Quite Contrary

Literature & Fiction

Dunn, Suzannah

Contemporary

Flamingo

A new cover re-issue of Suzannah Dunn's second novel Five young girls -- talented Deborah, fashion victim Roz, eccentric Lucy, dependable Ali and indecisive Lalie -- on the brink of adulthood. This is a novel about women's lives, about what happens to those intense, cloying teenage friendships when everyone grows up, gets married, leaves their home town. A razor-sharp rites of passage novel. Set in the 1980s. Suzannah Dunn at her very best, writing about ordinary life in an extraordinary way. Packed full of humour and insight.

Blood Sugar

A tremendously vivid, page-turning and plausible novel that depicts the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, the most spirited, independent and courageous of Henry's queens, as viewed from both the bedrooms and the kitchens of the Tudor court. Everyone knows the story of Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII divorced his longstanding, long-suffering, older, Spanish wife for a young, black-eyed English beauty, and, in doing so, severed England from Rome and indeed from the rest of the western world. Then, when Henry had what he wanted, he managed a mere three years of marriage before beheading his wife for alleged adultery with several men, among them his own best friend and her own brother. This is the context for Suzannah Dunn's wonderful new novel, which is about -- and told by -- two women: Anne Boleyn, king's mistress and fated queen; and Lucy Cornwallis, the king's confectioner, an employee of the very highest status, who made the centrepiece of each of the feasts to mark the important occasions in Anne's ascent. There's another link between them, though: the lovely Mark Smeaton, wunderkind musician, the innocent on whom, ultimately, Anne's downfall hinged...Suzannah Dunn has all the equipment needed for literary-commercial success: wit, a mastery of dialogue, brilliant characterization, lack of pretence, and good humour. The Queen of Subtleties adds to that mix a wonderfully balanced, strong story; Dunn has plumped for a fascinating retelling of one of the most often-told, most compelling stories of our islands' history. In doing so, she's turning from contemporary stories to historical fiction. The result is sensational.

The Queen of Subtleties

A tremendously vivid, page-turning and plausible novel that depicts the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn, the most spirited, independent and courageous of Henry's queens, as viewed from both the bedrooms and the kitchens of the Tudor court. Everyone knows the story of Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII divorced his longstanding, long-suffering, older, Spanish wife for a young, black-eyed English beauty, and, in doing so, severed England from Rome and indeed from the rest of the western world. Then, when Henry had what he wanted, he managed a mere three years of marriage before beheading his wife for alleged adultery with several men, among them his own best friend and her own brother. This is the context for Suzannah Dunn's wonderful new novel, which is about -- and told by -- two women: Anne Boleyn, king's mistress and fated queen; and Lucy Cornwallis, the king's confectioner, an employee of the very highest status, who made the centrepiece of each of the feasts to mark the important occasions in Anne's ascent. There's another link between them, though: the lovely Mark Smeaton, wunderkind musician, the innocent on whom, ultimately, Anne's downfall hinged... Suzannah Dunn has all the equipment ne

Humor & Satire

Harper-perennial

A gripping novel of love, passion, betrayal, and heartbreak in the unstable Tudor court following the death of King Henry VIII
Clever, level-headed Katherine Parr has suffered through four years of marriage to the aging and irascible King Henry VIII—and she has survived, unlike the five wives who came before her. But less than a year after the old king's death, her heart is won by the dashing Thomas Seymour, and their hasty union undoes a lifetime of prudent caution.
An unwilling witness to the queen's late-blossoming love, Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, harbors nagging suspicions of Kate's handsome and ambitious new husband. But as Catherine is drawn deeper into the web of politics ensnaring her oldest friend, it gradually becomes clear that she has her own dark tale to tell. For though Thomas might betray his wife for power, Catherine might betray her for passion, risking everything she has in a world where love is a luxury not even royalty can easily afford.

