I thought I'd put my review of it up on here for you so you have an idea what it is about before she comes to visit us. If you would like to read it yourself Mrs Walker is getting copies for the library and you'll be able buy them at the event.
This book is fantastic read from teenagers (and almost teenagers) who want to learn more about Henry VIII and why he became the man he did. I enjoyed every page and thought it was a good example of how historical fiction should be written.
I do get quite a bee in my bonnet when it comes to historical fiction aimed at 11 - 16 year olds. I get sent a lot of it for to read because I am a history teacher and I have found of late that some of the stuff out there is just too weighty and too boring What I loved about VIII is that it the author seems uses story telling in an to put across historical events in an entertaining way.
The first thing I liked about the book is that it gave the reader a real sense of historical period and what it would have been like for the main characters to live through the time period without overburdening the reader with lots and lots of tiny and somewhat irrelevant details which can get dull quickly.
If you ask any child to tell you something about Henry VIII they will say one of two things - he was very fat or he had lots of wives which really only scratches the surface. I loved how this book looks more broadly at Henry's life as a whole and considers in more detail his earlier life when he was this gorgeous all powerful ruler. I also liked the sections where it looked in detail at Henry's younger life before he became first in line to the throne and showed how he was treated by his family because of this. Yes this book does go through Henry's wives and yes he does become fat but that isn't the sole focus of this book which is what I liked.
Another reason why I liked this book and why I think it would be interesting for 11 - 16 year olds is that it really did capture the drama of the period with all the political intrigue that would have surrounded Henry as he threw his weight around trying to get his own way in areas such as his marriages and religion, when trying to wage wars with France and at home in the way he ruled his country in the ruthless manner he did.
Definitely a book I would highly recommend both as reader and a history teacher. A brilliant example of how Historical Fiction can be used to engage people with historical events and personalities.
