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Royal Sagas #1
The 7th Wife of Henry the 8th
This is the story of Elizabeth de Grey of Coudenoure, the secret love, the one and only truly great love of England's famed King Henry the VIII. Pre-contracted in the blush of youth and young love before the death of Henry the VII's first son, Henry and Elizabeth are then kept apart through the malice of his grandmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort once Henry becomes heir apparent to the throne. But theirs is a love so deep that all of history's tides cannot quench the sacred flame of love that burns between Henry and Elizabeth, the seventh wife.
760 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 19, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 2, 2016
7th wife of Henry the VIII? This is a historical sacrilege. Although very well written, I couldn't connect with the book because of its lack of authenticity. Historical fiction no matter how creative must still adhere to some basic facts, I think.
October 31, 2018
Ouch. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch ouch!
I'm only going to review the first of this multi-generational nonsense saga, but I did read all of them. In mounting disbelief. It takes real skill to write something this long and this bad, but Ms. Younis is more than equal to the task. To be completely honest, I plowed on after The 7th Wife of Henry the 8th (a title that makes no sense even within the senseless context of the book) just to see how awful this was going to get. It did not disappoint.
Basically this is the deluxe version of the "If Only I Had Known Elizabeth Tudor, Henry Tudor, Marie Antoinette, Sisi, the Grand Duchess OlgaTatianaMariaAnastasia, We Would Have Been Besties" School of Weird A-Historical Fiction. Younis creates an 11 year-old Henry Tudor who is skipping out on his old bat of a Granny (Margaret Beaufort, who must suffer more in bad historical fiction than Judas Iscariot) to zip over to the twee manor of Coudemoure with Charles Brandon to pitch some pre-adolescent woo at the equally young Elizabeth de Grey. Indeed, they pre-contract because Arthur is kicking around so presumably young Henry won't have to worry about pesky dynastic marriage. SPOILER ALERT: Somewhere in Wales, Arthur . . . well, I think we all know what happened to Arthur. Although given how fast and loose Ms. Younis plays with history, I wouldn't have been surprised if Arthur turned out to have set sail for the New World. Quicker than you can say 'Tudor livery', which incidentally was green and white, not scarlet and black, Margaret has packed Henry's child fiancee off to Rome to do research or something. By the time Elizabeth makes it back to Merrie Olde, Henry has been married to Catherine of Aragon; he does find time, however, to father a daughter by Elizabeth. She too makes tracks for Rome, where she lives a fun life hobnobbing with the artsy crowd (the Renaissance, doncha know). Constance enters into a short affair with . . . wait for it . . . Michaelangel0, and they produce Henry VIII's granddaughter Bess, who turns out to be a sculptor too and . . . oh my God, this claptrap goes on forever --- there are four volumes before we finally get to Oliver Cromwell. In the intervening century we get to see Couldemoure flourish as a sort of Tudor/Stuart Botanical Gardens.
There is not one credible moment in the entire saga.
I'm only going to review the first of this multi-generational nonsense saga, but I did read all of them. In mounting disbelief. It takes real skill to write something this long and this bad, but Ms. Younis is more than equal to the task. To be completely honest, I plowed on after The 7th Wife of Henry the 8th (a title that makes no sense even within the senseless context of the book) just to see how awful this was going to get. It did not disappoint.
Basically this is the deluxe version of the "If Only I Had Known Elizabeth Tudor, Henry Tudor, Marie Antoinette, Sisi, the Grand Duchess OlgaTatianaMariaAnastasia, We Would Have Been Besties" School of Weird A-Historical Fiction. Younis creates an 11 year-old Henry Tudor who is skipping out on his old bat of a Granny (Margaret Beaufort, who must suffer more in bad historical fiction than Judas Iscariot) to zip over to the twee manor of Coudemoure with Charles Brandon to pitch some pre-adolescent woo at the equally young Elizabeth de Grey. Indeed, they pre-contract because Arthur is kicking around so presumably young Henry won't have to worry about pesky dynastic marriage. SPOILER ALERT: Somewhere in Wales, Arthur . . . well, I think we all know what happened to Arthur. Although given how fast and loose Ms. Younis plays with history, I wouldn't have been surprised if Arthur turned out to have set sail for the New World. Quicker than you can say 'Tudor livery', which incidentally was green and white, not scarlet and black, Margaret has packed Henry's child fiancee off to Rome to do research or something. By the time Elizabeth makes it back to Merrie Olde, Henry has been married to Catherine of Aragon; he does find time, however, to father a daughter by Elizabeth. She too makes tracks for Rome, where she lives a fun life hobnobbing with the artsy crowd (the Renaissance, doncha know). Constance enters into a short affair with . . . wait for it . . . Michaelangel0, and they produce Henry VIII's granddaughter Bess, who turns out to be a sculptor too and . . . oh my God, this claptrap goes on forever --- there are four volumes before we finally get to Oliver Cromwell. In the intervening century we get to see Couldemoure flourish as a sort of Tudor/Stuart Botanical Gardens.