The Sixth Wife

Literary

A gripping novel of love, passion, betrayal, and heartbreak in the unstable Tudor court following the death of King Henry VIIIClever, level-headed Katherine Parr has suffered through four years of marriage to the aging and irascible King Henry VIII—and she has survived, unlike the five wives who came before her. But less than a year after the old king's death, her heart is won by the dashing Thomas Seymour, and their hasty union undoes a lifetime of prudent caution.An unwilling witness to the queen's late-blossoming love, Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, harbors nagging suspicions of Kate's handsome and ambitious new husband. But as Catherine is drawn deeper into the web of politics ensnaring her oldest friend, it gradually becomes clear that she has her own dark tale to tell. For though Thomas might betray his wife for power, Catherine might betray her for passion, risking everything she has in a world where love is a luxury not even royalty can easily afford.

Harper

A queen brought low by love compromised and power abused -- the tragedy of Mary Tudor. Plain, dutiful and a passionate Catholic, Mary Tudor was overjoyed by joy when she became England's queen. After the misery of her childhood, when her father had rejected her mother, and effectively disowned his daughter, Mary felt at last that she was achieving her destiny. And when she marries Philip of Spain, her happiness is complete. But Mary's delight quickly turns sour as she realises that her husband does not love her. In fact he finds her devotion irritating. Desperate for a baby, she begins to believe that God is punishing her. Her people are horrified at the severity of the measures she takes and begin to turn against their queen who is lonely, frightened -- and desperate for love. Rafael, a member of Philip of Spain's entourage, is a reluctant witness to the unfolding tragedy and as the once-feted queen tightens her cruel hold on the nation, Rafael becomes closer to Mary and his life -- and new-found love -- are caught up in the terrible chaos that follows.

The Queen's Sorrow

HarperPress

A queen brought low by love compromised and power abused - the tragedy of Mary Tudor. These are desperate times for Mary Tudor. As England's first ruling queen, her joy should be complete when she marries Philip, the dashing Prince of Spain. But despite her ardent devotion, he's making it painfully obvious that he cares little for his new wife - and her struggle to produce an heir only makes him colder towards him. Lonely and depressed, Mary begins to vent her anguish on her people - and England becomes a place of cruelty, persecution and fear. Mary's terrible fall from grace is seen through the eyes of Rafael, a Spanish sundial maker who is part of the Prince's flamboyant entourage. He becomes the one person that she trusts, but his life - and new-found love - will be caught in the chaos that follows...

Harperperennial

Page edges tanned. Shipped from the U.K. All orders received before 3pm sent that weekday.

Confession of Katherine Howard

HarperCollins, Publishers

She was the dark-eyed commoner who captivated a king, causing a monumental upheaval in the land that would sever England from the rest of the Western world. Yet, after three short years of marriage, she would die by the headsman's sword, leaving behind a young daughter destined to rule as the greatest of all British monarchs. She was enchantress and martyr, manipulator and pawn, a complex, misunderstood mélange of subtlety and fire. Her name was Anne Boleyn.
With stunning vividness and lyrical power, author Suzannah Dunn brings a tumultuous era to magnificent life, as she boldly reimagines the rise and descent of a tragic, legendary queen, the second and perhaps most famous wife of King Henry VIII. It is a story of betrayal and love, of pomp and obsession, told in two unforgettable alternating voices: that of the doomed queen herself, relating the true and twisted circumstances of her triumphs, downfall, and impending death to the innocent child who will never truly know her mother ... and that of a servant, Lucy Cornwallis, witness to great and terrible events from her place in the royal kitchens. These two women -- both serving at the whim of a volatile monarch, both prisoners in a world of power and unspeakable cruelty -- share nothing except an inside view of the intricate workings of a merciless court ... and an ultimately devastating relationship with a handsome, young musician.
With wit, grace, and masterful storytelling, Suzannah Dunn weaves a compelling and unforgettable tale rich in color and detail, peopled with larger-than-life characters rendered poignantly and painfully human by an artist's expert hand. The Queen of Subtleties is a magnificent achievement -- a masterwork that will live long and stand regally proud among the most loved and respected works of historical fiction.

United States

William Morrow

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Dunn, Suzannah. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Dunn, Suzannah

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Dunn, Suzannah. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Quite Contrary

Blood Sugar

The Queen of Subtleties

The Queen of Subtleties

The Sixth Wife

The Sixth Wife

The Queen's Sorrow

The Queen's Sorrow

Confession of Katherine Howard

The Queen of Subtleties