Author: Carol-Ann Johnson
Publication Date: August 30, 2023
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
I think it
would be safe to say that Jane Seymour, despite her name being used by a famous
actress, is the least well known of Henry’s wives. She was married for about a year and then, tragically
if not conveniently, died after giving birth to a son. Her life wasn’t as exciting as some of the other
wives, she didn’t win as you could argue Anne of Cleves did. She is seen as a stereotypical good wife,
meek and mild, by most people, or a blank canvas. Undoubtedly, Henry VIII”s view of her – the wife
who give him a son - and the fact that
she followed Anne Boleyn influence
Johnson’s
book tries to correct that, but it doesn’t quite succeed. This isn’t Johnson’s fault. There is a lack of material, of first-hand material,
on Jane. We don’t really have Jane’s
words in the same way that we have Katherine’s and Anne’s. So it isn’t that surprising that roughly the
first 30-40% of the book (as read on my kindle) barely features Jane but
everyone else.
But
while understandable, at times it doesn’t quite make sense – why quote all of Katherine
of Aragorn’s speech about her marriage, for instance? It’s true, as Johnson points out, that Seymour
served Katherine, but even then, the point of including the whole speech verbatim
is missing There are several cases like that
where Jane disappears from her own book and the other wives take the stage (and
hold it better to be honest). It’s true
that one must give a background in history, but it is strange that more time is
given to the wives than Seymour’s brothers.
Yet, it
isn’t a bad book. If you are just
getting started on your journey with the Tudors, it is a good place to
start. The writing is engaging, and
Johnson does speculate about what Seymour’s reactions to various things might
have been. She does this well. Her setting the stage is excellent.
If you have
been reading about the Tudor’s for a while, there are still bits of this book
that make it worth reading. One, it is
always nice to see a book about Jane Seymour.
Two, Johnson really (I mean really) breaks down the events around Jane
Seymour’s death, advocating for a slightly different date in a key area. She makes an excellent case. Additionally, it is always a pleasure to read
something written by someone that clearly loves their subject, and Johnson does
love her subject.
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