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missajackman's review against another edition
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
cakt1991's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Passionate Tudor is Alison Weir’s latest Tudor novel, chronicling the life of Mary I. It’s truly an epic story, and in some ways, she did it justice. It doesn’t break new ground, nor did I expect it to, but while it’s not my favorite book I’ve read from her, I enjoyed the choices she made overall.
Mary herself has always been a polarizing figure, and Weir acknowledges this in her author’s note, although she also challenges it by pointing out that both Henry VIII and Elizabeth were also just as “bloody,” if not more so, and had longer reigns which skew the numbers more in their favor. But even those who condemn Mary’s actions as Queen admit that her upbringing is a reaction to the intense trauma she suffered as a child, which I feel Weir depicts the most strongly. Mary is depicted as the apple of her father’s eye and close to both her father and mother, until Henry grew disillusioned with his marriage and fell into his passion for Anne Boleyn. And even as an Anne Boleyn sympathizer (Weir is notably anti-Anne in other books), I can’t help but understand Mary’s ire toward Anne, especially when Anne responded with equal venom. While it’s hard to see Mary so easily absolve her father of his abuse of her, blaming it all on Anne, this is very accurate to Mary’s mindset, especially as she thought Anne’s execution would magically change things, and it actually wasn’t until Mary submitted to Henry’s demand that she acknowledge her parents’ marriage as invalid that he would acknowledge her again.
In addition to exploring the impact of those early years, I found the first part the strongest for how it focused on her relationships with each of her father’s subsequent wives, especially highlighting the close relationship she had with Jane Seymour, serving as chief mourner at her funeral. And despite the fact that religion would divide them, I liked seeing the bond between her and Katharine Parr, and how that also brought Mary into contact with Catherine Willoughby, whose mother, Maria de Salinas, was Katherine of Aragon’s lady-in-waiting, and they had a brief exchange about this.
I also enjoyed seeing how Mary’s relationships with Elizabeth and Edward played out. I was particularly intrigued by how Mary’s suspicions regarding Elizabeth’s paternity were established early on, and while it did not impact Mary treating her as a sister overall, there was a sense of doubt there. And with Edward and Mary’s religious clashes being documented, I love how the origins of this were depicted.
Pacing wise, I feel like this was where the book lagged. While all of Weir’s fiction at this point more or less deals with information that avid Tudor fans know, most usually are engaging. And the first two parts were the most interesting due to the tenuous position Mary was in as the King’s obstinate daughter, in and out of favor, and then the King’s heretic sister. But part three, chronicling her time as Queen, was dull, in spite of it being the part that most shaped her legacy. The early chapters of part three, with her fight for the throne, were engaging, and a bit with Wyatt’s Rebellion as well, but after that, I started skimming. Reading about her phantom pregnancy and declining health, while accurate to the timeline, were particularly mood-killing.
While I didn’t enjoy this as much as I’d hoped, it’s possibly a “me” thing, as I’ve often struggled with biographical fiction that covers long periods of a person’s life. And I’d still recommend it to readers of historical fiction, whether you’re looking for a solid introduction to Mary or if you’re a Tudor fan like me.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Mary is born of love and into a family rich with honours and status. The only child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, Mary is raised to be a queen but her father longs for a male heir. When he supplants her mother with the 'witch' Anne Boleyn, Mary is cast aside in favour of her half-sister. Then Anne's star falls and Henry gets his heir. Mary is getting older though and longs for a marriage and child of her own. Finally she ascends to the throne but life gets harder, not easier for this devout woman.
Mary I is a very divisive character and Weir is completely honest when she says that she finds it hard to sympathise. In fact I feel that she has written quite a balanced novel here despite the extremely radical Catholicism that Mary believed in. Every Tudor monarch has their positives and negatives and in this book, Weir tries to show the motivations behind Mary's later actions. What I love about these books is the strong research interwoven with the story
Mary I is a very divisive character and Weir is completely honest when she says that she finds it hard to sympathise. In fact I feel that she has written quite a balanced novel here despite the extremely radical Catholicism that Mary believed in. Every Tudor monarch has their positives and negatives and in this book, Weir tries to show the motivations behind Mary's later actions. What I love about these books is the strong research interwoven with the story
crothe77's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir is a historical novel exploring the life of Queen Mary of England, aka Bloody Mary. When Mary’s mother falls from favor after yet another miscarriage, Henry VIII starts to look elsewhere for a queen to give him an heir and Mary’s life is changed forever. Her devotion to her mother and her faith is constantly tested as her father and her people demand that she submit to their versions of the truth.