There is not one credible moment in the entire saga.
Read
March 25, 2016A another great read about the Tudors
January 18, 2020
The first thing I will say about this book is please note it is fiction! The timings are way off, for instance Henry and Elizabeth are betrothed before Prince Arthur dies, making Henry only 10 years old.
If you are content to accept that it's very factually incorrect e.g. Scarlet and black Tudor livery? then it is an ok read.
The authors writing style is easy to follow and she does develop the characters very well. I liked the characters of Elizabeth and her father Thomas but didn't like how Margaret Beaufort was portrayed. I did like the little family created from Elizabeth sailing to Rome and enjoyed their part in the storyline.
American spellings are used throughout which I find a shame when reading about English history, especially when used in speech by characters. I'm not sure if this just me but I really didn't like how the title uses Henry the 8th rather than Henry VIII, is it just me?
I felt like the ending was hurried, there was a lot of time spent in Malaga and Rome then quite suddenly Henry is divorcing Katherine, marrying Anne then the book abruptly ends.
Overall, if you can forget the Tudors really did exist then this is ok. I myself prefer historical fiction that's mainly based on fact and this was too far fetched for me.
If you are content to accept that it's very factually incorrect e.g. Scarlet and black Tudor livery? then it is an ok read.
The authors writing style is easy to follow and she does develop the characters very well. I liked the characters of Elizabeth and her father Thomas but didn't like how Margaret Beaufort was portrayed. I did like the little family created from Elizabeth sailing to Rome and enjoyed their part in the storyline.
American spellings are used throughout which I find a shame when reading about English history, especially when used in speech by characters. I'm not sure if this just me but I really didn't like how the title uses Henry the 8th rather than Henry VIII, is it just me?
I felt like the ending was hurried, there was a lot of time spent in Malaga and Rome then quite suddenly Henry is divorcing Katherine, marrying Anne then the book abruptly ends.
Overall, if you can forget the Tudors really did exist then this is ok. I myself prefer historical fiction that's mainly based on fact and this was too far fetched for me.
February 22, 2021
I’m a sucker for books about the Tudors. I’m not sure how I feel about this one. It held my attention & was good enough that I want to read the next book in the series, but I never really liked the main character, Elizabeth a whole lot.
April 19, 2016
Very interesting
Very well written & good story. Something to think about. What a twist to history. Now on to book 2.
Very well written & good story. Something to think about. What a twist to history. Now on to book 2.
April 16, 2017
WILL THERE BE A SEQUEL? IT WAS MOEE THAM INPLIED AT THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK!
July 10, 2017
A different twist
This book added a new cast of characters to the Tudor story. It presented Henry as a child, who grew into loving man.
This book added a new cast of characters to the Tudor story. It presented Henry as a child, who grew into loving man.
December 6, 2018
this book kept me fascinated until the very early hours of morning. Forget being able to sleep before I finished.
I enjoyed the characters, the way the action played out, and the engaging dialogue. The reference to the great Michelangelo was simply lovely. Taking many persons'viewpoints made it easy and fast to keep turning the pages. I loved the fact the author focused more on various subtleties between court drama and everyday folks who avoided that nest of vipers, who were always out to show one another up or bring some enemy down with vicious glee.
Having said all this, I was very disappointed to reach that last page and find: "The Other Elizabeth: Vol. 2, The Saga Continues".
Shameless marketing and upselling. The message is "buy my next book if you want to know what happens". I can't stand that sort of ploy. It's unsettling and really annoying. It takes advantage of readers who read the first book, expecting a full and complete story. Then they get sucked in to pay more money for the simple joy of reading good fiction. It shouldn't be that way.
I realize authors have every right to market their work any way they wish, and the title did state, "Royal Sagas, Tudors I"- So, yes, that might indicate a series of works. But I don't agree that they should dump the reader at a critical point of the first volume, which happened in this case. I won't mention any spoiler information, but this creative tenor made the first novel appeared unfinished. Stopping in the middle of an open-ended dialogue, and perhaps an assumption or maybe even a status of the main character, (Henry 8) decreeing his wrath, well...I hated that treatment of the novel.
I wouldn't have had a problem buying and reading the next in the series, but because the first just trails off into (literally-and please excuse my pun) never-never land was what I consider a cheap ploy to market more material.
I don't think I will finish this series, because now I am more than aware this is how the entire series will proceed. If I want to read more I'll look in my local public library. If it isn't there, I won't bother with this author's works again. Sorry on both accounts, but I hate to be taken advantage of, and do most people.
I enjoyed the characters, the way the action played out, and the engaging dialogue. The reference to the great Michelangelo was simply lovely. Taking many persons'viewpoints made it easy and fast to keep turning the pages. I loved the fact the author focused more on various subtleties between court drama and everyday folks who avoided that nest of vipers, who were always out to show one another up or bring some enemy down with vicious glee.
Having said all this, I was very disappointed to reach that last page and find: "The Other Elizabeth: Vol. 2, The Saga Continues".
Shameless marketing and upselling. The message is "buy my next book if you want to know what happens". I can't stand that sort of ploy. It's unsettling and really annoying. It takes advantage of readers who read the first book, expecting a full and complete story. Then they get sucked in to pay more money for the simple joy of reading good fiction. It shouldn't be that way.
I realize authors have every right to market their work any way they wish, and the title did state, "Royal Sagas, Tudors I"- So, yes, that might indicate a series of works. But I don't agree that they should dump the reader at a critical point of the first volume, which happened in this case. I won't mention any spoiler information, but this creative tenor made the first novel appeared unfinished. Stopping in the middle of an open-ended dialogue, and perhaps an assumption or maybe even a status of the main character, (Henry 8) decreeing his wrath, well...I hated that treatment of the novel.
I wouldn't have had a problem buying and reading the next in the series, but because the first just trails off into (literally-and please excuse my pun) never-never land was what I consider a cheap ploy to market more material.
I don't think I will finish this series, because now I am more than aware this is how the entire series will proceed. If I want to read more I'll look in my local public library. If it isn't there, I won't bother with this author's works again. Sorry on both accounts, but I hate to be taken advantage of, and do most people.
September 14, 2020
Emotional ‘what if’ roller coaster
I always love what if stories!
What if prince Arthur hadn’t died?
What if he still had, but Catherine and Henry had a son?
They’re such fun imaginings. Which is how this book was. It was nice to see Henry VIII in a different light. How he was when he was younger and allowed to be the second son and enjoy life. To see how he could’ve been away from court and with true friends.
I loved all the historical places and historical people we got to visit and meet with the main character.
Some characters had a more somber ending, but I liked that we know what happened to everyone we came to love.
This book had been in my library for quite some time, it was so enjoyable I wish I had read it earlier.
There were some grammatical errors but nothing that would sway my vote against this book too harshly.
I always love what if stories!
What if prince Arthur hadn’t died?
What if he still had, but Catherine and Henry had a son?
They’re such fun imaginings. Which is how this book was. It was nice to see Henry VIII in a different light. How he was when he was younger and allowed to be the second son and enjoy life. To see how he could’ve been away from court and with true friends.
I loved all the historical places and historical people we got to visit and meet with the main character.
Some characters had a more somber ending, but I liked that we know what happened to everyone we came to love.
This book had been in my library for quite some time, it was so enjoyable I wish I had read it earlier.
There were some grammatical errors but nothing that would sway my vote against this book too harshly.
August 26, 2019
An excellent fictional interpretation that offers an alternative viewpoint of a much-maligned historical figure. Given that he was a second son there is some validity to this premise, though whether or not he would have been given the freedom to choose is highly questionable. My only problem with the book was its accuracy and timeline.
October 30, 2019
Wanted to like it more
Loved the premise and it started off great, but I felt it was a little to rushed. Some of the characters just kinda vanish. Not enough historical facts for me.
Loved the premise and it started off great, but I felt it was a little to rushed. Some of the characters just kinda vanish. Not enough historical facts for me.
September 30, 2020
Well-written, enthralling historical fiction
Excellent story of Elizabeth de Grey of Coudenoure and King Henry that starts way before he was king. Richly drawn characters in a fascinating tale that I highly recommend.
Excellent story of Elizabeth de Grey of Coudenoure and King Henry that starts way before he was king. Richly drawn characters in a fascinating tale that I highly recommend.
May 5, 2021
I found it a very good fictional with traces of history of the Tudors. I found how the author tied events was clever. I love how it was about a family other than the Tudors. I wanted them to be real. For those that didn’t care for it because it’s not based on historical facts, well it is fiction and well written, great story line, lovable characters, touching, and sentimental.
July 1, 2018
Fabulous
Whether it be true or not this book was full of great characters and a story of one great love that could not be denied. Highly recommend
Whether it be true or not this book was full of great characters and a story of one great love that could not be denied. Highly recommend
February 26, 2020
1 in 4 part series, I enjoyed this but hate the abrupt ending that forces me to read the next volume and the next, just make it one book!
March 21, 2020
Good read
Interesting premise for anyone who enjoys the royals, especially the Tudor lines. History lovers in general. Will read the series.
Interesting premise for anyone who enjoys the royals, especially the Tudor lines. History lovers in general. Will read the series.
March 20, 2016
An excellent read.
I have really enjoyed this book. The author portrays Elizabeth and King Henry 8 as really nice people, and not the nasty one's that some authors portrays Henry 8 as.
I have really enjoyed this book. The author portrays Elizabeth and King Henry 8 as really nice people, and not the nasty one's that some authors portrays Henry 8 as.
June 6, 2016
The Seventh Queen
Very interesting thought-provoking account of another child that may have been an heir to the throne during the Tudor era.
Very interesting thought-provoking account of another child that may have been an heir to the throne during the Tudor era.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews