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To Obey and Serve
In 1534, rumors swirled that Henry VIII had taken as his new mistress one of Queen Anne Boleyn’s women, “a very handsome lady of the court.” This mysterious lady has never been identified, and some scholars insist she never existed at all. Here she steps out of the shadows to tell her story: from fleeing the terrors of the Reformation to becoming a trusted spy for Queen Anne, to her own dangerous tumble in the king’s bed. In the political maze of the Tudor court, she can trust only one other person: a seemingly timid country girl named Jane Seymour, whose demure exterior masks a deeper ambition. But when it becomes clear that Jane is playing her own ruthless game to win the king’s affection – and Anne’s crown – will the web of betrayal be severed by the axe?
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 4, 2015
Unusual Viewpoint
So often the Tudor court is portrayed as glamorous. The characters in this seem like real life humans, stench and all. The underside of the glitter is clearly shown. The pacing is even and fast so keeps the attention focused. A very different viewpoint on the Tudor court. Well worth reading.
So often the Tudor court is portrayed as glamorous. The characters in this seem like real life humans, stench and all. The underside of the glitter is clearly shown. The pacing is even and fast so keeps the attention focused. A very different viewpoint on the Tudor court. Well worth reading.
April 18, 2021
Typos, Typos, Typos
I’m glad I didn’t pay anything for this book otherwise I would want my money back. That’s a few days I’m not getting back that I spent reading this drivel. It’s riddled with typos, cut off sentences and grammatical errors that, while not very frequent, do serve to take me out of the story. Of what story there was. I read this primarily because the tag lines says it features Jane Seymour. Technically true but I barely feel like I know her, Anne Boleyn or the nameless narrator. This book focused on none of them. I haven’t left with a greater knowledge or understanding bedsides one author’s interpretation of events, jumbled as they were. She doesn’t delve too deep into things. Her relationship with Jane is very surface-level but posited as something else towards the end, something deeper. But I didn’t feel that in the story at all. I also felt no connection to the nameless protagonist as she as no character; she exists only to observe, and not even observe well. Hearsay still drives much of this book where the protagonist wasn’t present to see the events in question. It’s quite unfulfilling. The choice to have the narrator be nameless was an interesting one (done also in Rebecca by Daphne Du Marnier) but it added to the sense of not knowing the character. The author then tosses it all out the window anyway by naming the character in the very last sentence. Why bother? Or why not do so earlier? It’s extremely frustrating, adding to my gripes about this book. If I could give it no stars, I absolutely would. They only thing I could say in its favour is that it’s certainly well researched in the minutiae of medieval life.
I’m glad I didn’t pay anything for this book otherwise I would want my money back. That’s a few days I’m not getting back that I spent reading this drivel. It’s riddled with typos, cut off sentences and grammatical errors that, while not very frequent, do serve to take me out of the story. Of what story there was. I read this primarily because the tag lines says it features Jane Seymour. Technically true but I barely feel like I know her, Anne Boleyn or the nameless narrator. This book focused on none of them. I haven’t left with a greater knowledge or understanding bedsides one author’s interpretation of events, jumbled as they were. She doesn’t delve too deep into things. Her relationship with Jane is very surface-level but posited as something else towards the end, something deeper. But I didn’t feel that in the story at all. I also felt no connection to the nameless protagonist as she as no character; she exists only to observe, and not even observe well. Hearsay still drives much of this book where the protagonist wasn’t present to see the events in question. It’s quite unfulfilling. The choice to have the narrator be nameless was an interesting one (done also in Rebecca by Daphne Du Marnier) but it added to the sense of not knowing the character. The author then tosses it all out the window anyway by naming the character in the very last sentence. Why bother? Or why not do so earlier? It’s extremely frustrating, adding to my gripes about this book. If I could give it no stars, I absolutely would. They only thing I could say in its favour is that it’s certainly well researched in the minutiae of medieval life.
July 7, 2015
The best thing about this novel is its take on Queen Jane Seymour as an ambitious, manipulative, power-hungry usurper with an intentionally demure outward presentation. Unfortunately, that crafty concept wasn't enough to make this a great read for me. One cautionary note before I continue -- I am a big fan of historical fiction and particularly around the Tudors. That might make me more critical than most of this book.
In this novel, we meet three main characters. The narrator, an unknown, minor, short-lived mistress of Henry VIII and whose name you don't find out until the very end of the book, is a lady-in-waiting to Henry's first three queens. The second main character is Anne Boleyn - who prompts The King's Great Matter at the beginning of the book. The third is Jane Seymour, initially just another lady-in-waiting to a queen.
As the narrator observes and shares the unfolding events of Boleyn rise and fall and then Jane's short reign, there are other well known historical names that crop of -- Norris, Rochford, Cromwell, Carew, Norfolk, and of course the King himself. But for me the most interesting of all was Nicolas Kratzer -- a German mathematician who was Henry's court astronomer and the narrator's tutor. (I immediately went to Wikipedia to find out more about him.) He was a new one for me.
My overall sense of this novel however is that the author could not quite decide what the book is about. And with chapters moving back and forth in time, it is hard to get emotionally involved with anyone. The story seems much more about Anne Boleyn initially. Then for a while it's the narrator's story. Finally, it becomes Jane's. Then after Jane's death, there is a lengthy retelling of the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion and Jane's role in it, which seems misplaced after reading about her death. Maybe a good editor could have helped.
