I didn't realize when I recommended this book to my book group that is was a YA book--and, having read it, I'm a little surprised, given all the sex and violence. But maybe that's par for the course these days?! This is done by a variety of YA authors, each taking the perspective of one of Henry's six wives, and M.T. Anderson taking the perspective of Henry--whose musings are interspersed between his wives' stories. One can only conclude that he was a man who not only demanded male children, but also demanded absolute loyalty and adoration. His various advisors used this to their advantage and often to the disadvantage of both Henry and his wives. Cromwell, among others, creates evidence to get rid of inconvenient or non-compliant wives, starting with Anne Boleyn. With the exception of Jane Seymour, who apparently didn't live long enough to piss off any of Henry's advisors or long enough for Henry to grown bored, they all were poorly treated. The only one to prosper was Anna of Cleves, who Henry found so unattractive that he never consummated the marriage and, instead, bought her off with an annulment, property and money. Kateryn Parr is the only one who outlived him. Of course in the process of invalidating various marriages, he also turned his back on his non-male children, Mary (daughter of Katharine of Aragon) and Elizabeth (daughter of Anne Boleyn); neverthless, after their half-brother Edward (son of Jane Seymour) died on the throne at the age of 15, they each succeeded to the throne, Mary for just a few years and Elizabeth I for several decades. These award-winning authors bring the wives to life as individuals and not just as pawns in Henry's constant quest for power. Well worth a read.
The book gets positive reviews from Kirkus, Publishers' Weekly, and the Historical Novel Society.
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