Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Tudor Edition

The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens by Nicola Clark (2025)

King Henry VIII's six queens were served by numerous ladies-in-waiting (and weirdly enough, four of them became Queen themselves!), and Nicola Clark dives deep into history to tell their stories.  This was an absolutely fascinating read.  The Tudor era is a particular favorite of mine, and Clark has added new dimension to it by exploring the lives of those who served, somewhat of a blank spot in our knowledge.  Yes, there are some we know more about (Jane Boleyn, for example), but others have remained fairly hidden until now.  Told in chronological order, Clark introduces us to many of these ladies-in-waiting, some of whom will have short stints while others will linger for years, serving multiple queens.  She tells us about their personal lives, while also revisiting famous people and events, adding interesting layers to things we thought we knew about.  I enjoyed how Clark explores some accepted rumors of the era and debunks them, and I was truly impressed by her research and how detailed the story is.  Yes, the amount of people (and the fact that many share similar names) can get overwhelming, but this is a small price to pay for such a comprehensive and entertaining read.  4.5 stars

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory (2025)

Phillipa Gregory is back with another installment in her Plantagenet/Tudor series, and this one focuses on the court life of Jane Boleyn, wife of George and sister-in-law to Queen Anne Boleyn.  It follows her from her time with Anne to her downfall with Kathryn Howard.  Jane served five of King Henry VIII's six queens, so she certainly saw a lot.  Gregory imagines her as a wily, intelligent lady-in-waiting, much relied on by her queens.  It's interesting to get this perspective of the Tudor court, all the behind-the-scenes things, as we watch Jane not only serve her queens, but also exert a lot of power as she guides them.  Gregory's writing is refined and elegant, really evoking the time period.  Another fascinating installment!  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.