Customer Reviews

The Sixth Wife: The Wives of Henry VIII

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jean Plaidy, also known as Victoria Holt to her legion of devoted fans, was a gifted and prolific writer of historical fiction. A masterful storyteller, Ms. Plaidy seamlessly interweaves historical facts into a rich tapestry of fiction that is often spellbinding. Here, she writes of Katherine Parr, a comely noblewoman, twice widowed, who would reluctantly rise from obscurity to become the sixth and, thankfully, last wife of that colorful Tudor despot, King Henry VIII of England.

At the time that Katherine Parr caught the King's eye, she was in love with the rakishly handsome and ambitious Thomas Seymour, brother to Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Henry VIII. Jane died shortly after producing the coveted living son, who would someday reign as King Edward VI. Thomas Seymour held a coveted place at court by virtue of his ties to the King. Once the King's eyes landed upon the hapless Katherine Parr, however, even Thomas Seymour had no choice but to withdraw his suit for her hand.

The King's eye and attentions, having settled upon Katherine Parr so soon after he had sent his fifth wife to the block to have her head severed from her neck, made Katherine uneasy. After all, Henry VIII's wives had met with unenviable fates. His first wife of many years, Katherine of Aragon, had been cast aside and driven to an early death. His second wife, Anne Boleyn, for whom he had discarded Katherine of Aragon, had been accused of having had numerous adulterous relationships while married to the King. For this she was found guilty of treason and was unceremoniously beheaded, whereupon he married plain Jane Seymour, who managed to give him a son before dying of complications after childbirth.

The fourth wife of Henry VIII was Anne of Cleves, whom the King found physically repugnant and not to his liking. She prudently and wisely agreed to a divorce rather than wait to have her head severed from the rest of her body. The fifth wife was Catherine Howard, a beautiful teenager who showed little judgment both before and after her marriage to Henry. Accused of adulterous behavior, she, too, was found guilty of treason, as had been Anne Boleyn, and beheaded. It was on the heels of this last execution that Henry's eyes fell upon the comely widow, Katherine Parr.

Katherine Parr, an intelligent, attractive woman, was known as Lady Latimer, when she caught the King's eye. It was to be an encounter from which there would be no escape. In love with Thomas Seymour, she married the King most reluctantly and consigned herself to a stressful number of years, living, at all times, under the sword of Damocles, mindful of the fate of her predecessors and hoping not to lose her head.

As Queen Katherine, she would become the target of those who wished England to return to traditional Catholicism, as she was interested in what was referred to as the new learning. It would be these new ideas that would eventually give rise to Protestantism in England and the Reformation. Her enemies lost no time in trying to have her share the same fate that had befallen some of Henry's other wives, as they plotted and schemed against her.

Queen Katherine's life would become a grim game of cat and mouse, as she tried to stay one step ahead of those who would wish her harm. Even Henry's affections would prove to be fickle, changing like the wind from day to day, causing her to fear that every day may be her last. Her daily existence was subject to the capricious and arbitrary moods of Henry VIII, a situation not conducive to peace and happiness.

This book is a treasure trove of historical facts that are melded into an enjoyable work of fiction, Even the most discerning reader should enjoy this richly drawn portrait of the court of King Henry VIII and his sixth and, mercifully, last wife. Set amidst the political and religious turmoil of sixteenth century England, peppered with names of those who would have lasting historical impact, it is an entertaining, as well as informative, work of historical fiction.

Jean Plaidy's The Sixth Wife tells the story of Katharine Parr, Henry VIII's sixth and final queen. Katharine is a wealthy and independent widow when she arrives in the court of Henry. After her years spent caring for her invalid husband, Katharine is on her own and ready to marry again--this time for love. She sees the handsome Thomas Seymour as her perfect solution, however, she did not count on catching the much aged King of England's eye.

Thus, The Sixth Wife tells the story of the reluctant new queen Katharine. Readers see a much older Henry and a court and country waiting impatiently for change. The book also provides wonderful information on the newly-evolving protestant religion(of which Katharine was herself an avid supporter and which came close to being her doom)and its martyrs, mainly Anne Askew, the first woman to be put to the rack.

Katharine is truly an interesting woman and Plaidy's The Sixth Wife is subsequently a compelling story that is quite historically accurate and enlightening.

I was actually in England when I read this, and as soon as I had finished it, I went to the castle where she died, and was also buried at. It was very moving, and the castle itself, was incredibly beautiful, with a gorgeous knot garden, and even though as it mentions in the book, the castle was attacked, and is still somewhat in ruins, it's quite a site to see. This book was just what I needed to truly appreciate Katherine Parr, Henry VIII last wife. I learned more about her in this one book, then I ever did from a textbook, even though all the facts about Parr of course won't all be found in this book, and some were a little dramatized, but I think that that was what made it such a great read!

