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My Lady of Cleves: A Novel of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves by Margaret Campbell Barnes
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Review

"Fascinating." -- The Sunday Times

"One of the most distinguished of English women novelists." -- The Daily Telegraph

Product Description

Acclaimed and beloved historical novelist Norah Lofts brings to life the danger, romance, and intrigue of the Tudor court that forever altered the course of English history.

The king first noticed Anne Boleyn as a heartbroken sixteen-year-old, sullen and beautiful after a thwarted romance with the son of the Earl of Northumberland. "All eyes and hair," a courtier had said disparagingly of her, but when King Henry VIII fell for young Anne, nothing could keep him from what he desired. Against common sense and the urgings of his most trusted advisors, Henry defied all, blindly following his passion for Anne, using the power he held over the bodies and souls of all who reside in his realm and beyond. Anne's ascent to the throne elevates her from lady-in-waiting to the highest position a woman could attain, but her life spirals out of control when Henry is driven to desperate acts of betrayal and violence. The consequences of Anne's rise to power and eventual demise are felt well beyond the inner circle of the court. Loyalties, to church, to queen, to country, are tested, and -- in the wake of the king's volatile passions -- can be an unpredictable matter of life and death.

First published in 1963 and adored by readers for generations, Lofts' lush and moving portrayal of the ambitious and doomed Anne Boleyn will continue to reign as a classic retelling of this epic chapter of history vividly brought to life.

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

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5.0 out of 5 stars ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS..., Dec 12 2006

By	Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Concubine (Paperback)

This is a well-written work of historical fiction that focuses on Anne Boleyn. It is her story, told against the backdrop of the turbulent Tudor court. The author paints a portrait of Anne Boleyn with small brush strokes, creating a picture of a fully fleshed, complex woman.

The author first shows Anne as a vulnerable, though elegant young woman, fresh from the French court and now a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine. She is in the throes of first love with Henry Percy, the son and heir of the Earl of Northumberland. He, too, is smitten, and they plan to marry. Yet, just as she is about to realize her dream, Cardinal Wolsey intervenes, and she and Percy are no longer free to marry. A bitter Anne, misinterpreting why Wolsey acted as he did, vows to make Wolsey pay for her unhappy plight.

It soon becomes clear, however, as to why Wolsey interfered in her personal affairs. It appears that Anne has caught the eye of King Henry VIII, and nothing in England will ever again be the same. With her ambitious family in the wings, Anne leads the King on a merry chase, holding onto her chastity until the very last, while holding out for the Queen's crown.

Anne would wait in the wings all but Queen except in name, as King Henry VIII spent years trying to shed himself of Queen Catherine, his long suffering wife, under the theory that they had never really been married in the eyes of God. After all, Catherine had first been his brother Arthur's wife. This was euphemistically known as the King's private matter, though it seemed all of England knew of it and frowned upon it, due to Queen Catherine's popularity.

Still, the King was determined upon setting his first marriage aside in order to marry Anne. This matter would set the backdrop for the coming Reformation. The rise of Protestantism is evoked through the person of Emma Arnett, Anne's personal maid, making Anne's story more three dimensional, as this sub-plot grounds Anne's story in the historical context of the time.

The reader sees Anne's transition from that of a disillusioned girl into a woman with a great deal of power, who sees her power wane once the King has consummated his love and quenched his desire for her. The reader also sees Henry VIII make a gradual transition from being a king with an occasional roving eye, to besotted suitor, to a tyrannical despot, seeking to beget a legitimate son by whatever means necessary. It also explains why the King at varying times viewed Anne as his beloved, then as his Queen and potential mother of his male heir, and finally as a treasonous harlot.

Anne's story is intelligently told by an master storyteller, well-crafted and compelling. It is a wonderful work of historical fiction that is replete with period detail, political intrigues, and a shimmering panoply of historical events. This is a novel that those who enjoy well-written historical fiction or those who enjoy novels about Anne Boleyn or the Tudor court will love.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

5.0 out of 5 stars ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS..., Jul 19 2006

By	Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Concubine (Hardcover)

This is a well-written work of historical fiction that focuses on Anne Boleyn. It is her story, told against the backdrop of the turbulent Tudor court. The author paints a portrait of Anne Boleyn with small brush strokes, creating a picture of a fully fleshed, complex woman.

The author first shows Anne as a vulnerable, though elegant young woman, fresh from the French court and now a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine. She is in the throes of first love with Henry Percy, the son and heir of the Earl of Northumberland. He, too, is smitten, and they plan to marry. Yet, just as she is about to realize her dream, Cardinal Wolsey intervenes, and she and Percy are no longer free to marry. A bitter Anne, misinterpreting why Wolsey acted as he did, vows to make Wolsey pay for her unhappy plight.

It soon becomes clear, however, as to why Wolsey interfered in her personal affairs. It appears that Anne has caught the eye of King Henry VIII, and nothing in England will ever again be the same. With her ambitious family in the wings, Anne leads the King on a merry chase, holding onto her chastity until the very last, while holding out for the Queen's crown.

Anne would wait in the wings all but Queen except in name, as King Henry VIII spent years trying to shed himself of Queen Catherine, his long suffering wife, under the theory that they had never really been married in the eyes of God. After all, Catherine had first been his brother Arthur's wife. This was euphemistically known as the King's private matter, though it seemed all of England knew of it and frowned upon it, due to Queen Catherine's popularity.

Still, the King was determined upon setting his first marriage aside in order to marry Anne. This matter would set the backdrop for the coming Reformation. The rise of Protestantism is evoked through the person of Emma Arnett, Anne's personal maid, making Anne's story more three dimensional, as this sub-plot grounds Anne's story in the historical context of the time.

The reader sees Anne's transition from that of a disillusioned girl into a woman with a great deal of power, who sees her power wane once the King has consummated his love and quenched his desire for her. The reader also sees Henry VIII make a gradual transition from being a king with an occasional roving eye, to besotted suitor, to a tyrannical despot, seeking to beget a legitimate son by whatever means necessary. It also explains why the King at varying times viewed Anne as his beloved, then as his Queen and potential mother of his male heir, and finally as a treasonous harlot.

Anne's story is intelligently told by an master storyteller, well-crafted and compelling. It is a wonderful work of historical fiction that is replete with period detail, political intrigues, and a shimmering panoply of historical events. This is a novel that those who enjoy well-written historical fiction or those who enjoy novels about Anne Boleyn or the Tudor court will love.

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	55% buy the item featured on this page: The Concubine 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) CDN$ 11.54
	24% buy Brief Gaudy Hour: A Novel of Anne Boleyn 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) CDN$ 13.64
	21% buy My Lady of Cleves: A Novel of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) CDN$ 12.15