Tudor Book Blog

I am actually doing books of the week this week. I have noticed a surge of interest in Jane Grey and her sisters Mary and Katherine, so have decided to highlight three new books about them.

The first is on Jane alone, Eric Ives’ new book Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery. Is due to be released in Oct. in the US and UK. According to the publisher, “presents a vivid portrait of Lady Jane Grey, one of the least studied figures of English history, depicting Jane as a forceful, educated individual; subjects Jane’s writings to an original literary and religious analysis; demonstrates that Edward VI’s will gave Jane and her supporters strong legal grounds for her claim to the throne; offers a fresh assessment of other characters involved in the 1553 accession crisis - including Edward VI, Mary Tudor, and John Dudley, the duke of Northumberland; and, illuminates the inner workings of Tudor politics and the exercise of power in Early Modern England.”

Here’s the amazon link for more info.

There are also two new books about Jane and her lesser known sisters Mary and Katherine. The first is The Sisters Who Would be Queen by Leanda de Lisle. According to the publisher the author debunks “many myths of Lady Jane’s life, and casts fresh light onto Elizabeth’s reign…bringing the Grey sisters’ tumultuous world to life: at a time when a royal marriage could gain you a kingdom, or cost you everything.”

Here’s the link.

And finally, another book on the Grey sisters titled (haha) The Grey Sisters by Brenda Kemeys. According to the publisher, “this comprehensive and enlightening biography of the sisters catalogues the full scandal behind Lady Jane s nine day reign as Queen of England and the devastation of the secret marriages of her younger sisters.”

Here’s the amazon link.

Bookhugger.co.uk has started a reading group for Philippa Gregory’s new novel The White Queen about Elizabeth Wyville. There are questions for discussion as well as an interview with Gregory who talks about her new work.

Here’s the link.

Speaking of The White Queen, here is another review I found for the book which offers a good plot summary.

I read a review for this book today and decided to devote an entire post to it!

S.A. Mileson has gone back to Norman times to show the evolution of the English Park up to the Middle Ages. The first part of the book “investigates the purpose of these royal and aristocratic reserves, which have been variously claimed as hunting grounds, economic assets, landscape settings for residences, and status symbols.” The second part “examines the impact of park creation on wider society, from the king and aristocracy to peasants and townsmen.” 

This book is due to be released in the US on Oct. 1. Here’s the amazon link for more info.

Also, here is a nice review for the book. It is long and goes into a lot of detail, with a humorous twist.

Here is a review for the new novel The King’s Grace set during the Wars of the Roses. The book is narrated by Grace Plantanget, the illegitimate daughter of Edward IV. The story follows her life as she grows up during this war torn time, developing a close relationship with her stepmother Elizabeth Wydville, and showing her fear of Henry VII.

Here’s the review.

The Examiner has published a new review for Jean Plaidy’s “The Rose Without a Thorn” about wife # 5, Katheryn Howard. I enjoyed this book up until she met and married the king. From then on it seemed Kathryn kept repeating herself over and over again. I really enjoyed reading about her childhood though, through her perspective. 

The reviewer liked the book a lot and gives a good plot summary. 

Here’s the link.

Paul Gwyn, author of The King’s Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of Thomas Wolsey (1992) has reviewed David Loades’ new book The Tudor Queens of England. He says:

“In total, we get 14 potted biographies and some 140 years of English history in only 234 pages of text, which one might consider to be challenging itself. How well does he do it? Clearly Loades is somebody who knows his stuff, but perhaps just because he is anxious not to appear too academic, he tries a little too hard to catch our attention.

There are, for instance, the rather sexy chapter titles: “The Queen as Dominatrix” (Margaret of Anjou); “The Queen as Lover” (Elizabeth Woodville); “The Queen as Whore” (Catherine Howard). Fair enough, but this approach plays havoc with the chronology, so that Anne of Cleves (”The Queen as Foreign Ally”) comes before Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, who are “Domestic Queens”.”

