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Pour the Dark Wine
Sixteenth-century Tudor England.
A time of intrigue and chaos, with a country ruled by a cruel and determined monarch. In Henry VIII’s court a rise to favour can easily be followed by a fatal fall from grace.
Four Seymour children of Wolff Hall stand upon Merlin’s Mound, said to be able to grant wishes, and make ambitious claims for their futures.
Edward, the eldest, wishes to own all the land he surveys.
Thomas, rakish and carefree, wishes to marry the highest woman in the land.
Elizabeth, their half-gypsy cousin, cunningly wishes for the wisdom of Merlin.
And lastly Jane, their plain but romantic sister, wishes that she will one day marry a king.
The four Seymour lives will be inextricably bound with the reign of the ruthless King Henry VIII and his sometimes equally perilous passions and hatreds.
Each of them will find their childish wish granted – but at what price?
All will be at the mercy of the King’s bloody reign and victims of their own ambitions as they strive to further the Seymour cause and believe that happiness can be found in power…
‘Pour the Dark Wine’ is a thrilling and superbly written historical novel charting the perilous climb of the Seymours in Henry VIII’s court.
‘A cracking good plot’ – The Times
Deryn Lake started to write stories at the age of five then graduated to novels but destroyed all her early work because, she says, it was hopeless. A chance meeting with one of the Getty family took her to Sutton Place and her first serious novel was born. Deryn was married to a journalist and writer, the late L. F. Lampitt, has two grown-up children and lives in Mayfield, Sussex, with two large cats. She is also the author of ‘Sutton Place’, ‘To Sleep No More’, ‘The King’s Women’ and ‘As Shadows Haunting’.
Endeavour Press is the UK’s leading independent publisher of digital books.
A time of intrigue and chaos, with a country ruled by a cruel and determined monarch. In Henry VIII’s court a rise to favour can easily be followed by a fatal fall from grace.
Four Seymour children of Wolff Hall stand upon Merlin’s Mound, said to be able to grant wishes, and make ambitious claims for their futures.
Edward, the eldest, wishes to own all the land he surveys.
Thomas, rakish and carefree, wishes to marry the highest woman in the land.
Elizabeth, their half-gypsy cousin, cunningly wishes for the wisdom of Merlin.
And lastly Jane, their plain but romantic sister, wishes that she will one day marry a king.
The four Seymour lives will be inextricably bound with the reign of the ruthless King Henry VIII and his sometimes equally perilous passions and hatreds.
Each of them will find their childish wish granted – but at what price?
All will be at the mercy of the King’s bloody reign and victims of their own ambitions as they strive to further the Seymour cause and believe that happiness can be found in power…
‘Pour the Dark Wine’ is a thrilling and superbly written historical novel charting the perilous climb of the Seymours in Henry VIII’s court.
‘A cracking good plot’ – The Times
Deryn Lake started to write stories at the age of five then graduated to novels but destroyed all her early work because, she says, it was hopeless. A chance meeting with one of the Getty family took her to Sutton Place and her first serious novel was born. Deryn was married to a journalist and writer, the late L. F. Lampitt, has two grown-up children and lives in Mayfield, Sussex, with two large cats. She is also the author of ‘Sutton Place’, ‘To Sleep No More’, ‘The King’s Women’ and ‘As Shadows Haunting’.
Endeavour Press is the UK’s leading independent publisher of digital books.
518 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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707 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 18, 2018
**Lowering my rating to 2 stars because every time I think back on this book the positive things I had about it dwindles. It was rambling, slow, with utterly not plot or arc, and the characters were boring and flat.**
I have been disappointed, I must admit. This started out good, but quickly lost its momentum and became pretty slow. Which is sad, because this had a lot of promise (despite its slightly cringe worthy cover). I have quite a lot of thoughts, so be prepared.
