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The May Bride
Jane Seymour is a shy, dutiful fifteen-year-old when her eldest brother, Edward, brings his bride home to Wolf Hall. Katherine Filliol is the perfect match for Edward, as well as being a breath of fresh air for the Seymour family, and Jane is captivated by the older girl.
Only two years later, however, the family is torn apart by a dreadful allegation—that Katherine has had an affair with the Seymour patriarch. The repercussions for all the Seymours are incalculable, not least for Katherine herself. When Jane is sent away to serve Katharine of Aragon, she is forced to witness another wife being put aside, with terrible consequences.
Changed forever by what happened to Katherine Filliol, Jane comes to understand that, in a world where power is held entirely by men, there is a way in which she can still hold true to herself.
Only two years later, however, the family is torn apart by a dreadful allegation—that Katherine has had an affair with the Seymour patriarch. The repercussions for all the Seymours are incalculable, not least for Katherine herself. When Jane is sent away to serve Katharine of Aragon, she is forced to witness another wife being put aside, with terrible consequences.
Changed forever by what happened to Katherine Filliol, Jane comes to understand that, in a world where power is held entirely by men, there is a way in which she can still hold true to herself.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2014
About the author
Suzannah Dunn
17 books206 followersSuzannah Dunn was born in London, and grew up in the village of Northaw in Hertfordshire (for Tudor ‘fans’: Northaw Manor was the first married home of Bess Hardwick, in the late 1540s). Having lived in Brighton for nineteen years, she now lives in Shropshire. Her novel about Anne Boleyn (The Queen of Subtleties) was followed by The Sixth Wife, on Katherine Parr, and The Queen's Sorrow, set during the reign of Mary Tudor, ‘Bloody Mary’, England’s first ruling queen. Her forthcoming novel – to be published in hardback in May 2010 – is The Confession of Katherine Howard. Prior to writing about the Tudors, she published five contemporary-set novels and two collections of stories. She has enjoyed many years of giving talks and teaching creative writing (from six weeks as ‘writer in residence’ on the Richard and Judy show, to seven years as Programme Director of Manchester University’s MA in Novel Writing).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
December 11, 2014
3.5 Queen Jane looks back on the scandal that almost derailed her family. Wolf Hall and Jane is fifteen when her older brother returns with his new wife. She quickly makes friends with Jane, an action that leads the shy Jane into various confidences and adventures.
Never knew how hard the people who lived in the Manors had to work. All the festivals, celebrations and only days required almost superhuman effort. Was a very interesting and quiet read. Interesting to read about Many Seymour's early life and that of her family. A different take on the usual Tudor novel.
Never knew how hard the people who lived in the Manors had to work. All the festivals, celebrations and only days required almost superhuman effort. Was a very interesting and quiet read. Interesting to read about Many Seymour's early life and that of her family. A different take on the usual Tudor novel.
February 13, 2014
Jane Seymour is fifteen when her eldest brother, Edward, returns to Wolf Hall with his twenty one year old wife Katherine. Jane is dutiful, plain and, even at her young age, suspects that her life will be as a spinster sister. In fact, it seems almost inconceivable that she ever leave the comfortable confines of Wolf Hall, where she has her world of loving parents, servants, younger sisters Elizabeth, Dottie and Margie and her other brothers Thomas and little Antony. Her days are filled with work, the children’s chatter and the evenings with sewing, while Father James snores by the fire. Yet, into this world, with all its traditions and reassuring ways of doing things, Katherine is a breath of fresh air and Jane is dazzled. By her beauty, her lightness of step, her seemingly limitless small treasures – gold leaf, brightly coloured thread, extra cushions in her room – and the way she laughs and trips effortlessly through the day. What is more, Katherine chooses Jane as her confidante and the young girl happily embraces her new sister in law as the fount of all wisdom.
Then, Edward goes off to war and Thomas is left champing at the bit. Jane’s brothers are ambitious and their desire is not to make a home at Wolf Hall, but to be at Court. Can Katherine be the wife that Edward wants and needs to further his career, or are the two dangerously ill matched? Then Edward makes a terrible allegation and things for the Seymour family will never be the same again. Jane finds herself transplanted to Court, where she never imagined she would ever visit, let alone live, sewing dutifully by the side of another Katherine. This Katherine is a Queen, although her husband is attempting to put her aside for Anne Boleyn and, again, Jane sees how powerless women can be – whether in the country or in the highest seat in the land.
