The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols

by Jessica Carey-Bunning

The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols examines some of the small details about the six wives of Henry VIII that are often overlooked. This book is a revisionist close study that moves beyond the traditional narratives to present fresh, more nuanced perspectives. Focusing on significant moments and aspects that inform and showcase who these women were. Throughout these chapters, new research, fresh analysis, and remarkable discoveries come together to offer a deeper understanding of the women we know as the Six Wives of Henry VIII.

We begin with a re-evaluation of Catherine of Aragon’s name through the lens of her family history and how it shaped her life, followed by an analysis of Catherine’s financial situation after the annulment. Anne Boleyn is considered in relation to her role in the Chateau Vert pageant, followed by an analysis of her use of French and English gable hoods, which includes a discussion of an incredible, newly discovered contemporary image of Anne. Jane Seymour’s religion and unpopularity are each examined in turn to uncover fresh perspectives on Henry’s third queen. Anna of Cleves’s adaption to life in England is discussed, followed by her life and status under Edward VI and Mary I. Katherine Howard’s performance of queenship is re-evaluated, as well as the connections between herself and and her cousin, Anne Boleyn. Finally, apocryphal tales of Kateryn Parr’s rise to the throne are reassessed, followed by an examination of how close she came to arrest and execution.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

248 pages, Hardcover

First published February 9, 2026

Reviews

[Readergirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet King Henry VIII- the og ✨fuckboy✨, the ✨epitome of patriarchy✨, who saw "boys will be boys" and made it his life motto.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Even though just thinking about him makes my blood boil, it doesn't deter me from reading about him, or more precisely, his wives aka, the people who actually need the much-needed attention. Cuz gues what, it's not always about the guys, so ofc, my girls needed some much deserved scrutiny.

────୨ৎ────

No matter how upsetting, it is our duty to educate ourselves about the past, for what are we even humans for, if not to know everything there is to know in our miniscule lives can you tell I ponder about not reading everything there is to exist and know everything there is to know and cry about it?

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

This was a feminist retelling. Full stop. Jessica took something that has always been possessed by the guy and added a completely fresh perspective to it, which was really refreshing to see. This is why there has to be more women scholars. Women are a devestating minority in the classics/scholarly world and it's a goddamn travesty.

As we explore the lives of the wives of Henry viii, we are not only introduced to the already-known and popularized by the media, but also the behind the scenes of it all. Where did these women come from? Why were they promised to Henry? What were their geo-political relations that established this matrimonial connection? Basically, all the thoughts no one thought of served on a platter illustrated with beautiful maps that made it sm easier to understand, even as someone who is not actively in connect with the Tudor dynasty and its workings, who only had prior info in bits and pieces, this particularly detail added sm to it. Full of excerpts from the historical texts that added so much depth and flavour to the already fascinating narrative. The painting and illustrations were absolutely stunning, although I would've preferred they had been sprinkled throughout the narrative to give it more taste.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

I genuinely enjoyed Jessica's voice immensely. I ate it all up. She knew how to differentiate her facts from her speculations, and even when she was talking about the women, I liked that she didn't project. I realise how hard it is to not project your own views on to the text, especially when you're passionate about what you're writing, which I'm sure Jessica is; you're tempted to pass on your own views as facts, but she never did, she said it as it was. I ended up really admiring her authenticity about it. Even when there is something yet hiding in the oblivion, unknown to historians, she told us as it was.

Her beautiful, almost poetic tone was everything ✨. At times I found myself mesmerized by how utterly beautiful the prose was. And although there was a lot of info dump at times (which is to be expected ofc), it didn't feel so and ended up slipping down pretty easy thanks to lovely voice. Not to mention that her scholarly tone made me feel smarter than i actually am 🤓.

