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Young Royals #1
Mary, Bloody Mary
The story of Mary Tudor's childhood is a classic fairy tale: A princess who is to inherit the throne of England is separated from her mother; abused by an evil stepmother who has enchanted her father; stripped of her title; and forced to care for her baby stepsister, who inherits Mary's rights to the throne. Believe it or not, it's all true. Told in the voice of the young Mary, this novel explores the history and intrigue of the dramatic rule of Henry VIII, his outrageous affair with and marriage to the bewitching Anne Boleyn, and the consequences of that relationship for his firstborn daughter. Carolyn Meyer has written a compassionate historical novel about love and loss, jealousy and fear - and a girl's struggle with forces far beyond her control.
227 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 2, 1999
81 people are currently reading
7803 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Meyer
112 books1,088 followersCarolyn Meyer is as versatile a writer as you will find. Along with historical fiction and realistic novels for young adults she has written nonfiction for young adults and books for younger readers on topics as diverse as the Amish, the Irish, Japanese, Yup'ik Eskimos, a rock band, rock tumbling, bread baking, and coconuts. And ten of her books have been chosen as Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association. In her most recent historical novels she has dealt with the young lives of Mary Tudor, Princess Elizabeth, Anastasia, and Isabel of Castilla, Spain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
August 14, 2008
I made it about 100 pages into this one, and then had to put it down. It reads like a 5th grade biography report, when the students have to dress as the person they research and tell you about "their" lives. It was all, "I'm Mary and I did this and then I thought that and this was good and Anne was a witch and then I learned Latin and then! Then I had the sweating illness!"
And then I, Sarah Gransee, put the book down and started something else.
And then I, Sarah Gransee, put the book down and started something else.
October 16, 2015
When I was a very young girl in grade school, I was in the library scanning my fingers across the titles as I walked down aisle after aisle of bookshelves. I stopped at this title, because I knew Bloody Mary as that game you played at slumber parties where everyone goes into the bathroom, shuts the door, and chants Bloody Mary in hopes of getting scared. Little did I know that Bloody Mary was the nickname of Princess Mary Tudor, and as I read the book, I had yet to realize that the Princess was an actual historical person. When I realized this by the end of the novel, I was greatly intrigued. It was because of this book that my love for studying the Tudors & the English monarchy sparked. Now as a young lady I read about how horrible Queen Mary was, however this book portrays her completely different. Even if it is fictional I have a soft spot for Mary because her life was not all that great even when she finally got to be Queen. This book is wonderfully written, and Carolyn Meyer does an excellent job at creating a character out of Mary Tudor. I also suggest you take a look at Meyer's other books on royalty.
November 24, 2025
"Come. let us walk. Out here, only the bare trees can overhear us, and only our own footsteps follow us. But it will not always be so easy."
Carolyn Meyer, Mary, Bloody Mary (Young Royals, #1)
I have been yearning to read this book for months, for a few reasons.
Number one was the title, which of course hooked me immediately.
And number two was I thought I might’ve read it before, but as it turns out, I have not.
I only started reading about this time A couple years ago. But interestingly enough when I was much younger, my school library had many books on royalty and I recall reading about some of those ladies there. I read about Eleanor and Victoria and I did read about Mary though not about anybody else from this time.
For some reason until recently, it never interested me that much. Maybe that’s because I’m more drawn to Egyptian and Greek history. I knew about Henry and his wives, of course, but I knew no details at all but Mary has always been a bit different. Suffice to say I’ve always been a bit more interested in her and of course how she got that nickname.
So I like this book OK and if that sounds kind of lackluster, it’s because that’s how I feel. It was a good book. It was extremely easy to read, and Mary narrates the whole thing.
I should also tell you that it does not cover her reign as queen, which I didn’t realize probably because I was too lazy to read the back of the book!
So it covers her childhood, but despite the title, you’re not going to meet bloody Mary.
In fact, the Mary presented in this book is a sweet, gentle and soft-spoken lady, which follows other information sources that I’ve read either from Books or from articles or from other Goodreads reviewers.
That’s what makes her so fascinating to me. She was known to be kind hearted before becoming queen, and she wound up going insane just like Henry. Was it a genetic mutation? Something that ran in the family? Or is she simply so bitter and lonely that she couldn’t help it?
You’re not going to find the answers to those questions in this book, but you will find a gentle and sweet Mary, whom you’ll probably become , quite fond of. But what frustrated me about the book, for all its accessibility, was its method of telling rather than showing.
I’ll give an example of that. Anne Is a major character in the book, but we don’t meet her for a long time. We know her only through Mary telling us about her and when we finally do meet her she’s kind of over the top in the villainess aspect. Seriously she’s presented just having no emotional depth whatsoever and comes across almost like a movie villainess in her over the topness.
As much as I enjoyed the story and love this version of Mary, it’s is extremely frustrating because you don’t see many scenes with the characters interacting barely. Henry too. He is described and his Insanity is described, but we barely get to see it.
I felt that Mary is really only the character who talks at length.
This is a relatively short book which I got through very quickly, but I was let down a little by the lack of interactions. At the same time what will stick in my mind is the sadness of it all. The author did an excellent job developing Mary.
I think what I like best about it was meeting Mary as a child when she was still innocent. But I can’t help feeling that this also could’ve been a 20 star read if it had continued through all the mayhem.
This author, obviously does the research and and knows the subject matter well, so I think that would’ve been great. On that note, make sure you read the note at the end because it provides some detail about future happenings.
Carolyn Meyer, Mary, Bloody Mary (Young Royals, #1)
I have been yearning to read this book for months, for a few reasons.
Number one was the title, which of course hooked me immediately.
And number two was I thought I might’ve read it before, but as it turns out, I have not.
I only started reading about this time A couple years ago. But interestingly enough when I was much younger, my school library had many books on royalty and I recall reading about some of those ladies there. I read about Eleanor and Victoria and I did read about Mary though not about anybody else from this time.
