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Tudor Rose #2
The King's Pleasure
The New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series explores the private side of the legendary king Henry VIII and his dramatic and violent reign in this extraordinary historical novel.
Having completed her Six Tudor Queens series of novels on the wives of Henry VIII, extensively researched and written from each queen’s point of view, Alison Weir now gives Henry himself a voice, telling the story of his remarkable thirty-six-year reign and his six marriages.
Young Henry began his rule as a magnificent and chivalrous Renaissance prince who embodied every virtue. He had all the qualities to make a triumph of his rule, yet we remember only the violence. Henry famously broke with the Pope, founding the Church of England and launching a religious revolution that divided his kingdom. He beheaded two of his wives and cast aside two others. He died a suspicious, obese, disease-riddled tyrant, old before his time. His reign is remembered as one of dangerous intrigue and bloodshed—and yet the truth is far more complex.
The King’s Pleasure brings to life the idealistic monarch who expanded Parliament, founded the Royal Navy, modernized medical training, composed music and poetry, and patronized the arts. A passionate man in search of true love, he was stymied by the imperative to produce a male heir, as much a victim of circumstance as his unhappy wives. Had fate been kinder to him, the history of England would have been very different.
Here is the story of the private man. To his contemporaries, he was a great king, a legend in his own lifetime. And he left an extraordinary legacy—a modern Britain.
Having completed her Six Tudor Queens series of novels on the wives of Henry VIII, extensively researched and written from each queen’s point of view, Alison Weir now gives Henry himself a voice, telling the story of his remarkable thirty-six-year reign and his six marriages.
Young Henry began his rule as a magnificent and chivalrous Renaissance prince who embodied every virtue. He had all the qualities to make a triumph of his rule, yet we remember only the violence. Henry famously broke with the Pope, founding the Church of England and launching a religious revolution that divided his kingdom. He beheaded two of his wives and cast aside two others. He died a suspicious, obese, disease-riddled tyrant, old before his time. His reign is remembered as one of dangerous intrigue and bloodshed—and yet the truth is far more complex.
The King’s Pleasure brings to life the idealistic monarch who expanded Parliament, founded the Royal Navy, modernized medical training, composed music and poetry, and patronized the arts. A passionate man in search of true love, he was stymied by the imperative to produce a male heir, as much a victim of circumstance as his unhappy wives. Had fate been kinder to him, the history of England would have been very different.
Here is the story of the private man. To his contemporaries, he was a great king, a legend in his own lifetime. And he left an extraordinary legacy—a modern Britain.
593 pages, Hardcover
First published May 9, 2023
About the author
Alison Weir
81 books7,740 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Alison Weir is an English writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens, and of historical fiction. Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her formal training in history at teacher training college. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.
Alison Weir is an English writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens, and of historical fiction. Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her formal training in history at teacher training college. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews
June 3, 2023
Having actually enjoyed Alison Weir’s nonfiction book on Medieval English queens, I jumped on the chance to read this novel about Henry VIII — but in the end it left me cold. And I think I’ve narrowed it down to a couple of big issues that kept irking me.
First of all, I’m not sure if this book knows what it wants to be. A novel wanting to be a biography? A biography trying to get novelized? But a novel really needs something more than just a year-by-year life recap with a bit of inner commentary thrown in. You can’t skip detail in a nonfiction biography, but the beauty of a novel lies in the possibility to omit some detail and focus on character development and introspection and any sort of a plot that goes beyond the Cliffs notes version of a life.
But here with all the unnecessary details in 600 pages there still was no depth or plot besides superficial events recounting.
The second issue is the protagonist. This book gives us “Harry’s” perspective, but unfortunately the way he is presented here he’s just plainly not that interesting. Here he’s a bit of an easily confused yet stubborn bumbling buffoon who mostly just reacts to other people unsubtle pointing him in the direction they manipulatively want him to go, and he just sort of blunders through life in a thick fog of confusion. He doesn’t ever have his own opinion besides being told by others how to act and what to feel — and that gets tedious pretty quickly. We are told what happened, but there is no exploration of why. If “Harry” doesn’t quite understand why he does the things he does, how am I supposed to?
I think the goal was to show that the supposed bloodthirsty tyrant was actually not always to blame for his actions, but I was starting to wonder how he ever managed to walk, talk and breathe at the same time without falling over. Not to say that “Harry” wasn’t a dense easily fooled and whiny meathead, but being inside his head was really not that interesting and honestly, felt a bit like an unpleasant chore.
And interesting people and events were left at the periphery of the story, losing the potential to liven this up and bring any kind of life to the plodding narrative of Henry’s life. I would have loved more Wolsey or Norfolk or Cromwell and a bit less speculations of “Harry” being put off by vaginal odor or too-thin of a body, and fewer painfully earnest inner voice proclamations of his.
I wish Weir just had written a straightforward biography of Henry VIII which could have read close to a novel than a novel that reads like a substandard biography.
2 stars.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
First of all, I’m not sure if this book knows what it wants to be. A novel wanting to be a biography? A biography trying to get novelized? But a novel really needs something more than just a year-by-year life recap with a bit of inner commentary thrown in. You can’t skip detail in a nonfiction biography, but the beauty of a novel lies in the possibility to omit some detail and focus on character development and introspection and any sort of a plot that goes beyond the Cliffs notes version of a life.
But here with all the unnecessary details in 600 pages there still was no depth or plot besides superficial events recounting.
The second issue is the protagonist. This book gives us “Harry’s” perspective, but unfortunately the way he is presented here he’s just plainly not that interesting. Here he’s a bit of an easily confused yet stubborn bumbling buffoon who mostly just reacts to other people unsubtle pointing him in the direction they manipulatively want him to go, and he just sort of blunders through life in a thick fog of confusion. He doesn’t ever have his own opinion besides being told by others how to act and what to feel — and that gets tedious pretty quickly. We are told what happened, but there is no exploration of why. If “Harry” doesn’t quite understand why he does the things he does, how am I supposed to?
I think the goal was to show that the supposed bloodthirsty tyrant was actually not always to blame for his actions, but I was starting to wonder how he ever managed to walk, talk and breathe at the same time without falling over. Not to say that “Harry” wasn’t a dense easily fooled and whiny meathead, but being inside his head was really not that interesting and honestly, felt a bit like an unpleasant chore.
And interesting people and events were left at the periphery of the story, losing the potential to liven this up and bring any kind of life to the plodding narrative of Henry’s life. I would have loved more Wolsey or Norfolk or Cromwell and a bit less speculations of “Harry” being put off by vaginal odor or too-thin of a body, and fewer painfully earnest inner voice proclamations of his.
I wish Weir just had written a straightforward biography of Henry VIII which could have read close to a novel than a novel that reads like a substandard biography.
2 stars.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
May 20, 2023
After renowned British royal author Alison Weir wrapped up her "Six Queens" Tudor historical fiction series, I was delighted to learn that she would next write from the point of view of King Henry VIII. What a fitting wrap up to this whole, luxurious collection. At the same time, this is the next installment to its predecessor, "The Last White Rose", which recounted the history of his mother and father.
This tome is over 500 pages and felt like it. It begins as his beloved mother dies and his older brother (and Prince of Wales) Arthur marries Princess Katherine of Aragon, and ends with King Henry VIII's death. The largest breadth of the book covers Henry's marriages to first and second wives Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, taking the reader well past the halfway mark. As an avid reader of Tudor history these past thirty years, I cannot say that I learned anything new here. As a piece of historical fiction, the author took poetic license and piqued my interest in certain areas like pregnancies and pre-marital indulgences with previously thought innocent prospective wives. I also found Henry's thoughts about disrobed Anne Boleyn's body (upon their first coupling) quite original- and it made me chuckle.
The bottom line is, if you are well read on this subject, King Henry's thoughts will mostly be of no surprise.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
June 19, 2023
6/17b well I’m still in the “we shall have no nan bullen “ stage, but I got to thinking…could Henry and Anne be considered a medieval toxic couple? I’m still standing by what I typed in part a, but they just seem to me to be a prototype of the modern couples who if singular would have never participated in such heinous acts, but together they were total poison. Just slap a skull and crossbones on their crowns. I dont know why I’ve never contemplated this. They can both be described as despicable. Anne was most likely born hateful and haughty; Henry just a greedy, narcissistic ass. Tangled webs
17a well I made it quite a bit farther but I still have such animosity toward Harry. I have no idea why this feeling has finally crept up on me. I’ve always thought these things about him, but this time he just disgusts me. Yes he’s just-gusting as my daughter used to say,and I think that’s pretty accurate. But never have I thought his story with Anne was so drawn out and dull. There is no meat for me. I’m guessing it’s because I’ve read most everything Weir has read and I don’t think this book meets her standards. IM STARVING OVER HERE, WEIR!
13b knowing how much of Tudor history I have read I’ve never really thought about other descriptives for him until this afternoon. He had severe mental issues and that’s even before his tactless approaches to Anne B. He’s self-indulgent, capricious, callus, and fickle. People are nothing but pawns. He’s a very ugly man and I do not mean that in a physical sense although now that you mention it yes I do think that. Just totally irresponsible, uncouth, and lascivious. I might as well stop now or what I’m writing will rival Stephen king’s run on paragraphs.
6/13a 13 40% in and we have two head injuries one definitely to the frontal lobe. There goes the neighborhood
6/12 did I just read a rape scene? Well that wasn’t what I was expecting and certainly not prepared for
6/10. I bet Henry VIII was a bad kisser. His lips are ridiculously puckered and thin. Makes me nauseous to think about
6/3 I am not absorbed by this book whatsoever. Slogfest
think Weir just needs to focus on her nonfiction. Her historical fiction seems so juvenile and undeveloped in comparison. I’m sure the fiction is most likely much easier for her to write because she’s already done all of the research, and she’s probably trying to reach a completely different audience this way. But I am never impressed by it. I mean it’s fine, but I’m struggling just a little bit more everytime I read one of these. Right now I think I’m at 5% and I already feel my legs stuck in the swamps of sadness.
