I was a bit reluctant about this at first. Alison Weir has written so many books about the women around Henry VIII, of which he was most often the villain. I didn't know if I would be able to read a book with him as the main character. Well, Henry VIII is certainly a character, and of course I didn't like him that much. Still, this novel entertained me well and I'm happy to have read another Alison Weir book. I'm excited to see what else she's going to write in the future.

An introduction to the Tudor court for those who don't like non-fiction.

I've read and watched quite a lot of books, fiction and non-fiction, documentaries, and dramas, about this period, but I stopped listening to the audiobook version of this 20% of the way in, and my conclusion is, that this book isn't for me, but if probably for those who want a way in to Tudor history.

I didn't get along with the narration, it sounded like a dry documentary voice over, or the voice of an audio guide through a stately home, and unfortunately, the writing for me, took a similar tack - a series of names, dates, places, and events that lacked a connecting thread of emotion, personality, or theme. While the novel focuses on Henry, and is written from his point of view, it is written in third person, and there's an innate sense of distance from the events, the narrative voice feels like it's looking back on history and telling Henry's story, so I didn't really feel connected to Henry at all. I decided to give this another go, and read the ebook version, focusing on the later parts as I'd listened to the beginning of the audiobook, but my initial impression stayed the same.

The general feeling I got was that it wasn't doing anything new, the main events were all ones that I knew about before, but I didn't really get a new take on them, and Henry still comes across as selfish and childish, even in the first fifth of the book, the more positive parts of his reign.

There is a lot about his relationship with Catherine, though more focus is on lust and an immediate obsession with producing an heir than conveying or exploring any sense of affection, but what that means is that the focus is once again on the queen, rather than the less explored male characters, politics, religion, and sovereignty which likely took up more of Henry's time and attention than his wives.

One example of the way in which this felt more like a recapping of events than a retelling through the eyes of a more human Henry, is in the scene shift from the sinking of the Mary Rose, it was so abrupt, one minute Henry is standing watching the Mary Rose sink, and all those men, including some he was acquainted with, perish, seemed to have barely an effect on him, he seems sad, but then in the next line he's off hunting with his friends, and the event is never spoken of again, it was a point in time, a historical fact related, and Henry never dwells on it again. It is told to the reader because it is a famous point in history, not because it has any impact on Henry, his actions, or anything that comes later.

As I say though, this is probably because this book isn't for me, for anyone wanting to read about Henry without committing to non-fiction, this provides a more accessible version, and gives you an idea of the main events of his reign, and for those who want to read a historical faction overview of the reign, not just focusing on one wife or character, this does do that. But for those who already know a fair bit about Henry VIII and his wives, and are wanting a new take, this might be a bit disappointing.

A great book written by Alison Weir which continues the Tudor Rose series. I read the first book in the series, Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose, and I admire how Alison Weir has chosen Henry to continue the series. It is a perfect way to continue the series.
I enjoyed reading this fictionalised account of Henry's life. However, Alison Weir included historical accuracy woven into this.
Although, it did take a bit of building to enjoy the book so I have rated it 4 stars.

A huge thank you to Headline and Netgalley for this e-arc.

There was a time of my life where I exclusively read historical fiction based on Tudor. It’s an era which has always fascinated me, and so I was very excited to read Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown.

All told from Henry’s pov it follows him from his youth shortly after his brother, Prince Arthur’s, death. The reader gets a front row seat to all his loves and dalliances, as well as the monstrous acts of beheading two of his wives.

I went into this with very little sympathy for him, but what Weir has done here is brilliant. She shows us Henry, the man. The good, the bad and all the shades between. A man with great, almost unimaginable power, but because of it, is vulnerable to manipulation and increasing paranoia.

His actions changed the path of this country for all time, and while this book does not condone or excuse his actions, it does give an insight into the background and why he behaved the way he did.

It’s been my bedtime book over the last few weeks, and I’ve loved every moment of it.

I love every book alison has come out with that is from the tudor era. It's so interesting to hear about each Queen and then finally now about the king. Love the way it was written and the historical facts

📚 #NetGalley ARC review 📚

Title: Henry VIII: The Heart & The Crown
Author: Alison Weir
Release date: 11/05/23

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the chance to read this ARC ahead of its release.

I knew I would enjoy this as I've enjoyed most (if not all? I lost track somewhere) of Alison Weir's novelisations of the lives of the Tudor queens. As with those, it's an odd feeling, knowing that you already know what's going to happen even though the characters don't - a bit like watching Titanic and wanting to tell Jack and Rose not to get on the ship.

