I have been a huge fan of Weir’s for many years. I’ve read almost everything she’s written, and this, like all of her previous works, did not disappoint.

Having read both her non-fiction and fiction works, I can definitively say that Weir has an absolute talent for both genres. This is a fiction work, but one that seamlessly weaves historical fact, into the dramatized and fictionalized novel. It’s so good, in fact, that I had to check myself several times, while reading, to remind myself that this was indeed a work of mostly fiction. She brings life and personality to people who lived in the 16th century. Weir took the zealous and passionately driven Mary Tudor and gave her nuance, introduced empathy to all she went through, while building the background for her extreme religious purging.

One area of Weir’s story I particularly loved was the place/role of women. Mary is a stubborn, strong-willed, and again zealous (almost fanatic) Catholic; however, we see insecurity, vulnerability, and the overarching misogyny of her time take its toll. For such a strong female leader, an actual Queen, Weir gives nuance to her decisions, by juxtaposing Mary’s female sex and her “role” in society. Women in the 16th century, by rule, were supposed to defer to men, couldn’t hold offices, own property, etc. They were to defer to their husbands at all junctions. As Queen, Mary held a unique position in between worlds, as it were. Weir nuances her role as Queen next to her role as wife, and the conflict that cause for Mary.

Often, Mary is overlooked, or seen as just an obstacle to focus on Elizabeth I. Weir did an incredible job bringing Mary to, and keeping her at, the forefront and focusing on her.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction, RUN to pick this up!! *I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, and I am so grateful!

You can't go wrong with anything that Alison Weir has written. As someone that has read everything she's ever written, I can say that she has another winner!! Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary. She's fascinating. I hope that we get Edward, Jane Grey, and Elizabeth to round out the fictions!

I've read many of Alison Weir's books and have yet to be disappointed in one. Loved it and would recommend.

I started reading Alison Weir’s books when I was 8. I’m now 35 and think I’ve read nearly every book she’s written. I’ve realized that I consistently like her nonfiction books while her novels can be a bit hit or miss. This is one of those novels that fell squarely in the middle for me.

The book starts out much stronger than it finishes, and I think in part that’s due to Weir’s resonance with Mary as a person. In the afterword, she talks about how she could sympathize with Mary as a child of divorced parents. The vulnerability and desperation for love and approval feel very real. Weir also says that once Mary became queen, she had a much harder time relating to her… and that is also clear. The number of times that Mary spirals into depression and inaction over what to do, the disastrous and violent choices that she makes while repeatedly writing pleading letters to Philip become somewhat nauseating. Her relationship with Elizabeth is akin to an evil-stepmother and her ungrateful child. I understand not wanting to come off as an apologist, but I do think that their relationship could have been explored in a more multifaceted way as there are good historical sources that indicate Elizabeth copied some of Mary’s image and speech strategies.

Overall, I think that if this book had been edited down about 100 pages and presented Mary with a more complex personality, I think it easily could have been 5 stars. While I still enjoyed it, the book took me quite a lot longer to finish than I initially anticipated just because Mary is, perhaps understandably, so unlikeable!

The Passionate Tudor is a compelling look at Queen Mary, Henry VIII's daughter by his first wife. Alison Weir's fiction books are always well researched and written. The Passionate Tudor follows Mary from her girlhood as a privileged Princess, through her father's Great Matter and subsequent marital and political issues, and through her own marriage and reign. You can clearly see how Mary's rigid religious views were a comfort through the uncertainty she faced as a young adult. I thought the author did a fantastic job providing background and perspective for how Mary's life experiences shaped her rigid religious views, without overly sympathizing with a monarch who persecuted her subjects for their religion. I really enjoyed Weir's Six Tudor Queens series, and this was a great follow up!

What a journey of the life of Mary Tudor. I didn't really have a lot of knowledge going into this book, other than knowing that her nickname was "Bloody Mary ". I didn't come away with a great amount of amicable feelings towards Mary, but now I know her much better than before, and that's because of Alison Weir's excellent story telling. Kudos on her approach to taking a difficult person in history and letting us in on what her internal struggle might have been like, while not making excuses for some of the horrible things she did.

