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kellygoesgeocaching's review
4.0
I quite enjoyed the audiobook version of this novel, especially the voices performed by the reader (Joanna David, I think). It's a very slowly progressing novel, cruising along and the climax isn't all that thrilling, but the novel did make me think. I've learned the location of the painting that's the cover image of the book and am devastated that I visited the museum and didn't see it!
jmarshall9's review
3.0
Mavis Cheek does a marvellous job at redeeming the long dismissed historical figure of Anna of Cleves. As Flora becomes consumed with Anna of Cleves, the reader alongside Flora discovers that Anna has so much more than the ‘Flanders Mare’. Hilary Mantel’s review of Amenable Women critiques Cheek for pointing out what has long been established, stating that “Cheek is right to point out that the misogyny of historians has informed our view of her. The past 20 years have seen enough feminist reinterpretation to put this right.” Perhaps this is the case for the academic literature, but Anna’s popular image remains as unchanged as ever. Indeed, even in one of my history classes, my professor quickly dismissed Anna as being the “ugly one that Henry divorced” and quickly moved on to his other wives. Excuse me? Clearly a more revised vision of Anna is necessary, and Cheek’s novel is a fantastic way to propagate an alternative view to the wider public.
What I absolutely love is how Cheek can make a depressing event such as a death of a spouse into lighthearted and absolutely hilarious affairs. I never thought I would be amused while reading about someone’s death, but I found myself laughing uncontrollable throughout to the book! In fact, to avoid embarrassment and hostile looks, I’d advise readers to read in a private place where you can giggle unrestrained.
A major flaw of this novel is its characters. Yes, they are amusing, ridiculous, absurd and undeniably entertaining. However, they come across as mere caricatures, not full and complex people. Indeed, the only character with any depth is Anna of Cleves and -at times- Flora, as one would hope since they are the main characters! But the others are completely unrelatable and, quite honestly, unbelievable. Even Flora’s character is a bit farfetched at times; while her thoughts about her husband’s death are amusing, she was often unbelievably aloof. Furthermore, while Flora certainly grew as the novel progressed, becoming stronger and more assertive, I was very disappointed with the lack of resolution at the end (though I will not say why, as it will spoil the ending).
I would recommend Amenable Women to those who are interested in history and would like to learn more about this overlooked Tudor Queen, or to those who want something light and silly to make them laugh.
What I absolutely love is how Cheek can make a depressing event such as a death of a spouse into lighthearted and absolutely hilarious affairs. I never thought I would be amused while reading about someone’s death, but I found myself laughing uncontrollable throughout to the book! In fact, to avoid embarrassment and hostile looks, I’d advise readers to read in a private place where you can giggle unrestrained.
A major flaw of this novel is its characters. Yes, they are amusing, ridiculous, absurd and undeniably entertaining. However, they come across as mere caricatures, not full and complex people. Indeed, the only character with any depth is Anna of Cleves and -at times- Flora, as one would hope since they are the main characters! But the others are completely unrelatable and, quite honestly, unbelievable. Even Flora’s character is a bit farfetched at times; while her thoughts about her husband’s death are amusing, she was often unbelievably aloof. Furthermore, while Flora certainly grew as the novel progressed, becoming stronger and more assertive, I was very disappointed with the lack of resolution at the end (though I will not say why, as it will spoil the ending).
I would recommend Amenable Women to those who are interested in history and would like to learn more about this overlooked Tudor Queen, or to those who want something light and silly to make them laugh.
helenephoebe's review
4.0
Review - I really enjoyed this novel, as I felt that it was a clever mix of trying to discover history while dealing with modern problems. I enjoyed the historical exploration a lot more than Flora's domestic problems, but the mix of the two really seemed to work. It reminded me in a way of [b:The Daughter of Time|77661|The Daughter of Time (Inspector Alan Grant, #5)|Josephine Tey|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394326949s/77661.jpg|3222080] by Josephine Tey, in the way that it mixes the modern with the historical. Well worth a read.
Genre? - Historical / Chic Lit / Drama
Characters? - Anne of Cleves / Flora Chapman / Edward Chapman
Setting? - Hurcott Ducis & London (England) & Paris (France)
Series? - N/A
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 18/20
Genre? - Historical / Chic Lit / Drama
Characters? - Anne of Cleves / Flora Chapman / Edward Chapman
Setting? - Hurcott Ducis & London (England) & Paris (France)
Series? - N/A
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 18/20
goannelies's review
2.0
When Flora Chapman’s husband Edward, one of the town’s most popular men, suddenly dies during a balloon flight, she doesn’t seem to grieve. Flora has always been a plain woman who lived in the shadow of her perfect husband. Between the notes on his desk, she finds an unfinished history project on the manor where they live that leads to Anne Of Cleves. Huscott manor was one of her residences after her divorce from Henry VIII. Flora decides to travel to Paris on her own to visit Anna’s portrait in the Louvre.
