REVIEW: The Great Matter Monologues

The Great Matter Monologues:
Katherine, Henry, Anne
Author: Thomas Crockett

The Great Matter. It's been almost 500 years since Henry VIII decided he wanted to divorce his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, to marry Anne Boleyn. What started out as merely a question of divorce bloomed into all sorts of intrigue, including England splitting away from the Catholic Church. The Great Matter Monologues gives a theatrical slant to this age-old true story, alternating between the 3 main players in the drama: Katherine (the first wife), Henry (the King), and Anne (the replacement wife). This is a drama that still plays out on a smaller scale in normal lives.....when Henry VIII sought to "trade up'' so to speak, it was a completely different matter......one that people still talk about many, many lifetimes later.

I'm familiar with the history of the King's Great Matter, so the subject wasn't anything new for me. I've read many non-fiction and fiction books about the Tudor era, as I find the drama fascinating. Henry VIII was a horrible, yet mesmerizing, king.

The first 100 pages or so of this book kept my attention....the emotions playing out, the characters giving their side and reactions to events, etc. But, then it just started waxing on a bit long.....I got a bit tired of Katherine lamenting, Henry being angry, and Anne being a shrew. 340+ pages of emotional monologing constantly alternating from character to character was just a bit of overload for me. I love the creative concept of this book.....great idea to set up the scenario like a play and have the characters unload their emotional baggage. But after awhile, I just wanted to slap all three of them and tell them to pull their heads out and just get on with it.

So, interesting concept....I did stick with it and finish, but the last 100 pages or so were a struggle. I like  the concept, but disagree with the portrayal of Anne in particular. Sure....she was The Other Woman, but she really comes off as a total shrewish waste of space. I'm not sure that is a fair portrayal.

Interesting and intriguing concept. Well written for the most part. But just a bit disappointing for me. Maybe I have read too much on this era to thoroughly enjoy another rehashing? Or perhaps my first inclination is correct.....and the alternating emotional monologues just went on for too many pages.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from John Hunt Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**