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Her Mother's Daughter: A Novel of Queen Mary Tudor
A new novel of sixteenth-century royalty from the author of A Question of Guilt. Her name was Mary Tudor.
First of the Tudor queens, she has gone down in history as 'Bloody Mary'. But does she deserve her vicious reputation?
She was the daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, and half-sister to Edward VI and Elizabeth I. Mary Tudor's life began as the sweetly innocent, pampered Princess Of Wales. Until the age of eleven when the father she adored cast her aside, and the mother she worshipped declared Mary 'a bastard'.
Only after years of exile did Mary finally rise to the throne alongside the man who, aside from her father, was her greatest love and her greatest betrayer.
Told by Mary herself and the people around her, this grand-scale novel takes us back to the glittering court of sixteenth-century England, and tells the tragic story of a fascinating, largely misunderstood woman, who withstood the treachery and passion around her only to become one of England's most vilified queens.
First of the Tudor queens, she has gone down in history as 'Bloody Mary'. But does she deserve her vicious reputation?
She was the daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, and half-sister to Edward VI and Elizabeth I. Mary Tudor's life began as the sweetly innocent, pampered Princess Of Wales. Until the age of eleven when the father she adored cast her aside, and the mother she worshipped declared Mary 'a bastard'.
Only after years of exile did Mary finally rise to the throne alongside the man who, aside from her father, was her greatest love and her greatest betrayer.
Told by Mary herself and the people around her, this grand-scale novel takes us back to the glittering court of sixteenth-century England, and tells the tragic story of a fascinating, largely misunderstood woman, who withstood the treachery and passion around her only to become one of England's most vilified queens.
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2009
12 people are currently reading
2747 people want to read
About the author
Julianne Lee
12 books40 followersIn the words of Bill Cosby, "I started out as a child." I was born in California, at the age of about zero, on the United States Naval Base at Point Mugu. Dad was a pilot and Mom a former WAVE. For about a year I was an only child, but then my brother was born, and over the years I collected siblings like they were beanie babies. A brother, two sisters, later on a half sister, and we'll not get into the scads of stepbrothers and former stepbrothers.
At twelve I began to write for fun, which I think is the only real reason to write fiction. I figured it beat reality any old day, and I liked sitting at the desk in my room, pretending to be doing something worthwhile. Daydreaming with a purpose, and gradually I realized I could gain approval for the very thing teachers used to criticize me for in class. I wanted to be an actor, and by the age of sixteen my dream - pipe dream - was to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts . But I knew it would never happen. The Academy was in New York, and that was too far away to even contemplate seriously. So I started college as an art major. I was a terrible artist. I did a good job of fooling myself and everyone around me, but eventually I gave up the charade and left home for Los Angeles at twenty.
What, ho! When I got there I found the American Academy had recently opened
up a campus in Pasadena. By the kindness of some people I met in L.A., I was recommended to the school and accepted. The following two years was a turning point, that changed my life in ways that are still unfolding. Though an education in theatre bestows skills that are not terribly marketable in ordinary life, the things I learned at that school have benefited me every day since. Stage fright has not since held the terror it once did. At the school, I discovered I could be funny, a fact that might have saved me a lot of grief had I known it in grammar school. I could have been a fabulous class clown. In addition to this self-discovery, while I was at the Academy I wrote my first novel. In longhand. I still had no idea I wanted to be a writer; all I knew was that there could be peace in living inside a story about someone else.
Almost immediately after graduating from the Academy, I met and married Dale Lee. We left Los Angeles, but I was kicking and screaming the whole way. Twenty-odd years later, I still miss the place. We had two kids right away, so I now had three children, one of each: a boy, a girl, and a husband. There were a couple of acting jobs, most notably two days on "At Close Range," a feature film starring Christopher Walken and Sean Penn, and a TV movie starring Ann-Margaret. But in trying to be an actor in Nashville, I realized most of the other actors in town were looking forward to their big chance to leave for Los Angeles, and I knew that would never be a possibility for me. At thirty I decided I was getting old faster than I was getting famous, so I looked for something to do besides acting and changing diapers. Throughout this time I'd kept writing, though sporadically, and about then I began a second novel. Gradually an inkling came there might be a possibility of becoming published. I sure wasn't any good at anything else I might have done locally. On January 27, 1987 I bought my first copy of Writers Digest. Another turning point in my life. For the next several years I wrote manuscripts, sent the work out, joined writers groups, and workshopped my novels with the Green River Writers in Louisville, KY. After seven years I sold my first short story, Culture Control, to the now defunct Cosmic Unicorn. Immediately afterward I was hired by the local newspaper. From there I went to writing actor interviews for Starlog Magazine , a job for which I was singularly qualified.
