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Tudor Saga #7
The Sixth Wife
Katharine Parr has unwittingly become the last pawn in King Henry VIII's ambitions for an heir. Already twice widowed, Katharine finally dared to hope that she might find love with the dashing Thomas Seymour. But Henry has decided he must have a sixth wife and Seymour's intentions to marry Katherine have not gone unnoticed. Unable to refuse the King of England Katharine becomes his reluctant bride. Once again it seems only a matter of time before another wife's fate leads her to the Tower of London...
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1953
114 people are currently reading
2783 people want to read
About the author
Jean Plaidy
187 books1,587 followersEleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
January 3, 2021
Catalina Parr fue la sexta esposa de Enrique VIII y no es demasiado conocida en comparación con otras de las esposas. Jean Plaidy, con su habitual estilo ligero y su prosa no demasiado trabajada, nos translada una historia que podría ser interesante contada con algo más de oficio. Pero en general la lectura resulta entretenida, sobre todo para los amantes de la historia.
July 4, 2012
Rating Clarification: 3.5 Stars
" Divorced, Beheaded, Died.
Divorced, Beheaded, Survived. "
So goes that nice little ditty that encapsulates the matrimonial history of England's most famous king, Henry VIII. While a cursory glance would seem to suggest that the "Survived" wife, Katherine Parr, fared best out of the bunch, I'm not so certain that's so. After all, Katherine P. got Henry at his absolute worst both physically and mentally. Aggravated by a stinky, puss-filled leg, over 300 pounds heavy, grossly piggy-eyed and monstrously irritable, Henry must have been a sore pain in theass neck to his sixth and final wife/nurse. And poor Katherine; twice married to much older men, then pursued by the egotistic royal executioner Henry, while having to watch the man she loved and adored, Thomas Seymour, slip from her grasp. Treading daily on eggshells due to her love of the new religion and the machinations of those out to destroy her for her faith, and wondering if her barreness will be her downfall to a man bent on siring sons for his dynasty, the years of Queen-ship must have been a hell on earth to her. And then, when the king has finally died, danger has been avoided (and by extension her neck saved), her true love by her side at last, and a baby in her belly, Katherine faces the ultimate betrayal by the man she loved and the step-daughter she cherished and fostered.
No, it's not Katherine Parr that's the "lucky" royal wife. I personally think that goes to Anne of Cleeves. Avoiding the king's sexual desire, as well as the axe, while retaining a nice home, money, title and presedence must surely be the penultimate Tudor achievement.
Author Jean Plaidy imagines all of this in her continuing saga of Henry's wives. This offering, while not as personally enjoyable to me as The Lady in the Tower (about Anne Boleyn) or The Rose Without a Thorn: The Wives of Henry VIII (featuring Katherine Howard), was still a good read, with excellent writing and a plotline twist that would be unbelievable but for the fact that it actually happened.
" Divorced, Beheaded, Died.
Divorced, Beheaded, Survived. "
So goes that nice little ditty that encapsulates the matrimonial history of England's most famous king, Henry VIII. While a cursory glance would seem to suggest that the "Survived" wife, Katherine Parr, fared best out of the bunch, I'm not so certain that's so. After all, Katherine P. got Henry at his absolute worst both physically and mentally. Aggravated by a stinky, puss-filled leg, over 300 pounds heavy, grossly piggy-eyed and monstrously irritable, Henry must have been a sore pain in the
No, it's not Katherine Parr that's the "lucky" royal wife. I personally think that goes to Anne of Cleeves. Avoiding the king's sexual desire, as well as the axe, while retaining a nice home, money, title and presedence must surely be the penultimate Tudor achievement.
Author Jean Plaidy imagines all of this in her continuing saga of Henry's wives. This offering, while not as personally enjoyable to me as The Lady in the Tower (about Anne Boleyn) or The Rose Without a Thorn: The Wives of Henry VIII (featuring Katherine Howard), was still a good read, with excellent writing and a plotline twist that would be unbelievable but for the fact that it actually happened.
April 14, 2017
This absorbing and well crafted 1953 novel written by that great master of British historical fiction, will keep you interested until the end. It recounts the story of Henry VIII's sixth wife, Catherine Parr. After two marriages, Katherine Parr has met the man she believed herself to truly love only to be chosen by the cruel tyrant
Henry VIII as his sixth wife. Because of her strong Reformist Protestant beliefs, and her inability to provide Henry with his much desired son, she soon falls in the shadow of the axe, sharing the fate Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, two of Henry VIII's wife who had executed. she is saved by Henry's death only to marry the deceitful rake, Sir Thomas Seymour who betrays her by wooing the young Elizabeth
The novel also touches on the lives of others such as Catherine Parr's sister Anne Parr Herbert, her martyred friend and devout Protestant, Anne Askew, her stepdaughter Elizabeth, and her niece, Jane Grey.
Plaidy as always writes with a fine sense of detail, and a deep understanding of the human mind, as well as an almost meticulous grasp of English history. I finished this book in a single weekend
Henry VIII as his sixth wife. Because of her strong Reformist Protestant beliefs, and her inability to provide Henry with his much desired son, she soon falls in the shadow of the axe, sharing the fate Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, two of Henry VIII's wife who had executed. she is saved by Henry's death only to marry the deceitful rake, Sir Thomas Seymour who betrays her by wooing the young Elizabeth
The novel also touches on the lives of others such as Catherine Parr's sister Anne Parr Herbert, her martyred friend and devout Protestant, Anne Askew, her stepdaughter Elizabeth, and her niece, Jane Grey.