My favorite part was how much time was spent on Mary’s relationship with her younger sister, Elizabeth. We see how Mary’s opinions of Elizabeth evolve and change, but nothing destroys her love for her sister because they are two women trapped in a world that is constantly trying to oust them. Mary doesn’t have strong aspirations for the throne, but more wants to be recognized as legitimate and wants the same for Elizabeth even if she doesn’t believe Elizabeth is also Henry’s child.
Mary’s faith and Catholicism show up quite a bit. From the constant references to the Pope in Rome to Mary’s belief that Anne Boleyn wasn’t truly married to Henry to mentions of mass, her devotion to her beliefs plays a key role in how Mary picks which relationships to invest in and guide her decisions and ideals. Many of the people close to Mary are Catholic themselves or do not recognize the Protestant movement that was brewing at the time.
Mary is portrayed as a sympathetic young woman who is often concerned that she is growing too old to attract a husband or have a child, which she does want. She isn’t portrayed as having grand plans for the British Empire in terms of expansion but wants to return the country back to the Catholic Church. Many of her concerns are more rooted in having access to her family (Henry, Edward, Catherine of Aragon, and Elizabeth) and in her family being treated with respect. There’s a strong throughline of Mary’s main motivation being familial love, especially when Henry starts paying attention to Anne Boleyn and tosses her mother aside.
I would recommend this to fans of works depicting the Tudor dynasty, readers who like works featuring Elizabeth I, and those looking for a historical novel exploring the history of religion in England.
The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir is a historical novel exploring the life of Queen Mary of England, aka Bloody Mary. When Mary’s mother falls from favor after yet another miscarriage, Henry VIII starts to look elsewhere for a queen to give him an heir and Mary’s life is changed forever. Her devotion to her mother and her faith is constantly tested as her father and her people demand that she submit to their versions of the truth.
My favorite part was how much time was spent on Mary’s relationship with her younger sister, Elizabeth. We see how Mary’s opinions of Elizabeth evolve and change, but nothing destroys her love for her sister because they are two women trapped in a world that is constantly trying to oust them. Mary doesn’t have strong aspirations for the throne, but more wants to be recognized as legitimate and wants the same for Elizabeth even if she doesn’t believe Elizabeth is also Henry’s child.
Mary’s faith and Catholicism show up quite a bit. From the constant references to the Pope in Rome to Mary’s belief that Anne Boleyn wasn’t truly married to Henry to mentions of mass, her devotion to her beliefs plays a key role in how Mary picks which relationships to invest in and guide her decisions and ideals. Many of the people close to Mary are Catholic themselves or do not recognize the Protestant movement that was brewing at the time.
Mary is portrayed as a sympathetic young woman who is often concerned that she is growing too old to attract a husband or have a child, which she does want. She isn’t portrayed as having grand plans for the British Empire in terms of expansion but wants to return the country back to the Catholic Church. Many of her concerns are more rooted in having access to her family (Henry, Edward, Catherine of Aragon, and Elizabeth) and in her family being treated with respect. There’s a strong throughline of Mary’s main motivation being familial love, especially when Henry starts paying attention to Anne Boleyn and tosses her mother aside.
I would recommend this to fans of works depicting the Tudor dynasty, readers who like works featuring Elizabeth I, and those looking for a historical novel exploring the history of religion in England.
blondereadsfiction's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐈 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
I am a huge historical fiction fan, especially Tudor history. I've read all of Alisons' other historical fiction books, and they never disappoint. Each book takes you into the court of Tudor England and the mindset of each figure she writes about. This book, like her others, is written in the first person, so you really get involved in the day to day life, thoughts, and feelings of Mary as a child all the way to her death.