As always, Alison Weir's writing has you feeling wrapped up in the fine surroundings of Henry's court - the descriptions are fantastic, from the opulent buildings to the lavish meals to the grand events. The wives feel very humanised and less stereotyped than history has left them, which was nice (though expected, based on her other novels). All the peripheral characters - your Cromwell, Moore, Wolsey and so on - feature as prominently as you would expect them to, given their significant impact on Henry's life, and they perform wonderfully. It actually does feel a bit like you're watching a play unfold, with the grandiose sets and courtly drama.

Henry himself has the charisma you'd expect, and you bounce between liking and rooting for him, and despairing at his bull-headedness (and dare I say it, gullibility in falling for trusting people over and over again). I did find it a bit grating how many times he'd exclaim "you have the sow by the right ear!" (meaning "you're right!"), but who knows...maybe he really did annoy people back in the 1500s by saying it too often?

An epic long read, and well worth the time.

4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is basically a fictionalised biography of Henry VIII, from beginning to end, via all of his six wives and multiple mistresses. For anyone whose historical knowledge of the Tudor period basically is summed up by "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived" then this is a brilliant way to learn more about Henry VIII in a lot more depth, and without reading a dry and dusty textbook. For example, everyone knows that Henry had problems having sons, but the number of miscarriages and lost babies is obviously glossed over when this subject was studied by many of us at primary school. Likewise, his many health issues throughout his life, and the constant power struggles behind the throne are all very interesting.

That said, as a fiction novel, it sometimes came across as a bit clumsy, where Henry would be telling someone something (In the old "as you know blah blah blah..." fashion) that they didn't need to be told, which was clearly for the benefit of the reader and not the character. For me personally I found I enjoyed the audiobook better as I could sit back and listen while doing something else - the "plot" of the story wasn't particularly grabbing since there wasn't one as such, and I was less engaged with it when I was reading the novel, when it started to feel a bit repetitive. (Drink every time cloth-of-gold is mentioned!)

On the whole, I really enjoyed it, I feel like I learnt something, and even though it's pretty long, it still kept my attention from start to finish.

This is a book for history lovers and in particular lovers of Tudor history. It was meticulously written and really got inside the mind of one of history's most compelling characters. Written with Alison Weir's customary style and insight.

Henry VIII is the king almost everyone knows. The movies, the TV shows and the books. He and his love life are everywhere. And it's all been told.
That been said this book told it differently without telling us anything new.

A fun frolic through the life and times of Henry this read more like the Tudors than your history class text book. Fictional and full of Tudor drama it was a fun read, but long.

While I enjoyed the insight into the events we know I did find it long and in parts drawn out.

Grab this book for a bedside table read and devoted a few weeks to a few chapters a night.

Lovely to see Henrys side of things having read all 6 of the wives books. Again well researched & highly educational to me.

Another brilliant Tudor novel. Yes, it is a mighty tome but not a word wasted. I have been reading Tudor history both in novel form and non-fiction since my schooldays, some 50 years ago and we have definitely come a long way since the much-loved author Jean Plaidy. All Henry's highlights picked out here, plus his lowlights! Clearly, not everything could be included but the timeline makes complete sense and his story flows brilliantly. Excellent! Thank you Netgalley.

Henry VIII is quite a character it has to be said, and this book gives us a great insight into how this powerhouse of a man lived. While I would have a huge interest in the Tudor dynasty most of the books I’ve read are centred around his six wives more so than Henry himself. Here the author tries to think like Henry did, imagines how he came to the decisions he did. It’s a new perspective on the infamous King and his thinking. I loved it. I think it’s a great read for anyone who has an interest in the subject matter and it’s a great introduction to this timeframe in history. I would give this book 4⭐️ and would absolutely recommend it to all.
Many thanks to #NetGalley for my ARC of this super book.

Henry was never meant to succeed to the throne but after the death of his elder brother he becomes the heir. The Tudor dynasty was new and insecure so Henry feels that he has to ensure succession by fathering sons. That proves to be difficult and his passions mean that he acts in haste yet regrets later. Surrounding him also is the question of religious reform. When all his advisers are jockeying for power and favour, can Henry be the glorious monarch he envisions himself as?
First and foremost Weir is a historian and that is what rings out from this book. She has pieced together the historical fact, written known sayings as dialogue and carried the timeline faithfully. In that respect the book is a joy. However it is ambitious to try to convey the character of one of the most mercurial kings ever. In her female led historical fiction Weir pitches it just right, here I found some of the writing a little clunky. However I am more than prepared to forgive that as this is an ambitious and entertaining novel.

Having read the first book in this trilogy on Elizabeth of York last year, I was eagerly awaiting this novel. It didn’t disappoint.

A lot is spoken about Henry VIII but at the same time I don’t really feel like I know the man. We know the facts about what happened but do we really know how he felt & how things could have happened how they did. I understand that we aren’t ever going to know that 100% but Weir’s novel makes it feel like I now do - it’s brought Henry to life.

