Mary was not allowed to see her mother during the last eight years of her mother's life, and Henry�s second wife, Anne Boleyn, delighted in making Mary's life a misery. After Anne gave birth to Elizabeth, Mary became the child�s servant, changing her nappies and cleaning up her messes.
Henry�s third wife, Jane Seymour, delivered a male heir, Edward VI, who became king at the age of ten after Henry�s death. Edward himself died at the age of 16, at which time Mary finally assumed her rightful place on the throne. �Intent upon restoring the Catholic Church to Protestant England, she launched a reign of terror.� (p. 226) During her five years on the throne, she was responsible for persecuting and executing hundreds of religious martyrs. Although she was known for her gentle and quiet spirit, her legacy of bloodshed earned her the infamous title of �Bloody Mary.�
The author takes historic facts and works them into a gripping story, written in a style that young people can enjoy. While she frankly addresses the issues of adultery, incest, murder, and deceit, she does so in a detached manner, and only as necessary for establishing the context of Mary�s life. Descriptions of the political and religious climate that shaped the royals� lives help explain the motives that drove them. The victims in the story are humanized by the author�s detailed descriptions of what their day-to-day lives were like.
The story is organized chronologically, and narrated by Mary. This personalizes her story, making her a sympathetic character. The story is fleshed out by information Mary receives from trusted servants and emissaries. The story ends shortly after Mary signs the hateful oaths of allegiance recognizing King Henry as supreme head of the Church of England and acknowledging her status as an illegitimate child.
A family tree of the Tudors is provided in the front of the book, which visually represents Henry�s labyrinthine marriage relationships and Mary�s place within it. A historical note at the end of the book tells how Mary eventually ascended to the throne of England. Although the book is not meant as a reference source, a map of England and the relevant parts of Europe at the time would have been a helpful tool for visualizing the setting.
Carolyn Meyer enjoys a fine reputation as a writer of historical fiction, and her thoughtful and thorough research is revealed through the details she weaves into the story. �Many details-from historical events, such as Anne Boleyn's coronation, to household trivia, such as the fact that Cardinal Wolsey's luxury mattress was stuffed with thirteen pounds of sheep's wool-are skillfully woven into the narrative through conversations, letters, and overheard gossip.� (Voice of Youth Advocates, February 1, 2000) This book should serve as an invitation to young readers to delve further into the fascinating history of Tudor England
Awards
Young Reader�s Choice Award
Beehive Young Adults� Book Award (Nominee)
Garden State Teen Book Award (Nominee)
Evergreen Young Adult Book Award (Nominee)
Arizona Young Reader�s Award (Nominee)
Related Websites
Carolyn Meyer�s Website: http://www.readcarolyn.com/
Queen Mary I: http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/mary1.html#Biography
Source
Books in Print [database online]. Available from http://www.booksinprint.com. Accessed 08 November 2004.
School of Library and Information Studies
TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY