The King’s Grace

Top billing in Anne Easter Smith’s latest novel is given to Grace Plantagenet, a woman barely recorded by history who is a blank slate upon which the author builds a feasible tale of Perkin Warbeck, the young man who claims to be one of the Princes in the Tower. Heirs of Edward IV, the princes, Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, the Duke of York, have disappeared into myth, their fate left for historians to debate. Some claim they were murdered by Richard III, or perhaps dispatched by Henry VII, grist for much speculation. Smith enters the fray through the unassuming Grace Plantagenet, a young woman brought into Elizabeth Woodville’s household, wife of Edward IV. When scandalous information surfaces about the status of Bess Woodville’s marriage to Edward, the marriage is declared invalid, the progeny of the union illegitimate. Greedy, ambitious and unpopular, Woodville goes into sanctuary after Edward’s death, but is forced to release her sons into Richard’s keeping. After Richard’s death at the Battle of Bosworth, Woodville’s daughter, Elizabeth of York, marries Henry VII, the taint of her illegitimacy removed by the new kin.

The Yorkist’s cause remains viable, Henry Tudor reviled by those who would see their power restored. Margaret of York is deeply involved in the plotting in Burgundy, where a young boy resides under her care from 1478-1485, classically educated and groomed for his future role as the returning Richard of York. Meanwhile, Grace Plantagenet, the vehicle for moving the plot, joins Woodville’s household, a favorite of the mother of Henry’s new queen. As a family intimate, Grace is privy to the York machinations to unseat Henry Tudor and the early days of his marriage to Elizabeth of York. All too soon, Henry’s mother, Margaret Beaufort, will overshadow her son’s queen and become his most trusted confidante, Elizabeth languishing in the background. And when Woodville is accused of treachery against the crown, she is sent to the Abbey of Bermondsey, taking the faithful Grace with her (where the girl remains for the next three years). Later, joining her half-sister, Cecily’s (wife of Viscount Jack Welles, Henry’s step-uncle) household, Grace witnesses the unfolding drama of Perkin Warbeck claims, Henry’s greatest fear realized.

Nurtured by Margaret of York, Warbeck is the true focus of this novel, his growing threat to Tudor’s rule, a threat that lasts for eight long years. Behind the scenes, Grace comforts Woodville (made much more tolerable than usually described), continues a lovelorn infatuation with a first cousin, attends her half-sisters in Henry’s court and even travels to Burgundy on a secret mission. Grace’s tentative, yet obstinate nature is revealed in her obsession with her Yorkist cousin, even after marriage. Grace is a creature ruled by her emotions, whether sympathy for an unsympathetic Woodville or ambivalence toward her husband, who tolerates Grace’s outrageous behavior and her involvement with Perkin Warbeck’s adventures. Smith’s novel is a patchwork of odd pieces, some more carefully stitched than others. Still, that’s the goal of historical novelists, creating plausible scenarios from bits of history, a balance of fact and fiction, in this case the fate of Perkin Warbeck, the Yorkist hope for restoring the throne to York while wreaking revenge on an arrogant Henry Tudor. Luan Gaines/2009.

I have really enjoyed all of Anne Easter Smith’s historical fiction novels. Since reading all three of the books I have gained a much deeper understanding of the Yorks, Lancasters and Tudors. This was a gap in my knowledge of British history so I’m glad I have a better picture in my mind.

Grace Plantagenet is the bastard daughter of Edward Plantagenet and Grace is used as the storyteller for the beginning of the Tudor reign. For most of her life she grew up in the company of her cousins and Edward’s Queen. She is a faithful, gentle and loving daughter to her step mother and they form a close bond. Grace is with her in her final days and promises to find out if one of her sons (the two princes in the tower) is still alive.

This promise puts Grace in conflict with her half sister the Queen as she is married to their families enemy. It even had her banished from court for a few years, causing long separations from her husband who was in the service of the King’s maternal uncle. There is no doubt that this book gives the reader the concept of fear of King Henry VII through Grace’s eyes and a better understanding of why Henry VIII turned out the way he did.

The thing I really liked about reading all three of these books is that they tie into each other, obviously it is the same family but various stories are weaved together to give you a clearer picture and deeper understanding. Although the mystery of the two princes in the tower and what happened to them will, I fear, remain an unsolved historical mystery.

I love historical fiction but I was a bit taken aback by the length of this book. It’s a long but rewarding read built around a little known but real person Grace Plantagenet. Grace is the illegitimate daughter of King Edward IV. The author chose Grace as the central character in the book because little is known about her and this gave license for the author to create a fictional life that intertwined with real events and she did this well. Grace becomes involved in the life of Henry VII and the various pretenders to the throne. The book is a bit wordy but a satisfying read and I learned more about actual historical events than I expected. I highly recommend this book to historical fiction lovers.

