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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I found this incredibly dense. A lot of names thrown around, titles and dates that were difficult to keep track of. If you're looking for a reference book for research this is a wonderful book, full of those little numbers that correspond to the source with which she got the info from. Weir does a good job of explaining how she came to a conclusion, whether or not it is the same as her colleges, and why she agrees or disagrees with the others. I was looking for a book with fewer in-text citations.
I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. I enjoy this time period, particularly the history of the Tudor family (and extended) so I liked learning more about Mary as a historical person, instead of just a fictionalized character. However, it was quite hard to follow some of the longer sections on when she might have been born and who she may or may not have known. It also seemed to do a lot of in depth looking at the lives of those people around her, while, although important, seemed to just confuse me more when I was trying to concentrate on Mary's life.
Overall I enjoyed the book and hearing a more historically accurate portrayal of Mary Boleyn's life.
Overall I enjoyed the book and hearing a more historically accurate portrayal of Mary Boleyn's life.
My first problem is I thought this was one o Weir's fiction pieces - whoops. So trying to sludge through pages and pages of unsure information made me return it to the library after maybe 20 pages. If you can get past the background to any kid of meat, more power to you.
Although few primary sources relating to Mary Boleyn still exist, Weir has waded through hundreds of years of supposition and rumor to present a logical interpretation of what is known. She takes care to explain the flaws in many popular theories, and makes a solid case for her own. While some may find the examination of facts tedious, it really helps to humanize Mary. Weir's writing style is as clever and engaging as always. While this may not appeal to readers not accustomed to academic reading, it is significantly more interesting than most academic history articles. Those seeking this book because they have seen Mary Boleyn portrayed on film and are expecting a tale of sex and debauchery will be disappointed. Those seeking a solid interpretation of Mary Boleyn's life that discusses the myriad of rumors and weak interpretations have come to the right place. For those doing genealogical research, there are family tree charts in the beginning of the book that will be helpful.
DNF at 29%. What a bummer, I was excited to read this. It’s my first book by Allison Weir and I’ll try some others based on other reviews I’ve read of this books saying it wasn’t her best. Sir obviously did a lot of research but there just isn’t enough known about Mary’s life to write a decent biography of her. There was endless information about houses the Boleyns lived in, and a whole lot of speculation. While I appreciate that Weir probably wanted to tell an unknown story, I think books about Mary’s life should be kept to speculative fiction.
Having mined all the other Tudors and most of the Plantagenets, Alison Weir is down to the thinly documented peripheral players like Mary Boleyn--mistress of Francis I of France and Henry VIII, the Boleyn daughter who complied to Droit du seigneur and faded from history. Because the narrative of the story is so well covered, this is largely a work of historiography, uncovering that most of what we "know" about Mary was projections from Victorian male middle-class historians who absolutely KNEW what a woman in the 1520s should have been thinking and feeling. I may not agree with all of Weirs conclusions, but by the time she gets to one, she's thoroughly documented what scanty evidence there is and show you her whole thought process in arriving at it.
It was interesting and well researched, but so dry that it was very hard to read.
A couple of caveats that you need to know if you're debating picking up this book.
1. It's more a history of the world in the immediate vicinity of Mary Boleyn than Mary Boleyn's story. This is a documentation issue as so much of Mary's story has been lost. That being said...
2. Alison Weir does not hesitate to lay down all the history at your feet. Like, she doesn't just give you her theories, she'll give you competing ones and tell you why they're wrong. Lots of intellectual b****-slapping, as I call it.
So if you're fine with that and love history, Alison Weir's work is great for you. I love it, personally, but I can see why some others might not.
1. It's more a history of the world in the immediate vicinity of Mary Boleyn than Mary Boleyn's story. This is a documentation issue as so much of Mary's story has been lost. That being said...
2. Alison Weir does not hesitate to lay down all the history at your feet. Like, she doesn't just give you her theories, she'll give you competing ones and tell you why they're wrong. Lots of intellectual b****-slapping, as I call it.
So if you're fine with that and love history, Alison Weir's work is great for you. I love it, personally, but I can see why some others might not.
I have always loved Mary, ever since I read The Other Boleyn Girl. When I read this, I was so surprised to find out how much I truly didn’t know about Mary. What a biography. Well, as much as it could be. It was nice to hear about her, her life and all the stuff that she went through. It was an interesting book. One full of research and hard work to truly represent the story of Mary’s life and I’m appreciative of that. What a woman Mary was. Much more than her stories would ever tell you! I truly enjoyed this look into her life.
informative
medium-paced