The Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir

So, you’re a bookworm. And suddenly, you find you have the time to read as much as you’ve always wanted to. What better time to start catching up on series than right now?! I thought I’d offer some tips over the next few days/weeks/months (? Yikes!)

Today, I’m shining the spotlight on the Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir.

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| ABOUT THE SIX TUDOR QUEENS SERIES |

The lives of Henry VIII’s queens make for dramatic stories and Alison Weir will write a series of six novels that offer insights into the real lives of the six wives based on extensive research and new theories. But as tends to be the case, there are gaps in historical accounts. Jane Seymour, for instance, left little or nothing of note. No journals or letters that thorough research might otherwise be based on. Yet in all these novels, Alison Weir manages to fill these gaps in an entirely plausible and credible way.

This series will ultimately consist of six books, because you know, six wives. Currently, the series stands at four novels. Sadly due to the coronavirus crisis, book five which was due for release in May has been pushed back to August. Still, that gives you plenty of time to get caught up!

Court intrigue, power-hungry men who were constantly scheming and playing (political) games, women being used as pawns and a temper-tantrum throwing, self-centered, fickle, almost man-child at the helm (hm, who does that remind me of? 🤔) … what could possibly go wrong? Every wife gets her own point-of-view, transporting the reader back to their days at the Tudor court. What I love about the way this is done, is that some things overlap. Like the Great Matter for instance, which you see playing out through Katherine of Aragon’s mind and Anne Boleyn’s. But also the introduction of subsequent wives who were often employed as ladies-in-waiting by their predecessors, and figures who will play big parts in history in their own time like Thomas Cromwell and the Seymour brothers.

I am utterly fascinated with the Tudor era and the six wives of Henry VIII for some inexplicable reason and it’s quite obvious to me that that fascination will never go away. In my most humble opinion, nobody brings this era to life as magnificently as Alison Weir does. The meticulous research, the absolutely wonderful eye for detail, it all jumps from the pages and never fails to completely absorb me. If you’re a Tudor fan, I have no doubt you will love this but I also feel there’s a lot here to please any historical fiction reader.

If you’d like to read more about my original thoughts on these novels, here are the links to my original reviews :

Katherine of Aragon : The True Queen
Anne Boleyn : A King’s Obsession
Jane Seymour : The Haunted Queen
Anna of Kleve : Queen of Secrets

The Six Tudor Queens series is available to buy from Amazon UK | Hive UK | Waterstones and other retailers.

| ABOUT THE AUTHOR |

Alison Weir lives and works in Surrey. Her books include Britain’s Royal Families, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Children of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry VIII: King and Court, Mary, Queen of Scots and Isabella: She-Wolf of France.