I had hoped this book to be an entertaining dual time frame novel. But actually it’s not. The story focuses on Flora who recently became a widow and by accident takes a large interest in the life of Anne Of Cleves. At Huscott manor her husband had found a stone with her date of death carved into it. But no one knows who left this mark 40 years after Anna’s death and why. She decides to leave for Paris to see Anna’s famous Holbein portrait in the Louvre to see for herself if she really was a Flanders’ mare.
There’s a second perspective of Anna her portrait. Yes, at night she awakes and tells her story to other portraits, such as Elizabeth I and Mary De Guise. It says a lot about this book if I tell you that Anna’s perspective was the most interesting part of this book. Too bad, the author didn’t choose for a real 16th century perspective of Anne Of Cleves. The whole portrait thing was a bit too far fetched for my tastes.
The problem with this book is that although Flora is a witty main character, I just didn’t seem to care about her life and problems. I cared even less about all the people in the town. I did find the parallels between Flora’s life and Anna’s not at all that big. And at times Flora and the other characters behaved as toddlers. Flora desperately wants the town’s solicitor to like her and tries to achieve this by out-arguing a museum guide. Her daughter Hilary isn’t any better as she dotes on her deceased father and needs to put him on a display in every sentence she says.
The other thing that really bothered me was the fact that the story tries to contradict the fact that Anne was plain and ugly. That she wasn’t a Flanders’ mare. While at the time some other historical women such as Catherine Parr and Jane Seymour are being called ‘a nursemaid’ and ‘dull’. I’m fine with a bit of feminism, but I don’t like one-sided feminism.
This book is more about the grief of a woman who lived in her husband’s shadow and now tries to find her own place in the sunlight than a historical book. If you love chick-lit or a light novel and you don’t know a lot about The Tudors this book might be something for you. If you’re a history lover like me, I suggest you look elsewhere.
---
Dutch review:
Wanneer Flora's man Edward omkomt bij een ballonvaart, is ze niet verdrietig. Er was nog maar weinig genegenheid tussen haar en haar man. Maar plots wordt ze the talk of the town als blijkt dat Edward er een minnares op nahield. Tussen Edwards notities vindt ze een document over de geschiedenis van hun Hurcott huis en daarin wordt verwezen naar Anne Of Cleves, Henry VIII's vierde vrouw die de geschiedenis inging als de Flander's Mare. In een opwelling trekt Flora naar het Louvre om haar portret te gaan bekijken.
Ik had gehoopt dat dit een fijn twee tijdsframe boek zou zijn, maar dat is het niet. Het verhaal focust op Flora die net weduwe is geworden. Haar man was ontzettend populair in het dorp en plain Flora heeft altijd in zijn schaduw geleefd. Per toeval raakt ze gefascineerd in het levensverhaal van Anne Of Cleves en gaat ze op zoek naar het verhaal achter een steen met haar sterfdatum op die Edward had ontdekt aan hun huis.
Het tweede perspectief is dat van het portret van Anna, dat 's nachts ontwaakt en met andere portretten zoals Elizabeth I praat. Jep, dat klinkt ontzettend banaal en dat is ook. Maar ik vond dit dan nog de interessantste stukken aangezien Anna hier haar verhaal doet.
Want hoewel Flora ontzettend grappig en ironisch is, deed dit boek me niets. De schrijfstijl is gewoon niet goed. Ik kon amper volgen met de intriges in het dorp die me ook niet boeiden. En de parallellen tussen Flora en Anna vond ik met de haren getrokken. Eigenlijk gaat dit boek over rouw en jezelf terugvinden en wordt het historisch verhaal er maar bij getrokken.
Hetgene wat me het meest stoorde is dat Flora zo graag het verhaal van Anna wil rechtzetten, want ze is zo misbegrepen als Flander's Mare, maar tegelijk verwijst ze constant naar Catherine Parr als de verpleegster en ook Catherine Howard (wulps) en Jane Seymour (saai) moeten er aan geloven. Als je zo eenzijdig bent, werkt feminisme voor mij niet.
Ook de scène waarbij Flora absoluut haar gelijk moet halen tov van de museumgids. En dan de dochter Hilary die haar aanbeden vader in elke zin moet kunnen vermelden. Zucht. De kleuterklas was niet ver weg.
Geen aanrader, een soort verdoken chicklit met een plot dat alle kanten opgaat. De revelatie over de steen was ook echt niet de moeite. Jammer.
