The Cardinal: A Novel of Love and Power by Alison Weir

May 20, 2025

The Cardinal: A Novel of Love and Power by Alison Weir

A novel based on the life of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Lord Chancellor, cardinal of York, and chaplain to Henry VIII. Wolsey was easily the most powerful man in England, also one of the richest. Henry was poorly prepared to become king, kept almost in seclusion by his father Henry VII who worried over losing his only remaining son and heir, and deliberately prevented him from learning about the duties of statecraft (I think his father feared he would blab to his hinky friends about state secrets). Consequently, when Henry became king at 18, he was far more interested in cutting loose and having fun, and naturally his closest friends wielded the worst possible influence over him. Wolsey grabbed the reigns of state with both hands, attending council meetings in Henry's place and then giving him the Cliff's Notes version of the proceedings, making sure to sugarcoat the more unpalatable parts, even giving up the love of his life to keep his position at Henry's chief councillor.

Things were great for Wolsey, until they weren't. Unable to bring about a divorce for Henry so he could marry Anne Boleyn, Wolsey's star rapidly descended until it crashed. I love Alison Weir's books, her historical fiction as well as her nonfiction. They are always well-researched and based on historical fact, yet highly readable. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy well-written historical fiction about the Tudor era.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey

Isola by Allegra Goodman

April 30, 2025

Isola by Allegra Goodman

Marguerite de Rocque was orphaned as a small child. Heir to her family's fortune, her cousin Roberval is appointed her guardian and administrator of her estates. But he squanders her money and sells her manor house to finance one last desperate voyage to the new world, taking Marguerite with him. When she falls in love with his secretary, Roberval abandons them to die on a deserted island near Canada without food or shelter.

I liked this more than I expected that I would, since I frequently hate the books selected by those celebrity and TV book clubs. But I had this on my reading list before Reese Witherspoon picked it, so I decided to read it anyway. Based on the true story of Marguerite de Rocque who lived in 16th century France. Marguerite suffers abandonment in a number of ways, and she lived an interesting life. Brought up to be a pampered lady, she perseveres and survives extreme hardship. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction that focuses on strong women.

Some of the islands in the St. Lawrence River, which look a lot nicer in the summer than they do in winter

The Twilight Queen by Jeri Westerson

November 6, 2024

The Twilight Queen by Jeri Westerson

Will Somers, jester to Henry VIII, is back to investigate another murder, this time at the request of Queen Anne Boleyn. When a dead courtier is found in the queen's apartments, Will suspects a conspiracy aimed at discrediting the queen.

The second book in Westerson's historical mystery series featuring Will Somers. As the king's jester, Will moves among the courtiers and has direct access to the king and queen, and no one questions his presence. A mixture of fictional and real characters, I enjoyed this second installment more than the first book. Will's dog Nosewise also appears in the story. It should appeal to readers of historical mysteries, especially those set in Tudor England.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A supposedly contemporary portrait of Anne Boleyn, but there is a similarity in many of the portraits of the time - portraits of Henry VIII's sister Mary look very similar. There is some dispute about what Anne actually looked like - the only thing her contemporaries agree on is her sparkling dark eyes.

Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson

October 20, 2024

Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson

Will Somers, professional fool to Henry VIII, navigates the intrigues of the Tudor court. His job is to learn the weak points and secrets of the courtiers, to entertain Henry. But Will has a secret of his own: he is hiding his bi-sexuality, which would be an affront to Henry and would cost Will his job if Henry found out. When someone attempts to blackmail Will, instead of finding the blackmailer at the meeting place, Will finds a dead body.

The first book of a new series by the author of the Crispin Guest historical mysteries. Not as engaging as Westerson's other series, maybe because there is more emphasis on Will jumping in and out of the beds of various members of the king's household of both sexes. Well researched and historically accurate regarding politics and events with fictional characters mixed with real people. The next book in the series comes out in November so I will read that one before I make my final judgment about this series. For fans of historical fiction set in the Tudor period.

