Leanda de Lisle

A very good biography of a very misunderstood Queen. This book seeks to dispel myths and bring forth truths about Henrietta Maria, the wife of Charles I. Raised at the court of France by her mother, the extremely powerful Marie de Medici, Henrietta Maria became a Queen herself when she married the English king.

There is much to be gleaned here about her family life, her political life, and her life in exile. Most of what we think we know about her comes from people who didn't like her. This book sets the record straight and helps up come to know the woman a little bit better.… (mehr)

An interesting book which takes the approach of going back to the earlier characters in the story of the Tudor family, starting with Owen Tudor who married the widowed Queen of France after a wild dance leap landed him in her lap! The book goes through each of the personnel, giving a good insight especially into the women who usually are background characters such as Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, and Margaret Douglas, daughter of Henry VIII's eldest sister and her second husband the Earl of Angus. The part played by such women in the great events of the period is examined, as well as the more usual emphasis on Henry VIII and his treatment of his wives.

There were some interesting insights such as the parallels in character between Henry VIII and his maternal grandfather, Edward IV. The examination of the life of Queen Elizabeth I was also interesting as the author doesn't romanticise her, but gives the warts and all portrayal. There is also somewhat of a rehabilitation of her elder sister Mary and an examination of how the stereotypes and prejudices against women have played a part in demonising both her and certain other royal women.

The author does however have a tendency at times to reiterate the same point about who people are, but to skim over the date so that we're told something happened in August but it's not clear which year. That and a bit of clunkiness in the prose here and there is why I am awarding this 4 stars rather than 5.… (mehr)