There are a few series which I never stop talking about; this is one of them! I loved book one, impatiently waited for book two, loved book two, impatiently waited for book three and took it on holiday where I read it in three days. You know I love a series where there’s a paper trail on my blog that I can link you through!
Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and, as an adult, Jane is invited to the King’s court to serve as lady-in-waiting for Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumours of Henry’s lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn—who is also lady-in-waiting to the queen—all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a painful incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage.
But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures his new queen—altering the religious landscape of England—he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King’s affection and earn favour for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son or will she meet a fate similar to the women who came before her?
I have to start by saying… Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen* was my least favourite book so far. I only rated it… four stars. Shocking, I know! I’ve loved this series so much that this was a surprise to me, even though I still really enjoyed it. I guess not everyone can be a Katherine of Aragon or an Anne Boleyn. Jane may have been Henry’s favourite but she isn’t mine.
It’s just that Jane as a character is just a little bit boring. The book doesn’t reflect this because it’s really interesting but as a character… Everything happens to her, which, yeah, she was a woman in the 1500s but rarely is a decision made that she actually sticks to. Then she’ll blame someone else. And her relationship with the King! She literally says at one point that “no sane woman would want to entangle herself with such a man” but goes on to talk about his vulnerability. She’s that friend you have that keeps going back to her ex even when he’s clearly a terrible person.
Reflecting, I’m not a huge fan of the choice to add the supernatural aspect of ghosts to the story. It was interesting, but it strays a little too far into the fictional side of historical fiction. It’s my pet peeve in science-based crime-dramas on TV when they do this and it’s always such a jump-the-shark moment for me, especially since there’s no historical base for it. If she had written a letter mentioning a ghost, sure, but as you can tell from the title, this Haunted Queen kind of overshadows the actual person.
As always though, Alison Weirs Author’s Note is truly fascinating as she goes into her method of writing historical fiction; her sources and choices. It makes me wish more authors would go into their thought processes and writing methods, it’s fascinating. I really have to pick up one of her non-fiction books these days.
Imogen's Typewriter. 