
‘Henry VIII – The Heart and the Crown’ by Alison Weir is her latest book dealing with the Tudor era. This time though, we are told the story from the point of view of Henry. I’ve read several of Alison Weir’s books, dealing with the wives of Henry VIII, told from their perspectives. This is very different and has given me a deeper understanding of the period.
I wondered how I would feel about Henry after reading this book. Would I still have sympathy for the wronged wives? Or would Henry be able to persuade me otherwise? I’m still on the side of the six wives. Henry had an unshakable belief in his own superiority and that was obviously encouraged by those around him. His strict father tried to rein him in, and it worked to some extent. But once the young man was King, there was no stopping him. There were maybe some redeeming features early on, but his self-obsessed side, indulged by all, won out.
I found the story compelling, and seeing it from the other side was interesting. I may not have liked Henry, but understanding how he justified his actions to himself opened the Tudor era up to me. A well-written story with excellent historical detail.
I was given this ARC to review.