If you know your history, this is not a spoiler: I was disappointed that Jane Seymour died before the book was even half way finished. I will readily admit that this was my fault for not doing enough research (this about all three Seymour siblings), and I wasn’t expecting the main character to die on me before I was even 50% of the way through. However, even being in the wrong, I think that this did cause major problems for the rest of the book. The author would have written a far more successful book had she finished it with Jane Seymour’s death. Here’s why: after Jane Seymour died, the book completely lost its focus. Though there were various point of views, the author had begun to centre her book completely around Jane Seymour - Thomas and Edward were hardly even there. With the death of her main character, we began to get random viewpoints from practically every character that ever existed, and the book just turned into a long, slow and, quite frankly, dull narrative of the Tudor era. It lost its theme, and became broad and general and boring. The parts that were supposed to be about the Seymour brothers were more focused on the last three wives of Henry VIII. This is a shame, because this book, in some places, had some really lovely writing and descriptions. For sure, it needed a little touching up here and there, and smoothing out a few clunky sentences, but in some places it was really beautiful. The descriptions of nature were particularly nice, and I enjoyed some of the rich and evocative vocabulary used there. What’s more, this was about Jane Seymour! Or, mainly. But this is an achievement in itself, because there are so few books around about the third wife of Henry VIII, and I really want to read more about her. This was a great find, and I hope it will introduce me to more books about her. However, I did think that sometimes the author hadn’t completely fleshed out her character properly. Sometimes a trait would be introduced as if it had always been there, but she had never acted that way beforehand. I think this was somewhat to do with the unnecessary and random time jumps. Often, the author would spend pages and pages on a certain, uninteresting point in time, and then skip pivotal moments, sometimes years, almost as if she couldn’t be bothered to write about them.
Whilst this was promising, and got off to a good start, I found the second half extremely boring and began skim reading some of it. It had some clunky sentences that didn’t completely flow, and time jumps were frequent, which ruined the flow of the whole book. However, I am pleased to have found a book about Jane Seymour, and I think that this book showed a lot of promise. It could have done with just a few more edits.
June 14, 2022
OMG, this story is bonkers! But in the most delightfully entertaining way.
First, we have not one, but two characters who are illegitimate and half-Romany and have powers to heal and see the future.
The man, Zachary, is the illegitimate son of the Duke of Norfolk and is constantly predicting the precise future of whoever is currently queen but is often ignored, Cassandra like, even though he has a good gig going of predicting various people’s futures. Due to a whacky chain of events he ends up being sold into slavery in Constantinople and is forced to be court astrologer to Suleiman the Magnificat. (Don’t worry, he eventually escapes via the “Indian Rope Trick.”)
The illegitimate half-Romany woman is named… Cloverella. Because her eyes are the color of clovers. Seriously. (Give me five minutes on ff.net and I’m sure I can confirm this is the name of an OC in a My Little Pony fanfic.) Cloverella is the daughter of Jane Seymour’s aunt, and she can tell the future with cards and whip up healing and love potions.
Why yes, these two crazy kids do meet up, fall in love, and get married! How did you guess? And yes, their kids gone on to have Next Gen adventures as well.
This is almost a whole separate book, running parallel to the rise and fall of the Seymour family.
The book itself starts off with the three well known Seymour siblings, Jane, Thomas and Edward, as little kids, running around outside and climbing up a hill that local legends claims is where Merlin is buried. They each make a wish – Jane to be a queen, Thomas to marry the highest-ranking woman in the land, and Edward to rule all he sees and beyond. And, as history shows us, each wish comes true, although each with unexpected consequences. It was, I thought, an excellent way to begin.
We then follow each sibling ‘till death, watching Jane become Henry VIII’s third wife, Thomas woo and marry the widowed queen Katherine Parr, and Edward become Lord Protector, in charge of England during Edward XI’s minority. And all three of them pay for it with their lives.
