Jane Seymour - The Haunted Queen

                                                                                    

Acclaimed author and historian Alison Weir continues her epic Six Tudor Queens series with this third captivating novel, which brings to life Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII’s most cherished bride and mother of his only male heir.

Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and, as an adult, Jane is invited to the King’s court to serve as lady-in-waiting for Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumors of Henry’s lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn—who is also lady-in-waiting to the queen—all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a painful incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage.

But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures his new queen—altering the religious landscape of England—he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King’s affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son or will she meet a fate similar to the women who came before her?

Bringing new insight to this compelling story, Weir marries meticulous research with gripping historical fiction to re-create the dramas and intrigues of the most renown court in English history. At its center is a loving and compassionate woman who captures the heart of a king, and whose life will hang in the balance for it. 

 

Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.

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.

My Review

As ever, Alison Weir paints a vibrant picture of Tudor life, transporting the reader to another time and place. I think Jane Seymour is my favourite wife of Henry VIII, perhaps because she is more relatable to the reader than his other wives. Alison Weir portrays her as devout and sympathetic to the Catholic cause. We see her empathy for Katherine of Aragon, the true queen, and her dislike of Anne Boleyn. Of course, it can be difficult to distinguish what is true and what is fabricated in this kind of book but the notes at the back are very revealing and it's interesting to see how the author interprets what information is available whilst filling in the dots. I found this book very readable and not at all like a biography with some of the turns of phrase seeming remarkable modern. I think it's fair to say that Jan Seymour was haunted literally and figuratively by the spectre of her predecessor. Even at the end,  Alison Weir turns the established viewpoint on its head regarding the manner of Jane's death. This is looking to be a promising series.