I also wrote some video sleeve copy for Fox Home Video. That stands as the most highly paid time per hour I've ever spent, and I loved it even if it did attract sympathy from misguided folks who thought it less
At twelve I began to write for fun, which I think is the only real reason to write fiction. I figured it beat reality any old day, and I liked sitting at the desk in my room, pretending to be doing something worthwhile. Daydreaming with a purpose, and gradually I realized I could gain approval for the very thing teachers used to criticize me for in class. I wanted to be an actor, and by the age of sixteen my dream - pipe dream - was to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts . But I knew it would never happen. The Academy was in New York, and that was too far away to even contemplate seriously. So I started college as an art major. I was a terrible artist. I did a good job of fooling myself and everyone around me, but eventually I gave up the charade and left home for Los Angeles at twenty.
What, ho! When I got there I found the American Academy had recently opened
up a campus in Pasadena. By the kindness of some people I met in L.A., I was recommended to the school and accepted. The following two years was a turning point, that changed my life in ways that are still unfolding. Though an education in theatre bestows skills that are not terribly marketable in ordinary life, the things I learned at that school have benefited me every day since. Stage fright has not since held the terror it once did. At the school, I discovered I could be funny, a fact that might have saved me a lot of grief had I known it in grammar school. I could have been a fabulous class clown. In addition to this self-discovery, while I was at the Academy I wrote my first novel. In longhand. I still had no idea I wanted to be a writer; all I knew was that there could be peace in living inside a story about someone else.
Almost immediately after graduating from the Academy, I met and married Dale Lee. We left Los Angeles, but I was kicking and screaming the whole way. Twenty-odd years later, I still miss the place. We had two kids right away, so I now had three children, one of each: a boy, a girl, and a husband. There were a couple of acting jobs, most notably two days on "At Close Range," a feature film starring Christopher Walken and Sean Penn, and a TV movie starring Ann-Margaret. But in trying to be an actor in Nashville, I realized most of the other actors in town were looking forward to their big chance to leave for Los Angeles, and I knew that would never be a possibility for me. At thirty I decided I was getting old faster than I was getting famous, so I looked for something to do besides acting and changing diapers. Throughout this time I'd kept writing, though sporadically, and about then I began a second novel. Gradually an inkling came there might be a possibility of becoming published. I sure wasn't any good at anything else I might have done locally. On January 27, 1987 I bought my first copy of Writers Digest. Another turning point in my life. For the next several years I wrote manuscripts, sent the work out, joined writers groups, and workshopped my novels with the Green River Writers in Louisville, KY. After seven years I sold my first short story, Culture Control, to the now defunct Cosmic Unicorn. Immediately afterward I was hired by the local newspaper. From there I went to writing actor interviews for Starlog Magazine , a job for which I was singularly qualified.
I also wrote some video sleeve copy for Fox Home Video. That stands as the most highly paid time per hour I've ever spent, and I loved it even if it did attract sympathy from misguided folks who thought it less
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
November 6, 2017
This is not the subtlest rendition of the life and times of Mary Tudor.
It's obvious from the prologue that this book was not meant to be read by people who are already knowledgeable about Mary Tudor and her story. The book makes it clear that it wants to shatter your preconceived notions about Mary, which, of course, if you've read a lot about the period, have long since been shattered.
Historical events are over simplified, and people often seem to be broad brushstrokes of their true selves, presumably not to bog the reader down in complex plots or overly detailed motivations. The novel states many times the title of the book, hammering it into us that yes, Mary is in fact Catherine's daughter in both blood and deed. We get it. It's in the title! The constantly switching POVs I found distracting and not effective, except in one case, that of showing why Mary's people, including Catholics, started pulling away from her and being disgusted by the burnings.
If you know nothing about this time period, this is probably a great book to dive into, get to know the various people, become familiar with the politics and the religion. If you are already brushed up on your Tudor knowledge, you might do better with a solid biography of Mary Tudor.
It's obvious from the prologue that this book was not meant to be read by people who are already knowledgeable about Mary Tudor and her story. The book makes it clear that it wants to shatter your preconceived notions about Mary, which, of course, if you've read a lot about the period, have long since been shattered.
Historical events are over simplified, and people often seem to be broad brushstrokes of their true selves, presumably not to bog the reader down in complex plots or overly detailed motivations. The novel states many times the title of the book, hammering it into us that yes, Mary is in fact Catherine's daughter in both blood and deed. We get it. It's in the title! The constantly switching POVs I found distracting and not effective, except in one case, that of showing why Mary's people, including Catholics, started pulling away from her and being disgusted by the burnings.
If you know nothing about this time period, this is probably a great book to dive into, get to know the various people, become familiar with the politics and the religion. If you are already brushed up on your Tudor knowledge, you might do better with a solid biography of Mary Tudor.
