The Sixth Wife
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Review
‘My, what a story…delightfully vulgar and utterly compelling.’ The Times
‘Mesmerising and beautifully written.’ Scotsman
‘Suzannah Dunn…weaves a kind of love story that is both moving and believable. This is the Tudor world as seldom seen…The result is historical chick lit at its most charming.’ Telegraph
‘Dunn [sheds] possible new light on Katharine’s marriage to Thomas Seymour and her final days are treated with sympathy and skill.’ The Tablet
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’
Telegraph
'...moving and believable...second chances at love, and passion
reawakened. This is the Tudor world as seldom seen. Charming.'
reawakened. This is the Tudor world as seldom seen. Charming.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Suzannah Dunn tries two very interesting approaches to her fictionalisation of the last years of Katherine Parr's life. Firstly, she tells the whole tale through the eyes of someone else; someone who, for the purposes of Dunn's take on the story, is remote from the real goings-on in the Queen's mind, bedroom or life. So it always seems as if we are looking at the story through misty glass, not really sure of what's happening. Secondly, the language is very modern - an attempt it seems to connect the 21st century reader with the real emotions of the characters (indicating these were real people, just like us), but one which I don't think really comes off. Yes, these were just human beings, with human emotions, but they weren't like us. They were from a very different time, place and culture. It didn't ring quite true to me. So ultimately, I thought this was an innovative and intriguing novel, but - I hate to say it - not a particularly interesting or moving one.
16 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I believe it is quite difficult to approach as a subject of one's novel the life of Katherine Parr, the sixth and last wife of King Henry VIII, as most of us know about her. But it is not impossible as so many great writers of historical novels prove.
Therefore I think it was a terrific idea to do this through the perspective of Catherine Willoughby, Baroness Willoughby of Eresby in her own rights, a woman who shares much of Tudor drama herself. She was the last wife of Charles Brandon, the famous Duke of Suffolk, closed friend and brother in law of Henry VIII and much older husband to Catherine. She was the daughter of Maria de Salinas, the closest and most loyal friend of Queen Catherine of Aragon, first Queen Consort of Henry VIII. She was a lady-in-waiting to Katherine Parr and a prominent Protestant, close enough but not too close to the drama of the time.
However, I found this book a disappointment as both a historical and fictional novel. He story never takes off, is erratic and just has no flow too it. The dialogues are very often strange, in tone too modern, without the subtleties of Royal Tudor court life and most of the entire book does not created the personalities in a a way that one gets an idea about them. Historic novels are a unique tool to approach a historic personality without being too much tied to the historic documents and give them life and flesh. Great historic novelist do that, Susannah Dunn unfortunately does not. She simply does not know how to write convincing and compelling historical fiction.
Her first book "The Queen of Subtleties3 was a disappointment and unfortunately she keeps in line with her first book.
Therefore I think it was a terrific idea to do this through the perspective of Catherine Willoughby, Baroness Willoughby of Eresby in her own rights, a woman who shares much of Tudor drama herself. She was the last wife of Charles Brandon, the famous Duke of Suffolk, closed friend and brother in law of Henry VIII and much older husband to Catherine. She was the daughter of Maria de Salinas, the closest and most loyal friend of Queen Catherine of Aragon, first Queen Consort of Henry VIII. She was a lady-in-waiting to Katherine Parr and a prominent Protestant, close enough but not too close to the drama of the time.
However, I found this book a disappointment as both a historical and fictional novel. He story never takes off, is erratic and just has no flow too it. The dialogues are very often strange, in tone too modern, without the subtleties of Royal Tudor court life and most of the entire book does not created the personalities in a a way that one gets an idea about them. Historic novels are a unique tool to approach a historic personality without being too much tied to the historic documents and give them life and flesh. Great historic novelist do that, Susannah Dunn unfortunately does not. She simply does not know how to write convincing and compelling historical fiction.
Her first book "The Queen of Subtleties3 was a disappointment and unfortunately she keeps in line with her first book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
To lovers of historical novels like myself, the story of 'the sixth wife', Katherine Parr, is a familiar one.
This was the wife who nursed Henry VIII through his final years and survived his death, who married Thomas Seymour (presumably for love) almost immediately afterwards, only to die in childbirth the following year.
Suzannah Dunn has attempted a new twist by throwing another real-life character into this story - Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, young widow of Henry's best friend - and inventing a love affair between her and Seymour which contributed to his downfall (rather than the rumoured affair with Princess Elizabeth).
Unfortunately it doesn't come off at all.
