Plain Jane

Tudor Women Series #3

by Laurien Gardner

When she is granted a position at court as maid of honor to Queen Catherine, Henry VIII's aging wife, plain but brilliant Jane Seymour catches Henry's wandering eye and concocts a clever scheme to win both his heart and the crown. Original.

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

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 27, 2006

About the author

Laurien Gardner is the penname for the historical author Julianne Ardian Lee. Ms. Lee currently resides in Tennessee and maintains a very interesting blog (filled with wonderful thoughts and anecdotes) on livejournal. She has a website that seems to be up to date as well. Ms. Lee does not have a website for her penname.

Reviews

[Ice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Review of Plain Jane: A Novel of Jane Seymour

With the almost successive appearance of The Tudors series and The Other Boleyn Girl film, as well as the countless literature abound regarding the famous Henry the 8th and his intriguing lovelife, I couldn't help but wonder, as with the other phenomenon in pop culture, what makes these stories so appealing and interesting to so many people. [Read: Vampire Romance Literature] While I cannot speak for everyone else, I would have to say that for me part of the appeal lies in the fact that in these stories we deal with a man who actually lived, who had actually gone and changed the world's history and religion because of his love—or his lust. And while the lack of privy into his own thoughts and feelings may be a source of frustration for the avid historians and followers of court history, for those of us who profess no more than interest and fascination at a time and culture unknown to us, such gaps in history grant us some leeway, a space with which to craft our own understanding and fancies as to how the minds and hearts of people such as these could have interacted—what happened in between the lines of history, those things that could not be placed in words or numbers.
In the case of King Henry VIII's history, and faced with the complication of a man marrying six women and making love to countless others, I told myself there are three possible ways of looking at it:

Maybe, he had loved all of them. Is it possible? In other cultures, polygamy is allowed, although it is, of course, another matter entirely. But what of the degree of love? Was marriage--the institution he had dared to defy and alter to suit his purposes--just nothing more than a necessary procedure of law, a duty a king had to his people?
Should we believe then, that perhaps he had loved none of them at all? This would make it easy to overlook the women in his life, girls who were probably lucky enough to catch the eye of the most powerful man in the kingdom. This theory would also certainly cast a nice touch of tragic martyrdom on an otherwise tyrannical figure in history, who was maybe simply a lonely man, looking for a companion for his days, but disappointed again and again when he discovered that the allure of the throne may have been more the object of their love than his person.
And yet, the eternal mystery perhaps is this: what if he had loved only one of them? What if everyone before her was merely a mistake before he searched for qualities he had not yet known he wanted, and/or everyone after her merely a place in which he sought either the same which he had lost, or another thing entirely to draw away the solace of remembering? In here a greater mystery exists, especially for those who propose that there is only one true love for every person. If Henry VIII who swore six times in front of God to love, to honor and to cherish a different woman each time, had only one true love, who is it?

In bookstores, when I look at the selection of books on this bevy of mysteries, on the speculations of people on who this imposing yet elusive king really loved, I find myself congratulating them on being brave enough to hazard their opinion and fantasy on these stories in history. As for myself, I cannot even hazard a guess, and find myself swaying from time to time based on the stories I hear or read.

But I've taken too long to talk about the book. Plain Jane is the third in a series of books by Laurien Gardner on the lives of the Tudor Wives. Reviews for the previous two books (A Lady Raised High: A Novel of Anne Boleyn and The Spanish Bride: A Novel of Catherine of Aragon) show this latest book to be the favorite, followed closely by that of the famous Anne Boleyn.

This novel takes great pains to speak of the life of the little-known Jane Seymour, especially before and during her arrival at court, first for Catherine of Aragon and later on for the shrewish Anne Boleyn. Learning at an early age of her parents' acknowledgement of her plainness and hearing of their despair regarding her future because of this situation affects Jane's disposition throughout her life. She constantly muses about this and wraps herself in pity, especially in moments when evidence seems to present itself to the contrary. We hear of a first love—that is perhaps not so much love after all—as she grows in her family's estate and eventually leaves it to become lady-in-waiting for the two practically reigning queens. The descriptions of court life and the intricacies and complications of royal intrigue, where the slightest glance or spoken word could mean ill or good fortune, was very convincingly shown, and I found myself more than once enjoying not just the story, but the deep understanding of human interaction framed by the reigning social structure and circumstances, which I felt spoke more of the period than any historical fact or material detail that was shown. While serving as Anne's lady-in-waiting after the Dowager Catherine's removal from court, Jane becomes witness to the spirited fits of rage of a girl who relied and believed too much in her beauty and the power it afforded her, as she copes with the demands of an heir for the throne and the knowledge that at any instant her husband may be in the arms of another woman. The character of Anne is dealt with not in a straightforward way, which I appreciated. As lady-in-waiting and queen-prospect, and someone who never had the advantages of beauty that rival had, Jane is at times quick to believe that all fault and accusations against Anne are true. It takes the intervention of other characters, and Jane's putting on Anne's shoes herself, to allow her to grant sympathy to the unfortunately beautiful girl. (On other occassions, she says rather than feels or shows this sympathy, maybe because it is too much at that point to ask her to feel kindred spirit with a woman she believes so different from her in 'looks and temperament'.) The latter part of the story show courtship of Henry and Jane in a solid, if slightly bland light. The story ends with the birth of Henry's only male heir, Edward and, soon after, the death of Her Majesty, Jane Regina.