What to expect:
👑 Historical fiction of Mary I full life
👑 First Person Account
👑 In depth and highly researched history
Even though this one dragged slightly for me in the middle (during Edwards reign), I found this book so fascinating. I didn't know much about Mary, and I have to say she wasn't very likeable or a popular Queen, she was nicknamed Bloody Mary after all...
I love reading these books, as they don't feel too dense, but also because even though Alison does take some creative licence, she stays as true to the truth as possible.
Even though this is the 3rd book in her Tudor Rose series, it can be read as a standalone as most of her other books can.
I also highly recommend the Six Tudor Queens series!
Alisons books really are the ones that really made me passionate about historical fiction, so I was thrilled to receive an eARC of her new book before release. Thank you, @netgalley and @headlinebooks
👑
I am a huge historical fiction fan, especially Tudor history. I've read all of Alisons' other historical fiction books, and they never disappoint. Each book takes you into the court of Tudor England and the mindset of each figure she writes about. This book, like her others, is written in the first person, so you really get involved in the day to day life, thoughts, and feelings of Mary as a child all the way to her death.
What to expect:
👑 Historical fiction of Mary I full life
👑 First Person Account
👑 In depth and highly researched history
Even though this one dragged slightly for me in the middle (during Edwards reign), I found this book so fascinating. I didn't know much about Mary, and I have to say she wasn't very likeable or a popular Queen, she was nicknamed Bloody Mary after all...
I love reading these books, as they don't feel too dense, but also because even though Alison does take some creative licence, she stays as true to the truth as possible.
Even though this is the 3rd book in her Tudor Rose series, it can be read as a standalone as most of her other books can.
I also highly recommend the Six Tudor Queens series!
Alisons books really are the ones that really made me passionate about historical fiction, so I was thrilled to receive an eARC of her new book before release. Thank you, @netgalley and @headlinebooks
👑
margin_magic's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline publishers for giving me an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Alison Weir's 'Mary I: Queen of Sorrows' is an immersive and informative journey through Tudor England. Weir's attention to historical detail and skillfully crafted dialogue make this book a standout in the genre. From the complex relationships to the fresh perspective, it makes it an intriguing read for anyone interested in Tudor history!"
Alison Weir's 'Mary I: Queen of Sorrows' is an immersive and informative journey through Tudor England. Weir's attention to historical detail and skillfully crafted dialogue make this book a standout in the genre. From the complex relationships to the fresh perspective, it makes it an intriguing read for anyone interested in Tudor history!"
travelsalongmybookshelf's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
‘When she was Queen, she vowed, she would do everything in her power to court that goodwill.’
Known to history as Bloody Mary, I was really interested to read this latest book from Alison Weir, novelising the life of Mary Tudor.
I really loved reading about her life from her own point of view and viewing histories events through her eyes. I felt quite sorry for her, in her early life, she was a victim of circumstances and her father Henry VIII. Her views are developed and a steely, piousness from her mother Katherine Of Aragon. I really hadn’t thought how they must have perceived the goings on with Anne Boleyn and how they must have been kept in the dark for such a long time, plus they were separated and Mary used as a bargaining instrument to try to force Katherine to capitulate her position. They had such strength to see things through and not give in! Mary is feisty and bold and stands up to Henry - brave girl!
‘I care not for your cruelties. Whatever you do, I will not be overcome. Remember that!’
She has a tumultuous and torrid time when Anne Boleyn is in the ascendancy.
And we watch her mature through Henry’s reign and multitude of wives. Her religious zeal increases. Especially once her brother Edward is on the throne and the change feels smooth and all of a sudden Bloody Mary if before us! It is so cleverly written that you can’t see where young Mary ends and Bloody Mary begins!
‘I am ready to set myself up as a champion of the Catholic religion, whatever it costs me.’
