REVIEW: Mary I Queen of Sorrows (Alison Weir)

Book: Mary I Queen of Sorrows

Author: Alison Weir

Premise: Adored only child of King Henry VIII and his first wife Katherine of Aragon, young Princess Mary grows up as the sole heiress to the English throne. But her father wants a son, and soon Mary's world begins to fall apart.

I've read numerous historical fiction novels set during the Tudor era, mostly focusing on Henry VIII and his wives. So it was refreshing to have a book about Mary I. The book is in 3 parts, covering the reigns of her father, her brother and Mary herself.

As a princess, she went through so much and the author really shows off Mary's strength. But then she starts unravelling during her own reign and we see glimmer of why she's known as a tyrant. I found this section quite claustrophobic in a way - she's certainly very paranoid and in constant turmoil. I think this made it harder to read and the story seemed to drag a bit towards the end. But I did enjoy the story.