Six Tudor Queens: Katharine Parr, The Sixth Wife: Six Tudor Queens 6

The best out of the 6 queens. Very well written and informative. Will gladly look into more books by the same author

Already had the five previous books and thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Two husbands dead, a boy and a sick man. And now Katharine is free to make her own choice. The ageing King’s eye falls upon her. She cannot refuse him or betray that she wanted another. She becomes the sixth wife – a queen and a friend. Henry loves and trusts her. But Katharine is hiding another secret in her heart, a deeply held faith that could see her burn.Here we have it then, the final book in Weir’s exquisite ‘Six Tudor Queens’ series. We all knew it was coming but that does not mean it is any easier to bid the series farewell. It is one of my favourite series and takes pride of place on my shelves, not least because they are such beautiful books!This is the story of Katharine Parr, the wife who survived. I was eagerly anticipating getting stuck into this and I did eventually but it took me a little longer than I expected. I cannot specify why but there is something about this that did not quite gel and the flow of the book did not seem natural. That is my only negative in this otherwise wonderful read and I did get used to the style.Weir really does capture the Tudor period splendidly. The atmosphere and people are brought vividly to life and I just loved immersing myself in the Tudor world. With historical fiction it is always great to read the dialogue and see how authors interpret they might have spoken, with this instalment in particular, it felt like an insight into the hearts and minds of the people Weir writes about.We all know the story of Katharine Parr but Weir adds a touch of fiction to her life story and brings it to life. I loved reading about Katharine and those around her. We all know the ending and yet I still felt nervous about what would happen next and what the outcome would be, a sign of a great historical novel in my eyes.‘Katharine Parr’ brings us the last in this stunning historical fiction series. Whilst this was not my favourite of the series, it is still a really enjoyable read and one that is exceptionally crafted. I would expect nothing less from Weir.Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy.

Excellent book. I've read up on Catherine Parr and she was the one Queen, apart from Katherine of Aragon, that I felt had the roughest deal. She survived mass murderer Henry V111 only to fall in love with a cad who betrayed her. Such a sad story - well written by Alison Weir.

A widow twice over, Katharine Parr finds herself in love with one man but marrying another: Henry VIII. For Katharine, this is the will of God but does come with danger. Katharine is of the Protestant persuasion. With two wives set aside and another two executed, will she survive? We know she does, but Weir shows us howKatharine Parr: The Sixth Wife is the final instalment in her Six Queens series. One of the pleasures of this series has been seeing the Queen's lives before their marriage. With Katharine, this is particularly fascinating as she was widowed twice before becoming Queen and remarried after Henry's death. There is a large cast, and Katharine's interactions with her family, friends and stepdaughters are all a highlight.The parts detailing Katharine's first two marriages were fascinating. Her first marriage's unhappiness is a good contrast to her second, where we witness her growing interest in religion and the reformation and independence. Her experience during the Pilgrimage of Grace is well-used and must have been harrowing.Katharine became Queen at a volatile time. Her mercurial husband, whom she does come to love, is surrounded by vying factions that almost unseat her. Desperate for a child, she takes active steps to build a family, and we see a lot of Mary and Elizabeth.Weir helps explain the complex myriad of religious beliefs and the Henrician Court and Europe. The scenes are detailed and believable and really do “bring history to life.” Katharine emerges as a robust and well-developed character, and as the end of the series, it is thus quite sad but satisfying.I thoroughly enjoyed this final instalment and would recommend it highly. I am grateful to both NetGalley and Headline for the eARC.

I ran though this whole series one after another - couldn't put them down. Great reading

As someone who knew very little about the Tudor period and the wives of Henry V111 this book the 6th by Alison Weir ( the other 5 obviously covering his previous wives) was a great insight into his marriage to Katherine Parr. Easy to read and difficult to put down.

Alison Weir never disappoints. I’ve read the entire series, and practically everything else she’s written. Although I’m familiar with the Tudor period Alison manages to keep it fresh. The book is rich in historical detail and the characters are well rounded.