Bloody Mary tells the story of Mary Tudor in graphic format from her first memory until her tragic death and the ascension of her sister Elizabeth as queen. What I loved about this story was that it was concise and got to the important points. I did also enjoy how some of the actual speeches were in the graphic, like Anne Boleyns' final address. However, I did find the artwork to be a little lacking, particularly since the subjects being used are so well-known and don't look much like their counterparts. That was a little distracting for me and kept taking me out of the story. This is something that could be used as a supplement moreso than a replacement for a history text because so much information will be left out. Having said that, I would still highly recommend this title.

Bloody Mary is the well explained story of Mary I of England, daughter of Catalina de Aragón and Henry VIII. The artstyle has a clean line and is coloured with watecolours. I think this is a very engaging comic, specially with people interested in History.

Thank you to NetGalley for my Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

This book was an easy read and good introduction to Mary I, the first queen of England. There could have been a little more focus on why she earned the title Bloody Mary, but, as someone who has extensively read about the Tudors, this book covers all of the basics of Mary's life with clear, beautiful drawings. I would be very interested in reading an Elizabeth I book by the same author.

This book was easily digestible for all sorts of readers to understand the life of Queen Mary otherwise known as “Bloody Mary”. The book was enjoyable and made the non fiction aspect of the book a non issue for those who would rather enjoy fiction.

I love the history of the Tudors and this graphic novel places Mary front and center. A perspective that felt refreshing to the way we usually read these events — knowing the outcome.
Gehrmann assure we understood and empathized with Mary as she navigated a politically charged live.
The animation was wonderful, and the story was accurate and rich in detail..

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

An accurate retelling of Queen Mary I life from birth to death in a more easily digestible form of a graphic novel. I have always had quite the interest in the Tudor history, but surprisingly it was Mary that I knew the least about as her sister Elizabeth and her father Henry always have had their stories told much more. It was interesting to learn additional fact's about Mary's life - the whole story can be described as a total tragedy. Her upbringing was a tragedy for her, yet her reign was a tragedy for the people - so much unnecessary pain and suffering. This graphic novel did a great job of making complex history more easily understandable by placing it on a visual timeline and keeping the text language to a readable level. The watercolour drawings were interesting - I'd say 75% were beautifully done, but around 25% just looked a bit bizarre. An enjoyable retelling of a historical figure using an interesting watercolour medium. I'd recommend it if you're a fan of graphic novels or looking to learn more about the Tudors but do not like reading textbooks or more text-heavy literary retellings.

‘Bloody Mary: A Graphic Biography of Mary Tudor’ offers an accessible retelling of her life, blending historical accuracy with the visual storytelling of a graphic novel. While it succeeds in making history more approachable, some aspects of its execution leave something to be desired.

Accuracy: ★★★★☆
The book stays true to much of the established narrative surrounding Mary Tudor’s life, though, as with any historical account, there are inevitable gaps and interpretations. Some events are simplified for the sake of storytelling, which is understandable in a graphic novel format, but certain details diverge from other historical sources. Readers unfamiliar with Tudor history may take these as definitive, which isn’t always the case.

Perspective: ★★★☆☆
The choice to present Mary Tudor’s story in a graphic novel format is an excellent way to engage a wider audience, particularly readers who might find dense historical texts overwhelming. However, the execution feels somewhat lacking in depth. While the book touches on key moments in Mary’s life, it doesn’t always provide the nuanced perspective necessary to fully understand her complexities as a ruler.

Illustrations: ★★☆☆☆
The artwork is one of the weakest aspects of ‘Bloody Mary’. While the graphic novel format should enhance the storytelling, the character designs feel overly stylised to the point of being distracting. Henry VIII, in particular, is depicted in a way that makes him look more like a caricature than the figure seen in historical portraits. Other prominent figures, such as Mary herself and various queens, also do not resemble their historical counterparts. While artistic interpretation is expected, the deviations from well-documented appearances make it harder to take the narrative seriously.

Engagement: ★★☆☆☆
Despite my love for Tudor history, I found it difficult to stay engaged with this book. It wasn’t due to a lack of interest in the subject matter, but rather the way the story was presented. The pacing felt uneven at times, and the combination of simplified historical events and distracting artwork made it harder to fully immerse myself in the narrative.

Readability: ★★★☆☆
The text itself is straightforward and easy to follow, making it a suitable introduction to Mary Tudor’s story for those unfamiliar with her history. However, because of the condensed nature of the storytelling, certain events feel rushed or underdeveloped. A bit more historical context could have helped clarify some of the more complex political and religious conflicts of the time.