17a well I made it quite a bit farther but I still have such animosity toward Harry. I have no idea why this feeling has finally crept up on me. I’ve always thought these things about him, but this time he just disgusts me. Yes he’s just-gusting as my daughter used to say,and I think that’s pretty accurate. But never have I thought his story with Anne was so drawn out and dull. There is no meat for me. I’m guessing it’s because I’ve read most everything Weir has read and I don’t think this book meets her standards. IM STARVING OVER HERE, WEIR!
13b knowing how much of Tudor history I have read I’ve never really thought about other descriptives for him until this afternoon. He had severe mental issues and that’s even before his tactless approaches to Anne B. He’s self-indulgent, capricious, callus, and fickle. People are nothing but pawns. He’s a very ugly man and I do not mean that in a physical sense although now that you mention it yes I do think that. Just totally irresponsible, uncouth, and lascivious. I might as well stop now or what I’m writing will rival Stephen king’s run on paragraphs.
6/13a 13 40% in and we have two head injuries one definitely to the frontal lobe. There goes the neighborhood
6/12 did I just read a rape scene? Well that wasn’t what I was expecting and certainly not prepared for
6/10. I bet Henry VIII was a bad kisser. His lips are ridiculously puckered and thin. Makes me nauseous to think about
6/3 I am not absorbed by this book whatsoever. Slogfest
think Weir just needs to focus on her nonfiction. Her historical fiction seems so juvenile and undeveloped in comparison. I’m sure the fiction is most likely much easier for her to write because she’s already done all of the research, and she’s probably trying to reach a completely different audience this way. But I am never impressed by it. I mean it’s fine, but I’m struggling just a little bit more everytime I read one of these. Right now I think I’m at 5% and I already feel my legs stuck in the swamps of sadness.
April 8, 2023
The second book in Alison Weir’s Tudor Rose series is just as detailed and well written the first (which follows Henry’s mother Elizabeth of York.) And once again expertly blends historical fact with a deft, fictionalised rendering of the innermost thoughts, feelings (loves and grievances) of the infamous King Henry VIII.
I was genuinely surprised by how nuanced and compelling Alison Weir’s Henry was. And really enjoyed getting to see just how different this happy, youthful and chivalrous young king Henry was in comparison to the resentful, jealous and irrational tyrant he later became.
It’s an incredibly realistic and humanising portrayal, that really showcased the political power-struggles at play during the time, and how woefully ill-prepared Henry was in navigating the power hungry and scheming fishbowl of court life.
I was also impressed with the level of historical accuracy (which should come as no surprise at this point as Weir is a Tudor expert) and cannot believe how much I didn’t know about this era of history—particularly when it came to the amount of miscarriages his wives experienced and the emotional toll that had (both on them and Henry.)
I did really enjoy this, however, at well over 600 pages I was expecting the pacing to be a little swifter (especially in the first half of the book.)
But, I do admit the sumptuous and vividly detailed descriptions (particularly of major events such as The Field of the Cloth of Gold) did make up for it. And the visually immersive feast for the senses that Weir has woven, will definitely have history buffs salivating from the sensory overload.
If you’re even remotely interested in Tudor era Historical fiction (or historical fiction in general) then you absolutely must give this a read!
And a huge thank you to Headline/ Headline Review for the physical arc.
I was genuinely surprised by how nuanced and compelling Alison Weir’s Henry was. And really enjoyed getting to see just how different this happy, youthful and chivalrous young king Henry was in comparison to the resentful, jealous and irrational tyrant he later became.
It’s an incredibly realistic and humanising portrayal, that really showcased the political power-struggles at play during the time, and how woefully ill-prepared Henry was in navigating the power hungry and scheming fishbowl of court life.
I was also impressed with the level of historical accuracy (which should come as no surprise at this point as Weir is a Tudor expert) and cannot believe how much I didn’t know about this era of history—particularly when it came to the amount of miscarriages his wives experienced and the emotional toll that had (both on them and Henry.)
I did really enjoy this, however, at well over 600 pages I was expecting the pacing to be a little swifter (especially in the first half of the book.)
But, I do admit the sumptuous and vividly detailed descriptions (particularly of major events such as The Field of the Cloth of Gold) did make up for it. And the visually immersive feast for the senses that Weir has woven, will definitely have history buffs salivating from the sensory overload.
If you’re even remotely interested in Tudor era Historical fiction (or historical fiction in general) then you absolutely must give this a read!
And a huge thank you to Headline/ Headline Review for the physical arc.
May 12, 2023
This is the second book in the Tudor Rose trilogy. The first one told the story of Elizabeth of York – Henry VIII’s mother (which I absolutely adored!) and this one is all about the man himself.
The story starts when Henry is a young boy and his beloved mother dies, following complications after giving birth. His mother’s death had huge implications on his life as he loved and respected her dearly.
Following his betrothal to Katherine of Aragon, Henry had to wait a good few years before he could marry her. In that period, he fell in love with Katherine, but the relationship with his father, Henry VII, deteriorated. His father was a strict man and Henry couldn’t please him, no matter what he did.
After six long years, when King Henry VII died, Henry became King and could marry Katherine. He had such high hopes for this marriage, however, the strain of pregnancies, still births and miscarriages has taken its toll on Katherine. She became more pious and there was a distance between them.
Henry VIII began to look elsewhere. He found happiness in the arms of Anne Boleyn. This book wonderfully portrayed Henry’s obsession with Anne. She was a selfish and spoilt woman, however, she couldn’t give him a son, therefore she had to go. I did have a feeling that the accusations against her were false and Henry just needed an excuse to get rid of her.
Then came the other marriages to Jane Seymour (who did give birth to a healthy son, Edward, but died days later), Anna of Cleves (annulled as he found her deeply unattractive), Katheryn Howard (she was accused of treason and sentenced to death), and Katharine Parr (who outlived him).
In this book, Alison Weir tried to portray Henry in a more humane light, rather than just a tyrant. When Henry first became King, he was generous and liked to throw lavish parties. He loved to participate in jousts and hunts, and in his spare time he would write songs.
However, the Great Matter (the period when he was seeking annulment from Katherine of Aragon) changed him. He became short tempered and impatient. He was also obsessed with having a male heir; he even said that females couldn’t be rules as they were ‘too feeble minded’. I did feel that he treated women as commodities, he only needed them so they could give him sons.
I can’t wait for the last book in this trilogy.
The story starts when Henry is a young boy and his beloved mother dies, following complications after giving birth. His mother’s death had huge implications on his life as he loved and respected her dearly.
Following his betrothal to Katherine of Aragon, Henry had to wait a good few years before he could marry her. In that period, he fell in love with Katherine, but the relationship with his father, Henry VII, deteriorated. His father was a strict man and Henry couldn’t please him, no matter what he did.
After six long years, when King Henry VII died, Henry became King and could marry Katherine. He had such high hopes for this marriage, however, the strain of pregnancies, still births and miscarriages has taken its toll on Katherine. She became more pious and there was a distance between them.
Henry VIII began to look elsewhere. He found happiness in the arms of Anne Boleyn. This book wonderfully portrayed Henry’s obsession with Anne. She was a selfish and spoilt woman, however, she couldn’t give him a son, therefore she had to go. I did have a feeling that the accusations against her were false and Henry just needed an excuse to get rid of her.
Then came the other marriages to Jane Seymour (who did give birth to a healthy son, Edward, but died days later), Anna of Cleves (annulled as he found her deeply unattractive), Katheryn Howard (she was accused of treason and sentenced to death), and Katharine Parr (who outlived him).
In this book, Alison Weir tried to portray Henry in a more humane light, rather than just a tyrant. When Henry first became King, he was generous and liked to throw lavish parties. He loved to participate in jousts and hunts, and in his spare time he would write songs.
However, the Great Matter (the period when he was seeking annulment from Katherine of Aragon) changed him. He became short tempered and impatient. He was also obsessed with having a male heir; he even said that females couldn’t be rules as they were ‘too feeble minded’. I did feel that he treated women as commodities, he only needed them so they could give him sons.
I can’t wait for the last book in this trilogy.
February 25, 2023
Described as ‘Alison Weir’s most ambitious novel yet’, I looked forward to reading her latest work, Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown, (entitled ‘The King’s Pleasure’ in the US). At some six-hundred pages, this is indeed an ambitious attempt to cover the life of one of our most notorious, complex, and controversial kings.
Having given each of his wives the chance to put her point of view, Alison says Henry deserved the right of reply, and it was time for this book to be written. She does confess to wondering if she could do justice to such a ‘larger than life’ figure.
I was initially thrown by her decision to name the king ‘Harry’ throughout, in the interests of making him seem more accessible. (I kept picturing another controversial red-bearded Harry, his distantly related descendant through King Henry's sister, Margaret Tudor.)
Alison stays faithful to her policy of historical authenticity, sticking to the known facts as far as possible. I’m sure she has some interesting theories about his motives for behaving as he did, and readers would welcome a little more speculation about his feelings, particularly for his wives.
For those new to Alison Weir’s Tudor books, I recommend reading The Heart and the Crown before the six wives series, as the book provides a rich context for understanding the key players in Henry’s world.
Tony Riches
Having given each of his wives the chance to put her point of view, Alison says Henry deserved the right of reply, and it was time for this book to be written. She does confess to wondering if she could do justice to such a ‘larger than life’ figure.
I was initially thrown by her decision to name the king ‘Harry’ throughout, in the interests of making him seem more accessible. (I kept picturing another controversial red-bearded Harry, his distantly related descendant through King Henry's sister, Margaret Tudor.)
Alison stays faithful to her policy of historical authenticity, sticking to the known facts as far as possible. I’m sure she has some interesting theories about his motives for behaving as he did, and readers would welcome a little more speculation about his feelings, particularly for his wives.
For those new to Alison Weir’s Tudor books, I recommend reading The Heart and the Crown before the six wives series, as the book provides a rich context for understanding the key players in Henry’s world.
Tony Riches
April 17, 2023
When Weir finished the Six Wives series with Katharine Parr, I thought that was going to be the end. Having Henry tell “his side of the story” was simultaneously a surprise and also felt logical… because of course he of all people would want the final say! The book starts with the death of Henry’s mother, proceeds through each of his marriages (with the majority of the book being dedicated to Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn), major events during his reign, and finally the story ends with his death. This is a monumental amount of ground to cover in one book.
