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Portrait of an Unknown Woman

3.57 of 5 stars 3.57 · rating details · 2,043 ratings · 303 reviews

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During the reign of King Henry VIII, 16th-century England was the scene of great turmoil between Church and State -- a time of religious strife with voices clamoring for reformation, countered by charges of heresy and execution. In this crisis, one man stood out as the great defender of tradition: Sir Thomas More.

Portrait of an...more

Hardcover, 423 pages

Published April 3rd 2007 by William Morrow (first published 2006)

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The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

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Feb 12, 2010 Eileen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ever wonder about the real story behind the Princes in the Tower? Portrait of an Unknown Woman presents one version that is plausible, even probable. Thomas More, a powerful and influential part of Henry VIII's court, his family, and Hans Holbein are brought to life again and shown with both shining perfection as well as dismal human failings. The mystery of the ultimate fates of the Princes in the Tower is deftly told, incorporating many historic figures, but primarily focuses on the perspectiv...more

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Sep 09, 2010 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Tracy Chevalier

Shelves: historicals, 2010-reads

Rating clarification: 4.5 stars

Portrait of an Unknown Woman is an intelligent, thoughtful and interesting historical novel which weaves a vivid, "what-if" fictional story around the beautiful and lush 2nd portrait of the Thomas More family as painted by Hans Holbein.

The story primarily focuses on Thomas More's foster daughter, Meg Griggs, but Bennett also gives the reader a realistic peak into what Thomas More and Hans Holbein might also have been like had we been privy to their inner-most thoug...more Rating clarification: 4.5 stars

Portrait of an Unknown Woman is an intelligent, thoughtful and interesting historical novel which weaves a vivid, "what-if" fictional story around the beautiful and lush 2nd portrait of the Thomas More family as painted by Hans Holbein.

The story primarily focuses on Thomas More's foster daughter, Meg Griggs, but Bennett also gives the reader a realistic peak into what Thomas More and Hans Holbein might also have been like had we been privy to their inner-most thoughts and feelings.

The story itself spans approximately 10 years, and follows Meg and the More family during the tumultuous years of Henry VIII's conflict with the Catholic Church, as the Reformation storms across Europe and divides the people of faith into conflict with their conscience. Bennett portrays both sides of the issue with sympathy, and allows the reader to see how both sides had merit as well as how both used torture and intimidation to advance their cause.

There's so much to love about this book, not least of which is the imagination that Bennett had to create a fictionalized, yet believable, tale all from a portrait. (Writer Tracy Chavelier is also well known for this ability i.e The Girl with the Pearl Earring, The Lady and the Unicorn). It is so satisfying to read a good story, well told, and to be able to look at a work of art and imagine it to be "true". This style of writing marries the best of fiction and non-fiction, and almost compells the reader to explore the world from which it springs. In actuality, I did end up googling Hans Holbein's gallery, the Reformation, and Saint Thomas More to learn more. What better recommendation can I give then that this book propelled me to learn more after the last page was turned?

Bennett's book is a treasure, and one which I will keep on my shelves for a future re-read. I'm keeping it from a full 5 stars due to the fact that the POV had a tendency to jump unexpectedly and confusingly. Otherwise, a well done debut novel.

****
Extra bonus reader points goes to the hard cover version, which is like holding a small section of the portrait itself. There is a gold, 1/2 page wrap around book cover that can be removed, leaving you with a smooth, beautiful cover depicting two of the painted figures from Holbein's portrait in fine detail. Really lovely stuff.(less)

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Jul 15, 2008 treehugger rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of "the Other Boleyn Girl", those interested in King Henry VIII

Shelves: art, audiobooks

I picked up this book hoping for another "Girl with the Pearl Earring", but was sorely disappointed.

The main thing that struck me about the book was it's incredible length, and unbelievable non-action. There was no climax. There was only weak plot. It took FOREVER to listen to the 12 discs that made up this audiobook, and I was counting the minutes after the 4th disc. That's a lot of minutes.

Also, there was a lot of "twinkling" and "dimpling" mentioned in this novel...as in, he "twinkled" down...more I picked up this book hoping for another "Girl with the Pearl Earring", but was sorely disappointed.

