Rating: 
Summary: Reads smoothly - very informative
Review: What a great book ! It reads fast, smooth and so well.
My compliments to the author on a suberb job.
The people are brought seemingly to life as you read.
One of the finest books I have ever read !
Rating:
Summary: An engrossing read
Review: This was my summer beach read, and I found myself more interested in this wonderful book than the ocean!! Very well documented, and researched, yet still gripping. This is not a dry history book, but a re-telling of the lives of these facinating women. The photo section was interesting, and well worn by the time I was done. You can get a feel for who these people really were, not just their accomplishments. I am off to start her book on Henry's children.
Rating:
Summary: Engrossing, educational and surprisingly easy to read
Review: I was in search of a book to read on the long flight home from London and this was the book I chose. What a delight! Alison Weir brought the old English court back to life for me, and I now have a much clearer understanding of the personality of each of Henry VIII's wives, and of Henry himself. As an American, I had little knowledge about the King's break with the Catholic Church of Rome, and never realized that it had a far greater effect on history than just getting Henry a new wife. Our Constitution outlines a clear separation of church and state, and now I know why. A wonderfully written and well researched book! I recommend it for those who love to read history.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening
Review: Alison Weir does a wonderful job introducing you to Henry Tudor and his six wives. You get a real sense of what pressures King Henry was under, what his dreams and expectations were, and how the everyday routine of royalty influenced his decisions.I've taken my share of European history in high school and college, but I'll confess that my knowledge of this man was simply that he was grossly overweight and that he had no problem killing his wives when he tired of them. So, finding out that he was the epitome of masculine beauty, intelligence, athleticism and progressive thinking was a real eye-opener. Even more, was the wealth of material presented to give life to each of the six women who married this complex man. You'll feel despair for Katherine of Aragon; anger at Anne Boleyn; sorrow for Jane Seymour; fear for Anne of Cleves; pity for Katherine Howard; and admiration for Katherine Parr. In addition, you'll learn a great deal about his children: Mary, Elizabeth and Edward. A real plus for history buffs...all of the intrigues at court surrounding the various wives and children, the advancement of families and the religious struggles. All in all, a great read.
Rating:
Summary: Weir outdoes herself!
Review: The best of Weir's books, this telling of the notorious Henry Tudor brings his entire court (and courtships!) to vivid life... Interesting storytelling and characterization, with plenty of lavish details, make this page turner an absolute must-have for your library.
Rating:
Summary: Bedtime tricks....
Review: If we women can learn anything from Anne Boylyn it is this, don't ever tell your husband that you know some interesting ways to have sex. Poor Anne Boylyn. She waited many years to marry Henry and then lasted a mere 1,000 days on the throne. Before she left, she managed to bear Henry a few children including a two sons who died in infancy. Elizabeth probably survived because she was Anne's first child. Weir suggests that Anne was troubled by a particular fertility problem that afflicts some women--a negative blood factor. This factor may have been the cause of the spontaneous abortion of one baby and the death shortly after birth of another. Detail of this sort sets Weir apart from other historians. She tells the tale of Henry and his six wives from the women's standpoint. Some historians could care less about the trials of these women as they dealt with infertility and infecundity yet this issue was a central factor affecting Henry's behavior. For goodness sake, a kingdom was thrown into civil war because a series of women could not conceive and carry to term a male child. Weir thinks it's important to delve into the medical angles as well as all the other personal angles affecting these relationships. WIVES follows the trials and tribulations of the six women who became Mrs. Henry. Most of us are familiar with the women who bore Henry heirs: Katherine, Anne, and Jane Seymour--but what of the other three. Henry's fouth wife was the ill-fated Catherine Howard (Anne Boylyn's first cousin--what was it about these femme fatales??) who had her head removed after she was discovered with another man. Next came a continental wife Anne of Cleves who is reputed to have had a foul body odor (she did not like to bathe). Last came queen Katherine Parr, who became a real mother to Mary, Elizabeth, and Edward and survived Henry. Anne later married a man she loved and died in childbirth which leads one to speculate that perhaps King Henry became impotent at the end of his reign. But of course, it is never the king's fault if his wife cannot conceive.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: This is a fantastic book. It gives a very well rounded picture of the times, the politics, and most of all the people. Whether you are a knowledgeable Tudor historian or a newcomer to the English court of the 16th century this is an informative, well written, interesting book. What many other authors have turned into dry and drudging accounts, Alison Weir has made engaging and human. Since I bought this book 5 or 6 years ago I have probably read it 6 times. Definitely money well spent. I just hope Ms. Weir will turn her talents to a book on Lady Jane Grey.
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Summary: Living History
Review: This is one of my all time favorite books...and I'm a voracious reader. This was the first Tudor period history book I ever read, and now I'm hooked. It gives a wonderful overview of the personalities and politics surrounding each wife. It's almost seven books in one, since it gives a biography of each wife and Henry VIII as well. By the time the author is finished, you have a very clear impression of each woman's character. If you're on the fence about whether or not to get this book, go for it. You won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the read
Review: Weir has put in hours upon hours of research for this book, and her efforts shine through in this 600+ page book. Although the length may be intimidating to some, the pages fly by as one learns more and more about six different women who each met different ends. Without having read this book, no one can consider themselves a Tudor history buff.
Rating:
Summary: I'm 12 years old and I love this book
Review: Read this book and absolutely loved it. Never knew there was so much going on in the Tudor Family.
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