My Lady of Cleves
Margaret Campbell Barnes’ My Lady of Cleves gives readers an intimate portrait of the warm, unpretentious princess who never expected to become Queen of England. Knowing the king's ravenous desire for a son, and aware of the disastrous consequences of not bearing an heir, Anne of Cleves bravely took on the duty of weathering the Tudor King's temper, whims, arrogance, and irresponsible passions—and won the hearts of his subjects in the process.
Anne of Cleves is the first of two of Henry VIII’s six wives to survive his reign. That is an admirable accomplishment, especially since Henry was known for his explosive reactions. Although the reasoning behind the divorce is speculative, what matters is that Anne accepted Henry’s terms and in doing so was able to live a comfortable, if not confined, life. She wasn’t a native of England, but the people loved her and she devoted her newfound freedom to helping her new countrymen.
I like how Barnes built Anne’s relationships with Henry VIII’s children. There are no records that Anne married after the divorce, so it’s safe to say she likely had no children, either. For a woman during that time period, it would have been a serious blow. In a way, she made Henry’s children her own. Barnes also had her start an orphanage to help the less fortunate children in her community. Anne’s motherly nature was satisfied that way, but I imagine it would have been incredibly difficult for a woman in the prime of her life to know she would never be able to be a mother like she had dreamed of.
It was interesting to read the relationship between Anne and Henry’s fifth wife, Katherine Howard. Barnes didn’t make Anne jealous of Katherine, nor did she have Anne seek the crown again when Henry beheaded Katherine. If anything, Anne pitied Katherine early in the fifth queen’s reign and didn’t envy her union to Henry. Anne was an exceptional queen, but it was clear she didn’t enjoy being Henry’s wife. When Katherine’s infidelity came to light, Anne tried to help her and get her to beg Henry for mercy. It didn’t work, of course, but it showed Anne’s caring nature.
Margaret Campbell Barnes was an amazing historical fiction author. Although she’s no longer alive to write more books, I’m definitely going to dig around for more of her work. I encourage other history lovers to do the same!
My Lady of Cleves Rating: ★★★★
Anne of Cleves is the first of two of Henry VIII’s six wives to survive his reign. That is an admirable accomplishment, especially since Henry was known for his explosive reactions. Although the reasoning behind the divorce is speculative, what matters is that Anne accepted Henry’s terms and in doing so was able to live a comfortable, if not confined, life. She wasn’t a native of England, but the people loved her and she devoted her newfound freedom to helping her new countrymen.
I like how Barnes built Anne’s relationships with Henry VIII’s children. There are no records that Anne married after the divorce, so it’s safe to say she likely had no children, either. For a woman during that time period, it would have been a serious blow. In a way, she made Henry’s children her own. Barnes also had her start an orphanage to help the less fortunate children in her community. Anne’s motherly nature was satisfied that way, but I imagine it would have been incredibly difficult for a woman in the prime of her life to know she would never be able to be a mother like she had dreamed of.
It was interesting to read the relationship between Anne and Henry’s fifth wife, Katherine Howard. Barnes didn’t make Anne jealous of Katherine, nor did she have Anne seek the crown again when Henry beheaded Katherine. If anything, Anne pitied Katherine early in the fifth queen’s reign and didn’t envy her union to Henry. Anne was an exceptional queen, but it was clear she didn’t enjoy being Henry’s wife. When Katherine’s infidelity came to light, Anne tried to help her and get her to beg Henry for mercy. It didn’t work, of course, but it showed Anne’s caring nature.
Margaret Campbell Barnes was an amazing historical fiction author. Although she’s no longer alive to write more books, I’m definitely going to dig around for more of her work. I encourage other history lovers to do the same!
My Lady of Cleves Rating: ★★★★