I can imagine how daunting this was to write because it was also pretty daunting to read. There is just so much going on that after several days I couldn’t believe I wasn’t even halfway through the book after so many things had happened. There are times I wanted less detail and more introspection, but I also admit, with Henry being a less than sympathetic character I think hearing his thoughts and emotions likely would have been eye-roll inducing.
Henry’s perspective is a challenging one, and now I understand why I haven’t read a novel from his point of view before. This is not my favorite book from Weir, not because of the writing itself, but because Henry is such a whiny little brat that it was difficult for me to stick with him. The early years have some great humor with his focus on conquering France, and his later years where his health is declining and he explores his regrets feel so real, but ultimately I think the reader will feel similar to how his wives felt… that listening to Henry is a bit of a chore.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
See more of my reviews: Instagram
I can imagine how daunting this was to write because it was also pretty daunting to read. There is just so much going on that after several days I couldn’t believe I wasn’t even halfway through the book after so many things had happened. There are times I wanted less detail and more introspection, but I also admit, with Henry being a less than sympathetic character I think hearing his thoughts and emotions likely would have been eye-roll inducing.
Henry’s perspective is a challenging one, and now I understand why I haven’t read a novel from his point of view before. This is not my favorite book from Weir, not because of the writing itself, but because Henry is such a whiny little brat that it was difficult for me to stick with him. The early years have some great humor with his focus on conquering France, and his later years where his health is declining and he explores his regrets feel so real, but ultimately I think the reader will feel similar to how his wives felt… that listening to Henry is a bit of a chore.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
See more of my reviews: Instagram
August 17, 2023
My Recommendation
I must preface this review with full disclosure…I am a rabid Tudor fan. From the Showtime series The Tudors to Six on Broadway. From the bodice ripping Phillipa Gregory series(which I have reread) to the literary masterpiece of the Hillary Mantel Cromwell books( which I also read more that once). I have also read the six book series by this author on the Tudor queens. So needless to say I was excited to read this book. Finally a book that focuses on the point of view of Henry himself.
Sad to say it was a disappointing read, for a number of reasons. First, it read like a spark notes book on his life. There is just too much to cover in one book. So instead of a deep dive it was more a skimming on top. I was halfway through the book and only two wives were covered! There were still four to go!
Also I feel if a reader does not have background knowledge … the story may seem confusing
.Since Weir already wrote about the queens, I was hoping for a focus on the the three important men in Henry’s life. She gives short shrift to Wolsey, More and Cromwell. Although they are written about, there are so many other things going on the importance of their story … including how Henry deals with each of them in the end is lost.
I would like to thank net galley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I must preface this review with full disclosure…I am a rabid Tudor fan. From the Showtime series The Tudors to Six on Broadway. From the bodice ripping Phillipa Gregory series(which I have reread) to the literary masterpiece of the Hillary Mantel Cromwell books( which I also read more that once). I have also read the six book series by this author on the Tudor queens. So needless to say I was excited to read this book. Finally a book that focuses on the point of view of Henry himself.
Sad to say it was a disappointing read, for a number of reasons. First, it read like a spark notes book on his life. There is just too much to cover in one book. So instead of a deep dive it was more a skimming on top. I was halfway through the book and only two wives were covered! There were still four to go!
Also I feel if a reader does not have background knowledge … the story may seem confusing
.Since Weir already wrote about the queens, I was hoping for a focus on the the three important men in Henry’s life. She gives short shrift to Wolsey, More and Cromwell. Although they are written about, there are so many other things going on the importance of their story … including how Henry deals with each of them in the end is lost.
I would like to thank net galley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2024
خیلی دوسش داشتم اما در مقایسه با آخرین رز سفید 4.5/5
کتاب از کودکی هنری هشتم که هنوز پادشاه نشده شروع شده (پسر دوم بود و برادرش ولیعهد بود) تا زمان مرگش
و باید بگم دوران هنری هشتم یکی از پرتلاطمترین و پراتفاقترین دربارهای کل دوران انگلیسه.
هنری هشتم پادشاهیه که شش همسر داشت. البتته نه همزمان.
داستان هر همسر و اینکه چی به سر هر کدوم اومد خیلی تلخ و غمانگیز اما جذابه.
بااینکه درباره دربار هنری هشتم مطالعه زیاد داشتم و هر کتابی چاپ شده خوندم، بازم موضوعات و اتفاقات جدیدی توش بود که شگفتزدهم کنه.
هنری پادشاهی بود که بااینکه 6 همسر گرفت، فقط یه وارث پسر داشت و سلطنت بعد از هنری هم بهخاطر جدلهای بین جانشینی خیلی جذابه (که البته این بخش تو کتاب نیست)
هنری از پادشاهانیه که داستانش در تاریخ بارها یادآوری شده و اینقدر اتفاقات جذابی در دورانش رخ داده که بااینکه حجم کتاب خیلی زیاده، اصلا روند کندی نداره و تا انتها خیلی پرکشش پیش رفته.
خوندنش رو به همه پیشنهاد میدم حتی اگه فکر میکنید تاریخ دوست ندارید!
کتاب از کودکی هنری هشتم که هنوز پادشاه نشده شروع شده (پسر دوم بود و برادرش ولیعهد بود) تا زمان مرگش
و باید بگم دوران هنری هشتم یکی از پرتلاطمترین و پراتفاقترین دربارهای کل دوران انگلیسه.
هنری هشتم پادشاهیه که شش همسر داشت. البتته نه همزمان.
داستان هر همسر و اینکه چی به سر هر کدوم اومد خیلی تلخ و غمانگیز اما جذابه.
بااینکه درباره دربار هنری هشتم مطالعه زیاد داشتم و هر کتابی چاپ شده خوندم، بازم موضوعات و اتفاقات جدیدی توش بود که شگفتزدهم کنه.
هنری پادشاهی بود که بااینکه 6 همسر گرفت، فقط یه وارث پسر داشت و سلطنت بعد از هنری هم بهخاطر جدلهای بین جانشینی خیلی جذابه (که البته این بخش تو کتاب نیست)
هنری از پادشاهانیه که داستانش در تاریخ بارها یادآوری شده و اینقدر اتفاقات جذابی در دورانش رخ داده که بااینکه حجم کتاب خیلی زیاده، اصلا روند کندی نداره و تا انتها خیلی پرکشش پیش رفته.
خوندنش رو به همه پیشنهاد میدم حتی اگه فکر میکنید تاریخ دوست ندارید!
June 10, 2023
I’m a huge fan of Tudor historical fiction. I’ve read so many books on this era of history but most have been focused on the females telling their story such as Weir’s previous series of the six wives of Henry VIII or the first book in this series which is about Henry’s mother.
This is the first time I’ve read a book from King Henry VIII’s point of view and I found it fascinating. And completely believable with few embellishments. I completely agree that Henry refused to see the truth and mostly lived in his own little made up world. He justified so much based on what everyone around him was telling him, and believed whatever was best for him. He seemed to be very gullible.
I have watched shows like The Tudors and Wolf Hall and the history all tells the basic same stories. And I can never get enough.
I enjoyed this version from Weir very much and prefer her fiction novels so much more than her non-fiction. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I’m truly Tudor obsessed when it comes to Weir’s historical fiction.
*Thanks so much to Random House Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance eGalley.*
This is the first time I’ve read a book from King Henry VIII’s point of view and I found it fascinating. And completely believable with few embellishments. I completely agree that Henry refused to see the truth and mostly lived in his own little made up world. He justified so much based on what everyone around him was telling him, and believed whatever was best for him. He seemed to be very gullible.
I have watched shows like The Tudors and Wolf Hall and the history all tells the basic same stories. And I can never get enough.
I enjoyed this version from Weir very much and prefer her fiction novels so much more than her non-fiction. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I’m truly Tudor obsessed when it comes to Weir’s historical fiction.
*Thanks so much to Random House Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance eGalley.*
May 11, 2023
This book is the second part of The Tudor Rose series. The first, The Last White Rose, follows the life of Henry VIII's mother Elizabeth of York . I have not read that book and it did not hinder my reading and enjoyment of this second one. I am assuming that the first covers the time up to Henry's birth as The Heart and the Crown picks up the story in 1503 when the young Henry would have been about twelve years of age.
For my full review please visit my blogat:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
For my full review please visit my blogat:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
March 15, 2023
The King's Pleasure: A Novel of Henry VIII by Alison Weir is an excellent historical fiction that gives us the voice and story of Henry VIII through his own personal account. This is the second book in the Tudor Rose series. I just loved it!
I have read almost every book Alison Weir has written (I’ve got two left!!!), and I have loved every one. So of course I was excited to read her newest book. I liked The Last White Rose, and I love the Tudors, and English and Scottish history…so yes, this was right up my alley.
This is the first book I have read written in the voice of Henry VIII or “Harry in this book” himself. I know quite a bit about him, his life, and those involved, but this definitely brought a more humanistic perspective. He still did some downright atrocious things, however some of the reasons that he was convinced of, lent him almost a personable and sympathetic character…albeit greatly flawed.
I think his Achilles’s heel was a combination of the monumental loss of his mother at a young age, the fact that he could never live up to the expectations of his father and the relationship of his father and older brother, Arthur, and his insecurities. The fact that he compared every potential mate and Queen to that of his elevated and adored mother made failure for these women inevitable, and the issue that he was never given confidence and gifted responsibilities from the King, his father, made him mask all of these insecurities and fears (especially of his own death and that of his good name/lineage/dynasty) in his bravado, aggression, quick-changing mind, inattention, stubbornness, and the ability of those surrounding him to easily influence him. He constantly battled the need for acceptance, love, consistency, admiration, and attention with that of frustration, anger, privacy, volatility, change, and the next best thing (or the conquest).
The quote below from the book, to me, says it all:
“At forty-five, he prided himself that he still cut a fine figure of a king. His waist was narrow, his chest broad. Yet his mirror showed him that age was encroaching. He was losing his hair and his face had coarsened. The frustrations and stresses of the last years had left their mark, and not only on his appearance. Where he had once been open-handed, liberal and idealistic, he was now contrary, secretive, combative and changeable. He knew it, but could not help it, or the temper that erupted in him with increasing frequency. It was the price, he assured himself, of his greatness—and the frustrations and mishaps he had suffered.”
