REVIEW: Uneasy Lies the Head

Uneasy Lies the Head
Author: Jean Plaidy

After the killing of Richard III at Bosworth Field, King Henry VII takes the throne of England. But can he keep it? Traitors. Schemers. Pretenders. Henry VII believes many are lurking in the shadows with designs on his throne. He hastily plans an alliance with Spain, by planning a marriage between his heir Arthur and the young Spanish Infanta, Katherine of Aragon. But plans will go awry when Arthur dies and his younger brother Henry becomes Prince of Wales in his place. What will happen to Katherine? Will King Henry marry again? Who will the new heir be wed to? So much political intrigue! An aging king desperate to keep hold of his throne. Heirs dying. Alliances, planned marriages, scheming. Henry VII finds himself in a power struggle of sorts with his own son, the soon to be Henry VIII.

The Tudor era in English history is one of my favorite time periods to study. So much change, upheaval, and intrigue! The Plaidy books stick relatively close to historical fact, diverging a bit here and there to take advantage of historical guesswork and conspiracy theories (like the fate of the two princes in the tower). Plaidy's books are fictionalized history.....the basic bones of the story are factual with some heaving bosoms, passionate speeches and drama thrown in for entertainment purposes.

Jean Plaidy is a pen name for author Eleanor Hibbert, who also used multiple other pseudonyms such as Victoria Holt and Philippa Carr. Each genre she wrote in used a different name. I have been collecting Plaidy novels for about 10 years, trying to get them all (or at least one or two complete series). I have three shelves of her novels -- it's time to start actually reading them! I decided to start with the Tudor Saga. There are 11 books in the Tudor series. Uneasy Lies the Head (also published as To Hold the Crown) is the first book in reading order, but actually the last published.

Very interesting read! I'm already reading the second book in this series, Katharine, the Virgin Widow. It repeats a bit of the story told in this first book, starting with the Katharine's arrival in England.

Just an aside....Plaidy's writing is NOT historical romance, but historical fiction. She focuses on the history, and splashes in a bit of drama and passion to round out the story. Readers who want a story that is lighter on history and more about romance, sex, courtly melodrama, heaving bosoms, etc might be happier with a historical romance author. There are many of them to choose from! Plaidy gives details on politics, social issues, and historical figures....and molds fiction around the actual history. Readers looking for detailed sex scenes with the king/queen, tales of sexual exploits, melodrama and more excitement......I recommend choosing another author. That sort of thing just isn't in her books. Those who like a fictionalized fleshing out of historical events -- you are in the right place. Just had to say this after reading a few reviews saying Plaidy's books have "too much history'' in them. lol. For a naked, horny Henry VIII, you will have to look elsewhere. He's out there strutting his kingly stuff....just not in Plaidy's novels. :)