THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN The Tudor Court, Book 4

Once again, Philippa Gregory makes historical events personal. Bianca Amato offers an elegant, queenly performance, delivering intimate portraits of fascinating royals. King Henry VIII proposes marriage to young widow Kateryn Parr. Although Kateryn is in love with Thomas Seymour, she realizes she can't refuse the king, who is almost twice her age, grotesquely obese, with a seeping, oozing, foul-smelling leg wound. As the king woos her with kindness, Amato reveals Kateryn's growing fondness for him. She creates an independent, clear-eyed woman, who burns for Seymour but crushes her emotions. Amato is remarkable portraying the last of Henry's queens, a woman who was the first to publish a book, to advocate for a Bible translation in English, and to restore the princesses to their mercurial father's good graces. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2015]