5 out of 5 stars
On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.
In a Nutshell: The life of Anna, wife of James 1 of England.
I so enjoyed this book - particularly fascinating as I know next to nothing about the Stuart era, so I learned much.
Tony Riches portrays Anna as a woman who knew her own mind but was intelligent enough to know when to insist on what she wanted and when to keep quiet. She felt like something of an 'old soul', even when she was younger; she was probably the best wife the inconstant James could have had. I felt as though she understood her situation and decided, calmly, to make the best of it. She never knew true romantic love, but she made up for this with her children, her interests, her friendships.
Of course the book is intricately researched, and I loved the detail about the masques that so absorbed Anna, about the customs of the time. The novel flows beautifully all the way through, never too much information (I never had the feeling that Riches was writing from his research notes!), and it flows so well - it's a very 'easy read'.
I felt so, so sorry for Anna when she lost her children - Robert, Mary, Sophia and of course, Henry. In an interview with the author that I read the other day, Riches describes Henry as the 'best king we never had', and that, coupled with what I read about him, made me wonder how we might have fared as a country, had there been a Henry IX. Anna's failing health was very sad, too - if only she'd taken her doctor's advice early on, and kept away from the wine.
I highly recommend this book for all historical fiction lovers, especially if you're not already versed in the period - and I'm very much looking forward to the next book, about Henrietta, wife of Charles I. Actually, I can't wait.
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