Generally good

Some of the details are inaccurate which should have been noted & corrected before publication.
Apart from the above a decent book.

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Simply wonderful

I've always found Queen Mary I to be a fascinating and tragic character. As an avid fan of royal biographies and audiobooks I was delighted to finally find this. Despite some of the reviews I found this book to be an absolute joy. The author really brings Mary to life, reflecting on her journey through her idyllic childhood, tormented adolescence, her careful negotiation of the Protestant court of her brother Edward VI, and her final rise to power as England's first crowned Queen Regnant. Very highly recommend!

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Good book - dodgy recording though.

Would you listen to Bloody Mary again? Why?

Yes. As with most history books I read them several times and this is full of interesting information, from a different perspective, that takes a few reads to understand and absorb. Interestingly this is written from a sympathetic point of view, and allows the reader to look at Mary in a slightly different light. The background information is thorough, which is important I think if we are to put her life and the events surrounding her reputation into some perspective.

What other book might you compare Bloody Mary to, and why?

This could be compared to Antonia Frazier or Alison Weir.

What aspect of Corrie James’s performance might you have changed?

The narrator was excellent but was completely let down by the poor production. There are a few repititions and pauses throughout the whole recording which was a little off putting.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. This is a book that needs to be listened to little and often. There is a lot of information to take in which is great, but it needs some thought and perspective between chapters.

Any additional comments?

Would recommend despite dodgy recording. It is an eye opener and a different look at the notorious queen. If you are interested in the Reformation it will give you some insight into fanatical thinking of the age. Mary was also the first crowned female monarch and therefore a fascinating story for that alone.

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4 people found this helpful

The thorough research that went into this work.

The story of Mary’s life was beautifully told, interesting and easily followed. Her place in English history is so incredibly fascinating.

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Interesting and informative

Not dry. Mary Tudor was really a complex person and I didn’t realise how religion fed into her life choices. Mind having Big Hal as a father wasn’t easy either. This book gives a good history of the time and place she lived in. Bought in the BOGOF sale and worth every penny.

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Warning. Not an introduction to Tudor history.

Reaction to this book will depend on what the reader is looking for. If you want a basic biography of Mary 1, then it is fine.
If you want Mary's life incorporated within general Tudor history of the time forget it. I counted perhaps two mentions of Thomas Cromwell and an equally brief mention of Cranmer. Far more attention to the politics of Charles V and the Holy Roman Empire (a bonus for me).

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1 person found this helpful

Insight into tudor court

Brought history to life easy to follow well narrated. Mary Tudor is seen in a different light

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A tragic life, a tragic reign.

Queen Mary I of England has inspired few books compared with her more glamorous contemporaries, so this volume is particularly valuable in filling a gap in the history of that violent, rapidly changing era.
Mary did burn a lot of people, even in the context of the Tudor enthusiasm for public executions of “heretics” and “traitors” - the inverted commas emphasise the fluctuations in definition of those offences against the English monarchs, but she did face constant menace throughout her life

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A woman who was unlucky in her family and husband

I have a better understanding of Mary and her life now. Her decisions were driven by her times and how women were viewed.

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Generally good.

I enjoyed the book and the narrator but the rhymes at the start of each chapter is most annoying.
Apart from that, it was interesting and informative.

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