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 Lady Jane Grey to my TBR?
Because her life is endlessly tragic yet fascinating. Mary was the rightful heir, and Jane had little say when the crown was forced atop her head. But who knows what kind of ruler she might have been, given the chance. By all accounts she was intelligent and well-educated. She might have made a great queen. However, the game her elders played was dangerous and they should have realized that Mary would inspire great support from the people because her mother had been so dearly loved.
Have you read this book, or is it somewhere on your TBR? If you've read it, would you recommend it to others?
Happy Reading!
Sarah
I haven't read this particular book, but I have read some Tudor fiction. I sometimes wonder how she would have done as queen, too, if she could shake off the group of advisors.
ReplyDeleteI think she might have made a good queen, although her religious stance would have been an issue because I think she would have become just as zealous about not allowing Catholicism its rightful place - as Mary did in reverse and later Elizabeth did to an extent. But no ruler at that time was going to let people choose and practice freely (though Mary, Queen of Scots tried to do this), so who knows what would have happened. Speculation is fun though, and with the Tudors there is always plenty of ways things could have been even worse!
DeleteI haven't read the book, but I did add a few titles in the genre to my list during my visit to the UK last spring. Wolf Hall has been patiently waiting ever since lol
ReplyDeleteIsn't the UK lovely? I am partial to Edinburgh myself (My daughter nearly became Eleanor Edinburgh before I realized that was kind of mean. I went with Eleanor Edin instead and it is pronounced like Eden - and phonetically correct!), and Scotland as a whole. But I love Ireland and England as well. I see in your photo you've been to Stonehenge, what did you think?
DeleteOh this sounds good! I'm fascinated by her story though I don't know nearly as much as you should. I hope you're able to pick it up soon!
ReplyDeleteShe is one of the more interesting figures of the period I think. If you are interested, I have some titles I can recommend that I have already read.
DeleteI have not read anything about this historical figure. It does sound very interesting though. I love that you have a system in place for choosing which book you plan to feature. That would be easier than randomly pulling a book off the shelf like I tend to do :)
ReplyDeleteI had to have some kind of plan or I might have given up on this Backlog a long time ago! There's just so many I want to read, yet a lot that I do not own yet, and it just seemed to be the simplest way.
DeleteI do like reading about Jane and her death was tragic, but unavoidable in the period. She was forced to take a crown that was not hers and while I think she might have ruled well, it was not her place to do so no matter how her council tried to wrangle it as Edward VI was dying. Mary did not have much of a choice but to have her executed, there were plots to remove Mary that Jane's father was involved in and even though the goal was not to put Jane back on the throne once again, she was considered too dangerous.
I haven't heard of this one before, but it does sound fascinating.
ReplyDeleteHer life is definitely worth an examination. There are so many from the Tudor period I say that about, but she is certainly one of them!
DeleteI have not read this one. I got a copy of the final book in Hilary Mantel's trilogy about Henry VIII and Cromwell, but I decided I am going to reread the first two before I dive in. In any case that is one of the ways I have learned about all the Queens.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy them all; I think that is the best way to read a series! I am personally not a fan but I know many people like the series. If you ever want some good bios of the queens, I have many to recommend!
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