For some reason until recently, it never interested me that much. Maybe that’s because I’m more drawn to Egyptian and Greek history. I knew about Henry and his wives, of course, but I knew no details at all but Mary has always been a bit different. Suffice to say I’ve always been a bit more interested in her and of course how she got that nickname.
So I like this book OK and if that sounds kind of lackluster, it’s because that’s how I feel. It was a good book. It was extremely easy to read, and Mary narrates the whole thing.
I should also tell you that it does not cover her reign as queen, which I didn’t realize probably because I was too lazy to read the back of the book!
So it covers her childhood, but despite the title, you’re not going to meet bloody Mary.
In fact, the Mary presented in this book is a sweet, gentle and soft-spoken lady, which follows other information sources that I’ve read either from Books or from articles or from other Goodreads reviewers.
That’s what makes her so fascinating to me. She was known to be kind hearted before becoming queen, and she wound up going insane just like Henry. Was it a genetic mutation? Something that ran in the family? Or is she simply so bitter and lonely that she couldn’t help it?
You’re not going to find the answers to those questions in this book, but you will find a gentle and sweet Mary, whom you’ll probably become , quite fond of. But what frustrated me about the book, for all its accessibility, was its method of telling rather than showing.
I’ll give an example of that. Anne Is a major character in the book, but we don’t meet her for a long time. We know her only through Mary telling us about her and when we finally do meet her she’s kind of over the top in the villainess aspect. Seriously she’s presented just having no emotional depth whatsoever and comes across almost like a movie villainess in her over the topness.
As much as I enjoyed the story and love this version of Mary, it’s is extremely frustrating because you don’t see many scenes with the characters interacting barely. Henry too. He is described and his Insanity is described, but we barely get to see it.
I felt that Mary is really only the character who talks at length.
This is a relatively short book which I got through very quickly, but I was let down a little by the lack of interactions. At the same time what will stick in my mind is the sadness of it all. The author did an excellent job developing Mary.
I think what I like best about it was meeting Mary as a child when she was still innocent. But I can’t help feeling that this also could’ve been a 20 star read if it had continued through all the mayhem.
This author, obviously does the research and and knows the subject matter well, so I think that would’ve been great. On that note, make sure you read the note at the end because it provides some detail about future happenings.
February 18, 2022
I liked this book more than I'd thought. The writing was simple and plain, but it presented the story in a straightforward way. The historical events were written clearly, and though the characters were filtered through the likes and dislikes of Mary, overall the story felt unbiased.
I'd wanted to read this book when I'd come across it a few years ago. I picked it up now out of pure interest, and though I do not read historical fiction much, I enjoyed this one and might get into the genre more.
The phrasing felt lacking in certain places. Some sentences were altogether too ordinary, and it felt more like an article or an essay than a book. The author did not do anything very special with the facts and only built a chronological story out of them. The world through Mary's eyes was imagined decently, albeit childishly. Her opinions did not change much as she grew older, and I thought some maturing could have been shown.
The writing was also confusing, because though narrated in the first person, it lacked emotions. Mary speaks as though recounting her childhood, but we do not get the sense that she has experienced all of it first-hand. Her opinions of everyone were very detached, and she felt barely anything in both happiness and grief.
The author skipped years in between because nothing historically important happened in Mary's life during that time. I liked that we did not have to read any extra content, but sometimes I was confused as to exactly how much time had passed. Perhaps the information is not available as to what happened during that time, and the author did not want to make up fictional events to fill the gaps.
The ending was very abrupt. We are told about Mary's reign in the Historical Facts given as the Epilogue of the book, but the narration from Mary's point of view came to an end quite suddenly. The story felt past-paced, but at the same time, nothing much was happening. I wasn't bored, though, and the book was short and enjoyable to read.
It is a good book for children to learn about the history of Mary Tudor.
I'd wanted to read this book when I'd come across it a few years ago. I picked it up now out of pure interest, and though I do not read historical fiction much, I enjoyed this one and might get into the genre more.
The phrasing felt lacking in certain places. Some sentences were altogether too ordinary, and it felt more like an article or an essay than a book. The author did not do anything very special with the facts and only built a chronological story out of them. The world through Mary's eyes was imagined decently, albeit childishly. Her opinions did not change much as she grew older, and I thought some maturing could have been shown.
The writing was also confusing, because though narrated in the first person, it lacked emotions. Mary speaks as though recounting her childhood, but we do not get the sense that she has experienced all of it first-hand. Her opinions of everyone were very detached, and she felt barely anything in both happiness and grief.
The author skipped years in between because nothing historically important happened in Mary's life during that time. I liked that we did not have to read any extra content, but sometimes I was confused as to exactly how much time had passed. Perhaps the information is not available as to what happened during that time, and the author did not want to make up fictional events to fill the gaps.
The ending was very abrupt. We are told about Mary's reign in the Historical Facts given as the Epilogue of the book, but the narration from Mary's point of view came to an end quite suddenly. The story felt past-paced, but at the same time, nothing much was happening. I wasn't bored, though, and the book was short and enjoyable to read.
It is a good book for children to learn about the history of Mary Tudor.
October 13, 2017
Unfortunately, despite having read and loved this as a child, as an adult I believe it has a few good points, but a weak and abrupt ending and sometimes nonsensical writing. I will be reading the second book though, and it's certainly got me reminiscing - and interested in Tudor historical fiction! It even reminds me of when I studied Mary at A level! ☺️ happy times.
April 28, 2009
I was shocked by some of the events that occurred in this book. There is so much I would like to write up about it that I think I’ll forget much of it.
I’ll start by saying that I was not able to set this book down. I enjoyed it. But it also reinforced my opinion that being royalty would truly stink. Although watching The Queen while reading this helped fuel this argument even more.
