Tag: Tudor

Book Review: “Fool” by Mary Lawrence

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Being a fool in any royal court can be dangerous, but being a fool in the court in King Henry VIII’s court could be deadly. While you could enjoy performing for royalty, you could also learn secrets about those close to the throne, secrets that have deadly consequences. Kronos knows this all too well. Born disabled, Kronos must navigate his way through prejudice to find his place in society. How did Kronos become the fool to King Henry VIII, and what secret threatens his life? Mary Lawrence explores what life must have been like for a fool in the tumultuous court of Henry VIII in her novel, “Fool.”

I would like to thank Red Puddle Print and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I have read a few novels that have featured Henry VIII’s most famous fool, Will Somers, so when I saw the premise for this novel, it intrigued me. I like looking at the court of Henry VIII through the eyes of those who might have worked behind the scenes.

Kronos was not an actual fool of Henry VIII’s court, but his story reflects how real fools like Will Somers, Patch, and Jane the Fool must have felt dealing with prejudices at court. Kronos was born with dwarfism and was dropped off at Thetford Priory, where the brothers raised him. At the Priory, he learns medicine from Brother Ulric. Kronos also picks up the skill of juggling, which will become his skill when he becomes a fool. He is satisfied with not becoming a novice for a while, and then he meets Bess Holland, a young noblewoman whom he helps heal from an illness. Kronos becomes infatuated with the young noblewoman, which was a little weird to read at times.

After an incident at the Priory with a maid, Kronos leaves the Priory and begins to look for his own place in the world. He joins a travelling circus troupe, where he becomes a better juggler. He gains a reputation that lands him in the court of Henry VIII, but it is not all glitz and glam. Kronos soon learns that keeping a secret will have deadly consequences. Kronos is maimed, on the brink of death, but although he is brought to an apothecary, he soon learns that his rescuers may have darker plans for the fool.

Overall, I thought this was a decent novel. There was something about Kronos that made it hard for me to connect with him. I think the novel was well written and understood the Tudor world pretty well. If you want a darker look at what life was like for a fool in the court of King Henry VIII, I think you should check out “Fool” by Mary Lawrence.

Book Review: “The Boleyn Curse” by Alexandra Walsh

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The court of Henry VIII was a treacherous place for anyone, but especially for the Boleyn family. We all know the stories of Anne, Mary, George, and Thomas, but one figure from this illustrious family does not get enough attention: Elizabeth Boleyn, the mother of Anne, Mary, and George. What was her relationship like with her family, her husband, and most importantly, King Henry VIII? And what does a Chaucer manuscript recently discovered at Cerensthorpe Abbey have to do with Elizabeth and the Boleyns? Alxandra Walsh explores the life of Elizabeth Boleyn and the mystery of the missing Chaucer in her latest dual-timeline novel, “The Boleyn Curse.”

I would like to thank Boldwood Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I enjoy a good dual-timeline novel, and when I saw that this one also featured Elizabeth Boleyn as the main character, I was intrigued. Elizabeth Boleyn has not been the focus of novels of the Boleyn family that I have read, so I was interested to see how her story would translate into historical fiction.

Since this is a dual timeline novel, there are two main timelines. We get to explore the Tudor period with Elizabeth Boleyn and the modern day with Tabitha Mundy, the archivist of Cerensthorpe Abbey. We begin with the modern storyline and Tabitha, who is employed by the owner of Cerensthorpe Abbey, Edith Swanne, to archive the entire estate. Tabitha is dealing with the death of her husband, Blake, when she meets Edith’s nephew and heir to the estate, Gulliver. Edith gives Tabitha the task of finding a missing Chaucer manuscript by decoding clues left behind in a journal from the 1900s. The journey to the missing manuscript holds a connection to Elizabeth Boleyn and the curse upon the family.

We also jump back to the life of Elizabeth Boleyn, who was Elizabeth Howard when the audience is introduced to her in 1485. Her father was arrested by the new King Henry VII for supporting King Richard III, but eventually the family rebuilt their reputation. Elizabeth falls in love with Thomas Boleyn and joins the glittery court of King Henry VIII, where she catches the eye of Henry VIII himself. Elizabeth fights for her family and the love of her husband, even if it means making an enemy of the crown itself.

I think this was a decent novel, even though it explored my least favorite rumor about the Boleyn family. I also thought the diary entries were a bit distracting from the rest of the narratives, a case of too many stories going on at once. Overall, I did enjoy this book. If you want a novel that is a dual timeline or a novel that features Elizabeth Boleyn, you should check out “The Boleyn Curse” by Alexandra Walsh.

Book Review: “Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn” by Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey

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Have you ever stared at a portrait of a historical figure and wondered if that’s what they really looked like? Anne Boleyn is one of the most famous queens in all of English history. Her image of a woman with dark hair, wearing a dark gown with a French hood, and a B initial necklace. For many people, this is what Anne Boleyn looked like, but is that accurate? What did Anne Boleyn look like, and why does it matter? The most recent exhibit at Hever Castle explores these questions, and the book that accompanies this exhibit goes deeper into the research behind this exhibit. The book shares the same name as the exhibit, “Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn” by Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey.

I would like to thank Owen Emmerson for sending me a copy of this book. I have been interested in this exhibit ever since it was announced that Dr. Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey were researching portraits of Anne Boleyn. Since I could not visit the exhibit in person, I really wanted a copy of this companion book as a way to support the research that is ongoing at Hever Castle.

So how can we possibly understand what a woman who lived over 500 years ago looked like? Well, to begin with, we need to examine how her daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, brought her mother’s name and figure out of obscurity to solidify her own legitimacy as Queen of England. We get an exploration of corridor portraits and the famous Chequers Ring to show how the Elizabethans remembered Anne Boleyn. The book then moves to the term damnatio memoriae, which was a Roman practice to eliminate someone’s name and images from history. In the case of Anne Boleyn, her image and name were not eliminated, and in fact, we do have a few artifacts that survived to the modern day, including some that were recently discovered, and her personal books.

Now, we come to the main topic of the exhibition, what Anne Boleyn looked like. We get to examine physical descriptions of Anne, including her hair color, which might surprise people. We also get a glimpse of how Anne’s European education shaped her time as queen consort. Finally, Emmerson and McCaffrey give their readers a deep dive into contemporary portraits of Anne, what messages the portraits tell, and how the image of Anne transformed over the centuries through different media. This includes an in-depth analysis of the Hever Rose portrait, which is one of the most famous portraits of Anne Boleyn, that recently underwent more scientific research.

I loved this book so much. I learned a great deal from this book, and I am sure the exhibit is fabulous in person. The amount of research that went into this exhibit and this book was extraordinary, and I applaud the respect that they gave to those historians who came before in this field of research. If you are a Tudor nerd or an Anne Boleyn fan, the new exhibit at Hever Castle is a must-see exhibit, and “Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn” by Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey is a book you must read.

Book Review: “To Shield the Queen” by Fiona Buckley

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Queen Elizabeth I has a not-so-secret infatuation with her Master of the Horse, Robert Dudley. However, there is a problem. Dudley is married to Amy Robsart Dudley, a woman who is extremely ill. She suspects that her husband wants her dead, so Elizabeth sends one of her servants, Ursula Blanchard, to reassure Amy. However, disaster strikes, and it is up to Ursula to figure out what happened to Amy Dudley and foil a plot against the queen. Can Ursula solve the case, or will she be forced to lose those she holds dear for the sake of the queen? Fiona Buckley introduces Ursula Blanchard and her Tudor world to the modern audience in her first book in the Ursula Blanchard Mystery series, “To Shield the Queen.”

This is the second book that I have read in the Ursula Blanchard series. The first book I read was book 19 in the series, “Forest of Secrets.” I thought that book was pretty good, but when I saw this one at a used bookstore, I decided to start the series from the beginning.

We begin with Ursula Blanchard being invited to the court of Elizabeth I. We find out that Ursula is the mother of a young daughter whose husband, Gerald Gresham, recently died. Ursula was never supposed to marry Gerald and has now become the social outcast of her family. She decides that she will follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Lady of the Presence Chamber. It is not a lucrative position, that is, until Ursula has a meeting with Queen Elizabeth and Robert Dudley.

Dudley wants Ursula to keep an eye on his ailing wife, Amy, who believes that her husband is plotting to have her killed. Ursula agrees and goes to Cumnor Place. While she is helping Amy, someone killed one of Ursula’s servants, and a potential suitor pops up for Ursula named Matthew de la Roche. When Amy is found at the bottom of a staircase, dead, Ursula must solve both cases while dealing with her suitor and dealing with her demanding family that abandoned her after her marriage to Gerald. Ursula must balance being a lady of the court with being an investigator, a woman in love, and a mother.