Plaidy as always writes with a fine sense of detail, and a deep understanding of the human mind, as well as an almost meticulous grasp of English history. I finished this book in a single weekend
August 20, 2009
this is about the life of queen katherine parr, sixth and last wife of henry V111, and the only one to keep her head and outlive him.and her life during her marriage to the king. and her life afterward.it is a good book, and well worth reading from a romantic and historical standpoint.
June 17, 2010
If you want to read a more historically accurate account of the life of Henry VIII's wife #6, Katherine Parr, with no "spinning" and bodice ripping, then choose this one over the Susannah Dunn novel with the same title. Jean Plaidy remains the uncontested queen (no pun) of English royal history!
March 25, 2017
A strong retelling of the Katherine Parr story.
When you sing the rhyme about Henry's wives, you always think of Katherine Parr of being the lucky one, the survivor. But even though she managed to outlive Henry VIII her whole life was pretty tragic.
No young girl wants to be married off to an old man but this is just what happened to Katherine. And when she became a widow, her family gave her to another old man. She spent her youth nursing old men.
When her second husband dies, she is excited at the thought of finally being with the man she loves, Thomas Seymour. But then she catches the eye of another old man, one she can't refuse, The King.
She then spends the next couple of years terrified she will follow his other wives to the block and she fails to give Henry a son. I'm actually surprised that Henry picked her when she had no children from her first two marriages. Her skills as a nurse serve her well as Henry can't decide to get rid of her or keep her for her healing hands.
When he finally dies, she is free to marry Thomas. I wish I could say the tale ends happily ever after but that just wasn't meant to be.
Jean Plaidy is an excellent writer, she brings to life all the excitement and terror that comes with the Tudor court. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
When you sing the rhyme about Henry's wives, you always think of Katherine Parr of being the lucky one, the survivor. But even though she managed to outlive Henry VIII her whole life was pretty tragic.
No young girl wants to be married off to an old man but this is just what happened to Katherine. And when she became a widow, her family gave her to another old man. She spent her youth nursing old men.
When her second husband dies, she is excited at the thought of finally being with the man she loves, Thomas Seymour. But then she catches the eye of another old man, one she can't refuse, The King.
She then spends the next couple of years terrified she will follow his other wives to the block and she fails to give Henry a son. I'm actually surprised that Henry picked her when she had no children from her first two marriages. Her skills as a nurse serve her well as Henry can't decide to get rid of her or keep her for her healing hands.
When he finally dies, she is free to marry Thomas. I wish I could say the tale ends happily ever after but that just wasn't meant to be.
Jean Plaidy is an excellent writer, she brings to life all the excitement and terror that comes with the Tudor court. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
August 18, 2019
What a trip down memory lane to re-read a Jean Plaidy book for a challenge (A Book first published in the 50's- 1953.) In fact it was reading the entire series of her books as a teenager chronicling the English Monarchy from William the Conqueror to Queen Victoria that started my life long love of the subject. Although the writing is quite dated now I still really enjoyed re-visiting the story of Henry VIII's sixth wife Katharine Parr especially as I recently visited Sudeley Castle where she lived after surviving her marriage to the King, finding love with Thomas Seymour before tragically dying in childbirth and is her final resting place.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
May 18, 2024
An amazing book about the sixth and last wife of Henry the VIII. The author's narration grabbed hold of me from the first to the last page of this outstanding book. I was wondrously transported into Katherine Parr's world, and at times it felt frightening, due to the feelings generated by the King, who I would call monster. I questioned why Katherine kept books in her room that she would have known to be 'heretical' and would have caused her own death. I felt upset by the young Elizabeth's actions, who only thought of herself (just like her father, the king.) There were many other characters whose actions were detestable, and whose minds had the hidden claws of envy, hubris, jealousy and greed. Katherine seemed to have an innocent heart. She also seemed to be a kind, sensitive, caring stepmother who dearly loved children. Her life ended in great sadness and it was crushing to my own heart to know and read what led to her tragic demise.
May 31, 2017
This was my first foray into historical fiction and I thought it was an ok book.
At first, I thought it was very dull and I wondered how the author had made a wife of Henry VIII seem so boring but I got into it as it went on. Shame you know all the way through that she won't be beheaded as it takes a lot of the drama out of it!
I know it is the purpose of historical fiction but I struggle to get it out of my head that all the thoughts and feelings are made up. I know this is the case in a normal fiction book but I guess I just struggle as I know they were real people and had very particular thoughts that we cannot possibly know!
However, I would be interested in reading more historical fiction.
At first, I thought it was very dull and I wondered how the author had made a wife of Henry VIII seem so boring but I got into it as it went on. Shame you know all the way through that she won't be beheaded as it takes a lot of the drama out of it!
I know it is the purpose of historical fiction but I struggle to get it out of my head that all the thoughts and feelings are made up. I know this is the case in a normal fiction book but I guess I just struggle as I know they were real people and had very particular thoughts that we cannot possibly know!
However, I would be interested in reading more historical fiction.
July 27, 2025
published 1953
The Story of Katharyn Parr, who survived King Henry V111, haunted by memories of her tragic predecessors in the tyrant's bed, dangerously in love with another man, her story unfolds upon a stage crowded with a rich array of characters...
A vivid and absorbing novel!
This was found in one of my never-ending boxes in basement, and was marked at 65 cents 😂
The Story of Katharyn Parr, who survived King Henry V111, haunted by memories of her tragic predecessors in the tyrant's bed, dangerously in love with another man, her story unfolds upon a stage crowded with a rich array of characters...