Grace Plantagenet, bastard daughter of King Edward IV of England is only mentioned once in history – in a account written first hand about the small party seen escorting the Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s funeral barge. This lack of the Grace’s historical background provides the author, Anne Easter Smith, complete control over her heroine, which is quite unique in a historical fiction novel (if it’s a GOOD historical fiction novel, that is!).

Grace spends the first 11 years of her life in an abbey, when one day Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville summons her to court. England is in much turmoil at this time – King Edward IV is dead and the marriage between he and Elizabeth has been declared invalid and their children made bastards, based on the facts now coming to light of Edward’s previous betrothal. Edward’s brother, King Richard III wears the crown, the two York princes and heirs to the throne are in the tower for “safe keeping” and Henry Tudor is threatening to invade.

When Henry Tudor succeeds with his invasion and King Richard III dies in battle, the Tudor Dynasty is born. Edward and Elizabeth’s daughter, Bess, reluctantly marries the usurper and surprisingly they end up very happy together. They will eventually produce four children: Arthur, Mary, Margaret and the infamous, Henry VIII.

As his hold on the crown is not very secure, Henry is constantly fearful and paranoid. He suspects Elizabeth Woodville of plotting against him and sends her to Bermondsey Abbey. Grace accompanies her out of respect and feelings of gratitude, although she never thought she’d be once again in an abbey. This part was really interesting to me – we get to see a softer side of the formidable Woodville woman and even though she’s every bit of a Royal snob, she is a real human being underneath and I actually grew to like her a bit! The proper and moral Good Queen Bess and her less than moral, impetuous sister, Cecily bring amusing moments to the novel and provide a sense of family among the siblings. Grace is the diplomat between these two very strong personalities.
Stories of a young man calling himself Richard, the lost duke of York, begin reaching England. No one knows what to believe – is it the lost prince or a boatman’s son from Tournai named Perkin Warbeck (sp) pretending to be Richard? And if he is just a boatman’s son, how does he know French & Latin? Grace’s inquisitive nature takes her on a mission to find out the truth – for her and for her family. In the end, nothing is quite what it seemed to be.

Not only is The King’s Grace about the mystery of Perkin Warbeck, but of Grace – a girl who is trying to find her own path in life and the obstacles she overcomes to get there. Sweet natured and one for the underdogs, Grace is a pleasure to read about and I truly enjoyed this story. I’m no expert on The Princes in the Tower, so I can’t really comment on Smith’s explanation of the Perkin/Richard debate, but her conclusion doesn’t seem too out there and was believable for me. And the happy ending was a nice change of pace from your usual historical fiction ending.

Very well written, Anne Easter Smith creates a vivid portrait of 15th century England and all the terrors and wonders that accompanied it. The tale comes full circle, bringing back characters from Smith’s previous two novels centered upon King Edward and his kin. It is at once heartfelt, gruesome, inspiring and frightening.

In 1485, Richard III, having incarcerated his two nephews Edward and Richard in the London Tower a few years earlier, dies in battle. Everyone including their illegitimate half-sister and frequent visitor Grace Plantagenet assumes the young York Princes who vanished were killed by him. Thus Henry of the House of Tudor claims the crown and ends the War of the Roses.

A few years later Perkin Warbeck arrives in London insisting he is the Duke of York, the younger Prince Richard and the rightful King of England, since he also claims his older sibling was killed by their uncle. Though her half-sister is the queen of King Henry VII and she herself is on the outer fringe of the court’s retinue, Grace needs to know the truth whether Perkin is Richard or a ruse set in motion most likely by a bitter desperate Duchess Margaret to put the House of York back on the throne.

Using an ultra minor real person with links to all the major players in the late fifteenth century as an amateur sleuth, Anne Easter Smith provides the audience with a deep look at the fates of the two princes. The story line is driven by the heroine who wants to be truly accepted by her family as she figuratively swims the polluted Thames trying to determine if the claim is genuine. Fans will enjoy her efforts as Ms. Smith brings to life a court loaded down with Machiavellian-like politics and backstabbing while the major players on the English stage are given the minor treatment as support cast.

Harriet Klausner

Ms. Smith has written a very readable book about the York dynasty and the Wars of the Roses. She does not stray from the historical facts, as other writers do at times. Her treatment of the characters is plausible. As is her conclusion about what may have happened to the Princes in the Tower. I enjoyed the book very much.