Overall, this was an okay introductory novel, but it didn’t wow me. I felt like the Amy storyline was pushed aside for other storylines, which was a bit frustrating. Other than the few historical figures and the aspect of Catholics vs Protestants, it again felt like you could put this novel in any period. If you want a Tudor mystery series, you might want to check out the Ursula Blanchard series and “To Shield the Queen” by Fiona Buckley.

Book Review: “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols” by Jessica Carey-Bunning

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The wives of Henry VIII have been an area of fascination for history nerds and novices alike for centuries. We all know the stories of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Kateryn Parr. However, these stories only offer a glimpse at the lives of these women. They follow the more traditional studies of the Tudor queens, but what happens if we take a more revisionist approach to their lives? What can we learn about these women besides their crowns and who they all married? There is more to their stories, like the minute details that Jessica Carey-Bunning explores in her book, “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols.”

 

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am always looking for a new approach to the Tudor queens. So when I saw that it was a book featuring all six wives with a promised fresh perspective, I decided to give it a chance. 

 

Carey-Bunning has taken a different approach to these six remarkable women. Instead of a biography about their lives, she has chosen to highlight aspects of their lives. We, of course, go in chronological order, starting with Catherine of Aragon. With Catherine, we examine why she was named Catherine and its significance in her family, as well as her finances as the widow of Arthur, and extended through her annulment. We then moved to Anne Boleyn and explored her role in the Chateau Vert pagent as well as her looks, either with the English gable hood or the French hood, and she includes the latest research into what Anne might have looked like. After Anne, we transition to Jane Seymour, to her stance on matters of faith and whether or not she was a popular queen. 

 

Anna of Cleves may have had the shortest reign of all the queens, but it is her education and her faith that Carey-Bunning explores in her section. Katherine Howard also had one of the shortest reigns of any of Henry’s wives, but for different reasons than Anna of Cleves. With Katherine, we explore exactly what kind of influence the young queen had and her connection to her infamous cousin Anne Boleyn. Finally, we examine Kateryn Parr, the 17th century’s fascination with the queen, and the tale of her almost arrest over religious matters. 

 

I found this book refreshing with the new approach to the wives of Henry VIII. I learned new aspects of the queens, which was very nice. Carey-Bunning combined an easy-to-follow writing style with innovative research to give her readers a different way to look at the Tudor wives. If you want to learn something new about the Tudor queens, I think you will enjoy “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols,” by Jessica Carey-Bunning.

Book Review: “The Tudor Theatre: 1576-1642” by Nicholas Fogg

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When we think about the world of the Tudor theatre, we often think about the greatest playwrights of the age. Kit Marlowe, Ben Jonson, Thomas Kyd, and of course, William Shakespeare. We think of the Globe Theatre and the grand plays and masques that were performed for the rich and the poor alike. But this is only a small glimpse into the world of the Tudor theatre scene. Nicholas Fogg explores the beginnings and the end of this period in theatrical history in his book, “The Tudor Theatre: 1576-1642.”

I would like to thank Pen & Sword Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. I am not very well-versed in theatre history, so I was hoping for something that would be easy for me to follow along, yet also very informative.

Fogg begins in the year 1576 with the opening of The Theatre, which was a passion project of James Burbage. It was the first location dedicated solely to plays and acting, but it will not be the last. Over sixty years, we see the explosion of the theatrical arts from the great playwrights to lesser-known figures. Fogg takes the time to analyze the popular plays and those that don’t get enough attention. We also get to see how politics, the Puritans, and the plague affected the theatre scene. We witness the rise and fall of actors, playwrights, and theatres until the Puritans finally decided to close theatres for good in 1642, once the Stuarts fell for a time.

Fogg is an expert in this field of study, and he shows it on each page, but sometimes, as a novice, I felt a bit lost. The amount of information in this book was a bit overwhelming for someone like me, who is not too familiar with the theatre world. However, if you are someone who loves the Tudor theatre and wants an in-depth look at this period of theatrical history, you might enjoy “The Tudor Theatre: 1576-1642” by Nicholas Fogg.

