Tag: Net Galley

Book Review: “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain” by Heather R. Darsie

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

English royal history is filled with fantastic stories of triumphs and tribulations, grand romances, and divorces that shook the foundations of the monarchy. It is also filled with struggles over religion, wars both inside England and with foreign nations, and heartbreaking child losses. We often think about the spouses of the Plantagenets and the Tudors when we think about royal romances, but we shouldn’t forget about the dynasties that came after, like the Stuarts. So how did the Stuart dynasty come to be and how did the unions between monarchs and their significant others affect the dynasty and England? Heather R. Darsie explores this often-overlooked dynasty and the stories of their marriages and romances in her latest book, “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I didn’t know much about the Stuarts before reading this book, except for those associated with the Plantagenets and the Tudors. I wanted to learn more about the Stuarts because I tend to stop after the death of Elizabeth I, so when I heard that Darsie was writing a book about the consorts of the Stuart dynasty, it was intriguing to me.

Darsie begins by explaining that she will be exploring the entirety of the Stuart dynasty, starting with its patriarch Walter Fitzalan, Stewart of Scotland for David I of Scotland in the 1100s. It is a fascinating story of how the family went from serving the monarchy to being the rulers of Scotland, all the way up to 1406 when James I became King of Scotland. The first royal consort that Darsie discusses might be familiar to anyone who knows about the origins of the Tudors, Joan Beaufort. We then track the Scottish story of the Stuarts through the death of Mary Queen of Scots through their significant others such as Mary of Guelders, Margaret of Denmark, Margaret Tudor, Madeleine of Valois, Marie de Guise, Francis II of France, Henry Stewart Lord Darnley, and James Hepburn 4th Earl of Bothwell.

It was under James VI of Scotland that things changed drastically for both England and Scotland as James became King James I of England with the death of Elizabeth I, and so James’ wife Anna of Denmark became the first Stuart Queen of England. This is the segment that I thoroughly enjoyed because they were new stories for me. We have Henriette Marie of France, a Catholic queen who married Charles I who was a Protestant, which did not have a happy ending as we get to see the English Civil War play out and the execution of Charles I on January 30, 1649. Darsie also includes the stories of the women who married Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard Cromwell, both Lord Protectors of England when the monarchy was not popular. Eventually, the Stuarts returned to their place on the English throne with Charles II and his queen Catherine of Braganza; followed by the women who married James Stewart Duke of York, Anne Hyde and Mary of Modena. James would become James II before the Glorious Revolution led by William of Orange, which led to the co-rulers William III and Mary II. Finally, we reach the tragic tale of Queen Anne of Great Britain and her Prince Consort George of Denmark.

I was so impressed with the amount of stories over centuries that Darsie was able to cover in this book. It was a fantastic introduction to Scottish Stuart history, how the dynasty survived, and created international relationships that allowed England to thrive. There were tales of tragedies, but there were also alliances that created stronger bonds, religious rifts, and romances. This was another triumph for Darsie and it is a book that made me interested in reading more about the Stuarts. If you are like me and you want a book that is a fantastic introduction to the Stuart monarchs and their consorts, I highly recommend you read, “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain” by Heather R. Darsie.

Book Review: “The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV” by Helen Castor

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The story of the Plantagenets is filled with high triumphs and devastating tragedies. It is a story of families torn apart for a crown and the desire to either rule with an iron fist for the glory of England or live a life of luxury at the expense of their citizens. The story explored in this particular book is the tale of two cousins born months apart, Richard of Bordeaux and Henry Bolingbroke. Richard and Henry were not born to become King of England, but Fortune’s Wheel had a different plan for the cousins. So how did these cousins become kings and how did their tale turn to tragedy not only for their relationship but for all of England? Helen Castor tells the tale of these two Plantagenet kings in her latest book, “The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV.”

I want to thank Avid Reader Press and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have seen this book on social media and ever since it was announced, I knew I wanted to read it. I have enjoyed Castor’s posts online as well as her documentary on the She-Wolves, based on her book of the same name, so when I heard about this one, it was an intriguing premise and so I jumped at the chance to read it. 

