Synopses & Reviews
The year is 1527. The great portraitist Hans Holbein, who has fled the reformation in Europe, is making his first trip to England under commission to Sir Thomas More. In the course of six years, Holbein will become a close friend to the More family and paint two nearly identical family portraits. But closer examination of the paintings reveals that the second holds several mysteries...
Set against the turmoil, intrigue and, tragedy of Henry VIII's court, Portrait of an Unknown Woman vividly evokes sixteenth-century England on the verge of enormous change. As the Protestant Reformation sweeps across Europe to lap at England's shores, relations between her king and the Catholic Church begin to plummet driven by Henry VIII's insatiable need for a male heir and the urgings of his cunning mistress Anne Boleyn and heresy begins to take hold. As tensions rise, Henry VIII turns to his most trusted servant and defender of Catholic orthodoxy, Sir Thomas More to keep peace in England, but soon the entire More family find their own lives at risk.
At the center of Portrait of an Unknown Woman is Meg Gigg's, Sir Thomas More's twenty-three year old adopted daughter. Intelligent, headstrong, and tender-hearted, Meg has been schooled in the healing arts. And though she is devoted to her family, events conspire that will cause Meg to question everything she thought she knew including the desires of her own heart. As the danger to More and his family increases, two men will vie for Meg's affections: John Clement, her former tutor and More's protégé who shares Meg's passion for medicine, but whose true identity will become unclear, and the great Holbein, who's artistic vision will forever alter her understanding of the world.
With a striking sense of period detail Portrait of an Unknown Woman is an unforgettable story of sin and religion, desire and deception. It is the story of a young woman on the brink of sensual awakening and of a country on the edge of mayhem.
Review
"(An) ambitious, involving first novel...Bennett writes gracefully and persuasively, skillfully using historical details to capture the uncertain mood of a turbulent era." Boston Globe
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"Bennett masters all the period details, intricate plotting, suspense, and characterization that make this debut novel a must have for those readers who like literary fiction with a large dose of historical authenticity." Booklist
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"With this interweaving of historical fact and imaginative characterization, [Bennett] creates a multidimensional work of fiction....Highly recommended." Library Journal (Starred Review)
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"An engrossing, quietly impassioned historical that blends some big ideas into the love story and ends with a touching burst of emotional insight." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
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"Fans of Tracy Chevalier and Philippa Gregory will lap up this meticulously researched historical tale....A brilliant study of passion, politics, religion and art." London Evening Standard
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"This is several cuts above the usual history-lite part love story, part thriller, all excellently imagined and written." The Times (London)
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"One of the best books we'll read this year." Evening Herald (Dublin)
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"The historical detail is excellent and the story, featuring Sir Thomas More, Hans Holbein and other B-list Tudor celebrities, has enough twists to keep readers on their toes. The tang of daily Tudor life, with strangers lurking in dark alleys and the horros of the plague never far away, is conveyed with skill and feeling."Sunday Telegraph (London)
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"There is plenty to admire and enjoy in Bennett's portrayal of a society convulsed by radical change...a writer to watch." Times Literary Supplement
Synopsis
Hidden identities, rising political and religious tension, sensual awakening, and artistic vision come together in Vanora Bennett's luminous and absorbing historical novel of Tudor England reminiscent of the works of Phillipa Gregory, Sarah Dunant, and Tracy Chevalier.
1527. A dark curtain has fallen across Europe. Martin Luther's break with the Vatican has led to civil war and artistic censorship, forcing the renowned portraitist Hans Holbein the Younger to flee to the safety of Tudor England. Under the patronage of one of Henry VIII's most trusted and brilliant advisors, Sir Thomas More, Holbein painted two portraits of the More family over the course of five years. Though nearly identical, the second is different. Why? And what do these subtle differences mean?
In this sweeping epic, Vanora Bennett uses these two pictures to weave a wondrously imagined tale of Tudor England, witnessed through the eyes of Meg, More's intelligent and headstrong young ward. Set against the turmoil, intrigue, and tragedy of Henry VIII's court, Portrait of an Unknown Woman is the story of a woman torn between two remarkable yet radically different men--one she will love, the other she will marry. It also the story of a country torn apart by fanaticism, corruption, and the desires of a headstrong king. Rich with colorful detail, full of vibrant characters drawn from the pages of history, this magnificent novel hails the arrival of a visionary new writer and is sure to become one of the most talked about books of the year.
Synopsis
With a striking sense of period detail, Portrait of an Unknown Woman is an unforgettable story of sin and religion, desire and deception. It is the tale of a young woman on the brink of sensual awakening and of a country on the edge of mayhem.
About the Author
Vanora Bennett is the author of two acclaimed novels, Portrait of an Unknown Woman and Figures in Silk, and an award-winning journalist. She has contributed to the Los Angeles Times, the Times Literary Supplement, The Times (London), and the BBC. She lives in North London with her husband and two children.