While reading this books I was wrapped up in a bunch of emotions for the characters: complete hatred at Anne Boleyn, resentment to Mary’s cold father King Henry, sorrow for her mother who I had come to know in Carolyn Meyer’s Patience, Princess Catherine A Young Royals Book, and shock at how such a somewhat sweet-sounding girl who had so much unfortunates in the early part of her life (mainly teen years) turned into the queen who killed so many.
Now I am now going to read Doomed Queen Anne A Young Royals Book, and see if the feelings I have formed through Bloody Mary and other stuff change. I am enjoying greatly reading about his point in history. Once I finish the other two books by Caroline Meyer about this time, I plan to read Nine Days a Queen The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey which I looked at a while ago which is about Jane Grey (I believe that is the correct name) who ruled between Edward and Mary.
I’ll start by saying that I was not able to set this book down. I enjoyed it. But it also reinforced my opinion that being royalty would truly stink. Although watching The Queen while reading this helped fuel this argument even more.
While reading this books I was wrapped up in a bunch of emotions for the characters: complete hatred at Anne Boleyn, resentment to Mary’s cold father King Henry, sorrow for her mother who I had come to know in Carolyn Meyer’s Patience, Princess Catherine A Young Royals Book, and shock at how such a somewhat sweet-sounding girl who had so much unfortunates in the early part of her life (mainly teen years) turned into the queen who killed so many.
Now I am now going to read Doomed Queen Anne A Young Royals Book, and see if the feelings I have formed through Bloody Mary and other stuff change. I am enjoying greatly reading about his point in history. Once I finish the other two books by Caroline Meyer about this time, I plan to read Nine Days a Queen The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey which I looked at a while ago which is about Jane Grey (I believe that is the correct name) who ruled between Edward and Mary.
December 19, 2025
Mary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer is a vivid, historical young adult novel that tells the early life of Mary Tudor, the daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, before she became the queen known in history as “Bloody Mary.” Written in the first person from Mary’s own perspective, the story begins when she is about ten years old and full of hope as her father’s favorite and the heir to the throne, only to be plunged into heartbreak, humiliation, and political upheaval as Henry’s obsession with producing a male heir unfolds.
When Henry pursues Anne Boleyn, seeks an annulment from Catherine, and eventually declares Mary illegitimate, Mary’s life is turned upside down: she is separated from her beloved mother, stripped of her status, and relegated to serving her baby half‑sister Elizabeth in the royal household while fearing for her own safety and place in history. The historical context of court intrigue, shifting alliances, and Tudor politics is brought to life with rich detail but always through the emotional eyes of a young woman grappling with loss, anger, and the longing for dignity and power.
From the very start I felt deeply drawn into Mary’s world because Meyer centers emotion as much as events, making her bitter disappointment at losing her title and the cruelty of her father’s decisions feel raw and personal rather than abstract. What resonated most with me was how Mary’s devotion to her mother, her resentment toward Anne Boleyn, and her struggle to retain a sense of identity amid betrayal and turmoil made her feel human, not just a historical figure.
The narrative captures not only the pageantry and brutality of Tudor court life but also the inner tension of a girl pushed to the margins of power even as she dreams of one day claiming what she believes is rightfully hers. Despite its YA audience, the emotional weight of Mary, Bloody Mary stays with you because it shows how early heartbreak and injustice helped shape a woman who would later be remembered for her fierceness and her failures alike.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I’m giving this book four stars because it compassionately reimagines a young Mary Tudor with nuance and emotional depth, making her more than just the queen's history remembers for persecution.
While the narrative focuses on her youth rather than her later reign (so readers looking for that part of her life will need to read other works), this novel’s portrayal of loyalty, loss, and resilience made me care about who Mary was before she became legend.
When Henry pursues Anne Boleyn, seeks an annulment from Catherine, and eventually declares Mary illegitimate, Mary’s life is turned upside down: she is separated from her beloved mother, stripped of her status, and relegated to serving her baby half‑sister Elizabeth in the royal household while fearing for her own safety and place in history. The historical context of court intrigue, shifting alliances, and Tudor politics is brought to life with rich detail but always through the emotional eyes of a young woman grappling with loss, anger, and the longing for dignity and power.
From the very start I felt deeply drawn into Mary’s world because Meyer centers emotion as much as events, making her bitter disappointment at losing her title and the cruelty of her father’s decisions feel raw and personal rather than abstract. What resonated most with me was how Mary’s devotion to her mother, her resentment toward Anne Boleyn, and her struggle to retain a sense of identity amid betrayal and turmoil made her feel human, not just a historical figure.
The narrative captures not only the pageantry and brutality of Tudor court life but also the inner tension of a girl pushed to the margins of power even as she dreams of one day claiming what she believes is rightfully hers. Despite its YA audience, the emotional weight of Mary, Bloody Mary stays with you because it shows how early heartbreak and injustice helped shape a woman who would later be remembered for her fierceness and her failures alike.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I’m giving this book four stars because it compassionately reimagines a young Mary Tudor with nuance and emotional depth, making her more than just the queen's history remembers for persecution.
While the narrative focuses on her youth rather than her later reign (so readers looking for that part of her life will need to read other works), this novel’s portrayal of loyalty, loss, and resilience made me care about who Mary was before she became legend.
July 6, 2019
While it’s nice to hear about Mary Tudor’s childhood — everyone knows about Elizabeth’s already — I can’t say I liked this book all that much. The problem for me was the voice. Mary just seemed to recount all her trials and tribulations in a flat, matter-of-fact manner. I would rather she has shown more emotion.
June 2, 2022
wow! i felt like this was a really great book for a palette cleanser, since i’m trying to read more historical fiction from now on. the author presented mary in a very engaging and relatable way, and honestly did an astounding job at writing her trauma and abuse for a younger audience. this book was fast-paced and engaging, and i loved it from page one. highly recommend!