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

Overall, a perfect pick to learn more about the Tudor history ✨from a feminist lens✨ arguably the best lens out there, and immerse yourself in the Tudor history - from fashion to politics, plays, festivals and court gossip! Step 1 🔓(check preread section)

4.7-the-best-lens/5

𓍯𓂃𓏧♡

𓂃✍︎𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝
Step 1-- Become disgustingly overeducated and ofc, an intellectual (this one is ✨history ver✨)
Step 2- World domination.

Ha. Ha. I'm totally kidding am not(⁠✿⁠^⁠‿⁠^⁠)

Read the foreword and I have the feeling that it will be ✨feminist✨ SO I'M HIGHK HYPED CUZ THAT'S THE BEST WAY

Thank you Netgalley, Jessica Carey-Bunning and Pen&Sword for the eARC ╰⁠(⁠*⁠´⁠︶⁠`⁠*⁠)⁠╯

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve all heard of the six wives of a certain historical king and we might think we know all there is to know about them, but as the author said, history is a constantly changing tapestry! This book is bound to teach you something new.

It’s not a retelling of the queens stories, but a carefully crafted and selected topic from each respective queens lives. Built up from original sources, communications and extensive research - you could really tell how much effort and dedication went into this.

I really enjoyed it and loved how novel it was. It delved into subjects I hadn’t previously read about or really knew much about as it shed light on aspects of their lives. It was really well written and in amongst all the Tudor books I’ve read, it certainly stood out in the new little nuggets I took away from it! I loved that it wasn’t aiming to add its voice to the plethora of other books of its kind, but offer an alternative path to finding out more about these intriguing and much loved historical figures.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wives of Henry VIII have been an area of fascination for history nerds and novices alike for centuries. We all know the stories of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Kateryn Parr. However, these stories only offer a glimpse at the lives of these women. They follow the more traditional studies of the Tudor queens, but what happens if we take a more revisionist approach to their lives? What can we learn about these women besides their crowns and who they all married? There is more to their stories, like the minute details that Jessica Carey-Bunning explores in her book, “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am always looking for a new approach to the Tudor queens. So when I saw that it was a book featuring all six wives with a promised fresh perspective, I decided to give it a chance.

Carey-Bunning has taken a different approach to these six remarkable women. Instead of a biography about their lives, she has chosen to highlight aspects of their lives. We, of course, go in chronological order, starting with Catherine of Aragon. With Catherine, we examine why she was named Catherine and its significance in her family, as well as her finances as the widow of Arthur, and extended through her annulment. We then moved to Anne Boleyn and explored her role in the Chateau Vert pagent as well as her looks, either with the English gable hood or the French hood, and she includes the latest research into what Anne might have looked like. After Anne, we transition to Jane Seymour, to her stance on matters of faith and whether or not she was a popular queen.

Anna of Cleves may have had the shortest reign of all the queens, but it is her education and her faith that Carey-Bunning explores in her section. Katherine Howard also had one of the shortest reigns of any of Henry’s wives, but for different reasons than Anna of Cleves. With Katherine, we explore exactly what kind of influence the young queen had and her connection to her infamous cousin Anne Boleyn. Finally, we examine Kateryn Parr, the 17th century’s fascination with the queen, and the tale of her almost arrest over religious matters.

I found this book refreshing with the new approach to the wives of Henry VIII. I learned new aspects of the queens, which was very nice. Carey-Bunning combined an easy-to-follow writing style with innovative research to give her readers a different way to look at the Tudor wives. If you want to learn something new about the Tudor queens, I think you will enjoy “The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols,” by Jessica Carey-Bunning.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced copy review

Despite the passing of hundreds of years, the wives of King Henry VIII still fascinate individuals (myself included)

You often wonder if more can be written about them, but this book tells us that there is still plenty of information for us to digest about these women who left their own mark on Tudor history.

The author has taken a different approach in that she highlights aspects of their remarkable lives.

Starting in chronological order with Catherine of Aragon, we examine why she was named Catherine and its significance in her family. What is also touched on in this section, is her finances as the widow of Arthur Tudor and later through her annulment.