Enjoyment: ★★★☆☆
While ‘Bloody Mary’ has an interesting premise and is a commendable attempt at making history accessible, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The inaccuracies in the artwork, the sometimes overly simplified storytelling, and the lack of deep engagement with Mary’s character made it less compelling than I had hoped.

Kristina Gehrmann’s ‘Bloody Mary: A Graphic Biography of Mary Tudor’ is an admirable attempt to bring Tudor history to a wider audience, but it falls short in several areas. While the graphic novel format makes it more approachable, the artistic choices and lack of deeper analysis hinder its impact. Those new to Mary Tudor’s story may find it a useful introduction, but history enthusiasts may prefer more detailed accounts of her life.

You know the story. A princess is born—but because she's not a prince, she's not worth all that much, and neither is her mother. This is a graphic biography-come-novel about Mary I, which is to say that it's based in fact but throws in plenty of dialogue and thoughts and so on that can't be known.

This is a delight as a reading experience—doesn't shy away from the grimmer parts of life in the royal court in the 1500s (plenty of beheadings to go around), but the art is great, and Mary gets to be quite the complex character. I remember that when I read about Mary when I was a child, it was sort of in the context of Elizabeth, which is to say that Elizabeth was treated as the heroine, and Mary as a villain. I guess it was easier to distill that down for children's books. But here, neither Elizabeth nor Mary nor Edward is a villain: Mary resents that she is so easily displaced, but she does view her siblings as siblings, and they are so much younger than she is (Mary was seventeen when Elizabeth was born, and twenty-one when Edward was born) that she has a role in raising them. Here, Mary wants her due as a princess, but she means more to stay in the line of succession than to force her siblings out of it.

Then, too, there is the question of religion. Henry VIII split from the Catholic church, spawning the English Reformation; books in which Elizabeth is the (Protestant) heroine sometimes paint Mary as, you know, one of those backward Catholics, I guess because it's backward to not want your mother to be divorced and basically banished and yourself to be disinherited so that your dad can go chasing after the next hot young thing...? And of course in real life Mary's approach to religion was to burn a whole lot of "heretics", so it's impossible to be all that much of a Mary fan, but it's worth noting that a whole lot of royal life in the 1500s seems to have been about basic survival and ensuring your future.

How much of this is true to life is of course something we cannot really know. The book portrays Mary as smart and determined, with an incredibly strong (if sometimes misguided) moral compass—but also an intense and warring survival instinct. That's probably as fair an assessment as any, though gosh I wouldn't have wanted to be in Mary's crosshairs. This is probably one for teenagers and beyond (mostly because of violence, though there are also plenty of allusions to sex), but it's a good one.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

The graphic novel follows the life of Mary I of England, from her birth to her death. It not only highlights her fate but also the lives of other important figures around her. I already had some general knowledge, but this book taught me a lot more.
What impressed me the most was how human and relatable the characters felt, making it easy to empathize with them. Mary’s daily life is also well depicted—what she learns, how she perceives her surroundings, and how she navigates the political world. The story also provides insights into the lives of common people and their opinions on the political events.
The artstyle is very beautiful and perfectly complements the atmosphere of the narrative. Overall, this is a fantastic graphic novel that makes the historical events both accessible and compelling!

Bloody Mary tells a dramatized version of the real life of Mary Tudor. Rendered in detailed line art and stunning watercolour.

"Princess Mary, your cause is clearly noble, but you must not sacrifice your life for it."

This graphic biography was just a perfect read to me. I felt engaged in the story throughout despite knowing some of the facts already, and the gorgeous art just added to the whole atmosphere. The author mentions in the last few pages that she looks up reference pictures of historically accurate objects and it shows.

The dialogue is compelling, and immerses you in the story. You can feel compassion for the position all these different people have been put in, and how that affected their emotions and subsequent actions. While of course still acknowledging that a majority of players did a lot of harm big and small.

Bloody Mary is an engaging graphic novel for anyone who is at least a little interested in Tudor history. It is an engaging read supported by stunning artwork.

I have to admit that I had a little knowledge of Mary I of England, oldest child of Henry VIII. (Up until recently the line of succession was always the oldest male. When those were used up, then it would fall on the left over women. ) I did know she came just before Queen Elizabeth I, her younger sister, and Lady Jane Grey came before her, for nine days, after Edward VI, her younger brother died.

