Top Tudor Biography - Rated 
This is one of the best Tudor biographies I have ever bought. Although I had read bits here and there about Henry VIII's eldest daughter, it was always the bad bits that stuck in mind - the protestant burnings, the treatment of Elizabeth, the loss of Calais, the desperation of wanting a child etc etc. The great thing about this book is that the author is not trying to justify these things, but actually give a better understanding of why they happened, while at the same time bringing forward some of Mary's qualities as Queen of England. An enjoyable read which keeps you interested all the way through. Highly recommended to anyone interested in Tudor history.
Excellent - Rated
Linda Porter's book is a very readable account of the life of Mary Tudor. Mary has been villified over the years as "bloody Mary", a fanatical catholic, and a pawn of the king of Spain. This book shows Mary as a courageous and resourceful monarch in her own right. Treated appallingly by her father and her brother, Mary showed remarkable resilience in the face of the intense pressure and humiliation heaped on her. Disinherited and demoted by her father Mary maintained her dignity. She held her nerve to claim the throne in the wake of Northumberland's plot and also defeated a serious rebellion against her rule.
Mary will always be compared unfavourably with Elizabeth I and Henry VIII but Linda Porter's work goes a long way to show Mary in a very different light. Mary still remains a curously remote figure. The portraits of her show a somewhat fierce and intense looking woman. This book explains a lot of why Mary became the monarch she did. She was in fact far less vengeful then her father and certainly not the cruel tyrant her critics claim.
A better understanding of England' s first ruling Queen - highly recommended - Rated
Mary Tudor seems to be eternally eclipsed by her half-sister Queen Elizabeth and her overpowering father Henry VIII. She seems to be rather her mother's daughter and the King's of Spain wife and above all the religious fanatic who burned Protestants at the stake and went down in history as "Bloody Mary".
Well, of course there is always an element of truth in it. But there is so much more to England's first ruling Queen. Linda Porter wrote indeed an excellent biography as she did not only full fletched picture of the events of her life but describes what these meant and what effect they had on Mary. One does understand so much better how Queen Mary "ticked". Linda Porter gives the reader a deep psychological understanding of this Tudor Princess and Queen. But understanding does not mean approving and Linda Porter is critical and she states her criticism. Mary and Mary's reign is very complex and often difficult to judge properly. I have - not only with her but in general - a horror of religious fanaticism and of course this is a major problem with Mary, whatever the causes for this maybe. On the other hand she did not remove Elizabeth form the succession even though she must have known where her half-sisters real views lay. But this biography helps to understand and to evaluate more subtle way, putting Mary in perspective of her time and the general views held. It is no easy read, but a very rewarding one. This is a biography I very much recommended
best tudor biography - Rated
i cant recommend this book highly enough. i am thoroughly interested in the tudors and Mary herself, so jumped at the opportunity to read it when i saw it on the shelf!
the book goes through mary's early life before her reign as Queen. it reads like a novel but with the underlying fact that its all historical. her opinion of mary really swayed my outlook on her and takes the popular reputation of bloody mary, that has plagued history, and rly undermines this awful perception. it covers mary from birth to death and leaves no stones unturned
you also get really caught up with marys personal feelings and emotion, which makes this a page turner. so def go and buy it - its rly good
A refreshing approach, stylish and easy to read - Rated
Linda Porter provides a refreshing and fascinating insight into the life of Mary Tudor. The narrative is easy to read providing both in-depth analysis for the scholar as well as glimpses of the personal Mary that intrigues the layman. It is a thoroughly delightful read with plenty to keep the reader interested. It is a challenge to take on such a vilified character and Porter has done with aplomb. Highly recommended for anybody interested in this period of history.
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