Moving on to Anne Boleyn and here, Anne’s role in the Chateau Vert pagent is explored in detail and includes contemporary quotes and details of the outfits worn by the participants. Also included is the latest research as to what did Anne actually look like (which I found fascinating)

We then transition onto Jane Seymour and the main focus is whether or not she was a popular Queen during her marriage to King Henry VIII and her attitude towards matters of faith.

Anna of Cleves had the shortest marriage of all of queens, but it is her education and faith that is interesting and as such, Carey-Bunning explores that in her section.

Katherine Howard was the youngest of King Henry VIII’s wives and the author discusses what influence she actually had the Tudor court along with connections to her cousin (and second wife of King Henry VIII) Anne Boleyn.

Rounding out the six wives, is Kateryn Parr and in this section, tales of her rise to the throne are reassessed, followed by an examination of how close she came to arrest and execution.

I could go on and on with how much detail
has been poured into this book, but I don’t want to give away too many spoilers.

I found this book refreshing with the new approach to the wives of King Henry VIII.
I enjoyed learning new facts about the queens.

Jessica Carey-Bunning has combined an easy-to-follow writing style with innovative research to give the reader a different way to look at the famous six wives.

Many thanks to Pen & Sword Books for sending me a copy to review.

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry VIII’s wives were far more than casualties of a volatile court; they were architects of their own legacies. Jessica Carey-Bunning’s The Wives of Henry VIII strips away the myths to reveal the nuanced reality of these six extraordinary women.

​Catherine of Aragon: Far from a passive victim, she possessed an impeccable lineage tracing back to John of Gaunt, technically granting her a stronger claim to the English throne than Henry’s own. After Prince Arthur’s death, she endured years of precarious limbo, navigating English politics as a dowager princess to secure her future.

​Anne Boleyn: A master of visual power, Anne used the "Chateau Vert" pageant to assert her status, and her strategic shift between French and English gable hoods was not just fashion—it was a calculated assertion of identity and influence, recently illuminated by a newly discovered contemporary image.

​Jane Seymour: Often reduced to the "submissive" wife, revisionist analysis reveals her as a politically astute mediator. She lobbied for her stepdaughters.

​Anna of Cleves: The ultimate diplomat. Post-annulment, she navigated the perilous transition from rejected Queen to "The King’s Beloved Sister," securing her status and independence under Edward VI and Mary I, far outliving her peers.

​Katherine Howard: Misjudged by history, she was a victim of systemic exploitation. Despite her brief tenure, she performed queenship with youthful ambition. Her proximity to Anne Boleyn—both as a relative and a cautionary symbol—remains a stark study in the vulnerability of women in power.

​Kateryn Parr: A formidable intellectual and regent, she was never merely a nursemaid. Her survival of the "arrest and execution" plot demonstrates her ability to outmanoeuvre the King’s conservative factions through deep theological debate.

​Beyond politics and religion, the six wives' impact on the next generation was profound. Catherine and Anne defined the religious identity of their daughters; Jane provided the heir; Anna offered a model of survival; Katherine’s tragedy warned of court perils; and Kateryn fostered the intellectual brilliance of the future Tudor monarchs.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Tudor dynasty enthusiast, I was intrigued by the premise of The Wives of Henry VIII by Jessica Carey-Bunning, for I have consumed several TV series, films, and articles in order to understand their stories. Thus, when given the privilege of reading this ARC upon wishing for it after its publication, I quickly binged it.

Carey-Bunning’s writing style is decently accessible for the casual reader, though the inclusion of various letter excerpts, etc. from the period did make it a bit more difficult to keep track of the details, names of figures involved, and arguments made. Obviously, this is merely a matter of the language and spelling of the time not being as comprehensible to the average modern English speaker, than it is a detractor from or weakness of her work. That said, the analyses of each queen’s life story, reliant not as much upon common knowledge, but rather minute historical research, were quite interesting and engaging. Indeed, much of the book’s focus was entirely new information to me, as I assume it would be for anyone with a cursory understanding of the Tudor dynasty.