This book is quite long (over 600 pages) but this isn’t too much - Henry VIII’s life was complex & trying to shoehorn it into less would be doing it a disservice. The prose is easy to read & the characterisation of all is done thoroughly well. I honestly enjoyed this book & struggled to put it down. If you are interested in trying to get more into the mind of one of our most recognisable monarchs then you will want to read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC.

I absolutely love Tudor history, I’ve had a real fascination since a very young age. With that said, my first venture into Weir’s books was with her series about the six wives. Instantly, I was desperate to read this book. I wanted the insight and perspective on possibly one of the most discussed monarchs of history.

This is a book that has made me question everything I’ve ever thought of Henry. Weir takes the spotlight and shines it solely on Henry with this book. We find out about the powerful families in the close vicinity that would have challenged the throne.

Weir shows us as a reader Henry’s views towards women. Katherine, we find most likely experienced many miscarriages but Henry’s concern remained a male heir.

This is a descriptive read with many details closely included in the narrative. The research that must’ve gone into this book is unimaginable because Weir covers everything. The details are just spectacular and I’ve loved this from beginning to end.

This is a hefty read but Weir has taken me back to the Tudor times. I’ve gained an insight that I’ve never had before. I loved reading about unknown disputes, Henry is a monarch many have mixed opinions about.

I’ve read many books by this author and the tudors are definitely my favourite. I have loved this book and hope that Weir will maybe one day branch out to Mary and continue the theme of those around Henry.

This is a great read, perfect for Tudor fans and a book that will grip your attention. I absolutely recommend reading this one.

I loved this historical novel. Having read the first one in this series I was desperate to read this one. It delivered in so many ways. It was interesting and at the same time educational without being boring. Definitely five stars. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This book is a beautifully written and emotional romance. Its historical setting and fresh, contemporary style will appeal to both historical fiction and romance readers. It is an utterly bedazzling novel, a compulsive page-turner rich in historical detail, and a heart-stopping debut romance. A wonderfully written historical romance, with great attention to detail with the historical setting, while also giving an almost other-worldly quality.

The Tudor reign is my favourite period to read about and I have read quite a few novels about the wives of Henry VIII but never any about him. I have also never read a book by Alison Weir and when I got the opportunity to read this novel I decided to start with this and then I could make my way through the other books. The length of the book was a little daunting but it couldn’t have been any shorter, there was so much to learn about this king.
What was obvious immediately was how vain he was, obsessed with his appearance and his standing in Europe. Initially very little confidence with women but this didn’t last long and it became evident pretty quickly that he had little respect for anybody he desired. It was one of the many things I found intimidating about him. And a bit of revulsion. once he had them in his grasp he had no respect for them, ruling by fear and only had contempt for their opinions, because being women they weren’t meant to have any.
It wasn’t just his wives he wanted to control but also his court. If he felt unsupported he cast them aside or in many cases sent to the Tower and often executed. The way that this was mentioned, so often in a cursory way, showed how little he cared. Whoever was executed or banished, be it wife or life long friend, was just replaced.
Sadly, many of his court were just like him. It was a hornet’s nest, full of envy and a willingness to sacrifice a life just to better themselves. Very few of them could be trusted.
I found this a wonderful novel difficult at times to read because of the amount of characters, many who were known by their title rather than their name. Rather than being off putting it had me looking on the internet to find more about them therefore adding to the amount of time it took me to read it. I’m really looking forward to reading more of this series of books, I certainly have a lot of reading, and researching to do.

Its always a joy to read an historical novel by this author, as she weaves fact into fiction incredibly well. The story of Henry VIII and his many wives is well known, but here is a new slant, showing the man as well as his actions. Its an easy read, and the reader is quickly drawn into the Tudor world and the maelstrom of politics of the time. Henry comes over as perhaps a more sympathetic character than we usually view him; I felt his later self-centredness was perhaps toned down, but it is certainly a gripping read as his fights to keep his country whole and his succession assured. All the usual suspects are present, and although we know the outcomes, we are still gripped as the story unfolds. For me there were a couple of instances when the turn of expression felt anachronistic, but these are minor issues and don't detract from the main event.

A great read, especially for fans of that era, with an author who has researched carefully and can tell a good tale. Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story of King Henry VIII from the beginning of his reign until his death. It’s the second in the Tudor Rose series. This is a fascinating and vivid interpretation of Henry’s life. It’s well researched and really brought him to life for me. Henry was a wily old fox but quite a grim and complex character, too. It makes for compelling reading and is an excellent piece of historical fiction. At over 600 pages it’s not short, but it’s very entertaining and quite the page turner. I’ve read the first three books in the Six Tudor Queens series about Henry’s wives, so I’m now looking forward to reading the remaining three.