While I am not an expert on the history of the Tudors and Henry's court, what few bits of information I found on my dabbling on the web seemed to fit perfectly with the story portrayed. The author herself admitted to basing much of the information in the book on an actual account by a member of the Seymour family, although taking liberty with a percieved romance with Thomas Wyatt of Anne Boleyn's court. As a piece of historical fiction, and especially historical romance, it won't irk those who are sticklers for details, and it has enough romance in it to satisfy those who are probably not as interested in the historical background as they are with with the appeal of court romance in itself.
I cannot just yet compare the language and tone of this book with others in its series to gauge whether the author took conscious effort to alter the voice of the narration, but I felt that the voice of Jane is very convincingly used throughout the book, believeable to the extent that even though the reader may not often agree with her thoughts and opinions, he or she would feel persuaded to let the story run its course and let the protagonist with whatever course of action she chooses. The problem with this is that sometimes, especially with pivotal moments or shows of emotion, the feeling or thought is said, rather than shown. I have read other reviews which begged for proof of Jane's cleverness and intelligence, which was stated but never demonstrated, and while I myself am usually not demanding about these details, I had to wonder as well how to confirm this, especially in certain occassions where Jane's virtue—no matter how pure it was—seemed to unnecessarily bar her from understanding things which are very plain to the reader, and almost all other characters in the book. Not everyone succeeds in pulling of ignorance/obliviousness in the protagonist and not risking some readers losing sympathy for her.
Others yet complain that Jane moaned in self-pity and consciousness of her plainness too much, and this perhaps diminished the appeal of her character as the heroine in the book. I cannot dispute this fact too much, although I would have to say that to an extent, such musings are not entirely impossible, nor that they may occupy someone's mind that much—more so in an environment like that of 16th century England, where women's worth lay on nothing more than her beauty, title and wealth. I was, however, not entirely convinced that the knowledge of her lack of beauty was a compelling enough reason for her to breed the ambition she supposedly had. Even more troublesome was how this 'ambition' was shown and handled in the story. At times she seems to be resolute in what she wants, but when confronted with the possibility of marrying the King of England, she shows a mixed reaction: a reluctance to take it alongside a hunger. This may exist, that is true, and naturally the mind is not black and white and people must be allowed their complications. However, in a book that mostly allows us to view Jane and her musings, ther innermost thoughts and insecurities, mismatches between what she things and what she says make it hard to bridge the gap beyond the complexity of the mind. But nevermind that, I guess my greatest confusion lies in the love story in itself.
I admit, it took a while to develop, and I am usually not that patient with a professed love story. I gave in this time, however, first, because I knew it had to follow the course of history and also because I had come to enjoy hearing about Jane's story enough not to mind the pace at which the romance was unfolded. Portraying a man of Henry's complication and mystery is sure to be a challenge, and Gardner manages to pull of an endearing and perhaps even lovable man, who is, as we anticipated, mostly lonely and worn down with the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders. But the way with which he disposes of his previous wives—either the naivety or deliberate deceit with which he washes his hands of them by laying the blame on the women is just....I don't even know exactly how to express how I feel about it. I found myself believing his love for Jane less and less as their courtship progressed, more so because most of the proof we find are words, interpretations not backed by believable actions, or actions that are seemingly contrived and placed deliberately without the momentum or harmony with the rest of the romance. I wanted to believe he loved her, I really did, but when I realized I was forcing myself to believe it at certain points, I lost the drive to. Come to that, I really wonder if she loved him, too. Much of her earlier attachment and attraction had been to the man of greatness and power she saw in him and she had to say at several points that she 'saw him as a man,' perhaps more to convince the reader—and even herself—of her own feelings.
I'll stop at this because I may be overanalyzing and I do not want to say that I did not enjoy the book despite my difficulties with certain aspects of it. It is an entirely good read and a great way to learn about the life and loves of Henry VIII. Maybe I'll try reading the other books in the series, too. 3.5 stars out of 5. :)

That being said, reading the book and doing scant research on Jane Seymour is leading me to believe that Henry may have really loved her. Not just because he married her and made her queen despite her 'plain'-ness but because of the way that their love ended—not through her own undoing or the shrewish plans of another, but through cruel trick of nature or of God. When she died, Henry refused to get married, mourning for three years and even engaging in the embroidery he knew he loved.

I'm just guessing and using poetic license at this point, at others have before me; but whether in book or in real life, I find myself wishing, for no one's sake but for the seeming rightness of it, that if Henry did truly love only one of his wives, I'd want it to be Jane Seymour.

