Blog tour: Mary I: Queen of Sorrows

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Welcome to the blog tour for Mary I:  Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir!

More about the book…

Adored only child of Henry VIII and his Queen, Katherine of Aragon, Princess Mary is raised in the golden splendour of her father’s court. But the King wants a son and heir.

With her parents’ marriage, and England, in crisis, Mary’s perfect world begins to fall apart. Exiled from the court and her beloved mother, she seeks solace in her faith, praying for her father to bring her home. But when the King does promise to restore her to favour, his love comes with a condition.

The choice Mary faces will haunt her for years to come – in her allegiances, her marriage and her own fight for the crown. Can she become the queen she was born to be?

MARY I. HER STORY.

Alison Weir’s new Tudor novel is the tale, full of drama and tragedy, of how a princess with such promise, loved by all who knew her, became the infamous Bloody Mary.

More about the author…

Alison Weir is a bestselling historical novelist of Tudor fiction, and the leading female historian in the United Kingdom. She has published more than thirty books, including many leading works of non-fiction, and has sold over three million copies worldwide.

Her novels include the Tudor Rose trilogy, which spans three generations of history’s most iconic family - the Tudors, and the highly acclaimed Six Tudor Queens series about the wives of Henry VIII, all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers.

Alison is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.

My impressions…

What made Mary Tudor turn into Bloody Mary? Her reputation precedes her but what is her story? Enter Alison Weir, a leading historical novelist, capable of transporting us back into history thanks to her extensive knowledge, in-depth research and excellent storytelling skills.

This book is not just about making history accessible, though. It is also about understanding that even someone deserving of such a moniker was once a girl who loved her parents and was perhaps betrayed one time too many.

Rich in period details and engaging, this is a story worth reading. My own feelings towards Mary I changed over the course of the narrative, but there is an underlying sense that her behaviour was a direct consequence of her circumstances rather than a sign of evil.

Three words to describe it. Evocative. Poignant. Fascinating.

Do I like the cover? Yes, it’s perfectly royal!

Have I read any other books by the same author? Yes, I’ve read Henry VIII: The Heart And The Crown, which was equally amazing!

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