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desiree_mcl's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this on audio. Simon Vance is the narrator and I really enjoy his narration.
This era of history (basically the chunk of history from Edward IV to Elizabeth I) is one of my favorite times to read about. So when I saw that this was about Henry VII, I was excited to jump in.
Much of what is in this book is mainly more detailed writings about times/events that I've read about in other books dealing with Elizabeth of York, Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, and Isabella of Castile.
However, one thing that kept this from being a full 5 stars for me was the time before Henry VII became Henry VII is hardly touched on. Now I understand that because he wasn't King and the chances of him becoming King were slim, that's probably a point in his history that isn't well documented but still, if when I'm reading a book about him, I want as much information as possible, even when he's not royalty.
Again that maybe too much to ask for but it still kept me from enjoying this as much as I hoped to.
I still think this is a great book for anyone who wants to know more about this time in history, more about Henry VII, and more about how the Tudors got to where they did.
This era of history (basically the chunk of history from Edward IV to Elizabeth I) is one of my favorite times to read about. So when I saw that this was about Henry VII, I was excited to jump in.
Much of what is in this book is mainly more detailed writings about times/events that I've read about in other books dealing with Elizabeth of York, Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, and Isabella of Castile.
However, one thing that kept this from being a full 5 stars for me was the time before Henry VII became Henry VII is hardly touched on. Now I understand that because he wasn't King and the chances of him becoming King were slim, that's probably a point in his history that isn't well documented but still, if when I'm reading a book about him, I want as much information as possible, even when he's not royalty.
Again that maybe too much to ask for but it still kept me from enjoying this as much as I hoped to.
I still think this is a great book for anyone who wants to know more about this time in history, more about Henry VII, and more about how the Tudors got to where they did.
keenbean's review against another edition
The book begins when he's already on the throne which wasn't exactly what I was looking for. I was more interested in his early life and winning the throne.
megthegrand's review against another edition
4.0
A full history of the reign of Henry V11. It was interesting to read this and note how his interactions (or lack thereof) with his son, the future Henry VIII, shaped Henry R's pursuits of love that we learn about from a young age. I was surprised by Henry VII's miserliness, the obsession with power and bleeding finances from his subjects, but also by his great love for his wife. He mourned the loss every year on the anniversary of her death, which presented him as more human than his daily schemes for coin would have let on. My favorite part of the book was his death, when his reign of financial terror ended, and his son summarily wiped the slate clean with his ideas of "chivalry."
rose10's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.75
This book is incredibly well researched and informative. It's a must read for any Tudor historian, although it's not the most accessible read for a non-historian.
eserafina42's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting and enlightening look at a much-neglected part of Tudor history, the last years of Henry VII, the dynasty's founder. After the loss of his older son Arthur and his wife Elizabeth only a year later, Henry became increasingly paranoid, grasping and tyrannical. The effect these years had on later history is unknowable, and a large number of what-if alternate paths presented themselves as I listened to this book.
the_most_happy_1533's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0