I was sad that this series came to an end but glad to be able to read the story of a true survivor! Katharine Parr is one of the less famous wives and there aren't as many books about her as some of the others. Weir did a wonderful job of telling her story from childhood, through multiple marriages and the end of her life post Henry VIII.

I learned a lot about Katharine Parr, especially about her life prior to being married to the king. Weir writes about her first marriage to an inexperienced boy with a controlling father and her second to a widower to whom she was married when Henry began courting her. Then of course Weir describes the roller coaster marriage to the king and her troubling love for Seymour. Parr married Seymour shortly after the king's death which created unimaginable drama.

I love this series because it describes the lives of the queens from their own perspectives and includes their entire lives, not just when they were queen. This lets us gain a better understanding of who they were and the why behind their decisions. While these are works of fiction, the amount of research done by the author, her extensive knowledge of Tudor history and her desire to remain close to the facts in her writing make these books a wonderful source to learn about the queens of Henry VIII.

I’ve loved reading the non-fiction books by Alison Weir throughout the years. And I’m a huge fan of historical fiction. However, I’ve seldom read a book of historical fiction about an actual historical figure from a period that has been so heavily researched as the Tudor period because the historical facts are so fascinating there is no nod to make them up! I first became intrigued by Henry VIII and his six wives when the mini series was broadcast on PBS in the early 70’s. I’d actually read quite a lot about the six wives, most particularly Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Although I’d known a bit about Katharine Parr, her support of the reformed church, subsequent marriage to Thomas Seymour & death following childbirth, I had very little insights into her life before she became Queen of England. It was an interesting life to be sure. And I am confident that Alison Weir based her fictional account on solid research. So I can truly recommend Katharine Parr, The Sixth Wife, without hesitation. Hers was not an easy life. But she should herself to be incredibly astute in navigating the politics of the Tudor Court.
A huge thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Random House for a courtesy galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife was a fascinating read. I knew very little about Henry VIII’s final wife, the one fortunate enough to survive him. She was very intelligent and had a lot of education, thanks to her mother tutoring Katharine, her siblings and her cousins. I didn’t know that she had been married a total of four times. I also didn’t know that she was also a published author. She was also a Protestant which was heresy at the time. Thomas Seymour was a real piece of work, very abusive and also clearly had designs on Elizabeth. I have really enjoyed this series and will be re-reading them all. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House-Ballantine for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weir has a very good arch here showing Katherine going from traditional Catholic to cutting edge Protestant. I loved the moment when she had the radical thought of just praying directly to God herself, rather than relying on the intercessors of priests, saints, and the Virgin Mary to contact God for her, having the rather big moment of realizing all souls are equal.

When the king makes it clear he wants her to be Wife Number 6, she in understandably horrified - as well as under understandable pressure from her family tp say yes. Weir does a great job showing how it was truly a religious based decision, feeling like a realistic action on her part rather than something mealy-mouthed and overly sanctimonious. Having the Bible fall open to the page of the story of Esther might be overkill - but how could Weir resist such a perfect proper to the scene?

And married to the king, Weir does a great job showing how genuinely involved Katherine was, while trying not to push the king too far. And when she does, and she sees the arrest warrant - she <i>loses</i> it, screaming at the top of her lungs as loud as any horror movie victim.

The historical record says she was "upset" when she found out Henry was planning on arresting her. Various historical fiction portrayals of this moment have shown her as everything from cool under fire to blue screen of death. Weir's interpretation of her reaction makes a lot of sense - after all, the book pulls no punches on the fact she was living in a time when women were being burned to death and queens were being beheaded.

And after that, Weir manages to realistically portray Katherine having real feelings for the king, and beginning genuinely sorry when he passes. More interesting is Weir suggesting that Katherine lost a short, silent war with Edward Seymour for the position of regent and that her retirement to the countryside was not her first choice.

And then, there is Thomas Seymour. Over and over historians and fans have asked how could a smart woman be so stupid. Simple, supplies Weir - he knew how to turn the charm up to 11 and was good in bed. Even Katherine, with all her experience and caution, was susceptible to a chemical romance - and wanted something for herself just this once.

The inevitable tragedy plays out and we bid farewell to the last of the Six Queens as the series comes to a extremely well written conclusion.

This sixth book in the Tudor Queens series reads much like the others. Weir has the wonderful ability of making Tudor history VERY readable. As with so many women in history, much of what is known of Katharine Parr's early life is based on what was common for those of her rank in that time-period. The first half of the book really surrounds around how Henry VIII's actions impacted others. In comparison with Henry VIII's other wives, Katharine seems rather bland. She certainly had many hardships to cope with as first a young widow and then as the wife of a Catholic sympathizer. Although she became a wealthy widow when her second husband passed away, she was unable to turn down a marriage proposal from the king. Of all of Henry VIII's wives, she is the only one who leaves a legacy as something other than a wife due to her religious writings. This book was as thorough and well researched as all of the others in the series. A very fitting conclusion and worth the read.

