The Tudors: The Complete Story Of England's Most Notorious Dynasty (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
The Tudors are one of my favorite historical subjects, so I really wanted to like this book. For the most part, I did enjoy the inter-chapter background sections that covered such subjects as food, schooling, and literature/theatre. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that this book didn't live up to its name of being a "complete story." The author tends to skip over important events (i.e., Henry VII's reign) while spending countless chapters on matters of religion. There's no doubt that the protestant reformation was a notable part of Henry VIII's reign, but that wasn't his only major achievement (or downfall, as the author claims). Any non-religious matters are treated as side notes, and its hard to imagine anyone who wasn't an expert in the Tudors already to understand what was going on. On top of that, the author's biases against Henry VIII and Elizabeth I ring loud and clear, although he has little primary evidence to back up his claims. So much time spent on Henry VIII and his quest to end his first marriage. I felt like the writing was all over the place, and it caused confusion. When you have 4-5 different people named Catherine, the writer really needs to make sure that he follows a concise chronological story telling method so you don't lose track. Instead the author jumped back and forth. Still it wasn't terrible, but could have been much better.
What do You think about The Tudors: The Complete Story Of England's Most Notorious Dynasty (2010)?
This is a must-read! This provides a great view of how the Tudors influenced so much of history.
—Rhae
Very interesting and in depth but so long, it took me forever to finish.
—Breanne
Ok. Interesting format but not the greatest content.
—amy_sugar_pink
