Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Yes, another Tudor book

LADY JANE GREY: A TUDOR MYSTERY by Eric Ives, 2009.
Tudor history expert Ives takes on the story of the tragedy of Jane Grey and the 1553 crisis surrounding the English throne in this biography. Well written and researched, the author has thoroughly sifted through the available sources and evidence and presents a factual, interesting narrative of her life. He covers all the main events: birth, her place in the line of succession, Jane's brilliant education, her life with Thomas Seymour as his ward, including her brief time with her mentor Katherine Parr, her nearly fanatical Protestantism, her marriage to Guildford Dudley, the political intrigues which brought her to the throne, and the aftermath of Mary Tudor's coming to power. He avoids sentimentalizing Jane's life, and portrays her not traditionally as a victim of those around her (like Northumberland and her parents), but as a determined young woman who has a terrible situation thrust upon her and tries to make the best of it until she is removed from the throne, imprisoned, and within months executed. His portrayals of all the multiple well known characters involved in Jane's short life are well done and accurate: her parents, the power hungry Northumberland, the Catholic Mary Tudor, Edward VI, who struggled on his deathbed to rewrite history, the powerful but flawed Duke of Somerset, etc. At times, I admit I found the narrative dragged a bit, maybe a little too much detail, but overall, Ives has done an outstanding job of scholarship in presenting a compelling look at the tragedy that was Lady Jane's life. Definitely recommended for any who are interested in the Tudor period, and especially in Lady Jane Grey.

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