Drawing of Will Somers

The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir

June 22, 2024

The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir

Mary I, aka Bloody Mary, was the oldest surviving child of Henry VIII and had a happy childhood until her tenth year, when her father became obsessed simultaneously with the need for a male heir and Anne Boleyn. Her life pretty much went downhill from there, as she was first named Henry's heir, then was declared illegitimate, then was reinstated after her brother, then was persecuted for her Catholic faith, finally becoming queen. She inherited her suspicious nature from her father, looking for conspiracies around her, suspecting the motives of her suitors, and even believing that her half-sister Elizabeth was not Henry's child. After she became queen, her two obsessions were restoring Catholicism as the state religion and her husband, Phillip of Spain. She wanted a child so desperately that she suffered two phantom pregnancies. Overall, she lived a sad and lonely life, dying at age 42.

Although Henry VIII was obsessed with the idea that he had to have a son to rule after him and to carry on his dynasty, his councillors didn't agree with him. They felt Mary was intelligent and well-educated, and also that she would undoubtedly marry and her husband would rule with her. Mary wasn't a great ruler or even a good ruler, but what made her memorable was the 300+ Protestants that she burned. Ironically, Mary's attempt to stamp out Protestantism by executing its followers only convinced many of her subjects that Protestantism was a faith worth dying for. Modern historians have tried to improve Mary's reputation and legacy, but there is not much that you can say about Mary that is positive and Weir's well-research book doesn't try to sugar coat Mary's actions. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and those interested in the Tudor period.

Mary I, aka Bloody Mary - she looks kind of like Gerald Ford

The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir

April 28, 2023

The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir

On his deathbed, Henry VIII reflection on his life, his good and evil deeds, and how he will be remembered.

After writing about his six wives, Alison Weir is finally giving Henry VIII his day in court. Weir is a historian and the reader learns about the history of England in the 16th century as well as the events that shaped Henry as a man and a ruler. Even people who don't like history tend to be fascinated by the Tudors, Henry VIII in particular, but what most people don't realize is that the only thing Fat Harry is remembered for is being married six times and murdering two of his wives. Otherwise he was a rather mediocre king, squandering the massive treasury left to him by his father on futile wars and entertainments. Rather than tending to matters of state, he turned them over to advisers like Wolsey and Cromwell and spent his time enjoying himself with his friends. He was obsessed with fathering sons, convinced that a woman couldn't be an effective ruler, even though his advisers and fellow monarchs all told him that there was no reason that Mary could not be his heir and a successful ruler (even though the three longest reigning and most successful English monarchs WERE queens: Elizabeth I, Victoria, and Elizabeth II). 

Weir deals rather gently with Henry and is sympathetic to him compared with other biographers. She downplays the fact that due to his suspicious nature, Henry eventually executed almost all of his friends and relatives. He was rather gullible and a notoriously bad judge of character. His motto should have been "it's not my fault." 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Fat Harry - even in later years, he fancied himself to be quite a hunk - when he got fat (it's estimated that he weighed around 400 lbs), the courtiers started padding their clothes to look fat like him - he didn't look anything like the actor who played him in the Tudors cable TV series

Tombland by C. J. Sansom

November 14, 2021

Tombland by C. J. Sansom

Spring 1549 - With a child king on the throne, England is heading into chaos. Radical Protestants are waging war on Catholics, the Protector's war in Scotland is a disaster, and the economy is collapsing. Lawyer Matthew Shardlake is working for the Lady Elizabeth, Henry VIII's younger daughter. The murder of Edith Boleyn, a distant relative of her mother, could have political consequences for Elizabeth.

I love this series, but this is my least favorite book thus far. It is well-researched like all of the books in this series since the author is an historian. But it's way too long, and the author focuses too much on Kett's rebellion in Norfolk - the book would have been 400 pages shorter (basically the last half of the book could have been edited out - it's mostly history, not mystery). Sansom should have stuck with Edith's murder. If he wanted to write a book about Kett's rebellion, it should have been a separate nonfiction book.

The next book, #8 in the series, is coming out toward the end of 2022.

Map of Kett's rebellion in Norfolk

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

March 1, 2021

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

William Shakespeare had a child named Hamnet who died from the Black Death at the age of 12. Shakespeare also had two other children, Susanna and Hamnet's twin sister Judith. Not much is known about Hamnet other than when he died, but Maggie O'Farrell took what is known about Hamnet, the Shakespeare family, and daily life in the 15th century, and wove it into a story. Shakespeare was inspired to write the play Hamlet by Hamnet's death.