Complicated? Oh, more than that, having now read this graphic novel. For a while, because Henry VIII was just a little crazy about marrying as many women as he could, and bedding quite a few that he couldn’t, Mary as well as Elizabeth were called bastards, and taken out of the line of succession. Mary went from having her own palace, to having to take care of Elizabeth, to having to also take care of Edward. In and out of favor. I think that would have driven me crazy as well.

The thing that this graphic novel also makes quite clear, is that Mary didn’t like the Church of England, that her father established, feeling that the one true religion was Cathodosim, and so when she became queen, she made sure to burn people who didn’t believe as she did. Thus the nick name of Bloody Mary.

There is a lot of background about alliances, and ambassadors, and court goings on, but they are all important in understanding what happened, if not exactly, because we weren’t there, but a good representation of it all. All in all, if you wanted to know about Mary I, you could get a good education about her in this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 15th of June 2025.

This was a very comprehensive and sympathetic retelling of Queen Mary’s life. I like how it was told as a graphic novel. There was a lot that happened throughout her life, but the graphic novel simplified it and made it more understandable. I also loved the artwork. It made Tudor England come alive! Overall, it was a very breezy read! I recommend this for Tudor fans! Hopefully, this will be a graphic novel of Queen Elizabeth!

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel offers a compelling look into the life of Queen Mary Tudor, making it an excellent choice for fans of both graphic novels and English history.

The storytelling is clear and well-structured, with accessible language that makes it easy to follow. The artwork is stunning, with breathtaking watercolors that bring the historical figures to life. Despite the large cast of characters, the illustrations make it easy to distinguish who is who.

Given some strong language and graphic scenes, I would recommend this book for Young Adult readers and older.

A very good graphic novel that follows the life of Mary the first of England from her child up until her death

A historical, comic reimagining of the life or Queen Mary, Henry VIII's first daughter. Mary's strength and resolve during her father's reign was highly regarded, and seeing what could have been her point of view done in a comic style was a really interesting read! I thought bought the artwork, the story telling, and the overall historical reference was very well done. If you're interested in history, especially the Tudor era, I highly recommend!

I want to thank NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for review.

I have been a fan of the Tudors since I read the Elizabeth I “Royal Diaries” book in the 3rd Grade. As I’ve aged I’ve grown to have a greater interest in Mary I. Overall, I love how accessible this book is in teaching the history of Mary’s life.

I think the strength of this work is that Mary is portrayed in a nuanced light. She is a maligned person in history, but I think Gehrmann highlighted the nature of Mary’s faith in her decisions. I do think the story was heavily weighted to Mary’s childhood years and I would have preferred a little more attention could have been paid to her winning the crown. It was covered but it did feel like it was a little glossed over and I’m not sure if that is because the book is from Mary’s perspective or not.

I also found some of the historical interpretations interesting. For instance, when Jane Seymour’s religion was discussed. People familiar with the topic may question the evidence this is based on.

This book did make me think more about Anne Boleyn’s role in the labelling of Mary as illegitimate. As by cannon law because Mary’s parents were married in good faith she should not have been removed from the succession.

This is a fun and great introduction to Mary I. The art was fun and a great depiction of the first crowned Queen Regnant’s life. I would recommend it for history and Tudor lovers.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Cancer, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism

This is a graphic novel focusing on the Tudors and specifically Mary Tudor. This was a good refresher for the timeline, and seeing them in a different light. I enjoyed it, but was also very bored. I think that the story could have been written with way more enjoyment.

The Tudor period in England is undoubtedly one of the most popular settings for historical stories. I think our fascination with this time reflects a more personal viewpoint than just historical events. This time, we travel from 1518 to 1558 with vivid pictures of its time. While the name of the story is Bloody Mary, it focuses more on the broader context of that time and less about her alone.

Overall, that was a good graphic history, and I would like to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley for the DRC. I have given my honest review.

Incredible comprehensive and immersive, this book takes you from birth to death. I liked how many different lives were examined at the same time, not every scene had Mary in it, showing that the events that happened around her were influential in what happened to her.

Henry VIII and his legacy has left behind so much history to unravel and unpack. However, his first child, Mary, had an interesting legacy of her own. The POV in this story is from that of Mary I of England when she was still the Princess, not Princess, lady-in-waiting, etc., while her father gallivanted across history. This graphic novel expounded on a few things that I had not known about Mary's own harried past. Mary remained steadfast, resilient and strong in her beliefs and conscience amidst the treachery her father rained down. If you're a fan of history, I think you'll agree that this is worth the read.

#ThxNetGalley #KristinaGehrmann