While the book did drag at certain points, it may simply have been a consequence of my fatigue while reading it and my somewhat disinterest in learning about the pious nature of a few of the queens. However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Catherine (Catalina) of Aragón’s beginnings and the intricacies of her familial ties to the English crown, as I have studied the Catholic monarchs throughout my career as a Spanish teacher.

Thank you very much to Pen & Sword for granting my wish, and to NetGalley as well.

I recommend The Wives of Henry VIII to any royal history buff.

As an aside, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that the U.S. office of Pen & Sword is in the small town where my family once lived. What a coincidence!

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Six Wives of Henry VIII continue to be endlessly fascinating and even though we sometimes look at these marriages through the rosy glow of five hundred years we occasionally need to stop and consider the women behind the marriages and the legacy they each left behind. Whilst each of their turbulent marriages to this infamous King are well documented, this new accounts offers a different look at each of the wives and what defined them and highlights how they fit into history.

The wives are mentioned in chronological order with Catherine of Aragon coming first and finishing with that of Kateryn Parr’s story at the end of Henry’s lifetime. Each of the Queens are written about with a fine eye for detail and there is a strong sense the book has been well written and researched. The author writes well, describing the Tudor court and customs in enough detail to make the book readable without being too complicated. I love the colour of the book’s cover, the Tudor green, so associated with Henry’s court, along with the red and white roses, gives an authentic feel. The vibrancy of the cover would certainly make me pick the book up in a bookshop to have a closer look. Overall, I found this to be an informative read with snippets of information I had forgotten or not known.

I am sure that The Wives of Henry VIII will appeal to anyone who enjoys Tudor history and who is interested in a different view on the lives of these six extraordinary women who played such an important role in Henry’s life and of the tragic consequences of their relationships with this irascible King of England.

[Acantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're British (and even if you aren't) there is a pretty strong chance you know about Henry VIII and his six wives. It might be as little as the rhyme, but this Tudor monarch and his consorts have a firm grip on the public that is unlikely to fade.

Knowing this, the author has made the brilliant decision to forgo the usual historical account. People know the basics, and just re-treading the same old ground is not going to get you noticed. Instead, the author has made the decision to focus on two things from each Queen, going into detail about a specific thing.

This ranged from things I had known about but never thought deeply about - just *why* was Catharine named after her English Great-Grandmother, who had died roughly 30 years before she was born?

To things I had never even considered - like many, I'd just assumed that Jane was a devout Catholic, and I enjoyed this argument that perhaps she wasn't.

To things I had longed for a deeper dive on - that first courtly appearance of Anne on the English stage.

And that's just three of the twelve topics. If one or two are perhaps a little thin on the ground, then there will be something meatier around the corner. This is a great box that seeks to put all six of these women in a new light.

This is held back a little by its title. Yes, it has a subtitle which explains the book better, but people looking through a bookstore etc are just going to see 'the wives of henry viii' which is a very generic name and does not do this book justice.

~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~

[Ailin · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've all heard of the Wives of Henry VIII, heard the rhyme, and maybe know some of their names (I didn't realize they shared so many of them). I actually came into this book knowing very little and thought it still worked well as an introduction for a newer reader. I appreciated the separation between the king and the women, but still recognize that these are six wives who are always evaluated in relation to their shared husband.

Carey-Bunning left much of the historical text as accurate as possible, which did make it somewhat difficult to understand, but also did a nice job of highlighting how language has changed. Overall, there were things that I learned (the family charts and pictures were incredibly helpful), but I don't know what I fully took away from it. Carey-Bunning took information related to the symbols of each woman and questioned how it is that we see them. Maybe this is my problem with history books in general; the mysteries have to stay mysteries. Seems like a book which might be better for a more informed audience, who "think" they know who these women are, but are maybe looking to challenge those ideas.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Carey-Bunning for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Krystelle (based on the novel by Stephen King) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book is an interesting insight into each of Henry the Eighth’s wives. I think it’s definitely a topic well worth focusing on, particularly as we’re often sold the concept of Henry as the focus, or Anne Boleyn as the focus.