I have to admit that Suzannah Dunn is an author about whom I have had mixed feelings over the years. I loved her early work and then was less impressed by some later books. However, I am delighted I gave this a chance, as it is a superbly crafted historical novel. Although most of the book (three quarters) takes place in Wolf Hall, amongst Jane’s immediate family, the author makes the story she is telling absolutely riveting. We are all aware of what Jane’s elder brothers, Edward and Thomas, will become. Here, she manages to create realistic, younger versions of these boys that will become men – the deeply ambitious Edward and the slightly dangerous Thomas. The author also makes a good point, that many women are written out of history – I have to admit that I was not aware that Edward ever married Katherine, the beautiful, vivacious May Bride, of his youth. In this book, Dunn has created a realistic and believable character in Katherine and virtually breathed her back into life. Out of domestic disaster, she has created a novel which I am sure will find her a whole new audience, as well as bring back former readers who may, like me, have decided that she is worth giving another chance – this novel proves that she is back at the height of her game.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
Then, Edward goes off to war and Thomas is left champing at the bit. Jane’s brothers are ambitious and their desire is not to make a home at Wolf Hall, but to be at Court. Can Katherine be the wife that Edward wants and needs to further his career, or are the two dangerously ill matched? Then Edward makes a terrible allegation and things for the Seymour family will never be the same again. Jane finds herself transplanted to Court, where she never imagined she would ever visit, let alone live, sewing dutifully by the side of another Katherine. This Katherine is a Queen, although her husband is attempting to put her aside for Anne Boleyn and, again, Jane sees how powerless women can be – whether in the country or in the highest seat in the land.
I have to admit that Suzannah Dunn is an author about whom I have had mixed feelings over the years. I loved her early work and then was less impressed by some later books. However, I am delighted I gave this a chance, as it is a superbly crafted historical novel. Although most of the book (three quarters) takes place in Wolf Hall, amongst Jane’s immediate family, the author makes the story she is telling absolutely riveting. We are all aware of what Jane’s elder brothers, Edward and Thomas, will become. Here, she manages to create realistic, younger versions of these boys that will become men – the deeply ambitious Edward and the slightly dangerous Thomas. The author also makes a good point, that many women are written out of history – I have to admit that I was not aware that Edward ever married Katherine, the beautiful, vivacious May Bride, of his youth. In this book, Dunn has created a realistic and believable character in Katherine and virtually breathed her back into life. Out of domestic disaster, she has created a novel which I am sure will find her a whole new audience, as well as bring back former readers who may, like me, have decided that she is worth giving another chance – this novel proves that she is back at the height of her game.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
December 5, 2014
Suzannah Dunn’s latest novel is narrated by Jane Seymour, the unassuming maid of honor who became the third of Henry VIII’s six queens. That said, if you’re hoping to read a standard tale about political scheming and juicy scandals at the treacherous royal court, head elsewhere.
The May Bride is refreshingly unlike most fiction of the Tudor wife variety. It’s a quieter sort of tale, at least on the surface, and it moves along at a leisurely pace. In an interview, the author said – maybe in jest, maybe not – that her biggest challenge in writing it was staying awake.
Dunn knows what she’s doing, though. Her character-centered story is full of sharp yet subtle observations that keep readers alert to the shifting relationships among her characters – even when her young, innocent heroine doesn’t notice them herself.
As the eldest daughter among the eight living children of Sir John and Margery Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire, Jane is a sensible, introverted teenager who doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. The Seymours are of the gentry, with servants to help them out, but everyone gets involved in keeping the estate running. Jane’s days are spent in domestic pursuits: embroidery, laundry, mending her brothers’ torn clothes, gathering fruit for jam, making pastry in the kitchen. One highlight for the Seymours is their twice-yearly trek to the fair at Great Bedwyn.
The novel offers many scenes showing these aspects of country life, and the details are fascinating. In fact, you’ll find it easy to forget all about Jane’s illustrious marriage, still years in the future, because it seems so unlikely.
Although everything is seen through Jane’s eyes, the plot’s focus is actually Katherine Filliol, her older brother Edward’s golden bride, a local heiress who makes her entrance while “fresh as a daisy in her buttercup silk.” Katherine’s cheery, casually lighthearted ways enchant her in-laws, Jane in particular, and they become good friends at first. As time passes, it becomes clear that Edward and his wife are horribly mismatched. His accusation, several years into their union, that she was unfaithful to him with his father shocks them all.
This is the same incident that runs through the background of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, of course, but here it’s explored in depth. In imagining the lead-up to this rumored episode, The May Bride tells an affecting story about the sidelining of women and a family torn apart in the aftermath of a dreadful mistake. And finally, although the final segments set at court feel a bit muddled with their multiple time-shifts, it provides a believable context for Jane Seymour’s unanticipated rise in status.
The May Bride is refreshingly unlike most fiction of the Tudor wife variety. It’s a quieter sort of tale, at least on the surface, and it moves along at a leisurely pace. In an interview, the author said – maybe in jest, maybe not – that her biggest challenge in writing it was staying awake.
Dunn knows what she’s doing, though. Her character-centered story is full of sharp yet subtle observations that keep readers alert to the shifting relationships among her characters – even when her young, innocent heroine doesn’t notice them herself.
As the eldest daughter among the eight living children of Sir John and Margery Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire, Jane is a sensible, introverted teenager who doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. The Seymours are of the gentry, with servants to help them out, but everyone gets involved in keeping the estate running. Jane’s days are spent in domestic pursuits: embroidery, laundry, mending her brothers’ torn clothes, gathering fruit for jam, making pastry in the kitchen. One highlight for the Seymours is their twice-yearly trek to the fair at Great Bedwyn.
The novel offers many scenes showing these aspects of country life, and the details are fascinating. In fact, you’ll find it easy to forget all about Jane’s illustrious marriage, still years in the future, because it seems so unlikely.
Although everything is seen through Jane’s eyes, the plot’s focus is actually Katherine Filliol, her older brother Edward’s golden bride, a local heiress who makes her entrance while “fresh as a daisy in her buttercup silk.” Katherine’s cheery, casually lighthearted ways enchant her in-laws, Jane in particular, and they become good friends at first. As time passes, it becomes clear that Edward and his wife are horribly mismatched. His accusation, several years into their union, that she was unfaithful to him with his father shocks them all.
This is the same incident that runs through the background of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, of course, but here it’s explored in depth. In imagining the lead-up to this rumored episode, The May Bride tells an affecting story about the sidelining of women and a family torn apart in the aftermath of a dreadful mistake. And finally, although the final segments set at court feel a bit muddled with their multiple time-shifts, it provides a believable context for Jane Seymour’s unanticipated rise in status.
May 7, 2020
I found this book a good read - hard to put down. I have read a lot of the novels around Henry VIII and his wives and lovers. This book offered a different view. It was mainly set in Wolf Hall so not so much about court life but more about life outside of the court. I found the characters interesting, and well developed.
June 11, 2019
The May Bride is billed as a novel about Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII. She is the first-person narrator, but I would in no way say that this novel is about her.
Two thirds of the book are spent meeting Katherine Fillol, upon her marriage to Edward Seymour. This part of the book is very slow-paced, going over repetitive daily events with not much actually happening, until we get to the exciting bit where Edward accuses Katherine of having an affair with his father. Have we learned anything about Jane yet? Not so much. I'm assuming all of this was character development for Jane, but I didn't feel I got to her know any her better after 200 pages than I did after the first 50. Once Katherine is dispatched we spend the last third of the book travelling at breakneck speed just barely touching on the highlights of Jane's life. Why?
I think this book would have worked better if it was about Katherine, full stop. That would have been interesting and hers is a story that is mentioned as a side note in many Tudor novels, but not really discussed directly.
I might try another novel by this author, but unfortunately this wasn't an impressive introduction to her work.
Two thirds of the book are spent meeting Katherine Fillol, upon her marriage to Edward Seymour. This part of the book is very slow-paced, going over repetitive daily events with not much actually happening, until we get to the exciting bit where Edward accuses Katherine of having an affair with his father. Have we learned anything about Jane yet? Not so much. I'm assuming all of this was character development for Jane, but I didn't feel I got to her know any her better after 200 pages than I did after the first 50. Once Katherine is dispatched we spend the last third of the book travelling at breakneck speed just barely touching on the highlights of Jane's life. Why?
I think this book would have worked better if it was about Katherine, full stop. That would have been interesting and hers is a story that is mentioned as a side note in many Tudor novels, but not really discussed directly.
I might try another novel by this author, but unfortunately this wasn't an impressive introduction to her work.
April 4, 2014
I always feel that I have to defend Dunn. There are those that hate her style, but I find her writing compelling. She brings historical figures to life like no one else I've read. The competitive talk among the women about who had it worse in pregnancy and childbirth; the modern speech - these serve to make the characters human and real and NOW. After all, these events didn't take place in the past; they took place (as everything can only do) in the present. Some see this is as Dunn's failing: I see this as Dunn's success.
April 23, 2015
There is a relative scarcity of historical fiction which features Jane Seymour as an important character; most work set in the Tudor times focuses on the dramatic transition between Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Will The May Bride bring Jane back into favour by creating a lively and interesting story told from her perspective?
The short answer: not really.
The long answer is that I don’t quite know what to make of this novel. It is one of the strangest-paced books I’ve ever read. The first two thirds are a slow and painfully dragged out plotless mess, and then the last third tries to cram in the entire story of Jane’s ascension to queenship (you know, the actual interesting part) into about fifty pages.
Read the rest of the review on my blog here.
The short answer: not really.
