annieb123's Review of Henry VIII’s True Daughter

by Wendy J Dunn

The lives of Tudor women often offer faint but fascinating footnotes on the pages of history. The life of Catherine – or Katryn as her husband would one day pen her name – Carey, the daughter of Mary Boleyn and, as the weight of evidence suggests, Henry VIII, is one of those footnotes.

As the possible daughter of Henry VIII, the niece of Anne Boleyn and the favourite of Elizabeth I, Catherine’s life offers us a unique perspective on the reigns of Henry and his children. In this book, Wendy J. Dunn takes these brief details of Catherine’s life and turns them into a rich account of a woman who deserves her story told. Following the faint trail provided of her life from her earliest years to her death in service to Queen Elizabeth, Dunn examines the evidence of Catherine’s parentage and views her world through the lens of her relationship with the royal family she served.

This book presents an important story of a woman who saw and experienced much tragedy and political turmoil during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I – all of which prepared her to take on the vital role of one of Elizabeth I closest and most trusted women. It also prepared her to become the wife of one of Elizabeth's privy councillors – a man also trusted and relied on by the queen. Catherine served Elizabeth during the uncertain and challenging first years of her reign, a time when there was a question mark over whether she would succeed as queen regnant after the failures of England's first crowned regnant, her sister Mary.

Through immense research and placing her in the context of her period, HENRY VIII’S TRUE DAUGHTER: CATHERINE CAREY, A TUDOR LIFE draws Catherine out of the shadows of history to take her true place as the daughter of Henry VIII and shows how vital women like Catherine were to Elizabeth and the ultimate victory of her reign.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life is a layman accessible, well annotated and fascinating story of one of Henry VIII's potential illegitimate offspring, who was the niece of Anne Boleyn (his 2nd wife) by Anne's sister, Mary Boleyn. Due out 1st Feb 2024 in the USA from Pen & Sword, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

The author, Dr. Wendy J. Dunn, is also a gifted and prolific writer of fiction, and the prose in this volume is more lyrical and flows better than the average pure (dry) academic history. The subject, Catherine (Katryn) Carey won't be familiar to many readers, but there is credible historical evidence to suggest that she really was Henry VIII's daughter, and spent time at court with her ill-fated aunt. This is where the author's adeptness comes through, instead of just a dry recitation of dates and names, she manages to bring the actors to life for modern readers.

Like fiction, there's pathos, and drama, and danger, documented 500 years ago and rendered into a comprehensible story; but in this case it's true, to the best of the historical records from the time period. One of the strongest features of the book is the story of the daily life and how it was to live at court with the intrigues and dangers that entailed. It's rich in detail, and the author is adept at collating it into a readable whole.

Four and a half stars. Well annotated throughout, the historical notes and references will provide hours of additional reading. Recommended for public and school library acquisition, home reference, gift giving, and for fans of history/historical re-enactors/SCAdians.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

20 January, 2024: Started reading

20 January, 2024: Finished reading

20 January, 2024: Reviewed