He was a complex, intelligent, flawed, and fascinating man in so many ways, and I loved being able to hear history through his own voice.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Ballantine Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/30/23.
I have read almost every book Alison Weir has written (I’ve got two left!!!), and I have loved every one. So of course I was excited to read her newest book. I liked The Last White Rose, and I love the Tudors, and English and Scottish history…so yes, this was right up my alley.
This is the first book I have read written in the voice of Henry VIII or “Harry in this book” himself. I know quite a bit about him, his life, and those involved, but this definitely brought a more humanistic perspective. He still did some downright atrocious things, however some of the reasons that he was convinced of, lent him almost a personable and sympathetic character…albeit greatly flawed.
I think his Achilles’s heel was a combination of the monumental loss of his mother at a young age, the fact that he could never live up to the expectations of his father and the relationship of his father and older brother, Arthur, and his insecurities. The fact that he compared every potential mate and Queen to that of his elevated and adored mother made failure for these women inevitable, and the issue that he was never given confidence and gifted responsibilities from the King, his father, made him mask all of these insecurities and fears (especially of his own death and that of his good name/lineage/dynasty) in his bravado, aggression, quick-changing mind, inattention, stubbornness, and the ability of those surrounding him to easily influence him. He constantly battled the need for acceptance, love, consistency, admiration, and attention with that of frustration, anger, privacy, volatility, change, and the next best thing (or the conquest).
The quote below from the book, to me, says it all:
“At forty-five, he prided himself that he still cut a fine figure of a king. His waist was narrow, his chest broad. Yet his mirror showed him that age was encroaching. He was losing his hair and his face had coarsened. The frustrations and stresses of the last years had left their mark, and not only on his appearance. Where he had once been open-handed, liberal and idealistic, he was now contrary, secretive, combative and changeable. He knew it, but could not help it, or the temper that erupted in him with increasing frequency. It was the price, he assured himself, of his greatness—and the frustrations and mishaps he had suffered.”
He was a complex, intelligent, flawed, and fascinating man in so many ways, and I loved being able to hear history through his own voice.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Ballantine Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/30/23.
August 19, 2023
The concept of “popular history” has proven to be a bone of contention between writers who engage in the genre and more academic historians. According to one definition popular history is “dramatic storytelling often prevails over analysis, style over substance, simplicity over complexity, and grand generalization over careful qualification.” In response author Alison Weir argues that history is not only for academic historians who engage in deep research and hope to uncover a new thesis that plays well in the academic community. For Weir the author of seventeen works of historical non-fiction and fourteen works of historical fiction history belongs to all of us and if it is written in an entertaining manner based on extensive research it can be labeled “popular,” if so I am proud to be one of its practitioners!
Weir’s latest work of historical “popular” fiction is THE KING’S PLEASURE: A NOVEL OF HENRY VIII, a novel that purports to tell its reading audience the life of the outsized English monarch from his point of view. After writing the six Tudor Queens series, individual novels which explore the lives of Katherine of Aragon, continuing with Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katheryn Howard, and Katherine Parr, Wier decided it would be useful to present Henry’s views to balance those of his detractors. Wier has also written a work of non-fiction about the life of Henry’s mother entitled, THE WHITE ROSE: A NOVEL OF ELIZABETH OF YORK.
Weir’s Henry VIII was a sensitive young man who lost his mother at the age of eleven shortly after his brother Arthur had passed away. The loss of his mother who he truly loved plays an important role in Henry’s view of women throughout his life.
At eleven, Henry had mastered French, Latin, and Italian and loved to engage in physical exercise and excelled at horsemanship, the longbow, fencing, jousting, wrestling, and swordsmanship. As his humanistic education developed he showed great interest in the classics, literature, and poetry and saw himself as a true Renaissance individual. Weir bases her novel on years of researching the history of the Tudors and though she might be considered a “popular historian” her knowledge of her subject and the detail she presents are quite impressive. An early example involves his relationship with his father Henry VII following the death of his brother and the negotiations involved in Henry VIII marrying his widow, Katherine of Aragon. As is her wont, Weir analyzes the political implications of the death of Queen Isabella of Spain, the debate as to whether Henry VIII can marry his brother’s widow, the relationship between father and son, particularly how Henry VIII becomes angrier and angrier at his father’s refusal to allow Henry to marry following the papal dispensation approving the marriage.
Henry VIII is seen as loving and very solicitous of Katherine for years until she is unable to meet Henry VIII’s obsession to produce a male heir when he rationalizes casting her aside because of the security needs of his kingdom. As one reads on, the novel transports the reader to 16th century England with all major events and characters involving Henry wonderfully portrayed. The likes of Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, Sir Thomas More, Francis I, Charles V, King Ferdinand, Emperor Maximillian, Pope Clement VII, and Henry’s wives are all presented in an accurate manner. The diplomacy of the period particularly involving shifting alliances between England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, the German states, and the Papal states are all discussed in terms of the European balance of power and the significance of marriage diplomacy. As one reads on one must keep in mind that Henry’s actions and reputation must be seen in the context of the time period in which he reigned.
The machinations at court are vividly portrayed. The constant attempts at manipulation by many of the characters mentioned previously abound, particularly after Henry has his marriage to Katherine of Aragon annulled and he marries Anne Boleyn. This would eventually lead to a break with Rome, Henry’s excommunication, and the creation of the Church of England, with Henry at its head. With Lutheranism spreading in Germany conservative and reform factions emerge in England and Henry must deal with revolts in addition to worrying about the diplomatic games played by his fellow monarchs.
The author seems to enjoy relating life at court describing the entertainment, jousting, feasts, royal decorations and castles etc. In fact, at times she seems to go overboard which detracts from more substantive events and movements. Apart from the details of Henry’s marriages and their shortcomings in his eyes, she does relate how he stood up to Martin Luther, and writes a book in defense of the church and Pope Leo reflecting the king’s intellect and desire to be seen as a defender of the faith. As Henry ages, Wier presents a man who begins to realize the loss of his virility reflecting an explosive temper when it came to acts he saw as personally disloyal. Much of his later physical deterioration is due to infections in his legs which made it difficult for him to get around. The older he becomes, even after Jane Seymour provides an heir he becomes more and more difficult to be with. From his viewpoint the state of health in his kingdom with sleeping sickness and plague abounding he realizes that he must produce a second heir which drove him to three more marriages, two of which did not end well.
Weir digs down deeply into important relationships that Henry was involved with, both men and women. His anger at Anne Boleyn and Katheryn Howard are fully explained and from his perspective seem quite reasonable as both women knew how to successfully manipulate him until their pasts emerge humiliating and embarrassing him. One must wonder whether Weir is correct as she plays on Henry’s own guilt when he allows both women to be executed.
In the end I believe that Weir is correct when she writes that she hoped she has provided insights “into the mid of a brilliant, autocratic, vain, intellectual, ruthless, and romantic king who changed the face and institutions of England forever and whose memory is still vividly alive five centuries after he lived.” Whether you accept Weir’s interpretation of Henry’s life, the book is well written, an easy read, and does not get bogged down with fact after fact and dense writing offered by many historical tracts – for this she should be commended.
Weir’s latest work of historical “popular” fiction is THE KING’S PLEASURE: A NOVEL OF HENRY VIII, a novel that purports to tell its reading audience the life of the outsized English monarch from his point of view. After writing the six Tudor Queens series, individual novels which explore the lives of Katherine of Aragon, continuing with Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katheryn Howard, and Katherine Parr, Wier decided it would be useful to present Henry’s views to balance those of his detractors. Wier has also written a work of non-fiction about the life of Henry’s mother entitled, THE WHITE ROSE: A NOVEL OF ELIZABETH OF YORK.
Weir’s Henry VIII was a sensitive young man who lost his mother at the age of eleven shortly after his brother Arthur had passed away. The loss of his mother who he truly loved plays an important role in Henry’s view of women throughout his life.
At eleven, Henry had mastered French, Latin, and Italian and loved to engage in physical exercise and excelled at horsemanship, the longbow, fencing, jousting, wrestling, and swordsmanship. As his humanistic education developed he showed great interest in the classics, literature, and poetry and saw himself as a true Renaissance individual. Weir bases her novel on years of researching the history of the Tudors and though she might be considered a “popular historian” her knowledge of her subject and the detail she presents are quite impressive. An early example involves his relationship with his father Henry VII following the death of his brother and the negotiations involved in Henry VIII marrying his widow, Katherine of Aragon. As is her wont, Weir analyzes the political implications of the death of Queen Isabella of Spain, the debate as to whether Henry VIII can marry his brother’s widow, the relationship between father and son, particularly how Henry VIII becomes angrier and angrier at his father’s refusal to allow Henry to marry following the papal dispensation approving the marriage.
Henry VIII is seen as loving and very solicitous of Katherine for years until she is unable to meet Henry VIII’s obsession to produce a male heir when he rationalizes casting her aside because of the security needs of his kingdom. As one reads on, the novel transports the reader to 16th century England with all major events and characters involving Henry wonderfully portrayed. The likes of Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, Sir Thomas More, Francis I, Charles V, King Ferdinand, Emperor Maximillian, Pope Clement VII, and Henry’s wives are all presented in an accurate manner. The diplomacy of the period particularly involving shifting alliances between England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, the German states, and the Papal states are all discussed in terms of the European balance of power and the significance of marriage diplomacy. As one reads on one must keep in mind that Henry’s actions and reputation must be seen in the context of the time period in which he reigned.
The machinations at court are vividly portrayed. The constant attempts at manipulation by many of the characters mentioned previously abound, particularly after Henry has his marriage to Katherine of Aragon annulled and he marries Anne Boleyn. This would eventually lead to a break with Rome, Henry’s excommunication, and the creation of the Church of England, with Henry at its head. With Lutheranism spreading in Germany conservative and reform factions emerge in England and Henry must deal with revolts in addition to worrying about the diplomatic games played by his fellow monarchs.
