My Lady Of Cleves: A Novel Of Henry Viii and Anne Of Cleves [Paperback]

 

 

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After I read this author's terrific book on Anne Boleyn, "Brief Gaudy Hour", I knew that I would read more by this excellent author. I was delighted to discover that she had also written a book about another woman who had married King Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves, wife number four. I was fortunate enough to have been able to find a copy of this long out of print book, and I was not disappointed.

This is a wonderful work of historical fiction of one of the lesser known wives of King Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves, who was a young Flemish princess of the Duchy of Cleves. When Jane Seymour, wife number three, died shortly after giving birth to the future King Edward VI of England, counselors to King Henry VIII urged him to marry again for reasons of state. As this vain monarch was by this time a bit of a hard sell, given the fact that his first three wives had died unhappy deaths and he was no longer young, fit and handsome, pickings were slim. His Lord Chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, urged upon him an alliance of political expediency between Cleves and England, in hopes of buttressing England's new found Protestantism, as Cleves was a Lutheran stronghold.

King Henry VIII provisionally agreed, provided that one of the two princesses of Cleves, Anne or Amelia, was to his liking. So, he commissioned renowned court painter, Hans Holbein, to go to Cleves and paint miniatures of these two princesses of Cleves. When Han Holbein arrived in Cleves, he painted miniature portraits of both Anne and Amelia. While Amelia was the more superficially attractive one, Hans Holbein saw something in Anne that transcended physical beauty, and, being the artist that he was, his vision transposed itself onto the miniature portrait that he painted of Anne, creating a portrait of exquisite sweetness. When King Henry VIII saw it, there was no question but that Anne of Cleves would be his fourth wife.

Unfortunately, when they met, Anne did not live up to his expectations, referring to her in pejorative terms as a great "Flanders mare". Anne was on the tall side, a large-boned and buxom woman, while King Henry VIII had a penchant for petite, slender women. Moreover, coming from a strict Lutheran duchy, Anne had none of the expected accomplishments that were de rigueur for the Tudor Court. Anne could not sing, dance, or play a musical instrument, nor was she particularly well educated in scholarly pursuits. Her education had been of a more pedestrian nature and geared to more housewifely pursuits such as the running of a household.

Consequently, Henry and Anne were like oil and vinegar, never really able to come together as one. From then on, Anne's life as Queen of England was to be one of humiliation. Henry made no secret of his dissatisfaction and worked to disengage himself from this marriage, as he liked her not. Although Henry looked to cast Anne aside and had already set his sights on wife number five, the beautiful teenager, Catherine Howard, who was one of Anne's own ladies-in-waiting, Anne continued about her business with dignity. Henry's children loved her, as did many who would come in contact with her, as she had none of the affectations or grasping and jaded behavior associated with those who populated the Tudor Court. She was a straightforward, intelligent, and kindly woman who was not given to being anything other than what she was.

When the issue of divorce reared its ugly head, Anne, ever practical, reluctantly agreed and in return received several estates and palaces, a handsome pension, and the dubious distinction of ever more being known as the King's sister, taking precedence over all except for the King and the King's children, and any future Queen. She would go on to live her own life. Of course, the author gives this story a fresh spin, weaving in a secret attachment that Anne of Cleves and Han Holbein shared for each other. It is this deep and abiding platonic love that would sustain Anne through her deepest and darkest hours in England. The author also gives an eye-opening twist on the post-divorce relationship of Anne and Henry.

This is simply yet another terrific work of historical fiction by this author. She expertly weaves a colorful tapestry of fact and fiction against the backdrop of the splendor of the magnificent Tudor Court, creating a three dimensional story around some of the most interesting personages in history. This book takes the reader on a spellbinding journey through the life of Anne of Cleves. It continues her story through two more wives, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr, and the death of King Henry VIII, whom Anne herself would outlive by about ten years. This is a book that will thoroughly engage and entertain the reader. It is of particular interest since there is a paucity of books on the story of Anne of Cleves. Bravo!

This book is very well written, in accessible yet accurate language for the period the story takes place in..
Although I suspect that the author took many liberties (especially regarding Anne of Cleves' love life), I feel that it gave us a good idea of who she was..
Just please remember that this is an historical novel.. not Wikipedia!
Don't expect to learn dates!
I recommend this book to any Tudor passionate!

I really liked how Anne of Cleves was portrayed in this book! and it proved to be a very enjoyable read. I had to get used to the writing style though, and it took a little longer to get into the book. It proved to be a very interesting read, and I really did like this book.

It's hard not to sympathize with Anne. Practically alone in a country where English is a foreign language, and with different customs and clothing to get used to, I felt really sorry for her in the beginning of the book. When she becomes the target of ridicule, you sympathize with her even more and can't help but feel angry towards Henry and his crew for being so mean. The biggest surprise in this book is her friendship with Thomas Culpepper. I didn't think they'd get along, but I liked their friendship. Also, the Thomas in this book is much nicer than say, The Tudors version. This book painted Culpepper in a rather sympathetic light and it's a whole different version of him than what I am used to, and I like this one much better.

What I enjoyed most about this book is how Anne gracefully became an outsider of the court, to a well beloved one. She gradually warmed characters' hearts and the reader's. She was seen as a person you could approach to, and talk to while she listened and gave good advice. In a way, you could say she would make a wonderful therapist. You could not help but love her up until the end. I especially liked how she managed to get Henry to come crawling back (so to speak). I thought Henry's portrayal here was different, he's still a tyrant, but he's also seen as an old curmudgeon. Perhaps that's what Margaret Campbell Barnes wanted in the first place.

The plot is certainly slow moving and although it's not what you would call a very exciting type of book, I think it's a book meant to be read and appreciated thoroughly and slowly. I believe this book was really meant to really look into Anne as a character and how she develops throughout the story. This book is really all about the characters. Would I recommend this? I would to Tudor history lovers out there. It helps to know the history and to know who's who before getting into this book. Also keep in mind, the writing style is a bit different -I'd say similar to Jean Plaidy's. So, it will take a bit to get used to, but it's well worth the time.

This was one of the better Tudor books I've read, filled with great character development and most importantly, shows some of the characters in a very different light. I definitely recommend this. It was a great read, and reinforces my opinion as Anne of Cleves being one of my favorite Queens (even if she was Queen for a little while).

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5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Tudor read!
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and it is so refreshing to see Anne of Cleves given her just desserts. Read more

Published 20 months ago by shum_gum

5.0 out of 5 stars lucky Anne
This was an excellent book about Anne of Cleves. She was a smart, courageous woman who was lucky to out live such an evil husband as Henry VIII. Read more

Published on Mar 6 2010 by Donna Diogo

5.0 out of 5 stars THE FOURTH WIFE OF HENRY VIII...
After I read this author's terrific book on Anne Boleyn, "Brief Gaudy Hour", I knew that I would read more by this excellent author. Read more

Published on Nov 26 2007 by Lawyeraau

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