A vivid and absorbing novel!
This was found in one of my never-ending boxes in basement, and was marked at 65 cents 😂
June 28, 2012
"Henry's good humour was miraculously restored. How strange it was, thought Katharine, that this great King, this man whom the French and Spaniards feared, should be so childish in his vanity. The King's character contained the oddest mingling of qualities; yet the brutality and the sentimentality, the simplicity and the shrewdness, made him the man he was. She should not regret these contrasts; she could watch for these traits in his character, and, as her knowledge of them grew, she might find some way of saving others from his wrath, as well as herself."
The Sixth Wife describes the life of Katharine Parr, a two-times widow who had hoped her future would consist of herself and Thomas Seymour, her roving-eyed lover. However, on appearing at Court, King Henry VIII sees her, and him having been wife-less for a year, decides that Katharine Parr is to be wife Number 6. Poor Katharine really didn't want this outcome, and tried to put him off, but Henry being Henry seemed to get what he wanted, and before she knew it, she was at her wedding ceremony.
Of course, Katharine knew what had happened to all of Henry's previous wives, and the poor soul lived in permenant fear that Henry would grow tired of her and dispose of her in the same way as he did for Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Henry, despite having agonising and festering leg ulcers, was also back on his "I-need-a-son" mission; and poor Katharine was under such pressure to produce another heir for him. When after three years of marriage they were still childless, Henry (being the cad he was) decides to set his cap on someone else - the Duchess of Suffolk.....but how could he dispose of Katharine?
Anyone who knows English history (especially the Henry VIII rhyme "divorced, beheaded and died; divorced, beheaded, survived") will then be aware that Katharine Parr outlived Henry VIII (mercifully!) - but heartache didn't stop there. Thomas Seymour was back in the picture, but not only was he playing up to Katharine, but he also seemed to have an unhealthy interest in the Princess Elizabeth as well.
There is heresy, plotting, conniving, tragedy and gruesomeness in this novel, all of which seem to sum up life during the Tudor era. It is very well written, and I absolutely loved learning about Katharine Parr, of whom I had very minimal knowledge before.
The Sixth Wife describes the life of Katharine Parr, a two-times widow who had hoped her future would consist of herself and Thomas Seymour, her roving-eyed lover. However, on appearing at Court, King Henry VIII sees her, and him having been wife-less for a year, decides that Katharine Parr is to be wife Number 6. Poor Katharine really didn't want this outcome, and tried to put him off, but Henry being Henry seemed to get what he wanted, and before she knew it, she was at her wedding ceremony.
Of course, Katharine knew what had happened to all of Henry's previous wives, and the poor soul lived in permenant fear that Henry would grow tired of her and dispose of her in the same way as he did for Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Henry, despite having agonising and festering leg ulcers, was also back on his "I-need-a-son" mission; and poor Katharine was under such pressure to produce another heir for him. When after three years of marriage they were still childless, Henry (being the cad he was) decides to set his cap on someone else - the Duchess of Suffolk.....but how could he dispose of Katharine?
Anyone who knows English history (especially the Henry VIII rhyme "divorced, beheaded and died; divorced, beheaded, survived") will then be aware that Katharine Parr outlived Henry VIII (mercifully!) - but heartache didn't stop there. Thomas Seymour was back in the picture, but not only was he playing up to Katharine, but he also seemed to have an unhealthy interest in the Princess Elizabeth as well.
There is heresy, plotting, conniving, tragedy and gruesomeness in this novel, all of which seem to sum up life during the Tudor era. It is very well written, and I absolutely loved learning about Katharine Parr, of whom I had very minimal knowledge before.
September 9, 2022
DNF'd @ p. 35
I was so bored that I just couldn't keep going with The Sixth Wife (Tudor Saga #7) by Jean Plaidy.
I was so bored that I just couldn't keep going with The Sixth Wife (Tudor Saga #7) by Jean Plaidy.
July 28, 2019
Amazing historical book about Catalina Parr, the six and last wife of Henry VIII. She was queen for a little More than 4 years, I didnt actually know a Lot about her and this book explained her life as a novel, which was interesting. Loved the writting style.
Its unbelievable what happened to her and it feels like fiction at times, which makes her an interesting historical character. I want to know more now of her and her life, cant believe all she endured and survived. I really respect her. 5 stars all the way.
Its unbelievable what happened to her and it feels like fiction at times, which makes her an interesting historical character. I want to know more now of her and her life, cant believe all she endured and survived. I really respect her. 5 stars all the way.
June 15, 2025
2.5 bc I didn’t struggle to get through it, but it wasn’t good. Apparently there are 11 books in this particular series, and the book before and the book after this one could have been included in these 250+ pages if all of the bad dialogue had been omitted.
February 6, 2020
“The Sixth Wife” proved rather a tedious experience and one of Jean Plaidy’s weakest novels. I’ve read several books about Katharine Parr, all of which were more engaging than this one.
Too much “telling” rather than “showing” is the biggest problem. Don’t explain what characters are like; show it via action and dialogue.
To me, this is the worse characterisation of Henry VIII that I’ve ever read, and I’ve read a lot of novels that feature this fascinating king. The author over-describes Henry’s thoughts and “tells” us what he’s like too often. His deathbed scene is a melodramatic mess.
Regarding dialogue, this novel has an inconsistency in language. It’s a blend of old-style English and modern English, albeit the modern language is tainted not only with the passive voice, but with mixed-up syntax.
