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Reviews of The First Queen of England: The Myth of Bloody Mary:
Hollywood Today Review
Was Bloody Mary not so bloody after all?
**** 4 stars By Gabrielle Pantera
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 9/6/2008 - "The fact that she survived at all is astonishing, yet her historical reputation is one of the most dire of any British monarch," says 'The First Queen of England' author Linda Porter. "My research found a quite different woman from the 'gloomy bigot' invented in the 18th century. Mary was cultured, a first-class musician, loved dancing and was an inveterate gambler."
'The First Queen of England' is the story of the reign of Mary Tudor. Porter shows another side of Mary, as a woman trying to do the right thing for her country and herself under difficult circumstances. Porter explains how Mary laid the groundwork for Elizabeth, that by being the first queen she made the path easier.
"Mary was declared illegitimate, removed from the succession, and the victim of three years of fierce psychological abuse," says Porter. "Her story also encompasses sibling rivalry with her sister Elizabeth, a failed marriage, phantom pregnancies and religious persecution…both aimed at her and perpetrated by her."
"Mary was a very conscientious, hard-working, hands-on queen, with a better grasp of the actual business of government than her father [Henry the VIII]," says Porter. "Her brief but interesting reign introduced important changes to England, such as municipal reform and an overhaul of the exchequer…which have gone largely un-remarked."
"I'd gone, in late November, to a talk about Mary Tudor's wedding dress being given at Eltham Palace in south London," says Porter. "We were shown a beautiful replica of it, which costs thousands of dollars to make. As we were admiring the dress, the sky darkened very suddenly and a huge wind and hailstorm battered the windows of the palace. It was eerie. Although I'm not superstitious, I did wonder if it was Mary trying to tell us that the long-held view of her was unjust!"
"I looked at as many original sources as I could," says Porter, "including Mary's own letters, despatches from the French and imperial ambassadors based in London, and domestic state papers covering the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary."
"Currently I'm writing a biography of Katherine Parr, who was Mary's favourite stepmother," says Porter. Parr was the sixth and last queen of Henry VIII. "Her life, in its own way, is as dramatic as Mary's." Parr has the distinction of being England's most-married queen, four times in all.
'The First Queen of England' is a fascinating look at Mary Tudor. It dispels a few myths about her. You can understand why she did what she did. You may not agree with it, but you have a better understanding. A great book for anyone who wants to know more about Mary Tudor.
'The First Queen of England'
By Linda Porter Hardback: 464pages
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Released: July 8, 2008
ISBN 978-0312368371