May 27, 2010
I was intrigued by the subject and by the author's intention to offer a different perspective on the monarch affectionately known as Bloody Mary. The biggest problem for me was not the fact that the author's attempts to humanize Queen Mary often came at the negative portrayals of those around her (for I am sure Henry VIII was no picnic), nor was it the unapologetic justification for her later actions as Queens (i.e. being banished and declared illegitimate by her father; her nearly life-long persecution for adherence to the "old religion"). Its simply the fact that as a whole, the book is not very well-written. I found the changing points-of-view and interspersed stories of the English commoners distracting, clunky and lacking whatever effect the author so clearly meant to convey.
December 4, 2009
Julianne Lee attempts to bring to modern day readers the sympathetic view of Mary Tudor, the misunderstood queen of the sixteenth century. Queen Mary did not have an easy life, and the author immediately sets off to show her readers the myriad of different situations that she was placed in due to the fact that she was the daughter of King Henry VIII. Most Tudor era fans know the story of this Mary Tudor, who was otherwise known as Bloody Mary due to her excessive execution of heretics. She was the only surviving issue of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII; at first treated as a princess should be until Henry divorced her mother. Yet, it is her younger half-sister, Elizabeth I, who gets the credit for being a strong female monarch in the sixteenth century.
The author shows how Mary may have felt when she was told by her mother that her father was divorcing her, which jeopardized Mary's own status. She was stripped of her princess title, and simply became "Lady Mary." We see how Mary was indeed her mother's daughter, embracing the Catholic religion with zeal, as this was the only constant in her life. The story the author tells focuses on Mary's life and the major events that occurred around her, although we very quickly advance in the author's telling to Henry marrying Anne Boleyn, beheading her and taking Jane Seymour as a wife. Throughout this period we are privy to Mary's personal thoughts as she despises Anne, yet yearns for her place at her father's side. Henry is portrayed as unfeeling and callous towards his daughter Mary, but as doting on Elizabeth when she was a baby. Obviously for the sake of the story itself this works well in the author's favor for attempting to achieve sympathy for Mary. How much of this is factual is for another book.
We blink, and Henry is dead and his only sickly son, Edward is on the throne at age 9. I don't even recall the sixth wife being mentioned. With the bulk of the book being told in third person, we are privy to the council meetings and the thoughts that the council members had about Mary, being a Catholic twenty-four year old potential claimant to the throne, never mind the fact that she was a woman. Mary is shown as very insecure, very pious and of ill health. Whenever she was stressed, it put her in a dangerous state of illness. Mary had feared poison from the heretic Protestant factions, and was beginning to lose faith in her own father's loyalty and regard for family ties. She always felt he would never execute her because of the fact that she was his daughter, but Henry was a ruthless man and did not like being refused his requests. This request in question (which spanned the first half of the book) that Henry demanded of her was going against the very grain of Mary's Catholic faith, for Henry wanted Mary to recognize him as having authority over the church and the pope. Mary finally felt that she could no longer trust in her faith to keep her alive. It seems Mary's only friend was her imperial ambassador, Eustace Chapuys. He advised her in most things and she is shown as relying on him at critical times, just as he advised her to accept the Act of Supremacy, although with a helpful caveat. Upon doing so, Mary was finally allowed some peace, and was welcome at her father's court after this long battle. She failed in the very things she lived for, such as having children and restoring England to the Catholic faith, and perhaps it was this failure that distressed her so much that caused her illnesses. But even through these failures, she unknowingly taught Elizabeth what to do or not do once Elizabeth ruled.
What makes this novel unique is the way it opened up, with a modern day setting; and then the rest of the story is being told in an almost flashback fashion as Mary periodically appears as she explains what happens next. The chapter would open up with an italicized paragraph of Mary speaking her mind, and that chapter would tie itself into that foreshadowing opening paragraph. Also unique, are the "extras" to the novel. There are commoners, from thieves to family men that have their chance to their story in this novel as well. Through their eyes we get a broad scope of what the political and religious turmoils that the people in England were subject to, and this also helped keep the novel intriguing.
As a Tudor junkie, I enjoyed it. As a historical fiction reader, I loved it. There is nothing that I can say in hindsight that I think the author should have done differently. The writing flowed simply and I was entertained by the clever outline of the novel with the diary style entries by Mary and the outlooks from the commoners. This was a unique approach towards a story that has been told many times before, but truly gives a realistic touch towards the humanity of Bloody Mary. The author successfully portrayed Mary in a more favorable light as we begin to understand the depth of Mary's faith and the mechanisms behind it. As the story progresses, we are more empathetic towards Mary as we witness the accounts of the relationships that Mary had with her family and her controversial husband, Philip of Spain. For the many readers who like to focus on the Tudor era, this is a read that must be added to your library, both for its original storytelling and the unique approach with which the author utilizes to tell this compelling story of Mary Tudor.
I enjoyed this new novel by Julianne Lee so much so that I will be looking for her previous historical fiction read A Question of Guilt: A Novel of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Death of Henry Darnley (Oct 7, 2008) which focuses on another Queen Mary that I have not had a lot of sympathy for either. After reading Her Mother's Daughter: A Novel of Mary Tudor by Julianne Lee, I am definitely much more sympathetic to the views of Bloody Mary and more understanding of why she seemed a bit over the top. I recommend this one to those interested in the Tudor era and for historical fiction fans in general.
