The Taming of the Queen

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.

I love the no les Philippe Gregory has written about the women during the reign of Henry VIII. While most of his queens’ stories were well known, and Katherine Parr was the only surviving queen, her story is not one that many paid attention to. Not bloody enough, I suppose.Reading her story, however, made me realize the depth of Henry VIII’s power and cruelty. She survived near death with this fickle man, and outlived him.Well written as always.

This historical novel is very well written. Because Philippa Gregory wrote in present tense, the reader feels like he/she is in the moment. Her descriptions of Royal life in medieval England are excellent. She portrays King Henry VIII’s sore on his leg with great detail; one can almost smell the decay. Katherine Parr, the narrator, is well developed. I loved the history and now am going to watch the new movie, “Firebrand” on Prime Video

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.

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.

I really enjoyed reading about Henry's last queen who did so much for reforming religion in England. I thought the announcement of the king's death was a bit lack-luster, but after reading hundreds+ of pages of his tyranny in this series I sighed in relief that it was over.

Un livre que j'ai lu en français (bonne traduction) et dont je ferai le commentaire sur la version française donc. Un mot sur la version originale, en cours de lecture par mon épouse (niveau moyen+): exigeant, mais très accessible.

Livro excelente sobre uma mulher que conseguiu sobreviver a Henrique VIII e influenciou Elisabeth I, além de ousar pensar naqueles tempos!

Bought to replace a copy I had lost somewhere along the way and was due for a re-read. Love Philippa Gregory and this series.

CATHERINE PARR E' STATA L'ULTIMA MOGLIE DI HENRY VIII, LA PIU' MATURA E LA PIU' CONSAPEVOLE (SECONDA SOLO A CATERINA D'ARAGONA, LA PRIMA MOGLIE E DI SANGUE REALE)... INNAMORATA DI UN ALTRO UOMO DELLA CORTE, L'AFFASCINANTE THOMAS SEYMOUR CHE LA RICAMBIA, MA IMPOSSIBILITATA A VIVERE LA SUA STORIA D'AMORE (DOPO DUE MATRIMONI COMBINATI DALLA FAMIGLIA CON UOMINI ANZIANI), DATO CHE IL RE HENRY VIII L'HA SCELTA COME SUA SESTA MOGLIE. IMPAURITA DALLA CORTE IN CUI SI TROVA A DOVER VIVERE, SI FA' CORAGGIO E NONOSTANTE QUESTO CAPISCE PRESTO LA SITUAZIONE IN CUI SI TROVA IL RE SUO CONSORTE, A CUI SI AFFEZIONA, E IL REGNO E FINISCE PER DEDICARSI INTERAMENTE AL SUO RUOLO. APPASSIONATA SEGUACE DELLA RIFORMA RELIGIOSA, SI FA DEI NEMICI A CORTE, D'ALTRONDE ERA INEVITABILE... SE NON FOSSE MORTO IN TEMPO IL RE, CATHERINE AVREBBE SEGUITO IL DESTINO DELLE PRECEDENTI MOGLI?.... IN ATTESA DELLA TRADUZIONE IN ITALIANO HO LETTO LA VERSIONE ORIGINALE DELLA GREGORY, LA CUI SCRITTURA SCORREVOLE E AVVINCENTE NON MI DELUDE MAI. ASSOLUTAMENTE CONSIGLIATO... A CHI HA UNA BUONA CONOSCENZA DELL'INGLESE...

Another excellent work by this prolific author. Well written and gives an excellent glimpse into what may have been Katherine Parr's life. The Lady of the Rivers was by far her best novel, in my opinion, but this one was well done too.