Dear Heart, How Like You This?
Sir Thomas Wyatt, 16th century poet and nobleman, narrates the tale of his mostly unrequited love for his cousin, Anne Boleyn – a love that survives her romance with Harry Percy, her scheme to take revenge on King Henry by inciting his lust, and her sorry end at the executioner’s block. Anne herself is a vibrant, well-rounded character, particularly in contrast to Thomas, whose devotion to her is all-consuming. The novel is repetitious in places. Overuse of “verily” and “soothly” quickly grows wearisome, and the characters name each other in nearly every line of dialogue. However, the author’s love for her subject and the Tudor era shows throughout; she also has a lyrical touch with language.
