Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey, Reference Specialist
Genre: Historical Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults, Teens
What is the book about?: English King Henry VIII (1491-1547) is infamous for his six wives. During his more than 30 year reign, he annulled two marriages, beheaded two wives, and was widowed once. His last wife, Catherine Parr (the central character in this book), survived the marriage. This was a remarkable feat considering the King’s prior marital history and the tumultuous period in which Catherine lived. Kateryn (note that Gregory uses an alternate spelling for Catherine) was twice widowed before she married Henry VIII, and there is evidence that she was in love with another man before Henry proposed. She dared not refuse the King. Much of Kateryn’s inner and interpersonal dialogue involves not betraying her love for another man and navigating a relationship with a King that she finds unpredictable and unattractive. During her reign as Queen, Kateryn becomes increasingly friendly toward the growing Protestant movement. This causes tension and concerns for Kateryn’s safety as Henry shows alternating favor between the Catholic-leaning members of his royal court and the Protestant-leaning members of the Court.
My Review: One of the things I like about Philippa Gregory’s writing is that her historical fiction is always well based in fact (check out the book’s bibliography for sources as well as further reading). Gregory has a talent for storytelling, bringing to life both pragmatic Kateryn and capricious Henry. Gregory brings out in readers a depth of sympathy for Kateryn, caught between love for another man, hiding that love, and trying to please the highly unpredictable King. Her depiction of the King is as interesting as Kateryn: Thoroughly assured of his divine right to rule, Henry apparently liked pitting factions of his court against each other and enjoyed being the master manipulator with everyone, in the end, having to bow to his will. With its superb characterization and rich historical details, this is a page-turning read, even when you know from history that Kateryn survives her marriage to Henry VIII.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Enthralling, Egocentric, Monarch
Give This a Try if You Like… The Tudors, Wolf Hall, Reign, or The White Queen
Rating: 5/5
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Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!