Starred Review. Arguably the most famous rulers in world history, Tudor monarchs Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I were, according to journalist and author Meyer (A World Undone), cold and ruthless egotis[ts] whose self-created myths have prevailed over reality in our historical memory of them. Henry VII, the first Tudor, was a competent ruler who filled the royal treasury with gold, avoided war, and shrewdly consolidated his power by stripping away the nobility's autonomy. By contrast, Henry VIII's determination to enforce his religious change on his people led to a reign of terror, and his squandering of his riches contributed to the monarchy's later collapse under Charles I. His children fared little better, from the fervently evangelical boy-king Edward VI to the fanatically Catholic Mary, England's first woman ruler, who burned 300 of her subjects for heresy. Elizabeth is portrayed as selfish to the point of childishness, aspiring only to preserve her life and her rule. History buffs will savor Meyer's cheeky, nuanced, and authoritative perspective on an entire dynasty, and his study brims with enriching background discussions, ranging from class structure and the medieval Catholic Church to the Tudor connection to Spanish royalty. 4-color inserts, 1 map. (Mar.)
~Publisher's Weekly
Although this book is intended for those new to the Tudors I wouldn't discount it if you've already been enmeshed in their lives. Included in the book are all of the Tudors, starting from Henry VII all the way to Elizabeth I. Not only does Meyer talk about each reign but he includes a variety of additional information in the "Background" section at the "end" of each chapter. These backgrounds are, in fact, small chapters by themselves that provide readers with the information needed to understand more about what they just read. This was a great book but very dense, it took me quite some time to read it.
I originally went into this book thinking it was going to be a novel, as did my husband who bought it for me. I'm am extremely glad that it was nonfiction though. It gave me more information about another obsession I have and rekindled a long dormant fire. Meyer's tone was academic yet inviting and I rarely got bored, although the beginning was a bit slow but that was probably because I was expecting something else.
Would I recommend this? Yes, definitely. It may be a bit much if you don't like British history - or history in general - but if you like romance, scandal, history, war, life, death, and tyrannical kings and queens then this book is for you. It's not an overnight read but it is definitely worth the reading.