November 25, 2017
Mary is not remembered as being a great Queen, the nickname Bloody Mary should tell you all you need to know regarding her reputation. But it's easy to forget, just how terrible her upbringing was.
This book takes you from Mary as a young child all the way into her twenties, just after the death of Anne Boleyn. She had everything stripped from her, her title, her legitimacy and is taken from her mother. Forced to wait on her new sister who has taken her place and she also lives in fear that she will be assassinated at any time.
It's aimed at teenage readers, the book is written in an interesting enough way. It would certainly pique your interest in the subject and hopefully prompt you to find out more factual information.
However I feel it does young readers a disservice by missing out key moments and just making things up. The story is good enough to avoid this, the facts are more exciting than fiction!
I don't normally mind when historical fiction books take liberties but you can't call a book 'Mary Bloody Mary' and then hardly touch on the religious upheaval that gave Mary such a determination to turn the country back to Rome when she became Queen. This was a massive part of her life and was only mentioned once.
Also Lady Susan is a completely made up person. Norfolk didn't have a child called Susan. This is something that can quickly be checked online. If you are going to make up a character, it really needs to be one thats not related to one so well known. And don't even get me started on the talk of marriage to the already married Cromwell!
This aside, it was an entertaining read and will satisfy a fix for any Tudor fan and would keep the attention of someone who doesn't know much about the subject.
This book takes you from Mary as a young child all the way into her twenties, just after the death of Anne Boleyn. She had everything stripped from her, her title, her legitimacy and is taken from her mother. Forced to wait on her new sister who has taken her place and she also lives in fear that she will be assassinated at any time.
It's aimed at teenage readers, the book is written in an interesting enough way. It would certainly pique your interest in the subject and hopefully prompt you to find out more factual information.
However I feel it does young readers a disservice by missing out key moments and just making things up. The story is good enough to avoid this, the facts are more exciting than fiction!
I don't normally mind when historical fiction books take liberties but you can't call a book 'Mary Bloody Mary' and then hardly touch on the religious upheaval that gave Mary such a determination to turn the country back to Rome when she became Queen. This was a massive part of her life and was only mentioned once.
Also Lady Susan is a completely made up person. Norfolk didn't have a child called Susan. This is something that can quickly be checked online. If you are going to make up a character, it really needs to be one thats not related to one so well known. And don't even get me started on the talk of marriage to the already married Cromwell!
This aside, it was an entertaining read and will satisfy a fix for any Tudor fan and would keep the attention of someone who doesn't know much about the subject.
May 13, 2011
Well, because of blogger I was able to finish this book in almost no time at all. I'm quite proud of myself.
On to the review!
"As a baby, Mary was adored by her father, who carried her around on his shoulder and displayed her for the court to admire. But as his marriage with her mother, Catherine of Aragon, waned for lack of a male heir, Henry began an affair with the beautiful Anne Boleyn. Mary was convinced that Anne was a witch. Didn't everyone know she had a sixth finger? And wasn't it Anne who persuaded Henry to declare his first marriage invalid? As the king grows ever colder, Mary is banished to a distant house, forbidden from seeing her mother, left to wear rags, and finally--at Anne's bidding--summoned back to court to be a servant to her baby half sister Elizabeth. Once there, Mary lives in constant dread that she will be poisoned or sent to the executioner's block in one of her father's rages. By the time Anne Boleyn herself is beheaded, Henry's first daughter has become the bitter and angry woman who was to be known as Bloody Queen Mary for her savage religious genocide. Carolyn Meyer, long acclaimed for her teen fiction, accurately captures the glitter and grandeur as well as the brutality of this fascinating period in history."
First Impressions:
*shrugs* It was good. Nothing special really, it's just a normal historical fiction.
I wasn't exactly drawn in nor was I turned away.
Setting:
I love that whole era when it comes to books! It's really interesting to read. It always makes me go "O.O Girls got married at 12 to 40 year old men???" every time.
Plot:
*shrugs* It was good. Based on real events. I didn't feel any particular love for it.
Writing:
*headdesk* This is where it lost a star. It just sounds like a fifth grader wrote it. "I, Mary Princess of Wales, did this to my father, King Henry, who is married to my mother, Queen Catherine from Spain." Not only was she constantly mentioning the titles of various lords and ladies and kings and queens every time she talked about them (this could be historically correct, so if it is, ignore that comment), but it was very tell-ey.
Characters:
I liked the characters okay. I mean, I really had no opinion on this part. They weren't horrible or boring, but Mary did get really obnoxious at times.
Rating:
I'm a bit confused about what to give this book. It was geared towards 9-12 year old girls and yet...the word bas**** is used every other page. I understand that it was a very common word back then and that it was a big part of the book, but it wasn't really necessary. Also, there was a pretty vividly described birth scene. Again: this book is for 9 year old girls? I would never let my younger cousin read this book at that age.
So, it still has a PG rating, but I don't recommend it for anyone under 12.
Recommend it to?
Historical fiction fans.
Should you read it?
You can if you want. I'm not a huge fan of all historical fiction and I only read this because I was in the mood for a good one. However, I didn't find it satisfactory. I'm probably going to go re-read a Dear America book or something.
So, if you're a really big historical fiction fan, you can read it. You'd probably like it.
On to the review!