Interestingly enough, Shakespeare is never mentioned by name - this is obviously his family's story, not his. He is referred to as the children's father, Agnes' husband, the Latin tutor, or John and Mary's son. The story is told through Agnes' eyes (Shakespeare's wife is usually referred to as Anne Hathaway, but her given name was Agnes). Agnes herself had an interest in nature and healing, and she met Will when he was the Latin tutor to her brothers at her family's farm, and follows her life through marriage, the move to Stratford, and the birth of her children.

The story is innovative, and the language is lyrical. You don't need to be a Shakespeare scholar or know much about Hamlet to enjoy this title.

Sarah Bernhardt in the title role of Hamlet

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

July 29, 2022

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

In the 16th century, at the age of 15, Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici (yes, those Medici) of Florence married Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Alfonso was about ten years older than Lucrezia. Less than a year later, Lucrezia was dead. Historians believe that she died of tuberculosis or some other lung ailment, but immediately after her death, rumors began to spread that the Duke had murdered her.

Maggie O'Farrell creates a fictional biography based on the limited information that is available about Lucrezia. It's an enjoyable read with a storyline that implicates the Duke but still gives Lucrezia a happy ending. But the question remains: why would the Duke want to kill his pretty young wife? Lucrezia had yet to produce an heir, but they had been married less than a year and Lucrezia was only 15. The Duke went on to marry two more times, but neither one of those marriages produced an heir either.  Was the Duke infertile or gay? He did have a very close relationship with Baldassare, his lifelong pal and consigliere.

I enjoy books about lesser known historical figures and events, and I love Maggie O'Farrell's books.

The only known portrait of Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Lamentation by C. J. Sansom

February 4, 2021

Lamentation by C. J. Sansom

Summer 1546 - as Henry VIII lies dying, lawyer Matthew Shardlake is summoned to the palace by Queen Catherine Parr. As a Protestant supporter, Queen Catherine authored a distinctly Protestant tract which, if discovered by the Catholic faction, could bring about her arrest and execution. The manuscript has vanished from a locked chest, but a single page is found clutched in the hand of a murdered London printer.

At the same time, Matthew is dealing with a civil law case that is essentially a family feud regarding inheritance rights. Both cases are more complex than they first appear.

This is the sixth book in the Matthew Shardlake series. The titles in this series are well-researched and give an accurate picture of daily life of both courtiers and common people in the 16th century. There is seamless blending of real and fictional characters, and fiction with historic facts. This is one of my favorite historical series.  Highly recommended.

Heartstone by C. J. Sansom

December 24, 2020

Heartstone by C. J. Sansom

1545 - England is at war again.  Henry VIII's invasion of France was a catastrophe, and his subjects suffer under his increasing irrationality.  At the request of Queen Catherine Parr, lawyer Matthew Shardlake takes on a case of alleged abuse committed against a ward of the court. At the same time, Matthew is investigating the case of a woman residing in Bedlam (whom he met in the previous book). With his long-time assistant Jack Barak, Matthew travels to Portsmouth to investigate a strange family where one death has already occurred. They arrive just in time for the French invasion, which has disastrous consequences for the English navy.

This is the fifth book in the Matthew Shardlake series and it is a wonderful addition to the series.  Wonderful research seamlessly blending real and fictional characters. This is one of my favorite series and I look forward to the next book.

Revelation by C. J. Sansom

December 8, 2020

Revelation by C. J. Sansom

1543 - Henry VIII is courting a reluctant Lady Catherine Parr to become his 6th wife.  Lady C. is known for having reformist leanings, so the royal court and church officials are paying close attention.  At the same time, a young man who is a religious fanatic is committed to Bedlam for the insane.  His parents seek out lawyer Matthew Shardlake, hoping that he can assist their son. When an old friend of Matthew's is found murdered, Matthew discovers links to both situations.  Soon more murders occur that appear to have links to prophecies in the book of Revelations.