[Lauren - Find me on Fable! · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to rate this higher, I really did. It is said that Jane was the wife that Henry truly loved. She was the only one who died a Queen and the only one who gave him the prince he so desired. I thought it would be really interested to learn more about Jane and her marriage to Henry. Unfortunately, about 2/3rds of the book was actually Jane in the court of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. My annoyance, I think, came more from the fact that Jane was hardly mentioned in A Lady Raised High (about Anne Boleyn, by the same "author") and I don't remember if she was mentioned in The Spanish Bride (about Catherine of Aragon by the same "author").
My other annoyance was that this book was told from the perspective of Jane. While that seems to be an odd annoyance, it made the book not fit into the series with the other two books. Catherine's story was told by her friend and maid of honor Estrella, and Anne's story was told through the eyes of Frances. And all the sudden Jane's story was told through the eyes of...Jane?
***Possible Spoilers***
It seems like I might be unnecessarily harsh, but after reading A Lady Raised High and enjoying it, I felt like Plain Jane was a letdown. It didn't seem to fit the style of the other two books in the series, and I felt like the author spent majority of the time talking about Catherine and Anne, and not so much about Jane. Jane's marriage to Henry was condensed into the end of the book, and consequently rushed through. All the sudden they're married, she's not pregnant, then they've been married for 6 months already? The only exciting part of the marriage was when Henry yelled at Jane about her meddling in the atrocities she heard about against religious houses. And then she accepted his wrath and that was it and all the sudden she's pregnant and then she's giving birth, the prince is born, christened and then Jane dies. What?
Yes, I KNOW she died. But seriously, it was like an afterthought. Oh shit, we spent majority of the book talking about Catherine & Anne even though they already had books written about them IN THIS SERIES, we might want to focus on the actual subject of the book. Oops!
My Google-fu told me that Laurien Gardner is a pen-name but that it's a collective effort by multiple authors. Google claims this book was written by Sarah Hoyt. Google-fu is telling me that The Spanish Bride was written by Juliette Ardian Lee. After I finished A Lady Raised High (Google-fu tells me that novel was written by Jennifer Ashley/aka Allyson James/aka Ashley Gardner), I had hoped that there would be novels about Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr but at this point I'm guessing there won't be, and I don't really care if there is.
I enjoyed reading the book but I just don't think it was as good as I thought it would be. A Lady Raised High is by far the best of this series on Henry VII's wives.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Seymour followed Anne Boleyn as the wife of King Henry VIII and the Queen of England. Apparently, not much has been written of her on her own - her story seems mostly to be a detail of Anne's fall, but seldom one that is told in its own right. Plain Jane puts Anne Boleyn's fall in the background (Anne's trial, imprisonment, and death all happen off-screen, as it were), bringing Jane to the forefront of her own story.
Some would see this as overdue for a Queen of England, the one who finally gave Henry the son who so urgently needed. However, though the book attempts to present Jane as a pious, intelligent woman, rather than the insipid cipher she appears in The Other Boleyn Girl I think the author overdoes the 'simple' facet of Jane's nature. Although Jane is intelligent and even has several keen insights when we're privy to her own thoughts, in conversation with others, particularly her brother, she comes across not so much as naive and/or inexperienced, as she does slow. Repeatedly, her brother has to explain the king's interest in her. Yes, she was humble, and believed she was plain, sure, yet, even after the King sends her an expensive gift - and not a jewel or anything that has value simply in and of itself, but a miniature portrait of himself - which is not at all the first time he expressed himself to her in some fashion, she does not believe he is interested. In fact, even on the day of their betrothal, she's half convinced he isn't going to come.
Since the reader knows how the story will end, not just from his/her own knowledge but because the author decides to start the story with Jane dying, the King at her side, this naiveté is not just unbelievable, it's irritating.
That aside, though there is a lot of that, the book does a good job of telling Jane Seymour's story as her own, of not just stating that she was the opposite of Anne Boleyn (who seems like right bitch the more I read about her), but showing how that personality that was so different from Anne's influenced her relationship with Henry and her brief reign as Queen.
I will say, though, after reading now 4 novels about the wives of Henry VIII, I would like for 1, just 1, to have a happy ending.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so little books out there regarding Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, so I was thrilled when I found this book and thankfully the author did not disappoint. Although the book is fiction, the author did base her book on historical facts the best she could as she explains in the Author's Afterword. I have read reviews where it said the author focused a bit too much on Jane's plainness, constantly reminding the reader of it, and although I agree to some extent, I did not find it distracting as some other readers did. It was how Jane viewed herself within this story and to remind the reader helped understand Jane's thoughts and feelings in that particular moment.

I wish there had been more moments between her and the king, as her love for him wasn't as convincing otherwise. It was the first book I've read where the king was actually written quite sympathetic and it was the first time I actually really liked him as a character, which was a nice change.