When the drama of Anne Boleyn / Henry VIII / Jane Seymour plays out, in this version Jane is truly attracted to Henry, not just the crown, and wants him physically. And she is not the prudish, mousy milksop so often shown in other stories. Despite all the men in her faction circling her and constantly yelling “stay a virgin, you whore!” she ends up having sex with Henry.
Then, when they infamous pouch of money and letter shows up, she guesses it’s a post-sex payment and is pretty sure if she takes it, he will consider their affair over and done, or at least very firmly on the level of husband and mistress. So, mostly due to being afraid of being told ‘told you so’ by her brothers, she refuses it, unopened, giving her oft-quoted speech about her honor, but here with the added subtext of letting him know “the first one’s free,” with the obvious implication that if he wants her again, he’ll need to put a ring on it.
Honestly, it’s not the craziest Jane Seymour speculation I’ve ever seen, and I buy it. It all hangs together, and, as the author points out in her author’s note, it explains both Jane’s recorded modesty as well as reports of heavy flirting. Lampitt does a good job pointing out that anyone who was sister to both Edward and Thomas Seymour had a good probability of having a wit and sexuality of her own.
Things do get wicked crazy when Jane goes into labor and Lampitt goes with the very debunked Caesarean section theory, which, given the level of medical tech they had, definitely would have killed her immediately, rather than lingering for two weeks. But it does quite accurately show the anxiety the royal doctor feels with the lives of the queen and heir in his hands.
Following that, parts of the book drag once Jane dies and we plod through the next 15 years from birth to death of King Edward VI, although Thomas, reflecting the known history, provides lots of drama.
The worst part of this book was that it didn’t accurately portray Katheryn Howard and Princess Elizabeth as victims of sexual abuse. And yes, those young teenagers were both very much being groomed and then assaulted by the much older men in their lives. Fight me. And here, also reflecting the age of the book (originally written in the 1980’s) Anne of Cleves is dismissed as a cow, with no comment on how horrible Henry was looking by the time they met up. Ugh.
Then, just when you think you’ve seen it all, we find out Princes Elizabeth is missing a vaginal canal…. Um, I’m not a doctor, but I think that would cause much bigger problems then not being able to have full vaginal sex. And I don’t think you would be able to live into your 60’s, as Elizabeth I did.
A rollicking ride of the Seymour family. Jane Seymour’s section was definitely the best part of the book, but the whole thing is so mind bogglingly bonkers I couldn’t look away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2018
Not sure where to begin with this book, really. While the descriptions claim it is a book on the Seymour family, particularly Jane, the book instead meanders through most of Henry VIII's court with the Seymour's occasionally contributing to the story. As a historical fiction novel with a lot of additional content and stretching of historical facts, I could give the first half of this book a solid 3 stars. It's wordy, but interesting once belief is suspended, and quite possibly a decent historical fiction novel. However, I strongly disagree with her characterization of Jane, and then further on with Catherine Parr. Jane was known for being gentle and a peacemaker, not the little argumentative spitfire this book makes her out to be. And Catherine Parr was known for being devoutly religious and an excellent regent while her husband was away, while in the book, these facts are barely mentioned. Instead, the storyline drags through her multiple affairs with Thomas Seymour. I can always appreciate some stretching of historical facts, but these two main characters were not even remotely close to their actual counterparts. Also, we know Henry VIII was large, but we don't need that reiterated every single time the man makes an appearance in the story! It was akin to reading a thesaurus for the word "fat" or "obese". Point taken, he was obese. Got it.
The second portion of the book, after Jane Seymour's death (which should shock nobody who knows about the Tudors. She dies.) which was not due to a c-section despite the author's claim, the storyline falls apart as everyone attempts to fall into bed with each other. I skimmed a great deal here because there was very little to actually read or keep me interested. The storyline fell apart and so did any history.
Overall, 2/5 stars. Just not that good of a book.
