When I saw this book in the Read Now section of NetGalley, I just had to get it! I am a sucker for a Tudor historical fiction, and I have been very interested in Young Adult historical fiction lately, it's a subgenre I haven't read much of, but I really like it!

This is the story of the fall of Anne Boleyn, told by the point of view of Kate Carey, daughter of Anne Boleyn's sister, Mary. Raised in the countryside by her mom and her stepfather, Kate dreams of going to court with her aunt, the Queen of England, her image so full of glamour and majesty. When she finally gets the chance to do that, Kate finds herself immersed in the political drama and all the gossip of court, a labyrinth of fake smiles, strict rules and secretive plots. 

This book was very entertaining! Kate starts out as an innocent, very spoiled and angsty girl who resents her mother for having re-married low and not be living at court with her glamorous aunt. As the book goes on, she matures quickly, as the court demands that she turns from girl to a careful woman. I was mad sometimes at how innocent she was, but she was thirteen and living in the country, so I was not surprised by that at all. It felt to me that the other characters were done in a black-and-white manner, without as much complexity and grey character and I would expect from a Tudor story. Cromwell was basically a caricature villain and Anne Boleyn and sweet woman who wanted nothing else than to be loved by her husband. That I thought was too simplistic for a woman who was surely a victim of circumstances but I also believe was very intelligent and scheming - we didn't get to see that side of her, really.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book! Kate is not a very common character to show so much in Tudor stories, so it was nice to see her side of the story. The story does get gruesome at some parts, as it builds tension.

Spoiler: Well, it's history so I don't know if it's a spoiler, but... I wish the ending would have involved telling a little of what happens with Kate after the event of  take place. She goes on to become a maid for Henry's other wives and to Elizabeth, and she and her husband go on to have 14 kids! They fled to Germany when Mary was in power because they were protestants and came back once Elizabeth was in power and invited them back.

Navigating the labyrinth that is the court of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn is never easy, but perhaps even more difficult for 14-year-old Catherine, Anne's niece. Her mother is Aunt Nan's sister, Mary Carey, and it is Mary's secret that confronts Kate soon after her arrival at court.

Kate encounters more than her share of indiscretions and lies and plots and shame and sorrow and confusion, which are always the stuff of a good read. But seen through the eyes of a young girl on the verge of becoming a woman, these are positively engaging. They play a game similar to a chess, but one in which the Queen's power is limited.

I read this EARC courtesy of Books Go Social and Net Galley. pub date 10/17/17

Book: The Light in the Labyrinth
Author: Wendy J. Dunn
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and Metropolis Ink for providing me with this ArC.

I must say that I have been on a Tudor kick for a few months now and when I saw this title on Netgalley, I thought it looked promising. I must admit that often times I don’t look at the read now choices and that is where I found this hidden gem. I thought it was a well written account of Anne Boleyn’s last days and the true corruption of King Henry VIII’s court.

I loved this book-as told from Catherine Carey, Anne Boleyn’s niece. Catherine is a strong and mature character who must quickly adapt to life in court. She learns that the world around her is really cut throat and things are a lot more complicated than she thought. Now, Catherine doesn’t start out as being mature; the news of her birth is what really sets it forward. She actually starts out like your normal teenager, but that quickly changes.

Anne Boleyn is well written, though maybe not as we all picture her. Keep in mind, she is being written from Catherine’s point of view. She is portrayed as she being a loving and caring woman. Not only that, but we get to see Anne’s strength. I mean, come on, think about Anne. She could not have been weak or anything to endure what she did with dignity. Granted, she did lose it at the end, but just think about what she had been through. I thought that Anne’s character in this book was a fresh view. Often times, in Tudor fiction, Anne is written as this terrible person. I don’t know, but it was kind of nice to read a book to see her painted as being human. Who knows what Anne was really like, but I thought this was maybe what Anne deserved-for once not to be painted as the villain and as the victim. I really do think Anne was innocent of the crimes she was charged with, but that’s not a discussion to have right now.

I loved how Wendy wrote Thomas Cromwell-one of the villains of the Tudor court. I actually have not read much about Cromwell, but I think Wendy did a wonderful job with writing him. Now, had I been more well read on Cromwell’s story, maybe I would think differently on this. Anyway, I just how he was written.

Anne’s execution scene was probably one of the best well written scene in the whole book. I could tell that Wendy had put a lot of research, thought, and planning into writing Anne’s last moment and I must say that she nailed it. It was so moving and so horrifying that I could not believe what I had just read. I think that it was this moment that made me realize just how much talent Wendy has.

So, why four stars? Well, I thought the first thirty or so percent of the book was kind drawn out. I loved the book, but it was that first little bit that made this drop down to a four star.

Again, a great read! I recommend this to all Tudor fans!

We are all probably familiar with the story of Anne Boleyn. However, this a retelling if that story through the eyes of a young woman at court, Anne’s young niece Catherine Carey. We meet her at the young age of 13 and see her introduced to court life. The rich historical descriptions in this lovely novel transported me back to Tudor England. I became another lady in Henry the Eighths court. Our protagonist, Kat, learns the ways of the court and we see Anne Boleyn fall from grace, tragically. If you are a fan of Tudor history or just looking for a beautiful and touching story of familial love and loyalty in even the most desperate circumstances, please check this great book out.

While most of the Boleyn hype usually centers around Anne, and her daughter, it's interesting to see a novel dedicated to Mary Boleyn and her own daughter. Kate provides the reader with enough information with her narrative to understand the basics of the time frame of the story, but still the book feels modern and approachable. A quick google will bring up the history of Kate's life, but the novel brings it to life, managing to spin drama and intrigue despite the reader knowing how the story will unfold. Fans of stories like The Other Boleyn Girl will find much to enjoy with this book.

Content note: historical fiction, Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, beheading, illegitimate children, young adult fiction,

A fascinating fictional perspective on the last months of Queen Anne Boleyn from the viewpoint of her 13-14 year old niece, newly arrived at court. While the dangers to an innocent at court were hinted at, and sex is blandly acknowledged without fuss (but in non-descriptive details), the novel doesn't veer into bawdy territory. The violence felt stark by contrast (fitting given the story being told) but without excessive graphic details. I very much enjoyed reading this - and reading of the author's scholarship in researching for this work.

I've read a lot of books about the Tudor era and Anne Boleyn and her daughter, especially, but so far none of them told the story from the point of view of Catherine Carey. I thought that it was an interesting point of view to tell the story from, but, unfortunately, the characterization of the characters just felt off to me.

Anne and her women, and even Kate, don't really feel all that well developed, the hardly have any flaws and there is little growth over the course of the novel. I think that depicting these characters as basically flawless and perfectly virtuous does a disservice to the actual historical characters.

The relationships Kate builds also don't really get a lot of development, there are just there and don't really change over the course of the novel.

I'm still giving this novel three stars because the writing is really good and it was an easy read.