My biggest disappointment is that the author decided to tweak history by leaving out Anne Stanhope, the wife of the Queen's brother, Edward, and instead chose to keep him married to his first wife throughout the book. They were already divorced and he remarried to Anne during the main events of the books. Being most interested in Edward and Anne Seymour, her slight is where my only disappointment comes from. However, any other reader not as invested in those secondary historical characters, won't even notice or care.

All in all I LOVED this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes fiction set in the Tudor times around Henry VIII and his wives. I devoured it all in only three days and if I hadn't had to work it would of been much sooner.

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plain Jane by Laurien Gardner

Genre: Historical Fiction

Queen Jane Seymour is one of the lesser known Queens of King Henry VIII and most certainly one of the least written about. Plain Jane by Laurien Gardner is the first book that I have read about Queen Jane and it did not disappoint.

The story begins at Wolf Hall, the family home of the Seymour's and we are introduced to Jane as a child. Her parents do not think that there are any prospects for Jane to find a husband and expect they will send her to a nunnery, because she is so plain. When the unlikely invitation is extended for Jane to join the court of Queen Catherine a chain of events are set off ultimately bringing her to the role of Queen.

This novel brings the reader through the reigns of Queen Catherine, Queen Anne, and then Queen Jane. What I found interesting is that these events are seen from the perspective of Jane where as most other books show these events from Anne's or Catherine's perspective. Much of the early portion of Jane's life is fictionalized, as not much is know about her before becoming Queen.

Overall, I found this author to be a very engaging writer. I would say that the writer's style is somewhat similar to Philippa Gregory. The characters are very well developed and the story flows convincingly through the years. I would recommend this to any one who want to know more of the story about Queen Jane Seymour.

4 out of 5 stars.

[Empress5150 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read quite a few books about The Tudors and, although I'm not an expert per se, I have learned a lot about them. The majority of these books have been non-fiction but I do take a romp through the historical fiction from time to time. And, lately it seems there has been a run to jump onto The Tudor band wagon. Case in point this relatively new historical fiction series by Laurien Gardner with each book in the series dedicated to one of Henry VIII's six wives.

"Plain Jane" is about his 3rd wife, Jane Seymour. I lost count of how many times Jane (or others) referred to herself as "plain" (I suppose the author wanted to reinforce what she'd named her book) and found it a bit rather like cheating when I read in the author's afterward that her sources for the book had been better written non-fiction books about The Tudors (all of which I'd read). Maybe I was disappointed that I hadn't thought about writing such a series; certainly, I have enough Tudor trivia floating around in my head!

Anyway, the bottom line is; I picked this book up in a used book store while in FL. It was readable enough but, frankly, a bit silly. Not QUITE a bodice buster; more like a Barbara Cartland romance, but, definitely written for those who are looking for a romantic tale.

I guess I need to stop reading these fictionalized accounts because, in the end, they just get on my nerves!

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this was a very enjoyable book to read. I liked learning more about Jane Seymour and how she fit into history. Althought she was considered plain and was said to have no physical beauty, the author showed her to be a very kind, gentle, and loving person.

Reading this novel, I found that Jane was attractive to King Henry not because of her beauty, but because she was kind and loving. She did not throw temper tantrums, as Queen Anne has been depicted, and she was not stubborn on foreign policy as Queen Catherine has been depicted. She truly loved King Henry and was willing to serve an obey. Hse was a dutiful wife and companion. She was also able to achieve what not other queen before and after her were able to do. She was able to provide a Prince for England.

There is not much written about Jane Seymour due to the fact that she queen for only a short time. But she was magnificent woman in English history. From reading this book, I would like to think that she the most loved by King Henry than any of his other wives. She was kind and loving and I believe that Henry was able to see past her plainness to see what a wonderful woman she was.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novel of Jane Seymour, third wife of King Henry VIII of England, and is the second I've read by Laurien Gardner. The first, A LADY RAISED HIGH, was of Anne Boleyn.

I have struggled to find historical fiction about Jane Seymour, who seems to be Henry Tudor's most oft-forgotten wife, even though she was the only one who gave him the male heir he so craved.

It is not as gripping, and doesnt appear to be as well-researched and certainly isnt as well-written as A LADY RAISED HIGH. It is as if the two novels are reflections of the queens themselves: Anne the most striking, interesting, and clever of all of King Henry's wives, whilst Jane quiet, dull and particularly un-striking.

With few other novels to chose from and compare to, I wont be too picky. I did enjoy this book, because I really wanted to consider what life may have been like for Jane Seymour, and PLAIN JANE allowed me to be swallowed into her (possible) world for a while.

I recommend this to all those interested in Tudor history, and also to those readers who enjoy romance stories.

[Meaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a novelty to read a book about Jane Seymour -- of all of Henry's wives, perhaps excepting Catherine Howard, Jane is the least written about. This novel was reasonably well done and historically accurate. I think it could have been better, however. It was extremely repetitious. Several times in every chapter it was noted that Jane was plain, Jane lacked beauty, Jane had buggy eyes, no man could ever be attracted to Jane. It got old. And Jane herself was a little too clueless to be credible. She practically Forrest Gumped her way onto the throne. I highly doubt it worked out that way in real life.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book quite abit. I am not that familiar with Jane Seymour other than that she was the 3rd wife of Henry VIII-gave him his only living son, Edward and that supposedly she was the only wife he ever really loved.
I have to say while the novel was engrossing on many levels-Jane is somewhat boring. She is kind of like the oldest child who always does exactly what is expected of them. I did not know that she was considered plain and not very attractive. It was interesting to see her perceptions as a lady in waiting to Katherine of Aragon with Anne Boleyn and her perspective on the whole Henry and Anne fiasco.

[Heather Domin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the first novel I've ever read that didn't paint Jane Seymour as 1) a vapid puppet, 2) a lifeless Stepford Queen, or 3) a backstabber playing coy to get into the royal hose. I liked the way she was developed, relatable and sympathetic but with enough flaws to keep her human. That goes for Henry too -- it's hard to do Henry VIII without going cartoonish and bombastic, so kudos to Gardner for avoiding that trap. The writing was clear and swift (though the affection for sentence fragments threw me off sometimes) and matched the story nicely. I'll definitely look up Gardner's other Tudor books.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It covers a queen that I haven't read much about; so, I liked the new information as well as the reappearance of familar bits from my studies of Henry VIII.

I thought the author did a wonderful job at developing an indepth character and her motivations. I liked how she portrayed Henry and his first and second wives. Overall, it was an entertaining and enlightening read. I especially the emphasis on how our perception of our life is sometimes vastly different than others' memories of the same time and events.

[Ashlee Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was very good! There really aren't very many books from the point of view of Jane Seymour. Her story needs to be heard. She is the only wife of Henry VIII that actually managed to give him a son that lived into his teens (and eventually became king, although not for very long). I was going to give the book a four star rating, but since it was creative and gave a new point of view to the Henry VIII saga, I gave it a five star rating!

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read for me. I think it got off to a rough start but it did improve and this is definitely my favourite of the Laurien Gardner collection. I just find these books so bland and forgettable, and nothing about them spark any kind of excitement in me. It's so hard to find decent books about Jane Seymour and unfortunately this was not one of them.

[Mary-Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the title of this novel I was both excited and irritated at the same time. Why must we call her plain, constantly? Surely, there is another word in the English language that would do! Nevertheless the excitement won out and I dove straight into a surprisingly detailed account of the life of Jane Seymour. I was surprised to find Jane a young woman, still living at home with her parents, before her life at court had begun. Though sadly, Jane’s life is plagued by worry about her plainness and that she will not be able to make a good marriage for herself or for the benefit of her family. She craves approval and understanding and just to be noticed.

Jane’s life does make a brief upswing when she meets a young man, William Dormer. He feels as awkward in life as Jane feels unwanted. The two form a close friendship based in this mutual understanding of one another and just as the two are on the verge of friendship blossoming into love and a promise of a marriage that few women of the Tudor era could hope for, a love match. Jane’s cousin, Sir Francis Bryan, tries to intercede for the pair, but Jane is bitterly disappointed when she learns that the Dormer’s have higher aspirations for their son. Her hopes of happiness and her friendship with Dormer is over as quickly as it began and again Jane is left hopeless that her plainness will forever doom her to an unhappy, unfulfilling life.

To console his cousin and raise her spirits Sir Francis secures a place at court for Jane, as maid of honor position to Queen Katherine. For the first time in her life Jane is exposed to life beyond her family home and into the larger than life Tudor court. No sooner than she arrives she finds herself in the midst of the standoff between Queen Catherine and Anne Boleyn. Jane also notices that King Henry seems weary of the constant bickering of the two factions. Jane hopes that someone gives him comfort. In truth, Jane sees a kindred spirit, a man living a life that seems to afford no comfort; forgetting that it was Henry himself that created the situation, but here for the first time the reader sees the beginnings of what would later blossom into a relationship and a marriage between Jane and her King.

The factions at the Tudor court forever trying to out maneuver one another finds Jane commanded by her brother to join the court growing around Anne. Jane, who feels she is sworn loyalty to Queen Catherine, is further disenchanted with Anne and those who surround her always looking for someone to make them feel higher and mightier. Jane isn’t the only focus of cruel mockery, as Jane Rochford would also complain of forever feeling on the outside and unwanted even there.

It is in this volatile environment that Jane’s feelings for King Henry reignite and to her surprise are returned. Gardner certainly crafts a narrative of a relationship that in time becomes a loving one for both Jane and Henry. Of course, many will argue that Henry wanted a woman who was the exact opposite of Anne and certainly he found one, but wouldn’t that also include a woman who possessed a caring, giving and understanding heart? I have always thought, and as Gardner describes, that in Jane Henry finds a woman suited for him. Not the fiery and proud Catherine or the vain and volatile Anne. In Jane Henry found someone that wanted to ease his suffering, to be a comfort and in truth to just be a wife. Therefore, I have never been surprised that after Jane delivered Prince Edward, his longed for son and heir, that she claimed a place in his heart no one would ever rival. The real tragedy is that Jane succumbed to childbed fever and took with her all the possibilities that a future life with her in it held. Many will say that God took her before she wore out her welcome and the axe claimed her, but this reader, and Gardner both believe life in England would have been a very different place had she lived. Without a doubt until his death Henry would forever recall her as his most beloved wife and it was Jane to whom he was buried beside.

