The Taming of the Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels)

Philippa Gregory is an author whose work I not only thoroughly enjoy but wait with great impatience for her next book to appear. Her historical works of fiction, which take an intimate look at the lives of often overlooked as secondary women – those behind, beside and under the throne, if you like, are fascinating. Some I like better than others but this latest, The Taming of the Queen, ranks (in my very humble opinion) among the best. This time her subject is Kateryn Parr, Henry VIII’s last queen and already, at the age of 30, twice widowed. Despite loving another man, Thomas Seymour, when Kateryn is offered the toxic chalice of becoming Henry’s next wife, like any woman Hnery sets his sights upon, she has no choice but to accept. Dismayed at how her future appears to be unfolding as the sixth wife to an arrogant, spoilt and morbidly obese man – a serial killer by any other name - with a propensity to change wives, policies, friendships and even faith as one does underclothes, she determines to make the best of things, even if it means stifling her feelings for Thomas. Uniting the fractured Tudor family is no easy task and yet she undertakes this, feeling sorry for Henry’s estranged daughters from his earlier marriages (Mary and Elizabeth) and his over-protected son, Edward. With no real political or religious convictions, she soon learns that a neutral position, while safe, will not do and sets about to not only educate herself in these matters, but form a very important study circle at the heart of the court, something Henry initially indulges. Clever, Kateryn is soon writing her own religious tracts and debating fiercely with some of the finest minds of the time and those she trusts, all the while her eyes and mind are also focussed on not displeasing her mercurial and hot-tempered husband. What Kateryn hasn’t bargained for is the machinations of those closest to Henry, those who don’t like the influence this wise and wonderful woman has over the sovereign and what this represents to them in terms of the power they currently wield. All too soon, danger stalks Kateryn and the grim realisation that she might soon meet the fate of Anne Bolyen and Katherine Howard faces her. Even knowing this period of history so well, I was spellbound by this book. The challenges Kateryn faces (no less having sex with her husband), the pride she must continuously swallow and what she does to both survive and with her dignity in tact is phenomenal. The tension is wonderfully built and the first person narrative aids this, breathing a different life into this era and this passionate, honourable woman about whom we know very little. In this portrait of Kateryn Parr, Gregory has worked a particular kind of magic, recreating the era, representing Henry as the monster he surely must have been, yet also imbuing him with qualities and insecurities that somehow prevent him from being utterly detestable. Highly recommended for anyone who loves history, Gregory’s work, or just a damn fine read.

this is not a love story, but it shows Henry the 8th for what he was a narcissistic absolute ruler of the land, who used his power to play one side against the other so that only he wins. It shows the religious battle going on in the land and from which I gained a great appreciation for the martyrs that died so that I can choose how I worship, or if I do. My own ancestors came form Czechoslovakia, where they were force to worship one way. when they left and came to America they became "Free Thinkers", a claim that they could chose their religion, their thoughts, their actions. History must support how Henry the 8th allowed the Bible one time and banned it the next, to gain his own power and prove his ultimate control. How did this last wife survive him? was there really a love between her and another man? or was her last marriage (after Henry death) still just another political move. I think it was the last. Women of that era were used, and treated, as it says in this book as without a mind. that History shows this woman to have a mind and to be first to publish says a lot. this was a good read, not for the romance that Ms Gregory usually puts in her books, but for sharing the greatness of a woman of her times, who survived Henry, even if she did not survive her last marriage. I am thankful to the author for introducing me to her story and the story of how the Catholics and the right to read the bible on own own was played out. Money and power, who can stand against that? certainly not a women, even today. or can she?

The Taming of the Queen is the story of the last wife of Henry VIII, the one who united all his children and is known for nursing the sick king. Certainly history has painted a rather dull portrait of Kateryn Parr, the thirty year old widow chosen by Henry after his disastrous marriage to Kitty Howard. She was the wife I knew least of, a patient nurse, loving step-mother, and deeply religious woman. Philippa Gregory illuminates the lifeless image, creating a flesh and blood character that touched me more than any of the other women. Married for dynastic reason, once to a very young then an older man, she finds the love of her life in adventurous Thomas Seymour, uncle to the prince. When she catches the king's lecherous eye, she is forced once again to marry to advance her family. After all, Henry has made her a offer she cannot refuse. Gregory's Kateryn is smart, passionate in her convictions, whether it's the budding reformation, or the challenge of keeping the ferocious king stated and happy. She embraces her responsibilities with both loyalty and conviction to make a difference. I loved reading about her. Instead of a matronly nursemaid to the king, I enjoyed her scholarship, dignity, and savvy way she handled queenship. As her star wanes, with the same arc as her predecessors, Gregory was able to make the reader feel her panic as she realizes her life is in danger, as well as the shame when she debases herself to a monster to save her life. This is a rich history, one that explains the deep schism that fractured Europe as the different churches evolved. Kateryn is a learned woman, a representation of the spirit of the Renaissance. A model for her step daughter, Elizabeth to aspire as a framework for her own court. Of all Philippa Gregory's books about Henry VIII's wives, this one had to be my favorite. She captured the rising fear of the glittering court as the wheel of fortune made it's slow spin. Henry was a Machiavellian prince who pitted rival factions in a court turned into a bloodbath, playing them against each other to smoke out insurrection, leaving him standing victorious over their smoking bones.

