Anne of Cleves
By: Julia Hamilton
Now a widower by the virtue of the beheader’s sword, Henry sought a political marriage to the young Christina of Denmark – but she would have nothing to do with him. She did have, however, an older aunt, Anne of Cleves. Anne was mature, regal and very loving – and all at the age of thirty-four, Anne decided Henry could not possibly frighten her now.
Intrigued by the mystery surrounding Anne of Cleves, Henry commissioned the painter Holbein to do Anne’s portrait and send it back to England. Unfortunately, Henry had not taken into account that Holbein’s senses would be emotionally affected by the stately Anne – and that the painting would not necessarily look like the real Anne of Cleves. . . .
Summary from the back of the book.
Review Time!
Score: 3 out of 5 stars
“Suddenly Henry Tudor’s tragedy became clear to her. The fault lay not with his wives, but with him! The witch hunts and the divorces, the repudiations and the maltreatment of his daughters, all had been his vain effort to expel evil and ugliness from around him, when the evil and ugliness lay within himself. . ” Excerpt from the book.
First off when reading the back of the book, it doesn’t mention Jane, but references that Henry became a widow after Anne Boleyn. When in fact he became a widower after his loss of Jane and she did not die from losing her head, also it would be implied as well that Holbein would be more present in the book but he was only a brief section as he painted her portrait. Book is “split” into two parts strange for only being 155 pages long but either way its split. The first portion follows the P.O.V of Anne, Henry, Mary, and Elizabeth. With their build up to when Anne finally enters England and meets Henry. Henry’s point of view shows a very emotional man, he misses Jane, bitter about his first two marriage, skeptical of Cromwell which grows the seeds of Cromwell’s future fate. It shows that Henry tends to hold on to one thing and run wild with it. He fantasies about a woman he hasn’t even met and is building up an image of her. Mary’s shows a fiery woman of her faith, and is ready to burn the world down to bring back her religion. A woman that is worried about a new stepmother and how she will be treated by her. Elizabeth’s point of view shows a wise little girl who watches and waits. She loves her father but is one of those who doesn’t put all her eggs in one basket as they say. Now Anne’s point of view shows us a good humored, beautiful when smiling, level-headed and full of good sense.
The second portion is basically the author vomiting up the account of the marriage celebrations of Henry and Anne. Their official meeting in front of the English people, their wedding and feast. It touches on the Cromwell is in trouble for this marriage, (it being completely his fault in Henry’s eyes) then finally at the end of the book it gives a glimpse of Mary and Elizabeth’s feeling about Anne once they are crowned queen. Both saying that Anne was an anchor for them in the constantly stormy seas of their father’s court, and they owed her a lot for loving them so selfishly.
(ISSUE I HAD – ANNE WAS NOT 34, SHE WAS 25 WHEN SHE MARRIED THE KING)
I recommend this book, it was a pleasant read. To read more regarding Anne of Cleves, or some more books regarding her. Click the image to get a history lesson and a list:
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