The main thing that struck me about the book was it's incredible length, and unbelievable non-action. There was no climax. There was only weak plot. It took FOREVER to listen to the 12 discs that made up this audiobook, and I was counting the minutes after the 4th disc. That's a lot of minutes.

Also, there was a lot of "twinkling" and "dimpling" mentioned in this novel...as in, he "twinkled" down at his lovely daughter, or she dimpled at the memory of her happy childhood studies...it was annoying. I think at one point some of the children's legs actually twinkled in the air while they were being held by their father, and i almost gave up on this book altogether at that point. Oh, another good line was that during a sex scene the man looked down at her body harpooned under his on the forest floor. Um...ew. Since when is "harpooning" sexy?

But for some reason, I stuck it out, and I'm not entirely happy I did. Of interest with this novel is that it is actually based on truth - all of the characters and much of the goings-on are documented history - the story centers around Sir Thomas Moore and his family during the time of King Henry VIII's reign in England. This was at the tale end of the Renaissance, with the Boleyn saga as a distant background. So, I watched "The Other Boleyn Girl" while reading this book, and they enriched each other, as they gave me a better backdrop over which to place this fairly pallid story. So, if you freaking LOVED that movie and want to know more about the times at King Henry's court surrounding the seduction of the king by Anne Boleyn, this would give the reader a little bit more info.

But otherwise, unless you're obsessed with post-Tudor England, reading about Renaissance men who love to marvel at the sizes of their own intellects, men possessed with religious righteousness to the point of feeling justified in torturing other human beings for wanting to read the Bible in a language they would understand (English) rather than listening uncomprehendingly week after week to latin masses, and women who could think of nothing more than marrying and having babies, perhaps there are other books you could be reading...(less)

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May 28, 2008 Jaime rated it 1 of 5 stars

I have a deep interest in Thomas More's family, so when I saw this novel about his foster daughter Margaret Giggs Clement, I had to check it out. Unfortunately, although the author has given Giggs an engaging character and she deftly plumbs the contradictions posed by More's humanist and anti-heretical personae, the book quickly becomes a farrago of melodrama and conspiracy theories.

At times, Bennett's historical inaccuracies and stylistic descent into the literary equivalent of Cheez Whiz were...more I have a deep interest in Thomas More's family, so when I saw this novel about his foster daughter Margaret Giggs Clement, I had to check it out. Unfortunately, although the author has given Giggs an engaging character and she deftly plumbs the contradictions posed by More's humanist and anti-heretical personae, the book quickly becomes a farrago of melodrama and conspiracy theories.

At times, Bennett's historical inaccuracies and stylistic descent into the literary equivalent of Cheez Whiz were irritating. But more troubling was Bennett's inability to apprehend the early modern mind. Both Giggs and Holbein display an unease with what they call religious "bigots"--that is, anyone with overly zealous religious beliefs, whether Catholic or Protestant. I found it very difficult to believe that anyone during this period would have characterized others as "bigots" in this sense. Protestants and Catholics fought so intensely because those on the other side were supposedly deluded by the devil and in peril of damnation. Someone like Erasmus might have been appalled by the strength with which More pursued his anti-Protestant views, but Erasmus would have essentially agreed with More's viewpoint that Catholicism must be preserved. In addition, I find it very hard to believe that Giggs would have flirted so closely with Lutheranism, especially given her own deep commitment to Catholicism which resulted in her later exile at Louvain. The religious relativism that Giggs displays is therefore somewhat anachronistic. While she might have helped Lutherans and certainly encountered them, I think Giggs would have always had in mind the idea that they were lost souls. By giving Giggs a more modern perspective, Bennett exalts her above her milieu in a way that is both problematic and disappointing.

