A review by saucydoorhandles
The Concubine by Norah Lofts

3.0

3.5 It was alright. Not brilliant but not awful. There was a different take on certain things which I found refreshing. Before Anne's fall, Anne does something that I've never found in another tudor book. It obviously never happened but I found it an interesting idea neverless. The name 'Lady Bo' just made me cringe. There is some stuff that is presented as facts, which we know now are not true, but this book was written in the 60's so I think that it can be forgiven somewhat. But the whole 'she had a sixth finger' needs to just die. If she did, I think someone who actually knew her might have said something ;) People hated her. If she had a sixth finger, it would've been mentioned in her lifetime, not decades after her death. Also, I know in the past, we've always blamed mens cheating on the woman so it makes sense, but it was tiring to read about Katherine thinking Henry is perfect. Like no. I think it was a rather sympathetic take on Anne. Usually she can be occasionally cruel and her temper often flared but she's quite mellow in this book, even with her barbs.

The more Tudor fiction I read, the more I hate Henry VIII. I don't even want to think about the mental warping he must have done in his mind to still believe that he was a decent person. If there is any justice in the afterlife, he's hopefully in hell with people pointing out that it's his fault why he didn't have many sons, not the womens. That would be a fitting punishment for one who was obsessed with his own virility.