The author seems to enjoy relating life at court describing the entertainment, jousting, feasts, royal decorations and castles etc. In fact, at times she seems to go overboard which detracts from more substantive events and movements. Apart from the details of Henry’s marriages and their shortcomings in his eyes, she does relate how he stood up to Martin Luther, and writes a book in defense of the church and Pope Leo reflecting the king’s intellect and desire to be seen as a defender of the faith. As Henry ages, Wier presents a man who begins to realize the loss of his virility reflecting an explosive temper when it came to acts he saw as personally disloyal. Much of his later physical deterioration is due to infections in his legs which made it difficult for him to get around. The older he becomes, even after Jane Seymour provides an heir he becomes more and more difficult to be with. From his viewpoint the state of health in his kingdom with sleeping sickness and plague abounding he realizes that he must produce a second heir which drove him to three more marriages, two of which did not end well.
Weir digs down deeply into important relationships that Henry was involved with, both men and women. His anger at Anne Boleyn and Katheryn Howard are fully explained and from his perspective seem quite reasonable as both women knew how to successfully manipulate him until their pasts emerge humiliating and embarrassing him. One must wonder whether Weir is correct as she plays on Henry’s own guilt when he allows both women to be executed.
In the end I believe that Weir is correct when she writes that she hoped she has provided insights “into the mid of a brilliant, autocratic, vain, intellectual, ruthless, and romantic king who changed the face and institutions of England forever and whose memory is still vividly alive five centuries after he lived.” Whether you accept Weir’s interpretation of Henry’s life, the book is well written, an easy read, and does not get bogged down with fact after fact and dense writing offered by many historical tracts – for this she should be commended.
January 12, 2024
To be fair, I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Henry VIII (his wives, yes, but not so much Henry), so a 500+ page novel written from his perspective didn't really endear me to the man. Henry is a frustrating character - smart, but also a little too willing to believe the flattery of the courtiers around him. He also is dedicated to a particular view of himself - as a warrior king that he leaves the actual government of England in the hands of others (some of whom were more capable than others). And then, there's the wives. This novel is likely true to Henry's perspective on the women he married (but almost certainly not their perspective on him). Overall, this book is something I imagine plenty of Tudor historical fiction fans will enjoy.
October 27, 2023
Alison Weir has, literally, decades of experience researching the lives of English royalty. Her wonderful books about the Queens of England are excellent, but she realized that while she had written several books about the wives of Henry VIII, the Monarch himself had yet to be broached. She rectifies this omission with this superb historical fiction about the life of Henry VIII.
Told in Four Seasons. In Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter we go through the various periods of Henry's life. From being the second son to Heir. His marriage with Katherine, all the way to his numerous wives and advisors- Weir does an excellent job of encapsulating the personality of Henry VIII. At once kind and capricious, a humanist and tyrant, a strong willed ruler, yet someone prone to paranoia and prey to changeable whims.
Not only is her research impeccable, but her writing is engaging. This is a wonderful historical fiction for anyone who wanted to learn more about Henry VIII and his wives.
Told in Four Seasons. In Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter we go through the various periods of Henry's life. From being the second son to Heir. His marriage with Katherine, all the way to his numerous wives and advisors- Weir does an excellent job of encapsulating the personality of Henry VIII. At once kind and capricious, a humanist and tyrant, a strong willed ruler, yet someone prone to paranoia and prey to changeable whims.
Not only is her research impeccable, but her writing is engaging. This is a wonderful historical fiction for anyone who wanted to learn more about Henry VIII and his wives.
August 7, 2023
Alison Weir does a phenomenal job bringing history to life in this book and showing a more human side to Henry VIII. She writes with a high level of authenticity, and everything seems to be very well researched.
The King's Pleasure is told from Henry's POV, and that was a nice change from other books of the era that I've read.
Overall, this was a great read and a nice addition to the other Tudor era novels written by Alison Weir.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The King's Pleasure is told from Henry's POV, and that was a nice change from other books of the era that I've read.
Overall, this was a great read and a nice addition to the other Tudor era novels written by Alison Weir.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 30, 2023
As a fan of Alison Weir’s writing, I know I can lean on her works to have a strong factual foundation. The King’s Pleasure is no different. A year by year fictional account of Henry VIII’s life, this novel is a treat for any Tudor lover. Details give the thoughts of the king throughout. We are privy to his reasons (based on Weir’s research) behind so many historical decisions. I was excited to get a version of him where the overarching subject is simply “Harry”, his feelings, his closest friends, where he travelled, decisions on finances, what made him obsessed and his loves. His wives are part of his story, but they are merely side characters reacting to his ever changing personality and worries. The author is careful show the rich world of which Henry was a part, such as other world leaders, movement of his troops, opulent clothes created and gifts given. How much goes into a king’s life? Weir portrays him as less of an ogre, and more reactionary based on his situation. We get a glimpse of how this king is a function of those around him, his upbringing, and his need for an heir. At the start of the book we are treated to snippets of Henry’s writings, his own words to ponder. Some institutions have not changed, and the English monarchy was and is in need to put forth the best image. I suggest this novel for those taking a first deep dive into Tudor history or as a parallel to Reformation history. I will be reading and referring back to it again and again. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Penguin Random House for a digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.
May 8, 2023
A disappointing retelling of Tudor History
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Headline Books, for a digital ARC of this book. I have written this honest review voluntarily.
I gave up on this novel at 20%. I don’t like to give up, but I felt I was wasting my time on this. My review is based on the first 20% and I didn’t flick through to see if it improves.
'Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown' is a fictionalised account of the life of King Henry 8th. The promotional material includes the quote “Gets under the skin of the man who is so often dismissed as a much-married monster and gives us an altogether more nuanced, compelling and human portrayal.” It didn’t.
I felt the author was not sure if she was writing a novel or non-fiction. My perception is that she had a long list of dates and happenings, plus some ‘fun facts’ about characters from the Tudor period, and come hell or high water, was going to include all of them regardless of whether they contribute to the story being told. It reads like a string of facts strung together with some narrative to make it into a novel.
This book needed some serious editing to cut out irrelevancies and to make the main characters three-dimensional, which there was no space to do because of all the ‘facts’. For example, why did we need this? -
“He smiled to himself. In youth, Margaret had been married to Kate’s brother the ill-fated Infante Juan, who had died young, like Harry’s brother Arthur, of consumption. It had been widely rumoured that his lusty bride had worn him out in the marriage bed”.
I don’t need to know about Katharine of Aragon’s dead brother or the rumours about his death. It serves no purpose to the story of Henry 8th. It isn’t even foreshadowing. There are loads of irrelevant asides like this. This one appears at around 20%. By 20% Henry is only just meeting a 12-year-old Anne Boleyn, in passing, in France, and Princess Mary hasn’t been born yet. What a waste of words.
I suppose I understand why: Henry the 8th is not main protagonist material; he is the 'baddie' in any story. To address the quote “...often dismissed as a much-married monster...” I mean Fred West only murdered one wife, but we don’t have a book celebrating his building work pre-murders. Henry 8th was a psychopath, perhaps a serial killer, if the definition can extend to getting other people to do your dirty work for you. It wasn’t just his wives he had killed on trumped-up charges. So if you want a novel about him that makes him seem like a nice guy, yes, it will have to be padded out with all the bits where he wasn’t having people killed, if you want to make him look human.
Murderers can be the main protagonist in fiction but in such cases, the book doesn’t brush over the murders and usually, the fictional murderers we enjoy reading about, have a logic or some kind of moral code behind what they do, but we know that isn’t the case here. Further, in non-fiction, the books about killers are usually all about explaining why the murderer grew up to do what he did. This book doesn't position itself to explain why Henry grew up to do what he did, and perhaps it was all caused by a head injury so there is no explaining to do, but 20% in nothing much had happened, so I gave up.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Headline Books, for a digital ARC of this book. I have written this honest review voluntarily.
I gave up on this novel at 20%. I don’t like to give up, but I felt I was wasting my time on this. My review is based on the first 20% and I didn’t flick through to see if it improves.
'Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown' is a fictionalised account of the life of King Henry 8th. The promotional material includes the quote “Gets under the skin of the man who is so often dismissed as a much-married monster and gives us an altogether more nuanced, compelling and human portrayal.” It didn’t.
I felt the author was not sure if she was writing a novel or non-fiction. My perception is that she had a long list of dates and happenings, plus some ‘fun facts’ about characters from the Tudor period, and come hell or high water, was going to include all of them regardless of whether they contribute to the story being told. It reads like a string of facts strung together with some narrative to make it into a novel.
This book needed some serious editing to cut out irrelevancies and to make the main characters three-dimensional, which there was no space to do because of all the ‘facts’. For example, why did we need this? -
“He smiled to himself. In youth, Margaret had been married to Kate’s brother the ill-fated Infante Juan, who had died young, like Harry’s brother Arthur, of consumption. It had been widely rumoured that his lusty bride had worn him out in the marriage bed”.
I don’t need to know about Katharine of Aragon’s dead brother or the rumours about his death. It serves no purpose to the story of Henry 8th. It isn’t even foreshadowing. There are loads of irrelevant asides like this. This one appears at around 20%. By 20% Henry is only just meeting a 12-year-old Anne Boleyn, in passing, in France, and Princess Mary hasn’t been born yet. What a waste of words.
I suppose I understand why: Henry the 8th is not main protagonist material; he is the 'baddie' in any story. To address the quote “...often dismissed as a much-married monster...” I mean Fred West only murdered one wife, but we don’t have a book celebrating his building work pre-murders. Henry 8th was a psychopath, perhaps a serial killer, if the definition can extend to getting other people to do your dirty work for you. It wasn’t just his wives he had killed on trumped-up charges. So if you want a novel about him that makes him seem like a nice guy, yes, it will have to be padded out with all the bits where he wasn’t having people killed, if you want to make him look human.
Murderers can be the main protagonist in fiction but in such cases, the book doesn’t brush over the murders and usually, the fictional murderers we enjoy reading about, have a logic or some kind of moral code behind what they do, but we know that isn’t the case here. Further, in non-fiction, the books about killers are usually all about explaining why the murderer grew up to do what he did. This book doesn't position itself to explain why Henry grew up to do what he did, and perhaps it was all caused by a head injury so there is no explaining to do, but 20% in nothing much had happened, so I gave up.
September 18, 2023
Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown is the second book in Alison Weir’s new Tudor Rose trilogy: three novels exploring the lives of Elizabeth of York, Henry VIII and Mary I, three generations of the Tudor family. It also works as a companion to her earlier Six Tudor Queens series, which told the stories of Henry’s six wives.
