Set during the turbulent reign of Henry VIII and his increasing involvement with Anne Bolelyn, Vanora Bennett’s novel focuses on the life of Meg Giggs, the foster daughter of Sir Thomas More.  The story starts with the arrival of Hans Holbein, a painter commissioned to do a family portrait, who quickly entices 22-year-old Meg closer with his simpleness and honesty.  However, Meg’s mysterious former tutor John Clement also shows up unexpectedly, reviving her childhood love for him.

Meg marries John, but life doesn’t prove to be simple—Thomas More’s increasing fanaticism against Protestantism drags down the reputation of the family name, and John’s secrets threaten to drive an irreparable wedge between Meg and John.  When Hans Holbein reappears five years later to paint a subsequent, and very darkly toned family painting, Meg and the rest of the Mores will finally learn the answers to those painful questions. And all will be forced to make some difficult life decisions.

A beautiful, encompassing story, Portrait of an Unknown Woman is well worth the read.  The backdrop of Henry VIII isn’t overwhelming, but provides enough context to make the story come alive in its time period.  The primary and secondary characters are rich and vivid, and the story is amazingly fast to read.  I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone who loves Tudor-era fiction.

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