The fact that Richard of Bordeaux and Henry Bolingbroke became King Richard II and King Henry IV respectively is quite the story. Richard was the son of Edward The Black Prince and Henry was the son of John of Gaunt; both of their fathers were sons of Edward III and so the idea was that one of his sons would inherit the throne. However, Edward III had different plans after the death of Edward The Black Prince. It was announced that the young Richard of Bordeaux would be crowned King of England. This should have been the first red flag for England because it means that a Regency council must be formed. There are fights for power and fights over finances that culminate in the Peasants’ Revolt. Richard II doesn’t have much desire to fight for his country on the battlefield against the French or the Scottish, but he does care about favoring his favorites, even if it means turning the government against him. One such group, the Appellant Lords, will prove an extremely dangerous challenge for Richard II, and it will include his cousin Henry Bolingbroke. While many of the Appellant Lords will end up dead, Henry Bolingbroke is merely exiled, which in the long run, was not the best decision for Richard II. 

In 1400, John of Gaunt died and the title as well as the lands of the Duke of Lancaster were turned over to Richard II while Henry Bolingbroke was in exile in France. This marks the turning point for Henry as he decides to invade England while Richard is away dealing with problems in Ireland. It will end with Richard’s abdication and the coronation of Henry Bolingbroke as King Henry IV. However, things are not all sunshine and rainbows for Henry IV, the 1st Lancastrian King of England, as he finds out that it is not easy being a king. 

I must applaud Castor for writing a dual biography that is both balanced and utterly brilliant. It did take me a while to read this book because I was taking so many notes while I was reading and it gave me a better understanding of this tumultuous time. I would suggest that if you do read this book, take your time so that you can understand the complex nature of the conflict between these two cousins. If you are a fan of the Plantagenet dynasty, I highly recommend you read, “The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV” by Helen Castor.

Book Review: “Queen Macbeth” by Val McDermid

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think of the name Macbeth, we often imagine the play by William Shakespeare of a power-hungry man and his equally vicious wife willing to do whatever it took to become King and Queen of Scotland. It is a play about revenge and murder, but Shakespeare did not pull these characters out of thin air. He took these characters from the annals of history, such as a man named Macbeth and his wife, a Lady Macbeth named Gruoch. However, the names are about as much as Shakespeare gets right regarding the story of one of the first Kings of Scotland. Val McDermid tells her version of Macbeth and Gruoch’s story in her latest novel, “Queen Macbeth.”

I want to thank Atlantic Monthly Press and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. It has been a minute since I read the Shakespearean play of Macbeth, but I did know that it was a story based on history. When I saw that this was specifically about Macbeth’s wife, it was intriguing to me and I knew I wanted to give it a try.

We begin with a sense of panic and dread. Reports have reached Gruoch that her husband Macbeth was slain at the Battle of Lumphanan and now Gruoch is on the run from his enemy Malcolm. Their son, Lulach, is on his way to be crowned King of Scotland while Gruoch, her ladies (Ligach, Aife, and Eithne), and Macbeth’s man Angus wait for the opportune moment to escape the monastery they are staying in before Malcolm catches up to them.

Sprinkled in between events in the modern day, McDermid included flashbacks to how Macbeth and Gruoch met and fell in love. At the time of their first meeting, Gruoch was the wife of Gille Coemgain, the Mormaer of Moray. Macbeth believes that Gille was responsible for the death of his father, Findlaich, and Gruoch fears that Macbeth is only visiting Gille to seek his revenge. However, this unexpected encounter between Macbeth and Gruoch turns into love and they have a child while Gruoch is still married to Gille. A rather awkward situation, but eventually, Macbeth and Gruoch are united to become King and Queen of Scotland.

As someone who is not familiar with the historical story of Macbeth and Gruoch, I found this novella engrossing and thrilling. This version of Macbeth and his Lady Macbeth was much more believable with danger around every corner and I did not know where the story was heading. It did not feel like a novella and I did not want it to end. If you are a Shakespeare fan or someone who loves a good medieval tale, I highly recommend you read, “Queen Macbeth” by Val McDermid.

Book Review: “The Most Maligned Women in History” by Samantha Morris

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Throughout history, women have been seen as pious mothers, wives, or daughters who stayed in their lane or vile manipulators who wanted power and were willing to do anything to maintain their status. While the former group of women would be an interesting study, as the saying goes, well-behaved women seldom make history. So why did certain women receive a villainess lens when we look at their lives and what do the historical records tell us about them? Samantha Morris has chosen to take the stories of these misunderstood maidens and tell them in her latest book, “The Most Maligned Women in History.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed the previous books that I have read by Samantha Morris which covered Lucrezia and Cesare Borgia and Girolamo Savonrola When I heard that she was writing a book about maligned women in history, it caught my attention immediately as I wanted to see which women would be discussed in this book.

As Morris states in her introduction, there are numerous women who she could have chosen for this book she could make a second book, but in the end, she selected eleven women from different countries and centuries to highlight. The eleven women in this book are Cleopatra VII, Empress Wu, Joan of Arc, Lucrezia Borgia, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth Bathory, Catherine the Great, Marie Antoinette, Lizzie Borden, Empress Dowager Cixi, and Iva Toguri the “Tokyo Rose.” Morris takes the time to tell their stories succinctly while explaining why they are considered maligned.

I do appreciate the fact that she included women from different walks of life and different centuries to show how women have been vilified throughout history. We had women who were born queens, those who were mistresses or concubines and became rulers, and average women who did extraordinary things to the ire of those in charge. While I knew some of these stories like Anne Boleyn, Marie Antoinette, Cleopatra, and Lucrezia Borgia, others were completely new to me, such as Empress Wu, Empress Dowager Cixi, and Iva Toguri. The other women in this book were names that I had heard mentioned and knew some elements of their tales, but I didn’t know their full stories.

I found this book such a fun read full of vivacious women who were not afraid to go beyond the status quo. I do hope Morris will write a sequel book and include even more women from the past who have been viewed as maligned and maybe include women from Africa, Australia, and South America to show women from even more diverse backgrounds. If you want a delightful and insightful book about women who had some bad reputations, I highly suggest you read, “The Most Maligned Women in History” by Samantha Morris.

Book Review: “The Nightingale’s Castle” by Sonia Velton

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

A castle looms in the distance and the owner, a glamourous countess, has asked for fair maidens from the surrounding areas to work for her. But this is not an ordinary castle and this was not a benevolent countess. The rumors say if you enter the castle, you will never return as the infamous Blood Countess Erzsebet Bathory will kill you and bathe in your blood. A rather gruesome tale that has been told for centuries, but how true is this story? What truly happened in the Countess’s castle and what was the countess like? Sonia Velton hopes to answer these questions in her novel about Erzsebet Bathory’s life, entitled “The Nightingale’s Castle.”

I want to thank Harper Perennial and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I have heard about Elizabeth Bathory the Blood Countess, but just the dark tales about how she killed virgins and bathed in their blood to keep her youth. Sadly, I don’t know much about the woman herself and the circumstances around her life that made the charges around her so extreme.

We begin with a scene in the future from a court case where we see a mysterious girl listing the names of the accomplices who helped the countess, namely Janos Ficzko Ujvary, Ilona Jo Nagy, Dorottya (Dorka) Szentes, and Katalin Beneczky. The mysterious figure also reveals that there is a ledger that she claims lists the names of every victim of the countess, which totals hundreds of young ladies. Then, we jump to the main story with two servants of the countess, Dorka, and Fickzo, looking for a new woman to work at Cachtice Castle, which they find in Boroka Libalany, the adopted daughter of the town doctor Jozsef. It is at the castle where Boroka meets another girl named Suzanna and the two girls form a sort of friendship as they work in the laundry.

Things seem to be going well for Boroka and Suzanna until they realize that there is something off about this castle. While Boroka meets Countess Erszebet Bathory and gets to interact with her court of young noble ladies, Suzanna sees the darker side of the castle. I do appreciate that each one of the accomplices of the countess gets their unique backstories on how they met Erszebet Bathory. As Boroka gets closer to the countess and earns her trust as a stand-in for her portrait by Valentino, she discovers an intricately craved box and a journal inside that tells the story of Boroka’s birth mother, however the context of the box changes for those who open it. While I do enjoy learning more about Boroka’s familial connection to the countess, the magical box element almost felt unnecessary as she could have easily found the diary in the countess’s library and it would have had the same effect for Boroka.

