REVIEW: Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen

Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen
Author: Alison Weir

Jane Seymour (1508-1537) was the wife of Henry VIII and Queen of England for a very short time, 1536-1537. She succeeded Anne Boleyn as Henry's wife and bore him a son...and died a few days later from birth-related complications.

In The Haunted Queen, Allison Weir continues her Six Tudor Queens saga with Jane's story. The book is a mix of historical fact and fictional story, recounting what might have happened from the time Jane was about 10 years old until her death.

I am a sucker for all things Tudor. And Jane's story, while being less exciting or morbid than the divorces, two beheadings and a survivor, her tale is still fascinating to me. The struggles between the catholic church and the monarchy, the King's long fight for divorce from his first wife, Katherine, the short reign of Anne Boleyn.....and her own marriage to Henry.....   Jane lived in very exciting time of change, violence and political rivalries. While I'm glad that I don't live in a similar situation, it is interesting to read about those who did. I can only imagine how scared Anne Boleyn was when she realized her triumph at being named queen was going to end in disaster. And Jane's short-lived joy at birthing a son.

I loved this book! I've read a couple other books by Allison Weir and always enjoy her mix of fact and fiction. It brings Court and all the intrigue to life. I'm not sure why I enjoy reading about Henry VIII's reign so much. He really was a bad king and a narcissistic man bent on having a male successor no matter what the cost. Let alone the irony that  most likely it was his sperm and health that caused the problems in the first place.

Fabulous book for those who enjoy historical fiction. This is NOT a romance novel disguised as historical fiction, but a fictionalized account of historical events. Don't expect steamy sex scenes....it's not that sort of book.  If you want to read about political intrigue, the jealousies of court, and Jane's short lived marriage to one of the most famous rulers of England....then this book is perfect!

I will definitely be reading more by Allison Weir. I haven't read the first two books in this series yet -- Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen and Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession. There are also several Novellas in the series, including one about Arthur, Henry's older brother and Katherine's first husband. I will definitely be reading this entire series! I can't wait for the next book! Anna of Kleve is up next -- another divorce. (At least she kept her head!!)

**I voluntarily read an advance reader's copy of this book from Random House via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**