Book Review: “Devil’s Gambit” by Jeri Westerson

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The year is 1540, and King Henry VIII is looking for a wife. He has been a widower for over three years, and his councilor Thomas Cromwell believes that a foreign alliance will be the best path forward for England, so he arranges a marriage between Henry and Anne of Cleves. In theory, it should be a good match, but it falls apart quickly. To top it all off, one of Anne of Cleves’ Maid of Honour brought her own drama to court that ended with a murder. Can Will Somers, the King’s Fool, navigate the drama at court while dealing with his own love life, or will the mystery of the missing body prove too much for him to handle? This is the premise of the next book in the King’s Fool Mysteries series called “Devil’s Gambit.”

I would like to thank Old London Press and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I enjoyed the previous books in this series that I have read, so I wanted to see what would happen next for Will Somers.

We begin with the disastrous first meeting between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves before their wedding. Since Anne did not understand English or English customs, she was confused. Henry wanted to send her away immediately, but Will convinced Henry to become friends with Anne. At the same time, Will is introduced to Anne’s Maid of Honour, Margaret Loy, a German woman who has fallen in love with an English gentleman. However, the gentleman’s father does not approve of the match.

Things take a drastic turn when Lord Humphrey, the gentleman’s father, is found dead in Margaret’s chamber. The only person for the case is, of course, Henry’s jester Will Somers, but as soon as he starts the case, the body goes missing. To top it all off, Will is dealing with his relationships with his wife Marion and his lover Sir Nicholas Pachett Lord Hammond. Sir Nicholas has recently gotten married and is now asking Will for help in his marriage. Talk about an awkward situation. Will must choose who he truly loves, while giving relationship advice to the King, helping Anne navigate the English court, and solving a murder mystery.

While I did think the relationship exploits of Will Somers did take up a bit too much of this book and took away from the mystery itself, I think it was a decent novel. If you are a fan of the previous novels in the King’s Fool Mysteries, you will enjoy “Devil’s Gambit” by Jeri Westerson.

Book Review: “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens” by Nicola Clark

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When we think about queens of the Tudor dynasties, we often think about films and dramas that show the queen with a gaggle of girls following behind, gossiping, and just being best friends with their queen. However, things on TV and on the screen are not always truthful. The ladies-in-waiting during the Tudor dynasty lived on a tightrope on whether to live their truths or to stay neutral and silent. For centuries, these women tended to be in the shadows of those whom they served, until now. Nicola Clark, in her debut book, “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens,” tells the stories of these hidden figures of Tudor history.

I have been following Nicola Clark on social media and her research. When I heard that she was writing a book about the ladies-in-waiting for the Tudor queens, I was intrigued. I wanted to see what new information Clark could provide to the study of the Tudor court.

Clark has decided to focus on the ladies-in-waiting during the reign of the six wives of Henry VIII. While there were numerous ladies-in-waiting during Henry’s 36-year reign, Clark has made a conscious decision to focus on a select few of the women who served. She has chosen seven women to highlight: Maria de Salinas, Lady Willoughby, Elizabeth Stafford, Duchess of Norfolk, Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, Gertrude Blount, Marchioness of Exeter, Jane Parker, Viscountess Rochford, Anne Basset, and Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk. Some of these figures, such as Maria de Salinas, Jane Parker, and Katherine Willoughby, are relatively familiar to average Tudor fans; however, including other women from different levels of service, from novices to more experienced ladies, adds depth to this area of study.

Clark shows us as readers what life was like for a lady-in-waiting, what they would deal with daily at court, and how, after they got married, home life was like. We get to see how they navigated an ever-changing world, from switching between queens quickly to figuring out what they were willing to sacrifice for their position and their families, as well as discovering whether their faith was strong enough to survive the dynasty. It was all a matter of time and patience.

 I found this an enjoyable read with stories about women who were often on the sidelines. Clark shed light on more obscure Tudors, and I think it gave more dimension to the tumultuous Tudor court. I am curious what Clark will write about next. If you want to learn more about the ladies-in-waiting for the wives of Henry VIII, I recommend you read “The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens” by Nicola Clark.

Book Review: “The Thistle and The Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor” by Linda Porter

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The Tudors have been an area of fascination for historians and history nerds alike for centuries. The attention tends to focus on either Henry VIII and his six wives or his daughter, Elizabeth I, but we need to remember that they were not the only Tudors. In fact, we should remember that Henry VIII had siblings, Arthur, Margaret, and Mary. While Arthur and Mary tend to get more attention due to their proximity to Henry VIII and his marital life, Margaret Tudor had her own eventful life as Queen of Scotland and the mother of King James V. Linda Porter tells Margaret’s story in her latest biography, “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor.”