I would recommend Laurien Gardener’s Plain Jane because it takes the stance that the marriage between King Henry and Jane was a loving one. Jane also takes great pains to bring both Mary and Elizabeth to court and seems to have had close relationships with both of them. Jane was successful in rehabilitating Lady Mary, at least in part, with her father. If one takes a moment to ponder all the good Jane could have done for so many; her untimely death seems one of the most tragic ends in a reign full of so many.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been looking for a while for a good novel about Jane Seymour, which was no easy task considering (to the extent of my - meaning Wikipedia's - knowledge) only three novels feature her as the main character: Carolly Erickson's The Favoured Queen; Diane Haeger's I, Jane; and Laurien Gardner's Plain Jane. My past experience with Erickson's work (I borrowed a copy of her novel The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots from my college library freshman year and have regretted it ever since - let's just say the emphasis was on the fiction part of "historical fiction" rather than the historical part) made me more than a little wary of picking up another of her books. So that left I, Jane and Plain Jane. I read Haeger first (and wished I hadn't; those interested in why can find my review here). At this point, I was despairing of finding anything that does Jane Seymour's story justice. And then I started Plain Jane. Quite simply, it is the novel of Jane Seymour I've been searching for. Well written, mostly historically accurate (I'm willing to forgive the invented romance with Thomas Wyatt, because it felt natural with the story and not totally inconceivable, unlike Haeger's Jane-went-to-France-with-Mary-Tudor's-Retinue thing, though there were a few more unforgivable inaccuracies, discussed below), well-rounded principal characters (though Anne Boleyn, who, despite her part in Jane's story, is really not all that much of a central character, once again comes off as the shrill harpy, but she's nowhere near as bad as Haeger's Anne, who's a total witch, so I'll forgive it), and good pacing.

Despite all this, I wavered for a while over whether to give this book 4 stars or 5. In the end, I had to choose 4, because there were three major historical inaccuracies that were (at least to me) so obvious and so unbelievable that I couldn't let them slide. They are:

1. Catherine Filliol, Edward Seymour's wife. Gardner presents Edward and Catherine as still (happily?) married at the time Jane and Henry begin courting in earnest in 1536 - they take up residency with her in the apartments Henry provided the Seymours so he could court Jane and supervise their courtship. There's just one small problem: Edward Seymour had separated from Catherine sometime in the early 1530s (allegedly because she had an affair with her father-in-law, though this was never proved) and remarried in 1535 to a woman named Anne Stanhope. Gardner writes Stanhope out of the story entirely.

2. Jane's Confinement and Edward's Birth. Oh, lordy, where do I start with this one? For starters, in Tudor times (hell, even before) men were not allowed in the confinement chamber. Ever. A screen had to be set up just so a priest could come in and pray with the expectant mother without her seeing him and vice versa. Husbands would occasionally sneak in, but there is no way Henry would be sleeping in there every night with Jane, as Gardner portrays it. Henry and Jane would have been largely isolated from each other until at least the birth, if not several weeks after, when Jane would have been churched (which plays into Historical Inaccuracy #3). Which brings me to problem number two: no way in hell would all of those men - and yes, that includes Henry and Jane's brothers - been allowed in to watch Jane give birth. Again, there was that "no men in the confinement chamber" thing. They would have been waiting outside, with the rest of the court, for the midwife or one of Jane's ladies to bring them the news.

3. Jane Attending the Baptism. While Jane would have had a role in the larger pageant of Edward's baptism, she would not have attended the actual thing. A newly delivered mother was not allowed to leave the confinement chamber until she was churched, six weeks after the birth - and yes, that included for the baptism. The procession for Edward's baptism would have formed in the Queen's Apartments (where Jane would have received guests in bed); afterwards, he would have been brought back to his parents in the Queen's Apartments to be blessed. But neither Henry nor Jane would have attended the actual baptism.

These three things aside, though, I very much enjoyed this book. Those who are seeking a good, well-written novel of Jane Seymour would do well to read Plain Jane.

[Stacie (MagicOfBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this is the first book I've read that was all about Jane Seymour. Poor Jane is always pushed back in pretty much every Tudor book I've read. It's about time Jane gets to shine! The book, though, still felt all about Anne Boleyn. I don't know...just difficult to explain why I feel that way. Jane starts her lady-in-waiting thing with Catherine of Aragon, then proceeds to serve under Anne. I kind of felt like I was just having a recap of "The Tudors" or something, just told through Jane's eyes.

