That had been a strange business, veiled in secrecy. Not even to Maria would Catalina confide her secret suspicions that all might not be quite well with Arthur – and that some dreadful

Jane Seymour - Six Tudor Queens Jane Seymour - Six Tudor Queens

Anne Basset served four of Henry VIII’s queens, yet the King himself once pledged to serve her. Had fate not decreed otherwise, she might have been his wife – and Queen of England. Rating this book is difficult because it was very much a rollercoaster ride. The highlight of the book was the part where Henry had become infatuated with Anne and wanted to put Katherine aside, only for Katherine to dig her heels in. Yes, this was far from perfect and I did have issues with the characterisation of Katherine the most, but it was the most interesting to read.Been wanting to read this for a while and bought the first three is what I think is a 6 books series but think there is perhaps one more. Six weeks from home across treacherous seas, everything is different: the language, the food, the weather.

Katharine Parr - Six Tudor Queens

They are the family which we never seem to lost interest in – the subjects of endless books, documentaries and television shows. Even now, the Tudors seem larger than life; with Henry VIII the central character, circled by the six women he married. Now, Alison Weir has started a new historical fiction series, putting each wife at the very centre of her own story. When Katheryn Howard, a young cousin of the Boleyns, becomes the King’s fifth bride, Jane’s past allegiance to the crown secures her senior rank in the new queen’s household. But how can he love me when he has never met me?’ Catalina asked, voicing a concern she had kept to herself for a long time. ‘Was he that much taken by my portrait?’ Master Miguel, her mother’s court painter, had taken an excellent likeness.The King’s Painter by bestselling historian Alison Weir is an e-short and companion piece to the captivating fourth novel in the Six Tudor Queens series, Anna of Kleve: Queen of Secrets. Only and only the Faith in Christ and to the Catholic Church has moved this woman in this way, it has not moved her conscience nor yielded to the good of her daughter Mary, the only living daughter of Catherine and Henry... While this is considered a piece of fiction, any reader who knows their history or has devoured much of Weir's past work will realise that it is steeped in reality. As I read, I became aware that the 'fiction' moniker was placed there more to validate the detailed dialogue than a shuffling of facts to create a more dramatic story. Weir lays down a powerful narrative that flows effectively throughout Katherine's life and shows that while she was isolated from her Spanish parents, she held firm to protect herself and her daughter from Henry's self-centred approach to life. While long and highly detailed, Weir offers the reader an insightful look into the life of this first of Henry's six wives, perhaps the strongest advocate of them all. Weir brings Katherine of Aragon to life in this opening novel and leaves readers itching for the next instalment, sure to be filled with as much drama, bridging from the narrative peppered throughout this book. There is surely crossover material to be explored more thoroughly within the second novel, though Weir is able to secure focus on events from Katherine's perspective. This novel offers everything the reader could expect from perusing its title, with chapters full of anecdotes woven into powerful dialogue.