I had hoped this book to be an entertaining dual time frame novel. But actually it’s not. The story focuses on Flora who recently became a widow and by accident takes a large interest in the life of Anne Of Cleves. At Huscott manor her husband had found a stone with her date of death carved into it. But no one knows who left this mark 40 years after Anna’s death and why. She decides to leave for Paris to see Anna’s famous Holbein portrait in the Louvre to see for herself if she really was a Flanders’ mare.
There’s a second perspective of Anna her portrait. Yes, at night she awakes and tells her story to other portraits, such as Elizabeth I and Mary De Guise. It says a lot about this book if I tell you that Anna’s perspective was the most interesting part of this book. Too bad, the author didn’t choose for a real 16th century perspective of Anne Of Cleves. The whole portrait thing was a bit too far fetched for my tastes.
The problem with this book is that although Flora is a witty main character, I just didn’t seem to care about her life and problems. I cared even less about all the people in the town. I did find the parallels between Flora’s life and Anna’s not at all that big. And at times Flora and the other characters behaved as toddlers. Flora desperately wants the town’s solicitor to like her and tries to achieve this by out-arguing a museum guide. Her daughter Hilary isn’t any better as she dotes on her deceased father and needs to put him on a display in every sentence she says.
The other thing that really bothered me was the fact that the story tries to contradict the fact that Anne was plain and ugly. That she wasn’t a Flanders’ mare. While at the time some other historical women such as Catherine Parr and Jane Seymour are being called ‘a nursemaid’ and ‘dull’. I’m fine with a bit of feminism, but I don’t like one-sided feminism.
This book is more about the grief of a woman who lived in her husband’s shadow and now tries to find her own place in the sunlight than a historical book. If you love chick-lit or a light novel and you don’t know a lot about The Tudors this book might be something for you. If you’re a history lover like me, I suggest you look elsewhere.
---
Dutch review:
Wanneer Flora's man Edward omkomt bij een ballonvaart, is ze niet verdrietig. Er was nog maar weinig genegenheid tussen haar en haar man. Maar plots wordt ze the talk of the town als blijkt dat Edward er een minnares op nahield. Tussen Edwards notities vindt ze een document over de geschiedenis van hun Hurcott huis en daarin wordt verwezen naar Anne Of Cleves, Henry VIII's vierde vrouw die de geschiedenis inging als de Flander's Mare. In een opwelling trekt Flora naar het Louvre om haar portret te gaan bekijken.
Ik had gehoopt dat dit een fijn twee tijdsframe boek zou zijn, maar dat is het niet. Het verhaal focust op Flora die net weduwe is geworden. Haar man was ontzettend populair in het dorp en plain Flora heeft altijd in zijn schaduw geleefd. Per toeval raakt ze gefascineerd in het levensverhaal van Anne Of Cleves en gaat ze op zoek naar het verhaal achter een steen met haar sterfdatum op die Edward had ontdekt aan hun huis.
Het tweede perspectief is dat van het portret van Anna, dat 's nachts ontwaakt en met andere portretten zoals Elizabeth I praat. Jep, dat klinkt ontzettend banaal en dat is ook. Maar ik vond dit dan nog de interessantste stukken aangezien Anna hier haar verhaal doet.
Want hoewel Flora ontzettend grappig en ironisch is, deed dit boek me niets. De schrijfstijl is gewoon niet goed. Ik kon amper volgen met de intriges in het dorp die me ook niet boeiden. En de parallellen tussen Flora en Anna vond ik met de haren getrokken. Eigenlijk gaat dit boek over rouw en jezelf terugvinden en wordt het historisch verhaal er maar bij getrokken.
Hetgene wat me het meest stoorde is dat Flora zo graag het verhaal van Anna wil rechtzetten, want ze is zo misbegrepen als Flander's Mare, maar tegelijk verwijst ze constant naar Catherine Parr als de verpleegster en ook Catherine Howard (wulps) en Jane Seymour (saai) moeten er aan geloven. Als je zo eenzijdig bent, werkt feminisme voor mij niet.
Ook de scène waarbij Flora absoluut haar gelijk moet halen tov van de museumgids. En dan de dochter Hilary die haar aanbeden vader in elke zin moet kunnen vermelden. Zucht. De kleuterklas was niet ver weg.
Geen aanrader, een soort verdoken chicklit met een plot dat alle kanten opgaat. De revelatie over de steen was ook echt niet de moeite. Jammer.
tharina's review
3.0
Amenable Women is the first book from Mavis Cheek that I read and then only because Anne of Cleves is intriguing. I was surprised by the warmth of the book; while there is a strong focus on the modern character, there is enough about Anne of Cleves to satisfy fans of historical fiction. I'd definitely recommend this book.
backpackfullofbooks's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Amenable Women by Mavis Cheek
~
“A Flanders Mare and a Bun Face. Certainly if she and Flora sat together across a bottle of Chardonnay they would have quite a lot to talk about.”