The second portion of the book, after Jane Seymour's death (which should shock nobody who knows about the Tudors. She dies.) which was not due to a c-section despite the author's claim, the storyline falls apart as everyone attempts to fall into bed with each other. I skimmed a great deal here because there was very little to actually read or keep me interested. The storyline fell apart and so did any history.
Overall, 2/5 stars. Just not that good of a book.
September 26, 2016
Pour the Dark Wine chronicles the rise and fall of the Seymour family during the reigns of Henry VIII and his only son Edward VI. From childhood until their respective deaths, the book follows the lives of Jane, who became Henry VIII's third queen and mother of his son and heir, Edward, who would rise to become Lord Protector and end up on the scaffold during his nephew's short reign, Thomas, who would marry Henry VIII's widow and engage in a dangerous flirtation with the princess Elizabeth living under the same roof, and their illegitimate (and fictional) cousin Cloverella.
While the story itself is fascinating and offers ups and downs and twists aplenty, I found the book too longwinded in places, with tiresome and unnecessary scenes that seemed to drag on forever. I didn't particularly care for the vilifying portrayal of Anne Boleyn (and to a lesser extent Elizabeth), or for the whole Zachary/Cloverella subplot - I'd have enjoyed the book a lot more without the latter.
While the story itself is fascinating and offers ups and downs and twists aplenty, I found the book too longwinded in places, with tiresome and unnecessary scenes that seemed to drag on forever. I didn't particularly care for the vilifying portrayal of Anne Boleyn (and to a lesser extent Elizabeth), or for the whole Zachary/Cloverella subplot - I'd have enjoyed the book a lot more without the latter.
May 1, 2025
a really good read
I enjoyed the book with its mix of history and fiction. At least these days our politicians don’t get their heads cut off when out of favour with the powers that be. Although I would stand in line to watch Trump, Musk and RFK jnr get theirs.
I enjoyed the book with its mix of history and fiction. At least these days our politicians don’t get their heads cut off when out of favour with the powers that be. Although I would stand in line to watch Trump, Musk and RFK jnr get theirs.
January 3, 2024
Whilst some of the writing was beautiful in this story, I struggled with the moves in focus between the characters and at times the large time jumps skipping over important events.
With the loss of Jane so early on, when the story had so focused on her, I felt from there it started to flounder.
Though the author has tackled a considerable period of time, which in many places is extremely complex and made it easy to understand.
The highlight was the focus on Jane Seymour and her personality and feelings, as she is often subjected to the same one dimensional portrayal. In this book she was interesting, intelligent and in some ways manipulative (traits often attributed to her predecessor).
The author had an interesting take on Princess Elizabeth too.
With the loss of Jane so early on, when the story had so focused on her, I felt from there it started to flounder.
Though the author has tackled a considerable period of time, which in many places is extremely complex and made it easy to understand.
The highlight was the focus on Jane Seymour and her personality and feelings, as she is often subjected to the same one dimensional portrayal. In this book she was interesting, intelligent and in some ways manipulative (traits often attributed to her predecessor).
The author had an interesting take on Princess Elizabeth too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2024
Creative fiction at its best
Despite being aware of HenryVIII and his famous wives, I did not know of the Seymour or Howard families and their roles in history.
The author has skilfully merged in facts, research and characters that bring the history to life while creating a romping good story.
I try not to read synopsis/reviews before reading a book so I was pulled into the Seymour children’s saga before I realised their important role in history.
Like all good books I picked sides, shared sorrows, cheered success, booed the baddies and finished sated as if I’d attended a two-boar banquet. I also gained a little more knowledge and understanding of the way things happened in ‘olden days’, with historical figures brought to life.
Recommended
Despite being aware of HenryVIII and his famous wives, I did not know of the Seymour or Howard families and their roles in history.
The author has skilfully merged in facts, research and characters that bring the history to life while creating a romping good story.
I try not to read synopsis/reviews before reading a book so I was pulled into the Seymour children’s saga before I realised their important role in history.
