Now Read This: 'The Taming of the Queen' by Philippa Gregory

If you like reading historical novels that take place in England, Philippa Gregory has written eight novels about the queens of the Tudor court. This review is for her latest one, “The Taming of the Queen.” In it, Henry VIII has chosen his sixth and final bride, Kateryn Parr, after her first husband dies. Although she now loves Thomas Seymour, she knows she has no choice but to marry the king. As consort, and to save her own life, Kateryn strives to avoid any indication she is anything other than Henry’s loving helpmeet. She concentrates on studying and promoting her pet projects, advocating for scriptures in English and supporting the Protestant Reformation, while appearing never to overtly disagree with the growing faction hoping to restore papism.

Things go smoothly for a period, but the capricious king decides the old religion is best after all, and Kateryn is now in danger of being arrested for heresy. As she fights for her life, she must compromise her newfound religious principles.

The library has this title in book, large print and audiobook formats. If you want to read another novel based on the life of Kateryn Parr, the library also owns a novel/book on CD by Carolly Erickson called “The Last Wife of Henry VIII.” This book reminds me of “The Accidental Empress” by Allison Pataki that I reviewed a few months ago. Although “The Accidental Empress” is not about the Tudors, it gives you a similar glimpse into the struggles of the life of a king’s wife. If you are interested in the lives of royalty, reading (or listening to) these novels is an easy way to get started. You can then move on to the library’s copy of the DVD “Inside the Court of Henry VIII” or to the nonfiction title “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” by Alison Weir.

If you want to find other titles the library owns, either by Gregory or on the same subject, you can do so by clicking on the “Subject Term,” “Personal Subject” or “Geographic Term” links listed on the catalog entry. Another place to look for similar reads is NoveList, which initially gives a brief sentence as to why it is a similar title. You’ll find it on the library’s homepage under “Subscription Resources” and then “What to read next” (in the drop-down menu). The Cape Girardeau Public Library does not own all the titles listed in NoveList, but you can always request we borrow titles for you from other Missouri libraries. There is no charge for this ILL (Interlibrary Loan) service.

Happy readings!

Betty Martin

About Betty

Betty Martin is director of the Cape Girardeau Public Library.