Gwyn seems to like the book, though does challenge Loades on some of his conclusions and evidence. It is a good read and gives a nice idea of what the book offers.

Here’s the link to the full article.

My Lady of Cleves by Margaret Campbell Barnes is one of the rare bits of historical fiction written about wife #4, Anne of Cleves. The reviewer gives a brief synopsis of the book, as well as highlighting its pro’s and con’s (such as its historical accuracy and character development). 

Here’s the link!

Well, I finished A Secret Alchemy by Emma Darwin last night! It was really good! I plan on writing a review for it and posting it here soon! 

Also, I am restarting the Live Book Blog. I got really distracted from it with my university starting back, so I apologize! I am thinking the next live book blog will by for The Mistresses of Henry VIII. I am waiting for that one to arrive in the mail!

More soon!

This week I have decided to highlight one of my favorite fictional authors, Jean Plaidy/Victoria Holt. I, like many, love her books! They are very well researched and have well rounded characters who you feel you can relate to. I have decided to highlight her book In the Shadow of the Crown because there isn’t a lot of historical fiction on Mary I, though she has a fascinating story! I haven’t read this one yet, though I have read many on the other Tudor Queens. However, from reviews I have read it is very well researched and touches on a time in Mary’s life not often looked at, her childhood and time before she became queen and gained the infamous title “Bloody Mary.”

Here is the amazon link which offers several reviews and a look inside the novel. 

Here’s the link to Jean Plaidy’s Royal Intrigue site for more on this book and others she has written (and there are a lot!:)).

The Scotsman has published an interview with best selling author Antonia Fraser. This year she is celebrating the 40th anniversary of her first best seller, Mary Queen of Scots. In the interview she discusses her book a bit, but also talks about writing historical biographies. She say that “‘to write biography you do need to be passionate. Obsessed is another good word. On the other hand, you can say love because when one is in love with someone they’re not blind to their faults.’”

On the subject of her new book on Elizabeth I, she says that, “‘I wanted to take a look at it because I was accused of being unfair to Elizabeth – and what was the unfairness? Well, I seem to think Mary Stuart was justified in trying to escape. I thought it was rather odd to expect her to sit, unlawfully detained, saying, ‘I’m so pleased to be able to be your prisoner.’”

Fraser goes into more detail about her new book on Elizabeth, and on what she would have possibly done differently in her old book on Mary Queen of Scots. There is so much good information in this interview! Here’s the link to the full interview. It is really worth checking out!

Publisher’s Weekly has included a short review Eric Ives’ new book on Jane Grey, Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery, in this week’s publication.

Here’s what they said:

“Presenting a startling dissection of the historically elusive Jane Grey’s 13-day reign, British scholar Ives (The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn) decodes the character, actions and motives of the key figures responsible for the fate of the Tudor teenager. He maintains that Jane herself, while precociously intellectual, was the least influential figure in the succession crisis of 1553. Taking center stage is her father-in law, John Dudley, duke of Northumberland, who in Ives’s hands isn’t England’s most powerful man, compelling King Edward VI to add Jane to the succession to make her husband, and Dudley’s son, king upon Edward’s death. Rather, Ives posits the Dudley-Grey marriage as a routine aristocratic alliance and that Northumberland, as the son of an executed traitor, was obsessively loyal to an independent Edward; Edward initiated Jane and her possible future sons’ promotion to achieve his long-term goal of an all-male succession. Moreover, Edward’s privy council endorsed Jane’s accession because they saw Jane as the rightful queen of England. Turning traditional scholarship on its ear, Ives’s radical reinterpretation of one of history’s briefest, most puzzling reigns is masterfully researched, authoritative and a difficult but seductive read. Illus., one map. (Oct.)”

Here’s the link to the page.

Here is a rather old novel (1989) set during the reign of Richard III. According to the publisher, this novel “focuses on Christie Heron, a young man who joins the Duke of Gloucester’s household and is swept into the events of Richard’s kingship. Issues of loyalty are played out against the rich backdrop of the Wars of the Roses as Christie fights several personal battles as well as those of his king.”

