Review 30: My Lady Viper

My Lady Viper. E. Knight. 2015. [June] Lake Union Publishing. 456. [Source:Netgalley]

First sentence: Dead.  The queen would soon be dead. Her head cropped short to her neck as a spectacle for a crowd on the Tower Green.

Book Blurb From Goodreads:  When Anne Boleyn falls to the executioner’s ax on a cold spring morning in 1536, Anne Seymour knows her family faces peril. As alliances shift and conspiracies multiply, the Seymours plot to establish their place in the treacherous court of King Henry VIII, where a courtier’s fate is decided by the whims of a hot-tempered and fickle monarch.

Lady Anne’s own sister-in-law, Jane Seymour, soon takes Anne Boleyn’s place as queen. But if Jane cannot give King Henry a son, history portends that she, too, will be executed or set aside—and her family with her. In desperation, Lady Anne throws herself into the intoxicating intrigue of the Tudor court, determined to ensure the success of the new queen’s marriage and the elevation of the Seymour family to a more powerful position. Soon her machinations earn her a reputation as a viper in a den of rabbits. In a game of betrayal and favor, will her family’s rise be worth the loss of her soul?

My thoughts:

I enjoyed reading this book; it took me to a period of time that has long fascinated me.  Pair that fact along with actually getting to know a little more about the reign of Jane Seymour it was a huge win.  The author stated that she did take some creative license with certain dates to add something to the story.

There was a certain amount of internal angst with the Anne and her feelings for her husband and another courtier this back and forth for her last a significant portion of the book and it made her feel more relatable because, I think this is something that many, many women go through.

Getting to experience Henry’s going from wife number 2 through wife number 6 was certainly interesting and eye opening.  I know his is a very well documented life but reading it from the perspective of a courtier made the fear of him rather tangible.

I will definitely be looking forward to further opportunity to read more from this author.

Rating 9/10

Recommendation:  If Tudor era literature is right up your alley then I would say this is a good book for you!

*I received a digital review copy for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*