Well I am absolutely obsessed with Tudor books , I eat them up . Katharine Parr was the 6th wife of king Henry and his last wife. I found the book to be a bit slow in the beginning but it picked up after awhile. In the middle of the book she marries King Henry even though she is in love with Tom and becomes Queen. What makes her so different from Henry’s other wives is that she was previously married not once but twice..
I feel this book was well researched and very well wrote. I enjoyed it very much.

Masterful storyteller Alison Weir offers a glimpse of what it may have been like to walk in the shoes of “the survivor,” Katharine Parr -- the sixth and last wife of Tudor King Henry VIII -- in the final book of her “Six Tudor Queens” series. She seamlessly blends well-researched historical detail with believable dialogue in this beautifully written book named for its titular character.
In the first part of the book, readers are transported back to Katharine’s childhood and her first two marriages, offering a better understanding of the woman she would become and how she might have perceived the world in general. The pace seems a bit slow at times in this portion, buy it picks up greatly in the second half, when Katharine marries King Henry VIII, becoming Queen of England and Ireland.
Many books have been written about King Henry VIII and his wives, but Weir offers a fresh take on Katharine’s story, sharing rich background information much of which I had not heard previously. She shows Katharine as a real person -- a smart, multidimensional woman who was well-educated for the day and passionate about her beliefs.
I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or with an interest in the Tudor period. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy. The views I have expressed are entirely my own.

Epic, mesmerizing work of historical fiction. Captivating story that is evenly paced and thorough. Emotional and gripping. This was a wonderful story and brilliantly written.

I received this novel as an ARC from net galley in exchange for an honest review. Alison Weir is a master teller of historical fiction, especially the Tudors. I have enjoyed all of the books in the series, however the last wife, Katharine Parr is the one I knew the least about. Weir tells her compelling story even after the death of Henry.
The detail is incredible. Highly recommend!

Another treasure from Alison Weir. An excellent addition to our library's nonfiction/historical collection.

Love this series by Alison Weir, and so sad that it is over! She is the best writer on the wives of Henry VIII.

The last of The Six Wives series is well written and maybe like Katherine Parr, a great end to the story. Very sad that the series ended. All of the books were amazing.

For whatever reason, I’m Tudor obsessed. I’m absolutely fascinated by this era of history, and of this time period, I’m most intrigued by King Henry VIII’s reign. Any time I find a new book to read, I jump at it. And out of all of his wives, Katharine Parr is probably my favorite. Alison Weir did an excellent job of keeping this story fresh by going back to the beginning and telling the tale of Katharine’s childhood and her first 2 marriages.

I’ve read several books from the beginning of Katherine’s marriage to Henry, but didn’t know too much about her life from before.

I loved it and couldn’t read this book fast enough. I’ve read other Katharine Parr books where the religious aspect was just too much and overwhelming and I almost couldn’t get through those books. But Weir’s version had just the right amount of religion (as it was a major part of Katharine’s story) and still kept the entire book so completely interesting.

I have read another of Weir’s book in this series, and now need to go back and read about the 4 other wives that I haven’t read yet! I’m hooked on Weir’s versions now.

*Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for the advance copy!*

Fantastic book!! Alison Weir has outdone herself. Katherine Parr was the wife unknown to many people. Ms Weir gave her a voice. Definitely worth reading.

Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife, is the final novel in this series. Alison Weir is truly an amazing historical fiction author, truly one of my favorite authors. She is able to bring her characters to life and still maintain the historical accuracy of the time period. She has a gift for bringing the Tudor Court to life.

Katharine was Henry XIII’s sixth and final wife. She wasn’t young like his first wives and had previously been married twice before Henry. She never had any children though so it surprised me that Henry would want her for a wife when she seemed to be barren. I assumed that the story would only be about her time as Henry’s wife but this covers the story of Katharine from her childhood through to her marrying the love of her life, Tom Seymour, after Henry. She is only 1 of 2 wives that outlived Henry VIII and saw his son crowned as King.

In this final story, we see the decline of Henry, the growing tensions between the Catholics and the Protestants. We also get to see Mary and Elizabeth grow up and how the different events of the time shaped their perspectives as daughters and future Queens of England.

The novel is long and very detailed, as are most of Ms. Weir’s novels. If you enjoy Tudor history and historical fiction this is well worth the time. I highly recommend. You do not have to have read all of the other books in the series to read this one book. It helps to know the history but the book can also be a great stand-alone novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for this excellent arc.

