📖 Publication Day Review ~ Henry VIII : The Heart and the Crown by Alison Weir

 

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11 May 2023

Tudor Rose #2

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

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.

A young boy grows up dreaming of knights and chivalry. Henry is the second son. He is never meant to rule.

But the death of his brother changes everything, and  a great destiny awaits this young prince. One day he will be the infamous King in English history.

📖 My Review..

We all know the story of Henry VIII and his Six Wives but most often the story is told from the perspective of the wronged wives. In this account, historian, Alison Weir brings us Henry's point of view, from his early days as a charismatic young king, to the irascible, and malevolent, old man who struck terror into the hearts of his people. Blending historical fact, with fiction, this book continues the Tudor Rose trilogy which  began with The Last White Rose: A Novel of Elizabeth of York.

In Henry VIII : The Heart and the Crown, Alison Weir uses her considerable knowledge of the Tudor period to bring us this very personal look at Henry's life and his relationships, not just with his wives but also with those courtiers, and noblemen, who made up his coterie of advisors. And as you would expect from a historian who has written extensively about the Tudor age, the writing feels beautifully authentic, from the detailed descriptions of the clothes worn, the sumptuous foods eaten, and the lively entertainment which provided light relief in a court which was so often fraught with scandalous danger and political intrigue.

Coming in at over 700 pages, it takes quite an investment in time, however, the story is so well told that the pages almost turned themselves and I was soon back in time to the court of this infamous King who was never destined to be King of England however, the untimely death of his older brother, Arthur, meant that this spare went on to become one of the most notorious Kings in English history.

About the Author

Alison Weir is the bestselling female historian in the United Kingdom, and has sold over 3 million books worldwide. She has published twenty history books. Alison is also the author of twelve historical novels, including the highly acclaimed Six Tudor Queens series all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers. Alison is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.

Twitter @alisonweirbooks

#TudorRoseTrilogy #HenryVIIIHeartAndCrown

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