Interesting premise, marginal execution (no pun intended). Awarded 2 stars on Goodreads.
The promise of this novel is that the reader will learn the details in the final hour of Queen Anne Boleyn‘s life. And so each chapter tells a bit about that hour from different perspectives – Thomas Cranmer, Thomas Cromwell, Jane Seymour, Anne herself, King Henry VIII, and even the executioner. Interesting idea, right?
But it turns out reading the author’s conjecture on what each person might be thinking is mostly bland with a couple exceptions.
Anne is shown as expecting a reprieve up to the last moment.
Henry VIII quietly feels intense regret, remembering the passion he had for Anne.
And Archbishop Thomas Cranmer feels deep guilt since Anne was the root of his own advancement.
King Henry VIII (1491 – 1547)
Anne Boleyn
Queen Jane Seymour
Thomas Cromwell Image from Wikipedia
The problem is just that I didn’t feel much in the reading. And there are lots of useless facts and notations (I assume taken from actual written records of the time) that do nothing to advance the story. For fans of Tudor England – there are many better historical novels than this one.
More about the author, Hunter S. Jones, aka Deb Jones.
The promise of this novel is that the reader will learn the details in the final hour of Queen Anne Boleyn‘s life. And so each chapter tells a bit about that hour from different perspectives – Thomas Cranmer, Thomas Cromwell, Jane Seymour, Anne herself, King Henry VIII, and even the executioner. Interesting idea, right?
The problem is just that I didn’t feel much in the reading. And there are lots of useless facts and notations (I assume taken from actual written records of the time) that do nothing to advance the story. For fans of Tudor England – there are many better historical novels than this one.
Toby A. Smith 