This is the 4th book in the Matthew Shardlake series, a wonderful historical series set during the time of the Tudors.  Lawyer Shardlake has links to the Tudor court through Thomas Cromwell and other members of the court.  If you like your mysteries steeped in excellent research, you will enjoy this series.

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

 November 8, 2020

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

1541 - With England in a state of political turmoil, Henry VIII sets out on a royal progression with his court to visit the far reaches of his realm and calm his troubled subjects.  Archbishop Cranmer tasks lawyer Matthew Shardlake with the unenviable job of ensuring that a suspected conspirator is returned safely to London to stand trial.  Shardlake also becomes involved in investigating the murder of a local businessman after pages found in the victim's possession that question the legitimacy of Henry VIII's reign.

This is book #3 in the Matthew Shardlake series.  Like the previous titles in the series, it is well-researched and provides a fascinating look at life in Tudor England in addition to a page-turning mystery.  The overall tone is darker than the first two books, but England was growing increasingly grim the longer Henry reigned.

Great series - highly recommended to fans of historical fiction.

To Die For by Sandra Byrd

July 26, 2020

To Die For by Sandra Byrd

Meg Wyatt and her siblings grew up with the Boleyn children, Mary, George, and Anne.  Meg's brother Thomas adores Anne from the time they are small children, but Anne flirts with him in the same way she flirts with everyone.  As Anne catches the eye of Henry VIII and rises in the court, she takes her best friend Meg to court with her.  At first, the two girls are maids of honor to Katharine of Aragon, Henry’s queen.  But as Katharine falls farther out of Henry’s favor and Henry seeks to divorce her to marry Anne, Meg finds herself sought after by those who want to find favor with Anne.  But as Anne’s star begins to fall, Meg’s fortunes fall with her.

Anne Boleyn is one of those historical figures whose lives fascinate us.  We keep reading books about them in the hope that somehow their stories will change and have a happy ending.  Other tragic figures include Mary Queen of Scots, Marie Antoinette, Alexander Hamilton, Amelia Earhart, the Princes in the Tower, and the Romanov family.  There have been a few books recently about Queen Elizabeth II's sister, Princess Margaret, who spent most of her life trying to figure out her role in the royal family.  I think Diana, Princess of Wales, and members of the Kennedy family will eventually join this group as well.

I was reading a book called A Saint from Texas  and the story was so dismal, that I needed a break about halfway through.  This title had been on my reading list for a while and it seemed the perfect antidote.  It was like mental sorbet, refreshing to my reading palette.  I thoroughly enjoyed the angle that this book had, written in the voice of one of Anne’s closest friends and a lady in waiting.  Not only do we get Anne’s story from the point of view of a loyal friend, we also get a good look at what life was like for a well-born woman of the 16^th century in this well-researched novel.  Daughters and sisters were often used by their families as pawns, entering arranged marriages that would be advantageous for political, social or monetary reasons.  Anne Boleyn and her cousin Catherine Howard (who was Henry VIII's fifth wife) were no different - the Howard family used both girls to their advantage, and when they fell from favor, distanced themselves as much as possible.  A very enjoyable read.

Time to go slog through some more of A Saint from Texas - I have an eARC from the publisher, so I feel obligated to finish the book and write a review. 

Death by Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts by Kathryn Harkup

May 14, 2020

Death by Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts by Kathryn Harkup

Certain critics persist in claiming that the historical William Shakespeare could not have been the author of Shakespeare's works, due to his common origins.  Shakespeare was an actor and playwright born in the town of Stratford to a moderately affluent family, educated at the local grammar school, and he never attended Oxford or Cambridge. One of the areas that critics cite as evidence that Shakespeare's plays must have been written by someone else is that Shakespeare could not have had the extensive knowledge of medical science that is displayed in many of his plays.   Author Kathryn Harkup sets out to prove that not only would Shakespeare have had this kind of knowledge, but that the Elizabethan audience that he was writing for would also have had intimate knowledge of disease and the many ways to die in the 16th century.  Most of them would have been aware of poisons like mercury, antimony, and lead (lead poisoning was known even as many Elizabethans were slathering lead on their faces to achieve that stylish white complexion favored by Queen Elizabeth I).  Although not every play includes a death, every Shakespeare play and quite a few of his poems make reference to at least one disease.