I've read her wonderful book about Katherine Swynford, and her England's Medieval Queens series, and I trust her judgement. I know I'm going to get the real story. I plan to keep reading the rest of her back catalog. I'm particularly interested to see what her take is on the infamous story of the princes in the tower. Thanks to her for wading through all of the details to give us the real deal.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

We are following Mary Tudor from her beginnings as a princess, then a bastard, to a queen. Mary is very religious and is very devout from a young age as evident from the very beginning. Mary starts her story as a very happy child with the knowledge of being heir and the pearl of her father’s world until Anne Boleyn arrives and The King’s Great Matter happens and she is declared a bastard. Mary stays firm in her religion and being Catholic through her father’s reign and her brothers even when she is told over and over again to practice the new religion. Mary becomes Queen and the people are overjoyed that the true heir is crowned instead of Jane Grey who is only queen for a few days. As Mary reigns she decides to marry Prine Philip of Spain and gets married. Mary tries to have children but both pregnancies end with no child and her stomach deflating. She tries to be a fair and just ruler until others try to dethrone and she has to harden her heart which ends up being dethroned. Mary ends up with a hardening of her stomach and her health rapidly deteriorates after that and leaves her kingdom to Elizabeth.

Tudor history has always fascinated me. Alison Weir is one of my favorite historical fiction authors. I've read plenty of her backlist and recommend her novels to anyone interested in the Tudors. Queen Mary I is not my favorite royal member, but I had to read this as part of the series. As always, Alison Weir brings life to history!

Mary I (aka Bloody Mary) was the first surviving child of Henry VIII. Henry was obsessed with having a son to rule after him and carry on his dynasty, believing that women were incapable of ruling a country. Interestingly, his counselors did not agree with him - they felt Mary was intelligent and well-educated, and she would undoubtedly marry and have a husband to rule with her. Unfortunately, Mary inherited her father's suspicious nature, suspecting conspiracies around her and the motives of any prospective suitor. She even became obsessed by the idea that her half-sister Elizabeth was not Henry's child. Mary I was not a notable ruler but what made her memorable was the 300+ Protestants that she burned because they didn't want to return to Catholicism. Ironically, Mary's attempt to stamp out Protestantism only convinced many of her subjects that Protestantism was a faith worth dying for. After she became queen, Mary's fixations were restoring Catholicism as the state religion and her husband, Phillip of Spain. Although modern historians have tried to restore and sanitize Mary's reputation and legacy, she did not have her country's best interests at heart, and based on her historical research, Weir does not try to sugar coat Mary's actions. Overall, she lived a sad and lonely life. Recommended for readers of historical fiction and those interested in the Tudor period.

First line: Mary’s earliest memory was of a glittering ceremony at her father’s court when she must have been very tiny.

Summary: Mary Tudor, the child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, was raised to believe that one day she would be Queen of England. That is until Henry sets his sights on Anne Boleyn and banishes Mary and her mother from court. Then just a few years later she is welcomed back after the execution of Henry’s second wife. The rest of her father’s reign is filled with uncertainty about her future and the religion she holds so dear. Upon his death and the death of her young brother, Edward VI, she is finally ascends the throne becoming the first queen regnant of England. But as the years of her reign progress her popularity wains as she inflicts harsh punishments and death on those she believes to be heretics, earning the nickname of Bloody Mary.

My Thoughts: Mary I is not a character from Tudor history that I am particularly drawn to. She does have a tragic story filled with triumphs and defeats. As a young woman she is everything that is expected of a princess. She is charismatic, pretty and educated. I liked this Mary. I wanted to cheer for her. But when Henry decides to divorce her mother and leave the Catholic Church, she starts to become the Mary most people know.

It was hard to see her decline throughout the book even though I knew how everything was going to play out. She had a close relationship with her sister until jealousy wormed its way into their lives. Mary’s religious beliefs were a strong driving force behind many of her choices as queen and this created a break between her and the people of England. With each loss in her life she became a harder person to like.

In the author’s notes at the end, Weir explains her reasoning behind her portrayal of England’s first queen regnant. Mary may have done some great things during her time but the bad really do outweigh the good. Only recently has she been able gain some more support from historians. But Weir is not one of them. What do you think? Read this and let us know!

Publisher and author, oh wow I had no idea what approach you’d take with this subject. Of course, as I always say, I’m a huge fan of Weir’s nonfiction. She is a whirlwind wizard historian. But there is something I just don’t click with her fiction. It makes sense for her to write historical fiction. She has all of the research completed just right there to comb through, but it seems almost juvenile and simplified. I feel like I lost a few brain cells or maybe just should have taken a few naps while reading. A nice doze or three in between chapters. I will say I have more knowledge about Mary than I do Edward Vi. I know nothing about him. So of course I found a few books about him after this fiasco. But now I need a Weir nonfiction book about Mary I. That’s what I’ll wait for and I will preorder that immediately. This just wasn’t my first cup of tea, maybe my third. It was written well as expected. And what’s great about weir is she can write and reach large audiences. I went through college reading her historical fiction not knowing she wrote the historical nonfiction. I blame her (lol yes blame) for opening my eyes and my brain to the Royal nonfiction genre. So no hate or malice is meant. I just really want the straight facts in her next book.

