Book Review - The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir

I read Alison Weir’s The Six Wives of Henry VIII throughout July and it certainly kept me quiet, it is huge! It was lovely to read a book more focused on the wives instead of just the big guy himself. Alison has a knack for taking a subject that might seem heavy going and turning it into a surprisingly easy and enjoyable read. I had just finished one of her newer books, Anna of Kleve: Queen of Secrets, so it was nice to delve into another book by the same author.

Synopsis

One of the most powerful monarchs in British history, Henry VIII ruled England in unprecedented splendour. In this remarkable composite biography, Alison Weir brings Henry's six wives vividly to life, revealing each as a distinct and compelling personality in her own right.

Drawing upon the rich fund of documentary material from the Tudor period, The Six Wives of Henry VIII shows us a court where personal needs frequently influenced public events and where a life of gorgeously ritualised pleasure was shot through with ambition, treason and violence.

My Review

Something I really like about this book is that each wife is given an identity, they are no longer just the wives of Henry VIII, they are six individual women who were married to a dangerous man who plotted and schemed when they disappointed him, or if he fell out of love. They lived at a dangerous court where no one was exempt from gossip, dangerous rumours, and even death. 

This large book covers what we know about their lives before they married Henry, throughout their marriages and right up until their deaths. I enjoyed learning more about Jane Seymour and Katherine Parr, they are the wives I know the least about.

The book was originally published in 1991 and while it does remain a relevant read in parts, some of the information is now out of date - which is to be expected given how long ago it was written. I still think it is worth buying, even if it is just to show our progression in understanding this amazing dynasty. There was a couple of eyebrow-raising moments for me though, for example, when Katherine Howard was referred to as ‘…an empty-headed wanton.’ Or ‘…it was not long before Katherine Howard revealed herself as a frivolous, empty-headed young girl who cared for little else but dancing and pretty clothes.’ This seems very harsh and is hopefully an outdated opinion of Katherine!

Image Credit

The book is broken up into three sections and includes some lovely black and white images of portraits, letters and statues. At the front of the book, there is a timeline of events from the Battle of Bosworth right through to Elizabeth I’s accession to the throne and there are some very handy family trees at the back of the book. 

I enjoyed The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and I think it would be a welcome addition to a Tudor lovers bookshelf!

Have you read it? What did you think?

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