Death in today's world has been largely sanitized, but in the 16th century, a family member or close friend would have been nursed at home, with family members caring for them all the way up to preparing the body for burial.  Professional medical care was limited at best, with doctors available only for the rich and aristocratic. The lower classes had to make do with a barber-surgeon or local woman healer.  Even with a trained doctor, the patient's chances of survival were poor.  The average Londoner in the 16th century would have seen public executions, plague victims, and horribly wounded soldiers returning from war.  Shakespeare would have had the same experiences, and if he didn't have personal knowledge, Harkup points out that London was a cosmopolitan city and he certainly could have found someone to tell him about wounds sustained during a sword fight or when to suspect murder.

This turned out to be an interesting choice to read during the COVID-19 pandemic, since there were many parallels between the current preventative measures and the restrictions that were put in place during the 15th and 16th century plague outbreaks.  During the plague, theaters were closed, festivals and public processions were cancelled, and even the king's coronation was held without an audience.  With the theaters closed, Shakespeare turned to writing sonnets and narrative poems to earn money.  Pamphlets published the latest plague news and proclaimed cures or preventatives for the plague (much like the Internet articles today claiming that all you need to do to avoid COVID-19 is fill-in-the-blank).  One difference is that churches remained open.  The author notes that after the plague outbreak of 1582-1583, it took two years for life to return to normal.  Aargh.

Overall, this is an interesting and different look at Shakespeare and the 16th century that will appeal to anyone interested in Elizabethan history as reflected in Shakespeare's plays.  Harkup's style is intended for the general reader than for a scholarly audience.  

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in return for a review.

The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel

April 2, 2020

The Mirror and the Light

May 1536 - Henry VIII has just rid himself of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, with the help of his faithful secretary, Thomas Cromwell.  Cromwell has been managing Henry's personal and private affairs for ten years and has smoothed the way for Henry to marry a third wife in his quest to get a male heir.  But Cromwell knows that Henry's whims and volatile temper can change with the wind, and that as much as he is in favor today, it could all fall apart tomorrow.  He also knows that his trusted retainers are ambitious and could betray him for money, power, and position.

This is the third book in Mantel's fabulous trilogy about Thomas Cromwell and his rise from humble beginnings to being the most powerful man in England.  The first two books both won the Man Booker prize and were dramatized into the play Wolf Hall which was presented as a six-part series on PBS (well worth watching).  I loved all 750 pages of this book, and I'm sorry to see the series end.

I'm moving on to something lighter, a fantasy about time traveling librarians.

The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner

January 30, 2020

The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner

Joanna (Juana) of Castile was the second daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, older sister of Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII of England.  As a toddler, Joanna was promised in marriage to Philip of Flanders of the House of Habsburg and she was sent to Flanders at the age of 16.  After her mother’s death, Joanna became Queen of Castile in her own right.  Although initially happy in her marriage and the mother of five children, Joanna grew dissatisfied with her husband’s overwhelming desire to rule as king of Castile.  But after returning to Spain to take her throne, Joanna soon realized that she was surrounded by men determined to seize her crown.

I love a good historical novel about royalty and have read a number of books by Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, and Margaret George.  Most books about the royals focus on the British royal families, so I was glad to find a well-written, well-researched fictional biography of Joanna of Castile.  She was also known as Juana la Loca (Joanna the Mad), declared mad and unfit to rule by her own father Ferdinand.  Juana is another one of those unfortunate queens that you keep hoping will have a different, happier ending to their stories (others include but are not limited to Anne Boleyn or really any of Henry VIII’s wives, Mary Queen of Scots, and Marie Antoinette).

Being a female member of any royal family has pretty much sucked down through the ages, since daughters and sisters were used as human chess pieces and baby machines with little regard for their happiness or the appropriateness of their arranged marriages.  There was also the overwhelming boredom these women experienced – days spent oppressed by court etiquette, endless embroidering, gossiping and plotting, with virtually no privacy.  If you were young and lucky and had forward-thinking parents, you got a few lessons in music and languages.  But other than look ornamental, show up for court occasions, and produce a lot of children, queens didn't do much of anything (has anything changed in the 21st century?).