The author shows how Mary may have felt when she was told by her mother that her father was divorcing her, which jeopardized Mary's own status. She was stripped of her princess title, and simply became "Lady Mary." We see how Mary was indeed her mother's daughter, embracing the Catholic religion with zeal, as this was the only constant in her life. The story the author tells focuses on Mary's life and the major events that occurred around her, although we very quickly advance in the author's telling to Henry marrying Anne Boleyn, beheading her and taking Jane Seymour as a wife. Throughout this period we are privy to Mary's personal thoughts as she despises Anne, yet yearns for her place at her father's side. Henry is portrayed as unfeeling and callous towards his daughter Mary, but as doting on Elizabeth when she was a baby. Obviously for the sake of the story itself this works well in the author's favor for attempting to achieve sympathy for Mary. How much of this is factual is for another book.
We blink, and Henry is dead and his only sickly son, Edward is on the throne at age 9. I don't even recall the sixth wife being mentioned. With the bulk of the book being told in third person, we are privy to the council meetings and the thoughts that the council members had about Mary, being a Catholic twenty-four year old potential claimant to the throne, never mind the fact that she was a woman. Mary is shown as very insecure, very pious and of ill health. Whenever she was stressed, it put her in a dangerous state of illness. Mary had feared poison from the heretic Protestant factions, and was beginning to lose faith in her own father's loyalty and regard for family ties. She always felt he would never execute her because of the fact that she was his daughter, but Henry was a ruthless man and did not like being refused his requests. This request in question (which spanned the first half of the book) that Henry demanded of her was going against the very grain of Mary's Catholic faith, for Henry wanted Mary to recognize him as having authority over the church and the pope. Mary finally felt that she could no longer trust in her faith to keep her alive. It seems Mary's only friend was her imperial ambassador, Eustace Chapuys. He advised her in most things and she is shown as relying on him at critical times, just as he advised her to accept the Act of Supremacy, although with a helpful caveat. Upon doing so, Mary was finally allowed some peace, and was welcome at her father's court after this long battle. She failed in the very things she lived for, such as having children and restoring England to the Catholic faith, and perhaps it was this failure that distressed her so much that caused her illnesses. But even through these failures, she unknowingly taught Elizabeth what to do or not do once Elizabeth ruled.
What makes this novel unique is the way it opened up, with a modern day setting; and then the rest of the story is being told in an almost flashback fashion as Mary periodically appears as she explains what happens next. The chapter would open up with an italicized paragraph of Mary speaking her mind, and that chapter would tie itself into that foreshadowing opening paragraph. Also unique, are the "extras" to the novel. There are commoners, from thieves to family men that have their chance to their story in this novel as well. Through their eyes we get a broad scope of what the political and religious turmoils that the people in England were subject to, and this also helped keep the novel intriguing.
As a Tudor junkie, I enjoyed it. As a historical fiction reader, I loved it. There is nothing that I can say in hindsight that I think the author should have done differently. The writing flowed simply and I was entertained by the clever outline of the novel with the diary style entries by Mary and the outlooks from the commoners. This was a unique approach towards a story that has been told many times before, but truly gives a realistic touch towards the humanity of Bloody Mary. The author successfully portrayed Mary in a more favorable light as we begin to understand the depth of Mary's faith and the mechanisms behind it. As the story progresses, we are more empathetic towards Mary as we witness the accounts of the relationships that Mary had with her family and her controversial husband, Philip of Spain. For the many readers who like to focus on the Tudor era, this is a read that must be added to your library, both for its original storytelling and the unique approach with which the author utilizes to tell this compelling story of Mary Tudor.
I enjoyed this new novel by Julianne Lee so much so that I will be looking for her previous historical fiction read A Question of Guilt: A Novel of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Death of Henry Darnley (Oct 7, 2008) which focuses on another Queen Mary that I have not had a lot of sympathy for either. After reading Her Mother's Daughter: A Novel of Mary Tudor by Julianne Lee, I am definitely much more sympathetic to the views of Bloody Mary and more understanding of why she seemed a bit over the top. I recommend this one to those interested in the Tudor era and for historical fiction fans in general.
July 22, 2010
History has taught us to be sympathetic to Elizabeth Tudor, but generally ignores Mary Tudor, Henry’s rightful heir from his legal marriage to Catherine of Aragon. This book was a sympathetic look into Mary Tudor’s life, from her carefree spoiled childhood; to her bewilderment at her father’s marriage to “that whore;” to banishment and loss of title, struggle to maintain her faith, loyalty to her mother and father and her marriage.