The reason behind the lack of Jane in fiction, I think, has always had to do with the lack of knowledge about her and her lack of personality. Jane has always been known as the meek, obedient, and loyal wife of Henry VIII. Whereas Anne is all spunk and personality and she can be interpreted dozens of different ways. Jane just seems the same---always consistent in her characterization. To be honest, the only times over the course of the novel that I found Jane interesting was the very beginning when she's a child, then when she meets William Dormer, then right near the end when she's urging Henry to reconcile with Mary, and then finally when the two Basset sisters come to serve her but she only picks the less prettier of the two thinking that Henry will not like her. That's it. Jane, sadly, just comes across as boring the rest of the novel. It's not that I dislike Jane, it's just that she never really does anything interesting because she's always afraid to act.

I did love the ending with Jane, in her delusional state, seeing Anne's spirit. Anne, as she kept doing through the novel, always taunted Jane, and even as a spirit she taunts Jane, but Jane has the last say by saying that she at least gave the king what Anne never did---a son. The ending very poignant, but also somewhat said, because we all know that Edward lives to only be king for a short while and it's Mary and Elizabeth who rule after him. But Jane still gets to die in the belief that she achieved what the queens before her could not do. And Jane dies believing that the king truly loved her, and she's able to finally realize who she is without the stain of "plain Jane" forever haunting her.

I did still really like the novel, though. If you're looking to get away from the overload of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, this might just be the thing for you.

[Rachel Swords · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the vast world of Tudors fiction, it's safe to say there's not a lot written about Jane Seymour in comparison to her fellow queens. Historically, this is because there is not a lot about Jane Seymour on record. We don't know how old she was when she died, for example, or much about her upbringing beyond her relationship with the Dormers. Henceforth, anyone choosing to write about Henry VIII's third queen has a bit of a challenge on their hands.

Luckily for historical fiction lovers/Tudors fans everywhere, Laurien Gardner has stepped up to the plate and delivered "Plain Jane," a book all about Jane and largely from her point of view. In fact, the way the book is written, even though we the reader know the outcome, we're so much in Jane's head that when Henry comes a-courtin', it's a surprise to us too. The main theme of the story is that from birth, Jane has been told she is plain and has no real chance of making a good marriage because of this. This is the book's one real fault: this idea gets bashed over the reader's head. Slightly annoying.

The rest of the story pretty much follows what we know: Jane goes to court to serve as a lady-in-waiting, first to Catherine of Aragon, then Anne Boleyn. I applaud Gardner for not succumbing to temptation and making Anne a complete witch to show Jane in the better light, as some writers might have done (looking at you, Philippa Gregory). In fact, later in the story, Jane comes to empathize with Anne, which I don't believe has been done before.

Anyhow, there are a few minor historical errors in the story, and that's to be expected with Tudor fiction, but otherwise this is a pretty good read.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Seymour was the third wife of Henry VIII, and the one most ignored by historical fiction writers. In Plain Jane, Laurien Gardner rectifies that situation. The result is a rather simplistic picture of Jane's time at court as lady in waiting to Henry's first and second wives, and of her brief marriage during which she gave birth to the long awaited heir. Because Jane died shortly after producing the prince, we'll never know how this third marriage would have fared.

Gardner does a creditable job trying to fill in the blanks that comprise Jane's biography, and the basic facts in her telling of events seem accurate. The plot is straightforward, and dialogue is realistic and free from glaring anachronism. Where this book falls short is in its characterizations of the main players. Anne Boleyn is the consummate other woman, selfish, arrogant, and demanding, with no redeeming features. Henry is an overgrown child, selfish, judgmental and petulant. As for Jane, it's difficult to believe she could have risen so far had she been as simple and insecure as portrayed; hardly a page can be turned without her constant ruminations on her "plainness", and she spends a full two thirds of the story huddling in one corner or another, embroidering, while all the other courtiers make merry around her. The exception to this pattern occurs after the royal marriage, when Jane begins to wonder whether she will be able to escape the fates of her predecessors, because although Henry proclaims his devotion to her, he still shows his vindictive side. Toward the end, she feels a sense of sisterhood with Katherine and Anne.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a generally enjoyable read despite being a poor representation of life in the 1500s. The plot was steady, though not engrossing. Jane was likable, if too given to repeating herself about her feelings, especially about her looks and men (a common characteristic of romance novels, I've found). I never bought into her being in love with King Henry. She repeatedly described him as fat and acting like a spoiled child, and even though she was awed by him, the transition from awe to love was not fleshed out.

I found Henry's character generally sympathetic, which is unusual, but I didn't buy into him being kind and loving. Maybe it's because I know what will happen in the future, but a man who executes his wives for not bearing him sons isn't exactly romance novel material. Luckily, this novel doesn't describe sex except in broad terms like "passionate." I'm glad, because the thought of Henry VIII in a bodice ripper turns my stomach.

