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A review by mbenzz
The Concubine by Norah Lofts
4.0
I have read many books about Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, so, while I always know how the story ends, I do still expect to be entertained. Upon starting this novel I was pleased, though one huge discrepancy really bothered me. I realize this is a fiction novel, and I've seen many authors tweak a story here and there to make it more exciting, or to change some dates around a bit, but I just could not figure out why Ms. Lofts decided to invent a Stepmother for the Boleyn children? Anne Boleyn's mother did NOT die when she was a child. Her father, Thomas Boleyn was married to only one woman in his life...the Lady Elizabeth Howard. Elizabeth Howard Boleyn was the mother of Anne, Mary, and George, and she did not die early. In fact, she outlived Anne and George by two years, dying in 1538. This is documented and very well known, so I just can't imagine why the author decided to make such a big change in Anne's family life.
This aside, I really enjoyed the story. As far as I could tell, the rest of the book appeared to be historically accurate, and Ms. Loft's portrayal of Anne was one of the most human and realistic that I've read. So many authors paint her to be a shrewd, power-hungry, social climber...and to some extend she WAS, but it wasn't ALL of her. Others take a more gossipy, tabloid-type approach to their telling of the story, which can be ridiculous at times. Reading this book actually had me feeling a little sympathy toward her, something I've never really felt. I still believe that, in the end, Karma got her. Her treatment of Catherine and Mary was terrible. While she may not have outwardly done anything to them, she was the one feeding her hateful ideas to Henry, who then implemented them. Spiteful ideas such as separating mother and daughter, leaving them both nearly destitute and poor, and the biggest slap-in-the-face...forcing Mary to serve the Princess Elizabeth.
Under her subtle cruelty though, Anne was just a wronged girl of gentle upbringing who was offered the moon and the stars. Who wouldn't take them? After being blocked from marrying the love of her life (a move the King himself ordered because Anne had caught his attention), Henry began pursuing Anne in earnest. Seeing how her sister was cast aside after giving in to Henry's lust, she chose to keep her dignity and do what no other women had done...tell King Henry VIII of England 'No'. It was Henry (at least as it was told here) who offered Anne the crown. That he'd put Catherine aside, and make Anne Queen of England. Well, after being told that she KNEW she had to continue to hold him off, otherwise, why bother making her Queen when he could keep her as his mistress? Little did either of them know Anne's journey to the throne would take NINE long years, and at the end of it, Henry would grow to hate her, which would ultimately lead to her death.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this. If you're new to the story of Henry and Anne, this is a great place to get your feet wet. If you've read a ton of books on the subject, adding this to your collection will not be a waste of time. While nothing new may be learned here, it was a fine portrayal of what the life of the Doomed Queen may have been like. I definitely look forward to reading some of Ms. Lofts other works of historical fiction.
This aside, I really enjoyed the story. As far as I could tell, the rest of the book appeared to be historically accurate, and Ms. Loft's portrayal of Anne was one of the most human and realistic that I've read. So many authors paint her to be a shrewd, power-hungry, social climber...and to some extend she WAS, but it wasn't ALL of her. Others take a more gossipy, tabloid-type approach to their telling of the story, which can be ridiculous at times. Reading this book actually had me feeling a little sympathy toward her, something I've never really felt. I still believe that, in the end, Karma got her. Her treatment of Catherine and Mary was terrible. While she may not have outwardly done anything to them, she was the one feeding her hateful ideas to Henry, who then implemented them. Spiteful ideas such as separating mother and daughter, leaving them both nearly destitute and poor, and the biggest slap-in-the-face...forcing Mary to serve the Princess Elizabeth.
Under her subtle cruelty though, Anne was just a wronged girl of gentle upbringing who was offered the moon and the stars. Who wouldn't take them? After being blocked from marrying the love of her life (a move the King himself ordered because Anne had caught his attention), Henry began pursuing Anne in earnest. Seeing how her sister was cast aside after giving in to Henry's lust, she chose to keep her dignity and do what no other women had done...tell King Henry VIII of England 'No'. It was Henry (at least as it was told here) who offered Anne the crown. That he'd put Catherine aside, and make Anne Queen of England. Well, after being told that she KNEW she had to continue to hold him off, otherwise, why bother making her Queen when he could keep her as his mistress? Little did either of them know Anne's journey to the throne would take NINE long years, and at the end of it, Henry would grow to hate her, which would ultimately lead to her death.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this. If you're new to the story of Henry and Anne, this is a great place to get your feet wet. If you've read a ton of books on the subject, adding this to your collection will not be a waste of time. While nothing new may be learned here, it was a fine portrayal of what the life of the Doomed Queen may have been like. I definitely look forward to reading some of Ms. Lofts other works of historical fiction.