The story of the 6 wives of Henry VIII is a well-known one but The Young Queens gives us a unique insight into the lives of these young women before they each became queen. Divided into six short stories, the book allows readers to see the lives of these famous women as teenagers and how they came to be married to Henry VIII.
An insightful, thoroughly researched book, each story gives us an insight into the life of girls and women at this time, not just the future queens. It also shows us the relationship between each of the wives and the ways they were linked together, something I hadn't realised. In addition, the book gives us an taste of court life and the shenanigans that went on behind closed doors. It wasn’t all chaste and proper! The book is firmly in the YA category with adult themes tackled, including women from the age of 12 having to consider what is expected in the marital bed and as well as considering pregnancy.
I also feel the book gives us a different perspective of Henry: someone who is clearly pandered to by his people, who gets his own way and whom nobody stood up to.
Publishing March 2027, The Young Queens is a compelling piece of historical fiction that will fascinate YA readers.