She was single minded and determined and once Queen, everything seems to fall apart, her disastrous marriage, the loss of Calais and most of all the burnings made her hated. She actually signed the death warrants of these people herself to undergo an atrocious death and although I felt open and sympathetic to her at the beginning, by the end, I didn’t much like her. It’s no wonder she gained the reputation she did and that public revulsion for her has not diminished ever since
To be able to make you change your mind about someone really shows Weirs capability as a writer, history brought to life in a fantastic way!
elementarymydear's review against another edition
5.0
Mary I might be one of the most controversial figures that Alison Weir has depicted in her fiction books. With her nickname ‘Bloody Mary’ her reputation leaves much to be desired, yet at the start of her reign she was a beloved monarch rescuing her subjects from an attempted power grab.
As Weir herself acknowledges in the historical note (it’s always worth noting how good her historical notes are), the challenge in this book was reconciling these different extremes of Mary’s character, and she landed it exactly right. It would have been easy for the book to become some sort of villain-backstory, or the tale of a tragically misunderstood anti-hero, but Weir approaches Mary’s story with the nuance needed for a real person’s life.
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As with her previous book about Mary’s father, the infamous Henry VIII, Weir does an excellent job of providing the context and grounding for us to understand the person’s actions, without endorsing them. There was a sense, especially as tragedy played an ever-increasing role in Mary’s life, of delusion bordering on madness towards the end of the book. We became immersed in Mary’s world and shared in her tragedies. Even when she was far from sympathetic, I still felt like I understood her.
This book successfully takes on one of Britain’s most notorious monarchs, exploring her humanity and tragedy while still acknowledging that her reputation was not unfounded. It’s another excellent historical fiction from Alison Weir, who continues to deliver on every front.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
As Weir herself acknowledges in the historical note (it’s always worth noting how good her historical notes are), the challenge in this book was reconciling these different extremes of Mary’s character, and she landed it exactly right. It would have been easy for the book to become some sort of villain-backstory, or the tale of a tragically misunderstood anti-hero, but Weir approaches Mary’s story with the nuance needed for a real person’s life.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
As with her previous book about Mary’s father, the infamous Henry VIII, Weir does an excellent job of providing the context and grounding for us to understand the person’s actions, without endorsing them. There was a sense, especially as tragedy played an ever-increasing role in Mary’s life, of delusion bordering on madness towards the end of the book. We became immersed in Mary’s world and shared in her tragedies. Even when she was far from sympathetic, I still felt like I understood her.
This book successfully takes on one of Britain’s most notorious monarchs, exploring her humanity and tragedy while still acknowledging that her reputation was not unfounded. It’s another excellent historical fiction from Alison Weir, who continues to deliver on every front.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
kdowli01's review against another edition
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is the third in the Tudor Rose series, and my favorite! This tells the story of Mary I, the first daughter of Henry VIII and the queen who eventually became known as "Bloody Mary". She was also the first woman to successfully claim the English throne, an impressive feat that I think is often overlooked given the rest of her legacy.
*
I've read a ton of nonfiction and historical fiction about the Tudor era, so I went into this knowing a lot about Mary I, but still felt like I got a new perspective of her life. This does a great job of showing how the tumult throughout her life could have affected her, and led to her making the decisions she made.
*
I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of the persecution of Protestants, she's responsible for a lot of deaths but it felt like a very minor part of the story.
*
All that said, I very much enjoyed reading this! If you're into this time period, I would definitely recommend reading (although be warned - it is long and very detailed, I think it could be boring if you're not really excited about it). This is part of a series, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone.
*
I've read a ton of nonfiction and historical fiction about the Tudor era, so I went into this knowing a lot about Mary I, but still felt like I got a new perspective of her life. This does a great job of showing how the tumult throughout her life could have affected her, and led to her making the decisions she made.
*
I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of the persecution of Protestants, she's responsible for a lot of deaths but it felt like a very minor part of the story.
*
All that said, I very much enjoyed reading this! If you're into this time period, I would definitely recommend reading (although be warned - it is long and very detailed, I think it could be boring if you're not really excited about it). This is part of a series, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone.
halkid2's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Attention, all you Tudor fans! Since none of us ever get enough, here's a new historical novel about Queen Mary I - only daughter of King Henry VIII (1491- 1547) and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (1485 - 1536), and Queen of England from 1553-58. Awarded three stars but 3.5 is more accurate.
