However, one problem with those in history, especially women, who were not at the center of affairs, is that there is generally very little material available that can be used to flesh them out and bring them to life. For Anne, this seems to consist mainly of mentions in letters and dispatches, some (relatively formal) letters of her own, and household records. This means that even a short biography such as this contains a lot of narration about what was going on at the time but not much about how many of these events would have affected her personally.
Watkins certainly does do her best with what is available, and I found new information (to me, at least) in her recounting of Anne’s early years and relationships, Henry’s search for his fourth wife, and her life after her brief tenure as queen. Since Watkins also seemed to try to avoid speculation about what Anne was thinking or feeling (except during her marriage and the process of its dissolution), which is understandable since it’s a pet peeve of mine with other authors, especially when it becomes excessive, I didn’t get a real feel for the type of person she was - except that she obviously was a warm person (making lasting friendships with people like the Duchess of Suffolk and the king’s daughters, particularly Mary) who did not hold grudges. I would also have liked to know how she went from being “one of the richest women in England” to someone who was continually having money troubles, though that may have been mainly due to Henry and his successors not honoring his financial commitments except for right after the annulment.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
From October 6, 2018
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