Mainly because the above premise is the whole plot - there's nothing more to it. She offers no new insights or revelations, there's no evidence of any research, no attempt to recreate the atmosphere of the times. It's such a waffly, repetitive and lazy effort. Her attempts at updating the dialogue are jarring, even laughable: it's one thing to avoid 'Tudorspeak', but quite another to go as far as 'You look fabulous'! And would they really refer to the young king as 'Eddie'?
Making Duchess Cathy the narrator didn't help, either. She's such a dull, unpleasant and unconvincing creation, and it's all about her. Yet by the end I still couldn't pick her out of a crowd - she could be anyone, in any period of history. None of her relationships ring true: she tells us how much she loves her sons and her best friend Kate, but she doesn't show us. The childbirth death scene left her completely cold, along with this reader. Dunn should try reading some Sharon Penman to get a few tips.
There are so many other novels set in this period to choose from, don't bother with this one - even Philippa Gregory does it better. Or try Alison Weir. Even Jean Plaidy. Or if romance isn't your thing, there's a very good portrait of Katherine Parr in C J Sansom's Revelation (Shardlake).
Anything but this, in fact.
This was the wife who nursed Henry VIII through his final years and survived his death, who married Thomas Seymour (presumably for love) almost immediately afterwards, only to die in childbirth the following year.
Suzannah Dunn has attempted a new twist by throwing another real-life character into this story - Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, young widow of Henry's best friend - and inventing a love affair between her and Seymour which contributed to his downfall (rather than the rumoured affair with Princess Elizabeth).
Unfortunately it doesn't come off at all.
Mainly because the above premise is the whole plot - there's nothing more to it. She offers no new insights or revelations, there's no evidence of any research, no attempt to recreate the atmosphere of the times. It's such a waffly, repetitive and lazy effort. Her attempts at updating the dialogue are jarring, even laughable: it's one thing to avoid 'Tudorspeak', but quite another to go as far as 'You look fabulous'! And would they really refer to the young king as 'Eddie'?
Making Duchess Cathy the narrator didn't help, either. She's such a dull, unpleasant and unconvincing creation, and it's all about her. Yet by the end I still couldn't pick her out of a crowd - she could be anyone, in any period of history. None of her relationships ring true: she tells us how much she loves her sons and her best friend Kate, but she doesn't show us. The childbirth death scene left her completely cold, along with this reader. Dunn should try reading some Sharon Penman to get a few tips.
There are so many other novels set in this period to choose from, don't bother with this one - even Philippa Gregory does it better. Or try Alison Weir. Even Jean Plaidy. Or if romance isn't your thing, there's a very good portrait of Katherine Parr in C J Sansom's Revelation (Shardlake).
Anything but this, in fact.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Uncomfortable...
This book had so much potential - I read the first chapter and thought it was okay, not amazing but okay. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mark
Cheated
The last wife of Henry 8 is an interesting character in that she had a mind and she escaped the inevitable - despite the schemes - and her friend in this book, Catherine, should be... Read more
Published 7 months ago by London Matron
Oh, such a smarty-pants!!
I really didn't like this book. Yes, it's fiction, but it was so ME, ME, ME - this heroine is such a dislikeable person, I couldn't get into the story at all. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Sam Pepys
history
I am in the middle of the White Queen, but keep looking at this book for the next read, looks interesting as we don't know much about Katharine Parr. so i am sure i shall enjoy.
Published on 12 May 2010 by Hope
A modern and oblique look at Tudor sexual politics
Like her The Confession of Katherine Howard, Dunn takes a sideways look at Katherine Parr, her marriage to Thomas Seymour, and the sexual rumours about Elizabeth's girlhood. Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by Roman Clodia
Hated This Book
It is VERY unusual for me to say that I hated a book, but this book IS awful - very peculiarly written in a kind of half jokey style - not at all in keeping with the chosen... Read more
Published on 17 April 2009 by Mrs. Judith Lugg
Rubbish
This book has to be the worst book I have read. The characterisation and dialogue was poor and the story felt very disjointed and pointless.
Published on 9 May 2008 by Deanne Wildsmith
Could do a lot better
This was a romantic idea which the author freely admits has no basis in fact.
The last book I read was Alison Weirs 'Innocent Traitor' and in addition I have read all the... Read more
The last book I read was Alison Weirs 'Innocent Traitor' and in addition I have read all the... Read more
Published on 3 Mar 2008 by G. Smith
Historical fiction at its worst
I thought this book was really awful. The modern dialogue was at best unconvincing and lazy and at worst utterly cringeworthy - for example, when the narrator talked about Kate... Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2008 by C. Hughes
A Modern Approach to Katherine Parr
In writing this book about Henry VIII's widow and her marriage to Thomas Seymour, Suzannah Dunn is out of her league. I had the P.S. Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2007 by Graceann Macleod
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