What do you think?
Rate this book
The Favor of Kings
A novelization of the life and death of of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII.
Mary Hastings Bradley (1882-1976) wrote historical novels, travelogues, and mysteries, and was a journalist for Colliers Magazine during World War II. She traveled extensively, and wrote many articles and novels about her experiences. Her daughter was the noted science fiction author James Tiptree / Alice Sheldon.
Mary Hastings Bradley (1882-1976) wrote historical novels, travelogues, and mysteries, and was a journalist for Colliers Magazine during World War II. She traveled extensively, and wrote many articles and novels about her experiences. Her daughter was the noted science fiction author James Tiptree / Alice Sheldon.
388 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1912
28 people want to read
About the author
Mary Hastings Bradley
56 books3 followersMary (Wilhelmina) (nee) Hastings Bradley (1882-1976) was an American writer. Her story The Life of the Party appeared in The O. Henry Prize Stories anthology. She published over twenty books including mysteries and travel writing. She is also noted as the mother of science-fiction author James Tiptree Jr. (real name Alice B. Sheldon) and she wrote a book referring to her titled Alice in Jungleland. Amongst her other works are: The Favour of Kings (1912), The Palace of Darkened Windows (1914), The Fortieth Door (1920), The Innocent Adventuress (1921), The Road of Desperation (1932), Old Chicago: The Fort (1933), Pattern of Three (1937), Murder in the Family (1951) and Nice People Poison (1952).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 10, 2016
Written in 1912, this is possibly the earliest novelization of the life of Anne Boleyn, ill-fated second wife of Henry VIII. Bradley's Anne is passionate and lively but also young and headstrong and proud.
She initially enters into her relationship with Henry partly out of awe for THE KING! and partly out of a hot desire to revenge herself on those who have insulted and hurt her, seeing him as her path to power at court. She does so with a certain innocence about his character, without fully understanding the consequences, and once in she has no idea how to extricate herself. Once she has begun, she has no choice but to see it through.
In this she is probably closer to the real Anne than many later incarnations, which attempt to turn her into either a scheming witch or a religious reformer.
As a side note, the author is the mother of noted science fiction author James Tiptree / Alice Sheldon.
She initially enters into her relationship with Henry partly out of awe for THE KING! and partly out of a hot desire to revenge herself on those who have insulted and hurt her, seeing him as her path to power at court. She does so with a certain innocence about his character, without fully understanding the consequences, and once in she has no idea how to extricate herself. Once she has begun, she has no choice but to see it through.
In this she is probably closer to the real Anne than many later incarnations, which attempt to turn her into either a scheming witch or a religious reformer.
As a side note, the author is the mother of noted science fiction author James Tiptree / Alice Sheldon.
November 20, 2018
This book was fabulous. It was written in 1912 and in a lot of ways it was like reading books like "Little Women" - Anne peeping round corners, her girlish heart atremble, thrilling to the sight of her lover etc. It also has a peculiar focus on hair - Anne making her girlish ringlets into a ring and slipping it onto Henry's finger (while still in her head), Anne inexplicably pulling out hairs from her head to use as bindings from a bandage - now that's some miracle working hair right there! It definitely portrays Anne as nearly Saint Anne, even when her girlish heart is stirred and throbbing with ambition it's not her fault, it's Henry for dangling it in front of her wide beautiful eyes, dazzled by the glory he is offering her. To maintain this virtue all her enemies must be denigrated - Catherine is an ugly shrew who is so cruel to her sweet young maid of honor Anne! Surely she deserved what she got! But Anne is thoughtful by the end, her heart swelling with noble sympathy and grief for a fellow woman. If you don't like this kind of writing then best skip it but it was really a fun read, with a lot of historically accurate quotes, letters, songs etc. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
January 22, 2013
Good version.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews