudor women, that I am always amazed when someone actually succeeds at fleshing one out.

[Jill McCarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read for any Tudor fan.

I was engaged from the very start with Ms. Dillard's Catherine Carey, she made Catherine real and relatable, you felt the losses of her children and her passing.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boleyn family is one of the most notable families during the reign of the Tudors. When one thinks about this family, people like Anne Boleyn, Thomas Boleyn, and George Boleyn come to mind. However, another Boleyn and her family story have been emerging from the shadows of history in recent years. That is the story of Mary Boleyn, a mistress of King Henry VIII. Mary Boleyn had a daughter named Catherine Carey, who married Sir Francis Knollys and was the mother of 14 children, including Lettice Knollys. Since Catherine Carey was a direct relation to the Tudors, what might have her life have been like? Adrienne Dillard wanted to give readers a possible view of Catherine Carey’s life in her book, “Cor Rotto: A Novel of Catherine Carey”.

Adrienne Dillard chooses to start her fabulous novel in a unique dream sequence:

The dream was always the same. My feet were filthy. To most children my age this would be expected, something they dealt with every day of their lives as they toiled alongside their parents in the field, usually too poor to afford proper footwear. But to me it spelled disaster. I knew that soon my grandfather would be home and would be very displeased. Instead of swinging me in the air, plying me with affection as he usually did when he returned from Court, he would stare at my dirt-caked toes and say disdainfully, “You are a Boleyn and you should know your place. No Boleyn will ever live like a beggar child, I have worked hard my whole life to make sure of it.” With those scornful words, my heart would be cut in two. I knew I had to find my brother Henry, get back to the house and clean up before our grandfather arrived….I burst through the apple trees into a clearing and saw the scaffold before me. “No!” I shrieked, feet rooted to the ground, I stared on in horror as the sword sliced the head from my aunt’s swan-like neck. The executioner raised her severed head into the air by its long chestnut locks. Anne’s eyes were wide in shock, her lips still moving, the blood formed a river in the dirt. The last thing I remembered before my world turned black was my own scream. (Dillard, 2).

Catherine’s life was full of heartache, in fact, Princess Elizabeth was the one who signed a letter to Catherine with Cor Rotto, which is Latin for “broken-hearted”. With as many deaths that Catherine experienced in her lifetime, including the death of two of her children, she also found a lot of love. Although her marriage to Sir Francis Knollys was an arranged marriage, like so many were back in the time of the Tudors, Catherine and Francis fell in love with one another. It was that love that helped Catherine, Francis, and their family navigates the ever-changing political and religious environment of the royal court.

In this book, Catherine is portrayed as the illegitimate daughter of King Henry VIII. This has been a rumor ever since she was born since her mother was the mistress of Henry VIII, yet it has never been proven. It adds an interesting twist to her story since she was one of the ladies who served Elizabeth I, who if these rumors were true, was her half-sister. Catherine tends to be someone who enjoyed a normal, drama free life, and so she never tells anyone outside her immediate family the truth. Another unique aspect of this book is how Adrienne Dillard portrays when Catherine and Francis took part of their family to Germany during the reign of Mary I, to escape religious persecution. Not much is known about this time so it was rather interesting to read how different their lives could have been like while on the run.

Adrienne Dillard’s book is beautifully written and tells the story of such a remarkable woman. She stayed on the sideline and was able to have a good relationship with every Tudor monarch, which was actually quite a rarity. Dillard was able to portray the love that Catherine had as a mother and wife in a simple and humble way that it felt like Catherine could be a friend. This was my first time reading a book by Adrienne Dillard and I absolutely loved it. She was able to bring the life of a royal and a mother of 14 to life in such a respectful and dignified way. She made you believe that Catherine Carey could have been the illegitimate daughter of King Henry VIII. After reading this book, I want to learn even more about Catherine Carey and her extraordinary family.