I think my biggest issue with this book is that it didn’t go into enough detail for each of the wives. I was left feeling like it was a bit bereft of the context of them prior to their marriages, and for some of them, I just felt like there could have been more given to the reader.

I did really enjoy the focus on some of the later wives, particularly the last two, who I sometimes feel get a little neglected in most biographies. I think my favourite section was probably Anne of Cleves, as she’s just such a compelling figure- and the info on her was fascinating, as always.

With just a little more information given on all the wives, I feel I would have loved this book even more- I just wish it pushed slightly more into each of them. With that said, it’s strong research, and I felt like it was well worth the read.

[Jenée Duran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Jessica Carey-Bunning, Pen & Sword, and NetGalley for letting me read this as an eARC.

I'm a big Tudor history buff and always enjoy learning more about these monarchs, especially Henry VIII's wives. I really enjoyed this book because it made these women more than just his wives; it humanized them and shows the reader that these women had aspirations, dreams, and desires of their own, but were limited by not only their gender but by who they married. I think that's what a lot of books about these women miss--they talk around them but they don't really make them out to be real humans that were their own people outside of being Henry VIII's wives. This book had a good amount of new information that I hadn't read in other books that cover this period. I haven't seen a book cover this topic in a while so it was fun to jump back into this particular time. There is a lot of use of original text in this one that takes effort to get through, but overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to learn even more about this time period and these women; they're fascinating and deserve to be remembered.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Jessica Carey-Bunning re-examines the six wives of Henry VIII, sifting through the fictions, propaganda, hysteria, and out tight lies to try and get at the real, human women that existed behind the six word "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived" ditty.

She shows us just how much Katherine of Aragon was molded specifically for queenship of England from her baptism, the politics and, more importantly, the construction of the French Hood that Anne Boleyn was known for, how Jane Seymour was not as beloved by king and country and her post death reputation would suggest, the very clever legal argument Anna of Cleves brought to Mary I to try and get money she felt she was owed as a wife of Henry VIII, how Katherine Howard did more than just dance and flirt but did some real work as queen, and the multiple political conspiracies that swirled around Katherine Parr.

An excellent new look at "the Six" that begs readers to keep thinking about these women and not fall for the easy stereotypes.

[Olivia-Jobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please bear with me as I don’t often review non-fiction but I am so so interested in this subject matter!
The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols offers a thoughtful and accessible re-examination of women who are too often reduced to rhyme and reputation. Jessica Carey-Bunning writes with clarity and compassion, balancing historical evidence with an awareness of how mythmaking has shaped public memory. I appreciated how each wife is treated as a fully realised person rather than a footnote in Henry’s story, with attention to her agency, constraints, and individuality. The book challenges long-held assumptions without feeling confrontational, instead inviting readers to reconsider what they think they know. While readers looking for dense academic analysis may want more depth in places, the approachable style makes this an engaging entry point for a wide audience. Overall, this is a smart, human-centred piece of history that successfully restores complexity to some of England’s most famous women.
I absolutely loved every second of this book.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this arc!

This was an absolutely fascinating look at the wives of Henry VIII and the lesser known details of their lives. I really enjoyed the focus on topics that aren’t usually discussed about this group of women or the things that historians and pop culture have convinced us are true but probably aren’t.

I really enjoyed the writing style and found it easy to follow and take in all of the information. Carey-Bunning uses such a wide range of sources from different times in history and clearly put a lot of work into her research. I loved reading quotes from all of these sources and think that she combined them with her own writing really well.

This was a great read and definitely left me eager to do more reading and research into the lives of these fascinating women!

