Mary, Bloody Mary

Summary: The story of Mary Tudor s childhood is a classic fairy tale: A princess who is to inherit the throne of England is separated from her mother; abused by an evil stepmother who has enchanted her father; stripped of her title; and forced to care for her baby stepsister, who inherits Mary s rights to the throne. Believe it or not, it s all true. Told in the voice of the young Mary, this novel explores the history and intrigue of the dramatic rule of Henry VIII, his outrageous affair with and marraige to the bewitching Anne Boleyn, and the consequences of that relationship for his firstborn daughter. Carolyn Meyer has written a compassionate historical novel about love and loss, jealousy and fear—and a girl s struggle with forces far beyond her control.


About: 
Author: Carolyn Meyer
Pages: 227
Published: 1999


Review:
My first read on the infamous Bloody Mary! The first time I picked this book up was in the fifth grade, way before the beginning of my obsession with Tudor England. I didn't know about bear fights, so when I opened this book up I was so horrified that I put it right back! And then after I read Doomed Queen Anne, I returned to this book out of curiosity, and did find it quite enjoyable.


It was basically a retelling of Anne Boleyn's story, except from the perspective of Princess Mary Tudor. It surprised me, really, how just by changing the point of view in the story, everything changed.When I read Anne's tale, I didn't think much about the poor Mary; I was too much a fan of Anne. This book didn't change my steadfast love for Anne at all, but it did give me much sympathy to the younger Mary, and definitely put some humanity in Mary I, now known as the monster Bloody Mary. I now understand why she could never forgive Anne; if I were in her position, I know I would feel same.


This was definitely a good, historically accurate novel for not just young adults, but anyone curious about the real Mary I, in her younger years. 


Rating:
5 stars/5 stars

Murder Most Royal

Summary: One powerful king. Two tragic queens.

In the court of Henry VIII, it was dangerous for a woman to catch the king’s eye. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were cousins. Both were beautiful women, though very different in temperament. They each learned that Henry’s passion was all-consuming–and fickle.

Sophisticated Anne Boleyn, raised in the decadent court of France, was in love with another man when King Henry claimed her as his own. Being his mistress gave her a position of power; being his queen put her life in jeopardy. Her younger cousin, Catherine Howard, was only fifteen when she was swept into the circle of King Henry. Her innocence attracted him, but a past mistake was destined to haunt her. 

About:

Author: Jean Plaidy

Pages: 656

Published: 1949, 2006 version

Review:

Coming by November 30th!

Rating:

/5 Stars

Beware, Princess Elizabeth

Summary: Imprisonment. Betrayal. Lost love. Murder. What more must a princess endure? Elizabeth Tudor's teenage and young adult years during the turbulent reigns of Edward and then Mary Tudor are hardly those of a fairy-tale princess. Her mother has been beheaded by Elizabeth's own father, Henry VIII; her jealous half sister, Mary, has her locked away in the Tower of London; and her only love interest betrays her in his own quest for the throne. 

Told in the voice of the young Elizabeth and ending when she is crowned queen, this second novel in the exciting series explores the relationship between two sisters who became mortal enemies. Carolyn Meyer has written an intriguing historical tale that reveals the deep-seated rivalry between a determined girl who became one of England's most powerful monarchs and the sister who tried everything to stop her.

About:

Author: Carolyn Meyer

Pages: 214

Year Published: 2001

Review:

Another read about Elizabeth I's early days as a princess. This book was written by the same author who wrote a book I love, Doomed Queen Anne. I was actually quite disappointed by this book; maybe it's just that Elizabeth's early days didn't really interest me all that much.

She wrote this book in a very similar style as that of her book of Anne Boleyn, and yet this novel had a more or less textbook-like feel. It wasn't much of a story, to me, but the parts that did have that 'story' element to it were very enjoyable. 

Overall, this was historically accurate to my knowledge. The 'romance' in the summary is a bit over-hyped and there would be little dialogue at some point, but it was an enjoyable enough read that I think young adults would enjoy. It's a pretty fast one, too, an 'introduction' to Elizabeth Tudor, and what lead up to her ascent to the throne.

Rating:

3 stars/5 stars

The Royal Diaries: Elizabeth I, Red Rose of the House of Tudor

Summary: Daughter of a fallen queen, young Princess Elizabeth lives a complicated and dangerous life. She fears her father's famous temper but loves him dearly, noting that she would trade all her jewels just to be noticed by him. She also loves her brother Edward, heir to the English throne, but doesn't like her older sister Mary, who torments her and conspires against her. Kat, her governess, is so worried for Elizabeth's life that she spends hours checking their room for poison whenever they move to a new palace. Court intrigues swirl around her, the French are threatening an invasion, and Kat is clamoring for her to have another bath--that makes nearly six in three months! Through Elizabeth's diary, author Kathryn Lasky brings the Tudor world to life: glittering banquets of peacock, eel, and swan; palaces so stinky that "everyone goes about with their noses buried in pomander balls to hide the stench"; archery contests, where Elizabeth excels; and Latin and logic lessons... where she needs a little work. 