If you want a gorgeous book about a wonderful woman who lived during the time of the Tudors, I highly recommend you read “Cor Rotto: A Novel of Catherine Carey” by Adrienne Dillard.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 4 out of 5]

My book blog ---> http://allthebookblognamesaretaken.bl... and
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Full Disclosure: I have this book shelved as being a gift from and author or publisher because this is technically true. Adrienne Dillard is the author but she has, more importantly, become my friend. It will probably not surprise anyone that we 'met' on a post from Dan Jones' Facebook page. We share a love of history, specifically the Tudor era, and really ridiculous amounts of awesome GIFs. As such, while this book was a gift, it did not come with the expectation of a review. It came as a gift from one friend to another.

Normally, I do not like historical fiction. Everyone and their mother knows this by now. There are exceptions I am willing to make though - particularly if it is someone who I know about, but not too much. I can not abide fictional works of certain real-life people, namely Eleanor of Aquitaine and her brood. She is too near and dear to my heart for me to entertain what someone thinks she MIGHT HAVE said or thought. Novels like this then are ideal for me because I know who Catherine Carey was, but have no deep connection otherwise. I enjoy Adrienne's work because she is thorough in her research and always quick to make note of where she took her information from, what is historically accurate, and what came from her own imagination. That is the reason I read her second novel, of Jane Boleyn, so quickly. I could not put it down. I enjoyed learning Catherine's story, but was also pleased to find that I for the most part was able to decipher on my own what was real and what was imagined, based on my other Tudor knowledge.

One thing I am not a fan of is stories told in first person. That is really the only aspect of the novel that bothered me, and it bothers me in literally every other novel I have read in the last five years. I don't know what has caused this change in me, it never used to bother me so much. Perhaps it is because my brain is now wired for non-fiction, so peoples' thoughts and emotion perturbed me now. Who knows.

I did enjoy some of the perspectives taken in Catherine's eyes, particularly that of Mary I. I have long maintained a special place in my heart for the daughter of Catherine of Aragon. I feel the treatment of herself and her mother by Henry in the years leading up to and following his marriage to Anne Boleyn were what changed Mary into the person she became. By all accounts she was a happy, thriving child, but Henry took that light in her and twisted it and damaged it beyond repair. Had she been treated more justly, I believe her reign would have reflected that. I also appreciated Catherine's portrayal in how she regarded Elizabeth - that she was difficult. Elizabeth is one of my least favorite people in history, I find her manipulative and dramatic and annoying. I am glad to see I am not the only one who might view her as difficult and Catherine and I agreed greatly - though she was still loyal and loved Elizabeth dearly.

The tenderness between the various characters is what really stands out in this novel for me, whether it be between husbands and wives, parents and children, etc. Sometimes it is easy to look back on these long-ago times and see these people as so wholly different from us. But it is also easy to forget they will in fact real people with real thoughts and feelings and hopes and dreams, people who loved those dear to them. I always find this especially true when addressing the high mortality rate in infants and children of the time. Just because a family has so many children does not mean the deaths of little ones are felt any less deeply. I also appreciated the love between Catherine and her husband. While it was an arranged marriage, I can hope that it truly became a loving one - and I think the multitude of children reflects that.

The big question here though, involves the view that recognizes Catherine has Henry VIII's daughter, this making Catherine a half sister to three Tudor monarchs. I believe until there is DNA testing done to prove once and for all, this debate will not end. But, as we can not even pin down the time line correctly, this may be another one for the 'We will never know' pile.

Overall this was a lovely portrayal of a lesser-known figure in Tudor history. If you enjoy historical fiction based on the facts available, you will likely enjoy this one. Highly recommended.

[Nefertari · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 50 pages in.

I wanted to like it. The author clearly knows the history of the Tudor court, and has researched Catherine Carey extensively. Carey herself is an underutilized potential character for more Tudor historical fiction - she’s the likely child of Mary Carey and Henry VIII, an unacknowledged love child of the two and not without influence. She survives the death of her aunt and uncle and the political backlash against the Howard clan at Anne Boleyn’s fall, later returning to court under her potential father, in the company of an aunt who had given testimony against Catherine’s aunt and uncle. She survives Anne of Cleves’s fall, the fall of Katherine Howard, gets married and has 16 children, chooses a side in the religious debate and flees England and Queen Mary’s Catholic court. She later returns and serves as chief lady and a confidante to her cousin, Queen Elizabeth.

It’s a hell of a life, and a lot of historical involvement. But I need emotional depth in my characters, and character growth. I don’t need as much historical notation as I do reaction to it, don’t need a character that tells me what happens so much as I need a character who reacts to what happens and considers their choices. Unfortunately, characterizations here were as thin as the paper they’re printed on.

However, as someone who thinks Jane Rochford has been unjustly assigned the role of villain in both Tudor history and fiction, it was good to see her character treated with sympathy.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read Adrienne Dillard’s three Tudor period novels from her most recent to her first. I particularly enjoyed this, her first book, because of the subject, Catherine Carey Knollys. The author added a short chapter at the end of the book explaining which characters and events are historical, where she had to make some guesses, and a few minor characters who are fictional. In addition to being a side note to history of the Tudor period from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, I was interested in the way she portrayed Catherine as a working mother. Catherine’s heart was at home with her 13 children, and yet because of her social position and that of her husband, they often had to leave home and their personal interests behind to attend to the wishes of the reigning monarch. I recommend this, and the author’s other books if you enjoy reading about some of the lesser known characters at court in Tudor times.

[Heather R. Siuta Ingerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I truly enjoyed this novel about Catherine Carey. I have read an abundance of novels of the Tudor time period, but none specifically about Catherine. She has always been one of Elizabeth's ladies in the other books, so I knew very little about her until now. She seems to have lived and experienced so much in her short life. I do think it's odd how the author added a chapter at the end of the book from her husbands perspective, about him being betrothed by the King to Catherine ; I had hoped that final chapter would have been more appropriate for an ending, to bring closure to their love story by detailing perhaps him being notified of the death of his wife, and maybe describing the reaction of family and friends at her funeral, to end the story more in line with the title - Cor Rotto being Latin for Broken Heart (as per the author). Just a suggestion! Otherwise I loved this book!

[kathleen r. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Historical fiction is a genre I find fascinating, and in this novel, I wasn't disappointed. Well researched, settings were rich with description and a sense of life. There wasn't any over-blown and empty dialogue, each and every scene was life-like and entertaining. The author provided some interesting and educational afterwords, explaining some of the lesser characters who were none-the-less vital to the story. One, in particular, touched on the fact that although some of her imagined characters were imaginary, the loose compilations were based on evidence of their actual historical presence. Detail was impressive and genuine.
This book was one I stayed awake late into the night to read.
I highly recommend this book and its author to those interested in the genre.

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel, written from the point of view of a minor Tudor courtier, was really well researched but very dry. The Other Boleyn Girl etc are so popular not because of their historical facts (which are questionable) but because of their drama and characterizations. That was mostly missing from this story - mainly because it's told in first person and the protagonist wasn't super involved in the events of her time.

Catherine Carey, the daughter of Mary Boleyn (and maybe of Henry VIII too) was just too good to be true. In this story she's kind to everyone, happy to keep giving birth to kids every year, and observing everything from the shadows. The author's research is impeccable and it was a decent book, but I do question the choice of protagonist. There's only so much that can be told from Catherine's first person viewpoint.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fictional rendering of the daughter of Mary Boleyn. Historians have debated on the possibility that,she was an illegitimate child of Henry VIII, as her mother and the king were having an affair while Mary was married to Carey. This historical fiction goes with the premise that King Henry was the father. Catherine Carey and her husband, Francis Knolly, spend their adult lives in the courts of all Tudor monarchs, with the exception of Queen Mary I. Therefore, this book is a colorful look into the House of Tudor through the eyes of Henry's "daughter." I appreciated the author's addendum where she discussed what was fictional versus fact. It is obvious she relied on research to include as much factual history as possible. As a lover of Britain's historical monarchs, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cor Rotto.