In this novel, we meet three main characters. The narrator, an unknown, minor, short-lived mistress of Henry VIII and whose name you don't find out until the very end of the book, is a lady-in-waiting to Henry's first three queens. The second main character is Anne Boleyn - who prompts The King's Great Matter at the beginning of the book. The third is Jane Seymour, initially just another lady-in-waiting to a queen.
As the narrator observes and shares the unfolding events of Boleyn rise and fall and then Jane's short reign, there are other well known historical names that crop of -- Norris, Rochford, Cromwell, Carew, Norfolk, and of course the King himself. But for me the most interesting of all was Nicolas Kratzer -- a German mathematician who was Henry's court astronomer and the narrator's tutor. (I immediately went to Wikipedia to find out more about him.) He was a new one for me.
My overall sense of this novel however is that the author could not quite decide what the book is about. And with chapters moving back and forth in time, it is hard to get emotionally involved with anyone. The story seems much more about Anne Boleyn initially. Then for a while it's the narrator's story. Finally, it becomes Jane's. Then after Jane's death, there is a lengthy retelling of the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion and Jane's role in it, which seems misplaced after reading about her death. Maybe a good editor could have helped.
June 28, 2015
This book was a disappointment. Mostly I believe this was due to the fact that I had just read 3 well-written novels in a row and am out of the practice of trying to read these independently published e-books. It's not only the miss-spelled words ("they" instead of "the") or the words that are left entirely out of a sentence. What really ended the exciting ride I had hoped for was... it wasn't. It never even got off the ground, it was so horribly boring. I know it was a free read, but my time is worth something.
Interesting that I had just finished a book I had awarded 5 stars (an extremely rare thing for me), and then... this. It was actually painful to read! I read 3/4 of it and then skipped to the end.
Interesting that I had just finished a book I had awarded 5 stars (an extremely rare thing for me), and then... this. It was actually painful to read! I read 3/4 of it and then skipped to the end.
February 9, 2016
The idea one would get from the title is that this is Jane Seymour's story.
One would be wrong.
One must sit through the annals of a made-up character whose name we don't discover until we're long past caring. One must sift through the jumbled shifts in the timeline for mentions of Henry VIII's third wife and the mother of Edward VI.
The story is more like, "Oh, I knew her well. Perhaps better than anyone. I'll tell you what I thought of her. But first, let me tell you about me."
I bought this book as an historical fiction about Jane Seymour and got the author's ego in the guise of a completely fictional character instead with Jane Seymour playing a supporting role. Feh!
One would be wrong.
One must sit through the annals of a made-up character whose name we don't discover until we're long past caring. One must sift through the jumbled shifts in the timeline for mentions of Henry VIII's third wife and the mother of Edward VI.
The story is more like, "Oh, I knew her well. Perhaps better than anyone. I'll tell you what I thought of her. But first, let me tell you about me."
I bought this book as an historical fiction about Jane Seymour and got the author's ego in the guise of a completely fictional character instead with Jane Seymour playing a supporting role. Feh!
September 9, 2015
This book could have used some better editing. There were several misspelled words and some pretty glaring dropped a word sentences. Some of the back and forth time sequences were choppy and could have used some smoother transitions that made it kind of difficult to focus on which Queen was which. That said, it was an interesting take on a story that is well known, from an entirely different view point than usually seen.
January 30, 2016
Too many errors,
I would have liked to have given 4 stars but there are far to many typographical errors to warrant it. Whoever transcribed really does require lessons in proof reading. The tale itself is enjoyable as light reading and as such I enjoyed it. What I did find distracting was the author's propensity to be writing about 1 character and bring in another who is out of historical sequence.
I would have liked to have given 4 stars but there are far to many typographical errors to warrant it. Whoever transcribed really does require lessons in proof reading. The tale itself is enjoyable as light reading and as such I enjoyed it. What I did find distracting was the author's propensity to be writing about 1 character and bring in another who is out of historical sequence.
September 6, 2016
Interesting way to learn more about history.
Love the writers view of Ann Boylyn and Jane Seymour. Explains some of the rumors history has spread. Is it truth? That we will most likely find out when we cross over to the next world. I have enjoyed this book immensely. It is well written and well researched. I am sure if you enjoy novels of Tudor England, you will not be able to rest until you reach the end. I look forward to more books by this author.
Love the writers view of Ann Boylyn and Jane Seymour. Explains some of the rumors history has spread. Is it truth? That we will most likely find out when we cross over to the next world. I have enjoyed this book immensely. It is well written and well researched. I am sure if you enjoy novels of Tudor England, you will not be able to rest until you reach the end. I look forward to more books by this author.
May 19, 2015
Interesting but nothing remarkable
Not enough to satisfy curiosity, some of the machinations of the courtiers are intriguing but left hanging in a disjointed fashion.
Not enough to satisfy curiosity, some of the machinations of the courtiers are intriguing but left hanging in a disjointed fashion.
August 15, 2015
Poorly written. I didn't enjoy this and struggled to get to the end. It was very confusing in parts as the time kept changing.
October 18, 2015
Confusing to read.
It jumps from one-time to another and back again. Hard to follow. I expected it to be better. Couldn't follow the characters.
It jumps from one-time to another and back again. Hard to follow. I expected it to be better. Couldn't follow the characters.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews