My Lady of Cleves

Margaret Campbell Barnes

Sep 2008 · Sourcebooks, Inc.

About this ebook

"Turns A BRILLIANT LIGHT on one of the lustiest and one of the most dramatic periods of English history."—Philadelphia Inquirer

The mesmerizing story of Anne of Cleves, fourth wife of Henry VIII, one of the rare women who matched wits successfully with the fiery king and lived to tell the tale.

Aware of the disastrous consequences of not bearing an heir, Anne of Cleves bravely took on the duty of weathering the Tudor King's temper and won the hearts of his subjects in the process.

Written by world-renowned historical novelist Margaret Campbell Barnes, My Lady of Cleves gives readers an intimate portrait of the warm, unpretentious princess who never expected to become Queen of England and how she navigated a world of high drama and courtly elegance.

A refreshing historical fiction about infamous Tudor England, fans of Philippa Gregory, Anya Seton and Bernard Cornwell will delight in this tale of Henry's fourth Queen, her secret love, her power-hungry husband, and the country that ruled them all.

Praise for My Lady of Cleves:

"At long last Anne of Cleves gets her day as a noble and highminded heroine in the lists of historical fiction!" — Chicago Tribune

"Barnes' vision of Anne is so different from others I have encountered, it was like reading her story for the first time. This is the Anne of Cleves I choose to live in my memory." —Books N Border Collies

"an appealing story of a woman who makes the best of a bad situation... it's nice to see this novel in particular being reissued." —Reading, Ranting, and Raving

"I have to say that from the moment I read the inscription, I was hooked in this book... Anne is brought to life, and is portrayed as a capable woman..." —Historical Tapestry

Ratings and reviews

I really liked how Anne of Cleves was portrayed in this book! and it proved to be a very enjoyable read. I had to get used to the writing style though, and it took a little longer to get into the book. It proved to be a very interesting read, and I really did like this book. It’s hard not to sympathize with Anne. Practically alone in a country where English is a foreign language, and with different customs and clothing to get used to, I felt really sorry for her in the beginning of the book. When she becomes the target of ridicule, you sympathize with her even more and can’t help but feel angry towards Henry and his crew for being so mean. The biggest surprise in this book is her friendship with Thomas Culpepper. I didn’t think they’d get along, but I liked their friendship. Also, the Thomas in this book is much nicer than say, The Tudors version. This book painted Culpepper in a rather sympathetic light and it’s a whole different version of him than what I am used to, and I like this one much better. What I enjoyed most about this book is how Anne gracefully became an outsider of the court, to a well beloved one. She gradually warmed characters’ hearts and the reader’s. She was seen as a person you could approach to, and talk to while she listened and gave good advice. In a way, you could say she would make a wonderful therapist. You could not help but love her up until the end. I especially liked how she managed to get Henry to come crawling back (so to speak). I thought Henry’s portrayal here was different, he’s still a tyrant, but he’s also seen as an old curmudgeon. Perhaps that’s what Margaret Campbell Barnes wanted in the first place. The plot is certainly slow moving and although it’s not what you would call a very exciting type of book, I think it’s a book meant to be read and appreciated thoroughly and slowly. I believe this book was really meant to really look into Anne as a character and how she develops throughout the story. This book is really all about the characters. Would I recommend this? I would to Tudor history lovers out there. It helps to know the history and to know who’s who before getting into this book. Also keep in mind, the writing style is a bit different -I’d say similar to Jean Plaidy’s. So, it will take a bit to get used to, but it’s well worth the time. This was one of the better Tudor books I’ve read, filled with great character development and most importantly, shows some of the characters in a very different light. I definitely recommend this. It was a great read, and reinforces my opinion as Anne of Cleves being one of my favorite Queens (even if she was Queen for a little while).

Excellent!

I read this in 1971

About the author

The late Margaret Campbell Barnes grew up in London. Her historical novels include Brief Gaudy Hour, With All My Heart, Isabel the Fair, and The King's Bed.