The Concubine

by Norah Lofts

The younger daughter of Tom Boleyn lacked the bounteous charms of most ladies of court. The King first noticed her when she was 16 - and with imperial greed he smashed her youthful love-affair with Harry Percy and began the process of royal seduction. But this was no ordinary woman, no maid-in-waiting to be possessed.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Tudor Period, Historical, British Literature, 16th Century, Royalty

358 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Norah Ethel Robinson Lofts Jorisch (27 August 1904–10 September 1983) was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote over fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories. Many of her novels, including her Suffolk Trilogy, follow the history of a specific house and the residents that lived in it.

Lofts was born in Shipdham, Norfolk in England. She also published using the pseudonyms Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic Norah Lofts elements. Most of her historical novels fall into two general categories: biographical novels about queens, among them Anne Boleyn, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine of Aragon; and novels set in East Anglia centered around the fictitious town of Baildon (patterned largely on Bury St. Edmunds). Her creation of this fictitious area of England is reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's creation of "Wessex"; and her use of recurring characters such that the protagonist of one novel appears as a secondary character in others is even more reminiscent of William Faulkner's work set in "Yoknapatawpha County," Mississippi. Norah Lofts' work set in East Anglia in the 1930s and 1940s shows great concern with the very poor in society and their inability to change their conditions. Her approach suggests an interest in the social reformism that became a feature of British post-war society.

Several of her novels were turned into films. Jassy was filmed as Jassy (1947) starring Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Price. You're Best Alone was filmed as Guilt is My Shadow (1950). The Devil's Own (also known as The Little Wax Doll and Catch As Catch Can) was filmed as The Witches (1966). The film 7 Women was directed by John Ford and based on the story Chinese Finale by Norah Lofts.

Reviews

[Jeff]

The Concubine, by Norah Lofts, long overdue for reissue, is my own ideal of what a historical novel ought to be. As someone with a passionate interest in Tudor history in general and the dramatic story of Anne Boleyn in particular, I’ve been gritting my teeth at the plot absurdities of Philippa Gregory’s inexplicably best-selling The Other Boleyn Girl. (Basic fact: Mary Boleyn was the experienced ‘bad girl’ elder sister, NOT the innocent younger one — this has always been known !). Now at last I can offer people a better — and better-written — alternative. Lofts here does full justice to the mercurial and flamboyant personality of Anne Boleyn, as well as the complex true relationship between the sisters. Best of all perhaps is the way the author conveys the terrible vulnerability of what it meant to be Henry VIII’s queen. To say that the final chapters are profoundly poignant despite every reader’s already knowing how the book will end is a measure of Loft’s success.

-Alan

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best book I've read about Anne Boleyn.

[Infosifter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a fan of Anne Boleyn; I've always thought she was a schemer who reaped what she had sewn though her punishment exceeded her crime. I've never believed she was guilty of what she was accused of, but rather of thwarting Henry the eighth in various ways, some of which were not in her control such as not giving him an heir. This book made me rethink the situation a little.

[Cher 'N Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - It was great. I loved it.

The most intriguing novel I have ever read about Anne Boleyn. The author had a wonderful way of getting you inside the heads of multiple players/characters, presenting as thorough and accurate of a story as one could look to find in historical fiction. Kudos to the publisher for renewing the publication, as otherwise I would have most likely never found or heard of it.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: He was a young man again, in love for the first time and on his way to his wedding. All that he genuinely believed, for amongst many other things, he was a poet and possessed the poet’s ability to create his own world.

First Sentence: The serving woman went and knelt by the hearth and busied herself with the kindling of the fire.

[Shanequa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Anne Boleyn is one that is well known. She is a fascinating woman and reading about her life is always interesting. However after a time and after so many books you do get the feeling of reading the same thing over and over and over again. Of course that is not the fault of the books. You can't change history. But what I appreciated about this book was the multiple perspectives we received in this book that I haven't experienced with other Anne Boleyn books. Being able to experience the key points of Anne's life through varying points of view provided a fresh new take on the story we've probably read dozens of times now. There were a few plot details that I wasn't quite fond of but this also was not the first Anne Boleyn book to do those things so it didn't detract from the book for me. All in all this is a good read for Anne Boleyn fans out there.

