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A review by english_lady03
Henry by Tony Riches
4.0
I find Henry VII (Tudor) is one of the most monarchs who is much misunderstood, even (dare I say?) maligned.
This book wraps up the Tudor Trilogy, which began with the story of Owen Tudor, the Welsh Squire who married a widowed Queen, and the second instalment recounts the life of Jasper, his son and father figure of the young Henry.
I find the Tudors a fascinating family long before they got to the throne. It's interesting to note that even today, there is a decidedly xenophobic note in historical perceptions of the family. They're seen as "lesser" because of their Welsh heritage, or their Welsh royal blood "doesn't count" because they weren't Plantagenets. Ironic really- since the Plantagenets were descended from a French nobleman and the Normans.
This book recounts the life of Henry, from his ascension to his death. Henry here holds a secret- he never wanted to be King. From there we get a personal portrait of the titular figure which mostly focuses on his personal life though there are some inevitable breaks chronicling the various wars and rebellions.
Henry gets a sympathetic hearing here, from the young man who fell in love with the York Princess he was expected to marry, to the man who really just wanted stability and love and was thrust into rule by his family after his turbulent childhood.
Is it accurate? Yes, I think I it, from my (admittedly limited) knowledge of Henry I believe it does accurately represent the major events of his reign. Are there better novels about Henry that focus more on the political events? Probably, but I liked this one.
A good, short read for those who like Historical Fiction (a warning to my followers who are more used to Inspy Fiction for some sexual references and content).
This book wraps up the Tudor Trilogy, which began with the story of Owen Tudor, the Welsh Squire who married a widowed Queen, and the second instalment recounts the life of Jasper, his son and father figure of the young Henry.
I find the Tudors a fascinating family long before they got to the throne. It's interesting to note that even today, there is a decidedly xenophobic note in historical perceptions of the family. They're seen as "lesser" because of their Welsh heritage, or their Welsh royal blood "doesn't count" because they weren't Plantagenets. Ironic really- since the Plantagenets were descended from a French nobleman and the Normans.
This book recounts the life of Henry, from his ascension to his death. Henry here holds a secret- he never wanted to be King. From there we get a personal portrait of the titular figure which mostly focuses on his personal life though there are some inevitable breaks chronicling the various wars and rebellions.
Henry gets a sympathetic hearing here, from the young man who fell in love with the York Princess he was expected to marry, to the man who really just wanted stability and love and was thrust into rule by his family after his turbulent childhood.
Is it accurate? Yes, I think I it, from my (admittedly limited) knowledge of Henry I believe it does accurately represent the major events of his reign. Are there better novels about Henry that focus more on the political events? Probably, but I liked this one.
A good, short read for those who like Historical Fiction (a warning to my followers who are more used to Inspy Fiction for some sexual references and content).