"As a baby, Mary was adored by her father, who carried her around on his shoulder and displayed her for the court to admire. But as his marriage with her mother, Catherine of Aragon, waned for lack of a male heir, Henry began an affair with the beautiful Anne Boleyn. Mary was convinced that Anne was a witch. Didn't everyone know she had a sixth finger? And wasn't it Anne who persuaded Henry to declare his first marriage invalid? As the king grows ever colder, Mary is banished to a distant house, forbidden from seeing her mother, left to wear rags, and finally--at Anne's bidding--summoned back to court to be a servant to her baby half sister Elizabeth. Once there, Mary lives in constant dread that she will be poisoned or sent to the executioner's block in one of her father's rages. By the time Anne Boleyn herself is beheaded, Henry's first daughter has become the bitter and angry woman who was to be known as Bloody Queen Mary for her savage religious genocide. Carolyn Meyer, long acclaimed for her teen fiction, accurately captures the glitter and grandeur as well as the brutality of this fascinating period in history."
First Impressions:
*shrugs* It was good. Nothing special really, it's just a normal historical fiction.
I wasn't exactly drawn in nor was I turned away.
Setting:
I love that whole era when it comes to books! It's really interesting to read. It always makes me go "O.O Girls got married at 12 to 40 year old men???" every time.
Plot:
*shrugs* It was good. Based on real events. I didn't feel any particular love for it.
Writing:
*headdesk* This is where it lost a star. It just sounds like a fifth grader wrote it. "I, Mary Princess of Wales, did this to my father, King Henry, who is married to my mother, Queen Catherine from Spain." Not only was she constantly mentioning the titles of various lords and ladies and kings and queens every time she talked about them (this could be historically correct, so if it is, ignore that comment), but it was very tell-ey.
Characters:
I liked the characters okay. I mean, I really had no opinion on this part. They weren't horrible or boring, but Mary did get really obnoxious at times.
Rating:
I'm a bit confused about what to give this book. It was geared towards 9-12 year old girls and yet...the word bas**** is used every other page. I understand that it was a very common word back then and that it was a big part of the book, but it wasn't really necessary. Also, there was a pretty vividly described birth scene. Again: this book is for 9 year old girls? I would never let my younger cousin read this book at that age.
So, it still has a PG rating, but I don't recommend it for anyone under 12.
Recommend it to?
Historical fiction fans.
Should you read it?
You can if you want. I'm not a huge fan of all historical fiction and I only read this because I was in the mood for a good one. However, I didn't find it satisfactory. I'm probably going to go re-read a Dear America book or something.
So, if you're a really big historical fiction fan, you can read it. You'd probably like it.
September 29, 2012
First sentence: "Anne was a witch; I never doubted it."
Most people know, or think they know, Bloody Mary. The queen of England who killed all the Protestants. But, once, she was a young girl. As a child, she was doted on by her mother and father, being their only living child. Then Anne Boleyn came into the picture, promising to give Mary's father, Henry VIII, the son Mary's mother had not. Mary suddenly finds herself a bastard and shunned from court. She is separated from her mother and made to wait on her half-sister, Elizabeth, like a common servant. Her pampered life as princess no longer exists, and she has to beg for the king to even send her money for new clothes. It is a lot for a teenage girl to handle.
This book was ok. It was a good fictional take on Mary Tudor's early life. It did a good job of showing how far she fell after Anne Boleyn's rise to power. It is a very heartbreaking story and it makes you very sympathetic to Mary's plight. However, these are the only good things about this book.
This book is pretty abysmal when it comes to historical accuracy. Names were changed (Francis Weston becomes Francis Peacham for some reason) and people were in places that the historical record indicates they never were or were, in fact, somewhere totally different at the time. The way the passage of time was recorded was ridiculous. I don't mind if you are going to jump 2 or 3 years in the future, but separate it with a chapter or give dates or something don't just make it part of the narrative. Sometimes years passed in one sentence (and then I was 16. A few months after my 18th birthday...). It made for a very frustrating read.
If you like reading about the Tudors, you might like this book. It gives a different perspective than most Tudor books do. However, if you are looking for something historically accurate and well-written, you might want to look elsewhere.
Most people know, or think they know, Bloody Mary. The queen of England who killed all the Protestants. But, once, she was a young girl. As a child, she was doted on by her mother and father, being their only living child. Then Anne Boleyn came into the picture, promising to give Mary's father, Henry VIII, the son Mary's mother had not. Mary suddenly finds herself a bastard and shunned from court. She is separated from her mother and made to wait on her half-sister, Elizabeth, like a common servant. Her pampered life as princess no longer exists, and she has to beg for the king to even send her money for new clothes. It is a lot for a teenage girl to handle.
This book was ok. It was a good fictional take on Mary Tudor's early life. It did a good job of showing how far she fell after Anne Boleyn's rise to power. It is a very heartbreaking story and it makes you very sympathetic to Mary's plight. However, these are the only good things about this book.
This book is pretty abysmal when it comes to historical accuracy. Names were changed (Francis Weston becomes Francis Peacham for some reason) and people were in places that the historical record indicates they never were or were, in fact, somewhere totally different at the time. The way the passage of time was recorded was ridiculous. I don't mind if you are going to jump 2 or 3 years in the future, but separate it with a chapter or give dates or something don't just make it part of the narrative. Sometimes years passed in one sentence (and then I was 16. A few months after my 18th birthday...). It made for a very frustrating read.
If you like reading about the Tudors, you might like this book. It gives a different perspective than most Tudor books do. However, if you are looking for something historically accurate and well-written, you might want to look elsewhere.
February 11, 2009
This almost received only a 1 star from me. Why the exception? I love historical fiction. I was very interested in learning more about Mary, the oldest surviving daughter of King Henry VIII. I had seen Carolyn Meyer's books on the shelf at the library and was curious. I picked this one up as well as her book on Princess Elizabeth, half sister to Mary.
I was very disappointed with the overuse of the word bas____. Yes, after King Henry divorced his loyal and faithful wife, Catherine of Aragon, Mary was considered an illegitmate daughter. Which is the definition of bas____. However, just because the term was used frequently and was a common way back then. It is not now. Now days it is a very offensive term. So, why use it so frequently in a book targeted to 9-12 year old girls. I was reading this outloud with my daughter. She could not even say the word she was so embarassed. I just skipped over the word during my turn to read, or left out the sentence.