For example, at one point Henry VIII says: “It doth, Kate, and it shall. Thou mayest rest assured of that. Thou art good to kiss.” And later: “Are you a fool, Chancellor?”
Also compare: “There is no joy for me in this life if thou sharest it not with me” with “I would do you no harm.”
It’s not just inconsistent, it’s unbelievable that someone would radically alter their manner of speech this way. Ideally, the language should be contemporary, although I realise some people prefer it to be as authentic as possible, even though it slows the narrative flow. Point is, an author should pick one style and stay with it, and not keep mixing it up
Another annoying trait this author has is writing with hindsight. Her characters say or think prophetic things, which is too unrealistic.
For example, Thomas Seymour has this unrealistic feeling, which is as good as a premonition: >He was certain of ultimate success with the Princess Elizabeth; he felt sure she would one day be Queen of England.<
Taking into account that England never had a queen as ruling monarch, it’s hard to believe that he would think this. Yes, she became queen after Mary I, but it’s unrealistic that Seymour would feel sure of Elizabeth becoming queen.
Using young Edward’s frailty isn’t solid ground to support his assumption, plus this is also the author giving a character hindsight again, as Seymour is effectively predicting Edward VI's premature death from illness. This in turn means Seymour is effectively predicting not only Mary I’s death, but that she’ll never have children. Plus, how could he be sure that Katharine Parr won't have sons?
All in all, it’s completely unrealistic that he’d have such feelings. At best, he’d hope to marry a princess, which would still be to his advantage.
Also, we have Gardiner’s unrealistic premonition: >When he contemplated his good Catholic Queen Mary on the throne he could almost smell the fires of Smithfield.<
“Bloody” Mary is well known for burning Protestants in Smithfield, but for the same reasons noted above in Seymour’s unrealistic premonition, I can’t believe that Gardiner would be confident of Mary accession to the throne. How could he know Edward VI’s future? How could he know Katharine Parr wouldn’t give Henry VIII another son or two?
We also get the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey thinking how awful it must be for someone to go to the block. Nothing odd in that, but we’re then told that she imagines it happening to her. Granted, that’s not impossible, but the way the author emphasises Jane’s empathy again reeks of a hindsight that Jane wouldn’t have had.
The future was unknown to these people, but in several Plaidy books they have premonitions, which I can’t believe the real people these characters are based on would ever have. It’s all down to the author writing with hindsight, which I find very irritating.
Also very irritating is the amount of repetition, most notably on Henry’s need for sons, and Katharine’s fear of not being able to provide them. It’s rehashed again and again.
For example:
> Why is it, he pondered, that she cannot give me sons?<
> If she would but give me a son I should not be displeased with her.<
> Why had he not another son?<
> Why, why should sons be denied him?<
> It seemed that the bells continually warned her: “Sons, sons, sons!”<
Another repetitive strain is the amount of time Henry's former queens are referred to, particularly the pair who were beheaded:
>”I think of those others… Anne Boleyn and Catharine Howard.”<
It’s overdone to put it mildly.
The narrative is slow moving, partly because of the lack of action, and partly because of the consistent use of the passive voice. We get phrases like, “Go to the apartments of my sister,” rather than the active, “Go to my sister’s apartments.”
Overall, this novel bored me, but owing to the occasional good scene, I've rated it 2 stars instead of 1.
Something about Jean Plaidy’s books keep me coming back for more. Perhaps it’s her obvious love for English history, which I share, that draws me back. I wish she’d focused less on turning out as greater quantity of novels as possible and concentrated more on quality writing. A novel like this one should be revised about 20 times, yet this at best feels like a fifth draft.
Too much “telling” rather than “showing” is the biggest problem. Don’t explain what characters are like; show it via action and dialogue.
To me, this is the worse characterisation of Henry VIII that I’ve ever read, and I’ve read a lot of novels that feature this fascinating king. The author over-describes Henry’s thoughts and “tells” us what he’s like too often. His deathbed scene is a melodramatic mess.
Regarding dialogue, this novel has an inconsistency in language. It’s a blend of old-style English and modern English, albeit the modern language is tainted not only with the passive voice, but with mixed-up syntax.
For example, at one point Henry VIII says: “It doth, Kate, and it shall. Thou mayest rest assured of that. Thou art good to kiss.” And later: “Are you a fool, Chancellor?”
Also compare: “There is no joy for me in this life if thou sharest it not with me” with “I would do you no harm.”
It’s not just inconsistent, it’s unbelievable that someone would radically alter their manner of speech this way. Ideally, the language should be contemporary, although I realise some people prefer it to be as authentic as possible, even though it slows the narrative flow. Point is, an author should pick one style and stay with it, and not keep mixing it up
Another annoying trait this author has is writing with hindsight. Her characters say or think prophetic things, which is too unrealistic.
For example, Thomas Seymour has this unrealistic feeling, which is as good as a premonition: >He was certain of ultimate success with the Princess Elizabeth; he felt sure she would one day be Queen of England.<
Taking into account that England never had a queen as ruling monarch, it’s hard to believe that he would think this. Yes, she became queen after Mary I, but it’s unrealistic that Seymour would feel sure of Elizabeth becoming queen.
Using young Edward’s frailty isn’t solid ground to support his assumption, plus this is also the author giving a character hindsight again, as Seymour is effectively predicting Edward VI's premature death from illness. This in turn means Seymour is effectively predicting not only Mary I’s death, but that she’ll never have children. Plus, how could he be sure that Katharine Parr won't have sons?