The long answer is that I don’t quite know what to make of this novel. It is one of the strangest-paced books I’ve ever read. The first two thirds are a slow and painfully dragged out plotless mess, and then the last third tries to cram in the entire story of Jane’s ascension to queenship (you know, the actual interesting part) into about fifty pages.
Read the rest of the review on my blog here.
June 9, 2023
I have been wanting to read this one for a while. There are very few books told from Jane Seymour's perspective, and I feel that I could have done without this one. While Suzannah Dunn is very good at using figurative language to set the scene, she lacks in progressing the story whatsoever. Jane probably had 10 pieces of dialogue throughout the whole novel.
May 13, 2014
One day in May 1536, Jane Seymour became Henry VIII’s third wife – but she is not the only May bride in Suzannah Dunn’s new novel. The other is Katherine Filliol, the wife of Jane’s elder brother, Edward. Jane is only fifteen when Edward first brings Katherine to Wolf Hall, the Seymour family home, and she is instantly captivated by her beautiful new sister-in-law. Jane and Katherine become close friends – or so Jane thinks, but gradually she discovers that Katherine has been keeping secrets from her and that her marriage to Edward may not be as perfect as it first appeared.
I had my doubts about this book before I started reading it because I had tried to read another of Dunn’s books a few years ago, The Confession of Katherine Howard, and didn’t get very far with it before giving up, not having connected with the writing style or the characters at all. I wondered if I would have the same experience with this book, but luckily that didn’t happen; I found this one much more enjoyable and easier to get into.
I’ve read a lot of novels set during the Tudor period, but this one is slightly different, for several reasons. First, it is a very domestic story, being set almost entirely at Wolf Hall with only the final, shortest section of the book covering Jane’s time at court as lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Until that last section there are so few mentions of politics, court intrigues or famous people of the period (apart from the Seymours themselves) that it could almost have been a story about any other wealthy Tudor family going about their daily lives.
I also found it intriguing that although Jane is the most famous Seymour and the one who is narrating, this novel is actually about Katherine Filliol as much as it is about Jane. I didn’t know anything about Katherine before reading the book and although Suzannah Dunn admits in her author’s note that there is very little historical information available on Katherine (and no record of what eventually happened to her) I still appreciated the fact that she had chosen to focus on a little-known character who is not usually the subject of historical fiction.
Finally, this book is written in a style that feels very modern and there is no real attempt to use language appropriate to the period. This is something that usually irritates me, but in this case I think it actually worked quite well once I got used to it. Because this is a family drama, with the emphasis on exploring the relationships between Katherine, Jane and the other Seymours, the fresh and contemporary feel made it easy to identify with the characters. I thought Jane’s brothers, Edward and Thomas, with their very different personalities, were particularly well drawn.
Compared with some of Henry VIII’s other wives, Jane Seymour as queen is often portrayed as quiet and uninteresting but here the young Jane comes to life as a loyal and loving person who is able to see the best in everyone. Unfortunately I didn’t share her fascination with Katherine, but I suppose that’s because I was able to pick up on clues and nuances that wouldn’t have been obvious to an innocent fifteen-year-old girl who is dazzled and enchanted by her new friend.
Although I maybe haven’t learned as much about Jane as I would have done from a more conventional historical novel, I did enjoy reading about her early life and the experiences that shaped the woman and queen she would become.
I had my doubts about this book before I started reading it because I had tried to read another of Dunn’s books a few years ago, The Confession of Katherine Howard, and didn’t get very far with it before giving up, not having connected with the writing style or the characters at all. I wondered if I would have the same experience with this book, but luckily that didn’t happen; I found this one much more enjoyable and easier to get into.
I’ve read a lot of novels set during the Tudor period, but this one is slightly different, for several reasons. First, it is a very domestic story, being set almost entirely at Wolf Hall with only the final, shortest section of the book covering Jane’s time at court as lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Until that last section there are so few mentions of politics, court intrigues or famous people of the period (apart from the Seymours themselves) that it could almost have been a story about any other wealthy Tudor family going about their daily lives.
I also found it intriguing that although Jane is the most famous Seymour and the one who is narrating, this novel is actually about Katherine Filliol as much as it is about Jane. I didn’t know anything about Katherine before reading the book and although Suzannah Dunn admits in her author’s note that there is very little historical information available on Katherine (and no record of what eventually happened to her) I still appreciated the fact that she had chosen to focus on a little-known character who is not usually the subject of historical fiction.
Finally, this book is written in a style that feels very modern and there is no real attempt to use language appropriate to the period. This is something that usually irritates me, but in this case I think it actually worked quite well once I got used to it. Because this is a family drama, with the emphasis on exploring the relationships between Katherine, Jane and the other Seymours, the fresh and contemporary feel made it easy to identify with the characters. I thought Jane’s brothers, Edward and Thomas, with their very different personalities, were particularly well drawn.