Finally, we get to see how the case against Erszebet Bathory and her accomplices occurred. Gyorgy Thurzo Count Palatine of Hungary joins with King Matthias of Hungary to create a case against the countess. We get to see the arrest of the countess and her accomplices, the trial, and the aftermath of this case on the entire cast of characters, but especially Boroka.

As this was the first novel that I have read set in late 16th/ early 17th century Hungary and that was about Erszebet Bathory “the Blood Countess,” I found this novel extremely engrossing. It was a haunting yet stunning story filled with so many twists and turns that I did not want it to end. If you want a riveting retake on the life of the infamous Blood Countess, I highly recommend you read, “The Nightingale’s Castle” by Sonia Velton.

Book Review: “Planning the Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Caroline Angus

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The 16th century was filled with tales of remarkable women. Still, one of the most defining figures of the century was a woman of noble birth who the King of England fell in love with and decided that he was going to divorce his first wife of over twenty years to marry her. The Great Matter caused a great scandal across Europe, however, it was a love match that would not last long. The relationship between Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn would turn volatile and in the end, Anne and the men around her would be executed. We often blame Anne Boleyn’s death at the foot of Henry VIII’s right-hand man Thomas Cromwell, but who was behind the death of this famous queen? Caroline Angus has chosen to re-examine the case to find out who was truly responsible for the fall of this famous queen in her latest book, “Planning the Murder of Anne Boleyn.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed previous books by Caroline Angus, so when I heard that she was writing a book about Anne Boleyn’s “ trial,” I was curious to see what new insights she would bring to the case.

Angus begins by explaining to her audience that this case is hard to put together centuries after the fact because papers pertaining to the case were destroyed after the verdict was carried out. She then dives into how the fall of Anne Boleyn and the men around him happened, starting with the aftermath of the Great Matter, and the divorce between Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. We see how the Boleyns rose to power and Henry was so infatuated with Anne that he knew she would be the next Queen of England. Angus explores the men and women who served Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell, it was fascinating to see how they would shape the case against the queen. Finally, we get to see the rivalry between Thomas Cromwell and Anne Boleyn develop regarding religious reform issues and Princess Mary’s place in the line of succession.

The second half of this book focuses on the actual fall, trial, and execution of Anne Boleyn and the men who were associated with her. Angus takes the time to do a diary-style section, starting at the time when the idea to remove Anne from power to her actual execution to show her readers how quick this “case” was and to show that Henry wanted her out of his life permanently. She has taken the available information and the gaps left behind to create a plausible case for what truly happened in these few weeks. Angus shows what Princess Mary and Jane Seymour had to do with the fall of Anne Boleyn. We also see that most people knew that Anne Boleyn and the men around her were innocent and didn’t deserve to die, but it was a foregone conclusion as the king wanted them dead.

Overall, I found this enjoyable and enlightening with the new information Angus brought to the table. Yes, there is a bit of repetition of information already shared in previous books about Anne Boleyn, but it was one of the most infamous cases in English history, so it has been examined for centuries. It’s hard to show new information about this case without repeating facts that we already know but I think Angus does an excellent job of balancing the old and the new information about this case. If you want a solid book specifically about the fall of Anne Boleyn, I recommend you read, “Planning the Murder of Anne Boleyn” by Caroline Angus.

Book Review: “Medici Heist” by Caitlin Schneiderhan

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The year is 1517, and Florence is experiencing great change. No longer is it a grand republic that it once was; instead, it is under the control of the Medici family. They ruthlessly controlled Florence, especially Pope Leo X, who was born Giovanni di Lorenzo de’ Medici. The people suffer as the Medici become increasingly wealthy, but a band of misfits and thieves plan to give some power back to the people with one of the greatest heists of 16th century Italy. Can they survive as a group when revelations from the past and dangers lurk around every corner? The adventure with this ragtag team of thieves as they fight for Florence is explored in Caitlin Schneiderhan’s novel, “Medici Heist.”

I want to thank Feiwel and Friends and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. It’s been a little bit since I read a new YA historical fiction novel, and so when I read the description of this one, I jumped at the chance to read it. I like a good novel set in Italy during the Renaissance, so I wanted to see what Schneiderhan could bring to the genre.

