The book, most notably, is written in Starkey’s snarky, entertaining fashion. He gives a lot of commentary about Tudor life and almost always interjects his own thoughts on marriage, inheritance and other issues relevant to the book. It is extremely long but gives a beginning Tudor enthusiast much of the background they will need to continue their traverse into the world of Henry VIII. Starkey successfully brings to life the women in Henry’s life. I think the part I loved the most was how much he humanized Catherine of Aragon, often she is painted as so pious that her character become flat and uninteresting. Starkey removed this misnomer and makes Catherine’s tenacity and personality as interesting as any of the other wives. David Starkey has one again brought his incredible narrative energy to English history making the events flow and intertwine to show how complex the situation really was, all the while keeping the reader 100% engaged. Most of this book is devoted to the study of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, but this can be attributed to the fact that their lives shaped and changed Henry and England the most of any of his Queens. I strongly encourage you to pick this book up; but pace yourself and do not become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the book; this one is a marathon…not a sprint J
I don't know....I was not a big fan of this book. I felt like he painted Anne as "bloodthirsty" I didn't particularly care for the way he painted her.
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