Secrets of the Tudor Court: Between Two Queens

I really enjoyed this second book in Kate Emerson's Tudor series. The main character is Anne (Nan) Bassett, a beautiful and intelligent Maid of Honor to Jane Seymour. When Jane dies from childbirth a month into Nan's tenure, Nan has to do what's necessary to maintain her place in court - and gain influence to advance herself and her family.

Like Emerson's previous novel, this one is more historical than romantic, and it gives a lot of detail about the intriques of the court. But unlike the previous novel, King Henry VIII is definitely on the down-slide into obesity and old age, and that made the novel kind of sad for me. He was such a vibrant and exciting young man, and Emerson's portrait of him as a manipulative and whiny old man made him rather pitiable.

But the character of Nan is wonderful, though from Emerson's endnotes it seems she is mostly imagined. Emerson based her novel on the correspondence of Nan's mother, Lady Lisle, so she obviously takes a lot of literary liberties. But I enjoyed the story, and will definitely look for the next in the series.

Having said that, I am taking a break from Tudor fiction. Just started a nonfiction book about the space program that has really grabbed me...

Secrets of the Tudor Court: Between Two Queens