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Summary: Cheers for Children of Henry VIII
Review: Aison Weir never fails to bring history alive. This novel was so engrossing I found myself reading it everywhere from the bathtub to my job. The intricate detail of the reign of Henry VIII's successors is so great that I am able to understand the Tudor monarchy even better. A vast amount of research went into this novel and the documented correspondance allows readers to have an introspective look into the personalities of Henry's heirs. An excellent read!
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Summary: Another Fine Piece of Tudor History from Alison Weir
Review: Alison Weir has created another fine addition to her group of histories surrounding the Tudors. The Children of Henry VIII will fit quite nicely between the Wives of Henry VIII and The Life of Elizabeth. This particular volume covers the period from the death of Henry VIII to the beginning of the rule of Elizabeth. It is a wonderful period to study and read about as it covers the reigns of Edward and Mary and the almost reign of Jane Grey (not a child of Henry, of course, but a fine addition to this history). This tumultous period is seen through the eyes of the children themselves and the religion confusion occuring at this time is truly brought to life. Ms. Weir does no disservice to this rich tapestry she is given and in her usual readable and exiciting style brings all of this royal madness directly to the reader. A wonderfully entertaining read. I was sorry when it was over.
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Summary: Four British Monarchs and Their Relationship with Each Other
Review: Although not advertised as such, this book should really be considered "Part II" of Weir's Tudor trilogy. If you haven't read "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" first, you really should; and "The Life of Elizabeth I" picks up right where this one ends. Usually part 2 in a trilogy is the weakest link between the beginning and the end, but this is an exciting and engrosing book chronicling the reign of Edward and Mary.Edward VI usually gets more or less ignored: probably a combination of his father and sisters seeming much more exciting, and the fact that he became king at age 9 and died only a few years later. Weir shows that this is unfair: despite his age he managed to smoothly manipulate those who held power over him, and shows a surprising maturity in the letters and papers that he left behind. Mary, poor Bloody Mary, is so easy to despise and/or mock, but Weir turns her into a sympathetic, if pathetic, character. With no interest whatsoever in ruling, the pressures of the throne, her marriage, and her inability to conceive basically caused her to go mad. Throughout the book we see Elizabeth, but really only as she interacts with her half-siblings. Still, this book offers the foundation of her personality and drive. This, as well as the 2 other books I mentioned in the first paragraph, is an essential book for anyone who is interested in learning more about the Tudor period, or Queen Elizabeth. Best of all, it is exhaustively researched and written in a simple, accessible style that you don't have to be a historian to understand.
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Summary: Outstanding
Review: An excellent book. Allison Weir includes historical facts mixed with the perfect amount of personal history. I couldn't put this book down! I really recommend this book, I've just ordered several other books that she has written. The way she has presented the various subjects in this book is really very creative. This is not one of those 1,000 page text books that are filled with footnotes every other word. Very easy to read. Again, just the perfect mix! I'm just sorry it was not longer.
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Summary: Ignore the "creative" title and jump in...
Review: Fans of Alison Weir are familiar with her "style" of historical biography, and Ms. Weir uses the same style in this book. I rather enjoyed this work, finding many new details I'd never read before. However, besides the dull title, the work incorporates Lady Jane Grey as a sort-of "child" of Henry VIII, and the incorporation doesn't work. Firstly, the information provided about Grey is scant. Secondly, Weir (with her ever-present bias) turns toward the grandiose with Mary's "glorious" re-claiming of the throne...I really heard the blowing of trumpets and a burst of "ah-ha" strings at the court intrigue (fine in a novel, but a bit silly in historical biography). Lastly, Lady Jane isn't Henry's kid (!)...she stole the throne, albeit by her father's cunning and overbearingness. Flaws aside, I think you'll gain much by reading this one!
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Summary: Four British Monarchs and Their Relationship with Each Other
Review: I am fascinated with the Tudors, particularly Elizabeth I and her cousin, Lady Jane Grey. I have read many biographies on the different players in this time frame yet I have read few books that focus on the relationships between those people. I yearned to know those details, however. How did Mary and Jane go from being on friendly terms to rivals? How did Mary react to Edward VI? How did Elizabeth react to the news of Jane's death? Weir started off doing a splendid job addressing all of those issues. She started off addressing the character of Mary, Elizabeth, Jane and Edward and their feelings and relationships with each other. She painstakingly chronicled in great detail the tumultuous nature of Mary and Elizabeth's relationship, as well as how Mary viewed Edward VI and him her. Yet after Edward's death, she sort of lost touch of that track, and focused primarily on the nature of Mary's relationship to those around her, which while interesting, still did leave me with some unanswered questions. For instance, I never did get a good feel for how Elizabeth reacted to the news of Jane's death (it might be one of those mysteries of history, but if nothing was written about it at the time, I would at least like to know). The writing style is good and clear, especially for a work of history, and the pages seem to fly by. My only complaint was her repetitiveness. For instance, she mentioned that Mary thought that Elizabeth was the daughter of Mark Smeaton three times. In all, the book definitely addressed a lot of personal issues I had not yet seen addressed and was a pure pleasure to read. It would also, I believe, serve for those who know little of the time period or of Mary I, be an excellent starting place, for the work is not so bogged down in details as many other historical works are.
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Summary: Filled in a gap!
Review: I had read a couple of books about Elizabeth I, and some about Henry VIII, but I did not know a whole lot about the time between Henry's death and before Elizabeth's accession. This book satisfactorily filled in that gap for me! Covers everything from young King Edward's reign through the intrigue that nearly got Elizabeth beheaded, the brief reign of the unfortunate Jane Grey, and Bloody Mary's years on the throne. The pace is very quick, and it's so interesting that it reads more like a novel. This is one of my favorite historical books on my shelf, and I've reread it more than once.
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Summary: Wow, wow, and more wow
Review: I know it's an asinine way to start a review, but it's honestly the most apt title I can think of: this book is absolutely outstanding. I was completely absorbed the entire time. "Bloody" Mary is given fair treatment, as is Lady Jane Grey; Weir doesn't play favorites and tells the story in compelling and thrilling detail. Hate history? This book is a good place to start, as the rich personalities of the Tudor monarchs and their contemporaries are fleshed out into truly lifelike figures. Is there anything this woman can't write?
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Summary: A Great Book
Review: The Children of Henry VIII was a wonderful book. Alison Weir gave accurate historical information while keeping the book on a personal level. She really got in touch with the relationships of Henry VIII's four heirs: Prince Edward, his only son; Princess Mary, his daughter by his first wife Katherine of Aragon; Princess Elizabeth, his daughter by his unfortunate wife Anne Boleyn; and Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry's sister Mary of France. Not only did the book show the relationships between the heirs, but it showed how they related to and got along with important men and women in the era of British history that took place during the reformation. The devoutly Catholic Mary and her faction was hardly a match for the protestant views of Edward, Elizabeth and Jane. The book also shows how the people of England felt about the changes taking place in their homeland while not leaving out the effects of foreign powers on the decisions of the kings, queens and powerful men in Britain at the time. Overall the book was easy to follow although Alison Weir called the same person by different names on several different occasions which made things a little confusing. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in British royalty, other royalty of the era, Holy Roman Popes of the era, and the reformation.
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Summary: Worth the money
Review: This biography of four young English aristocratic children--Edward VI, Elizabeth I, Mary I, and Lady Jane Grey--tells their life stories and shows the backstabbing nature of the Tudor court. Alliances were changed often for political and social gain, with these children often being used as pawns. Weir's book shows this and more, and is well worth your money.
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