Compared with some of Henry VIII’s other wives, Jane Seymour as queen is often portrayed as quiet and uninteresting but here the young Jane comes to life as a loyal and loving person who is able to see the best in everyone. Unfortunately I didn’t share her fascination with Katherine, but I suppose that’s because I was able to pick up on clues and nuances that wouldn’t have been obvious to an innocent fifteen-year-old girl who is dazzled and enchanted by her new friend.
Although I maybe haven’t learned as much about Jane as I would have done from a more conventional historical novel, I did enjoy reading about her early life and the experiences that shaped the woman and queen she would become.
November 9, 2014
I stretched to give it a 3. My enjoyment level diminished the longer I read. The beginning was interesting as seeing through the young Seymours' eyes, after reading so much of their latter years- that held personality with intrigue. But this is a novel that will not be compelling for anyone who is not able to become embedded within the noble ladies' acts of everyday life as lived within this Tudor farming estate system. Much of sewing, distilling, cooking, numerous detail of household chores which played out in large numbers of hours for those quite outside the servant level of estimation. Master and gentle class sons as well, partake in harvest and other feast day work involvements.
This is no politico or deep psychological dissection of a Hilary Mantel. Nor does it stop rather skin deep and surface as a Philippa Gregory. But it is far closer to the second than it is to the first. Somewhere in this middle of this I lost connection to the voice of the narrator. The book suffered greatly from the obtuseness of Jane Seymour, IMHO. It wasn't till the ending that I got the true gist of the basic tension causes, more than a few. Katherine goes off into a strange ending too. I'd give the author another chance to do better, but this book was disappointing in these kinds of flow and transition.
This is no politico or deep psychological dissection of a Hilary Mantel. Nor does it stop rather skin deep and surface as a Philippa Gregory. But it is far closer to the second than it is to the first. Somewhere in this middle of this I lost connection to the voice of the narrator. The book suffered greatly from the obtuseness of Jane Seymour, IMHO. It wasn't till the ending that I got the true gist of the basic tension causes, more than a few. Katherine goes off into a strange ending too. I'd give the author another chance to do better, but this book was disappointing in these kinds of flow and transition.
August 28, 2015
The May Bride is about Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour, but interesting in that it spends almost no time on Jane as Henry's queen, or even as his acknowledged girlfriend prior to their marriage. The majority of the book follows Jane as a young woman, interacting with her brother Edward Seymour's first wife Katherine.
Jane is fifteen when Edward brings his wife home, and she is immediately captivated by Katherine's energy and beauty, as well as her lighthearted, devil-may-care approach to life. Jane has always been the dutiful, quiet daughter; Katherine brings out a brighter, more lively side of her. Then, two years on, Edward announces that he is divorcing Katherine, as she has had an affair with his father.
This book is based on an actual incident, although I think Dunn has lighted on a slightly more believable explanation for the affair than the historical one (ie, "she felt like it"). I also thought that Dunn did an excellent job showing the impact this had on Jane, and tying it into her hatred of Anne Boleyn. Some of the things I disliked in Queen of Subleties were not present here; the book is told solely from Jane's point of view, and there were none of the confusing and irritating modernisms interjected here. I really did enjoy this book. It may actually be my favorite book about Jane Seymour that I've yet read. I would definitely recommend this to others.
January 3, 2018
Intriguing account of Jane Seymour's teen years during which she was enthralled by her sister in law. A meticulous, domestic tale of Tudor family life.
June 11, 2018
Based on just a few scraps of information, Dunn brings the historical character of Katherine Filliol to life, not only giving her a chance to stand outside the shadows of history, but also to do a rather biting deconstruction of showing just what happens to Manic Pixie Girls when put in Real Life. Even worse when placed in an era pre-most-civil-liberties.
Katherine never has a chance as she dances and eats and laughs and pulls faces and sighs and sings and questions her way through her in-laws lives, with everything coming to a forgone crash – but with some thought provoking twists added to the known historical events.
Despite the setup, Jane Seymour surprisingly does NOT get pushed to the sidelines in a book that might, at a glance, seem to be all about her sister-in-law. Instead, we see what effect watching this car wreck might have had on teenage Jane Seymour, and how much she is a foil, but deliberately so, to events and people around her.
I LIKE this Jane! She isn’t afraid to yell and scream and bare her teeth on occasion, and we see how she can be just as daring as her outrageous brother Thomas, just as cold and calculating as her brother Edward, and all the while see how she got the reputation as “the quiet one.”
You’re left partly sad / partly relieved when you get to the end as you hear the plans she has in mind for the Tudor reign, and I wanted the story to go on and on.
Loved it!
February 7, 2021
Yawn.