This novel is quite unusual because it’s the first I’ve read by Weir to be written from a male perspective. So many of today’s historical fiction authors are choosing to focus on historical women, particularly those who have been forgotten or neglected, I feel that famous male figures like Henry VIII are currently less ‘fashionable’ subjects. As there’s also been so much written about him in the past, I wondered whether this book would have anything new to offer.
The novel takes us through Henry’s life in chronological order, beginning with his childhood and his unexpected change in status after the death of his older brother and then moving on to look at his six marriages, the religious changes that took place during his reign and all the political intrigue of the Tudor court. His relationships with advisers such as Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell – and his court jester, Will Somers – are covered, as well as his rivalry with King Francis I of France and finally his declining health and his death in 1547.
I remember mentioning in some of my Six Tudor Queens reviews that Weir’s depiction of Henry was surprisingly positive throughout that series. All six of his wives are shown to have some genuine love and affection for him and his cruel actions are usually excused as being the fault of somebody else. She portrays him in a similar way in this book, showing how easily he is manipulated by people around him and trying to make him a more sympathetic character than you would usually expect, while not ignoring his obvious flaws – his jealousy, insecurity and hot temper. Weir does a particularly good job of showing how important it was to Henry to have a legitimate heir to carry on the Tudor dynasty founded by his father and the panic that he felt every time he suffered an illness or accident, knowing that if he died he would be leaving the future of his kingdom at risk.
Another unusual thing about this book is that I somehow found it both too long and too short at the same time! I read it on my Kindle, but the paper version has over 600 pages, so it’s a big book and not one that can be read very quickly. On the other hand, the six novels in the Six Tudor Queens series were all nearly as long and this single book on Henry has to cover a lot of the same information, so I felt that it didn’t really have the same level of depth, particularly where Henry’s later wives were concerned. About half of the book is devoted to Henry’s marriage to Katherine of Aragon and the ‘Great Matter’ that arises when he attempts to have the marriage annulled so he can marry Anne Boleyn. This means his relationships with his other four wives are squeezed into the remainder of the book, along with major events like the sinking of the Mary Rose, which is covered in just a few paragraphs.
Overall, I found this an interesting read, if a bit dry at times, but I don’t really feel that I learned anything new from it – and, as I’ve said, a lot of the material is repeated from the earlier six novels. If you don’t have much knowledge of Henry VIII and the Tudors, though, I think this would be a good alternative to non-fiction to start you on your journey and introduce you to this period of history. Be aware that the US title of this book is The King’s Pleasure: A Novel of Henry VIII – I don’t want anyone to buy the same book twice!
This novel is quite unusual because it’s the first I’ve read by Weir to be written from a male perspective. So many of today’s historical fiction authors are choosing to focus on historical women, particularly those who have been forgotten or neglected, I feel that famous male figures like Henry VIII are currently less ‘fashionable’ subjects. As there’s also been so much written about him in the past, I wondered whether this book would have anything new to offer.
The novel takes us through Henry’s life in chronological order, beginning with his childhood and his unexpected change in status after the death of his older brother and then moving on to look at his six marriages, the religious changes that took place during his reign and all the political intrigue of the Tudor court. His relationships with advisers such as Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell – and his court jester, Will Somers – are covered, as well as his rivalry with King Francis I of France and finally his declining health and his death in 1547.
I remember mentioning in some of my Six Tudor Queens reviews that Weir’s depiction of Henry was surprisingly positive throughout that series. All six of his wives are shown to have some genuine love and affection for him and his cruel actions are usually excused as being the fault of somebody else. She portrays him in a similar way in this book, showing how easily he is manipulated by people around him and trying to make him a more sympathetic character than you would usually expect, while not ignoring his obvious flaws – his jealousy, insecurity and hot temper. Weir does a particularly good job of showing how important it was to Henry to have a legitimate heir to carry on the Tudor dynasty founded by his father and the panic that he felt every time he suffered an illness or accident, knowing that if he died he would be leaving the future of his kingdom at risk.
Another unusual thing about this book is that I somehow found it both too long and too short at the same time! I read it on my Kindle, but the paper version has over 600 pages, so it’s a big book and not one that can be read very quickly. On the other hand, the six novels in the Six Tudor Queens series were all nearly as long and this single book on Henry has to cover a lot of the same information, so I felt that it didn’t really have the same level of depth, particularly where Henry’s later wives were concerned. About half of the book is devoted to Henry’s marriage to Katherine of Aragon and the ‘Great Matter’ that arises when he attempts to have the marriage annulled so he can marry Anne Boleyn. This means his relationships with his other four wives are squeezed into the remainder of the book, along with major events like the sinking of the Mary Rose, which is covered in just a few paragraphs.
Overall, I found this an interesting read, if a bit dry at times, but I don’t really feel that I learned anything new from it – and, as I’ve said, a lot of the material is repeated from the earlier six novels. If you don’t have much knowledge of Henry VIII and the Tudors, though, I think this would be a good alternative to non-fiction to start you on your journey and introduce you to this period of history. Be aware that the US title of this book is The King’s Pleasure: A Novel of Henry VIII – I don’t want anyone to buy the same book twice!
December 12, 2023
2.5
When I talk about historical fiction, I tend to judge and talk about the real people within the book as if they were characters. The author is providing their interpretation of a character we have met before. As we can never truly judge them as actual people because the way they behave within these novels is not the 100% truth, because there is so much we will never know and have answers for. Like we dont know why Anne and Henry wore yellow, we will never know. It might have been a celebration or it might have been Spains mourning colours. Like in one novel, it has her devastated about Katherines death as it means that Henry can set her aside without being forced to go back to Catherine. Maybe that's true. Maybe she did a happy dance and thought it was the best day ever. We will never know their actual intention and thought process. Plus, it's fiction, not non fiction.
I don't know. This is a hard one. Not many people write tudor fiction through Henry VIII eyes only. No one touches him and I think it's for a good reason. As it is very hard to make reason for a lot of his actions. Some actions have no reason. We will never understand or know his true mind. It's very hard to do him justice. So I was very surprised that Weir chose to go with Henry after Elizabeth Of York. And with his long adventurous life, I don't think he can be explored properly within an admittedly somewhat long single novel (600ish pages). He had too much happen. A lot of the novel focuses on earlier life, so by the time we get to Jane, the book starts whizzing by and I don't think Jane, Anna, Katherine, Kate were explored through Henry's eyes as deeply as we could've. It went by super fast, Anne K and Catherine H were barely there. I think if you're going to do Henry in fiction, it's better as atleast a trilogy, so you can really explore Henry himself and the way he responded to the world. The later years don't get nearly enough attention or pages as they should've.
Also, I'm really confused on why Weir chose to portray certain characters the way she did, especially when she knows that they are falsehoods. Like why did Anne sixth finger feature? We all know that wasn't true. Henry wouldn't have liked her, she wouldn't be able to hide it as people got her dressed so saw her naked all the time, therefore if it was true, it would've been mentioned in her lifetime, which it wasn't. And people hated her, so they wouldn't have held back that fact. And Anna Of Kleves being smelly, having stretch marks and loose breasts. Henry was a true romantic at heart, He liked the chase and was addicted to love. He loved love. He was never suited to a political marriage, which is "You get what you're given and you deal." While Katherine A was also political, he knew her for years before marriage so it doesn't count in the point I'm trying to make. And the first meeting between them both soured and destroyed Henry ever possibly loving her. She hurt his ego and that could never been recovered from. She shattered his delusions about him still being the most eligible bachelor. She forced him to face that he had grown old and wasn't what he used to be. While people dissed her clothes, no one said she was smelly. If the first meeting didn't go so wrong, Henry and Anna K story might have ended up differently. There was nothing wrong with her as a person, no one else independently talked about the portrait about it being false. So it's really dissapointing for Weir to use these old tropes that have no weight to them. She knows better, she probably knows even more than me so it came across really strange she would choose to write these falsehoods into the narrative. It didn't seem like it was just Henry trying to delude himself, rather than he was saying the facts as it was. Like Anne's supposes sixth finger is mentioned once and Henry remarks that she's insecure about it, then it is never mentioned again. What was the point? This is just two examples, but there are many more that I felt were jarring, especially if you are familiar with the actual facts that are well known and don't need to be reimagined nor filled in as blanks. Like what was that sneaky bit that talked about Henry discovering Anna had dissappeared from her native court, it was implied in the novel, she was away having a secret baby, but while Henry says she's no maid, he doesn't think plainly "This girl got preggers before!" like he does here. Plus, come on, he's just throwing words at the wall and seeing what sticks. Just because he said certain things doesn't make them the true. Lots of odd narrative decisions like this, which I just didn't get. It wasn't needed. And too many people believe these falsehoods to this day, Weir as a historian shouldn't be adding to the misinformation out there. She has a lot of clout in the historical fiction/non fiction sphere. So it was dissapointing to see things like Anne's sixth finger in here.
The woman never seemed like actual humans, though that might have been on purpose because Henry wasn't the person you could be your true self with and you had to conform to his idealisticvusion of you, rather than the actual messy human you are. Henry isn't a warts and all, thick and thin lover. But I never really got a sense of all their different personalities shining through the page. We also didn't get a deeper look into the other people around Henry, such as Wosley or Cromwell etc. Which is such a missed opportunity as Henry's relationships with his advisers are fascinating.
It was interesting that Weir chose to portray Henry as someone who was held hostage by his councillors. Like at times, they were doing whatever they wanted, especially in the later years. They would do something that he didn't want, but felt like he had to go with it once they started the proccess. Where in real life, I feel like he played them for a fiddle occasionally. They were just play pieces to move about in a game that only Henry knew. There are many moments of them following his supposed wishes, only to turn and smack them down as pivotal moment. He could change in a moment. While that might be down to him being erratic, it is also brilliant psychological warfare. No one never knew where they stood, it kept them busy and afraid. No one got the same type of power after Cromwell and I think Henry did that purposely.
