Congratulations to historical novelist Wendy J Dunn, who many of you will know from her first book Dear Heart, How Like You This?, on the release of The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn today.
Here is the blurb:
IN THE WINTER OF 1535, fourteen-year-old Kate Carey wants to escape her family home. She thinks her life will be so much better with Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife and the aunt she idolises. Little does Kate know that by going to attend Anne Boleyn she will discover love and a secret that will shake the very foundations of her identity. An attendant to Anne Boleyn, Kate is also swept up in events that see her witness her aunt’s darkest days. By the time winter ends, Kate will be changed forever.
Paperback: 338 pages
Publisher: Metropolis Ink (September 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 098072192X
ISBN-13: 978-0980721928
Available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and other bookstores.
It sounds like a must-read for all those who love historical fiction.
To celebrate the launch, Wendy is doing a giveaway of a signed copy of her book over at Goodreads – click here for more information.
So unlike a great read
You’ve read it already? It only came out yesterday.
I enjoyed the book about Anne and Wyatt as described above, despite some odd historical liberties. Would a 14 year old girl even be allowed to serve an adult Queen as the book blurb describes and how would she weave her way through strict court rules to even be presented to Anne Boleyn and become a lady in royal service? To me this seems impossible, so I am very intrigued by the story to see how Kate achieves her goal or does she?
I have added to my wish list and hope to win in the competition. Will borrow on Prime if not as I think the book sounds worth a read.
Maids of Honour tended to be young, so it would not be unusual for a 14 year old to serve a queen. Although they usually started at around 15/16, there were younger ones – Lady Jane Grey serving Catherine Parr before she was even in her teens. There is also the case of Elizabeth Knollys serving Elizabeth I in 1558 when she was just 9 years old – see http://www.kateemersonhistoricals.com/TudorWomenK.htm for more on her.
Obviously Katherine Carey would have been known to Anne, being her niece, so it would have been easier for her to have got a court position at that time. I’m not sure that she did serve Anne, but she was certainly picked to serve Anne of Cleves. I think Alison Weir believes her to have been serving her cousin Elizabeth in her household between 1533 and 1539. We don’t know for sure.
And of course, Anne herself was attending royalty when she was quite young herself (even if you lean towards the 1501 birthdate, as I do, that still makes her only fourteen or fifteen at best when she started).
Hello Claire, and thanks for the information…did not tweek with the characters name. Brain not compute lol. Of course being Anne’s niece she would find a place and be known to Anne as you say, but wow they really are young to be in formal service, one just nine. I could understand younger teens serving in the household of a young Princess or child queen, but with a sophisticated woman in their 30s, just what would a 14 year old have in common. Anyone going to serve the Queen at such a tender age, even if she saw the adventure, must have been a wonderful but daunting experience.
Well all the questions can only be answered by reading the book, so will be giving the money tree a shake and order mine at the weekend.