“For all he threw a pope over his shoulder and defied an Emperor, it is Henry’s love life, his sex life that holds an endless fascination.”
“Life after the divorce was a delight.”
~
When Flora Chapmans overbearing husband dies she finds a new lease of life. Far from being the grief stricken widow that the inhabitants of her village expect she feels released from her husbands repressive and dismissive attitude towards her.
As a way to fill her time she decides to work on the history of the village that her husband started writing, which was her idea in the first place. She soon discards the original droning manuscript and decides to focus on Anne of Cleaves (the fourth wife of Henry the 8th) who at one point lived near the village.
Feeling a kinship with Anne as a fellow plain and amenable woman Flora decides to try and dispel unkind and inaccurate myths around Anne which are largely routed in men’s superficial ideas. Anne is described as being too ugly for the king (who was no oil painting himself at this point) and being stupid (despite negotiating herself into becoming one of the richest women in England)
~
It took me a while to get into this book but once I did I enjoyed it.
Originally I thought that Flora was being harsh about her husband but after page forty I was wondering why she didn’t divorce him (who thinks it is acceptable to call their wife bun face???).
There are a few sections from Anne’s perspective which where a little weird but I really enjoyed them.
I’m not sure about the historical accuracy of every element but certainly an enjoyable read.
~
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys village drama and has a passing interest in the wives of Henry the 8th.
~
“A Flanders Mare and a Bun Face. Certainly if she and Flora sat together across a bottle of Chardonnay they would have quite a lot to talk about.”
“For all he threw a pope over his shoulder and defied an Emperor, it is Henry’s love life, his sex life that holds an endless fascination.”
“Life after the divorce was a delight.”
~
When Flora Chapmans overbearing husband dies she finds a new lease of life. Far from being the grief stricken widow that the inhabitants of her village expect she feels released from her husbands repressive and dismissive attitude towards her.
As a way to fill her time she decides to work on the history of the village that her husband started writing, which was her idea in the first place. She soon discards the original droning manuscript and decides to focus on Anne of Cleaves (the fourth wife of Henry the 8th) who at one point lived near the village.
Feeling a kinship with Anne as a fellow plain and amenable woman Flora decides to try and dispel unkind and inaccurate myths around Anne which are largely routed in men’s superficial ideas. Anne is described as being too ugly for the king (who was no oil painting himself at this point) and being stupid (despite negotiating herself into becoming one of the richest women in England)
~
It took me a while to get into this book but once I did I enjoyed it.
Originally I thought that Flora was being harsh about her husband but after page forty I was wondering why she didn’t divorce him (who thinks it is acceptable to call their wife bun face???).
There are a few sections from Anne’s perspective which where a little weird but I really enjoyed them.
I’m not sure about the historical accuracy of every element but certainly an enjoyable read.
~
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys village drama and has a passing interest in the wives of Henry the 8th.
emjayae149's review
3.0
Did I enjoy AMENABLE WOMEN? Overall, yes. The writing was engaging and the pacing, while sedate, suited the characters' (Flora and Anna) story.
I particularly enjoyed dipping into the life of Anna of Cleves and learning about her from her own perspective. The author uses this wonderful technique of having Anna, and some of her contemporaries living in the picture frames that house their likeness. When in public view, they hear all that is said about them. When alone, they come alive and talk.
My frustration with this story lies with Flora and the choices she makes. 340-odd pages later, and I felt Flora had only convinced herself she had moved on and made peace with her life. The book refers to this a couple of times as displaying dignity. To me, there is no dignity in self-delusion.
And there's my conundrum: how to reconcile myself to a sympathetic character who I feel did not live up to potential. I do not regret reading this book but I am unsure if I would recommend it.
I particularly enjoyed dipping into the life of Anna of Cleves and learning about her from her own perspective. The author uses this wonderful technique of having Anna, and some of her contemporaries living in the picture frames that house their likeness. When in public view, they hear all that is said about them. When alone, they come alive and talk.
My frustration with this story lies with Flora and the choices she makes. 340-odd pages later, and I felt Flora had only convinced herself she had moved on and made peace with her life. The book refers to this a couple of times as displaying dignity. To me, there is no dignity in self-delusion.
And there's my conundrum: how to reconcile myself to a sympathetic character who I feel did not live up to potential. I do not regret reading this book but I am unsure if I would recommend it.
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