Review: Great Fun!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 9, 2014
Terry Tyler delivers the story promised in the product description, spiced with her own brand of humor in the telling. While the main thrust of the story is well known, she threw in enough twists to keep it interesting. Being somewhat constrained as to the plot, she used some ironic juxtapositions of the characters and their traits to keep me guessing.I've enjoyed several of her books, and I confess that I wondered how she would fare with this one. I needn't have worried; she did her usual masterful job of making mundane details of peoples' lives utterly fascinating. I believe that's her particular talent as a writer.While I'm not exceptionally well versed in Tudor history, I've always been fascinated by Henry VIII because of his willingness to use the power of his position to have his own way. As self-centered as he was, Henry had some sensitivity to how society perceived his behavior. In spite of that, he didn't let his better judgment overcome his base instincts. I was curious to see how the people around Harry would react to his licentiousness in a more modern, presumably more open-minded period. Ms. Tyler did a credible job of demonstrating how little the basic human qualities have changed in the last few centuries. While extramarital affairs and divorce may carry less stigma in Harry's day than in Henry's, it's clear that a self-centered jerk is still a self-centered jerk.It was also great fun to look for the references and metaphors that Ms. Tyler tucked away in her version of the story, some in quite unexpected ways. There were a few that bordered slapstick, just as there were in the original story, but many were subtle. I'm sure that I missed a number of those, possibly some of the better ones.  I enjoyed the ones that I found so much that I've resolved to brush up on my history and have another go at Kings and Queens. I have no doubt that it will be more entertaining the second time through. Of course, I have to get that done in time for the sequel.