Anne Somerset

"In 1615, gaoler Richard Weston is found guilty of killing Sir Thomas Overbury with poison, at the direction of Frances Howard, Countess of Somerset...."

From the outset, Frances and her husband, Robert Devereux Earl of Essex, disliked each other. It was an arranged marriage. Everyone knows that Frances was having an affair with Robert Carr, Viscount Rochester, who was also the King's favorite. To that end, Frances seeks an annulment, claiming that her marriage was never consummated. Meanwhile, Overbury, Robert's companion, is jealous of Frances. Overbury is a quarrelsome man who the king isn't even fond of. Queen Anne certainly isn't. She detested Carr and Overbury. At this time, Frances confides in her Anne Turner of her marital mistakes. Through Anne, Frances utilizes a cunning woman, and spells to make Carr even more in love. But Overbury's hatred of her family, drives her to believe that he'll stop the annulment. When Overbury makes the mistake of refusing an appointment by the King and is imprisoned, Frances sees an opportunity! Overbury is poisoned! Frances and Rochester marry just 2 months after the annulment, but an apothecary's apprentice reveals it all on his deathbed. The appointed gaoler Weston and the lieut. Gervase Helwys, acted as her stooges.

Overall, this book is not for everyone. There is A LOT of factional court and family politics, which I love, but it can be dry at times I'll admit. But Somerset is thorough, and seemingly every detail is important. History lovers will be glued to the page, but I won't fault you if it's not your cup of tea.… (altro)

For all the history I try to read, my encounters with Queen Anne have been relatively rare - she's generally an afterthought, noted as the last Stuart monarch before the start of the Hanoverian dynasty, a character in someone else's story (such as a novel about Sarah Churchill I read a few years ago), or she comes up as a possible lesbian due to her relationships with female favorites. Overlooked seems to be the word to describe her, even during her own reign. Repeatedly, the author of this biography describes how the courtiers and advisors around Anne appeared to not think she had her own ideas, could come to her own conclusions, or make her own decision, despite evidence to the contrary. I had a lot of sympathy for Anne by the end of this biography, considering the politics she navigated, the personal tragedies she endured, and fracturing of so many of her personal relationships after she became queen.… (altro)