All in all, it’s completely unrealistic that he’d have such feelings. At best, he’d hope to marry a princess, which would still be to his advantage.
Also, we have Gardiner’s unrealistic premonition: >When he contemplated his good Catholic Queen Mary on the throne he could almost smell the fires of Smithfield.<
“Bloody” Mary is well known for burning Protestants in Smithfield, but for the same reasons noted above in Seymour’s unrealistic premonition, I can’t believe that Gardiner would be confident of Mary accession to the throne. How could he know Edward VI’s future? How could he know Katharine Parr wouldn’t give Henry VIII another son or two?
We also get the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey thinking how awful it must be for someone to go to the block. Nothing odd in that, but we’re then told that she imagines it happening to her. Granted, that’s not impossible, but the way the author emphasises Jane’s empathy again reeks of a hindsight that Jane wouldn’t have had.
The future was unknown to these people, but in several Plaidy books they have premonitions, which I can’t believe the real people these characters are based on would ever have. It’s all down to the author writing with hindsight, which I find very irritating.
Also very irritating is the amount of repetition, most notably on Henry’s need for sons, and Katharine’s fear of not being able to provide them. It’s rehashed again and again.
For example:
> Why is it, he pondered, that she cannot give me sons?<
> If she would but give me a son I should not be displeased with her.<
> Why had he not another son?<
> Why, why should sons be denied him?<
> It seemed that the bells continually warned her: “Sons, sons, sons!”<
Another repetitive strain is the amount of time Henry's former queens are referred to, particularly the pair who were beheaded:
>”I think of those others… Anne Boleyn and Catharine Howard.”<
It’s overdone to put it mildly.
The narrative is slow moving, partly because of the lack of action, and partly because of the consistent use of the passive voice. We get phrases like, “Go to the apartments of my sister,” rather than the active, “Go to my sister’s apartments.”
Overall, this novel bored me, but owing to the occasional good scene, I've rated it 2 stars instead of 1.
Something about Jean Plaidy’s books keep me coming back for more. Perhaps it’s her obvious love for English history, which I share, that draws me back. I wish she’d focused less on turning out as greater quantity of novels as possible and concentrated more on quality writing. A novel like this one should be revised about 20 times, yet this at best feels like a fifth draft.
September 17, 2024
It was real boring there in the middle, but it eventually picked back up. Dang Henry the 8th… you a dog.
November 18, 2024
El inicio del libro es algo pesado pero hay momentos muy interesantes. Te permite conocer un poco más de la historia detrás de la sexta y última esposa de Enrique VIII.
April 15, 2010
The fiction based on fact story of the sixth wife of Henry VIII-Katherine Parr. Twice widowed, she is in love with dashing Thomas Seymour, but Henry has fallen for her and has his love rival sent away. Katherine reluctantly agrees to marry him, living in fear that he will turn on her like his previous wives. And there are those plotting to make sure that it happens sooner rather than later.
Katherine was a fascinating wife-she restored good relations between Henry and his children, outwitted those plotting against her and managed to still be alive when the tyrant died, allowing her to marry Thomas and have his child. Her life was full of misery even at the end when she found her husband seducing young Princess Elizabeth. I love all the passion, scandal and intrigue of the Tudor times!
Katherine was a fascinating wife-she restored good relations between Henry and his children, outwitted those plotting against her and managed to still be alive when the tyrant died, allowing her to marry Thomas and have his child. Her life was full of misery even at the end when she found her husband seducing young Princess Elizabeth. I love all the passion, scandal and intrigue of the Tudor times!
June 9, 2014
Not bad. I really like Plaidy don't get me wrong but I don't like how she sticks to the stereotypes of the wives sometimes. Catherine Parr was much more than Henry's nurse and head over heels for Thomas Seymour. There is not a lot of depth in for Catherine, I felt it was very dry. Plaidy while she tries to be very fair to all her subjects, comes out with very dry characterizations and we rarely get to feel what her subjects are feeling. There is little description of their surroundings and she doesn't explore their feelings very often. However I will say that as far as Catherine Parr portrayals go, this is one of the best out there. The others that I've read have a lot of depth but tend to write Catherine as a Mary Sue with the rest around her as foils to make her look better.
October 25, 2014
Catherine Parr's story might lack some of the intensity of Henry VIII's previous five wives, but is one I've always found fascinating in its own right. This was a lovely and very human adaptation… well worth the read!
June 21, 2015
Read more than forty years ago, but recall it telling of the story of Katherine Parr, Henry VIII, Thomas Seymour, and Elizabeth. Keeping Henry happy while loving another, and avoiding all the machinations of the court to stay alive to eventually marry Thomas Seymour.
April 8, 2015
Not my favorite of the Tudor series. There was some awkward switching between characters in the middle of chapters that kind of threw me.
November 16, 2025
It is well written and exciting
July 19, 2019
This is my first Jean Plaidy novel, and I picked it up simply because there are not a lot of historical fictions that focus on the marriage of Henry VIII and his sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr. Most media focuses on Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and occasionally Jane Seymour. Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Katherine Parr are often forgotten to the pages of history, possibly because they seem less interesting.
I had a hard time getting into this novel. I found the narration style a little odd, and often we quickly leapt from being inside the mind of one character and then jumping into another, all while they were sharing a conversation. I did not really like it, at all. Plaidy also takes great care to have the characters inner thoughts and conversations with each other be structured in a fairly accurate portrayal of Old English. They are not speaking to each other like you or I would, but instead their style of communication more closely matches literature of the time. As a big time literature nerd, I did enjoy this bit of authenticity, but I can see how some readers may find it hard to follow.