Listen, I’m all for a good build up. But the first 3/4 of this novel was painfully slow. And not really about Jane. Which is ok. But let’s not pretend-this is Katherine’s story. And ok, yes, the events with Katherine absolutely shape Jane...but even as the narrator, she felt like just a means to witness Katherine’s story. Not take any active role.
And then the final 1/4 was fine but rushed rushed rushed.
The pacing didn’t work for me.
Also, I liked no one. Not a person. Self indulgent people making choices that get them into trouble and then they have to deal with the consequences.
I usually enjoy all things Tudor so I’m a little bummed but so it goes.
Listen, I’m all for a good build up. But the first 3/4 of this novel was painfully slow. And not really about Jane. Which is ok. But let’s not pretend-this is Katherine’s story. And ok, yes, the events with Katherine absolutely shape Jane...but even as the narrator, she felt like just a means to witness Katherine’s story. Not take any active role.
And then the final 1/4 was fine but rushed rushed rushed.
The pacing didn’t work for me.
Also, I liked no one. Not a person. Self indulgent people making choices that get them into trouble and then they have to deal with the consequences.
I usually enjoy all things Tudor so I’m a little bummed but so it goes.
August 19, 2019
I have read widely on the wives of Henry VIII so was curious about this approach to Jane Seymour. The book however deals mainly with her life and family. Interesting detail of the lives of people at the time but the title addend " Marrying the King was Jane Seymour's Destiny and Her Revenge." is dealt with in very few pages -seven!
July 10, 2024
Yes, it is my fault that I didn't make the connection that is Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's wife, till the end of the book. However, it is not my fault that this book was not the best at keeping my attention. Maybe I do need to read the backs of books...
March 8, 2015
Yea my favorite time period, my favorite king and string of queens--yes yes long live Tudor dynasty and I was properly revved up to read about one of the lesser known queens, the only one to give him the son he longed for and the only one given a queen's burial..yea the martyred quiet unassuming and doting queen who died after childbirth complications, Jane Seymour. Oh yeah and with a tagline claiming to tell how she married for her destiny and revenge I was into it and ready to read..however it was totally not what I expected or wanted and it left me bored and ready to read about court life not the simple country day to day life of young fifteen year old Jane living in Wolf Hall when her brother brings in a new bride..Not even the mysterious bride and her secretive ways and eventual affair and betrayal was drawn out enough to make this two hundred plus page book go by fast and it wasn't that readable and memorable at all unfortunately..You get maybe fifteen pages of her life at King Henry's court and a vague reason for her being there, honestly this book should have been touted as the story of Katherine, the bride of Edward Seymour and who basically the whole story was about, I didn't feel I understood or knew Jane anymore than I did before I picked this up and sad sad I wanted to get into this and dive deeper in the story and court royalty melee I love so much..ah well on to the next readers...
May 16, 2021
I understand those people who were disappointed that this book, although narrated by Jane Seymour (she of third wife of Henry VIII fame), was not in fact about her becoming queen and was instead about the marriage of her older brother Edward and his first wife Katherine. However I didn't mind that at all. I have read so many books about Henry's wives and to be honest I've found Jane Seymour to be one of the most boring so I liked that it was about something else. Having said that I did not think this book was great.
There were some missing words for example things like 'She gone' instead of 'She'd or she's gone or she had gone' things that wouldn't have been picked up be anything but a thorough proof reading. As you know those things always throw me out of the story and I'm critical of them.
The other thing was it was a bit boring. You only really found out what happened at the end and the punishment for Katherine - which in my opinion is one of the most interesting bits - was just glossed over. We heard nothing about what actually happened to her.
The writing - other than some missing words - was okay in my opinion, I think the right balance was stuck between attitudes at the time and what we would think is correct behaviour now. The characters made sense although they were a bit one dimensional, especially the younger siblings.
I would read more by this author but I won't seek out more.
There were some missing words for example things like 'She gone' instead of 'She'd or she's gone or she had gone' things that wouldn't have been picked up be anything but a thorough proof reading. As you know those things always throw me out of the story and I'm critical of them.
The other thing was it was a bit boring. You only really found out what happened at the end and the punishment for Katherine - which in my opinion is one of the most interesting bits - was just glossed over. We heard nothing about what actually happened to her.
The writing - other than some missing words - was okay in my opinion, I think the right balance was stuck between attitudes at the time and what we would think is correct behaviour now. The characters made sense although they were a bit one dimensional, especially the younger siblings.
I would read more by this author but I won't seek out more.