[MichelleCH · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent alternative and realistic portrayal of Anne. I enjoyed how Lofts added some first source materials and book excerpts to the beginning of the chapters. No one really will ever know what Anne could have possibly been thinking but the ideas presented make sense and are interesting to contemplate. Could Anne really just have been a victim of circumstance and not the master manipulator?

[CLM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful novel about Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII.

[Kate Millin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had forgotten how good a writer Norah lofts is. This book is an interesting take on the life of Anne Boleyn which is kinder to her than others I have read, and is very believable. It takes a different view on her celibacy before marriage. It is a very sad story of someone who waits a long time for something that ends up as sawdust in their mouth (and that could refer to Jenry as well as Anne), but Henry comes across as a selfish child.


This is a book crossing book that is currently available if anyone wants it.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are in paperback?

In my earlier years they were prime hard cover with 3 copies of each title. LOL!

Seriously, Norah Lofts is one of my favorite all time/ all era writers for pure historical fiction and characterizations.

I love her locations and home/house/mansion titled books to a 5 star but that is just because her simplicity and description have transported me to England and to other times so very well. To me her books are timeless.

[LibraryCin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is a fictional account of Anne Boleyn from the time she came back to England from France (where she grew up) and met Henry VIII to just after she was beheaded.

It was good. It (probably no surprise) picked up in the last 1/3 of the book once Henry turned his attention to Jane Seymour and was looking for a way to get rid of Anne. Anne's not my favourite of Henry's wives, but I do feel badly for how it all ended for her. I wonder, though, if I'm getting tired of reading about the Tudors, or if I just need to read more about some of the Tudors I've read less about. Anne is probably who I've read the most about. It was still good, overall, though.

[Sara W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Update: I increased my rating by one star because after thinking about it, two stars seemed a little harsh (especially since I've given two stars to books I never finished). It wasn't really a bad book by any means - I just didn't enjoy the second half.

The first half of this book I would give four stars, but I really didn't care for the second half at all (it would probably get the two stars I originally rated this book). The book jumps around different people's points of view, which I liked (at least for the first half of the book - it was interesting to get different perspectives). However, none of the characters seem to be really developed, so I just couldn't get attached to any of them. I'm generally a real fan of Anne Boleyn (and this author Norah Lofts), but I just didn't feel anything towards her in this novel. There is a twist in this novel that I've never read before which made me a lot less sympathetic for Anne (I don't want to say much more about it here, but I did elaborate more in the European Royalty group). Overall, I was pretty disappointed with this book because I expected more from Norah Lofts.

[Heather Domin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed a lot of this book; the bits I didn't care for came mostly in the second half, though the last few pages made up for it. It's not my favorite Norah Lofts so far, but I definitely preferred it over the Jean Plaidy I just read (The Lady in the Tower), and it made great warm-n-comfy autumn reading. It's also kind of funny to note that it's been ages since I read an omniscient narrator. They're not really in style these days, are they?

first read: October 2010
re-read: March 2015

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best historical fiction novel about Anne Boleyn that I've read. Ms. Lofts also wrote a biography, "Anne Boleyn," and she is able to weave factual information with fiction in a very readable way.

[Telma Rós Cavaleiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The different point of views clearly emphasise how Anne Boleyn was viewed (including many chapters where she is given a voice of her own). At first I believed the book to be anti-Anne due to the title but that was not the case. A great source for any papers about Anne Boleyn.

[brie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I physically cannot finish this.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read! I really enjoyed the multiple POVs - it trimmed a lot of the fat that tends to come with the Henry VIII wives and their stories. I didn’t read through this quickly/easily (probably my only beef), but it gave me a fresh perspective on Anne Boleyn that really intrigued me. And alas, Henry was ca-razy so that’s always a fun time.

