Brief Gaudy Hour: A Novel of Anne
Boleyn by Margaret Campbell Barnes
Exceptionally Written
The enigmatic Anne Boleyn comes to life in this charming, brilliant
portrayal by acclaimed British novelist Margaret Campbell Barnes.
The infamous love of King Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I,
Anne Boleyn undertook a rocky journey from innocent courtier to powerful
Queen of England. A meticulous researcher, Margaret Campbell Barnes
immerses readers in this intrigue and in the lush, glittery world of the Tudor
Court. The beauty and charms of Anne Boleyn bewitched the most
powerful man in the world, King Henry VIII, but her resourcefulness and
cleverness were not enough to stop the malice of her enemies. Her swift
rise to power quickly became her own undoing.

The author brings to light Boleyns humanity and courage, giving an
intimate look at a young woman struggling to find her own way in a world
dominated by men and adversaries.
Personal Review: Brief Gaudy Hour: A Novel of Anne Boleyn by
Margaret Campbell Barnes
This is a wonderful work of historical fiction in which the author weaves
gossamer threads of fact and fiction around Anne Boleyn, one of the most
intriguing and enigmatic women who ever lived. She was a woman who
would change the face of England by holding out for a crown that she
would wear for a scant three years. Her will to be crowned a Queen would
pave the way for the Reformation to take root in England.
About a third of the book is devoted to establishing Anne's relationship to
her family, friends, and early admirers. It details her first love affair, that
with Henry Percy, the heir to the Earl of Northumberland, said to have
been the love of her life, until Cardinal Wolsey, at the behest of King Henry
VIII, nipped it in the bud, causing him to incur Anne's lifelong enmity. This
portion of the book sets the tone for the rest of the book, grounding the
events that were to follow in the context out of which they arose.
When King Henry VIII finally made his intentions clear, Anne had no
interest in ending up as the King's discarded mistress, as had Mary, her
younger sister. Instead, she led King Henry VIII a merry chase for many
years, refusing to become his mistress despite his ardent wooing. He
became bewitched by her very being, so irresistible did he find this
cultivated and intelligent young woman. Anne, however, always kept her
eye on the prize, seemingly oblivious to the pain that she was causing her
rival, Katharine of Aragon, Henry's wife and Queen of England.
Henry, who was desperate to secure a male heir for the throne of England,
eventually set in motion a series of events that were to have great
ramifications for Catholicism in England. It would cause Henry to set aside
his wife of twenty years so that he could marry Anne Boleyn and have her
crowned Queen of England. It would set the stage for the Reformation in
England. It would also bring about the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey, the
man for whom Anne had no love and in whose destruction she positively
reveled.
Without the cautionary, staying influence of Wolsey, however, Anne would
find herself unable to rein in her husband. She would see him begin to turn
from a loving husband and genial king into the tyrannical despot he would
eventually become. She would find herself powerless against him and
without influence but would not realize it until it was too late. When Anne
failed to deliver the promised male heir, having only given him the Princess
Elizabeth, she found that he wished to rid himself of her by any means
necessary. After having been Queen of England for nearly three years,

Anne would be convicted of treason of the foulest sort and condemned to
die a traitor's death.
This well-written book is one that those who like historical fiction will enjoy.
It is rich with period detail, replete with all the pomp and circumstance of
the Tudor court. It also paints a well-drawn portrait of one of the most
fascinating women in history.
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