This book will probably please an audience looking for historical romance. Anyone with a serious interest in the Mores would be better off sticking with histories of More and his family.(less)

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Jan 03, 2009 Barb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club-reads, historical-fiction-renaissance, richard-3rd-princes, favs-of-2008, read-in-2008, recs-for-virginia-s-book-club

I enjoyed this perspective on those crazy power mongers who lived during the reign of Henry VIII. Vanora Bennett creates a fictional account of the life of Meg Griggs, Thomas More's adopted daughter. Thomas More being one of King Henry VIII's devoted servants and a staunch defender of Catholicism. Bennett offers us insights into the mind of those who are so devoted that they would risk their lives to defend their ideals and harshly punish those who criticize them.

Meg More is a skilled healer, a...more
I enjoyed this perspective on those crazy power mongers who lived during the reign of Henry VIII. Vanora Bennett creates a fictional account of the life of Meg Griggs, Thomas More's adopted daughter. Thomas More being one of King Henry VIII's devoted servants and a staunch defender of Catholicism. Bennett offers us insights into the mind of those who are so devoted that they would risk their lives to defend their ideals and harshly punish those who criticize them.

Meg More is a skilled healer, a young woman who has been educated by scholars. Her father has not made a marriage match for her, as he has for all of his other children and she is lonely.

Hans Holbein the younger has been commissioned to paint a portrait of the More family and arrives at their home at the same time as John Clement their former tutor. Meg has always loved John Clement despite the fact that he is older than her father. Hans Holbein finds Meg's beauty captivating and they become good friends while he paints the family portrait.

While Holbein painted the family portrait Thomas More was in the king's good graces and a position of power and esteem. Years later when Holbein returns to London many things have changed for England as well the More family. As a way to pay his respects Holbein paints a second portrait. (I highly recommend reading the hardcover copy of the book so that you can see the second family portrait.) The second painting is a story without words and the truths within it come tumbling out.

I really enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed the reoccurring theme of mistaken identity and the story of the princes in the tower. Though I have to agree that it has some dry patches and sometimes came off sounding like a lesson from Art History class. But having been a student of art history I didn't mind too much. And I also thought that the momentum built up to the middle and then I wondered where it was going to go. But I think that Vanora Bennett did a very nice job of bringing the story back around again and the ending was well done. In fact the ending was my favorite part. She has created a moving story that touches on truth, honesty, trust and betrayal.
(less)

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Nov 12, 2007 The Book Maven rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: medieval_fiction, renaissance_fiction, historicalfiction

Ever since I read the second book in Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' Morland Dynasty series, I have been completely and totally in love with English historical fiction. I will happily read just about anything set in England prior to 1945. Yum! So far, this novel is filling the basic requirement of filling my appetite, without really tempting my palate. My main issue with this book is that it is set in the 1520s, and yet the author has no compunctions about putting modern words and terms into the mouths o...more

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Aug 13, 2007 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, british-isles, monarchy

I would really give this book 3.5 stars. I picked it up randomly at Barnes & Noble and had low expectations -- let's face it, most historical fictions are cheesy and lacking any depth.

I agree that the book would appeal to those who are interested in a conspiracy theory, but I must admit, the author exceeded my expectations with the depth of her characters. The book focuses around the main character and 3 supporting characters, one of whom is an artist. I particularly appreciated the depth th...more

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Jun 06, 2007 Laurie Bridges rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Can I mark the book as "read" if I quit in the middle? Since I met the author at the American Libraries Association midwinter conference and got an autograph in the book I feel an obligation to like this book. I really kept plugging along even though I lost interest fairly early on...but, I'm giving myself permission to be done.

This book is based on paintings done of a family in England during the reign of King Henry the VIII. The story seems to starts like a harlequin romance climax (haha, get...more

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May 24, 2008 Sophie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Portrait of an Unknown Woman revolves around the family of Sir Thomas More, the famous humanist and Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII. In the late 1520s, tensions in the country are rising between the Catholics and the reformists. Bennet skillfully works together the politics and everyday life of the period, and the dilemma faced by Meg Giggs, the adopted daughter of the More family, who is torn between her former tutor John Clement, and the young painter Hans Holbein, who visits the family. Some of...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Ellie Mendez rated it 3 of 5 stars

I listened to this audiobook over a very long car trip and I finished the book just because I didn't have anything else (how I missed my HP books in this trip!) Anyhoo, I liked reading about people's daily lives back then while the whole court drama with Queen #1 and #2 was going on and that's about it, everything else was OK I guess.