The story of Katherine Parr that Plaidy has chosen to use seems like a fairly straight forward interpretation of history. I don't think Plaidy took much artistic license at all. Recently widowed for the second time, Parr is interested in marrying Sir Thomas Seymour when her period of mourning is over. However, the King is also looking for a wife after recently chopping off the head of his last one. Naturally, most of the women at court are terrified of catching the King's eye, so he has a difficult time snagging a woman. But, he remembers Katherine Parr, and knows that she is recently widowed for the second time, after being previously married to two old men, such as himself. He also knows that she is still fairly young and he wants more sons (always with the sons with this man!). So he has Katherine return to court and without her realizing it, or wanting it, decides that she will be his next wife. What follows is three years of Katherine not even getting pregnant, walking around the castle terrified that she'll be the next Queen to be beheaded, and still in love with Sir Thomas Seymour. It sounds like this could be a really interesting period in her life. It's not. At least not the way Plaidy writes it.
Instead, the novel spends most of the time on two important Catholic members of the King's council trying to plot against Katherine because she is a secret reformer. Look, I love political intrigue as much as the next woman. But when I start a novel thinking its going to focus on the life and struggle of Katherine Parr during this time in her life, that's what I expect. Instead, we spend most of our time with those two ass hats, watching them try to plot against the Queen to convince the King to behead her so that they can have him marry a Catholic woman. And, believe me, I know that was actually happening, but I wanted more Katherine, less Henry VIII and the two Catholic ass hats. Eventually, the King dies and Katherine is free to marry Sir Thomas Seymour, who has been actively flirting with a pre-teen Princess Elizabeth. He even proposes to her (she's 14) and when she turns him down, he marries Katherine Parr. Katherine knows nothing about this, and as she is Elizabeth's guardian, she sees Thomas' interest and play with Elizabeth as innocent play between a man and a young girl that is his stepdaughter. Until she becomes pregnant and finds them kissing at the end of her pregnancy. Katherine is so distraught and depressed, that she sends Elizabeth away, and ends up dying several days after giving birth.
It was such a tragic, and very real, ending for Katherine Parr. I wanted so desperately for her to have her happy ending after years of torment as the King's nursemaid. For a while, both in the novel and in real life, she gets that. But it was so, so, sad to see Katherine break apart when she realizes the happiness and the life she has is just as fake as the life she had with the King. Scientifically, it is believed Katherine died from the poor sanitary conditions of the time, especially surrounding birth. She died of 'birth fever', so most likely she got an infection and died. But the novel also sets up that Katherine died from losing her will to live. She just couldn't see the point in living anymore if her life was going to be knowing that Thomas didn't want to be with her as much as she thought.
But it's okay, because Sir Thomas Seymour was beheaded a year later for plotting to secretly marry Princess Elizabeth. What goes around comes around.
I had a hard time getting into this novel. I found the narration style a little odd, and often we quickly leapt from being inside the mind of one character and then jumping into another, all while they were sharing a conversation. I did not really like it, at all. Plaidy also takes great care to have the characters inner thoughts and conversations with each other be structured in a fairly accurate portrayal of Old English. They are not speaking to each other like you or I would, but instead their style of communication more closely matches literature of the time. As a big time literature nerd, I did enjoy this bit of authenticity, but I can see how some readers may find it hard to follow.
The story of Katherine Parr that Plaidy has chosen to use seems like a fairly straight forward interpretation of history. I don't think Plaidy took much artistic license at all. Recently widowed for the second time, Parr is interested in marrying Sir Thomas Seymour when her period of mourning is over. However, the King is also looking for a wife after recently chopping off the head of his last one. Naturally, most of the women at court are terrified of catching the King's eye, so he has a difficult time snagging a woman. But, he remembers Katherine Parr, and knows that she is recently widowed for the second time, after being previously married to two old men, such as himself. He also knows that she is still fairly young and he wants more sons (always with the sons with this man!). So he has Katherine return to court and without her realizing it, or wanting it, decides that she will be his next wife. What follows is three years of Katherine not even getting pregnant, walking around the castle terrified that she'll be the next Queen to be beheaded, and still in love with Sir Thomas Seymour. It sounds like this could be a really interesting period in her life. It's not. At least not the way Plaidy writes it.
Instead, the novel spends most of the time on two important Catholic members of the King's council trying to plot against Katherine because she is a secret reformer. Look, I love political intrigue as much as the next woman. But when I start a novel thinking its going to focus on the life and struggle of Katherine Parr during this time in her life, that's what I expect. Instead, we spend most of our time with those two ass hats, watching them try to plot against the Queen to convince the King to behead her so that they can have him marry a Catholic woman. And, believe me, I know that was actually happening, but I wanted more Katherine, less Henry VIII and the two Catholic ass hats. Eventually, the King dies and Katherine is free to marry Sir Thomas Seymour, who has been actively flirting with a pre-teen Princess Elizabeth. He even proposes to her (she's 14) and when she turns him down, he marries Katherine Parr. Katherine knows nothing about this, and as she is Elizabeth's guardian, she sees Thomas' interest and play with Elizabeth as innocent play between a man and a young girl that is his stepdaughter. Until she becomes pregnant and finds them kissing at the end of her pregnancy. Katherine is so distraught and depressed, that she sends Elizabeth away, and ends up dying several days after giving birth.
