Reviews tagging 'War'

Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All by Candace Fleming, Stephanie Hemphill, M.T. Anderson

1 review

bookish_esquire's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25



It’s refreshing to read a historical fiction novel set during the Tudor era that doesn’t play to the beliefs that Anne Boleyn actually had multiple affairs during her marriage to King Henry VIII (including an incestious affair with her own brother, George Boleyn).  

Rather, it portrays the reason for Anne’s demise that we all believe most likely really was:  Anne hadn’t given Henry a son and had multiple miscarriages, she was in her 30’s with little time left ticking on her biological clock, Henry was petulantly impatient about having a male heir, and Henry had a wandering eye and insatiable appetite for the ladies.  

I also appreciated a more intimate look into Anna of Cleves, as we don’t see as much focus on her in historical fiction as much as the other five wives.  As history (both fictional and nonfictional) has shown, out of all six Tudor wives, Anna of Cleves was certainly the lucky one!

I’m only giving 4.25 stars simply because the rest of the women’s stories, as well as the ending, were closely aligned with the storyline in the television period drama series, “The Tudors.”

However (in fairness), there’s likely  little to no other information about the lives, tales, and relationships of King Henry VIII and his six queens to be found and written about.  

“Divorced, beheaded, died.  Divorced, beheaded, survived.”

Very well done book and presented in a captivating manner.  
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