It was interesting to read the story of Henry VIII from his own perspective, but the writing style seemed more nonfiction than fiction, and it left me wishing for more “story” and less fact-sharing.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was okay. I've read lots of non-fiction and fiction books on Henry VIII and his wives, and while this one definitely seemed well-researched and historically accurate, it was so dense with facts and details that in many ways it felt more like reading a non-fiction book than a fiction one. There's a bit of emotional distance between Henry and the reader, which does help with historical accuracy, I guess, but definitely contributes to the book reading more like non-fiction.

It's fine for what it is, but I think I'll probably just stick to non-fiction books in this space from now on, unless they're heavily fictionalized.

Henry VIII is arguably the best known monarch in British history, having had six wives over the course of his reign and sending two to their deaths. Illustrious author and historian Alison Weir has paid tribute to each of Henry’s wives in her Six Tudor Queens series, and now sets her sights on the man himself - the formidable Henry VIII.

If you are familiar with King Henry’s story, or if you have read Weir’s books on his six wives, there is really not much new to explore here, beyond experiencing Henry’s tumultuous life from his own point of view. Weir covers a lot of ground, starting with Henry’s life as a teenage heir, set on doing things differently from his miserly father once he is king. We learn that Henry actually was quite in love with his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, but later set his sights elsewhere when she couldn’t provide him with his much-needed male heir. From there, we cycle through each of Henry’s unfortunate wives, while Weir also mixes in a great deal of politics and court intrigue.

Much of Henry’s story revolves around his efforts to produce a son to succeed him, which he considered to be his duty and necessary to securing the stability of England’s future. Weir examines Henry’s life through a somewhat sympathetic lens, gracing Henry with compassion and nuance as he makes decisions about his wives and the state of his kingdom. She does not paint him as the tyrant as he is often portrayed, rather viewing him as a man making the hard decisions for his country, and one who held genuine love and affection for the many women who were thrust into his life in the efforts to secure a male heir.

To know Henry is to both love and despise Henry, as evidenced here by Weir. This novel is a great starting place for those with little knowledge of the infamous King, and comes recommended to readers who would rather explore Henry’s life through a richly detailed narrative account rather than picking up a book of nonfiction.

Alison Weir’s The King's Pleasure is the story of King Henry VIII told from his perspective. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this well-researched and well-written book. If you love historical fiction, and you are fascinated with King Henry VIII this book is for you! If I could give this book higher than 5 stars, I would! Great read!

I loved Alison Weir’s Tudor Queen series! Therefore, I was excited to read this book to see what Henry’s perspective was. He seems very clueless and heartless. Therefore, I did not enjoy this one and did not think it was one of the best. However, the writing is fantastic! It is filled with political drama and courtly intrigue! I just did not like Henry VIII! Nevertheless, I recommend this for fans of the Tudors! I also recommend this for fans of Margaret George, Hilary Mantel, and Ken Follett!

it was a little difficult to get into this book since the author has done amazing work on the six wives of Henry VIII but it was nice to read a different perspective, his perspective.

Alison Weir is one of my favorite authors of all time and I thought her Six Queens series was wonderful. I'm thrilled she added a 7th book from Henry's point of view. His life and actions still reverberate through time and he was one of the most influential men in all of European history. I can't wait to see what she puts out next.

I was really looking forward to this story. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into the writing style.

The King's Pleasure is the most recent historical fiction by Alison Weir, a titan in the world of historical fiction. After spending many novels focusing on the experiences of the wives of Henry VIII, this book intended to look at the life of the king himself. Beginning after the death of his mother in 1503 and ending with his own death in 1547, The King's Pleasure follows Harry through his many marriages, the births of his children, and his changing perspectives on religion and justice. At nearly 600 pages, this book is a tome, and it definitely read like one. While very interesting, this is a dense book packed with history and full of sorrow. The life of King Henry VIII was not always a happy one and The King's Pleasure follows him through the sentencing of Anne Boleyn to death, the death of his beloved Jane Seymour, and the execution of Catherine Howard. As a result, this was often a sad book to read. I also think that the featuring of Henry VIII as a main character made this less enjoyable to read - Weir did a fabulous job of making him unlikeable and sympathetic at the same time and, as a result, I both hated him and was sad for him for much of the book.

All in all, I would rate my first Alison Weir book a success. I think I will try to read one of her books with a woman as a main character - perhaps the upcoming release she has scheduled for 2024 about Mary I.

Thank you so much to Alison Weir and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC through NetGalley. The King's Pleasure is available for purchase now.

It was intriguing to get a point of view of this famous king's life from inside his head. Perhaps because he had such a momentous, eventful life, I felt at times the novel had to race from wife to wife, from execution to execution. I would have preferred it go deeper in places, but I understand the constraints.