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I have read about Anne Boleyn. A fascinating perspective, with a more nuanced take on her personality. I look forward to reading more books by Norah Lofts.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m left with mixed feelings about this book.
In its favour- it was well written. Unlike many books, this focused so much on the before and not the during – many books seem to prominently feature her already in power, and skim on the Anne before, while Lofts does just the opposite here. Instead of droning on and on in useless balls and petty drama of the Court, filling the book with fluff, Lofts finds the key events, the organs of the matter, so to speak, and puts them on display. There isn’t much filler in this story but yet, I feel like I got where she was coming from. Many books “skim” over the years much less successfully, leaving you feeling like you missed a great deal. I don’t get that feeling here; it’s almost like watching a highlights reel. A very interesting highlights reel. Overall, it was enjoyable to read.
Against – Main gripe: I realize that this is an older book, but Lofts seem to subscribe to a lot of beliefs that have almost all been reasonably debunked. It’s interesting because in writing a fictional account, an author can take certain liberties with characters, events, and most certainly how someone would think and speak (which usually IS the big mystery) but certain things just didn’t sit well with me. In some aspects, Lofts seems to want to rewrite history for no reason. I wouldn’t take much of an issue with this if the whole account were meant to be a “what if” scenario, or an alternate history, but it isn’t. Lofts includes quotes from first party sources, so I am not certain why she does that and then changes other things with no reason. Some examples of what irked me:

Why is Elizabeth Howard dead? While I liked Lady Bo well enough, there just wasn’t enough of a reason to have Anne’s mother be dead and replace her with Lady Bo. If we’re going to just rewrite everything anyway, there’s no reason Lofts could not have just made Elizabeth Howard’s personality more in line with what she wanted.
Why include all the stereotypical, false information about Anne? It didn’t really add to the story, and just villainized Anne in the typical ways that she is. Anne most certainly did not commit adultery, and though Lofts’s theory about the masque was certainly creative, it later states that somehow Anne managed to have committed adultery 3 times. I’d let it slide if the masque were the only time it was said to have taken place, but at this point, she’s just pushing it. What other times could Anne have possibly found to commit adultery? And with who? If that’s a can of worms you want to open, you’re going to have to expound upon it a bit more. Another bit was the finger. It’s been pointed out time and time again that it is unlikely Anne had any actual physical deformity like that – with Henry being so disgusted with anything that might hint at disease or deformity, she would not have been at Court, much less married to the King. He would have been repulsed. It doesn’t even add to the story or plot whatsoever; it’s just tossed in randomly in the beginning of the book.

Overall, even though it didn’t blow me away, I did like the book and would recommend it.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is very well done, despite the fact it has a slightly dated feel to it – the kind of stale whiff you get from historical fiction written in the early to mid twentieth century. Still, Lofts did her research, showing off the Tudor court and characters with the precession and brilliance of a master jeweler. However, she did so much research that she likes to show it off by quoting either a primary or secondary source at the beginning of each chapter.

Yes, it’s good to know she followed the facts rather than just making it up and as she went along *cough*PhilippaGreggory*cough* but a lot of the facts she quotes would have been great scenes themselves – she should have developed the quoted text into scenes rather than just having the facts quoted act as scene bridges as she jumps from one year to the next.

The characters were great. They weren’t quite believable – they all just, just fell short of true complexity, and their motivations are often painted in broad strokes that makes all their actions combined hard to follow. She makes excellent progress in showing a deep psychological portrait of her main characters, but doesn’t quite pull it off – though I am happy to admit she comes close.

She does amazing work putting Henry on the couch and doing a Freudian analysis of his actions, yet she still has him and a lot of other characters bluntly spelling out actions and motivations with the subtly of an anvil. Meanwhile, the character of Anne Boleyn is not quite real sounding. Her maid keeps dosing her with poppy juice to help her sleep, and she drifts through the whole book as if drugged. All of the known characteristic – the humor, wit, and temper – are told rather than shown, making her a very unbelievable Anne Boleyn. However, for the past 500 years people have talked about how Anne Boleyn had something about her that was indescribable, so it’s understandable that yet another writer was unable to pin down just what is was about this woman that caused so much to happen.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less salacious than The Other Boleyn Girl, The Concubine also presents a fictionalized account of Anne Boleyn's rise to and fall from power. However, unlike TOBG, The Concubine focuses strictly on Anne; Mary Boleyn is a secondary (at best) character in the story.

There are several other differences between the two books as well. The Concubine, which nickname was given to Anne Boleyn by the Spanish Ambassador (a friend to Catharine of Aragon), is far more sympathetic to Anne; though still scheming somewhat, this Anne is far from of the virago she seems in The Other Boleyn Girl. In fact, she seems almost emotionally mute in this book, a woman whose mind and goals are a mystery not just to those around her, but also to the reader.
However, having read a number of other books that tell Anne's story (and not all of them by Philippa Gregory), it was nice to see a different side to Anne.

Here, Mary is older than Anne, and married to William Carey before Anne's initial meeting (from her perspective) with the king. Mary's also portrayed as somewhat simple - a good girl lead astray by the men in her life, rather than the practically beatified character she is in Boleyn Girl, the only innocent member of a family of sharks. Their uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, is barely a presence in The Concubine; the story belongs entirely to Anne.

(It does please me to report that Henry is still portrayed as something of a gross tyrant, and the book presents a reasonable explanation for his impressive weight gain.)

As to which story is more historically accurate, I can not say. Having read them both, I would tend to side with The Concubine, as it, despite its title, is infinitely less trashy than The Other Boleyn Girl.

[V.E. Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Concubine", published in 1963, is one of the first novels about Anne Boleyn that I ever read and, with the anniversary of her execution looming, I decided to read it again. The story starts in the early 1520s with Anne heartbroken over the end of her secret betrothal to Henry Percy. Emma Arnett, a fictional character who is an ardent reformist, is assigned to be a maid to Anne and, once her mistress has caught the fancy of the king, she is determined to see them wed in order to advance 'the cause' i.e. protestantism. Emma, initially portrayed as cunning and somewhat hard-hearted, is one of the best characters in the book as she is never meant to be sympathetic and yet we come to see her in that light, especially by the end once she has lost her faith and is weeping over the cruel end of her mistress. Anne herself is written very well, as neither a schemer nor a complete innocent, she is instead a bright, talented, capable woman who lost her true love and finds herself swept along on the tide of Henry VIII's fickle love, a tide we know will eventually turn against her. One of the aspects of the book I had forgotten was the addition of a stepmother for Anne, known only as 'Lady Bo'. Anne in fact did not have a stepmother, her own mother Elizabeth Boleyn outlived her, but the character is engaging and down to earth and makes a nice contrast to the high and mighty dukes, countesses and archbishops that litter the pages. There are various other small alterations to the accepted record of Anne's life but they all serve the overall narrative and are very easily overlooked. "The Concubine", even after fifty one years, remains a must read for all fans of Tudor fiction.

[Carolina Casas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best historical fiction on Anne Boleyn. She brings this tragic queen to life, you root and feel for her for the very end, and she writes the other characters very well.
My only nitpick is Lady 'Bo'. In this Elizabeth Boleyn nee Howard is dead so Thomas Boleyn is remarried to a woman of lesser birth than his first wife who is comically referred by George and Anne as 'Lady Bo'. In spite of this though, Lady Bo is a well rounded OC who does care for her stepchildren, mainly George and Anne who do not think ill of her either and enjoy her presence.
Anne comes off as a woman of her times but who is also determined, practical, and devoted mother when she gives birth to Elizabeth.
Lofts is one of the best novelists bringing the historical women to life.

[Darla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book about Anne Boleyn...written in 1965. Very interesting to read a less than contemporary view of Henry & Anne. Henry is much more complicit in the ultimate downfall of Anne than the more modern versions. And unlike contemporary novels, Ms. Lofts gives voice to Henry and Anne. She just creates their time together and makes it a much more fun read, and of course makes it further from the truth...but Ms. Lofts has a nice writing style, easy to read, good to while away the time. I'd recommend to fellow Tudor crazies, like me.

[Brenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished the Concubine last night and I have to say I was a bit disappointed, but perhaps unfairly so. When I first bought this book, I thought it would tell Anne's story from her perspective. Instead, it was more of a retelling of Henry and his "issues" regarding Catherine, himself, Jane, etc. The parts I truly enjoyed were when Anne made an appearance which wasn't as much as I would have liked. I think another reason I didn't enjoy this one as much is because it's like the 5th book I've read about the Tudors since April. I think I should start spacing these books out a bit more.

[❤Marie Gentilcore · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very good! I enjoyed that very much and now I am sad that I am done. I loved the portrayal of Anne Boleyn and the character Emma Arnett, Anne's maidservant. This is my first Norah Lofts book and it was a treat; all of the characters felt so real, not perfect, not 100% bad, but mixed as all of us humans are. By the end of the book I was so disgusted at Henry and Anne's dad, Thomas Boleyn and I ended up feeling sorry for poor Wolsey. It seemed all who loved Henry suffered. I look forward to reading more Norah Lofts novels as she brings history to life.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Concubine is definitely on my top 10 Tudor fiction list. I found Lofts' way of presenting such a well known historic tale refreshing and extremely interesting. The writing style delves into the minds of several characters and all of them are done very well. I can't recommend this book enough, a definite one to add to your reading list.

[Sara Giacalone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and well researched. After all the books on Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn that I've read, this one made me think about it in a new way, with new insight. Highly recommended!!

[Nancy Bilyeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly written look at the life of Anne Boleyn. Lofts is a preeminent historical novelist with beautiful description, fearless characterizations and astute psychological insights.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this telling of Anne Boylen and her tragic relationship with King Henry. She is usually portrayed as scheming and ambitious, but in this novel she came across as more realistic and sensible as she tried to protect her name and her reputation, which actually makes perfect sense. Her sister was referred to as "the great prostitute" after being his mistress, so it seems pretty reasonable that Anne would not want to follow in her sister's footsteps and become yet another cast off mistress of the king. She was portrayed as someone who was pretty much screwed either way: if she became the king's mistress her life and reputation would be over, if she refused and held her ground on refusing to be a mistress, she faced angering the king and being hated by the people as a usurper of the Queen's crown. What an awful position to be in! The only thing I didn't like was the lack of depth and detail at times. Major events were taking place at court, such as the execution of Bishop Fisher, and Thomas More's refusal to take the oath, but they were glossed over, or not even mentioned at all. Some characters just fell to the wayside while others were barely mentioned, and this may have been a little confusing to a reader who was not already familiar with Tudor history. But overall, it was very well written and, I felt, more historically accurate then many other Tudor novels that I've read.

[a mean gay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really fascinating approach to Anne Boleyn and I get why Lofts had such a reputation.

The good:

* Anne is, all things considered, portrayed well. She’s ambitious, she’s smart, she’s charming. At times she shows strain but she’s far from the manipulative brother fucker that other authors have turned her into.
* There’s lots of focus on the waiting period and less so the marriage. This is purely a personal preference thing but considering the insane hoops that were jumped through it’s intriguing to focus on that and less her being settled in.
* Henry’s portrayal is also quite fascinating. You see a certain... ugliness just at the corner of your eye for the majority of the story and then you’re left with realizing that it’s been much worse all along. There’s no pity or guilt. Just the entitlement of a man who’s always gotten his way. It’s chilling.

The bad:

* There’s some historical inaccuracies that are just very weird. Killing off Anne’s mom, the sixth finger thing, just little things like that. I understand that a part of this could just be a different understanding of history back in the day (we might have a good idea why Henry scrambled to have healthy children NOW but when this was originally published? Maybe not) but others are just iffy.
* This book is inconsistent in pacing and can make reading feel like a bit more of a chore at times. I was shocked when what I assumed to be a 600 page book was in the low 300s.