The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir

June 22, 2024

The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir

Mary I, aka Bloody Mary, was the oldest surviving child of Henry VIII and had a happy childhood until her tenth year, when her father became obsessed simultaneously with the need for a male heir and Anne Boleyn. Her life pretty much went downhill from there, as she was first named Henry's heir, then was declared illegitimate, then was reinstated after her brother, then was persecuted for her Catholic faith, finally becoming queen. She inherited her suspicious nature from her father, looking for conspiracies around her, suspecting the motives of her suitors, and even believing that her half-sister Elizabeth was not Henry's child. After she became queen, her two obsessions were restoring Catholicism as the state religion and her husband, Phillip of Spain. She wanted a child so desperately that she suffered two phantom pregnancies. Overall, she lived a sad and lonely life, dying at age 42.

Although Henry VIII was obsessed with the idea that he had to have a son to rule after him and to carry on his dynasty, his councillors didn't agree with him. They felt Mary was intelligent and well-educated, and also that she would undoubtedly marry and her husband would rule with her. Mary wasn't a great ruler or even a good ruler, but what made her memorable was the 300+ Protestants that she burned. Ironically, Mary's attempt to stamp out Protestantism by executing its followers only convinced many of her subjects that Protestantism was a faith worth dying for. Modern historians have tried to improve Mary's reputation and legacy, but there is not much that you can say about Mary that is positive and Weir's well-research book doesn't try to sugar coat Mary's actions. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and those interested in the Tudor period.

Mary I, aka Bloody Mary - she looks kind of like Gerald Ford

The Last White Rose by Alison Weir

May 23, 2024

The Last White Rose by Alison Weir

Elizabeth of York was the oldest daughter of Edward IV, and the wife of Henry VII at the end of the War of the Roses. Elizabeth was a sweet, beautiful girl, beloved by her family, who became the heir to the throne when her two brothers (aka the Princes in the Tower) disappeared. Henry VII became king by right of conquest when he overthrew Richard III, but he needed to marry Elizabeth to solidify his claim to the throne. Surprisingly, it was a successful marriage and Henry was devoted to Elizabeth. When she died at age 37 after the birth of their last child, he mourned her deeply for the rest of his life.

Most books about the Tudors focus on Henry VIII and his six wives (which is really the only thing he is remembered for - he was actually a very mediocre king), but this novel is about his mother, Elizabeth of York. Elizabeth had a large and complicated family: she herself had nine siblings, while her mother Elizabeth Woodville had over a dozen siblings, and her father Edward IV had at least seven siblings. There is a certain amount of confusion at some points regarding which Edward, Richard, Elizabeth, Katherine or Margaret we are talking about. There is also a lot of crying. Alison Weir has written extensively about the Tudors and the Plantagenets, and she brings her nonfiction research to this novel. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and about the Tudors in particular.

Elizabeth of York

The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir

April 28, 2023

The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir

On his deathbed, Henry VIII reflection on his life, his good and evil deeds, and how he will be remembered.

After writing about his six wives, Alison Weir is finally giving Henry VIII his day in court. Weir is a historian and the reader learns about the history of England in the 16th century as well as the events that shaped Henry as a man and a ruler. Even people who don't like history tend to be fascinated by the Tudors, Henry VIII in particular, but what most people don't realize is that the only thing Fat Harry is remembered for is being married six times and murdering two of his wives. Otherwise he was a rather mediocre king, squandering the massive treasury left to him by his father on futile wars and entertainments. Rather than tending to matters of state, he turned them over to advisers like Wolsey and Cromwell and spent his time enjoying himself with his friends. He was obsessed with fathering sons, convinced that a woman couldn't be an effective ruler, even though his advisers and fellow monarchs all told him that there was no reason that Mary could not be his heir and a successful ruler (even though the three longest reigning and most successful English monarchs WERE queens: Elizabeth I, Victoria, and Elizabeth II). 

Weir deals rather gently with Henry and is sympathetic to him compared with other biographers. She downplays the fact that due to his suspicious nature, Henry eventually executed almost all of his friends and relatives. He was rather gullible and a notoriously bad judge of character. His motto should have been "it's not my fault." 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Fat Harry - even in later years, he fancied himself to be quite a hunk - when he got fat (it's estimated that he weighed around 400 lbs), the courtiers started padding their clothes to look fat like him - he didn't look anything like the actor who played him in the Tudors cable TV series

Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls

February 28, 2023

Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls

Duke Kincaid has ruled the county for as long as most people can remember. Sallie Kincaid is the Duke's daughter from his second wife Ann, who died after a violent argument with the Duke. At age 17, Sallie begins working for Duke, driving around the county collecting rents and other debts, often accepting homemade whiskey in payment. When the Duke dies suddenly, other family members take over his business interests and begin making and selling illegal liquor, transporting it to urban centers in Virginia, even though it is prohibited by law. As she observes the marriages around her, Sallie vows she will never marry and fights for her rightful place in the Duke's kingdom, while learning about the meaning of family, whether it's the one we're born with or the one we create for ourselves.