I am a huge Jean Plaidy fan; I read all I can get! I just really enjoy the good research and clean writing in her books and this novel about Henry VIII's sixth and final wife is no exception.

While many other Tudor books cover Katherine Parr and her role in Princess Elizabeth's life, none of them truly focus just on Katherine in any believable way. This one does that and I think that is why this is probably my favorite book (so far) about Henry VIII's last queen. Plaidy's novel really shows Katherine as an intelligent and attractive woman, desperately in love with Thomas Seymour, but a woman who knows there is no way to say no to the King. Through Plaidy's wonderful writing you really see how stressful Katherine's life was while married to Henry, having to deal with the extreme fickleness of his affections and constantly feeling as if the sword was just waiting at the back of her neck. Queen Katherine was also interested in the New Learning and so became a target for Catholics hoping to bring the religion back to England. The depth of the scheming her enemies went to in order to bring her down are covered in this book and it is amazing (and a bit of good luck) that she was able to survive their attempts. Plaidy's writing really brings the Tudor court alive with the perfect details of everyday life along with all the intrigue and political and religious turmoil of the time; it was easy to feel the stress the Queen was under every day of her marriage. We also see in this novel how much of a mother Katherine became to Henry's youngest children Edward and Elizabeth as well as to Jane Grey. Even once Henry is dead and she is married to Thomas Seymour she can't have a happy life as she eventually realizes that her husband is after the Princess Elizabeth. Again, Plaidy's exceptional writing shines through and you can really feel the grief and sadness Katherine dealt with at the hands of Seymour.

Some of Plaidy's novels can be a bit dry but this one does not fall into that category. The writing is wonderful and full of emotion. The dialogue does not seem entirely modern but she doesn't pepper her story with medieval phrases. Her research is impeccable and she is masterful at weaving it into a moving story. All of the major players at the Tudor court are here in the novel, Henry, the Seymours, Prince Edward, Princess Elizabeth, Wriothesley, etc, and they are portrayed fairly and accurately but the novel is very much focused on Katherine and how she interacts with these various people. I would certainly suggest this novel to Tudor lovers and Plaidy lovers. I also believe it would be a good read for the reader casually interested in this time period as you will get an exceptionally written story full of emotion but very good historical details as well.

Jean Plaidy, also known as Victoria Holt to her legion of devoted fans, was a gifted and prolific writer of historical fiction. A masterful storyteller, Ms. Plaidy seamlessly interweaves historical facts into a rich tapestry of fiction that is often spellbinding. Here, she writes of Katherine Parr, a comely noblewoman, twice widowed, who would reluctantly rise from obscurity to become the sixth and, thankfully, last wife of that colorful Tudor despot, King Henry VIII of England.

At the time that Katherine Parr caught the King's eye, she was in love with the rakishly handsome and ambitious Thomas Seymour, brother to Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Henry VIII. Jane died shortly after producing the coveted living son, who would someday reign as King Edward VI. Thomas Seymour held a coveted place at court by virtue of his ties to the King. Once the King's eyes landed upon the hapless Katherine Parr, however, even Thomas Seymour had no choice but to withdraw his suit for her hand.

The King's eye and attentions, having settled upon Katherine Parr so soon after he had sent his fifth wife to the block to have her head severed from her neck, made Katherine uneasy. After all, Henry VIII's wives had met with unenviable fates. His first wife of many years, Katherine of Aragon, had been cast aside and driven to an early death. His second wife, Anne Boleyn, for whom he had discarded Katherine of Aragon, had been accused of having had numerous adulterous relationships while married to the King. For this she was found guilty of treason and was unceremoniously beheaded, whereupon he married plain Jane Seymour, who managed to give him a son before dying of complications after childbirth.

The fourth wife of Henry VIII was Anne of Cleves, whom the King found physically repugnant and not to his liking. She prudently and wisely agreed to a divorce rather than wait to have her head severed from the rest of her body. The fifth wife was Catherine Howard, a beautiful teenager who showed little judgment both before and after her marriage to Henry. Accused of adulterous behavior, she, too, was found guilty of treason, as had been Anne Boleyn, and beheaded. It was on the heels of this last execution that Henry's eyes fell upon the comely widow, Katherine Parr.

Katherine Parr, an intelligent, attractive woman, was known as Lady Latimer, when she caught the King's eye. It was to be an encounter from which there would be no escape. In love with Thomas Seymour, she married the King most reluctantly and consigned herself to a stressful number of years, living, at all times, under the sword of Damocles, mindful of the fate of her predecessors and hoping not to lose her head.

As Queen Katherine, she would become the target of those who wished England to return to traditional Catholicism, as she was interested in what was referred to as the new learning. It would be these new ideas that would eventually give rise to Protestantism in England and the Reformation. Her enemies lost no time in trying to have her share the same fate that had befallen some of Henry's other wives, as they plotted and schemed against her.