As always, Philippa Gregory came through with an entertaining and informative addition to the Tudor saga. While she admits that some instances are contrived, her research into the era and players makes the story completely believable. There are wonderful insights into Elizabeth and Mary that set up their reigns in later years. She makes the characters real and makes the reader really care about them. The book was a very fast read.... too fast sometimes (I like to savor the story, not rush through it). I always anxiously await another installment into the Tudor era and am never disappointed. The only negative (and it is minor) that I can think of is that I would have liked more detail into Kateryn Parr's life after Henry. Strongly recommend this to anyone who wants a peek into the private lives and times of the Tudor era.

Another great read from Gregory. I enjoyed the story of KP, and the different perspective that this book offered. Instead of the usual scheming, we were presented with a pious, scholarly woman (and my god how many times did the text mention that). However the ending felt a bit rushed, I think we as readers deserved a little more of the happy ending that comes for Anne - please no one reproach me for this 500 year old spoiler. It seems as if once Henry was dead Gregory was done with the story. The payoff of a little bodice ripping at the end would have been manifold. All in all, a good read. I do find with most of Gregory's books, while I do love them, the later pages get repetitive and I find myself growing tired of the books overarching theme. I get it, Katheryn was a scholar. Lady Salisbury loved her children. Anne Neville was suspicious of everyone. Elizabeth Tudor despised being married to her brothers killer. At a certain point these books always get repetitive and I find myself skipping pages. This one was no different but all in all another mostly satisfying book, fans won't be disappointed.

As an avid fan of Philippa Gregory's books I anxiously awaited the release of this one. I've read everything she's ever written and it had been too long since a new release. As soon as it was available for pre-order I ordered it, counting down the days when it would be delivered to the Kindle APP on my ipad. I was almost ceremonial about it. Chose to start it on Fri. night so I could read straight through as I did with so many of her Tudor histories, even the Wide Acre trilogy. Oh, I'm so disappointed. It started out intriguing but fell flat about a third of the way through. There's none of the in-depth character development she's so great at. The reformers vs. papsist struggle is so repititious and the intrigue lost. Each time I thought it was getting better it went back into reformers, papists, Lutherans. It's more about a theology lesson than relationships. I'm sure others disagree but this one disappointed me. I expect to be put on the edge of my seat and it just did not do that. I felt I had to plow through many parts. There were some redeeming qualities, catching Henry's descent into madness, Kathryn's yearning for Thomas, but the court intrigue she's so famous for and character development were not near what I expect from a Philippa Gregory. I am about 3/4's into it and have not been grabbed. Infeel like I'm plowing through it to the finish hoping it gets better. Still a hige fan. After this disappointment I will go back and re-read any one of her other books, all of which I loved wildly.

Kateryn Parr was an amazing woman; in Philippa Gregory's latest book The Taming of the Queen her story is told in a narrative voice from the point of his proposal up until Henry's Death. In the author's note it is also described how Kateryn did live to marry her love Thomas and that she would eventually die trying to give birth to their child. I love Philippa Gregory's book but this one is a favorite now by far. In it the voice of Kateryn speaks out passionately to the reader and it is almost moving to a point as you follow her on her journey of thinking that a woman's role is just being a wife and surviving to the realization in and of herself that she has the power to be able to write and study just as any man does specifically for her this epiphany occurs when she is studying the Word of God. Kateryn goes through hell and back trying to survive Henry the 8th and all his mind games; even to the point of him setting up a fake arrest to scare her into submission as if he hadn't already by that point; but Kateryn stays strong and survives the marriage with cunning and grace. She was a woman truly out of her time who I believe would have been a great writer if she'd been born in a period with more tolerance for women and their rights. The characters were easily relatable in this book and I found myself cheering them on. In a way Kateryn can be an inspiration for women today. She survived an extremely abusive marriage, raising step-children, living in a royal court, and she did it all while still wanting to study and having a thirst for knowledge that I truly admire. She was also the first woman to publish a book in England. Gregory knocked this one out of he ballpark for me and its a book I will most definitely keep on my shelf.

Reading of the book was a delightful experience! I haven’t read all of Philippa Gregory books, so I cannot judge for all of them, but, considering the ones I have read: this is so-to-say on the second place, being surpassed only by “The Other Boleyn Girl”. Being a historian myself I understand and acknowledge that the material the author is using is more or less known and reachable for anybody interest in history. Nevertheless, I find the way how Philippa Gregory interprets the sources most charming and amiable. The way how she interlaces the historical data with the creation of her own pen is in the same time most tactful, and convincing. Definitely a perfect work of a living classic of historical novels!