Also, I would have preferred to start the narrative before his mothers death, as his brother was dead before then and I would've loved to read Weir interpretation of their relationship and Henrys childhood. As I think his mother had a big impact on his psyche and that never really went away. And I don't think many people seem to explore that in detail very often. It would've also been interesting to see more of his relationship with his siblings, as I think Arthur supposed shock death from out of nowhere is part of his erratic, anxiety induced attitude towards any kind of illness. Any kind of sickness terrified him. He would run the moment he got a whiff of it being near. His huge worry about an illness effecting Edward and sent strict instructions to keep him "healthy".
So in all, it was okay. Not the best. Not the worse. Very middle ground. You can't do Henry VIII justice in fiction in a single 600 page novel. Atleast Catherine Howard didn't travel to Kleves to pick up Anne, Annes mother didn't visit England calling Henry a killer to his face and Erasmus didn't get Eleanor Of Aquitaine pregnant which is something I've read before in historical fiction. It's not badly written and it is interesting being in Henry's head, I just wish Weir had dived deeper and really did some complex exploring. But if you like Tudor Fiction, it's a way to past the time. I love historical fiction from the start of the Plantagenets until the end of the Tudors and there is never enough for me on the market, so I will always continue to read Weirs next book.
I'm interested in who she will choose next, Mary, Edward or Elizabeth? Or maybe someone else with Tudor blood. Who knows.
When I talk about historical fiction, I tend to judge and talk about the real people within the book as if they were characters. The author is providing their interpretation of a character we have met before. As we can never truly judge them as actual people because the way they behave within these novels is not the 100% truth, because there is so much we will never know and have answers for. Like we dont know why Anne and Henry wore yellow, we will never know. It might have been a celebration or it might have been Spains mourning colours. Like in one novel, it has her devastated about Katherines death as it means that Henry can set her aside without being forced to go back to Catherine. Maybe that's true. Maybe she did a happy dance and thought it was the best day ever. We will never know their actual intention and thought process. Plus, it's fiction, not non fiction.
I don't know. This is a hard one. Not many people write tudor fiction through Henry VIII eyes only. No one touches him and I think it's for a good reason. As it is very hard to make reason for a lot of his actions. Some actions have no reason. We will never understand or know his true mind. It's very hard to do him justice. So I was very surprised that Weir chose to go with Henry after Elizabeth Of York. And with his long adventurous life, I don't think he can be explored properly within an admittedly somewhat long single novel (600ish pages). He had too much happen. A lot of the novel focuses on earlier life, so by the time we get to Jane, the book starts whizzing by and I don't think Jane, Anna, Katherine, Kate were explored through Henry's eyes as deeply as we could've. It went by super fast, Anne K and Catherine H were barely there. I think if you're going to do Henry in fiction, it's better as atleast a trilogy, so you can really explore Henry himself and the way he responded to the world. The later years don't get nearly enough attention or pages as they should've.
Also, I'm really confused on why Weir chose to portray certain characters the way she did, especially when she knows that they are falsehoods. Like why did Anne sixth finger feature? We all know that wasn't true. Henry wouldn't have liked her, she wouldn't be able to hide it as people got her dressed so saw her naked all the time, therefore if it was true, it would've been mentioned in her lifetime, which it wasn't. And people hated her, so they wouldn't have held back that fact. And Anna Of Kleves being smelly, having stretch marks and loose breasts. Henry was a true romantic at heart, He liked the chase and was addicted to love. He loved love. He was never suited to a political marriage, which is "You get what you're given and you deal." While Katherine A was also political, he knew her for years before marriage so it doesn't count in the point I'm trying to make. And the first meeting between them both soured and destroyed Henry ever possibly loving her. She hurt his ego and that could never been recovered from. She shattered his delusions about him still being the most eligible bachelor. She forced him to face that he had grown old and wasn't what he used to be. While people dissed her clothes, no one said she was smelly. If the first meeting didn't go so wrong, Henry and Anna K story might have ended up differently. There was nothing wrong with her as a person, no one else independently talked about the portrait about it being false. So it's really dissapointing for Weir to use these old tropes that have no weight to them. She knows better, she probably knows even more than me so it came across really strange she would choose to write these falsehoods into the narrative. It didn't seem like it was just Henry trying to delude himself, rather than he was saying the facts as it was. Like Anne's supposes sixth finger is mentioned once and Henry remarks that she's insecure about it, then it is never mentioned again. What was the point? This is just two examples, but there are many more that I felt were jarring, especially if you are familiar with the actual facts that are well known and don't need to be reimagined nor filled in as blanks. Like what was that sneaky bit that talked about Henry discovering Anna had dissappeared from her native court, it was implied in the novel, she was away having a secret baby, but while Henry says she's no maid, he doesn't think plainly "This girl got preggers before!" like he does here. Plus, come on, he's just throwing words at the wall and seeing what sticks. Just because he said certain things doesn't make them the true. Lots of odd narrative decisions like this, which I just didn't get. It wasn't needed. And too many people believe these falsehoods to this day, Weir as a historian shouldn't be adding to the misinformation out there. She has a lot of clout in the historical fiction/non fiction sphere. So it was dissapointing to see things like Anne's sixth finger in here.
The woman never seemed like actual humans, though that might have been on purpose because Henry wasn't the person you could be your true self with and you had to conform to his idealisticvusion of you, rather than the actual messy human you are. Henry isn't a warts and all, thick and thin lover. But I never really got a sense of all their different personalities shining through the page. We also didn't get a deeper look into the other people around Henry, such as Wosley or Cromwell etc. Which is such a missed opportunity as Henry's relationships with his advisers are fascinating.
It was interesting that Weir chose to portray Henry as someone who was held hostage by his councillors. Like at times, they were doing whatever they wanted, especially in the later years. They would do something that he didn't want, but felt like he had to go with it once they started the proccess. Where in real life, I feel like he played them for a fiddle occasionally. They were just play pieces to move about in a game that only Henry knew. There are many moments of them following his supposed wishes, only to turn and smack them down as pivotal moment. He could change in a moment. While that might be down to him being erratic, it is also brilliant psychological warfare. No one never knew where they stood, it kept them busy and afraid. No one got the same type of power after Cromwell and I think Henry did that purposely.
Also, I would have preferred to start the narrative before his mothers death, as his brother was dead before then and I would've loved to read Weir interpretation of their relationship and Henrys childhood. As I think his mother had a big impact on his psyche and that never really went away. And I don't think many people seem to explore that in detail very often. It would've also been interesting to see more of his relationship with his siblings, as I think Arthur supposed shock death from out of nowhere is part of his erratic, anxiety induced attitude towards any kind of illness. Any kind of sickness terrified him. He would run the moment he got a whiff of it being near. His huge worry about an illness effecting Edward and sent strict instructions to keep him "healthy".
So in all, it was okay. Not the best. Not the worse. Very middle ground. You can't do Henry VIII justice in fiction in a single 600 page novel. Atleast Catherine Howard didn't travel to Kleves to pick up Anne, Annes mother didn't visit England calling Henry a killer to his face and Erasmus didn't get Eleanor Of Aquitaine pregnant which is something I've read before in historical fiction. It's not badly written and it is interesting being in Henry's head, I just wish Weir had dived deeper and really did some complex exploring. But if you like Tudor Fiction, it's a way to past the time. I love historical fiction from the start of the Plantagenets until the end of the Tudors and there is never enough for me on the market, so I will always continue to read Weirs next book.
I'm interested in who she will choose next, Mary, Edward or Elizabeth? Or maybe someone else with Tudor blood. Who knows.
June 13, 2023
This is the second book in the author's Tudor Rose trilogy. It is also Alison Weir’s first fiction novel told from the view of a male. I was excited to read something written from Henry VIII’s point of view since most novels about him are about his wives and from their point of view. I’ve already read Weir’s Six Tudor Queens series, so I have her perspective in that aspect, but they are not necessary to read to read this book.
The book starts with the death of Elizabeth of York and how affected Henry was by it. I’m not sure if it was intended, but to me that loss was the overarching theme of the book. Even though his childhood was briefly shown in the book, it was enough to show how it shaped him, his marriages, his reign and ultimately his political policies. I feel this book does an excellent job of putting together not only Weir’s nonfiction work about Henry VIII, but also other nonfiction work.
The main thing Henry VII is known for is his wives (which is a shame because he helped shape modern religion) and I really liked how all his marriages were shown. I was frustrated that all the wives were shown as villains at some point, but I realized that was because this was from Henry’s point of view and that it evoked that reaction just gives testament to the view of women in his time and the excellent writing. It also showed that he was striving to find a wife that would give him an heir and every time that didn’t happen, he believed she didn’t live up to the saintly standard his mother left him with. When Katherine of Aragon failed in that, it bled into his subsequent marriages. While his later wives were not as in depth because of the length of their marriages, it did accurately portray how their marriages affected policy.
This book also showed how volatile the Tudor Court was and the scheming that went on behind the scenes. It is well documented that Henry was easily led, by wives and favorites, and this book showed how that was made possible. This aspect also showed how his paranoia about the Plantagenet’s really stemmed from his father’s lessons when he became the sole heir. I was glad Weir did not shy away from the horrible things Henry did and showed them honestly. I think her depiction of Charles Brandon as his only true friend was also incredibly accurate, especially compared to the other men he had ennobled that worked him to their advantage.
I was a bit disappointed by how short the Author’s Note was in this, but as I read an ARC, it may be longer in the published version that I have not purchased yet. I am used to a longer note that details all the fictional aspects used in Weir's novels and, in the ARC, only one of these was covered and not the one I was hoping for. But that disappointment is my own preference and does not take away anything from the story. Anyone reading without the extensive background I have on Tudor history probably would not even recognize it is not something documented.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine Publishing and Alison Weir for the electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts with the death of Elizabeth of York and how affected Henry was by it. I’m not sure if it was intended, but to me that loss was the overarching theme of the book. Even though his childhood was briefly shown in the book, it was enough to show how it shaped him, his marriages, his reign and ultimately his political policies. I feel this book does an excellent job of putting together not only Weir’s nonfiction work about Henry VIII, but also other nonfiction work.
The main thing Henry VII is known for is his wives (which is a shame because he helped shape modern religion) and I really liked how all his marriages were shown. I was frustrated that all the wives were shown as villains at some point, but I realized that was because this was from Henry’s point of view and that it evoked that reaction just gives testament to the view of women in his time and the excellent writing. It also showed that he was striving to find a wife that would give him an heir and every time that didn’t happen, he believed she didn’t live up to the saintly standard his mother left him with. When Katherine of Aragon failed in that, it bled into his subsequent marriages. While his later wives were not as in depth because of the length of their marriages, it did accurately portray how their marriages affected policy.