Queen Katherine's life would become a grim game of cat and mouse, as she tried to stay one step ahead of those who would wish her harm. Even Henry's affections would prove to be fickle, changing like the wind from day to day, causing her to fear that every day may be her last. Her daily existence was subject to the capricious and arbitrary moods of Henry VIII, a situation not conducive to peace and happiness.

This book is a treasure trove of historical facts that are melded into an enjoyable work of fiction, Even the most discerning reader should enjoy this richly drawn portrait of the court of King Henry VIII and his sixth and, mercifully, last wife. Set amidst the political and religious turmoil of sixteenth century England, peppered with names of those who would have lasting historical impact, it is an entertaining, as well as informative, work of historical fiction.

I'm an addict of Jean Plaidy's historical works. My addiction began with Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII's oldest sister and then progressed with his wives, the not so famous ones-Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves and the remarkable Katharine Parr.

In this book, Plaidy once again didn't disappoint. I was sucked right into the Tudor court and I couldn't escape. Plaidy brilliantly describes the world in the 16th century, from life at court to the torture chamber in the Tower.

Each time I read a Jean Plaidy novel, I learn so much more than I ever did in school. Anne Askew for example-a martyr, a woman of great faith and strength-I never knew about. I was intrigued by and in awe of her. As I read, it was if I was actually by her side as she suffered.

Katharine Parr was an extraordinary woman, a woman with courage and brilliance to survive the tyrant King's whims. She longed for love with a man, Thomas Seymour, who only wished to advance. Yet I felt Seymour had some love for her in return.

I enjoyed getting to know the young Princess Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. All the characters in this book are fascinating, even the old King.

I found what I was looking for in my quest for knowledge about Katharine Parr in The Sixth Wife. She was a kind woman with love in her heart that in the end was never given the chance to grow.

I felt that, after reading reviews, etc., that this novel would tell the tale of Katherine, and sometimes it does, but often it does not. To me the story is told not from Katherine's perspective but of others about her. Often, it seemed that Katherine was an afterthought.
It was a good book, but the focus seemed..out of focus.

If you're looking for great biographic historical fiction, you just can't beat Jean Plaidy. Her novels are consistently literate, beautifully written and historically accurate and deal with the soap opera lives of royal women - primarily English and French - of the past. This one relates the tragic story of Queen Katherine Parr, last of Henry VIII's six wives, and "the one that got away," meaning the only one to survive that monstrous king's death (except for Wife 4, Anne of Cleves, whom Henry had divorced but who was still alive). Like so many of the women treated in Plaidy's novels, Queen Katherine had a miserable, lonely and tragic life. Twice widowed, then forced to marry Murderer Harry, she finally believes life may hold some happiness for her after the king's death, only to once again find betrayal and heartbreak. Really makes one rethink how terrific it would have been to be a royal in the Middle Ages! Plaidy's writing is always restrained, never hysterical. She avoids the florid flights of overwritten blather that too often appear in more amateurish historical fiction. The psychology of her principal here is quite believeable, although she does paint perhaps a too perfect picture of Parr's sweet, generous and forgiving character. These novels are not deathless prose by any stretch, but for lovers of HF, you can't go wrong with a Plaidy contribution, and this one is a solid retelling of a very sad tale.

Katharine Parr just wanted to marry Thomas Seymour and live a happy life. Unfortunately for her life didn't turn out like the fairy tale she had in her head. Parr was Henry VIII's last wife and the "lucky" one of the bunch, as she outlived him, but barely. After her stressful days as Henry's wife she was supposed to go on to her life with Thomas, and for a while did. But the ending is tragic, like all the wives Henry acquired.

Overall this is a good book about a woman I've not read much on before. However I felt the book sort of stagnated in some places and in others felt very rushed. I wonder why more hasn't been written about Katharine Parr as she's the one to outlive him as a wife. I guess I got this feeling because some parts of her marriage to Henry where very stressful and others probably very pleasant. If this was the affect Plaidy was going for she achieved it.

Katherine Parr had husbands much older than her to whom she was more of a nurse than lover. When she finally hopes to marry for love, she is blindsided by Henry VIII's interest in her. It has not dawned on him that many women at court fear his favor knowing the fates of those who went before them. Katherine has to tread carefully as the Catholic faction wants to bring her down for her Protestant sympathies.
Plaidy portrays a very saavy and sharp queen who knew how to placate the king and thwart her enemies. Henry VIII comes across as a dirty old man with a huge ego. It is unthinkable that he is no longer virile and able to get his wives pregnant. He guilts Katherine continually about her not getting pregnant and even ogles other ladies at the court, thinking of replacing Katherine and deluding himself into thinking he could still beget more children. The manner in which he continues to justify his actions (both past and present) would be almost laughable if they weren't so sad. Henry is stuck in a continuous mid life crisis and everyone else suffers for it