Reviews

Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait by Alison Weir

clara_h39's review

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

_stephanie_98's review against another edition

informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition

5.0

I was really looking forward to Alison Weir's Anne of Cleves novel in her Tudor series, and Anna of Kleve does not disappoint. Anna's story has an irresistible central mystery--why did Henry reject her and divorce her, yet have her named his sister and give her attractive properties along with nice chunks of money? The traditional story is that Henry found her ugly and refused to sleep with her and was able to annul the marriage. But the known portraits of Anna do not show her as ugly, and Henry's gifts show that he cared about her. So what happened?

No spoilers here. Alison Weir's Anna is based on her historical study of the woman based on what little was written about her. Anna was the daughter of Kleve, one of those cheerless German duchys where people do not dance or make music in public. She was betrothed to a French prince in young childhood but the engagement was broken off because the alliance was no longer important to either side. The alliance would be good for England, so Thomas Cromwell opened discussion of the marriage of Anna to Henry..

There are wonderful descriptions of the preparations for Anna's journey to England, the way she was greeted and the state in which she traveled. She's likable, kind. How will she fare in the Tudor court of high-stakes schemers?

I love these Tudor books, written by a historian who skillfully fills in the many blanks in the story with delectable possibilities. "Anna of Kleve" is all you were hoping for.

bec_wheels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Anne of Cleves is remembered as being the woman who Henry rejected as being the 'Flanders Mare'. This book portrays her as an intelligent and vivacious woman who was able to navigate her way through the deadly Tudor Court. It brings Anne to life as a woman in her own right, as well as some having some interesting theories on how Anne lived.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

silverselkie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I enjoyed this book, though I felt perhaps there was too much the book left after the annulment. Alot of those years could have been condensed -we didn't need to know about every single dinner Anne and Henry had together.
I deeply dislike the farcical

pregnancy

at the beginning. It is too far removed from what we know of Anne to be believable.  I also feel it is used as a way for the author to gloss over Henry's nastier traits, and almost defend that man.
It is however an interesting story with a woman at the centre who is not really spoken about much, and she was pleasant to be around.

ashleytalksbooks's review against another edition

Got bored. It just felt like her being married to Henry and concerned drug on too long lol 

livi_loves_reading's review against another edition

informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

rachelbernholtz's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lee25's review against another edition

3.0

I am a bit torn about [b:Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait|34212134|Anna of Kleve The Princess in the Portrait (Six Tudor Queens, #4)|Alison Weir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525691302l/34212134._SY75_.jpg|55259656], while I know it is historical FICTION, I'm uncomfortable with just how much fiction was involved in this particular novel.

I liked [a:Alison Weir|6583|Alison Weir|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1557954502p2/6583.jpg]'s Anna and, for the first time in this series, I liked Henry (sometimes). I also believe I would have really enjoyed the story if it involved fictional characters

Spoiler

, but Anna having two children in secret and creating a lifetime secret lover from one of her cousins was too much for me

.

I have (possibly incorrectly) accepted this series as being mostly historically accurate, so the liberties [a:Alison Weir|6583|Alison Weir|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1557954502p2/6583.jpg] took didn't work for me.

teklagyorgy's review against another edition

3.0

A Klevei ​Anna – A hercegnő a portréról egy kis német hercegségből származó hercegnő története, akinek az első bűne az volt, hogy Hans Holbein, VIII. Henrik szeretett festője nem tudta élethűen lefesteni a képmását. A király pedig az első pillanattól kezdve ellenszenvvel viseltetett Anna iránt, aki szerinte közel sem volt szép, mint ahogyan a portréja sugallta. A VIII. Henrik negyedik feleségéről szóló történetnek pedig talán az a legerősebb vonása, hogy Anna királyné mégis képes volt ezt az igen előnytelen helyzetet a legszerencsésebb kimenetellé változtatni.

Maga a regény jó is lehetett volna, viszont engem személy szerint iszonyan idegesítettek a vallásos nyavalygások, amivel a világból ki lehet kergetni. Ettől függetlenül, mivel Alison Weir a könyveit a történelmi kutatásokra alapozza, így mégis azt tudom mondani, hogy nagyszerű kutatómunka, és remek írói stílus van ebben a történetben. A saját olvasmányélményem viszont inkább negatív volt, így ezért a három csillag.

Bővebben: https://www.gyorgytekla.hu/2024/01/alison-weir-klevei-anna-a-hercegno-a-portrerol/