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9:47 pm
June 30, 2009
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I am just about to finish Jean Plaidys 'Murder most royal' and I know it is a fictional historical novel however surely they base their story on real events or at least what we think happened?
In this story Jane Seymour is pregnant when she marries the King and has a miscarriage before going on to have Edward. I have never read this before and just wondered if there was any truth in it?
11:30 pm
June 23, 2009
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I suppose just about anything can fly under the radar of historical annals..
Diem et animus scire cupio: I desire knowledge of the soul.
1:12 am
October 11, 2009
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The main point in historical fiction is that it is fictional, but after all why not? It would explain why ittook her so much time to conceive Edward – organism recovering – and her horrible labor – uncomplete recovering due to the poor obstetrical knowledges of this time.
11:04 am
February 16, 2009
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I've never read it before but it would explain why Henry was so desperate to marry her and why Anne had to be dispatched quickly and cleanly, so I think it fits in ok with the story. I like historical fiction to be believable, for things that the author had made up and added to the story to fit in and I think Jean Plaidy does a great job at that. When I read it I couldn't believe that it was written 50 years ago because I think it's well ahead of its time in its ideas about Anne and her relationship with Henry.
Are you enjoying it Gemma?
I've just read a really good Elizabethan one which I will review on The Elizabeth Files soon – Jeane Westin's \”The Virgin's Daughters\” – I really enjoted it, great writing and kept me hooked.
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
12:24 pm
October 14, 2009
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Oh that would make a lot of sense. And since she was Henry's favorite they wouldn't want her to go down in history like Anne in the way that Anne was pregnant before they got married-that would tarnish Jane's demour/innocent appearnce, if it is true.
8:49 am
June 30, 2009
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yes I loved it! Just finished it yesterday, I did feel Catherine Howards part was rushed though compared to Annes. I couldn't believe it was written 50 years ago either!
11:29 pm
October 11, 2009
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Since Jane followed exactly Anne's strategy ( refusing to sleep with the King then conceiving to secure her position as the mother of his heir) , it's plausible. But when does she miscarry according to the book?
10:42 am
June 30, 2009
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Just after they have gotten married so in the book Henry is annoyed since he didn't like her too much in the first place. In the book he continues to compare everyone to Anne and even at the end wishes Elizabeth had been a boy and admits she is his favourite child
7:56 pm
October 11, 2009
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It makes sense: that little blonde schemer of Jane (if you read my posts, you have surely understood that I do not carry her in my heart) followed Anne's very path and obtained wedding through her womb. If you compare her actions and Anne's, Anne acted passionately and had real political ideas, while Jane only wanted to secure her position and her family's. Even the best thing she did, reconciling Mary with her father, was probably a way to get the English Catholics with her, since they remained the main faction at this time. The idea of the miscarriage should be examinated: rumors at this time, health of Jane, attitudee of the King… At least it's an excellent litterary device!
This book too look excellent. I'm gonna put it on my Christmas list, if, I am patient enough not to order it immediatly!Why not selecting it for \”Book of the month\”?
8:37 am
February 16, 2009
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Hi Lexy,
It really is a wonderful book and was our “Book of the Month” in September – see http://www.theanneboleynfiles……september/ – but it would be good to do a Book Club discussion on it sometime.
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
7:28 pm
October 11, 2009
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Shame on me, I forgot! You're right, discussion about this book would be great! I'm a big fan of historical fiction, at the point of thinking of writing some myself, and i think it's better when it's founded on facts and could have happened!
8:06 am
December 30, 2009
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Historical fiction does a wonderful job in encouraging readers to take an interest in people and events they might otherwise not have come across before. However, it can cause confusion when readers find it difficult to distinguish between fiction and fact. Many historical novelists use all sorts of invented events in order to make their stories more exciting and interesting. The trick is to understand what is true and what is not.
With regard to Jane Seymour – her appeal to Henry was in being totally different from Anne Boleyn. She was quiet, modest, not particularly beautiful etc. To have put herself in the same position as Anne by becoming pregnant before marriage would not have helped that strategy.
9:12 am
February 16, 2009
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I like it when historical fiction novels have an author's note which explains what facts the author based the novel on and what came out of their own imagination, this is so helpful to the reader. Many people, as we know, do treat these novels and TV series as \”gospel\” and think that they are retelling what happened accurately, very annoying! I've lost count of the people who have said that Anne and George committed incest or George raped his wife etc. because they have read it or seen it on TV.
I agree with you, Jasmine, that historical fiction does a wonderful job at piqueing someone's interest in the time and characters and then they go and find out more and hopefully find out the truth.
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
5:57 pm
December 30, 2009
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If you look at the discussion page on the Anne Boleyn entry in Wikipedia, you will find a long series of complaints from the monitors of that page because people keep inserting stuff from novels and films as though it is fact, even to the extent of removing properly sourced information in order to promote the \”Other Boleyn Girl\” stuff.
That's why sites like this where anyone can come and discuss all sorts of issues related to Anne Boleyn and her life and times is very important.