[Kylie Hood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the perspective on Henry's least known wives. However I thought the character plot development was lacking. Jane seemed oblivious without motive and religious without discussion of faith and the transition from the Catholic Church. She was the most loved of her wives but I kept waiting for moments where she revealed her character in earnest...not just how we viewed her. Where was the love story? Where was the action. I love that it went over her life before she historically came on scene but I still didn't get to know her...only the mirrored reflections of others towards her. I loved that there was a book on her...but something was missing...it was too slow...too fast....the book didn't have a reasonable cadence to make you fall for her. She was a remarkable character who's story remains untold I didn't wholly dislike the book so the three star remains but I'm saddened because it could have been so much better
.

[Sara Nowlin-Edens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plain Jane, written by Laurien Gardner, is a rare view at Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII. She isn't a beauty in the traditional sense like Anne Boleyn. Gardner present Seymour as a woman with an inner beauty determined not to be beheaded or be set aside as her predecessors were. Although Jane is one of the lesser-known wives, she is important in that she was the only wife to successfully bring a son, an heir, to the monarchy. Gardner brings us a story that gives Jane substance and gives the reader appreciation for this little-known queen. She is quiet, obedient, and faithful. She does stand up to the king, but in a quiet way unlike her predecessors. Jane's death, so soon after Edward is born, is treated with empathy and is given a dignity that Jane so richly deserves. Well done, Laurien Gardner.

NOTE: This book was purchased with my own funds.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I'm being a bit generous with giving this 2 stars, and it's only because of my devout Tudor obsession that I am doing so.

I've never read any book that is told from the point of view of Jane Seymour, and probably with good reason - she is boring. This novel brought forth no personality for Jane, and her constant childlike behavior when Henry started falling for her was a bit ridiculous. Though all novels always describe her as plain and bland, I was really hoping for some hint of a real person when told from her viewpoint. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here at all.

I really enjoyed the other book I've read from this author, so I'm thinking Jane Seymour just can't hold a plot by herself.

[Stephanie Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic novel about Jane Seymour's life - from her time before she went to court, to the point of her death as King Henry VIII's most beloved Queen. This book offers a really good look at Jane's character, her opinions, and her kind heart - in contrast to Anne Boleyn, who is portrayed in this novel to be a nasty, harsh woman. I find Jane Seymour to be one of the most interesting of Henry's wives, but also one of the ones I know the least about, so I was glad to find this book and see her life fictionalized and brought to life in this easy-to-read and entertaining novel. I was very pleased with it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Tudor fiction, even if you find Jane dull. I guarantee you will have a higher opinion of her after reading this novel!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like historical fiction, but I'm starting to wonder if 75% of historical fiction is during or around Henry VIII to Elizabeth I. This was from the perspective of Jane Seymour, the least notorious & probably most ignored Queen out of the 6, & I felt like the author had to do serious plot gymnastics to make her character above the worldliness & pettiness of the court. Also, the King comes out looking like a monster-sized spoiled infant with "moist" hands (multiple uses of the word). Maybe I'm just annoyed by Queen Jane's utter commitment to be the perfect image of a subservient wife. Not that it did her much good, & apparently Henry missed having a sexy party girl, as he set his heart on another one of them, possibly before his pure, virtuous, submissive Queen Jane was in her grave.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is about Jane Seymour, who seldom the main subject of historical fiction despite having been one of Henry VIII's wives and the successor of Anne Boleyn. Gardner portrays Jane as a very intelligent, kind, and sensible woman who is very much aware of her lack of physical beauty. The difference between Jane (plain, perceptive, modest, quiet, smart) and Anne Boleyn (beautiful, clever, alluring, proud, ambitious) is very much at the thematic center of the novel. At times, I though Gardner was a little heavy-handed with the unnoticed ugly duckling triumphs through true character side of the story.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed in the beginning - I felt that I didn't have any clear idea on who Jane really was, except that she was so defined by her plainness that she didn't have a personality.

As the story progressed, I began to respect Jane's character more, as she actually seemed to find a personality. Though I don't like the portrayal of Anne Boleyn, I can certainly see how, through Jane's eyes, she might have appeared more callous and cruel than she perhaps really was.

A decent story on the queen who is often given the least attention of them all, though she was the only one who gave Henry a son.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading books from the Tudor period especially those written in the first person. This is the first book I have read from Jane Seymour's perspective.

The book was an easy read and provided a great narrative of what may have been going through Jane's mind across this period of history from the emergence of Anne Boleyn to Jane's death.

It would have been good to have more narrative around the years Jane was Queen and the rise of the Seymour family. I realise the marriage was brief but it seemed to be dealt with very quickly in the last few chapters.

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another book I've marked as "read", but I only read half of it, and then stopped. It is boring and slow-moving. I can't believe I read even half. I kept trying to slog through, thinking, "I should LIKE this book. It's the exact time period and type of historical fiction I USUALLY like." BUT. When cleaning through my books in order to pack for my move, I just took the bookmark out and put it in the box for books to give away.