[Stephanie P · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a loyal reader to the Tudor era, I was not expecting to learn anything new going into The Wives of Henry VIII. The author does, however, manage to present new findings about the histories of each wife. The wives are given their own chapters to discuss their biographies and new research about them. I do wish that there was a more linear approach to each wife. For instance, the topic of the hood styles would be brought up in relation to Anne Boleyn, but then bounce around to the other five wives and their preferences towards a certain style. That was just a minor issue I had though. This would be a great read for anyone interested in the Tudors, beginner or more advanced in their studies.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of The Wives of Henry VIII in the return of an honest review.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars
Like many people, I have a soft spot for Tudor history, specifically for the 6 women who married Henry VIII and how they changed history. As such, I was extremely excited when I was approved for an ARC of this book!
I will not say that I am disappointed, because there were a lot of interesting facts in this book, and it was enjoyable to read. What I will say is that I wish there was more depth for every one of the wives. I liked each section, but I wanted more detail, more specifics.
Was this bad? By no means! I enjoyed every page. The writing is extremely accessible and includes plenty of excerpts from letters so it feels readable, but scholarly. As a whole, this book was very well done, but it wasn’t as memorable as I wanted it to be.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors foreward says it best... "history is never static" and that is why you need to read this fantastic book! I have been devouring history books (particularly English, Scottish and French) on monarchies since my Scottish grandmother told me about Mary, Queen of Scots. You may think you know everything there is to know about the six wives of King Henry VIII, but I assure you that you will learn more than a fact or two new. Her research is impeccable and I loved reading some of the correspondence and records in their original English. This is a must have book for purchase for any collector - I know I will! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨️Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

As someone who has always been fascinated with history and especially the six wives of Henry VII, this book scratched the itch.

I really enjoyed learning something new about each wife, and I enjoyed how much effort and care went into each topic of each queen's lives. I feel like we all know the basics of these queens but this book really goes into those deeper things that I did not even think about. The research that was taken for this, I cannot imagine how long it took but I thoroughly enjoyed reading every minute of it.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a truly new perspective on Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Katherine and Katheryn.

I’ve always loved the Tudors so if a book’s available, I usually read it. The trouble is, they’re often a retelling of the same story. This isn’t. It offers new insight & makes you re-think the ‘truth’ you learned at school.

Of course, new insight is nothing if it’s not written in an engaging way. This book does well here too. It’s also backed up brilliantly with sources.

All in all, a very entertaining read & I’d definitely recommend it, even to the most keen amateur Tudor historians.

Thanks to the author, publishers & NetGalley for access to this ARC in return for an honest review.

[Maja - BibliophiliaDK ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting new perspective on the six wives of Henry VIII. We all think we know these women. We like to put them in little boxes, based things like their background, religion and chastity. But if you isolate some of these topics, a new perspective can be found. Carey-Bunning takes on two things about each woman and uses those to show them in a whole new light. It was refreshing to get a deeper look at some of these aspects in order to isolate something about their characters and their lived experiences.

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Abby Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person incredibly interested in the wives of King Henry VII, this was incredibly well done and researched. I loved getting to learn more viewpoints and so many small things that had gotten lost in my own mediocre research through the years. It's told in bits and pieces, but in such a way that's understood tremendously and expanded upon. I thoroughly enjoyed the latter queens, since there's not much on them that feels concrete.

Thank you to Pen & Sword, the author, and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this release in exchange for my honest review of the work!

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a fresh, nuanced look at the six wives of Henry VIII, using revised research and analysis to delve into often-overlooked details. Revealing new perspectives on their lives, it provides a deeper understanding of these remarkable women beyond traditional narratives. The book focuses primarily on each woman's time as queen and her accomplishments in that role. Informative and easy to read, it's enjoyable and offers a unique take on a familiar subject.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an amateur historian whose main focus is Medieval to Tudor history on this book to be interesting and compelling with the author having some new takes that I liked her dealing with. She touched on a few of the wives that I felt needed more time and energy placed on, I'm tired of hearing of the first two and she dealt more with the other four, which was pleasing. I definitely recommend this book to Lovers of Tudor History and enjoyed it from start to finish.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a new perspective on the six wives of Henry VIII. The author has done a lot of research on the topic and offers a completely different angle to look at the topic. It is a must-read for anyone even just remotely interested in history.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword Press for the ARC of The Wives of Henry VIII: Rethinking the Stories Behind the Symbols by Jessica Carey-Bunning. I enjoyed this book, though I didn’t learn anything new from Carey-Bunning’s research. She explores the lives and personalities of each of the Queens of Henry VIII’s reign, discussing the impact they each made (or failed to do) on Tudor society. Carey-Bunning presents her studies in concise language with strong supporting evidence. There has been so much written about the women that were married to Henry VIII, much of it only written in reflection of Henry. Carey-Bunning writes about each woman as her own person first, and as a Queen second, pointing out that they were more than just “Henry VIII’s wife,” which I found to be a welcome change.

[Casey Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. If you think you know everything about Henry VIII's wives- Carey-Bunning proves there's always more to learn and research. I confess that I wasn't interested in this book until I listened to the author on a podcast. I'm glad I picked it up!! Highly interesting new research for any Tudor buff.

Some insights were more groundbreaking than others. But, they can't all be showstoppers. 4.5 stars!! I hope others follow her lead and dig into new angles and uncover more about these fascinating (and sometimes much maligned) women.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Despite the fact I had read many books about the wives of Henry VIII before, I found Jessica Carey-Bunning's work a very enjoyable and fresh take on these fascinating historical figures. Rather than covering their entire lives, she chooses to focus on some of the symbols connected to them, so that the result is an informative and original study.

For example, she analyses the choice of Catherine of Aragon's name in connection to her family history, and she reconstructs how Anne Boleyn came to be associated with the French gable hood, questioning at the same if she really did prefer it to the English gable hood. She also discusses some infamous moments in their lives, for example Kateryn Parr’s close brush with arrest and execution, which I found very informative and interesting.

Definitely an informative, accessible read, which I would recommend even to readers who know the subject well.

[Georgi_Lvs_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘A Tudor Queen consort had many duties to fulfil. While her primary duty was to give birth to sons, who would be heirs and spares, and daughters who would be used to forge marital alliances, the role was far more extensive.’

I’ve read many books on the wives of Henry VIII and I wasn’t expecting to learn anything new however, this book contains new research and discoveries which will blow your mind! 🤯

A must read for Tudor lovers and anyone wanting to be inspired by these six “bad ass” women.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new voice on the Tudor scene, bringing a fresh and welcome perspective.
We all think we "know" the six wives of Henry VIII.
But we know very little about their views, how they saw their regal roles, and their actual stance on religion beyond being labelled Catholic or Protestant.
I like how Carey-Bunning develops a couple of key themes for each queen. For Catherine of Aragon (using the author's spellings of the queens' names) how her upbringing and knowledge at a very young age that she would be queen of England dictated her refusal to relinquish her throne and marriage.
For Anne Boleyn, how her choice of headwear suggests how she felt about her Royal role.
How popular with the people was Jane Seymour?
The terrible challenges facing Anna of Cleves, unable to speak English, unfamiliar with the court and most importantly, knowing nothing about her husband. We all think she emerged relatively unscathed after just 7 months of marriage, but her settlement was much less than that offered to Catherine, and during the reign of Edward VI, she often had to fight for her stipend and contend with her main residence being withdrawn.
For Katherine Howard, some long overdue kindness as Carey-Bunting examines how she performed as queen consort.
Finally, for Kateryn Parr, how a highly intelligent and intensely religious woman nearly suffered the same fate as Boleyn and Howard.
I am an avid reader of Tudor history and wondered if there was anything new to learn. Jessica Carey-Bunting proves that yes there is, and enticingly, she believes there are portraits of Anne and Jane yet to be discovered.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pen and Sword for the advance digital copy. This book is expected to be published in April.