I was also disappointed with the description of the birth of Mary's half sister, Elizabeth. I quote, "Shelton shoved me into a place near the foot of the great bed. I was shocked by what I saw. There was blood everywhere and Anne's sweat-drenched hair spread out on the white pillow like a dark stain, her onyx eyes glazed with pain. 'Tell the king his son is born!' she shrieked, and with one last heave the baby, slimy with blood, slipped into the world." Something so sweet and miraculous should be described as such. If I were a 9 year old reading this, I would never want to give birth. The image it creates for a young girl, would only create that type of birth for her.
Even though I wanted to quit reading it, I was curious as to how the rest of the book was. Except for those two things, I did think it was an OK book. Very interesting. Gave the reader an insight into that time period and style of life for Mary, who eventually did become Queen of England.
I was very disappointed with the overuse of the word bas____. Yes, after King Henry divorced his loyal and faithful wife, Catherine of Aragon, Mary was considered an illegitmate daughter. Which is the definition of bas____. However, just because the term was used frequently and was a common way back then. It is not now. Now days it is a very offensive term. So, why use it so frequently in a book targeted to 9-12 year old girls. I was reading this outloud with my daughter. She could not even say the word she was so embarassed. I just skipped over the word during my turn to read, or left out the sentence.
I was also disappointed with the description of the birth of Mary's half sister, Elizabeth. I quote, "Shelton shoved me into a place near the foot of the great bed. I was shocked by what I saw. There was blood everywhere and Anne's sweat-drenched hair spread out on the white pillow like a dark stain, her onyx eyes glazed with pain. 'Tell the king his son is born!' she shrieked, and with one last heave the baby, slimy with blood, slipped into the world." Something so sweet and miraculous should be described as such. If I were a 9 year old reading this, I would never want to give birth. The image it creates for a young girl, would only create that type of birth for her.
Even though I wanted to quit reading it, I was curious as to how the rest of the book was. Except for those two things, I did think it was an OK book. Very interesting. Gave the reader an insight into that time period and style of life for Mary, who eventually did become Queen of England.
May 26, 2020
Loved this. I dont usually like history, because, well, to be honest, it can be quite boring, but this book was great and i cant wait to read the rest in the series!
October 2, 2011
I, who hates history like Tom hates Jerry, actually enjoyed this book.
I hate the style of writing, the names of kings and I guess, EVERYTHING, in 'History' type books. But I think this book was the only exception.
Not that I got fooled by the cover, name and plot of the book..... Okay, I admit, I just read this book because of those things, but it was really an interesting book to read and like.
And OMG! The Tudor TV show was like, really good! =D The characters in this book are the same as shown in the TV show.
The story grabs your attention from the very first chapter and makes you want to read the rest of the book. But trust me, "Bloody Mary" is nothing. Don't think this book will be about witches and ghosts.
The thing that made me eyes go o.O was the marriage settlement or engagement of Mary when she was only 2 years old? Seriously?! She got offers till she was 13. Old generation suck. You want to marry off your child at the age of ten? Na-uh! And she acted way too mature for her age. Poor girls at that time. Thank-god this story went till she was seventeen or else I might have been sick or something.
I liked how the author translated every sentence in Latin or French to English. It was easy to understand and I really liked the author's writing through-out the book.
The only thing I hate was the lack of characterization. No one was described that deeply to make me feel special about him/her, Even Mary wasn't that described. I guess I only liked Reginald because he was her love interest. Salisbury and Susan were also okay. Others were just blah.
The ending was ok too. It was like, I am reading "Great Expectations" or something. I just started liking Mary but then BOOM! The last page made Mary look so evil, I was like, "Okay. I don't like Mary after-all."
It was an easy going, predictable book to read and I will give this book 4/5 stars =)
I hate the style of writing, the names of kings and I guess, EVERYTHING, in 'History' type books. But I think this book was the only exception.
Not that I got fooled by the cover, name and plot of the book..... Okay, I admit, I just read this book because of those things, but it was really an interesting book to read and like.
And OMG! The Tudor TV show was like, really good! =D The characters in this book are the same as shown in the TV show.
The story grabs your attention from the very first chapter and makes you want to read the rest of the book. But trust me, "Bloody Mary" is nothing. Don't think this book will be about witches and ghosts.
The thing that made me eyes go o.O was the marriage settlement or engagement of Mary when she was only 2 years old? Seriously?! She got offers till she was 13. Old generation suck. You want to marry off your child at the age of ten? Na-uh! And she acted way too mature for her age. Poor girls at that time. Thank-god this story went till she was seventeen or else I might have been sick or something.
I liked how the author translated every sentence in Latin or French to English. It was easy to understand and I really liked the author's writing through-out the book.
The only thing I hate was the lack of characterization. No one was described that deeply to make me feel special about him/her, Even Mary wasn't that described. I guess I only liked Reginald because he was her love interest. Salisbury and Susan were also okay. Others were just blah.
The ending was ok too. It was like, I am reading "Great Expectations" or something. I just started liking Mary but then BOOM! The last page made Mary look so evil, I was like, "Okay. I don't like Mary after-all."
It was an easy going, predictable book to read and I will give this book 4/5 stars =)
October 29, 2023
"Mary, Bloody Mary" by Carolyn Meyer is a perfect read for young history enthusiasts eager to discover the real stories behind Europe's past. This book brilliantly shatters the fairy tale stereotypes and delves into the intricate world of the Tudor Dynasty under Henry VIII's rule. With simple and straightforward language, it paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by princesses in the real world. Meyer skillfully guides young readers through the coming-of-age journey of Mary Tudor, shedding light on her evolution into a remarkable ruler. This book brings history to life for young readers while also providing education. It's an eye-opener, revealing the injustices that royalty, even princesses, could endure. The story serves as a reminder of the complexities of the Tudor Dynasty, where power struggles were the norm. "Mary, Bloody Mary" deserves a solid 5 out of 5 stars. It captivates, educates, and empowers, making it a must-read for young history buffs. With its accessible language and captivating storytelling, it paves the way for children to explore the fascinating and complex history of Europe and the world beyond. This book is a gem that brings history to life and ensures that young readers will never view royalty or history quite the same way again.
"Mary, Bloody Mary" by Carolyn Meyer is a captivating historical novel that explores the life of Mary Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII. It delves into the complexities of the Tudor Dynasty, showcasing the struggles faced by princesses and the injustices of royal life. Through simple and accessible language, it chronicles Mary's transformation from a young girl to a prominent ruler, providing young readers with a rich and informative perspective on European history.
Tithi Mehta, Grade 9
"Mary, Bloody Mary" by Carolyn Meyer is a captivating historical novel that explores the life of Mary Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII. It delves into the complexities of the Tudor Dynasty, showcasing the struggles faced by princesses and the injustices of royal life. Through simple and accessible language, it chronicles Mary's transformation from a young girl to a prominent ruler, providing young readers with a rich and informative perspective on European history.
Tithi Mehta, Grade 9
May 19, 2024
Mary Tudor had a very stressful life, and that feeling comes through in the tautness of this novel of her life story. Mary was the daughter of the murderous King Henry VIII and Queen Isabella. She was treated as the center of the world in her early life, but when Anne Boleyn came along, her good fortune disappeared. Henry treated Isabella disgracefully, banishing her to a cold, isolated palace, where she had no food, and very little help and ultimately died of her deprivations. Mary was kept away from her mother in a divide and conquer strategy: Henry wanted Mary to give up her rights to the throne in favour of a child between him and Anne. The divorce would have made Mary an illegitimate 'bastard' and obviously Isabella and Mary were not happy with this prospect. Mary stood firm against her father for some time, enduring Anne's insistence that Mary be the one to change Elizabeth's nappies, and otherwise treating her as a servant. But once Anne lost her power, and was beheaded, Mary saw her father for the mercilous tyrant that he was, and signed the Oath.
Carolyn Meyer keeps her audience on the edge throughout the narrative. We feel for Mary in her youth, and maybe come to understand a little why she burned Protestants at the stake when she became Queen. Given that her chosen execution style was burning, I do wonder why she was called 'Bloody Mary.' Surely 'bloody' is better suited to her deranged father, Henry. She only ruled for five years, but the impact of her life reverberated throughout Elizabeth's reign and through the reign of the Stuarts. Mary, Bloody Mary is a riveting introduction to this part of Tudor history.
Carolyn Meyer keeps her audience on the edge throughout the narrative. We feel for Mary in her youth, and maybe come to understand a little why she burned Protestants at the stake when she became Queen. Given that her chosen execution style was burning, I do wonder why she was called 'Bloody Mary.' Surely 'bloody' is better suited to her deranged father, Henry. She only ruled for five years, but the impact of her life reverberated throughout Elizabeth's reign and through the reign of the Stuarts. Mary, Bloody Mary is a riveting introduction to this part of Tudor history.
July 15, 2021
One of the earliest, sympathetic portrayals of Mary Tudor, Queen of England for only five years. Mary, Bloody Mary focused on the early life of the young Tudor princess, prior to becoming Queen. In Henry VIII's attempt to have a son, he marries Anne Bolelyn, and considered his marriage to Katherine of Aragon invalid, making Mary illegitimate in the process. Matters made worse when the king threatens to kill her should she not agreed to see his views, and is forced to become a servant when her half-sister is born. Losing her close friends, barred from seeing her mother, and her political allies are left unable to help her, Mary does her best to stay alive in uncertain times as the King and her stepmother endlessly threaten her life. She makes it through with great patience and her strong belief in becoming Queen one day, though she realizes that Anne's death is not the end of her suffering just yet.
As usual Carolyn Meyer has managed to bring perspective into the life of this historical woman, her feelings and insights are truly a tragedy to her story. And like many of the women she chose to portray, their endings are rather bittersweet. Given that this was an early work of her Young Royals series, there are some liberties taken with the real facts, but it does not affect the outcome in its storytelling to shedding light onto Mary Tudor.
As usual Carolyn Meyer has managed to bring perspective into the life of this historical woman, her feelings and insights are truly a tragedy to her story. And like many of the women she chose to portray, their endings are rather bittersweet. Given that this was an early work of her Young Royals series, there are some liberties taken with the real facts, but it does not affect the outcome in its storytelling to shedding light onto Mary Tudor.
October 6, 2024
I don't know why, but this book was so nostalgic for me even though this was the first time I read it. It reminded me so much of those princess books I used to read in elementary school and I guess that just brought me so much joy when reading this.
Besides that, the book was amazing. Since this was from the perspective of a young Mary, it perfectly grasped how children look at the world in such awe even when surrounded by negativity (sorry, didn't mean to get so poetic on you 😭).
Besides that, the book was amazing. Since this was from the perspective of a young Mary, it perfectly grasped how children look at the world in such awe even when surrounded by negativity (sorry, didn't mean to get so poetic on you 😭).
January 17, 2023
This would make such a great companion book for classes studying English history and King Henry VIII's reign specifically. It certainly brings the history alive and while I can't say it's a great book overall, it is great at accomplishing what I think it's original intended goal is - to make history accessible to young people.
April 6, 2017
OMG! Do something Mary or shut up. Great read. Good characters. I don't know how historically accurate tho. Dates, people, etc spot on but Mary worships Henry VIII and damns Anne Boleyn as a witch. Can't wait to read Beware, Princess Elizabeth.
August 11, 2019
4,5 🌟
"My mother's love and determination had kept me alive through these wretched years."
When we studied the Tudor family in history this year I had sympathy for this poor in spite of the cruel character time and rotten circumstances built in her... :(
"My mother's love and determination had kept me alive through these wretched years."
When we studied the Tudor family in history this year I had sympathy for this poor in spite of the cruel character time and rotten circumstances built in her... :(
December 1, 2023
I thought this book was pretty good up until the last few chapters where it became a bit gruesome describing beheadings in very frightening detail 😬 I do understand that’s how things work back then but it was a bit much for me
December 5, 2020
A must read for younger fans of royal fiction.
January 15, 2023
Nostalgia points for this one. I read a lot of the Royal Diaries as a kid, and this was similar if a little more mature writing.
February 12, 2023
Het verhaal van Mary Bloody mary is die van een prinses die de troon van Engeland gaat erven, wordt gescheiden van haar moeder; misbruikt door een slechte stiefmoeder die haar vader heeft betoverd; ontdaan van haar titel; en gedwongen om voor haar stiefzusje te zorgen, die Mary's rechten op de troon erft. Geloof het of niet, het is allemaal waar. Deze roman vertelt met de stem van de jonge Mary. Het verkent de geschiedenis en intriges van de dramatische heerschappij van Henry VIII en zijn buitensporige affaire met en huwelijk met de betoverende Anne Boleyn. Plus de gevolgen van die relatie voor zijn eerstgeboren dochter.
Ik was geschokt door sommige gebeurtenissen in dit boek. Ik wil er zo veel over schrijven dat ik denk dat ik veel zal vergeten.
Laat ik beginnen met te zeggen dat ik dit boek niet weg kon leggen. ik vond het leuk Maar het versterkte ook mijn mening dat koninklijk zijn echt stinkt. Terwijl ik dit boek las, had ik gemengde gevoelens over de personages: volslagen haat tegen Anne Boleyn, wrok tegen Mary's kille vader, koning Henry, verdriet om haar moeder, die ik ontmoette in Carolyn Meyer's Patience, Princess Catherine Yet. . Young Royals Book en geschokt hoe zo'n lief klinkend meisje dat zoveel ongeluk had gehad in haar vroege leven (meestal als tiener) een koningin werd die zoveel mensen vermoordde.
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Ik zou niets aan dit boek veranderen. Ik vond dat Carolyn Meyer voortreffelijk werk had geleverd door dit te schrijven. Ik vind het leuk hoe ze karakterisering gebruikt en Mary's zeer sterke en onvoorspelbare karakter goed weergeeft. "Het kan me niet schelen wat hij wil! Mijn vader besteedt zo weinig aandacht aan mij, het zou me verbazen als hij mij nog kent! ”. en hoe ze beeldtaal prachtig gebruikte, bijvoorbeeld dit citaat "Een dunne glimlach vouwde Salisbury's gezicht, en ze legde haar borduurring neer en diepte mijn wangen met een fijne linnen zakdoek." Ik heb ook Carolyn's Beware Princess Elizabeth gelezen. Ik vond dit boek veel leuker. Geen seconde van dit boek is saai. Het zit vol verraad, actie, romantiek en in sommige delen een beetje komedie. Ik heb erg genoten van dit boek en raad het zeker aan. Het is een geweldig boek waar alle soorten lezers dol op zouden zijn.
Ik geef dit boek een 5 sterren review
Ik was geschokt door sommige gebeurtenissen in dit boek. Ik wil er zo veel over schrijven dat ik denk dat ik veel zal vergeten.
Laat ik beginnen met te zeggen dat ik dit boek niet weg kon leggen. ik vond het leuk Maar het versterkte ook mijn mening dat koninklijk zijn echt stinkt. Terwijl ik dit boek las, had ik gemengde gevoelens over de personages: volslagen haat tegen Anne Boleyn, wrok tegen Mary's kille vader, koning Henry, verdriet om haar moeder, die ik ontmoette in Carolyn Meyer's Patience, Princess Catherine Yet. . Young Royals Book en geschokt hoe zo'n lief klinkend meisje dat zoveel ongeluk had gehad in haar vroege leven (meestal als tiener) een koningin werd die zoveel mensen vermoordde.
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Ik zou niets aan dit boek veranderen. Ik vond dat Carolyn Meyer voortreffelijk werk had geleverd door dit te schrijven. Ik vind het leuk hoe ze karakterisering gebruikt en Mary's zeer sterke en onvoorspelbare karakter goed weergeeft. "Het kan me niet schelen wat hij wil! Mijn vader besteedt zo weinig aandacht aan mij, het zou me verbazen als hij mij nog kent! ”. en hoe ze beeldtaal prachtig gebruikte, bijvoorbeeld dit citaat "Een dunne glimlach vouwde Salisbury's gezicht, en ze legde haar borduurring neer en diepte mijn wangen met een fijne linnen zakdoek." Ik heb ook Carolyn's Beware Princess Elizabeth gelezen. Ik vond dit boek veel leuker. Geen seconde van dit boek is saai. Het zit vol verraad, actie, romantiek en in sommige delen een beetje komedie. Ik heb erg genoten van dit boek en raad het zeker aan. Het is een geweldig boek waar alle soorten lezers dol op zouden zijn.
Ik geef dit boek een 5 sterren review
July 4, 2023
This was OK but kinda slow🤷🏾♀️
June 21, 2019
Read this book in middle school and it made me a reader and a historian! Thank you
January 7, 2022
I’m actually low-key sad that I reread this? I read this for the first time when I was probably 15¿? I read it for school and I honestly loved it back then, I even continued reading the series, but rereading this now at 20? It was so blah I can totally see why I had it as a school book. It 100% reads like one.
Anyways it wasn’t completely horrible, but I definitely wasn’t great. 🥲
Anyways it wasn’t completely horrible, but I definitely wasn’t great. 🥲
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