DIVORCED, BEHEADED, DIED, DIVORCED, BEHEADED, SURVIVED. Katharine Parr, The Sixth Wife. The wife I never really found to be interesting. My eyes are now open. I always thought she was a quiet, mousy woman. Well not Ms Weir's Katherine. She's a forward thinking, strong minded woman. I think she's my new favorite. Most of the time, I found the new book better than the previous (except Kathryn Howard, I didn't like her at all!) I have a great deal of respect for the woman in this story. This was a wonderful book, I couldn't put it down. The series is now complete. I feel like I'm saying goodbye to an old friend. For the last several years, I've looked forward to the next wife's story. Definitely a book worth reading!!

I really enjoyed the Six Tudor Queen series and this book was no exception. Katharine is such an interesting person and Weir relays history, facts and theories so easily the books suck you in even though you maybe familiar with the characters stories.

First thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an e-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. I have been an avid reader of Jane Plaidy, Anne Easter Smith, Elizabeth Chadwick, Sharon Kay Penman and the likes but have only read one or two of Alison Weir books. Well not anymore.....I truly enjoyed this book. Out of all Henry's wives, Katharine Parr has always been the one I was the least bit interested in.

Alison has written a remarkable book that portrays not just Katharine's life with Henry but her childhood and her first two marriages which I knew nothing about. I am now a fan of both women and would highly recommend this book for all Tudor lovers. I will be reading many more books by Alison Weir to be sure!

I've been a fan of Alison Weir's work for well over 25 years. Her style remains more suited to non-fiction, but this book is one of her best fictionalized accounts.

Weir focuses most on Katharine Parr's life before Henry. I hadn't read much about her early life, so Weir provides some unique insights into family life of the minor nobility. We see the impact of mortality as her father dies when she is young. Her mother makes the decision not to remarry in order to protect her son's inheritance. Katharine was fortunate to have relations who welcomed Katharine and her siblings into their home, while her mother moved back and forth between court and her children in the country. Katharine's mother works hard to arrange appropriate marriages and positions for her children, and Weir is very clear that Katharine and the reader understand that it's not just ambition, but survival at stake.

Katharine's first marriage and life under her father-in-law provide an important contrast to her experiences in her uncle William's home. Lord Burgh is a misogynistic despot, and he makes life miserable for everyone under his roof, especially his abused wife. Weir takes inspiration from an engraving showing a husband beating his wife while the children watch for edification on the evils of sin in a very powerful scene. Katharine's family bonds are rather quickly dissolved upon the death of her first husband, and she has little to do with this family for the rest of the book.

This is one of the weaknesses of Weir''s writing in this book. Minor characters drop out of the narrative with little explanation. I had trouble telling if it was because of an out-of-sight/out-of-mind culture of family without blood ties, or if Weir was jut a bit careless. In particular, Katharine's stepson Jack (from her second marriage,) disappears back to his home in the country and is never heard of again even though his sister remains with Katharine and dies a few years later. *Interestingly, this country home is called Snape.

Katharine remains close with her brother and sister. Her brother's marital woes and his difficulties of obtaining a divorce despite abandonment and adultery emphasize the power dynamics of the time and provide another important juxtaposition. . Henry was able, albeit with difficulty, to grant himself a divorce or have advisors help him rid himself of an unwanted spouse in other ways. William Parr found it practically impossible to get a divorce or to have Parliament (rather than the Pope) grant him the ability to remarry. Thus, William Parr died without any legitimate issue.

Katharine's story becomes more familiar after her second husband dies. She lies to herself while Henry is courting her, telling herself that she has a choice and that she can really marry the man she wants- Tom Seymour.- if she handles the situation well. But once Katharine faces reality and commits to the royal marriage, she tries to make the best of it for her family and for her faith. She is one of the most educated women of her age and arguably the most powerful woman in England, but she is still usually outmatched in political chess. Her bid to become regent under Edward fails because she fails to act decisively and boldly. Survival in Tudor England is a balancing act of maintaining humanity without letting the heart rule the head. Katharine gets carried away by religious passion, grows careless, and nearly ends up another queen in the Tower. Katharine later chooses to give in to her passion for Tom Seymour and her desire for a child, which clouds her judgment. She thus underestimates Seymour's ambition and it ends up costing her everything.

This book was a great glimpse into the Tudor Court during the time of Henry VIII. I was astounded by the amount if research Weir put into this, you could tell how hard she worked to make this as accurate as possible.

Because of that accuracy, I did feel that the plot moved a bit slowly at times. Katharine Parr was fairly removed from the Court for the first half of the book, so quite a bit of time is spent following her on her daily activities. It was interesting, but at times, got a bit boring.

I did love how this book gave Katharine dimension though. When I picked it up, I really expected this to focus on her time as Henry's wife, and little else. This book did a great job of making her other than that. She was a loving mother, educated woman, and a fierce fighter. She felt real, and it was amazing. Because of her realness though, she angered me at times. She wasn't always likeable, which is the mark of a good author.

Even though I haven't read the other books in this series, I really enjoyed this one! It was a great snapshot into Katharine's life. I'd definitely recommend this to historical fiction fans!

Thanks to Netgalley and Alison Weir for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!