We kick off with Pope Leo X in all his grandeur entering the city and being greeted by a girl named Cat throwing a mud pie at the Pope. This incident sets the mood of the city towards the Medicis. We then jump to meeting our main four protagonists; the con woman/ leader of the misfits Rosa Cellini, Sarra the Tinkerer, Khalid the skilled fighter, and Giacomo the master of disguise. Along with the apothecary Agata, Dominic the apprentice, and even Michelangelo, the crew has decided that the only way to free Florence from Medici rule was to steal the indulgences that the people gave the church for the forgiveness of their sins so they spend less time in purgatory when they died. The Medicis were able to gather about 10,000 florins, an impressive amount that the band of thieves hoped to split evenly. However, complications do arise such as unexpected reminders of the past, romances, and those who want the treasure for their nefarious purposes.

While I do applaud Schneiderhan for writing her first-ever historical fiction novel, which is not an easy task, I did have a few issues when I was reading this particular novel. I felt like this book read more like a screenplay in that it gave locations and information, but it was hard to visualize for someone who cannot see these locations as images. The characters felt a bit generic and blended together, especially with the short chapters that might have been purposeful to get through the story quickly, but I was not able to build a connection to these characters. Finally, I feel like this story does not feel like it could take place in the 16th century, except for a few famous name drops, historical places, and the currency used at the time. It feels too modern and it could be put into any period and it would still work. I wanted to get lost in 16th century Florence and that did not happen for me.

Overall, as a YA heist book, I think it is a pretty good book, but it missed the mark when it came to the historical element for me. I feel like the concept of this book was strong, but the execution was a bit lacking. It was a difficult book for me to read and at times, I did want to put it into a did not finish pile, which I never do with books. I know that some books just are not right for me, but they might be right for other people, which is why I continued to read this book. If you do want to read this book, it might be a good idea to have a device next to you to look up the locations mentioned to help visualize what is happening. If you want a heist book with some history sprinkled in, “Medici Heist” by Caitlin Schneiderhan might be the book for you.

Book Review: “Courting the Virgin Queen: Queen Elizabeth I and Her Suitors” by Carol Ann Lloyd

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

As humans, we love a good love story. Tales of courtships, grand confessions of love, over-the-top weddings, and marriages that last decades. These seem like high expectations, especially when we compare these expectations to royal courtships of the past. The majority of royals married and they were more focused on political matches instead of love. However, few chose a different path altogether, they decided to be single. One of the most famous monarchs with a single status was Queen Elizabeth I of England, the Virgin Queen So why did Elizabeth stay single throughout her reign, and how did she navigate her numerous suitors? Carol Ann Lloyd tries to answer these questions in her latest book, “Courting the Virgin Queen: Queen Elizabeth I and Her Suitors.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed Lloyd’s previous book, “The Tudors by the Numbers,” so when I heard about this book and that it would be about Elizabeth I and her romances, I knew I wanted to read it.

Lloyd breaks her book down into sections focusing on the suitors and the aspects that made her reign rather unique. While she was a child, Elizabeth’s primary purpose was to create a powerful alliance with another country, however, issues of legitimacy and religion hampered any real chance of her marrying anyone before she became queen. Once she was crowned, the marriage market became even more complicated as she not only had a great number of eligible suitors both in England and abroad, she needed to make sure her kingdom was secure and that she remained in power. She had to balance her natural and her political body of a ruler, a task that was difficult for a man to accomplish let alone a queen whose legitimacy and religious standings were on shaky grounds.

I think Lloyd did a great job of presenting new information about Elizabeth I, her suitors, and how different aspects of courting affected how the queen ruled. I will say that the way the book was organized did hinder my enjoyment of this book a little bit. I think it would have made more sense to have the aspects of Elizabeth’s courting and how it affected her reign before diving into her numerous suitors and why things didn’t go so well, which led to Elizabeth becoming the titular Virgin Queen.

Overall, I did find this a rather informative and fascinating read. If you want a solid book about Elizabeth I and her numerous romances, I recommend you read, “Courting the Virgin Queen: Queen Elizabeth I and Her Suitors” by Carol Ann Lloyd.