The sexism in this book was rampant and only emphasized for me Elizabeth’s savvy in never marrying. The conversations in the throne room where courtiers don’t know whether to address the queen, or her lower-in-rank husband are astonishing. Eventually everyone speaks to Phillip, because everyone know that the man is ruler of his wife. But if Philip is not the king, and Mary must make the decision, who really is in charge?
I liked reading about the historical time from many different perspectives (a city thief, a French Courtier, a country farmer, and Mary Tudor herself), although the book opens with a few girls playing “Bloody Mary” at a slumber party and never references them again. The book was written from many points of view, allowing Mary to narrate both as first person and as third person.
Mary’s faith also seemed important to her in a way that history suggested but never showed before, at least not in books I’ve read. Mary trembles in fear for her mortal soul if not allowed to say mass, while narratives of Elizabeth’s life treat her relationship with God to be one similar to her relationship with Henry Tudor.
I would definitely read something by this author again.
The sexism in this book was rampant and only emphasized for me Elizabeth’s savvy in never marrying. The conversations in the throne room where courtiers don’t know whether to address the queen, or her lower-in-rank husband are astonishing. Eventually everyone speaks to Phillip, because everyone know that the man is ruler of his wife. But if Philip is not the king, and Mary must make the decision, who really is in charge?
I liked reading about the historical time from many different perspectives (a city thief, a French Courtier, a country farmer, and Mary Tudor herself), although the book opens with a few girls playing “Bloody Mary” at a slumber party and never references them again. The book was written from many points of view, allowing Mary to narrate both as first person and as third person.
Mary’s faith also seemed important to her in a way that history suggested but never showed before, at least not in books I’ve read. Mary trembles in fear for her mortal soul if not allowed to say mass, while narratives of Elizabeth’s life treat her relationship with God to be one similar to her relationship with Henry Tudor.
I would definitely read something by this author again.
August 15, 2018
This novel opened with modern day tweens chanting “Bloody Mary” into a mirror at a slumber party, only to have her spirit appear to tell her “real” story. That should have been my first clue to give up on this novel. The rest of the novel seemed to just gloss over important historical events. If someone was not familiar with the people and events of the time, they would be completely lost. I was hoping for more depth, more insight, but instead, it was choppy and poorly written. Her childhood was breezed through, I think the entire history of Anne Boylen’s impact on her life was only a few sentences long, her time banished from court lacked any depth, and the attempt of Jane Grey and her family to take over the throne was less than a chapter long. These were key events in England, but they were glossed over as if they were of little import. I would much rather have read a longer novel that covered her life, and key people in the court, with much more depth and description instead of a short novel that tries to cram everything in without going into too much detail. Very disappointed.
March 9, 2010
Mary Tudor had a very hard life as a child. First she was the object of her father's, King Henry VIII affection. Then cast out as a illegitimate child with her mother Catherine of Aragon. She went from Princess to Lady and was to be re-trained to accept her new rank and the new religion.
When Henry married Jane, Mary was finally returned to the Castle and reunited with her father but still as a Lady not a princess. Before his death, Henry VIII reinstated Mary as princess and was to be queen in the event that her half brother Edward VI died. Edward carried forth the new religion at the bidding of his counsel and the practice of Catholicism was outlawed, even for Mary.
Mary defied this order however and was threatened by..
Read my full review at: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/12...
When Henry married Jane, Mary was finally returned to the Castle and reunited with her father but still as a Lady not a princess. Before his death, Henry VIII reinstated Mary as princess and was to be queen in the event that her half brother Edward VI died. Edward carried forth the new religion at the bidding of his counsel and the practice of Catholicism was outlawed, even for Mary.
Mary defied this order however and was threatened by..
Read my full review at: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/12...
June 4, 2011
This was my first Queen Mary book. I had little knowledge of her, other than what I saw on The Tudors and had read online. I thought that this was a very good book as far as explaining who Queen Mary was and what she had endured throughout her life. If this was the only thing that I knew about her, I would never truly grasp why she was referred to as Bloody Mary. This book does make me want to read more to understand her better and why historically she is so disliked as a Queen. This book almost candy coated her actions.
All in all, this would be a great book for a light, Tudor fan read. A tip of the iceburg, if you will. If you do not really want to dive into the specifics of what she did, but, rather a glimpse into who she was, this would be a great book for you. But, I will want to read more books about her, because my interest has been peaked.
All in all, this would be a great book for a light, Tudor fan read. A tip of the iceburg, if you will. If you do not really want to dive into the specifics of what she did, but, rather a glimpse into who she was, this would be a great book for you. But, I will want to read more books about her, because my interest has been peaked.
June 10, 2019
The author is trying to convince us thatMary Tudor doesn’t deserve her nickname of Bloody Mary. Unfortunately, the book pretty much confirms that she was a petty, strong-minded woman who refused to listen to the moderate advice of her council that killing Protestants was not good for England.
This book cast her as growing up feeling misused by the whores that her father married. It implies that if it was okay for Henry to kill Catholics then it was also okay for Mary to kill Protestants.
