The Sixth Wife: A Novel (Paperback)

by Suzannah Dunn (Author)
Key Phrases: The Sixth Wife, Suzannah Dunn, Anne Boleyn (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
'My, what a story!delightfully vulgar and utterly compelling.' The Times Praise for 'The Queen of Subtleties': 'Suzannah Dunn is, as ever, a mistress at describing the material world through which her characters move.' Guardian 'A boisterous historical recreation.' Independent '"The Queen of Subtleties" offers a stunningly refreshing way of retelling an old story. I often abandon historical novels nowadays, but I really could not put this one down. It brings Anne Boleyn to life as never before, and, probably for the first time ever in fiction, Henry VIII emerges as a truly credible character in an authentic setting.' Alison Weir, author of 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

A gripping novel of love, passion, betrayal, and heartbreak in the unstable Tudor court following the death of King Henry VIII

Clever, level-headed Katherine Parr has suffered through four years of marriage to the aging and irascible King Henry VIII—and she has survived, unlike the five wives who came before her. But less than a year after the old king's death, her heart is won by the dashing Thomas Seymour, and their hasty union undoes a lifetime of prudent caution.

An unwilling witness to the queen's late-blossoming love, Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, harbors nagging suspicions of Kate's handsome and ambitious new husband. But as Catherine is drawn deeper into the web of politics ensnaring her oldest friend, it gradually becomes clear that she has her own dark tale to tell. For though Thomas might betray his wife for power, Catherine might betray her for passion, risking everything she has in a world where love is a luxury not even royalty can easily afford.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (January 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061431567
• ISBN-13: 978-0061431562
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #428,855 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "I don't do historical fiction.", January 25, 2008

By	Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Newly bereaved, Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII, makes an impulsive marriage early in her widowhood. The dashing Thomas Seymour is not a man to be trusted, given to protecting his own self-interests at any cost. Parr is an attractive match, her funds sufficient to put a smile on Seymour's face, the woman having despaired of ever having children, now in her 30s. But the charming Seymour changes all that, Kate enchanted with the handsome fellow she has married. Perhaps it is Kate's naiveté that leads to her marriage; desired by the sophisticated, charming Seymour, Kate can be forgiven for falling in love, especially after the uncomfortable years with the ailing, cantankerous Henry, avoiding the fate of Henry's other wives through his demise.

At the beginning of the union with Thomas Seymour, it is Kate's friend, Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, who supplies the sardonic narrative, questioning Kate's motives and innocence in the face of an ambitious, sly husband. The young Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn, happily takes up residence with the newlyweds, the thirteen-year-old queen-to-be out of place in Mary's Catholic court. Long a favorite of Kate's, Elizabeth is fresh and curious, not oblivious to Seymour's flirtatiousness. It is Elizabeth's presence in the household that the Duchess of Suffolk questions, as well as Thomas' motives in marrying Parr. To anyone with knowledge of the Seymour's in Henry VIII's England, Thomas hardly stands out as a beacon of loyalty, courage or honor. An attractive, scheming man does not necessarily a good husband make.

History tells us that Parr dies in childbirth, the young Elizabeth the subject of much contention in the Seymour household, coveted by Thomas, protected and trusted by Kate, the girl's grand fate yet to be played out on the world stage, as well as Thomas's end. The problems in the marriage and her own particulars are related by the Duchess of Suffolk, the chapters filled with the duchess's musings, judgments and personal failures. My problem is that the author uses the most cursory details to support her novel, reaching for a kind of intimacy that is unfettered by substance. The lack of detail becomes tedious: "the formidable queen Margaret Beaufort and the sparkling new Spanish one"; "women had had a setback, we'd come through difficult times"; "the locking away of one queen and the execution of the next".

The author makes clear that she chose to write historical fiction in this manner, but I read such fiction for the period details and political issues of the era. Without that background, the specifics of time and place, this is a novel about two women, a love affair and a betrayal, ultimately rendering the story dull. Katherine Parr's tragic life is interesting because she was married to Henry VIII, because she died in childbirth and married a roué with more than love on his mind. History literally defines some characters and their relevance to the times they inhabit. Dunn seems not to appreciate this fact; the result, a novel without spark or curiosity. Luan Gaines/ 2008.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Flatters to Deceive, August 14, 2007

By	Jake Vigors (London England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sixth Wife (Paperback)

Having recently read five Tudor novels, (my interest being piqued by The Innocent Traitor = a splendid read,) I bought this treatise on the relationship between Catherine Parr, Catherine of Suffolk and Thomas Seymour. The style was altogether too light and historical details few and far between. If I'm reading historical fiction then I need a strong narrative drive and a generous flavouring of recognizable characters. This failed on both counts. I was left with a very dissapointing 'Mills and Boon' aftertaste and the thought that too little thought had gone into this piece of whimsy. Not recommended.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No Philippa Gregory, July 16, 2008

By	Miss Jodella (New York) - See all my reviews

This "historical" novel did not have enough good meaty historical information. It just is a very light, flimsy story and left me a bit frustrated because frankly it just wasn't very good. Not recommended.