About:
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Pages: 240
Published: 1999


Review:


This is a fictional diary of Elizabeth I, before she was the great "Virgin Queen." In this story, she starts eleven-years-old, probably around the age appropriate for readers of this diary.


I enjoyed it, and found it to be quite, quite accurate. I actually have little problems about it, as, one has to bear in mind the audience/age group it is meant for. I also really enjoyed all the background information in the back of this book. There are biographies about her mother/stepmothers, her father Henry VIII, ancestors, and a bit about her reign. I found this very helpful/resourceful.


My minor issues with this book come with some short, unnecessary entries, like "Rained again... something, something..." They seemed quite pointless to me. Also, Elizabeth's voice seemed a bit childish. I suppose she was eleven-thirteen throughout the years this story took place, but her childishness was more modern, a bit too modern for 1544-1547, in my opinion. Still a good, informational, and entertaining read, though, and I would recommend it to any curious young adult.


Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Nine Days a Queen

Summary: I had freckles. 
I had sandy hair.
I was too short.
Would my feet even touch the ground if I sat on the throne? 

These are the words of lady Jane Grey, as imagined by celebrated author Ann Rinaldi. Jane would become Queen of England for only nine days before being beheaded at the age of sixteen. 

Here is a breathtaking story of English royalty with its pageantry, privilege, and surprising cruelty. As she did in her previous novel Mutiny's Daughter, Ms. Rinaldi uses powerful, evocative writing to bring to life a teenage girl caught in the grip of stirring times.

About:

Authors: Anne Rinaldi

Pages: 228

Year Published: 2005

Review:

I was quite impressed with this novel, my first about the life of Jane Grey. To my knowledge, historically, it was quite accurate - maybe even a bit too accurate. She was portrayed in a sympathetic light, naturally, because after all she was an unwilling queen, a pawn in her parents' game and beheaded at sixteen for it. 

This is a good read particularly for young adults, though maybe not adults. It was a very good fact-based 'summary' overview of important events in her life, her relationships with real characters/figures like Thomas Seymour, Elizabeth I, Catherine Parr, etc.

My only problem is with the storytelling of this book; it almost had a bit of a history textbook feel, only in the first-person point of view. This took away, a little bit, although I don't think it was such a large problem, or one that will ruin your reading experience.

Rating:

3 stars/5 stars

The Royal Diaries: Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile

Summary: The year is 57 B.C., and 12-year-old Cleopatra, Princess of the Nile, has a lot on her mind. Her father, the Pharaoh of Egypt, nearly died when a venomous adder meant for him attacked and killed his favorite servant. Now the Pharaoh has gone into hiding, hunted by his enemies, and the young princess has to keep her head--literally--as her power-hungry older sister Tryphaena threatens to grab her father's throne.

In an elegantly written royal diary, Cleopatra VII has recorded every rich detail from this tumultuous time: her hairsbreadth escape by boat to Rome, where she and her father must plead for help; her struggle to absorb the overwhelming sights (and smells) of this new city and its "barbarian" ways; and her poise and quick thinking as she deals with the likes of General Pompey, Marc Antony, and the famous orator Cicero ("words fly from him like darts!").

About:
Author: Kristina Gregory
Pages: 224
Year Published: 1999

Review:

This was my first read on Cleopatra VII, who is, the Cleopatra that we're always talking about. I've got to say it was a good read, and really has fueled some interest for Cleoptra, in me. I really never thought of her as a person before this; I just thought of her as the wanton Egyptian queen, as do most. However, I learned that as Princess of Egypt, she was very well-educated in several different languages, politics, reading, writing, and more.

I liked the way Miss Gregory wrote this book. I really saw things from Cleopatra's eyes, and, honestly, I can't say whether anything was historically inaccurate, because I don't know much of this time period (I'm definitely more a Tudor England person, but I still find this time period interesting). However, everything was well-written; I could see a real story in this, a real girl writing this diary, which made it a great reading experience. 

I think anyone curious about Cleoptra VII and has never been exposed to historical fiction related to her would enjoy this book. It's a great first start, and because of it, I think I will be reading more related to this Egyptian Queen. Stay tuned?

Rating:

5 stars/5 stars