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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
It's fairly similar to the Eric Ives biography but still a good read.
I really thought this would be a five star read and enjoyed it so much in the beginning. But I found the very dramatic endings of each chapter super repetitive after a while, because we obviously all know what was going to happen to Jane. And I can’t get over the author calling Catherine Howard treacherous. Still, this is a very well researched and thorough biography of Jane, something she wholly deserves. Full review to come.
I've heard of lady Jane but only in reference to Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. She was unfortunately another pawn in another person's game.
I admire her conviction to the protestant faith. Even in the face of death she still kept her faith and was disgusted by those that flipped back to catholicism to save themselves.
Good read.
I admire her conviction to the protestant faith. Even in the face of death she still kept her faith and was disgusted by those that flipped back to catholicism to save themselves.
Good read.
An excellent exploration of the political, religious, and social forces which led to Lady Jane Grey being named Queen of England and then deposed thirteen days later.
One of the primary strengths of the book is many documents which Tallis cites to build her portrait. She does an excellent job of explaining who wrote the document, what the probable biases of the authors were, and whether or not they can be considered reliable. At the same time, the weakness of the book is Tallis's frequent use of words like "undoubtedly" when she is speculating on undocumented events or the feelings of historical figures.
One of the primary strengths of the book is many documents which Tallis cites to build her portrait. She does an excellent job of explaining who wrote the document, what the probable biases of the authors were, and whether or not they can be considered reliable. At the same time, the weakness of the book is Tallis's frequent use of words like "undoubtedly" when she is speculating on undocumented events or the feelings of historical figures.
reflective
slow-paced
Great introduction
This book is a very readable and enjoyable introduction to the story of Lady Jane Grey. I would recommend this to people with more than a passing interest, but is perhaps more a jumping off point than an in depth analysis. I will definitely be seeking out more from this author though!
This book is a very readable and enjoyable introduction to the story of Lady Jane Grey. I would recommend this to people with more than a passing interest, but is perhaps more a jumping off point than an in depth analysis. I will definitely be seeking out more from this author though!
Like a lot of the new Tudor stuff, this is an attempt to use modern methods on the available sources and break loose from Victorian assumptions about the motivations of Early Modern women. Tallis, who is a protegee of Alison Weir in the for-profit Country House tourism game, is looking at Jane Grey, and the world in which Tudors were two generations rooted, it was reasonable to try for a throne grab because it had worked before, and where religious differences could both be irredeemable gulfs between people OR minor blips in existing social networks. Tallis fills in unknown pieces with information from similar Tudor households, and does a good job breaking down sources like the single piece that alleges Jane's parents beat her (probably not), and gives fuller credit to Princess Mary for having built a base of support among Catholics and Protestants as a landowner in East Anglia prior to Henry VIII's death. This is popular history, with a lot of explanations and repetition annoying to pros, and with just enough new interpretation to make it worth the investment of time.
emotional
informative
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Although I own the paperback of this book I listened to it with Audible.
Brief Summary: Lady Jane Grey is a tragic historical figure often forgotten on lists of English Monarchs. However, in this work Tallis brings to life the world in which Jane lived and died. Painting a vivid picture of her familial life, her personality, and ultimately her death.
Thoughts: I enjoyed this book and I think that it is an important read for any lover of Tudor history. Due to Tallis' work I am of the belief that Jane should be referred to as Queen Jane. Although, it is clear from primary sources that Jane had no vested interest in wearing the crown in the 13 days that she did wear it she sought to rule England to the best of her authority and conscious.
My favorite part of this work is the discussion of Jane's relationship with her mother, Frances. I believe that Tallis paints the nuanced picture of their relationship and provides ample evidence that Jane and Frances may have knocked against each other due to their differing and strong personalities, but that there was a great deal of love and respect between them.
I also found the information that Tallis provides regarding Jane's actions within the tower to be interesting and the information regarding the jewels she received was entirely new to me.
I do think that this book suffers slightly from Jane not being a larger focus of the book. I would say that it is about 40% focused on Jane and 60% focused on the events and people around her. This makes sense as often she is obscured by larger political events and players due to her age and relative obscurity before the reign of Edward VI.
I would highly recommend this book. When Jane is the focus she shines through. Her religious faith, her tenacity, and her curiosity are clear from her personal letters and the commentary of her contemporaries which Tallis highlights throughout the book.
Brief Summary: Lady Jane Grey is a tragic historical figure often forgotten on lists of English Monarchs. However, in this work Tallis brings to life the world in which Jane lived and died. Painting a vivid picture of her familial life, her personality, and ultimately her death.
Thoughts: I enjoyed this book and I think that it is an important read for any lover of Tudor history. Due to Tallis' work I am of the belief that Jane should be referred to as Queen Jane. Although, it is clear from primary sources that Jane had no vested interest in wearing the crown in the 13 days that she did wear it she sought to rule England to the best of her authority and conscious.
My favorite part of this work is the discussion of Jane's relationship with her mother, Frances. I believe that Tallis paints the nuanced picture of their relationship and provides ample evidence that Jane and Frances may have knocked against each other due to their differing and strong personalities, but that there was a great deal of love and respect between them.
I also found the information that Tallis provides regarding Jane's actions within the tower to be interesting and the information regarding the jewels she received was entirely new to me.
I do think that this book suffers slightly from Jane not being a larger focus of the book. I would say that it is about 40% focused on Jane and 60% focused on the events and people around her. This makes sense as often she is obscured by larger political events and players due to her age and relative obscurity before the reign of Edward VI.
I would highly recommend this book. When Jane is the focus she shines through. Her religious faith, her tenacity, and her curiosity are clear from her personal letters and the commentary of her contemporaries which Tallis highlights throughout the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic