For Tudor Dynasty history buffs - great read
356540
Great read for those who enjoy historical fiction of Henry VIII and his entourage.  It is written from the prospective of Thomas Cromwell who is depicted as a most honorable and beloved man in contrast to other historical novels in which he is depicted as an aggressive, heartless adversary to all those defending the Roman Catholic faith during the 1500's during the reformation of the Church of England.  For those who know little of the history of the Tudor dynasty, it will appear to be more suspenseful, albeit, those who are more versed in the history will still find suspense in attempting to predict Cromwell's reaction to events and the intrigue associated with learning details of his life and his rise to power.  Initially, Mantel's style of writing from the protaganist position was confusing but after a quick reread of the first chapter it became readily apparent who was speaking (mainly Cromwell) when she refers to "he says" throughout the novel.  Just purchased the sequel, "Bringing up the Bodies" and find it equally enjoyable.  There is also a version of the novel for sale with photograph illustrations of the upcoming PBS series Wolf Hall.
2022151
If you like Tudor history, you will love this book. Ms. Goodman dispels many of the myths surrounding day-to-day life in Tudor England. Her writing style is entertaining and makes what could be a somewhat dry topic very engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
2077629
For any fan of English history, this author provides a rich and realistic history of the man who began the Tudor dynasty. The historical facts are woven into a well crafted story that provides the background for was to be known as "The War of the Roses". Tony Riches has just been added to my favorite author list. I'm looking forward to reading his other books on this subject.
967292
John Guy's latest, The Children of Henry VIII, is a well written book covering the struggle of Henry VIII to procure an heir for the Tudor throne. At just 258 pages it is a relatively quick read on the subject. In addition, it presents the essential information in a way that is uncomplicated and easy to follow. For those reasons, this would be an excellent book for anyone just beginning to read about the Tudors. For those of us that are well versed in the subject, though, there is little new information. I did, however, like the fact that this book contained a complete section on Henry Fitzroy, and did not just focus on the legitimate offspring. I was also fascinated by the author's suggestion that Henry had a rare blood condition that may have been the root of his inability to father more than one living child by any one woman. I had never heard this theory before and wish the author would have gone into a bit more depth on the subject.

In fact, my biggest disappointment with this book overall was the lack of depth in general. At times it seemed to me that the author was just skimming the surface of the subject, while I was looking for more detailed information on the children and their lives. In fact, I felt the beginning of the book was more about Henry himself than the children's early lives. The good news is that the lack of depth coupled with John Guy's extremely readable writing style makes this an excellent book on Henry and his children for someone who is just starting to explore the Tudors.

On the other hand, if you are like me and love all things Tudor and never tire of reading about them in general, there is a bit of new and different in this book that makes it worth the read.

Thanks to Oxford Press and Netgalley for bringing this book to my attention and giving me the chance to read it in exchange for a review.
4389020
I'm fascinated with the years of the Tudor Dynasty and love reading historical fiction about them.  I had some difficulty following the identities and positions of several of the characters.  It's a good read nevertheless.
3324743
I started reading this book last week and could not put it down! It was that good! Jane was a real person back in the Tudor era, and that is what made the history come to life for me is that she was an actual person. Overall this was a very enjoyable book, and if you are like me and read everything about the Tudors that you can get your hands on you will like this one!
3729395
Loved it! Sat down to read this book and now Im almost done with the Widows Guild. History is sound, which is one of the first things I look for. (Love reading about the Tudor period)  Story is light, but flows logically with interesting characters and situations. I didn't know who done it till almost the end, and that makes it worth the read.
1118560
This was very fun for me to read.  I've been interested in the Elizabethan  era for many years and read books about Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I.  Now this book comes along to inform one about the sister of Anne who is briefly married to King Henry VIII and is the mother of Elis. I.Also, the parents and other family members come to light, for better and worse.  A fine read.
495155
Biographies of the Tudor Age often focus on a particular time period, so we usually only get half of the story...we rarely see the period told as a whole, bookended by the Elizabeths, mother and daughter to that enigmatic Tudor King.  Roland Hui has created that grand scheme for us in this compulsively readable tome.  Each Queen's biography flows into the next seamlessly and I found myself devouring each and every one.  Hui's style is very accessible, so anyone with even a passing interest in the era could get sucked in, but there were still plenty of tasty morsels in there for seasoned history buffs.  In fact, I found several tidbits that I had never seen before, though I have been studying the period for nearly a decade.  The thing that I loved most about this book is that it's what I would call a narrative biography.  It's non-fiction, but it reads like a novel.  The footnotes are even set up in the back so that your eyes aren't drawn away from the text.  The style is very similar to Julia Fox, who happens to be one of my all-time favorite historians.  Great, great read!  You won't be disappointed!
1226889
I've mostly read of the events surrounding Henry VIII's wives from the feminine perspective: that of little power to affect events to one's own desired outcome. To read from Thomas Cromwell's perspective of someone that affects real change in the course of events was refreshing and welcome. Also, Cromwell is a study in passing on a legacy, when it comes to all those he took in and mentored. A great read with some beautiful language and a real sense of the day to day life within the Tudor court.
4499916
I would recommend it his book to anyone who is interested in Anne Boleyn or tudor history.  It was very informative and interesting.
2359393
Interesting to read more about the beginning of the Tudor Dynasty.  Having just read a book on Queen Catherine with Owen as a secondary character, this book allowed me to find out more about Owen himself.  I found I couldn't put it down.
497508
I love medieval history and have found this book a great addition to my collection. I have found it to be quite engaging and I can't put it down but then I love history books. He tries to tell the story of the history from several sides.

