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Summary: Fascinating look at the Tudors
Review: This book got me hooked on the Tudors & on Alison Weir. It's an excellent look at the monarchs usually overlooked between the larger-than-life figures of Henry VIII & Elizabeth I--Edward & Mary. Edward proved to be a fascinating, intelligent young man who might have turned out to be a maginificent ruler in his own right. And it's very sympathetic to "Bloody" Mary--showing that she never really had any happiness or security after her mother was passed over for Anne Boleyn. It also gives interesting insight into Jane Grey--another brilliant young woman whose religious fanaticism (& abuse by her father) condemned her to an early death. Above all, it's a testament to the excellent education Henry VIII gave to his children. All of these young people were extremely well educated, even the girls--fascinating in light of the oppression that women lived under in those days. Even though he may have ignored them & treated them cruelly, Henry did make sure his children received the finest educations. And all turned out to be strong-minded, interesting characters. If you're interested in Elizabeth I, this is the 2nd part of 3 books Weir wrote covering her life (starting with "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" & ending with "Elizabeth I").
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Summary: Her best
Review: In my opinion this is book is her best in the series. The title I think is misleading a bit. The book mainly deals mostly with King Edward and Queen Mary. Of course, she deals with Queen Elizabeth more than adequately in her next book. This book is an excellent bridge between 'The Wives of Henry the VIII' and 'Elizabeth I'. The attempted coups, rebellions and assassinations in interesting stuff. A must read.
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Summary: Royal Mob
Review: Weir illuminates her characters in an unforgettable way that is familiar even today. Henry VIII was a sixteenth century mob boss who demanded that his kids take over the business. Some paid with their souls--or their lives. Lady Jane Grey is an especially affecting figure.
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Summary: Henry VIII- First Dysfunctional Family?
Review: I've read almost every book about this Tudor King. This one gets into the moral background of the family and Henry really blew it. I suppose Elizabeth I, his daughter by Anne, second wife, must be the winner for her strenght and fortitude alone. However, it is sad because that is when the Tudor Dynasty ended. She bore no offspring and wasn't a boy. That meant everything then-and now! Interesting read. I'd recommend it just to find out who was the mother to whom. He did have 6 wives!
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Summary: A very good resource for character research
Review: For anyone wanting a well-written, detailed work about the characters of this period, this is the book to begin with. It provides valuable information on the life of the times, the relationship among the children, and further, it furnishes a wealth of valuable detail for any actor or researcher. As a portrayer of historical characters, I found this book to be exciting to read. The only disapointment was that it ended too soon; right at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign. Perhaps the author believes that this ground has been covered by others, but there is never enough material for an avid researcher to digest. So, read her next book, "The Life of ElizabethI"
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Summary: The Tudors made human at last!
Review: Beyond all the usual stylisation and incomprehensible pomp and etiquette of the Tudor period this book actually gave me a glimpse into the lives of its characters and some understanding of what life actually felt like for them, and also allowed me to feel the actual spirit of those long gone times. Some of the passages brought tears to my eyes. Very descriptive, informative and addictive.
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Summary: Captivating Read!
Review: I was pleasantly surprised by the book. This is really my first delve into the history of the Tudors and I was pleasantly surprised. I was extremely well-written and a great read!
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Summary: No mention of Henry VIII's bastard son, Henry Frizroy!
Review: This book gives in depth factual information that quenches my thirst for Tudor information. Although the book covers Jane Grey, Edward VI, Elizabeth, and Mary I well, Alison has failed to mention Henry VIII bastard son, Henry Frizroy, the son of one of Henry's mistresses, Elizabeth Blount. Although Frizroy played no part in England's political history, it would have been nice to have some information on him. Other then that, this book is probably one of Alison's best, showing both the personal and political sides to each person. Keep writing!
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Summary: Interesting documentary of heirs to Tudor Monarch
Review: Overall, I found The Children of Henry VIII surprsingly more enjoyable then I though it would be. When I first picked up the book, my thoughts were, "This is just great. I've already skimmed through three other books and this one is going to be just as boring also." Halfway through the introduction, I decided that it wasn't so bad. The book was filled with vivid details that captured each scene and pulled me in right away plus kept my attention. At times, I felt like I was witnessing a scene up close. It was as if I had traveled back in time and joined another world. Something that I always thought would be fun to do, but of course, it's not possible. The vivid details are especially helpful if you're the visual type of learner which I am. One thing that I really liked about the book was the the author, Alison Weir, didn't spend endless pages babbling on about the same subject. Just enough pages were spent examining each topic that came up. She made me develop a curiosity about the subject first before continuing. I never had to flip through pages that were filled with the same information that I had just read. By the time all the explaining was done, I didn't have any quesitons left in my head because they had all be answered. However there were a few pages that I wish I hadn't read. If you're the type that can't stand the sight of blood or thinking about it, then the vivid details used to describe executions are not what you're looking for. One suggestion I would make though would be that a page or two in the back of the book listing all the characters and their titles be added because I found it a little confusing when in nearly every chapter a man was given another title. It made it somewhat hard for me to keep track of who was who. Other than that the book was easy to read and understand.
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Summary: Fascinating study of the Tudors
Review: A wonderful account of the eventful period between Henry VIII death and Elizabeth I succession. By focussing on the characters, their private lives and motivations, it read like a thriller and awoke a new interest in history for me! N.B. In response to other customer reviewers of this book who commented on its misleading title (as Jane Grey was not Henry VIII daughter) this only occurs with the American edition; my British edition is titled "Children of England; The Heirs of King Henry VIII".
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