Very interesting book and enjoyable to read. I've read many books on Henry VIII and all his wives, but this one gave me a perspective I had not read before, from the point of view of Princess Mary, later "Bloody Mary." I appreciated her side of this saga, told from the perspective of a child and then young woman. She comes across as much, much more sympathetic than that of the shrewish queen that has become part of her general narrative in what we "know" from history.

Recommended for history buffs, especially those interested in the Tudor period.

I've always had an interest in reading and learning about the Tudors. I had heard so much about Mary's life but was still surprised by some of the things I read. Totally engrossing, this kept my attention throughout. I wasn't initially aware that this was book 3 in the Tudor Rose Trilogy, so I think it reads just as well as a standalone. I appreciate how Alison Weir is so good at weaving together historically accurate information into a historical fiction read. For any fans of Alison, fans of the Tudors, or just great historical fiction in general, I would definitely recommend this one! Thanks so much to Alison Weir, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc.

This is book three in the Tudor Rose series, and this edition focuses on Mary I.

I love reading about all things Tudor and feel like Mary lived a very interesting life. It seems like she's often overshadowed by her father and sister and often made to be the villain for her persecution of protestants. I enjoyed how this book showed Mary in a different light and redeemed her.

She lived, though, so much, and Alison Weir does a fantastic job bringing her to life in this novel. As always, her writing has a fantastic way of drawing you in and making history come alive.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Alison Weir's "The Passionate Tudor" is a spellbinding journey into the heart of one of history's most captivating dynasties. As someone deeply fascinated by Tudor history, delving into this book felt like stepping back in time and immersing myself in the lavish courts, turbulent politics, and tumultuous romances that defined the era.

Weir's storytelling prowess is unmatched as she brings to life the larger-than-life figures of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and Elizabeth I, among others. Through her vivid descriptions and meticulous research, I felt transported to the corridors of power where decisions of state were intertwined with personal ambitions and desires.

What sets "The Passionate Tudor" apart is Weir's ability to humanize these historical icons. She not only recounts their political triumphs and scandals but also delves into their loves, heartbreaks, and personal struggles. It's through these intimate glimpses that the Tudors cease to be distant figures in history books and become complex individuals with whom I could empathize and understand on a deeper level.

I found myself engrossed in the intricate web of alliances, betrayals, and shifting loyalties that shaped Tudor England. Weir's narrative unfolds with all the suspense and drama of a captivating novel, making history come alive with every turn of the page.

For anyone passionate about history, especially the Tudor period, "The Passionate Tudor" is a must-read. It not only provides a comprehensive overview of the era's political landscape but also offers poignant insights into the human condition and the enduring legacy of one of England's most iconic dynasties.

The Passionate Tudor is another winner by Alison Weir!

The Passionate Tudor, a depiction of Mary I of England, gives life and humanity to the first ruling Quien of England that I have not seen in any other works regarding Mary I. This book, told from Mary's point of view, takes us through her life, her take on the happenings of her life, and culminates in giving us a story that's a true masterpiece whereas other works have left me wanting more or asking questions about where,some of her decisions came from.

The Passionate Tudor is a work that will be loved by those intrigued by the Tudor Court, English history, and really any other lover of powerful women portrayed in historical fiction. When it comes to lovers of Alison Weir, this is a must read!

A very well researched book. Made Mary Tudor a more sympathetic character than she has been portrayed before. The storytelling goes from the beginning of her life to the end and does it flawlessly.

From GR:
In Alison Weir’s masterful novel, the drama of Mary I’s life and five-year reign—from her abusive childhood, marriage, and mysterious pregnancies to the cruelty that marks her legacy—comes to vivid life.

I love historical novels, especially about royalty!

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC. I'm basing this review off of the plot description.

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!