I adore Alison Weir and her books. I get so excited when I see that a new one has been released. I especially adore anything to due with the Tudor time period. An extra bonus is when the book is almost big enough to be used as a doorstop like this one. The way Alison Weir makes history come alive in her books is nothing short of art. This book was not a disappointment and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Alison Weir now writes the story of Henry VIII from his perspective. It spans from Henry's rise to King to his six wives and the 36 years of his reign. It's an interesting story told from a fascinating and distinct perspective.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the ARC! Alison Weir does it again. Weaving a story that brings history back to life for all who love to read about Henry the VIII and his six wives.

I've long been a fan of Alison Weir, both in her historical fiction and non-fiction writing. This book features her thorough research and knowledge on Tudor England, of course, but the novel fell flat for me. For all the ways Henry VIII touched history, his personal story just isn't that compelling to me. The novel just highlighted his over-inflated ego and did little to illuminate any humanity he may have possessed. Weir illustrates that he grew up in splendor, rebelled a bit against his father, and suffered a major trauma in the death of his mother. However, there is little to no character growth beyond that -- which is, perhaps, intentional on Weir's part. If that is the case, though, he's just a grating character, almost a caricature in his portrayal. In all, it felt like a rushed retelling of Weir's Six Tudor Queens series from a slightly different perspective.

Weir once again brings the Tudor dynasty to life in this novel of Henry VIII. Tracking Henry’s life from the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth of York, through his own death forty years, six wives, and three children later, Weir affords readers some insight into the motivations and machinations of this complex historical figure. Weir uses all of her powers of narration and storytelling to cover so much information and historical details in this immersive historical fiction novel. The world that Weir creates and draws inspiration from is as complex and detailed as in her other historical fiction novels, and she also relies on her years of historical research and writing in this long-awaited novel. Weir grants Henry VIII the level of complexity in character and thought that he merits, and her insight into his personality and character is particularly enjoyable, making the entire novel an engrossing and immersive read. Weir’s characters are incredibly well-written and detailed, and she brings other historical figures (who may not have featured in her previous novels) to the front of the page. Once again, Weir has written a fascinating, enjoyable, complex, and immersive historical novel for her many fans and other historical fiction and Tudor enthusiasts.

The most famous king next to Camelot’s Arthur is Henry VIII. We know what he was most famous for: breaking from the Catholic church and going through a number of wives by divorcing or beheading them. But do we really know him? Was he really only focused on bedding women and having a son or was there more to it than that? In this book, Alison Weir takes us into the life of Henry VIII in a way that we have ignored or assumed over the years to see what the might have have really been like.

Too often, I have just taken what was portrayed in a book or movie for Henry’s perspective. I never really thought of him as a person with complex feelings. Weir brings that to life for the reader. Starting when he is a young man just thinking that the throne could be his, the book shows the reader Henry’s doubts, confidence, hopes, dreams, frustrations, and plans. He didn’t start his reign thinking of having many lives and leaving the Catholic church. In fact, he thought quite the opposite. Like every other person on the planet and throughout history, he found that life doesn’t go the way one plans.

Through descriptive and emotional words, I found myself leaning a little more sympathetic to the man. Let me stress “little”, as I still think he was too self-centered and arrogant in who he should answer to. But the man didn’t exactly have grounded people to mentor him as so many were around him only for what they could get out of it. He was a man basically lost in a storm that he helped create but had no idea how to deal with.

I found this to be a thought-provoking read that gave me pause when it came to the man who changed so much of the Western world and would be the father to one of the greatest monarchs Britain ever knew. As I read, I wondered what he would have thought if he knew how history would see him. He thought he’d be seen as the greatest monarch ever and not the one that is more a butt of jokes. He had all his hopes in a son, but we know his youngest daughter would become a monarch of the ages. What if….

This was a great read that will have you wanting to know more about the man you thought you knew. He becomes a stranger again that you’ll want to read up on and see what really happened all those years ago. A book to open history to us all and remove the cobwebs that time allows to grow.

To be honest what was written here we've all read before. Nothing new, just a re-telling about selfish, egotistical Henry VIII. Personally, I'd rather read about the women of those times, but then I wouldn't have had that observation if I hadn't requested this book! I have read other novels by Ms. Weir...this is the first time I'm disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As with all of Weir's work this was an enjoyable historical fiction based largely in history. Quality addition to her catalogue of offerings.

I really enjoyed how Weir gave the King his own voice after having written from each Queen's point of view. I thought it was thought provoking and impactful. I really enjoyed not only the subject matter but her writing as well. She has such an ease and incredible gift of making long-dead figures come to life as if they are right in front of you and this book was no exception! Definitely recommend!!

Alison Weir is one of the queens of Tudor era historical fiction, and this new tome falls in with her excellent previous ones. This book provides insight into the rise and growth of the eventual Henry VIII, who grows up as just Harry, dealing with the pressure of becoming the Prince of Wales after his brother Arthur dies, and losing his bother as a young teenager. Any Tudor fans will appreciate this well crafted and detailed novel.