Meg Clement's nee Giggs life is surrounded by secrets and conspiracies, the first revealed secret was very interesting, the second was less so, but still OK, by the...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Sophia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, art, historical-fiction, london, uk, tudor

Portrait of an Unknown Woman is actually centered around a known historical figure, Meg Giggs, who was the adopted daughter of a more famous historical figure, Sir Thomas More. Vanora Bennett has built an intricate storyline around a theory inspired by a painting. As this story starts, Hans Holbein has come to the home of Sir Thomas More near the height of his power in Henry VIII's court to paint a family portrait. Through mostly a first-person narration by Meg, an intelligent, educated, and hea...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Coralie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is based on a picture by Hans Nolbein, a portait of Thomas More and his family. Thomas More was a philosopher in King Henry VIII's court, during the Reformation. He was a humanist, and ended up being a persecutor of Martin Luther's followers. The story is told from the perspective of Thomas More's adopted daughter, Meg, who appears in the fam;ily portrait. The author gets quite graphic when describing the persecution. It's funny that in history we are studying the Pilgrims and the Puri...more

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Jul 23, 2011 V H rated it 1 of 5 stars

I had never heard of this book before, or the author. I just picked it up at the library and thought it sounded exciting by the back cover. But I was really disappointed. Normally I won't read what it says on the back cover before I read the book, because I don't want to be "prejudiced" when I read the book, but this time I would have been disappointed even if I hadn't read it.

It took me ages to get into the book, I had to read passages over and over again because it wasn't holding my attention...more I had never heard of this book before, or the author. I just picked it up at the library and thought it sounded exciting by the back cover. But I was really disappointed. Normally I won't read what it says on the back cover before I read the book, because I don't want to be "prejudiced" when I read the book, but this time I would have been disappointed even if I hadn't read it.

It took me ages to get into the book, I had to read passages over and over again because it wasn't holding my attention well enough for me to actually notice what it said. Then it was exciting for a while in the middle, before it got boring again. The most exciting part of the book was probably the last 50 pages or so, when suddenly I got "overwhelmed" by secrets being revealed. If you enjoy Philippa Gregory's writing style then you will probably enjoy this book, since I don't like Gregory's writing style either their writing styles are very similar.

The book is written mostly in first person, told from Meg Giggs' point of view, but also sometimes in second person, when looking more closely at other characters, like Holbein and Clement. I enjoyed reading about Meg's personal life, but a lot of the book was about Thomas More and the whole battle that was going on at that time between Catholics and Lutherans. I still can't put my finger on what the true plot of this book is and what the purpose of the author was. It seemed like a cheap soap opera plot riddled with dramatic character interactions that were melodramatic and annoying.

I didn't actually know that these people were real historical people, until I noticed that the writing style was kind of a non-fiction-fiction one (if you know what I mean..?). Just to defend myself I want to say that I don't need to know British history because I'm not British! Although one more "good" thing about the book is that it made me want to learn a little bit more about British history, and also learn more about Holbein and see some of his paintings.

I doubt I will ever read this book again, as it was just too boring to read. The writing style just didn't suit me.(less)

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Jul 23, 2011 Zoella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great read, I'm a huge fan of historical fiction (Anya Seton, Sarah Dunant, Tracy Chevalier, Katherine McMahon) and this novel did not disappoint. The story is effectively told from a variety of points of view (a young ward of More's called Meg. Holbein).
People have commented that the book is 'boring' - well, it's a pity they're not subtle or sensitive like the plot or the characterisation. It's a slow burner, but then not everything in life should be rushed!
The novel is a fictionalised account...more