I knew all the historical details already. The first chapter with girls at a pajama party chanting Bloody Mary was just stupid. The sections about commoners and hat they thought were mostly extraneous things that should have been left out. Switching between Mary narrating and third person was a bit irritating although it was easy to tell because all of the first person parts were in italics
This book cast her as growing up feeling misused by the whores that her father married. It implies that if it was okay for Henry to kill Catholics then it was also okay for Mary to kill Protestants.
I knew all the historical details already. The first chapter with girls at a pajama party chanting Bloody Mary was just stupid. The sections about commoners and hat they thought were mostly extraneous things that should have been left out. Switching between Mary narrating and third person was a bit irritating although it was easy to tell because all of the first person parts were in italics
July 27, 2014
If I didn't know anything about Mary Tudor, I think this would be a good book to know about her life and reign. As it is, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. Some of the author's sayings were weird, such as comparing chaos to being stirred with a spoon. I also didn't really appreciate how the author switched various points of view. This was an okay read, but I won't ever re-read it, and I probably wouldn't recommend it cause I can think of several books which are so much better.
May 31, 2011
This was so superficial I could hardly stand it! And so full of modern words and idea it was ridiculous. I'm having a hard time coming up with some redeeming qualities....um....it was relatively short? One dimensional characters, an author who seems to have very little understanding of tudor life, and an absolute ridiculous "voice" of Mary. Steer clear folks.
October 7, 2012
I did not like her writing style. Mary wasn't telling the story, but her comments (made after her death) were sprinkled throughout the book. Bit of random commoners' stories were thrown in, too. It seemed like a strange patchwork. The story was okay. I think the author was trying to be creative with subject matter that's been done many times before, but I just didn't like it.
January 29, 2010
Overall this is a great read, especially for Tudor fans. It shows Mary Tudor as a sensitive and lonely woman with a very sad and troubled life. The religious and relationship aspects were well explored. But a few extra characters in the book made the story disjuncted at times and distracted from what really matters.
February 5, 2024
Rushed. That is how I would describe this book. Begins with a modern setting which I found to be off putting right off the bat. I didn’t like the beginning twist, it felt out of place and not really necessary. I am really trying hard not to be harsh on this book because I did enjoy it at times but it was wholly rushed and missed some important events in Mary Tudor’s life. Also some of the dialogue was strange even for Mary was jarring to what we know about her. Book has many errors regarding some of the events that happened, and just grew through out the book. I struggled through the first half of the book hoping the second half would be better but was bitterly disappointed. This isn’t the worst description of Mary Tudor, but I felt like I was “watching” a local tv channel documentary of Mary Tudor that was quickly rushed to be made just so it could get on TV at a certain date. I know that Julianne Lee has other wonderful works out there that I wish to read. I just hope that I have a better experience with those. I apologize for being harsh but this book was not for me
December 30, 2020
It was interesting in that the Tudors themselves, and the period in which they lived, are interesting, but the book didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, and it pretty much ignored a lot of important stuff. The prologue seemed pointless and weird to me, and the short chapters from others' points of view were somewhat awkward and not terribly enlightening. I think they detracted from the book as a whole.
In at least two places, there were no close-quotation marks at the end of a quote. In one scene, Edward is referred to as the king and Mary as the queen. I don't think so. And Mary is said to be flaunting a law where she is actually flouting it. Really, doesn't anyone at the publishing company see these things? If they jump out at me, why can't a paid employee find them? Anything that pulls the reader out of the story--bad or missing punctuation, a misspelled or misused word, a factual error--is NOT a good thing. The last thing a writer wants is someone engrossed in your story suddenly being distracted by a silly error.
In at least two places, there were no close-quotation marks at the end of a quote. In one scene, Edward is referred to as the king and Mary as the queen. I don't think so. And Mary is said to be flaunting a law where she is actually flouting it. Really, doesn't anyone at the publishing company see these things? If they jump out at me, why can't a paid employee find them? Anything that pulls the reader out of the story--bad or missing punctuation, a misspelled or misused word, a factual error--is NOT a good thing. The last thing a writer wants is someone engrossed in your story suddenly being distracted by a silly error.
August 19, 2019
While I enjoyed this novel of Mary Tudor I must admit that I preferred you and always book a question of guilt much more. Mary was definitely her mother's daughter, stubborn or rather strong-willed especially in the Catholic faith she would end up risking her life many times before she ultimately inherited the throne for a few short years after her brother Edward and before her sister Elizabeth.
July 31, 2017
Loved this book
August 17, 2024
Decent enough, but I found the random POVs to be unnecessary to the plot and lacking concrete actual substantive connection to what is supposed to be a somewhat biographical retelling.