It was such a tragic, and very real, ending for Katherine Parr. I wanted so desperately for her to have her happy ending after years of torment as the King's nursemaid. For a while, both in the novel and in real life, she gets that. But it was so, so, sad to see Katherine break apart when she realizes the happiness and the life she has is just as fake as the life she had with the King. Scientifically, it is believed Katherine died from the poor sanitary conditions of the time, especially surrounding birth. She died of 'birth fever', so most likely she got an infection and died. But the novel also sets up that Katherine died from losing her will to live. She just couldn't see the point in living anymore if her life was going to be knowing that Thomas didn't want to be with her as much as she thought.
But it's okay, because Sir Thomas Seymour was beheaded a year later for plotting to secretly marry Princess Elizabeth. What goes around comes around.
October 3, 2017
My god was this book boring! I think I've come to the conclusion that this period in time is just not my cup of time to read. If I have to hear another damn book go on about how gorgeous Elizabeth I is I swear I'm going to scream!
The kicker is that despite this book taking the title The Sixth Wife it isn't actually about her all that much. It focuses on just about everyone else in the book but her, Katherine Parr is such a mousey character that even the book couldn't focus on her and had to string along other characters (who weren't really interesting per say, but none the less talked about other things other than Thomas Seymour.) who a conversation for the protagonist could go thus:
Katherine: I don't want to marry the king, I love Seymour!
Nursie: But your family blah, blah, blah
Katherine: okay I guess I will!
It doesn't really matter if you were reading the previous books (I wasn't thankfully) this book is a stand alone (which is why I gave it a star) the writing itself isn't bad but it's wasted on a story that is so bland, so run of the mill that it doesn't really matter at that point. It just comes down to taste, but seeing as I didn't like the last Tudor-era book I read I don't really know why I read this book (all the way too) its just so so boring.
The kicker is that despite this book taking the title The Sixth Wife it isn't actually about her all that much. It focuses on just about everyone else in the book but her, Katherine Parr is such a mousey character that even the book couldn't focus on her and had to string along other characters (who weren't really interesting per say, but none the less talked about other things other than Thomas Seymour.) who a conversation for the protagonist could go thus:
Katherine: I don't want to marry the king, I love Seymour!
Nursie: But your family blah, blah, blah
Katherine: okay I guess I will!
It doesn't really matter if you were reading the previous books (I wasn't thankfully) this book is a stand alone (which is why I gave it a star) the writing itself isn't bad but it's wasted on a story that is so bland, so run of the mill that it doesn't really matter at that point. It just comes down to taste, but seeing as I didn't like the last Tudor-era book I read I don't really know why I read this book (all the way too) its just so so boring.
June 12, 2022
By the time King Henry VIII has decided to wed Catherine Parr, all of England (indeed, all of Europe), knows it's more of a death sentence than a blessing to be his wife. Poor Catherine Parr, who has been married twice to older men and never borne a child becomes saddled with an aging and angry king, knowing full well what is likely to be her end. All of Henry's wives had tragic lives, and Parr's is no exception. Plaidy draws out her subject's pain and misfortune with finesse, and readers are immediately sucked into a gilded world of intrigue and danger.
After being married to two much older and gentler (compared to Henry) men, Catherine hopes to settle down with the dashing Thomas Seymour. Seymour hopes the same; although the jerk's motives are not nearly as pure as hers. Unfortunately for everyone involved, this is when Henry notices Catherine. Even from before they're married, Catherine tries to rebuff the king by telling him she's barren, thinking this will deter him. However, Harry claims to not mind, thinking he wants a more "sober" woman in his older years.
However, as soon as the two are married, problems crop up. Catherine never becomes pregnant, and despite this being the constant theme from her past relationships, Henry is incensed. To pass the time, she dotes on her stepchildren. She is also drawn to the "forbidden" ideas of Protestantism, and she has taken to reading forbidden books and discussing the topics with her inner circle. Once Henry has decided to be rid of her, these faults snap at Catherine's heels, and she has many narrow escapes. There's a moment where a lord is carrying the signed warrant for her arrest when he drops it, and Catherine's servant intercepts it. I never realized before how narrowly Catherine avoided being beheaded like her predecessors. The novel was fraught with tension, and it was truly an enjoyable read, even while it was nerve-wracking.
Unfortunately, even after the death of Henry, Catherine's life doesn't improve much. She dies young, embittered and depressed. I felt for her. Compared to Henry's other wives, Catherine Parr feels the most relatable. She's a simple woman who just wants to marry the man she loves and raise her family in the idyllic countryside. These are things most everyone wants, but since she is a queen and later a dowager queen, she must be subjected to ambitious people who use her for her fortune and influence, and her realization of this when she catches her fourth husband in a compromising position is heart-breaking.
However, I dock this a whole star because of the portrayal of Princess Elizabeth. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth ages from a child of 8 or 9 to an adolescent. She is also set up as a sort of rival for Catherine Parr as various men contemplate marrying either of them for material gain. Elizabeth is painted as someone who is aware of this but who is also sensual and passionate, despite only being a literal child. Sure, teenagers can rebel and think they're on equal footing with an adult whom they have a crush on, but it's problematic, in my mind, to portray young Elizabeth as someone who was "asking for it". For those saying that girls just married younger back then, that is true, but not to the extent that we think. It was not common practice for girls under the age of 13 to be sexually active, so I find it in very poor taste to illustrate a 9 year old Elizabeth as being sexually desirable and being aware of it.
Aside from the disturbing scenes regarding Elizabeth, the novel is well-written, and the pacing is excellent. Readers are kept on the edge of their seat the entire time while their hearts simultaneously break for such a tragic figure in Tudor history.
