| Written by: Alison Weir | | | | Unfortunately, the tide of support is against Jane. Mary |
| Ballantine Books | | | | claims her right of queenship behind the will of the |
| ISBN: 978-0-345-40786-3 | | | | English people. A reluctant queen, Jane is sent to the |
| 394 pages | | | | tower. John Dudley is executed and Mary assumes |
| $16.00 | | | | the throne. |
| 5 Stars | | | | The affairs of the realm had been neglected since |
| Weir weaves a haunting tale of lost innocence in | | | | Edward's death. Mary forms a council and looks for a |
| demanding times as Henry VIII's heirs to his legacy | | | | husband, realizing she has a duty to produce an heir |
| make their way through persecution, intrigue, and | | | | for England. She promises no major changes in |
| deception. Weir tells each heir's story with honesty and | | | | worship, but brings back Catholicism to the court. Soon, |
| compassion against the conflicting religious backdrop | | | | Mary is wedded to Phillip of Spain. It is the first of |
| and fanaticism of their father's making. Edward VI | | | | many faux pas committed by her. Her subjects don't |
| embraces the new Protestant religion, but because of | | | | approve of their Spanish bridegroom. Phillip stays long |
| his minority, has to deal with a regency council. His | | | | enough to believe she's with child, and then leaves to |
| sister, Mary, daughter of Katherine of Aragon, believes | | | | attend to his other affairs. Mary reinstates the old |
| Catholicism is the true religion. She's just as passionate | | | | hearsay laws from the 1400's and begins burning |
| about her religion as Edward is of his. Then there's | | | | Protestants at the stake. This earns her the nickname, |
| Jane Grey and Elizabeth Tudor, heirs to a Protestant | | | | "Bloody Mary." Weir notes the nickname is ironic since |
| religion which could prove their downfalls. Weir | | | | Mary is quite agreeable in person. |
| examines each of their actions and gives the reader a | | | | Unfortunately for Mary, she proves not to be with child. |
| fascinating look into this dark period of Tudor history. | | | | After a long separation from Phillip, he returns, only to |
| When Henry VIII dies, his son, Edward, who is nine, | | | | leave weeks afterward. Mary believes she's with child |
| ascends to the throne. A regency council and Lord | | | | again, but she's not. Her ill health takes a toll on her, and |
| Protector, his uncle, Thomas Seymour, rule for him until | | | | she dies in November 1558. Her sister, Elizabeth, |
| he's of age to rule for himself. Edward is well | | | | ascends to the throne. |
| educated, but cold and aloof in his personality. He | | | | Elizabeth has had a troubled life up to this point. Well |
| embraces the new Protestant religion founded by his | | | | educated, she also receives life lessons that sharpens |
| father, and institutes reforms that are well received by | | | | her intuition. After her father dies, she goes to live with |
| England's citizens. His relationship with his thirty-year-old | | | | Katherine Parr and her new husband, Thomas |
| sister, Mary, is strained since she embraces | | | | Seymour. Thomas's advances toward Elizabeth are |
| Catholicism. Edward is fifteen when he begins to | | | | inappropriate and force Elizabeth to leave her |
| assert himself, but just when he's primed to take over | | | | step-mother's care. Elizabeth is devastated by this. |
| the reigns of kingship, he's felled by what appears to | | | | During Edward's reign, Elizabeth is left alone, but when |
| be consumption. His Protector, now John Dudley, | | | | Mary comes to the throne, Elizabeth must celebrate |
| appears to have poisoned him, worsening his condition. | | | | mass to keep her head. Like a skilled manipulator, |
| Edward dies before the promise of his reign can be | | | | Elizabeth avoids intrigue that would harm her. After |
| realized. | | | | stints in the tower and house arrest under her sister's |
| John Dudley, fearing Mary's stanch Catholicism is bad | | | | rule, Elizabeth comes to the throne. She immediately |
| for the country, makes Edward name Lady Jane Grey | | | | stops burning Protestants at the stake. |
| as his heir. She is the oldest daughter of Francis | | | | Weir's writing never lingers. The books moves at a |
| Brandon, who is in turn, the daughter of Mary Tudor, | | | | fast pace as she reveals little tidbits into Henry's heirs. |
| Henry VIII's younger sister. In Henry's will he named | | | | History comes alive under her storytelling. The Tudor |
| Mary Tudor and her heirs in line for the throne after his | | | | children were never so passionate, compelling, or alive |
| heirs. | | | | as they are in Weir's skilled hands. |