Perfect for anyone fascinated by the Royal Wedding, Netflix's The Crown, or Wolf Hall, this is a pitch-perfect reimagining of the romance and tragedy of Henry VIII and his six wives, told from multiple points of view by some of your favorite authors.
If you were one of King Henry VIII's six wives, who would you be? Would you be Anne Boleyn, who literally lost her head? Would you be the subject of rumor and scandal like Catherine Howard? Or would you get away and survive like Anna of Cleves?
Meet them and Henry's other queens--each bound for divorce or death--in this epic and thrilling novel that reads like fantasy but really happened. Watch spellbound as each of these women attempts to survive their unpredictable king as he grows more and more obsessed with producing a male heir. And discover how the power-hungry court fanned the flames of Henry's passions . . . and his most horrible impulses.
Whether you're a huge fan of all things Tudor or new to this jaw-dropping saga, you won't be able to get the unique voices of Henry and his wives--all brought to life by seven award-winning and bestselling authors--out of your head.
This is an intimate look at the royals during one of the most treacherous times in history. Who will you root for and who will you love to hate?
ONE OF THE NYPL TOP TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
"Ambitious and exciting." --Bustle
"A clever, feminist reimagining of one of English history's most fascinating moments." --Refinery29
"These stories of love, lust, power and intrigue never fail to fascinate." --Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
Who's Who:
M. T. Anderson - Henry VIII
Candace Fleming - Katharine of Aragon, wife #1
Stephanie Hemphill - Anne Boleyn, wife #2
Lisa Ann Sandell - Jane Seymour, wife #3
Jennifer Donnelly - Anna of Cleves, wife #4
Linda Sue Park - Catherine Howard, wife #5
Deborah Hopkinson - Kateryn Parr, wife #6
Wow, I had no idea how much I would freaking love reading about Henry VIII's wives, their struggles, and his deplorable behavior. I cheered for the women, whose lives were often hell, and I jeered Henry at every turn (seriously, most of my Kindle notes are along the lines of "why is he the actual worst?" and "who let this asshole rule a country, should have shot him instead"). And it is a sadly accurate portrayal of the awfulness that all women have been dealing with since literally forever.
First, it was freaking genius to have a different author for every queen (and Henry!), because the voices felt so very unique. Each queen was, quite literally, her own woman even in the book, and it really showed. The voices all were really well done too, each seeming quite appropriate for each queen's personality. And Henry, too- even though I loathed him at every turn, his chapters were still compelling to read.
Basically, I never wanted this book to end. Which I haven't felt about a book in a long time. It's also incredibly well researched, as I found myself down a very lengthly Henry-related Wikipedia rabbit hole after finishing the book. The authors had me so completely enamored with each queen that I found myself wanting to know about everything.
It was certainly not easy to read, as you can imagine. The time period was hell, obviously, and people died on the regular, even if Henry didn't have them killed. Reading of the deaths of the queens' children was probably the hardest part. These women were, by and large, so young, and dealt with so much trauma. But their strength was incredible, and worth every page.
Bottom Line: If you have any interest in this topic or historical fiction at all, read this book. It is one of my all-time favorites, both entertaining and informative.