March 15, 2014
Mary Tudor, the only surviving child of the union of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon, was born into royal splendor but life soon taught her that nothing lasts forever. She was truly her mother’s daughter, clinging to the Catholic faith they shared while at the same time this very devotion separated them when they needed the comfort of the other the most. Mary has been vilified by history; “Bloody Mary” really says it all. Personally, I have never cared for the woman I have come to know through the historical study of the period, but I have always admired her mother, for her strength and determination and wanted to give Mary another look.
After the separation and divorce of her parents Mary is set aside and called to serve upon her baby half sister, now the Princess she once was. I can imagine this insult was not only cruel and hurtful but most likely destroyed what little self-confidence she might have had left. From the time of her separation from her mother until her death Mary knows little true affection from any other human soul.
Lee successfully humanizes Mary and softens the edges of her devout religious fanaticism. Lee portrays an unhappy woman who feels divinely placed to restore the True Faith to England. Sadly, the reforms become brutal as they are resisted and Mary zealously initiates public burnings of Reformist heresy. Mary it seems is so rigid in nature that to her rebellion should only be met with greater force; she is unable to see the connection between extreme reform which is only successful under threat and fear of death as an obstacle to peace and stability in her realm. Mary is just unable to do things any other way.
A lonely woman, Mary yearns for marriage, and not until her late thirties is she wed to Phillip II of Spain. Mary is enchanted with Phillip and she does not seem to recognize that the marriage is unpopular and the groom miserable. Truly, who could not feel for Mary as she suffers two phantom pregnancies and then is abandoned by her husband? Lee guides the reader through Mary’s life rich with disappointment and almost devoid of true friendship or love. Mary’s legacy was never realized; rather her vision to return England to Rome was most likely the final nail in the coffin of Catholicism in England. Her legacy is a somber one, an English queen who sacrificed her people to her God.
I enjoyed Julianne Lee’s account and would recom
After the separation and divorce of her parents Mary is set aside and called to serve upon her baby half sister, now the Princess she once was. I can imagine this insult was not only cruel and hurtful but most likely destroyed what little self-confidence she might have had left. From the time of her separation from her mother until her death Mary knows little true affection from any other human soul.
Lee successfully humanizes Mary and softens the edges of her devout religious fanaticism. Lee portrays an unhappy woman who feels divinely placed to restore the True Faith to England. Sadly, the reforms become brutal as they are resisted and Mary zealously initiates public burnings of Reformist heresy. Mary it seems is so rigid in nature that to her rebellion should only be met with greater force; she is unable to see the connection between extreme reform which is only successful under threat and fear of death as an obstacle to peace and stability in her realm. Mary is just unable to do things any other way.
A lonely woman, Mary yearns for marriage, and not until her late thirties is she wed to Phillip II of Spain. Mary is enchanted with Phillip and she does not seem to recognize that the marriage is unpopular and the groom miserable. Truly, who could not feel for Mary as she suffers two phantom pregnancies and then is abandoned by her husband? Lee guides the reader through Mary’s life rich with disappointment and almost devoid of true friendship or love. Mary’s legacy was never realized; rather her vision to return England to Rome was most likely the final nail in the coffin of Catholicism in England. Her legacy is a somber one, an English queen who sacrificed her people to her God.
I enjoyed Julianne Lee’s account and would recom
July 12, 2010
After reading Lee's take on Mary, Queen of Scots, I had high hopes for what she might do with Queen Mary Tudor. Bloody Mary is one of the most hated and reviled monarchs in English history and Lee has uncovered a side of her that shows Mary as a sympathetic character.
I'm not usually a fan of prologues, but as soon as I opened the book and started reading I was hooked, and it was the prologue's doing. From then on everything just kept getting better. Mary was not a vicious woman, determined to kill all who stood in her way. She was a caring queen who wanted to save her people; an obedient daughter; a loving wife; and, above all, she was a devout Catholic determined to do God's will.
Her Mother's Daughter is the heart-wrenching tale of Queen Mary Tudor and how her unfaltering faith ultimately destroyed her life. There were times, many times, when I wanted to reach out to Mary myself in an attempt to console her. How could anyone possibly think ill of such a woman? She was merely standing by her beliefs, and she treated the Protestants the same way her fellow Catholics had been treated when her father Henry VIII split from Rome. With every page, Mary's side of the story becomes more real and believable until it ends in one swift, sad moment that leaves you wishing there had been more at the end, at the very least for Mary.
Things really started to pick up in the last fourth of the book, not to imply that the rest of it was slow, and I couldn't put it down. I watched as the Queen's life fell to pieces around her. I wanted nothing more than to cry for her, with her. She had done nothing wrong, yet life seemed determined to beat her down.
Julianne Lee provides a beautifully written depiction of one of the world's most infamous women that makes you question Mary Tudor's reputation as the queen everyone knows as Bloody Mary. I loved this book, as sad and wonderful as it was.
I'm not usually a fan of prologues, but as soon as I opened the book and started reading I was hooked, and it was the prologue's doing. From then on everything just kept getting better. Mary was not a vicious woman, determined to kill all who stood in her way. She was a caring queen who wanted to save her people; an obedient daughter; a loving wife; and, above all, she was a devout Catholic determined to do God's will.
Her Mother's Daughter is the heart-wrenching tale of Queen Mary Tudor and how her unfaltering faith ultimately destroyed her life. There were times, many times, when I wanted to reach out to Mary myself in an attempt to console her. How could anyone possibly think ill of such a woman? She was merely standing by her beliefs, and she treated the Protestants the same way her fellow Catholics had been treated when her father Henry VIII split from Rome. With every page, Mary's side of the story becomes more real and believable until it ends in one swift, sad moment that leaves you wishing there had been more at the end, at the very least for Mary.
Things really started to pick up in the last fourth of the book, not to imply that the rest of it was slow, and I couldn't put it down. I watched as the Queen's life fell to pieces around her. I wanted nothing more than to cry for her, with her. She had done nothing wrong, yet life seemed determined to beat her down.
Julianne Lee provides a beautifully written depiction of one of the world's most infamous women that makes you question Mary Tudor's reputation as the queen everyone knows as Bloody Mary. I loved this book, as sad and wonderful as it was.
Read
February 21, 2017DNF at 40%.
May 18, 2014
I think the author did a pretty good job trying to argue Queen Mary's point of view, and I did become more sympathetic, but overall she did not succeed in winning me over. And that may be my fault as the reader, not being open enough. Otherwise, I did enjoy reading this book and learning more about this historical figure that I didn't know as much about. She is too often eclipsed by her sister Elizabeth or the infamous Anne Boleyn, so I appreciated getting to know more about the problems she dealt with before she reigned, during her marriage, and how she died. The minor character POVs threw me off but I can see why it was important to show how the religious conflicts affected Mary's subjects.
June 21, 2010
This was definitely a different type of Tudor book. I loved the first chapter - where a group of modern-day girls are having a slumber party and decide to call up "Bloody Mary" in the mirror. That's where the story begins, when Mary does appear after they have fallen asleep to tell her story.
I enjoyed this, but something felt a little "off" the entire book. Maybe it just sped through a little too quickly. She talks about Anne having Elizabeth and being executed in about two sentences, and more time is spent on Jane Seymour than any other queen. Katherine Parr isn't even named!
I did like this, but it was not the best Tudor book I've ever read.
I enjoyed this, but something felt a little "off" the entire book. Maybe it just sped through a little too quickly. She talks about Anne having Elizabeth and being executed in about two sentences, and more time is spent on Jane Seymour than any other queen. Katherine Parr isn't even named!
I did like this, but it was not the best Tudor book I've ever read.
September 29, 2013
This book paints Mary as a sympathetic character who lived and died tragically lonely and was prudish. I believe that Mary would have been as convicted that she was right as depicted in this book, but I don't understand how someone so pious and "Christian" could possibly burn heretics. I don't think in this book she seemed aware of the horror of burning people, and maybe that's how she was able to do so. Her resentment of Elizabeth is understandable, her devotion to Philip sad, and her pregnancies, heartbreaking. This made me want to learn more about Mary, so I will definitely pick up another book about her in the future.
November 22, 2011
Great Historical fiction. I loved, loved, loved the prologue and epilogue about the slumber party playing "Bloody Mary". There were certain moments in her life that I would have liked to have been covered in more detail but for the most part this was a great read. I will being looking for more of Lee's books in the future.
March 8, 2010
This book is O.K. I'm sure there are better written books out there about Mary Todor and this book made me want to read one of them. Overall it seems she had a lonely difficult life. It makes me glad I'm not royalty. I have read other books about this time period and this book did help fill in some of those places looked over in the other books.
June 14, 2010
This is the first historical novel I have read about Mary Tudor and it was refreshing to change from the other Tudor stories I have read. Mary was certainly a tragic figure in the Tudor saga. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Tudors and who would like to a change from the characters whose stories are usually told.
June 19, 2014
This book was pretty slow-going at some points and I felt that the ending was a bit corny. Other that, though, it was a very good book. All too often in books regarding the Tudor family, Mary's point of view is largely ignored. This was an enlightening book in regards to how Mary must have felt thoughout the events of her life.
January 12, 2015
It was ok- not the best Tudor dynasty book I've read. The first chapter was in present day- it explained to the reader that Mary Tudor was whom the legend Bloody Mary was founded. From there it went back and forth from various country men and their stories to Mary's life. It was a 3 out of 5. Maybe even a 2.75.
May 6, 2011
Not a fan of this one. The book is basically a long, drawn out exercise for the author to tell me Mary's life story. The characters are one-dimensional and I hated the 'Bloody Mary' front and end tags.
May 8, 2011
It wasn't bad, but some of the devices used by the author were gimmicky and some of the information was...outdated, or just plain wrong. And the author certainly needs to brush up on royal forms of address.
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