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Jan 22, 2011 Annika Hipple rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This could have been a great book. Thomas More was a key figure during the reign of Henry VIII and played such an important role in shaping posterity's negative view of Richard III that the story of his family should have been a compelling one. And "Portrait of an Unknown Woman" has plenty of admirable qualities (I'd like to have given it 2 1/2 stars). The main character, More's adopted daughter Meg Giggs, is well drawn, and Bennett has clearly done a lot of research on the period and on the pai...more This could have been a great book. Thomas More was a key figure during the reign of Henry VIII and played such an important role in shaping posterity's negative view of Richard III that the story of his family should have been a compelling one. And "Portrait of an Unknown Woman" has plenty of admirable qualities (I'd like to have given it 2 1/2 stars). The main character, More's adopted daughter Meg Giggs, is well drawn, and Bennett has clearly done a lot of research on the period and on the paintings of Hans Holbein, the German master of 16th-century portraiture. But several things kept this from being a truly top-notch historical novel. First, Bennett's language doesn't always ring true. Some of it just sounds too modern for the 1530s. Writing historical dialogue requires walking a fine line between reflecting the period of the story without jarring the sensibilities or understanding of a modern reader, and Bennett doesn't quite manage it. The switches between Meg's first-person narration and the third-person sections seen through Holbein's eyes were also a bit awkward; I was continually thrown off when I discovered that the perspective with only a brief section break to warn me.

Furthermore, Bennett's theory of what really happened to the Princes in the Tower is interesting and thought-provoking, but I didn't quite buy its plausibility. With the exception of Meg - and to some extent Holbein - the characters were not fleshed out enough. Meg's husband John Clement holds a central place in the plot, but he seemed rather flat.

Finally, the title bothered me. There really was no unknown woman in the story, let alone in Holbein's portrait(s) of the More family. The title makes it sound as though the identity of Meg Giggs were unknown, but in fact, she is clearly labeled in the paintings, and there has never been any doubt about who she was. The book could possibly have been called "Portrait of an Unknown Man" - referring to a somewhat mysterious figure in Holbein's second version of the family portrait (whose identity is clear in the book), but a better title could surely have been found.

This wasn't a bad read, and I enjoyed the story and the look at a tumultuous time in British history. It just can't compare to the true masters of historical fiction such as Sharon Kay Penman, Margaret George, or the late Dorothy Dunnett.(less)

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Jul 12, 2010 Redfox5 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, tudors

I really loved this book and I totally agree that it was nice to be away from Tudor Court and more on the streets of London. I've not read an awful lot about the Princes of the Tower so I was able to go with that theory for the books sake. Just googled 'John Clement Plantagenet prince' and you get a lot of results linked to Holbeins painting so maybe there is something there. However I'm pretty sure when I went to the Tower of London the tour guide said that they did discover the skeletons of tw...more

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Jun 03, 2009 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: historic fiction buffs