Thank you, @NetGalley , for this #giftedebook in exchange for my unbiased review.

I am a huge fan of all things tudor, although I admit, I didn't know a great deal about Mary I until I read this book. I feel as though it gave a detailed account of her reign and was very well researched. As with all Alison Weir novels, she brings history to life through her masterful storytelling! As I visited Hampton Court last Fall, I loved it when it was mentioned in this book!Do yourself a favor and read ALL of her books!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this delightful book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. It is the story of Mary, Henry VIII’s first, legitimate child. She has been portrayed as a pawn of her father’s to bring her mother, Katharine of Aragon, into line. She is portrayed as a strong Catholic, and this book supports that. She was at odds with her sister, Elizabeth I. Through this whole book she becomes a real person, a small girl who doesn’t understand why her father would cast off her mother. She fights hard for all that she believes is right and is not always remembered by history as a champion. This may not be your typical Book Club read or even a beach read. This is for the quiet Saturday mornings with a cup of tea read. Get it and read it. Thank me later!

Thank you to the author, the publisher Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the digital ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

The Passionate Tudor is the third novel in The Tudor Rose series, following The Last White Rose, A Novel of Elizabeth of York and The King’s Pleasure, A Novel of Henry VIII. Centering on the novelized life of Mary I Tudor, readers follow her story as she goes from a cherished princess and heiress to a disgraced bastard to one of England’s most infamous monarchs.

As always, Weir utilizes her extensive knowledge of English history to craft a very grounded narrative while giving life and spirit to what could be dry history. This is what I love about The Tudor Rose series as well as Weir’s connected series, Six Tudor Queens. Whether one agrees with Weir’s interpretations of the known facts or not, she has a gift for writing historical figures and making their choices feel both authentic to the time period as well as understandable to a modern reader.

A strength in each series, which is continued in this novel, is the complexity of the family relationships. When you play the game of thrones, your greatest rivals and threats are your family members. The closer the family member, the more of a risk they are. This is heavily emphasized in Mary’s story as the one who hurts her the most is her father, who parts her from her mother, strips her of her status, and threatens her with execution. That threat is renewed when her brother takes the throne. Even when Mary rises to monarch in her own right, she endures continued threats of being replaced by her sister or cousin. Despite the dangers they represent to her, Mary loves them all because they’re family, making her struggles with them all the more painful.

One weakness within the novel was the development of some of the relationships between Mary and other female characters she would have been close to. Yes, we're told that she loved her family, Margaret Pole, Jane Seymour, Anna von Kleva, and Margaret Douglas, but it's something we're told rather than fully shown. For instance, Margaret Douglas would have been one of the many people torn from Mary when her father declared her a bastard. We're told of it afterward, but it's left out completely during the time when it would have actually been happening. Her close friend and cousin was removed from her and put in the service of the stepmother Mary feared and despised. That should have been heartwrenching. Instead, it was barely a footnote.

I think Weir did a far better job when it came to relationship-building in the Six Tudor Queens series.

But the relationship that was very well done was the one between Mary and her younger sister Elizabeth. That was one dynamic that Weir gave full attention to detailing all the complexity of. We see Mary’s resentment at Elizabeth’s existence followed shortly by her affection for the baby once she’s sent to live in her household. The duality of love and resentment continues through the stages of the novel adding such an interesting layer to the story.

Overall, this book is best for those who enjoy a slower read that allows the plot to unfold authentically rather than a faster-paced one. I gave this a four out of five stars and I would rank it second best of the Tudor Rose series after The Last White Rose and above The King’s Pleasure.

Going forward with the series, I would like to know if Weir will follow this up with a novel of Elizabeth I. She’s already written a novel covering Elizabeth’s early life until she became queen. I wasn’t a fan of that novel, but given how long Elizabeth’s life was, it might be difficult to cover everything in one novel without leaving out significant details. So, I could see the next novel picking up with Elizabeth right where Mary’s novel left off.

I am so glad that Weir chose to write about the life of Mary. Beginning at the beginning of her life and ending with her death, this book gives a perspective on Mary that I haven't read before. Some of the factual information is well known, but this author gives her own take on Mary as a person. We can understand some of the reasons and motivations behind Mary's extreme actions. I was able to sympathize with her throughout the story.

I love Weir's ability to bring these historic figures to life and make them vibrant and relatable. I look forward to reading more from her!