Book Review: “The Female Tudor Scholar and Writer: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper” by Aimee Fleming

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we think about the great female minds of the 16th century, we often think about those closest to the throne. Women of privilege who were destined to rule or to be a queen consort in a far-off land where their education would be imperative for the success or failure of their respective dynasty. However, some women did not live a life of glitz and glamor and received an equally impressive education. One such woman was the daughter of the great statesman Sir Thomas More, Margaret More Roper. Her remarkable story is told in the debut book by Aimee Fleming, “The Female Tudor Scholar and Writer: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have heard the name Margaret More Roper mentioned in several books about Sir Thomas More, but she is more of a footnote. I have always wanted to learn more about her life, especially her childhood, so when I heard about this book, I jumped at the chance to read it.

Margaret More Roper was the eldest child of Sir Thomas More and his first wife Joanna. She had three other siblings, Elizabeth, Cecily, and John, and a household filled with other children under Sir Thomas More’s care, including Margaret’s future husband William Roper. Fleming takes the time to show how Sir Thomas More and his second wife Alice gave his children, especially Margaret, a rather remarkable education that proved significant for Margaret and her path in life. We do see the famous More School grow and scholars such as Erasmus recognize the talent of Margaret and her siblings, especially in the fields of translations and letter writing. For the bulk of the first part of this book, Fleming focuses on the rise and fall of Sir Thomas More with the More family and school in the background, which is understandable, but I do wish we got a tad more about the education of these exceptional children.

Many consider the final meeting between Sir Thomas More and Margaret at his prison cell and his final letter to her as the end of her story, but as Fleming explains, there was so much more to Margaret’s story than this singular moment. Margaret was a wife, and a mother of five children (Alice, Margaret, Mary, Thomas, and Anthony). She also translated and published works in her name, which was unheard of for a woman, especially someone who was not of noble birth. When Margaret Roper More died around Christmas of 1544, she left a legacy that would inspire other women in her family, including her daughter Mary, to fight for an academic life.

Overall, I found this was a well-written debut biography about Margaret More Roper. It was a fascinating read to learn about Margaret’s life and the More family with a heavy focus on the academic life in 16th century England. If you would like to read a book about a strong academic woman from Tudor England, I suggest you read, “The Female Tudor Scholar and Writer: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper” by Aimee Fleming.

Book Review: “Tudor Executions: From Nobility to the Block” by Helene Harrison

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Tudor ExecutionsTreason is the crime of betraying one’s country or monarch by trying to overthrow the government or kill a sovereign. While many English dynasties dealt with treason in their ways, the most infamous were the Tudors and how they dealt with the nobility. By the end of 1572, there were no more dukes in England, until 1623 when George Villiers became the Duke of Buckingham. What was classified as treason during the Tudor dynasty and why did the members of the nobility have to die? Helene Harrison hopes to answer these questions in her latest book, “Tudor Executions: From Nobility to the Block.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed Harrison’s previous book about Elizabethan Rebellions, so when I heard that she was writing a new book about Tudor executions, I knew I wanted to read it.

Harrison begins by giving her readers a quick overview of what treason meant during the time of the Tudors through the numerous Treason Acts, the significance of the Act of Attainders and scaffold speeches. She also explains that this book explores the lives and ultimate deaths of nine men and five women and that each chapter can be read separately as an essay. The 14 figures that are featured in this book are: Edward Plantagenet 17th Earl of Warwick, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, Queen Anne Boleyn, George Boleyn Viscount Rochford, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, Queen Katherine Howard, Jane Boleyn Viscountess Rochford, Henry Howard Earl of Surrey, Thomas Seymour 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset, John Dudley 1st Duke of Northumberland, Queen Jane Grey, Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk, and Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex.

With each case, Harrison explores their origins, how they gained fame, their ultimate falls from grace, and their fate on the execution block. The main focus of each chapter is to show what each monarch considered treasonous behavior, which varied from case to case. We see charges range from treason for having royal blood to being too ambitious, adultery to down right rebellious acts. The Tudors did not hold back when it came to noble women as two queens, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, were executed which was a first for England.

I think Harrison does a decent job in sharing the stories about these nobles and their unfortunate ends. Though there were no real surprises in this book, but the way Harrison presented the information was easy to follow. She shows that the closer one is to the throne, the more likely they would fall victim to power, greed and paranoia. If you are a Tudor nerd who is interested in the more gruesome side of the glamorous Tudor court, I would suggest you read, “Tudor Executions: From Nobility to the Block” by Helene Harrison.