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I finished this weeks ago and really liked it. Point of view is split between Meg a child raised in the household of Thomas Moore and Hans Holbien who has come to the Moore houshold to do a family portrait.
Meg feels left out because she is the only daughter of the house unmarried. She has been in love with John Clement the old family tutor who has been training in Italy to be a physician.He returns to woo her and ask her to be his wife. In the meantime she fears her father is becoming too extre...more I finished this weeks ago and really liked it. Point of view is split between Meg a child raised in the household of Thomas Moore and Hans Holbien who has come to the Moore houshold to do a family portrait.
Meg feels left out because she is the only daughter of the house unmarried. She has been in love with John Clement the old family tutor who has been training in Italy to be a physician.He returns to woo her and ask her to be his wife. In the meantime she fears her father is becoming too extreme in his religious beliefs because he keeps prisoners he tortuers for them straying to the Lutheran religion.
Religon is a main theme of this book because it is set during that tumtultous time when England broke from the Catholic faith so HenryVIII
could take complete power and wed Anne Boleyn. Meg, John Clement and all her family are strong Catholics. Hans Holbien on the other hand leans towards Lutheranism.Meg discovers this and helps him hide this from her father's eye. Holbien falls in love with Meg but she doesn't discover this until after she is engaged to John Clement.
When she tells her father of her engagement he is angered that John Clement didn't tell Meg who he truly was... one of the two princes alleged to be killed in the tower by Mad King Richard who was over thrown by Henry VII. He wanted to try to take the crown back for his brother but his brother refused and wanted a simple quiet life away from war and death. John eventually sees the goodness of this and takes to the type of life and the fact that he must give up and forget he was once a prince.
Meg marries and gives bith to a boy. Things grow cold between them when she discovers he had kept things from him such as the fact that his sister ( Henry VIII's mother) discovered that he and his brother were bastards since a prior marriage to their mother's was discovered.
He also tried to keep her from knowing of the exucution of some men who she had known. She becomes distant from him after this.
She starts to secretely going to Lutheran meetings and nursing their sick.Holbien on the other hand returns to his wife and children still pining for Meg.He eventually returns to England to be near her but avoids her because of the loss of favor her father has suffered for not trying to make Annn Boleyn queen.
Holbien finds success in England but doesn't come near the Moore's for over a year and when he does he offers to paint another portrait of the family for free. He does this at the home of Thomas Moore's faviorite child Margaret Roper. He paints it from memory and his former sketches and in it he reveals some secrets that he discovered. That John Clement was once a price and also that before they were married John had an affair with who he thought was a stranger but turns out to be Meg's sister who he fathered a child by. Meg's discovery of this makes her run to Holbien's arms and she has a two day affair and almost
runs off with him when Thomas Moore tells her that her sister tried to seduce John and wanted to break off her own marriage and marry John instead. John never knew who she was until it was too late. He had always been in love with none but Meg. Thomas Moore then tell Meg that she is truly his daugher from his first love who died young. She finally gets the love from her father she always wanted and returns to her husband. Which is good because Holbien just selfishly expected her to give up all peace, security and her good name just to be his mistress.He slinks off the next day.
I liked this book because of it's point of view. I've never read a book about Thomas Moore before. Most are from the pov of Henry or Anne or Catherine. We all know where this ends with Henry executing Thomas Moore. He of course blames this on the fowl influence of Anne Boleyn after he had her ececuted.(less)

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Jan 20, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-euro-lit, the-emo-s

This was a wonderful book I think I paid a $1 for it in a bargain bin and it was money well spent for sure. There is romance, history, intrigue and drama. There have been several other books that have come out that are in a way centered around a portrait and give you the history and story behind the portrait (Girl with the pear earring I know is one but there are more I just can't think of them) Anyways, what I love most about this book is that this strays far from the portrait and is a wonderfu...more

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Jun 05, 2010 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Portrait of an Unknown Woman” is told from the viewpoint of Meg Giggs, adopted daughter of Sir Thomas More, sometimes in the first person, sometimes in the third. When the book opens the More family is awaiting the arrival of Hans Holbein, who is to paint a family portrait. Just before Holbein arrives John Clement, former tutor to the family, arrives. He has been studying medicine on the Continent and he and Meg hope to marry. Meg herself is something of a physician only her learning is more co...more

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Jun 09, 2009 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tudor-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had several problems with this book, and despite the highly intriguing conspiracy theory connecting John Clement as Richard, Duke of York, I was rather disappointed overall.

To begin with, there were several lapses into 'modern-speak' which stood out glaringly. That is always a particular pet peeve of mine when it comes to historical fiction. I can't stand it.

My main problem with the book is that the build up is sorely lacking. The plot feels like it's just tripping along, first planting the oc...more I had several problems with this book, and despite the highly intriguing conspiracy theory connecting John Clement as Richard, Duke of York, I was rather disappointed overall.

To begin with, there were several lapses into 'modern-speak' which stood out glaringly. That is always a particular pet peeve of mine when it comes to historical fiction. I can't stand it.

My main problem with the book is that the build up is sorely lacking. The plot feels like it's just tripping along, first planting the occasional seed that comes to fruition later (such as John admitting that one of the women he slept with at court reminded him of Meg, thus setting up the revelation that it was, in fact, Meg's sister/rival, Elizabeth), and then suddenly revealing pretty much everything at the end. While the theme of secrets is very much maintained throughout the story, there isn't enough build up to have Meg uncover these secrets. Pretty much everything is spelled out for her, forced or freely.