A king's eldest child is usually the next in line to inherit the throne and become the next ruler. At least that is how the line of succession is supposed to work if the heir is male. Mary I knew this better than anyone. As the eldest daughter of King Henry VIII, she knew that once her mother Catherine of Aragon had a son, Mary would become a pawn in the marriage game. She was willing to accept this fate until her father fell in love with Anne Boleyn. Mary is declared a bastard and must fight for her inheritance and the crown of England while maintaining her Catholic faith. Alison Weir tells the tale of this remarkable woman, from her tumultuous childhood to her short reign that marked her legacy, in her latest novel, “The Passionate Tudor: A Novel of Queen Mary I.”

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed the previous novels in The Tudor Rose trilogy by Alison Weir about Elizabeth of York and King Henry VIII, so when I heard she was writing a book about Mary I, I knew I wanted to read it. Mary I is one of those figures who shows how devastating it can be to be close to the throne and the hard decisions one makes when king or queen of a country.

Weir began her novel with Mary at the age of nine in 1525. She is her parent’s pride and joy as she is their only child. Her mother Katherine of Aragon is arranging an advantageous marriage for Mary that would create a strong alliance for England. Not even the birth of her half-brother Henry Fitzroy could dampen Mary Tudor’s spirits. However, that all changed when Anne Boleyn entered the picture and the Great Matter was made public. Katherine of Aragon is no longer queen, Anne Boleyn is Mary’s stepmother, and Mary is now declared a bastard in favor of her half-sister Elizabeth Tudor.

Mary’s life after the birth of Elizabeth Tudor begins to become even more tragic. Her mother Katherine of Aragon dies before she can see her daughter again and Anne Boleyn is executed for treason soon afterwards. Henry VIII marries Jane Seymour, has his desired male heir Edward VI, before Jane tragically dies quickly. As the Supreme Head of the Church of England, Henry wants his daughter Mary, a devout Catholic, to submit to his will, which she ultimately does. We also get to see how Mary interacted with her other stepmothers, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Katherine Parr, until the death of her father Henry VIII. Before he died, Henry VIII revised his Act of Succession, making Mary Edward’s heir if he did not have children. However, Edward VI has his idea for who will succeed him after he dies and he names Lady Jane Grey as his heir, although that plan does not last long and Mary is proclaimed the first queen of England to rule on her own.

Weir shows Mary’s life and reign in a very sympathetic way. Even though she does still give her the nickname “Bloody Mary”, we can see a woman who is concerned about the faith of her kingdom and the well-being of her family, especially Edward, Prince Philip her husband, and Elizabeth, who she argues with on matters that matter to her. It is such a tragedy that Mary never had a child that she desperately wanted to have as she suffered through phantom pregnancies. At the end of the day, whether it was matters of faith or family, Mary was someone who was passionate and someone who desired to be loved.

This is a delightful novel about a woman who has often been vilified but maybe we should have sympathy for everything she had to endure starting at a young age. I enjoyed this novel very much and I look forward to the next novel by Weir. If you have enjoyed the previous books in the Tudor Rose trilogy or you just want a different take on Mary I’s story, I highly suggest you read, “The Passionate Tudor: A Novel of Queen Mary I” by Alison Weir.

Weir’s Tudor historical fiction is usually an auto buy. When I saw the title of this book,
I was hoping it would be similar to Katherine of Aragon: True Queen. A continuation of sorts since this book is about Queen Katherine and King Henry VIII’s daughter Mary. Coincidentally who doesn’t want to see how Weir would handle Bloody Mary!?

This book like the latter half of the Tudor Queen novels, needed some serious condensing. First half of the book, interesting, but after a while this reader was bored. Perhaps a fresh take or topic will yield an interesting novel.

I recommend this book to fans of the author and fans of Tudor fiction. Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great read. I love historical fiction and Alison Weir's books. I loved learning more about Mary.

A solid 3.5! Alison Weir is so knowledgeable and gifted at making a rehashed story sound fresh with different perspectives. Queen Mary I has a sad story from childhood to adulthood. While there wasn't any new information brought to me by reading this, I think that Weir did a good job portraying the complicated relationships that Mary had with her siblings and father.

As usual, I inhaled this new Tudor book from Alison Weir. I’m completely fascinated with the Tudor history and even though I think there’s nothing else possible to learn about this era, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Throughout most of The Passionate Tudor, I felt I knew most of the story, but once the timeline began of young King Edward after Henry VIII’s passing, I realized I didn’t know as much about those years, especially of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII.

And I really knew almost nothing about Queen Mary I’s reign or about her marriage to Philip II of Spain. I was pleasantly surprised to have more historical items to learn about, particularly the Bloody Queen aspect. I knew her reign was horrific, but not quite how much so.

I love Alison Weir’s historical fiction novels of the Tudors and feel that hers are the most authentic. As long as she writes these historical fictions about this era, I’ll be there to read them!

*Thank you so much to Random House, Ballantine Books, and to NetGalley for the early eARC!*