THE PASSIONATE TUDOR traces the life of Mary from happy childhood as the adored child of her parents until her death at the age of 42. If you know anything about her history, you know that between these two events there is plenty of drama:
• Her father's betrayal by questioning both the legitimacy of his marriage to Catherine and Mary's birth, events which led to the English Reformation and its split from Rome.
• Anne Boleyn (1501? - 1536) taking Katherine's place as Queen of England and her subsequent mistreatment of Mary.
• Lady Jane Grey's (1537 - 1554) nine-day long attempt to usurp Mary's throne.
• Mary's engagements to a variety of royal heads of state, eventually leading to her not-too-happy marriage to King Phillip II (1527 - 1598) of Spain.
• Mary's steadfast devotion to the Catholic Church and the numerous Protestants who suffered as a result, resulting in her nickname as "Bloody Mary."
• And of course, the ups and downs of Mary's relationship with her younger sister and heir, Elizabeth I (1533 - 1603) an early Protestant.
The novel is long at 560 pages. Too long in my opinion. Most fans of Tudor historical fiction will no doubt already know the name Alison Weir. Either from her dozens of non-fiction books (most related to the Tudors) or from her many more recently published novels. Or both. As a well-respected historian, she definitely knows her history. But I have found with other historians who go on to write historical fiction, they often include too much of their scholarship in their novels. Excessive detail and background information tends to slow down the pace of a novel for me. And so it was with this book. So much so that Mary's day-to-day life as Queen became downright tedious. Also, at times, the voice of the narration didn't ring true, especially when Mary was a child.
Of course as a diehard Tudor fan, nothing could keep me from finishing the book. And perhaps part of the problem is that I already know much about the Tudors so that much of Weir's detail was not new to me. I am glad I read THE PASSIONATE TUDOR. I just didn't enjoy every single page. And I didn't enjoy this book as much as Weir's SIX QUEENS series about the wives of Henry VIII.
THE PASSIONATE TUDOR traces the life of Mary from happy childhood as the adored child of her parents until her death at the age of 42. If you know anything about her history, you know that between these two events there is plenty of drama:
• Her father's betrayal by questioning both the legitimacy of his marriage to Catherine and Mary's birth, events which led to the English Reformation and its split from Rome.
• Anne Boleyn (1501? - 1536) taking Katherine's place as Queen of England and her subsequent mistreatment of Mary.
• Lady Jane Grey's (1537 - 1554) nine-day long attempt to usurp Mary's throne.
• Mary's engagements to a variety of royal heads of state, eventually leading to her not-too-happy marriage to King Phillip II (1527 - 1598) of Spain.
• Mary's steadfast devotion to the Catholic Church and the numerous Protestants who suffered as a result, resulting in her nickname as "Bloody Mary."
• And of course, the ups and downs of Mary's relationship with her younger sister and heir, Elizabeth I (1533 - 1603) an early Protestant.
The novel is long at 560 pages. Too long in my opinion. Most fans of Tudor historical fiction will no doubt already know the name Alison Weir. Either from her dozens of non-fiction books (most related to the Tudors) or from her many more recently published novels. Or both. As a well-respected historian, she definitely knows her history. But I have found with other historians who go on to write historical fiction, they often include too much of their scholarship in their novels. Excessive detail and background information tends to slow down the pace of a novel for me. And so it was with this book. So much so that Mary's day-to-day life as Queen became downright tedious. Also, at times, the voice of the narration didn't ring true, especially when Mary was a child.
Of course as a diehard Tudor fan, nothing could keep me from finishing the book. And perhaps part of the problem is that I already know much about the Tudors so that much of Weir's detail was not new to me. I am glad I read THE PASSIONATE TUDOR. I just didn't enjoy every single page. And I didn't enjoy this book as much as Weir's SIX QUEENS series about the wives of Henry VIII.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death