A review of Anne Boleyn by Evelyn Anthony

The cover of Anthony’s book claims it is a novel but many times it seems to struggle with its own identity. Is Anne Boleyn a novel or non-fiction? Clearly, Anthony bases her novel on the fact surrounding Boleyn’s ascension in Henry VIII’s favor to queen, to her fall and ultimately, her death. The fiction would most likely be the conversations that took place between the different factions at court and in the many theatres around the country as people conspired with or against the ill-fated queen. But the creative liberties Anthony took in writing give the novel a realistic edge, as if the reader were watching the drama from the shadows of the castles.


Anthony’s book, published in 1957, does not contain a bibliography but it appears to be thoroughly researched, since there isn’t anything that refutes or is contradictory to anything I’ve read or seen before on this era during Henry’s reign.

Anthony adds depth and feeling to the fiery passion Henry had for Anne in the beginning of their courtship; the cleverness and cunning of Nan as she manipulated and schemed to get Catherine of Aragon and daughter Mary out of the picture clearing her path to become Queen; Catherine’s obstinate refusal to bow to the King’s wishes and confess their marriage was illegal, and; the cruel methods Nan’s enemies employed to influence Henry into ending her.

In many places in the novel, reading becomes confusing since perspective shifts from one character to another within a scene. These are instances where the novel sounds like a non-fiction work. But what were Anthony’s sources? A bibliography isn’t necessary but helpful, even for a work of fiction. It helps the reader determine what is factual and what is pure fiction.

Despite the confusion, Anne Boleyn is a great read for fans of the Tudor era.

Day of Wrath by Iris Collier

One of the first things I learned as a mystery writer was 'don't kill off pets'. Your readers will never forgive you. Iris Collier did not heed this rule, probably to stir up anger in her readers against the perpetrator instead of her. She used such a heinous crime to illustrate the religious fervor and fanaticism of the early sixteenth century monks to hang on to their monasteries against a king bent on dissolving them. I can't argue with that logic but it's still not a technique I would use.

After reading a number of whodunits set during Elizabeth I's reign, it's interesting to have a mystery set during her father's turn on the throne, Henry VIII. Collier's foray into the medieval mysteries, Day of Wrath, takes place during King Harry's dissolution of the monasteries.

Sir Nicholas Peverell, after a visit to the King, finds a loyal steward has been murdered. Unconvinced it was the work of thieves, he launches an investigation reluctantly assisted by Mistress Jane Warrener, a beautiful local girl with a keen wit and sharp intelligence.

She tells him that she has heard talk of conspiracy and treason against the king and that the steward's death may be linked to something he overheard. Their suspicions grow deeper when the young woman carrying the steward's child slowly wastes away. Although her death is attributed to natural causes, Nicholas and Jane are certain that she was killed because she also knew about the treasonous plot, called Dies Irae, 'Day of Wrath' in Latin.

A neighbor of Nicholas's is arrested as part of the scheme but dies on the rack before identifying the mastermind behind the conspiracy, a man known only as Ultor, the avenger.

The King, well aware of the plot to kill him, decides to visit Nicholas at his home in Sussex. Although Henry is blissfully unconcerned, Nicholas is thrown into a panic at the thought of the king in his home, wanting to go hunting and inspecting his ships at Southampton, while an assassin is on the loose nearby.

And he owes the king a new doublet. One that's green and very expensive.

Nicholas also fears for the Priory in his community. He knows that the King will inventory everything, confiscate anything that's valuable and then turn the monks out. The Prior refuses to believe any of this and insists on showing off the riches of the priory to all and sundry.

Collier keeps the story interesting by peppering it with facts and descriptions of England during the reign of Henry Tudor. But the climax falls flat as the assassination attempt is foiled and the traitor revealed all in one sentence. C. J. Sansom's Dissolution is a more satisfying read. Not that the readers will be disappointed in Day of Wrath. It's still as good as the majority of mysteries out there. Collier inserts a lot of humor into King Henry's conversations with Sir Nicholas, intertwining his talk with the arrogance and snobbery he was known for. Anyone who is a fan of historical whodunits will enjoy Day of Wrath.

Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom

C. J. Sansom's second novel, featuring hunchback lawyer Matthew Shardlake, "Dark Fire" is set in the latter days of Thomas Cromwell as King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne of Cleves continues to decline. Cromwell engineered the marriage (the king's fourth) between Henry and Anne, mainly by over-embellishing the beauty of Anne. Henry was repulsed by Anne's homeliness and Cromwell was soon out of favor.

To reverse his descent, Cromwell has learned of a substance known as "Greek Fire" or "Dark Fire", a liquid that can set a ship aflame stem to stern in seconds and schedules a demonstration for the king. Gambling that this could be his path back into favor, he charges Shardlake to retrieve the formula from the men who had given Cromwell an earlier demonstration of the Dark Fire's power. Matthew is extremely reluctant to become involved in Cromwell's schemes but the earl has managed to stay the execution by press of one of Shardlake's clients, a girl accused of her young cousin's murder.

The girl Elizabeth is the niece of a friend of Matthew's and he has hired him to defend her even though the evidence against her is overwhelming. Elizabeth has not spoken a word since the alleged murder of her cousin Ralph. Even the threat of a slow agonizing death has not loosened her tongue. She is on her way to the press when Cromwell intervenes.

Matthew is grateful for the two-week reprieve to try to prove the young girl's innocence, despite her grandmother, surviving cousins and the uncle with whom she was living, viciously assert that she murdered her sweet endearing cousin in cold blood with no more motive than being cruel.

Adding to Shardlake's discomfort is a street-wise young man Barak who has been charged by Cromwell to assist Matthew's search for the Greek Fire. They find the men claiming to have the formula brutally murdered. The assassins seem to be one step ahead of Shardlake and Barak at every turn of the mystery and make several attempts on their lives. Who hired the thugs is the big question facing Shardlake and his cohort. One suspect is a wealthy young lady of a family that has fallen out of favor with the king. She catches Matthew's eye and it seems that she likes him in return, a feeling quite alien to the deformed lawyer.

Their two-week deadline draws closer and they realize that the Greek Fire is a fraud concocted to disgrace Cromwell in front of the king. Shardlake is pulled in all directions as he and Barak search for the conspirators behind the fraud and investigate the murder of Elizabeth's cousin.
In the final conclusion, the person behind the Greek Fire hoax is revealed to Shardlake and Barak just as they are to be silenced permanently. They barely escape only to find they are too late. Cromwell has been sent to the Tower.

Quickly before Cromwell's supporters are rounded up as well, Matthew and Barak confront Elizabeth's ice-cold grandmother with the hideous truth about her grandson's death and in the process nearly lose their lives again.

This novel is more exciting and contains more action and physical exertion for Shardlake than Sansom's previous work, the excellent "Dissolution". In both, Sansom paints a gritty and candid picture of London in the last years of Henry VIII's reign. His portrayal of Newgate Prison is as graphic as Anya Seton's in "Devil Water" (reviewed earlier), picturing it as a stinking, reeking Hell-hole that few emerged alive.

Lifestyles and prejudices are laid bare as Barak's Jewish heritage (although his family converted generations ago) puts him at a greater disadvantage than dark color of the apothecary Guy's skin. Shardlake believes that his deformity is something that can finally be overlooked by a beautiful lady, but finds out that the lines between classes cannot. One of the best scenes was a vicious but all-too brief exchange of words between Elizabeth's venom-tongued grandmother and the Lady Honor, the woman who captures Matthew's heart. The grandmother brutalizes Shardlake when she discovers he has a lady with him even though he is humpbacked. Lady Honor bares her claws, defending Matthew, and proving that she is more than a match for the old hag.

Vanity also knows no bounds as Sansom describes the era's use of the poisonous nightshade, which in small doses dilates the pupils of young girls' eyes to enhance their loveliness. This fact is what ultimately helps Shardlake save himself and the life of his friend Barak.

Sansom's work continues to amaze and entertain. As he develops Shardlake, we find the hunchback lawyer becoming an upright and stalwart hero. There are other sleuths with handicaps: Bruce Alexander's Sir John Fielding and Caroline Roe's Isaac of Girona both of whom are blind; but Matthew Shardlake seems to be the most fragile, whose main weakness is his heart. However, he is resilient and tough and stands tall even next to Susanna Gregory's Matthew Bartholomew.

(previously published on ezinearticles.com)