March 29, 2014
'The May Bride' is not so much the story of Jane Seymour, third queen of Henry VIII, as it is that of her first sister in law Katherine Fillol, a woman shrouded in mystery. She married Jane's brother, Edward Seymour, as a 'may bride' and within a few years had been cast off by her husband, her sons disinherited, ostensibly because she had had an affair with her father in law Sir John Seymour, thus casting doubt on the parentage of her children. But did she really sleep with Sir John or was it Thomas Seymour, already a dangerous, cynical skirt chaser at seventeen full of hatred for his brother, who is the guilty party? The author, Suzannah Dunn, leaves us in no doubt and indeed, the best thing about the book for me, is that she has portrayed the whole Seymour world, centred almost entirely on their home Wolf Hall, in greater detail than I have ever come across before. Normally shadowy characters like Jane's parents, John and Margery, come alive as interesting people in their own right as does Jane herself but somehow she never quite escapes the shadow of others such as fey sister in law Katherine and her two brothers. The first part of the novel I found to be a bit slow and, later on, there is very little of the Tudor court and Jane's role in it, this being very much a Seymour affair. But, all in all, it is a good read.
July 21, 2015
I can sum my feelings up in one word: meh.
I tend to snatch up any Tudor fiction I can find, so I was super excited to see a book about Jane Seymour. I haven't read much that has centered on her, and the tagline made it sound like we'd get a good look at (or at least the author's interpretation of) Jane's motivations behind becoming queen and such. Instead, we got about 10-15 pages that felt hastily tagged on at the end. Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind that the book focused more on Katherine/Jane's early life. It's just that Jane's "revenge" felt more like an afterthought. Jane, who had been kind of naive and, well, dull, most of the book was suddenly all "how you like me now, suckas!" It just didn't seem to fit.
Also, while I like how much the author described the daily life at Wolf Hall, the overall plot just kind of dragged. Every chapter seemed to start out like "wait until you hear what happened this time!" and then what really happened was some minor misunderstanding.
That being said, I think Dunn is a very skilled writer. Her language was very descriptive and even poetic at times. I'd definitely search out more of her work.
I tend to snatch up any Tudor fiction I can find, so I was super excited to see a book about Jane Seymour. I haven't read much that has centered on her, and the tagline made it sound like we'd get a good look at (or at least the author's interpretation of) Jane's motivations behind becoming queen and such. Instead, we got about 10-15 pages that felt hastily tagged on at the end. Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind that the book focused more on Katherine/Jane's early life. It's just that Jane's "revenge" felt more like an afterthought. Jane, who had been kind of naive and, well, dull, most of the book was suddenly all "how you like me now, suckas!" It just didn't seem to fit.
Also, while I like how much the author described the daily life at Wolf Hall, the overall plot just kind of dragged. Every chapter seemed to start out like "wait until you hear what happened this time!" and then what really happened was some minor misunderstanding.
That being said, I think Dunn is a very skilled writer. Her language was very descriptive and even poetic at times. I'd definitely search out more of her work.
September 6, 2014
From the tagline on the front cover (Marrying the King was Jane Seymour's destiny. And her revenge.) I thought there would be more focus on that, e.g. court life and intrigue and the lead-up to Anne Boleyn's death. Instead, that was covered in a couple of chapters at the end, and the bulk of the novel was given over to the May Bride of the title, Jane's sister-in-law Katherine. Which would have been all well and good (because I don't judge a book by the ridiculous tagline on the cover, even if it makes no sense at all*) except that the story was painfully thin. Tiny and insignificant events were drawn out into lengthy sagas. Even the dialogue was filled with ellipses, as if Suzannah Dunn couldn't be bothered to write out a proper conversation and instead relied upon the reader to make their own inferences. It just felt lazy and weak.
*Power and the means to an end, yes, but revenge? Really?
*Power and the means to an end, yes, but revenge? Really?
September 4, 2017
Review - I don't always enjoy books by Suzannah Dunn, but her later books seem to have improved, as I really liked this one, and The Lady of Misrule. I loved the idea of telling the story of Edward Seymour's first marriage to Katherine Filliol through the eyes of his younger sister, Jane. The title is clever as it refers to both the wedding of Edward and Katherine, and Jane Seymour and Henry VIII. It's an easy read and very engaging.
Genre? - Historical
Characters? - Jane Seymour / Edward Seymour / Katherine Filliol / Thomas Seymour / Margery Seymour / John Seymour / Elizabeth Seymour / Anne Stanhope / Henry VIII / Katherine of Aragon
Setting? - Wolf Hall & London (England)
Series? - N/A
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 16/20
Genre? - Historical
Characters? - Jane Seymour / Edward Seymour / Katherine Filliol / Thomas Seymour / Margery Seymour / John Seymour / Elizabeth Seymour / Anne Stanhope / Henry VIII / Katherine of Aragon
Setting? - Wolf Hall & London (England)
Series? - N/A
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 16/20
September 7, 2024
Before this book, I thought Jane Seymour was the most boring wife of King Henry VIII. After, I loved every bit of it. This story is mostly about the Seymour family before Jane goes to court. In this story, I felt like I was in a fantastic setting that I want to be in. Since the court is not involved, there is no stupid drama they normally have. However, there is drama and it is so good. Dunn describes Jane's emotions well to this drama. The friendship between Jane and Katherine seems genuine and loving. It was probably one of my favorite friendships of all time. I also love the family in The May Bride. All the relationships were magnificent in this story. one of my favorite books about Tudor England.
August 3, 2015
Horrible. Just horrible. On the front of the book it says "Marrying the king was Jane Seymour's destiny. And her revenge..." Did I miss the revenge part? This whole thing was about Jane crying and whining over her sister-in-law, and then 20 pages of her at court and eventually becoming queen...
August 10, 2017
I'm sorry but this book was so boring. I kept reading and reading getting to nowhere. I was longing for a BOOM to make me indulge into the story but unfortunately it dragged on till I painfully managed to finish it. At last! A great sigh!!!
December 2, 2014
okay so so
June 11, 2018
3.25 stars
Oh, God! The English kings and queens and their scandals!
Oh, God! The English kings and queens and their scandals!
February 19, 2018
This story follows the early life of Jane Seymour, who later became the third of Henry VIII’s wives, at her family home Wolf Hall. Jane is the actual narrator of the story, however it is not so much HER story she is telling, but the one of her sister-in-law Katherine Fillol, who arrived as the "May Bride" of Jane's brother Edward, only to later disappear in disgrace and obscurity. I liked Dunn's language and the historical background seems well researched - I especially enjoyed the insights into everyday life at a manor in Tudor times, including all the various tasks to be performed by family and servants and the festivals and rites to be observed. However there is a certain lack of a real plot to this book. Jane's narration is absolutely packed with phrases hinting at future events such as "had I only known then", "in hinsight", "little did I know", "I had no experience with" and "I didn't understand at the time". This is usually fine for the first one or two chapters of a book, but then you expect explanation and resolution of these hints, but here it just goes on and on to the point of irritation. I just wanted to shout at her "get on with it!" at times. Was Jane really so unassuming, dull and naive to the point of stupid in her teenage years? As to Katherine, we get a believable account of that one night of betrayal, but otherwise I cannot make sense of her character and actions. And her fate remains a mistery. Jane's arrival at court and finally meeting the king is told in a rush and with very little explanation, as opposed to the very slow earlier pace of the book. As a conclusion, I enjoyed the colourful history lesson of Tudor life, I was left puzzled by Katherine, and I did not much enjoy Jane's story - mainly because there was no story. I'd give 3.5 stars if there was such an option.
June 8, 2021
Perhaps my one star review wasn't fair. I didn't finish the book, but I'd say I gave it more than a fair chance to intrigue me and it repeatedly failed at that task.
I was around 150 pages into the book when I realized nothing was going to happen, the writing wasn't enjoyable enough to warrant listening to a young girl recite her chore list, and despite the plot claiming to be about revenge I was halfway through the book and the main character was as interesting and spiteful as a bar of dollar store soap. Dry, crunchy, and a sterile amount of clean.
I really wanted to like this book. The writing style reminds me of my own (which I'm realizing now may be a bad thing) and I wanted to see how that extra flowy and purple prose leaden way would translate into an actual novel. You know, with all the fat trimmed off and such. There may be ways to write in this style that doesn't bore me, but this book did not showcase that.
The more I think about it, a one star rating feels pretty fair.
I was around 150 pages into the book when I realized nothing was going to happen, the writing wasn't enjoyable enough to warrant listening to a young girl recite her chore list, and despite the plot claiming to be about revenge I was halfway through the book and the main character was as interesting and spiteful as a bar of dollar store soap. Dry, crunchy, and a sterile amount of clean.
I really wanted to like this book. The writing style reminds me of my own (which I'm realizing now may be a bad thing) and I wanted to see how that extra flowy and purple prose leaden way would translate into an actual novel. You know, with all the fat trimmed off and such. There may be ways to write in this style that doesn't bore me, but this book did not showcase that.
The more I think about it, a one star rating feels pretty fair.
May 3, 2018
This book was fascinating to me in that it explored a Jane Seymour prior to the time she became famous/infamous as Henry VIII's third - and most perfect (in terms of never defying him, giving him a son, and conveniently dying so that he didn't have to have her beheaded) wife. I had never read anything about Edward Seymour's previous wife nor about the scandal of her affair with the Seymour patriarch. This is an imaginative and compelling rendering about Katherine's effect upon a young Jane. My only criticism is that the pages and pages of Jane's trying to understand what was right in front of her and then even more pages and pages of her internal struggle seemed a little overstated and dull after a while.
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