I find the Tudor period fascinating and I do understand I need to suspend some disbelief when I'm reading fiction, but something about this novel just didn't work for me. Anne Stanhope, wife of Edward Seymour and sister-in-law to Henry VIII's third wife Jane Seymour, is the subject of this book. While she is a fascinating woman who doesn't have nearly enough written about her, this novel takes a few more liberties than I would expect and it's hard to imagine it as a realistic portrayal of the Tudor court. For example, Anne's affair with Anthony Browne and Anne having his child seemed far-fetched, particularly in an period when queens were being executed for adultery. Still, I'm certain Tudor fans would devour this book nonetheless and I appreciate the focus on a lesser-known figure of this well-known era. ( )

Someone different

I am rating this 3.5 stars because I did find the story dragged out at times. I did enjoy reading about someone who little is known about. The author does change some key facts and explains it at the end but it didn't bother me in the least. So if you get hung up on stuff like that remember it's historical fiction. Personally I really couldn't get into the Anthony and Anne affair..... Just couldn't buy into it. On to book two. ( )

I've said this before and I'm not the only one. The Tudors are becoming a bit over saturated in books and other mediums. In order for this illustrious historical dynasty to stay fresh, and don't get me wrong here...I love the Tudors, I really do, but as I was saying, in order for them to appeal to us in a fresh way, the stories need to be told in a fresh way. And one way of doing this is to bring to the forefront the background characters. That is exactly what this author has done. By telling the story of Anne Seymour, a background figure of the Tudor world who was actually at the center of the intrigue, she has livened up the Tudors again.

Anne Seymour is an enigmatic character. I mean the title of the book is My Lady Viper and it's a suitable name for her at times, but at other times that name could never describe her. I tend to believe that the times were so precarious, especially during Henry Tudor's reign, that women had to be ruthless in order to not be swallowed whole by the intrigue. Another realization hit me as I was reading this book. Ladies in waiting were actually very powerful. Let me explain. Anne Seymour succeeds in drawing King Henry's attentions away from Anne Boleyn (though his desire was already waning because of her inability to bear him a son) by parading various ladies in front of him. One could say, and it's implied in this book, that she was a major player in the downfall of Anne Boleyn. Anne Seymour was instrumental in bringing Jane Seymour to Henry's attention and we all know how that turned out.

Anne ends up being involved in the intrigue at the Tudor court all the way up to Henry VIII's death. Of course, it makes sense that the Seymour's would remain in good graces with their nephew as the shining prince. However, towards the end, the constant plotting seems to have really taken its toll on Anne. And that's what I meant when I said Anne was enigmatic. She plots and schemes and yet felt real guilt at the downfall of most of the subjects of her diabolical plans. I think that she had an extreme case of loyalty to her husband's family because of something that happened to her earlier on. Trauma can do terrible things to a person's psyche. In the end, I didn't see Anne as a viper. She was just a conflicted person who did what she had to to survive in the times she was living. I have to say that the author has written one of the most interesting characters I've experienced in a historical novel.

My Lady Viper is the first historical novel for this author, who is a prolific writer of historical and erotic romance. I'm very impressed and I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to the next book in her Tudor Court Tales, Prisoner of the Queen. ( )

My Lady Viper by E. Knight
Book #1: Tales from the Tudor Court
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4/5 stars
My Review:

The death of Anne Boleyn turned the court of King Henry VIII on its head and sent shockwaves out through every level of the country. Those most closely related to the throne and the King knew, with absolute certainty Henry was desperate for a male heir and willing to topple families in pursuit of his goal.

Lady Anne Seymour is constantly attended by several companions, most notably guilt, fear, and extreme aspirations for herself and her family. On the morning of Anne Boleyn’s execution, Lady Anne stood among those gathered and watched, watched what could so easily be her fate if she isn’t always several steps ahead of everyone else. As a Seymour by marriage, Lady Anne is now the sister-in-law to England’s next queen which makes her place in the world both lofty and precarious. In order to ensure her safety and that of her family, Lady Anne must play a very dangerous game at court.

From the moment the Seymour’s realize Henry has his eye on their Jane, the intrigues, plots, and planning begin. Lady Anne is an ever-present member of court life and serves as one of Jane’s most trusted ladies. From this position, Lady Anne is able to keep an eye on other courtiers and gather information which will most certainly be used at an appropriate time and place. Anne doesn’t just gather information, she wields it like a weapon and often shares what she has learned with her husband, Edward Seymour, one of King Henry’s most trusted advisors. Between the two of them, there is little to nothing that happens at court that they don’t know about and use to their advantage.

As if the information gathering isn’t enough, Lady Anne also has to be attentive to the young Queen and her situation. It is clear Henry adores Jane Seymour, but as everyone knows, he also adored Anne Boleyn. From the beginning, Anne helps Jane navigate life as both a married woman and a Queen. Anne is a master manipulator and helps Jane understand what it is she needs to do to keep her husband in her bed, conceive an heir, and advance the Seymour family. Though her plans don’t always go precisely as planned, Anne is generally successful and within months she and her family are reaping the benefits of being the Queen’s closest relations. Titles, land, homes, and preferred rooms at court are claimed by the Seymour’s but those rewards come with a price.

At every turn, Lady Anne has to be cautious of her actions and her words. From the moment she wakes to the moment she falls into bed each day, Anne has to be on guard for trusting the wrong person, acting in the wrong way, or simply saying the wrong thing could cost her, her head. Though she is married to a strong, capable, and trusted man, that man is nearly always gone doing the King’s bidding which leaves Anne to fend for herself. To do so, Anne has cultivated a circle of allies and always stands her ground when confronted. As a result, her reputation is that of a formidable woman who should not be crossed. As with everything else in her life, this reputation comes with a price.

The Bottom Line: Knight doesn’t have to do any real world building in this read as history has done that for her. She does, however have to bring that world alive and she does so through the life of Lady Anne Seymour. When you think of the court of King Henry VIII, Lady Anne Seymour isn’t the first name that comes to mind and that is one of the things I very much enjoyed about this read. Knight has taken the liberty of choosing a lesser known historical figure and telling a well-known story through her eyes and from her perspective which affords the reader a new view of old characters. It is, quite frankly, refreshing to have such a different view of the famous Tudor court. From the moment the read begins to the moment it ends, Lady Anne is at work for herself and her family and it is fascinating to see how diligent she must be in her pursuits. Lady Anne’s machinations are dangerous which creates a pervasive tension throughout the read as plots and plans are constantly being hatched and executed. As a reader, you always feel that tension which is certainly laced with a healthy dose of fear and that will keep you moving through the pages. My only complaints about this read are related to the extreme amount of detail and the ending. I’m not a huge fan of copious amounts of detail and at 450+ pages, My Lady Viper is full of detail, most of which I skipped as the story moved forward. As to the ending, My Lady Viper just sort of stops and I didn’t feel like there was any real explanation regarding the fate of Lady Anne and her family. Aside from those two things, My Lady Viper is an interesting read that takes a familiar time and place and works it from a different angle.

P.S. I did find out what happened to Lady Anne and some of her family at the beginning of the second Tales from the Tudor Court book, Prisoner of the Queen. ( )