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60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Love For All Time, June 7, 2003
This review is from: Dear Heart, How Like You This? (Paperback)
A king who would not be denied. A woman who would be queen. And a gentle poet forced to watch helplessly as his one true love slipped out of his arms forever. These are the elements in Wendy J. Dunn's poignant novel, "Dear Heart, How Like You This?" "Dear Heart" tells the story of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII. The novel is written in first person, from the point of view of Anne's cousin, Sir Thomas Wyatt. Tom has secretly loved Anne his entire life, but has always been told he is not highly born enough to pursue her. He carefully masks his feelings, especially after Anne catches the eye of the king, and remains at Anne's side as one of her staunchest friends and supporters. Then the unthinkable happens. After marrying Anne, the king tires of her and falsely accuses her of adultery. Imprisoned himself on the whim of the king's arrogant brother-in-law, Tom watches helplessly as his true love and his closest friends go on trial for their lives... "Dear Heart" is a novel that grips you before the end of the first sentence and doesn't let go until the bitter end. In Dunn's more than capable hands, Anne Boleyn comes to life, first as a whimsical child, then as a hurt and angry teenager, then as a woman both frightened and exhilarated by the dangerous game she is playing, and finally as a bruised-but not broken-victim of the king's cruelty. Through Anne's tumultuous life, her cousin Thomas is a spellbinding narrator, reporting the events around him with a reporter's keen eye and a poet's tender heart. I would recommend "Dear Heart" to anyone who enjoys a love story or who has even a passing interest in English history. It is a beautifully written novel of love and betrayal. In fact, I'm off to read it again, just as soon as I dry my eyes.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A TALE OF TRAGEDY TO STRIKE AT THE HEART AND SOUL., April 15, 2003
This review is from: Dear Heart, How Like You This? (Paperback)
Wendy J Dunn's "Dear Heart, How Like You This?" is a glimpse into Tudor England that has yet to be achieved by any other author. There have been many books written about the ill-fated Anne Boleyn but through the eyes of poet Sir Thomas Wyatt, Anne is portrayed as never before. For instead of a queen, we see a child with a love of life unsurpassed, an innocent spirit whose path to the execution block was paved by betrayal, untruths and heartbreak. A woman who could trust only two men in her life, her brother George and the man who loved her from childhood, Thomas Wyatt. Based on documented history, Wendy J. Dunn has indeed added the exact amount of spice to create this superb historical novel. As Thomas shares his love for Anne, he also shares the fickle character of the Tudor time period where passions ran high and a sentence of death could so easily be achieved. Loyal to each other unto death, Anne, George and Thomas' lives are entwined so steadfastly that what could not tear them apart was instead used to destroy them. As we come to know Anne, George and Thomas through Thomas' own words, we learn of a friendship that truly transcends time. Spun beautifully by the author, it is a camaraderie most have witnessed and yearn for. It is the familiarity established by the author that carefully captures you and heaves you right into the nucleus of Tudor England. It is not without surprise then that once the book concludes, you feel Thomas's loss keenly and it is with an element of sadness that you allow the cover to close on his life. What I admired most about this book is not only its sensitivity to the time period but its incredible grasp of human nature. In an era where life was unpredictable and fate often lay in the palms of others, Wendy J. Dunn captures the people that dwelt within it simply but effectively and ensures their vibrancy to the every end. Cleverly and thoughtfully composed, the author imparts a tale that she herself states is -- "conceived around people who were once flesh and blood." Historians will enjoy this book for the insight it offers on Tudor life, for the politics of the English court and for the dominance of Henry VIII. Others will enjoy this work simply because it is a tale of tragedy that cannot fail to strike at the heart and soul.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best "Anne Boleyn" novels that I have ever read, July 5, 2005
This review is from: Dear Heart, How Like You This? (Paperback)
Anne Boleyn appears in many novels, but most of them are pretty crude productions, rarely written with the nuance and feeling of this one. Anne, George and Thomas are complex, believable people. I would rank it next to Norah Loft's The Concubine and Margaret Campell Barnes' Brief gaudy hour,: A novel of Anne Boleyn.
This is actually the story of Thomas Wyatt, Anne's cousin and admirer, recalling his life, intertwined with the Boleyns, recalled just after Anne's execution. As such, it follows him to Italy and Calais - he sometimes loses contact with Anne for years at a time, or only hears of her at a remove. Those who are not admirers of Anne may also wish to argue that it allows the author to avoid dealing with some of Anne's less attractive behavior. It has the advantage of allowing the author to quote a number of his luscious poems.
In contrast to some reviewers that felt that the novel should have stayed more strictly focussed on Anne, I felt that one of its flaws is that it scanted some aspects of Tom's life, such as his relationship with his children. Mary Boleyn tends to fall out of the story as well.
That said, this was a delightful novel and I would be happy to read more by this author.
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