Here’s the amazon link.

Also, here is a review that gives a bit more detail about the book. 

Here’s a review for a little known novel about Henry VIII’s 3rd wife Jane Seymour. As the reviewer points out, there isn’t much historical fiction on Jane. The reviewer seems to like the book, but as some other reviewers have said before, it gets tedious hearing how “plain” Jane is. 

Here’s the link.

Here’s an interesting article which highlights many literary locations in England. It highlights a few libraries, as well as some of their prized possessions (the Magna Carta for example…).

Here’s the link. It’s got a few nice pictures also!

Here’s a new Gregory review for The Constant Princess, a novel about the young Katherine of Aragon. According to the review, the “story takes a look at her first marraige to Arthur, Prince of Wales, the sickly, but kind older brother to Henry VIII and how she eventually falls in love and begins a solid marriage with him as the Princess of Wales. Tragedy strikes leaving Catherine a widow alone in a foreign country with no support from her father, King Ferdinand and her father-in-law King Henry VII.  It is the story of Catherine’s will to survive and claim her duty and desire to be Queen of England and the wife of King Henry VIII.”

Here’s the link to read more of the review. 

Speaking of Gregory, here is another article on her new novel The White Queen about Elizabeth Wydville.

Mademoiselle Boleyn is a novel telling the story of Anne Boleyn’s childhood in France. The story introduces many famous historical characters such as Francois I and Leonardo Di Vinci. I thoroughly loved this book, and highly recommend it (but, as with most historical fiction, don’t read looking for historical accuracy!) 

Here’s a good review for the book, telling in more detail a bit about the plot and characters. Here’s the link.

I found a new review for The Virgin’s Daughters today. The reviewer does a great job of telling the book’s good points, as well as giving a little back ground on some of the most important characters.

Here’s the link.

Over the past week I have had the lovely opportunity to correspond through e-mail with author Dorothy Davies who wrote Captain of the Wight, a book about Edward Woodville. Edward was brother to Queen Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV. When Edward died and Richard III took over England, Edward fled to Brittany where he met the future Henry VII. He fought beside him at Bosworth and was rewarded by being made a Knight of the Garter and gained the Captaincy of the Isle of Wight. He served Henry VII well, even taking part in the negotiations for the marriage of Prince Arthur and Katherine of Aragon. In July 1488, Edward was killed during battle with the French at St. Aubin in Brittany.

This and more is in Davies book about Edward. Here is the link for more info on her book Captain of the Wight.

Davies is also in the process of writing several other books on various historical figures such as Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon, Guy Fawkes, and Elizabeth and Mary. More on those as information becomes available!

If you or an author you like would like to be highlighted, contact me here!

Eleanor the Secret Queen: The Woman Who Put Richard III on the Throne looks to be an interesting work, as the publishers claim that the author, John Ashdown-Hill, has proven that Eleanor Talbot was married to Edward IV, therefore annulling his marriage to Elizabeth Wydville and making the Princes in the Tower illegitimate. Richard III would then be the legitimate king of England. Hum….I would like to see how he proves that! Looks to be an interesting, and possibly controversial, read!

Here’s the link for more info.

I am a sucker for Shakespearean Theatre and prose! This book is edited by Tanya Pollard and was released last month (July). as well as it being a very famous part of Elizabethan England! Shakespeare’s Theater: A Sourcebook “brings together in one volume the most significant Elizabethan and Jacobean texts on the morality of the theater. A collection of the most significant Elizabethan and Jacobean texts on the morality of the theater. Includes attacks on the stage by moralists, defences by actors and playwrights, letters by magistrates, mayors and aldermen of London, and extracts from legislation. Demonstrates just how heated debates about the theater became in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. A general introduction and short prefaces to each piece situate the writers and debates in the literary, social, political and religious history of the time. Brings together in one volume texts that would otherwise be hard to locate. Student-friendly - uses modern spelling and includes vocabulary glosses and annotation.”

You can look through some of it here at amazon. It looks wonderful!