Like all good books I picked sides, shared sorrows, cheered success, booed the baddies and finished sated as if I’d attended a two-boar banquet. I also gained a little more knowledge and understanding of the way things happened in ‘olden days’, with historical figures brought to life.
Recommended
June 7, 2019
I just couldn't get into this book. I tried three times.
While I adore the Tudor era and normally enjoy romance books written in it, this book just didn't engage my interest.
The book seemed to drag, I couldn't connect with the characters, and it seemed at times that the author just dumped a lot of information on the reader.
With all that being said, Lake does have a way with description and shows very intelligent writing. These two things brought this book up to 3.5 stars for me. I will try more books by Lake.
While I adore the Tudor era and normally enjoy romance books written in it, this book just didn't engage my interest.
The book seemed to drag, I couldn't connect with the characters, and it seemed at times that the author just dumped a lot of information on the reader.
With all that being said, Lake does have a way with description and shows very intelligent writing. These two things brought this book up to 3.5 stars for me. I will try more books by Lake.
May 14, 2018
Very well written and as good an insight into all the major characters of the Tudor period as I have read. Could not put this book down. But how I feel for everyone alive during these tumultuous years. It wasn’t safe for anyone be you a mere citizen of London or a royal titled person. Both Henry And daughter Elizabeth were monsters. There was nothing Gloriana about these generations. Well done the writers.
October 6, 2019
I really did enjoy this book, but it had a very strange way of switching point of view without much warning. I think someone must have given the author this information because it gets better as the book goes on, but the first 100 pages or so will switch point of view with no warning and you’re not sure who’s talking anymore.
October 21, 2017
Loved it
May 3, 2018
Loved the book.It intertwines history with an edge !!
December 18, 2019
A cracking good read despite the cover
April 6, 2021
I enjoyed this book until half way through when it got abit boring.
July 6, 2024
Splendid
V well written and life put into history . A good read and educational too. Thoroughly recommended. This author is worth looking out.
V well written and life put into history . A good read and educational too. Thoroughly recommended. This author is worth looking out.
July 14, 2024
Interesting read
A great historical novel of Tudor times. Love the scheming and plotting and romantic carrying ons. Kept me enthralled to the end.
A great historical novel of Tudor times. Love the scheming and plotting and romantic carrying ons. Kept me enthralled to the end.
July 24, 2024
A most interesting History lesson
So beauty written in a way that takes you back to the times
I loved it and sad to finish
So beauty written in a way that takes you back to the times
I loved it and sad to finish
November 20, 2024
Difficult to read
The book was interesting as it gave a lot of historical information. However I would like to know if that was correct.
The book was interesting as it gave a lot of historical information. However I would like to know if that was correct.
September 5, 2010
This is a hard-to-find book that I believe was first published in 1989. I have read so much about the Tudor era, as I am fascinated by the stories of the wives of Henry VIII. There is so much published on Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, that if I ever find anything on his other three wives, I devour it. This book tells the story of Jane Seymour and her brothers, Edward and Thomas. There is also another fictional character, Cloverella, that is raised with her Seymour cousins. It is so rare to find a book about Jane Seymour and I thought the author's sympathetic view of both of the Seymour brothers was very refreshing. I liked the side story of Cloverella's life, but I especially enjoyed the author's telling of the successes, trials and tragedies of the Seymour siblings. This is not a literary "masterpiece" but a good book, nonetheless. If you find this book, I would highly recommend it to any Tudor fan!!!!
October 12, 2018
Lively retelling of the rise and fall of the Seymours
A brew of historical fact, fiction, gypsies, magic, romance and intrigue ....but some willing suspension of disbelief carried me through a second read of this actually very enjoyable book.
I first read it as a teenager and I must admit I had forgotten some of the liberties the author took with historical facts and the gloriously florid dialogue.
But for all that it's a solidly told tale, with some really quite beautiful descriptive passages and the occasional telling insight. It rattled along, apart from some sag in pace at the beginning of part two, and nearly 30 years after my first read I was pleasantly surprised that it stood up so well to the test of time.
A brew of historical fact, fiction, gypsies, magic, romance and intrigue ....but some willing suspension of disbelief carried me through a second read of this actually very enjoyable book.
I first read it as a teenager and I must admit I had forgotten some of the liberties the author took with historical facts and the gloriously florid dialogue.
But for all that it's a solidly told tale, with some really quite beautiful descriptive passages and the occasional telling insight. It rattled along, apart from some sag in pace at the beginning of part two, and nearly 30 years after my first read I was pleasantly surprised that it stood up so well to the test of time.
May 9, 2017
I liked it more than I expected to given that I'm kind of off historical novels anymore. Unlike so much stuff out there today it is well written. I suspended my disbelief about the portrayals of historical characters, not all of which entirely jive with the known facts, because the fictional characters were so much fun and because even the historical characters were entertaining. Every once in awhile there was a sentence that was really beautiful or that did ring so true. I can read a few more of hers before I cancel the Kindle Unlimited.
January 19, 2017
Good read
I thought the book was interesting being told by an outsider of the Tudors. I enjoyed the different perspectives of the families of the wives of Henry VIII and how their ambitions were acutely involved in the downfall of various queens. The only part that was confusing were the names of the noble people and the interchangeable titles given to them. This made it somewhat confusing as to who they were at times and who they were related.
I thought the book was interesting being told by an outsider of the Tudors. I enjoyed the different perspectives of the families of the wives of Henry VIII and how their ambitions were acutely involved in the downfall of various queens. The only part that was confusing were the names of the noble people and the interchangeable titles given to them. This made it somewhat confusing as to who they were at times and who they were related.
December 17, 2015
I really in joy this book .I've read a lot of different books of this type,but
I really in joyed this view on this book . I found this book very interesting the way it was put together. I like these kind of history type . The lay out each part so one that kept me wanting to know more . So that's why I rate this one a 5.
I really in joyed this view on this book . I found this book very interesting the way it was put together. I like these kind of history type . The lay out each part so one that kept me wanting to know more . So that's why I rate this one a 5.
April 13, 2016
Absorbing, and full of surprises.
The author expertly captures the many sides of each character, at times making even Henry VIII seem sympathetic, then unapologetically displaying the ugliness in even well liked characters. The plot was full of turns and always had me looking forward to more.
The author expertly captures the many sides of each character, at times making even Henry VIII seem sympathetic, then unapologetically displaying the ugliness in even well liked characters. The plot was full of turns and always had me looking forward to more.
September 17, 2016
Enjoyable read for lovers of history
I enjoyed this book but did find the fact the narrative jumped from person to person a bit irritating but that is just a natter of my own literary taste. An enjoyable, if not gripping read.
I enjoyed this book but did find the fact the narrative jumped from person to person a bit irritating but that is just a natter of my own literary taste. An enjoyable, if not gripping read.
February 25, 2023
I love the truth mixed with magic in this book
I love the Tudor times anyway, so I adore when there is magic mixed into the story. Then characters and their stories are very well told.
I love the Tudor times anyway, so I adore when there is magic mixed into the story. Then characters and their stories are very well told.
April 2, 2016
I'm not really finished, but I can't seem to get into this book. It may be my mood, or the writing, I'm unsure. Going to set it aside and come back at a later date.
September 28, 2015
Well told
Enjoyed this book very...hoping to read more works by Deryn Lake. A very gifted weaver of historical novels plots, with seamless twists and turns.
Enjoyed this book very...hoping to read more works by Deryn Lake. A very gifted weaver of historical novels plots, with seamless twists and turns.
June 20, 2018
I won this books from Goodreads giveaways. I enjoyed being able to understand the Seymour family and how their interaction with the royalty. I was nice getting to know all the other family members
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews