Books from the Backlog, hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books, is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your shelf unread.
I am featuring books in the order that they were added to my Goodreads To-Read shelf, so sometimes there will be a couple weeks in a row of books on the same topic.
Neglected Book of the Week
Why did I add Bloody Mary to my TBR?
Because Mary deserves better than she has been given. I feel that the psychological trauma inflicted on her in her youth turned Mary into the queen she became. That doesn't excuse or justify any of the executions that she ordered, but it does put things into perspective.
Have you read this book, or is it somewhere on your TBR? If you've read it, would you recommend it to others?
I straight up thought of Bloody Mary the mirror thing when I saw this for a split second.
ReplyDeleteHA! Now that I think about it, I wonder where the name came from for that horrible little game my friends and I used to play at sleepovers.
DeleteI really don't know as much about her as I should. This does sound interesting. I hope you enjoy it, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteThank you Carole! I know she did some pretty terrible things in the name of religion, but helloooooooo - has anyone met her dad? And I feel like his treatment/psychological abuse of Mary all but guaranteed she would have a very warped view of the world.
DeleteNope, not in my TBR. But sounds like a good one for you. I started A Moveable Feast by Hemingway, from my 1964 list. I was not going to read it because he does not always please me but so far, the writing is as good as everyone says.
ReplyDeleteAh, I responded to your comment on my FLF post asking about your thoughts on Hemingway before I saw your comment here. I am not a Hemingway fan, but I have always heard this one is so good. But 'they' also say that about his other works that I didn't care for, so I will await your review :)
DeleteI hadn't heard of this book before, but we're working our way through the Simon Schama History Of Britain dvd set at the moment and Mary was the focus of an episode. She certainly did have an unhealthy childhood
ReplyDeleteI really liked Schama's book. I didn't know there was a corresponding dvd! I will have to find it. I do feel terribly for her, and I think her reign might have been so different had she not been so psychologically and emotionally abused. It completely warped her thinking and the harder Henry pushed, the more she clung to her faith. That in itself is not a bad thing, but the way it manifested itself when she was an adult was a direct product. She never stood a chance.
DeleteIt's always interesting to study people's pasts and see how it shaped them and the decisions they have made. She's certainly an interesting person in history. I hope you enjoy this one when you get to it.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Mary certainly did some pretty terrible things, but so did her father. it doesn't excuse any of it, but it helps fit her in the context of her time and her experiences that shaped her point of view. Thanks for coming by!
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