I loved Walls' memoir The Glass Castle so I was looking forward to her latest book. This is a historical novel set in rural Virginia about the early days of bootlegging during Prohibition, about tangled family relationships and women who not only survive but triumph. Fun fact: auto racing like NASCAR got its start with illegal rum runners, who would strip down their cars to the bare bones so that they could carry as much liquor as possible, and then they would soup up the engines so that the cars would go as fast as possible.

Even though the novel is set in Virginia, I kept tripping over the Tudors. The Duke's real name is Henry, he was married four times (Belle, Ann, Jane, Katherine); he divorced his first wife, killed his second wife, his third wife died, and his last wife survived him. Duke even had an affair with Ann's sister, just like Henry VIII did with Mary Boleyn, Anne's sister. After he married his third wife, he banished his second daughter to Hatfield (Elizabeth I grew up at Hatfield House); after his son Edward dies, his first daughter Mary takes over his kingdom - Mary is married to a guy named Phillip, just like Mary Tudor was; after Mary died, Sallie takes over. There is also a Seymour and a Cecil, for god's sake.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Storing illegal hooch in the basement, just like Duke and Cecil did

The Tudor Crown by Joanna Hickson

March 30, 2021

The Tudor Crown by Joanna Hickson

Most books written about the Tudors focus on either Henry VIII or Elizabeth I. The Tudor Crown is about the rise and reign of the first Tudor king, Henry VII, father of Henry VIII.

During the 15th century, the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York raged over which house had the right to the English crown. Henry Tudor (later Henry VII) and his mother Margaret Beaufort had a close relationship, and Margaret was the driving force behind Henry's quest for the throne. Both Henry and Margaret are portrayed more positively here than in most books about the 15th century. Henry is usually one of the likely suspects responsible for the murder of the two child princes in the Tower of London, while Margaret is usually depicted as a scheming bitch.

Joanna Hickson has written other books about the Tudor line from the time of Owen and Jasper Tudor through the reign of Elizabeth. Very readable historical fiction.

                   

Henry VII and Margaret Beaufort

Lamentation by C. J. Sansom

February 4, 2021

Lamentation by C. J. Sansom

Summer 1546 - as Henry VIII lies dying, lawyer Matthew Shardlake is summoned to the palace by Queen Catherine Parr. As a Protestant supporter, Queen Catherine authored a distinctly Protestant tract which, if discovered by the Catholic faction, could bring about her arrest and execution. The manuscript has vanished from a locked chest, but a single page is found clutched in the hand of a murdered London printer.

At the same time, Matthew is dealing with a civil law case that is essentially a family feud regarding inheritance rights. Both cases are more complex than they first appear.

This is the sixth book in the Matthew Shardlake series. The titles in this series are well-researched and give an accurate picture of daily life of both courtiers and common people in the 16th century. There is seamless blending of real and fictional characters, and fiction with historic facts. This is one of my favorite historical series.  Highly recommended.

Heartstone by C. J. Sansom

December 24, 2020

Heartstone by C. J. Sansom

1545 - England is at war again.  Henry VIII's invasion of France was a catastrophe, and his subjects suffer under his increasing irrationality.  At the request of Queen Catherine Parr, lawyer Matthew Shardlake takes on a case of alleged abuse committed against a ward of the court. At the same time, Matthew is investigating the case of a woman residing in Bedlam (whom he met in the previous book). With his long-time assistant Jack Barak, Matthew travels to Portsmouth to investigate a strange family where one death has already occurred. They arrive just in time for the French invasion, which has disastrous consequences for the English navy.

This is the fifth book in the Matthew Shardlake series and it is a wonderful addition to the series.  Wonderful research seamlessly blending real and fictional characters. This is one of my favorite series and I look forward to the next book.

Revelation by C. J. Sansom

December 8, 2020

Revelation by C. J. Sansom

1543 - Henry VIII is courting a reluctant Lady Catherine Parr to become his 6th wife.  Lady C. is known for having reformist leanings, so the royal court and church officials are paying close attention.  At the same time, a young man who is a religious fanatic is committed to Bedlam for the insane.  His parents seek out lawyer Matthew Shardlake, hoping that he can assist their son. When an old friend of Matthew's is found murdered, Matthew discovers links to both situations.  Soon more murders occur that appear to have links to prophecies in the book of Revelations.

This is the 4th book in the Matthew Shardlake series, a wonderful historical series set during the time of the Tudors.  Lawyer Shardlake has links to the Tudor court through Thomas Cromwell and other members of the court.  If you like your mysteries steeped in excellent research, you will enjoy this series.

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

 November 8, 2020

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

1541 - With England in a state of political turmoil, Henry VIII sets out on a royal progression with his court to visit the far reaches of his realm and calm his troubled subjects.  Archbishop Cranmer tasks lawyer Matthew Shardlake with the unenviable job of ensuring that a suspected conspirator is returned safely to London to stand trial.  Shardlake also becomes involved in investigating the murder of a local businessman after pages found in the victim's possession that question the legitimacy of Henry VIII's reign.

This is book #3 in the Matthew Shardlake series.  Like the previous titles in the series, it is well-researched and provides a fascinating look at life in Tudor England in addition to a page-turning mystery.  The overall tone is darker than the first two books, but England was growing increasingly grim the longer Henry reigned.

Great series - highly recommended to fans of historical fiction.