I was also skeptical of Meg's deep interest in the developing Protestant movement. While I can buy her using her medical knowledge to help their sick and injured out of Christian kindness, I can hardly see that the adopted daughter of Sir Thomas More, someone who was raised fervently to respect the Catholic faith, would have dived into Lutheranism, even if she was horrified by her father's more radical policies. That, and coupled with what happened later in Meg's life -- that of her exile from England with her family -- makes this plot device even more implausible.

I wasn't that impressed with the attempts to create a love triangle with Holbein, Meg, and John either. While extra-marital affairs were common at that time for both the husband and wife (you only have to look at Henry VIII's marital and sexual history to see that), I would have been more willing to believe Meg and Holbein having a special friendship than a brief love affair that ended after Sir Thomas finally reveals the last of the secrets that have tormented Meg in one fashion or another (how Elizabeth came to bear John's child, Meg's own paternity, etc.). I wasn't all that impressed with this subplot either.

Despite my problems with the story, I was entertained by how Bennett portrayed the lives of the Princes in the Tower, though I admit that I was skeptical that Henry Tudor would have agreed to a scheme that would have involved keeping them alive. Calling Tudor a 'timid man' does not fit with what history remembers of this man. By repealing the act that made Edward IV's children illegitimate so he could marry Elizabeth of York, Henry would need to guarantee that her brothers were no threat to him and in fact, their very existence threatened him. I do not see him agreeing to let the boys live in obscurity. Tudor would not leave something like that and himself with a potential threat in his own backyard.(less)

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Feb 24, 2009 Tekenduis rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a lovely read, though outside of my usual genre. Having just recently finished a rather lengthy book about the Wives of Henry VIII, it was interesting to see the time period around the transition from Catherine of Aragon to Anne Boleyn brought to life, especially given the closeness of the More family to those events. I'm not terribly keen on first-person books, and the speaker for the events of the book was, I found, unlikeable.

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Jun 06, 2012 Whitney rated it 2 of 5 stars

I am sorry, this book seemed so alluring to me yet did not deliver. I was enticed by the possible plot, characters and historical significance of the era. I still can’t put my finger on what the true plot of this book is and what the purpose of the author was. Seemed like a cheap soap opera plot riddled with dramatic character interactions that were melodramatic and annoying.

The twist of the princes failed as well. This was far from realistic, and did not have enough evidence to truly support h...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Caroline rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, the-tudors, art-history, vanora-bennett

"Portrait of an Unknown Woman" promises a story about one woman's relationship with the painter Hans Holbein. It's actually about Holbein, the lady (Meg, adopted daughter of Thomas More) and marital drama, with More's increasingly fanatical politics a a backdrop.

Right off the bat, I'd like to express my relief at the fact that the saintly Thomas More myth perpetuated by "A Man for All Seasons" and even "The Tudors" seems to be wearing off. Hilary Mantel's Cromwell-sympathizing trilogy has played...more

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Apr 04, 2011 C rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I enjoyed the filled-in life & motivations of someone whom I'd never heard of before, but who was a real person. Unlike many novels set in the time of Henry VIII, this one doesn't concentrate on court life, although its side effects are visible and motivate some of the plot - thankfully, not all. Still, these characters are visibly well-off, and they have servants who the reader wouldn't know existed until the more central characters need something done. The painter of the painting in the ti...more

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Jan 08, 2010 Stephanie Mason rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic historical fiction! This poignant story is a small glimpse into the life of Sir Thomas More and his family during one of the most turbulent times in Western history. There are so many elements to this book, my mind can't leave it alone. First there's the history, a time period I already find fascinating mainly because of how it changed the world/culture of religion. The amazing way in which Vanora Bennett presents the story allows the reader to see both sides of the controversial issue...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Krisha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating look at the art of Hans Holbein, the political atmosphere of Henry VIII's England outside the castle walls and an interesting supposition on the fate of the fabled princes in the tower, thought to have been murdered by Richard III. I really enjoyed Bennett's study of Thomas More, who did such wonderful and terrible things in the name of his God. Also interesting and something I never considered before: The Catholics were terrified the Bible would be misunderstood by the masses, leadi...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Brittany B. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, historical-england, historical-fiction, historys-mysteries, biographical, 1books-to-read-over-and-over, 1favorites, favorite-narrator, favorite-authors, fiction, hist_famous-person, historical-best-of, historical-fiction-w-romance, my-first-of-author

I loved this book!!

And in audio format, it is outstanding!!

I am really surprised by the lukewarm reviews. The only major issue I could find was the sometimes awkward transition from first to third person POV, but I was so enthralled with the story I didn't care. I was swept away, staying up all night to finish it.

I think this book is a work of subtle genius-- but not because of the secrets that are revealed. (Though the major revelation midway through the book is a creative and interesting...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Elaine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

The year is 1526, and King Henry VIII is on the throne. But rumors about the fate of the princes in the Tower (Edward V and Richard, Duke of York) are still circulating. Were they murdered by Richard III or his henchmen? Are they alive and living under assumed identities? Bennett’s “unknown woman” is one figure in a group portrait, which is reproduced in beautiful detail both on the book’s cover and as its endsheet. In Bennett’s fictionalized account, artist Hans Holbein arrives at the home of S...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Alexis Villery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Both books are historical fiction but both have completely different time periods. Portrait of an Unknown Woman is about Thomas More's family, specifically Meg Gibbitt--one of More's foster daughters--and the two men who are infatuated with her. The book is beautifully written with just the right amount of detail. If you enjoy reading about the 16th century England during Henry VIII's reign. It is difficult to tell what is fiction and what is history but I love that about this book. The novel en...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Anhthu rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kamloops-finds

It was good, but not that good.

What I liked
1. Pretty cover (I have the edition with the London Bridge in dark teal)
2. Character driven (Very realistic portrayal of Meg's relationship with her husband)
3. A lot of time spent describing the fear of living in a time of religious turmoil
4. The artworks
5. The printed portrait of Thomas More and his family at the end

What I disliked
1. How things just happen without anything leading to them. He hired actors? Again, what?
2. Hans Holbein. Ah the tall man...more

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About Vanora Bennett

I became a journalist almost by accident. Having learned Russian and been hired after university by Reuters (to my own surprise and the slight dismay of traditionally-minded editors who weren’t sure a Guardian-reading blonde female would be tough enough for the job), I was then catapulted into the adrenaline-charged realm of conflict reporting. While on a trainee assignment in Paris, I fell in wit...more I became a journalist almost by accident. Having learned Russian and been hired after university by Reuters (to my own surprise and the slight dismay of traditionally-minded editors who weren’t sure a Guardian-reading blonde female would be tough enough for the job), I was then catapulted into the adrenaline-charged realm of conflict reporting. While on a trainee assignment in Paris, I fell in with the Cambodian émigré community and ended up reporting in Cambodia myself, a decade after the Khmer Rouge regime ended, as well as covering Cambodian peace talks in places as far apart as Indonesia and Paris. That led to a conflict reporting job in Africa, commuting between Angola and Mozambique and writing about death, destruction, diamonds and disease, and later to a posting in a country that stopped being the Soviet Union three months after I arrived. I spent much of the early 1990s in smoky taxis in the Caucasus mountains, covering a series of small post-Soviet conflicts that built up to the war in Chechnya.

My fascination with the cultural and religious differences between Russians and the many peoples once ruled by Moscow grew into a book on the Chechen war (Crying Wolf: The Return of War to Chechnya). A second, more light-hearted book followed, about post-Soviet Russia’s illegal caviar trade, once I’d got homesick for London and moved back to writer leaders on foreign affairs for The Times. This book was The Taste of Dreams: An Obsession with Russia and Caviar.

I now lead a more sedate life in North London with my husband and two small sons, enjoying the reading, research, writing and metropolitan leisure activities that I grew up expecting adult life to involve. I’ve found that writing books is much of a surprise, a pleasure and an adventure of the mind as it was to become a foreign correspondent.

As a journalist I’ve written for, among others, The Times and its website, TimesOnline, the Los Angeles Times, Prospect, The Times Literary Supplement, the Guardian Saturday magazine, the Daily Mail, the Evening Standard, Eve magazine, The Observer Food Monthlyand The Erotic Review.(less)

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