A review by sanewberg
The Private Lives of the Tudors by Tracy Borman

3.0

I'm torn on this one. I did really enjoy this book. It was an interesting way to look at the Tudor monarchs that allowed me to think about them in a more human lights. The writing was great and it kept me engaged all the way through. That being said, I did notice some inaccuracies when Borman was talking about Anne Boleyn. She stated that Anne had six fingers as if it was a confirmed fact, when it is not. She also claimed that Henry was already in love with Jane Seymour when they visited Wulfhall in 1535, which is also most likely not true. These things may be small, but it made me more doubtful of the things she wrote about people that I do not know as much about. I also wish she had dedicated a little more time to Edward VI and Mary I. They only had one chapter each, while Henry VII, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I all had multiple chapters. Overall, this was an enjoyable book. I think people interested in the Tudor monarchs will gain a new way of looking at them from this book. I would just take some of the information with a grain of salt.