This book also showed how volatile the Tudor Court was and the scheming that went on behind the scenes. It is well documented that Henry was easily led, by wives and favorites, and this book showed how that was made possible. This aspect also showed how his paranoia about the Plantagenet’s really stemmed from his father’s lessons when he became the sole heir. I was glad Weir did not shy away from the horrible things Henry did and showed them honestly. I think her depiction of Charles Brandon as his only true friend was also incredibly accurate, especially compared to the other men he had ennobled that worked him to their advantage.
I was a bit disappointed by how short the Author’s Note was in this, but as I read an ARC, it may be longer in the published version that I have not purchased yet. I am used to a longer note that details all the fictional aspects used in Weir's novels and, in the ARC, only one of these was covered and not the one I was hoping for. But that disappointment is my own preference and does not take away anything from the story. Anyone reading without the extensive background I have on Tudor history probably would not even recognize it is not something documented.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine Publishing and Alison Weir for the electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2023
It is through my travels in England and the books I’ve read by Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory that I have a modest understanding of several centuries of British royalty. Weir makes history readable and accessible. And I can count on her books to be well researched with sources documented. She has previously written about all of the wives of Henry VIII so I guess it makes sense that he gets his own book.
At just over 500 pages there is a lot of life to read through. Henry’s mother dies when he is young which impacts his life. His father was strict and distant. His first marriage is to Katherine of Aragon is arranged for political reasons but there is love. Unfortunately there were many still births, miscarriages and no sons. The book covers each of the successive wives; Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katheryn Howard and Katherine Parr (who outlives him).
Henry goes from an athletic, generous king who loves hunts and parties to a man more tyrannical and obsessed with having a son and heir. Weir sticks with knows facts or accepted stories and doesn’t add speculative theories. And not surprisingly, while I was sympathetic to many wives from books I’ve read about them I didn’t have the same empathy for Henry/Harry.
I’m glad to have read this but and I learned some new things about the King Henry VIII. I usually read books straight through but I found it easier to take breaks and read from other books while continuing with this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine for the ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review.
At just over 500 pages there is a lot of life to read through. Henry’s mother dies when he is young which impacts his life. His father was strict and distant. His first marriage is to Katherine of Aragon is arranged for political reasons but there is love. Unfortunately there were many still births, miscarriages and no sons. The book covers each of the successive wives; Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katheryn Howard and Katherine Parr (who outlives him).
Henry goes from an athletic, generous king who loves hunts and parties to a man more tyrannical and obsessed with having a son and heir. Weir sticks with knows facts or accepted stories and doesn’t add speculative theories. And not surprisingly, while I was sympathetic to many wives from books I’ve read about them I didn’t have the same empathy for Henry/Harry.
I’m glad to have read this but and I learned some new things about the King Henry VIII. I usually read books straight through but I found it easier to take breaks and read from other books while continuing with this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine for the ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review.
December 14, 2023
The King's Pleasure is the most recent historical fiction by Alison Weir, a titan in the world of historical fiction. After spending many novels focusing on the experiences of the wives of Henry VIII, this book intended to look at the life of the king himself. Beginning after the death of his mother in 1503 and ending with his own death in 1547, The King's Pleasure follows Harry through his many marriages, the births of his children, and his changing perspectives on religion and justice. At nearly 600 pages, this book is a tome, and it definitely read like one. While very interesting, this is a dense book packed with history and full of sorrow. The life of King Henry VIII was not always a happy one and The King's Pleasure follows him through the sentencing of Anne Boleyn to death, the death of his beloved Jane Seymour, and the execution of Catherine Howard. As a result, this was often a sad book to read. I also think that the featuring of Henry VIII as a main character made this less enjoyable to read - Weir did a fabulous job of making him unlikeable and sympathetic at the same time and, as a result, I both hated him and was sad for him for much of the book.
All in all, I would rate my first Alison Weir book a success. I think I will try to read one of her books with a woman as a main character - perhaps the upcoming release she has scheduled for 2024 about Mary I.
Thank you so much to Alison Weir and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC through NetGalley. The King's Pleasure is available for purchase now.
All in all, I would rate my first Alison Weir book a success. I think I will try to read one of her books with a woman as a main character - perhaps the upcoming release she has scheduled for 2024 about Mary I.
Thank you so much to Alison Weir and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC through NetGalley. The King's Pleasure is available for purchase now.
June 11, 2023
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not a huge fan of Henry VIII, but, after enjoying the Six Tudor Queens series, I was curious to read the story of his reign from his point of view.
Even though I didn't much care for Henry's character, I really enjoyed the book overall. The historical research, the richness of the setting and the constant political intrigue made the story very enjoyable. Henry's different relationships with his wives, courtiers, friends and enemies were also all well portrayed and interesting. As usual, I really liked Weir's storytelling, and, even if she didn't manage to make me like Henry, I could understand some of his reasonings and actions.
The audiobook was also very good. The book was very long and I probably would have found some parts a little dry or boring if I had read it physically, but I always enjoyed listening to it.
I'm not a huge fan of Henry VIII, but, after enjoying the Six Tudor Queens series, I was curious to read the story of his reign from his point of view.
Even though I didn't much care for Henry's character, I really enjoyed the book overall. The historical research, the richness of the setting and the constant political intrigue made the story very enjoyable. Henry's different relationships with his wives, courtiers, friends and enemies were also all well portrayed and interesting. As usual, I really liked Weir's storytelling, and, even if she didn't manage to make me like Henry, I could understand some of his reasonings and actions.
The audiobook was also very good. The book was very long and I probably would have found some parts a little dry or boring if I had read it physically, but I always enjoyed listening to it.
August 23, 2023
This is not good.
It's way, way, way too long.
It's mostly a boring, detailed account of Henry's actual historical life with little fiction or even story elements.
In addition, the reader is in Henry's mind. He has very small thoughts. The author doesn't want to hold Henry accountable for any of his historical failings, so there really is no there there.
Henry is a boring, bumbling, extremely foolish man. If historically Henry had been this foolish, he'd have never broken with Rome.
He's ultimately responsible for his evil acts, and he committed them all with full knowledge that he was wrong.
He was charismatic, charming, extremely intelligent, extremely well educated, incredibly religious, BUT on his own terms.
He was manipulative, incredibly petty, and definitely narcissistic.
Absolutely none of that is reflected in this novel.
Easily her worst fiction novel to date😬
It's way, way, way too long.
It's mostly a boring, detailed account of Henry's actual historical life with little fiction or even story elements.
In addition, the reader is in Henry's mind. He has very small thoughts. The author doesn't want to hold Henry accountable for any of his historical failings, so there really is no there there.
Henry is a boring, bumbling, extremely foolish man. If historically Henry had been this foolish, he'd have never broken with Rome.
He's ultimately responsible for his evil acts, and he committed them all with full knowledge that he was wrong.
He was charismatic, charming, extremely intelligent, extremely well educated, incredibly religious, BUT on his own terms.
He was manipulative, incredibly petty, and definitely narcissistic.
Absolutely none of that is reflected in this novel.
Easily her worst fiction novel to date😬
February 29, 2024
I have read every book Alison Weir has written...that I know of! While I much prefer her nonfiction, her fiction imaginings of the English monarchy are enjoyable. This one fell a little on the flat side. Henry VIII was manipulated by those around him, but he was still a fiery character in real life. In this portrayal he is very wishy washy and a little bit "yawn". Overall, though, the long long book was good entertainment.
November 1, 2023
There is no denying Alison Weir’s book, Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown is an ambitious book. It covers the period between Elizabeth of York’s death in 1503 through to Henry VIII’s death in 1547, even in 600 pages some events feel rushed, while others seem to move at a snail’s pace.
When his brother Arthur dies in childhood, Harry is crowned King of England. The man has it all, power, influence, intellect, but despite his status he is unable to have a son with his wife, Katherine. He becomes obsessed with having a legitimate male heir to carry on the Tudor dynasty when he is gone.
This is the second book in Alison Weir’s Tudor Rose trilogy. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose . I found the story propulsive and addictive. Unsurprisingly, I couldn’t put it down.
It was expecting this book to be much the same. However, there were times when it felt like a bit of a slog. At least in part, I think this is because Harry makes a lot of poor choices based on the feeblest of logic and then mourns the result. I found it difficult to make myself read for long periods of time about someone so frustrating. Of course, there is only so much one can do for a character that is based on a historical figure.
I will say, that in the first half of the book, while he was married to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, he was a lot less awful. At times, I could almost root for him. But how he treated Katherine is unforgivable and he lost my sympathy because of it.
While I’m waiting for Mary I: Queen of Sorrows , to come out in May 2024, I’m thinking of picking up Alison Weir’s Tudor Queens series, as I’ve become a bit obsessed with reading books set in the Tudor period.
When his brother Arthur dies in childhood, Harry is crowned King of England. The man has it all, power, influence, intellect, but despite his status he is unable to have a son with his wife, Katherine. He becomes obsessed with having a legitimate male heir to carry on the Tudor dynasty when he is gone.
This is the second book in Alison Weir’s Tudor Rose trilogy. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose . I found the story propulsive and addictive. Unsurprisingly, I couldn’t put it down.
It was expecting this book to be much the same. However, there were times when it felt like a bit of a slog. At least in part, I think this is because Harry makes a lot of poor choices based on the feeblest of logic and then mourns the result. I found it difficult to make myself read for long periods of time about someone so frustrating. Of course, there is only so much one can do for a character that is based on a historical figure.
I will say, that in the first half of the book, while he was married to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, he was a lot less awful. At times, I could almost root for him. But how he treated Katherine is unforgivable and he lost my sympathy because of it.
While I’m waiting for Mary I: Queen of Sorrows , to come out in May 2024, I’m thinking of picking up Alison Weir’s Tudor Queens series, as I’ve become a bit obsessed with reading books set in the Tudor period.
Shelved as '2023'
June 18, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books
July 22, 2024
great research, bad format
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