My Lady of Cleves by Margaret Campbell Barnes

Rating: 2.2.1
Category: Historical Fiction
Published: 1946, 2008
328 pages


Review:

Princess Anne of Cleves was the 4th wife of Henry VIII and, in my opinion, the most fortunate of his six wives. This book was quite interesting and I really liked Anne of Cleves. She was an admirable woman who made the most of a sorry situation. I really don't know how much of this book was truth and how much conjecture but it was a good read; not necessarily fast paced or un-put-downable, but still interesting. From what I understand, Henry VIII was a good king and good for England but he was a despicable person. While you do see a slightly softer side of him at times in this novel, I just hated him. Yet since I've read this book and Brief Gaudy Hour, I have found myself thinking about reading a non-fiction book about him and his wives. Isn't it funny how we become interested in things, sometimes with a morbid curiousity? This book also has made me very curious about Henry Tudor's children who succeeded him, King Edward VI, Queen Mary I, and especially Queen Elizabeth I. Even if I never read anything about Henry VIII and his wives again, I will definitely pick up something about his children.