After being married to two much older and gentler (compared to Henry) men, Catherine hopes to settle down with the dashing Thomas Seymour. Seymour hopes the same; although the jerk's motives are not nearly as pure as hers. Unfortunately for everyone involved, this is when Henry notices Catherine. Even from before they're married, Catherine tries to rebuff the king by telling him she's barren, thinking this will deter him. However, Harry claims to not mind, thinking he wants a more "sober" woman in his older years.
However, as soon as the two are married, problems crop up. Catherine never becomes pregnant, and despite this being the constant theme from her past relationships, Henry is incensed. To pass the time, she dotes on her stepchildren. She is also drawn to the "forbidden" ideas of Protestantism, and she has taken to reading forbidden books and discussing the topics with her inner circle. Once Henry has decided to be rid of her, these faults snap at Catherine's heels, and she has many narrow escapes. There's a moment where a lord is carrying the signed warrant for her arrest when he drops it, and Catherine's servant intercepts it. I never realized before how narrowly Catherine avoided being beheaded like her predecessors. The novel was fraught with tension, and it was truly an enjoyable read, even while it was nerve-wracking.
Unfortunately, even after the death of Henry, Catherine's life doesn't improve much. She dies young, embittered and depressed. I felt for her. Compared to Henry's other wives, Catherine Parr feels the most relatable. She's a simple woman who just wants to marry the man she loves and raise her family in the idyllic countryside. These are things most everyone wants, but since she is a queen and later a dowager queen, she must be subjected to ambitious people who use her for her fortune and influence, and her realization of this when she catches her fourth husband in a compromising position is heart-breaking.
However, I dock this a whole star because of the portrayal of Princess Elizabeth. Throughout the novel, Elizabeth ages from a child of 8 or 9 to an adolescent. She is also set up as a sort of rival for Catherine Parr as various men contemplate marrying either of them for material gain. Elizabeth is painted as someone who is aware of this but who is also sensual and passionate, despite only being a literal child. Sure, teenagers can rebel and think they're on equal footing with an adult whom they have a crush on, but it's problematic, in my mind, to portray young Elizabeth as someone who was "asking for it". For those saying that girls just married younger back then, that is true, but not to the extent that we think. It was not common practice for girls under the age of 13 to be sexually active, so I find it in very poor taste to illustrate a 9 year old Elizabeth as being sexually desirable and being aware of it.
Aside from the disturbing scenes regarding Elizabeth, the novel is well-written, and the pacing is excellent. Readers are kept on the edge of their seat the entire time while their hearts simultaneously break for such a tragic figure in Tudor history.
February 16, 2025
King Henry VIII married Katherine Parr. Even though he knew his brother in law, Thomas Seymour had feelings for her. He sent him far away before they were married to an embassy in Flanders.
She brought forbidden books to court as she was made queen. She and her friends were learning the New Faith. They were the new Reformers for Protestatisms, which was against the King.
The Queen had thought of an axe beheaded her neck by the King's order of her sentence for four years, until the passing of the King.
The marriage between the Dowager Queen and Lord High Admiral, Thomas Seymour, was announced 3 months after the death of the King. Princess Elizabeth was mad because of jealousy, but after thinking about it, she was glad that Thomas married her stepmother.
Princess Elizabeth was asked to leave the newly wedded couple's place after she saw her husband, Thomas, and the princess shared a passionate kiss.
Not long after, Katherine gave birth to her only child, a daughter named Mary Seymour. She passed away due to childbirth fever, but rumors had said that the husband poisoned her.
She brought forbidden books to court as she was made queen. She and her friends were learning the New Faith. They were the new Reformers for Protestatisms, which was against the King.
The Queen had thought of an axe beheaded her neck by the King's order of her sentence for four years, until the passing of the King.
The marriage between the Dowager Queen and Lord High Admiral, Thomas Seymour, was announced 3 months after the death of the King. Princess Elizabeth was mad because of jealousy, but after thinking about it, she was glad that Thomas married her stepmother.
Princess Elizabeth was asked to leave the newly wedded couple's place after she saw her husband, Thomas, and the princess shared a passionate kiss.
Not long after, Katherine gave birth to her only child, a daughter named Mary Seymour. She passed away due to childbirth fever, but rumors had said that the husband poisoned her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2020
On the one hand, I really like the style that this book is written with - don't get me wrong, other historical fictions aren't exactly written in 21st century lingo, but this one somehow feels more authentic - but I think it was too short to really delve into the characters. I get that it's probably at least partially to do with when this book was written, before more studies and new information was available, but I think literally every character in the tale was more complex than the story gave them room to be, and for a book that's about Katherine Parr (the spelling of her name sure changes a lot), it really focuses a lot on other characters, so all of them are a little one-note.
October 28, 2018
I enjoyed the book but I am not a fan of Katherine Parr - she was the boring wife compared to the others. I know she had no choice in marrying Henry VIII but she also didn't try to make her mark either. It could have been that she was afraid of poking the bear so to speak. Jean Plaidy did a great job of outlining the dull life she lead with Henry but I am eager to move on to the next book in the series.
March 31, 2019
Another steady entry in Plaidy's Tudor series, this book covers the life of Katharine Parr from the death of her second husband through her unwanted third marriage to Henry VIII, her surprising survival and her final marriage to Thomas Seymour, brother of Henry's 3rd wife, Jane. Plaidy details the lethal politics surrounding Jane and her desparate efforts to survive the marriage. *** because I can't see myself re-reading it.
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