He starts before the iron age and shows England from there, not just what invaders changed but the people who were there before the invaders- so often the history starts there. Once you beyond that he keeps going, there are lots of details and explanations to pull it all together.

It sounds odd but every book I've read about medieval England has listed the kings and various details, not one before this went into detail about the parliament or even magna carta, just that they existed (at the very most) I like how he showed the roots of these and how some of the most disliked kings brought about a really change, even if inadvertently. As he said many times, chance and timing play a big part in everything, there are no what ifs
407886
It was a great character study of Queen Catherine.  I am, admittedly, becoming a huge fan of the Tudor/Lancaster/York history, so I really enjoyed learning more about the beginning of the line.
798394
I really enjoyed this book, mainly because it showed a side of the Tudor court not often covered, the seemingly insane tyranny of Henry VIII in his later years. I also felt a great deal for the Heroine and could keenly feel the despair and disbelief she must have felt as her family was murdered around her with never a word said against it.
I have never felt much sympathy for Mary (later Mary I) and usually have admired Thomas Cromwell for his intellect and ability which aided his rise to prominence but this book will make me think differently about them from now on.
As ever, a great absorbing read from a lady who is rightly regarded as the master of this type of fiction.
2009345
In this enjoyable book, Anne Crawford tells the fascinating story of the Yorkist dynasty during the late 15th century. Despite the occasionally clumsy prose, I think this book is great overall, and I recommend it for learning about the turbulent era that inspired Shakespeare's early history plays.

Crawford starts with an overview of Edward III's family--which included five surviving sons and was actually rather harmonious, a quality that their Lancastrian and Yorkist descendants did not possess. The story picks up with Richard, Duke of York's discontent at being excluded from the council of his second cousin, the incompetent king Henry VI, even though he served as Protector during Henry's incapacity. Richard did not have enough support to usurp the throne, but after his death his son became Edward IV, with the key support of the Earl of Warwick (the "Kingmaker"). Except for a brief restoration of Henry VI, Edward's reign was relatively stable and prosperous. In particular, he made some reforms with an eye to financial efficiency that have often been attributed to the Tudors. He wasn't so fortunate in his handling of family matters. His brother George, Duke of Clarence, was greedy, indulged by the king, and manipulated to treason by the Kingmaker.

After lucidly narrating this complicated story up to Edward IV's death, Crawford spends several chapters discussing the constellation of men and especially women around the first Yorkist king: Cecily Nevill, Elizabeth Woodville, their parents, their children, their siblings, their in-laws. Several episodes end up being repeated, but from different points of view. One recurring theme is how Edward IV manipulated and overrode the laws of inheritance in order to benefit his relatives.

The narrative resumes with the short reign of Edward V and his uncle Richard's coup, a ruthless act that Richard III couldn't overcome to have a peaceful reign. (The fate of the Princes in the Tower is examined in a measured way.) Richard III's Lancastrian cousin Henry Tudor then gained enough support to invade from France, defeat Richard at Bosworth Field, and seize the throne. The narrative continues to the death of Elizabeth of York, whose marriage to Henry VII was arranged by their mothers in order to unite the Lancastrian and Yorkist claims and restore peace to England.

Crawford's book serves as a good introduction to the Wars of the Roses, in particular, background for Shakespeare's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Henry-VI-Parts-I-II-and-III-Signet-Classics/dp/0451529847/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Henry VI (Parts I, II and III) (Signet Classics)</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Richard-III-Folger-Shakespeare-Library/dp/0743482840/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Richard III (Folger Shakespeare Library)</a>. Crawford mentions Shakespeare's take on this era of history several times, but for more details, Peter Saccio's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Shakespeare-s-English-Kings-History-Chronicle-and-Drama/dp/0195123190/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Shakespeare's English Kings: History, Chronicle, and Drama</a>&nbsp;is great. Crawford's book is also a valuable update to such classic works like Thomas B. Costain's conversational history,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Last-Plantagenets/dp/1568493738/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Last Plantagenets</a>, and Paul Murray Kendall's social history,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Yorkist-Age-Daily-Life-During-the-Wars-of-the-Roses/dp/B0000CL7H3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Yorkist Age: Daily Life During the Wars of the Roses</a>.
2810037
I truly enjoyed this novel about Mary Tudor.  Before I read this book, I knew that she was married to the king of France and later to Charles Brandon, but I had no idea of how or why these marriages came about, or indeed, what her life was like.  The author seems to have done her research as far as the events and people of this era are concerned, and the dialogue was definitely in context, which is not always the case.  Although I had not previously read any books by this author, I will definitely consider reading any future works by Ms. Evans.