I had heard that Porter was writing a new biography about Margaret Tudor, so I knew I wanted to read it. I have read a few books about Margaret Tudor, but they have been relatively short, so I wanted to see what new information Porter would include in this book.

Margaret Tudor was the second child of King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York. As such, she was destined to marry a foreign prince and create a strong alliance for the brand-new Tudor dynasty. Since her brother Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, Margaret’s parents chose a match with Scotland and King James IV, who was twice the age of Margaret. As Queen of Scotland, Margaret did her best to bridge the gap between England and Scotland, deal with her husband’s mistresses and illegitimate children, and be a mother to her son, King James V.

Everything changed when James IV died at the Battle of Flodden. Margaret was now a widow and regent for the young King James V. To protect her family, Margaret decided to marry Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, which turned out to be a trainwreck. Although Archibald did give Margaret her daughter, Margaret Douglas, he was stealing from Margaret’s own properties, which was a jerk move. Margaret wanted a divorce, but her dear brother Henry VIII was against the idea. A bit hypocritical, especially since he would divorce Catherine of Aragon a few years later. Eventually, Margaret would divorce Archibald and marry a third time to Henry Stewart, Lord Methven.

Throughout history, Margaret Tudor has been viewed negatively because she married Archibald so quickly, but Porter showed that Margaret should be applauded for how she survived during difficult circumstances. She fought for herself and her children, even if it meant that she was at odds with her husbands or her brother. Through her letters, we see how Margaret was a diplomat trying to make peace between England and Scotland.

Porter does an excellent job telling Margaret’s story in a respectful manner. This book is extremely well researched and easy to read. If you are a Tudor fan and you want to learn more about Henry VIII’s sister Margaret Tudor, I highly recommend you read “The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor” by Linda Porter.

Book Review: “The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty” by Tracy Borman

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It is March 1603, and the Virgin Queen is dying. She has no children to inherit her throne directly, so she must choose a successor. She chooses the son of Mary Queen of Scots, the queen who had been executed a few years before. James VI of Scotland will become James I of England, but was it as easy as William Camden makes it in his account? What does a recent discovery about Camden’s original manuscript of Annales tell us about James’ succession to the throne of England? Tracy explores the messy conflict to find an heir to the English throne in her latest book, “The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty.”

I would like to thank Grove Atlantic and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have been a fan of Tracy Borman’s books for a few years now because of how she is able to present new information about stories from the past that I already know and give them a fresh look. When I heard that James might have stolen the crown from Elizabeth I, that thought intrigued me so much that I knew I wanted to read this book.

So how did the Stuarts come into power, and why did Elizabeth have James as her successor? To understand that question, we have to explore briefly the origins of the Tudor dynasty and how Elizabeth I came to the throne. After we are firmly established in the reign of Elizabeth I, Borman goes through why Elizabeth needed to elect a successor and the nominees. Those up for Elizabeth’s throne were: James VI, Arbella Stuart, Lady Katherine Grey, Mary Grey, and Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon. We get to see how Elizabeth handled each of her potential choices as the next ruler of England, but the two that are highlighted significantly in this book are Arbella Stuart, the daughter of Charles Stuart, 5th Earl of Lennox, and Elizabeth Cavendish, and the man who would become King James VI of Scotland.

Borman shows her readers the complex relationship between Elizabeth and James, a tumultuous relationship, especially after the death of James’ mother, Mary Queen of Scots. It was not the most cordial relationship that has been shown in history, including the Annales written by William Camden. However, due to extraordinary research that was revealed in 2023, it was shown that Camden’s writing had serious revisions to paint James in a better light during the fight for succession. In fact, there were attempts on Elizabeth’s life that James knew about, including one incident where he might have been directly involved. Just because James became King of England after Elizabeth’s death does not mean that he had an easier time in England. In fact, the Stuarts lasted less than a hundred years before the monarchy was dissolved with the execution of James’s son Charles I in 1649.

This is another spectacular book by Borman, one that changed how I viewed the relationship between Elizabeth and James in the final years. It reads like a political thriller and offers a deeper appreciation for Elizabeth’s fight for the English throne, while also highlighting how the Stuarts employed similar tactics to the Tudors in securing their right to rule England. Suppose you want an extremely well-researched book that provides great insight into the end of Elizabeth’s reign and provides new information about this period. In that case, I highly recommend you read “The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty” by Tracy Borman.