• The Kiss of the Concubine

  • A Story of Anne Boleyn
  • By: Judith Arnopp
  • Narrated by: Alex Lee
  • Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (136 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Kiss of the Concubine  By  cover art

The Kiss of the Concubine

By: Judith Arnopp
Narrated by: Alex Lee
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

January 28, 1547. It is almost midnight, and the cream of English nobility hold their breath as King Henry VIII prepares to face his God. As the royal physicians wring their hands and Archbishop Cranmer gallops through the frigid night, two dispossessed princesses pray for their father's soul, and a boy, soon to be king, snivels into his velvet sleeve.

Time slows, and dread settles around the royal bed, the candles dip, and something stirs in the darkness...something, or someone, has come to tell the king it is time to pay his dues.

The Kiss of the Concubine is the story of Anne Boleyn, the second of Henry VIII's queens.

©2013 Judith Arnopp (P)2018 Judith Arnopp

What listeners say about The Kiss of the Concubine

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    93
  • 4 Stars
    28
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    80
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    74
  • 4 Stars
    25
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredibly enjoyable listen!

This author does a wonderful job bringing Anne to life. I couldn’t stop listening and finished this book in a day and a half. All Tudor fans will enjoy this one, especially the way it begins and ends- with Henry on his death bed... no spoilers of course.
Narration was excellent.

I’ve listened to every Tudor biography and much of the relevant historical fiction available on Audible. From a young age, I’ve been captivated story of Anne Boleyn. The nearly decade long love story that ends so quickly in her murder, only a few years after they finally were married. I don’t believe for a second that Anne was guilty of adultery, yet it has always haunted me that the king could behead her and so many of his own close friends on false evidence. With this in mind, the author note and conclusion at the end of the book was very intriguing, as she states that there’s new evidence which sheds light on this very issue.

I’m hoping that new histories and/or biographies will come out soon that sheds light on the new evidence!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • lv
  • 12-27-19

Flawed But Overall OK

I admit I didn't like this book at first and almost called it quits about a third of the way in. The narrator very oddly spoke occasional words with what sounded like a Spanish accent and the writer's depiction of Anne's thoughts during her courtship with Henry VIII, where she's this fragile flower trying to protect her chastity, doesn't ring true with who Anne really was at all. Anne Boleyn was an ambitious, common knowledge "party girl" while part of the French Court and had at least two affairs with notoriously promiscuous men before Henry. Henry himself said he found out after he married Anne that she had lied about her virginity. And I don't think he said that just because he wanted to be rid of her. What I did like about the book was that it begins and ends with her standing over Henry's death bed, taunting and scaring the tar out of him. I thought that was a cool invention. And some of her inner dialog, especially during her last days in the Tower before execution, could very well be close to the truth of what Anne was thinking and going through emotionally. If you are interested in this book, I would almost suggest you first read "Lady in the Tower" by Allison Weir, which is a fantastically detailed non fiction account of the last days of Anne Boleyn. I think knowing all the true facts and details about Anne's last few months of life would enrich the experience of reading this book. Although you'll also be more aware of its errors. OK read, nonetheless.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible

For anyone who loves Tudor History, this is a must!!!!! Especially if you are interested in a first person account of Anne Boleyn. This maybe fiction, but it has some interesting historical qualities that makes this story completely absorbing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really impressive and mesmerizing.

I “opened” this book expecting the usual historical drama and ended up finding something much more. The characters are well developed and their emotions stir your heart. The first few lines steeped with venom and later you grow to love and sympathize with those feelings. I’m not often impressed from beginning to end, but here I really was. I look forward to reading more from this author and seeing their take on history. I really really enjoyed this. The audio narration was also really well done. Highly recommended!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

struggled a bit with the performance.

The narrator doesn't sound as a young vibrant girl but sounds much older - therefore difficult to invision Anne Boleyn.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A new take

For the most part we read that Anne is an evil adulterous “B” who wrecked a marriage and who was herself not a nice person.
This book puts a whole new spin being written from her point of view and paints her as an impressionable young lady discovering herself and life’s joys.

It was a nice change seeing this side of the coin for a change.

I feel the narrator sometimes lost Anne’s voice and couldn’t remember which she was using. But other than that very easy to follow and understand.
Gripping book. Finished in a day and a half. Wish the author had would write about more of the wives of Henry viii

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

King Henry destroyed a life.

Wonderful history and pure excitement in story . Voices and accents amazing and draws you in.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed

I enjoyed this take on the rise and fall of Ann Boleyn. Good narrator. Good story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

4.75 stars

I really enjoyed the writing of the story, it was paced pretty well for the majority of the book. really the only complaint I have is with the performance of the voice of Anne. Every time she would suddenly slip into a French accent I felt like it was out of place. The accent itself sounded good but I felt it was only added in the book so the narrator could either prove she could do it or because she had a habit of doing so naturally. Overall though I was happy with the whole experience.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

More like a romance novel then history

This book would be a fun read for anyone interested in romance novels. It basically picks apart the real story so that it fits in a romantic drama type read. There are a lot of historical inaccuracies although I did appreciate the writer putting Anne in more of a clueless victim role then the usual "Anne the seductress schemer" roll. I think if you are looking for a romance novel loosely based on history then this is for you. If you are looking for historical accuracy about Anne this is not where you will find the whole truth. I gave it a 50/50 rating because I was looking for something more on the historical side, and Im not usually the one to get into romance, Im sure if I was I might have enjoyed it more.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful