The Queen of Subtleties

Anne Boleyn captured the heart of King Henry VIII but historians have noted that the common man never saw her as the true Queen of England. Alternating the narrative from that of Anne Boleyn to Lucy Cornwallis, the King's Confectioner, THE QUEEN OF SUBTLETIES offers a unique glimpse into those infamous moments in history. Anne Boleyn's downfall is well known but Suzannah Dunne shows us a different perspective as we see Lucy's view of the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn. THE QUEEN OF SUBTLETIES is a cleverly written book that will have both fans and naysayers alike. Suzannah Dunne uses modern vernacular for the characters which may bother those looking for diehard authenticity of language. Her approach gives readers a comparison to how the excesses of the past are similar to those of modern celebrities. However, she also offers readers a look at the inside of the confectioner's kitchen during such a historic moment. Through Lucy's eyes, we see the fabulous treats prepared during the rise and fall of several queens and the differences between each one. Even the various sweet concoctions created add a deeper insight into the women of the tale as the underlying hints of intrigue and deception are ever present. I found myself thoroughly drawn into Lucy's side of things, much more so than Anne's, as it is such a distinctively fresh approach to the time period. The title itself offers up a hint at the unusual flavoring and layering of THE QUEEN OF SUBTLETIES. On the surface, the story is simply the tale of Anne Boleyn from two very different perspectives. However, the word "subtleties" has two meanings, one referring to the specific medieval cuisine in which sweets are modeled to depict various scenes (the Tudor roses are mentioned frequently) and the other more common meaning of delicate understatement. Thematically, both meanings are prevalent throughout the storyline as the food and intrigues of the court both mirror one another while revealing the contrasts between Lucy and Anne, particularly in their manners of expression. In addition, Anne's issues with the use and inability to use subtlety are played out with the backdrop and context of cuisine created by the King's Confectioner. THE QUEEN OF SUBTLETIES moves at two speeds as well, with Lucy's side chronicling the story at one pace while Anne's perspective looks back. The time jumps may confuse or annoy some readers but will also bring an additional insight into the underlying intrigues and interwoven relationships when one sees how everything relates together to form one cohesive portrait. Suzannah Dunne dares to take some chances with THE QUEEN OF SUBTLETIES to provide a brilliant and fascinating portrait of Anne Boleyn. Bravo, Ms. Dunne! COURTESY OF BOOK ILLUMINATIONS

I found this book to be not quite as bad as some reviewers have, but not quite as good as it promised. It was definitely readable, and intriguing. There was a clever dual story which unfolded concerning the royal confectioner, Miss Cornwallis, who crafted 'subtleties' for the royal court and of course, Anne Boleyn. The parallel story of the confectioner was actually more interesting to me than the Anne Boleyn story. The author does a good job of making characters such as musician Mark Smeaton 'real' and not not footnotes of history. Her treatment of Queen Anne, to which most reviewers seem to object, is not overly sympathetic--neither is is particularly crass. The author explains in the endnotes the use of names such as Tom and Tommy, for Cromwell and Cranmer, as a way to help distinguish their personalities. This is presuming that Anne would not have referred to either of them in her diary notes by their surnames. The storyline is uneven...I was never 100 percent sure if the two tales were entirely parallel..but it does provide an interesting perspective as to the roles of the Queen and the commoner/confectioner. If you're looking for a book highly sympathic to Anne Boleyn, this isn't it. Neither is it anti-Anne. Suzannah Dunn has done an interesting job of trying to make Anne contemporary in thought and in feel. Perhaps that is the problem. Her times--the roles of women, the 'chivalry and romance' of her time, do not translate to the current day. Worth a read? Yes, I think so. The author is definitely a talented storyteller. As I can attest, you can't tell anyone what to write--had she done a novel strictly about the confectioner, and tied that in to her times and the Court of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, it might have been received better. Still, definitely a good read, for a novelization about Anne's 'diary' and memories. Keep in mind that excellent novels, such as The Lady in the Tower, are already out there. If you're like me, and always looking for something 'new' to read about Anne of the Thousand Days, you will probably find this book of interest. Could it have been better? With 20/10 hindsight, yes, of course. Still, it's a well researched, nicely written novel.

Actually, I don't consider Queen of Subtleties to be drivel. I agree with other reviewers who found the use of modern idioms ("movers and shakers" and "partying", for example) rather distracting. As for the F-word, I think it goes way back in time and has been used quite freely by all kinds of people throughout the ages, even some of the queens of England. Anne Boleyn is presented here more as she might have acted in 2005, it's true. But this is a woman who accomplished something that changed the Western world. She must have been arrogant, strong-willed, and superbly self-confident to get as far as she did. And she died as fearlessly as she lived. Whether you like her or not, she deserves not to be romanticized and to be recognized for the gutsy risk-taker she was. As for the rest of this work, Dunn does a creditable job of bringing a previously shadowy player in this huge drama to life. I'm referring to Mark Smeaton, the court musician accused of adultery with Anne. Dunn's treament of Lucy, a portrayal of life in the royal kitchens, is fascinating and more true to how the modern reader regards the end of the middle ages. "Subtleties" is not great history. But it IS historical fiction, and I thoroughly enjoyed its entertainment value as a novel.

I was thrilled to find that there would be a new novel about Anne Boleyn, and, I was a tad disappointed. The sections for Anne Boleyn are tedious, and i had to drag myself to read them. The Lucy Cornwallis parts were okay too, but they were also a little slow. As most novels, they portray Anne as a shrill woman who bashed around 'poor' Henry. What annoyed me was the unnecessary use of cursing going on...it was as if I was reading an 8th grade note! What were also annoying were the historical inaccuracies, but if you might notice at the end of the book there are explanations, which 'cooled me down'.

While Anne Boleyn is incarcerated in the Tower awaiting execution on phony charges of adultery because King Henry needs to rid himself of his queen to marry Jane Seymour, she scribes her memoirs so her daughter Princess Elizabeth will never forget her mother. Anne's personal account of her meteoric rise from commoner to queen and collapse to death row prisoner is tainted towards making her look good in her child's eyes At the same time, Anne works her journal; her servant Lucy Cornwallis provides a less biased account of the major events that she observed that impacted the queen. Much of what unfolded occurred because the Catholic Catherine held marriage as a sacred act of God and thus refused to divorce Henry when he wanted to marry Anne. Henry delayed the divorce until he felt strong enough to defy powerful Spain, the Pope, and a popular queen until he named himself head of the Anglican Church. Anne marries her king, but her happy nuptials fail to last as people blame her for bewitching Henry and he holds her accountable for not producing a male heir. The chapters alternate quite cleverly between Anne defending herself and the more neutral Lucy who has no ax to grind. Thus fans receive a fabulous historiography fictionalized account of an individual whose relationship with a king changed how her country worshipped. Historical fiction readers will appreciate this delightful recounting by Anne, who remains somewhat stolid as events come around without remorse even towards Catherine and her daughter Princess Mary. The seemingly more accurate write-up is also enjoyable as the confectioner servant tells how she sees what happened. Combined readers get a taste of King Henry's pompous court. Harriet Klausner