Mary, Bloody Mary

Imagine being Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry the VIII.  Princess one day, afforded all the luxuries of high station, palaces, servants, gowns, and never-ending displays of loyalty and love.  Servant, the next... cast out, separated from her mother and all those she knows, declared a bastard and forced to care for the next heir to the throne.

Carolyn Meyer's YA novel about the woman who would eventually claim her title as Queen and seek vengeance upon her enemies is perfectly written for the desired audience.  Written in first person, Mary details her decent into servant-hood and the deadly game of 'chicken' she plays with Anne Boleyn..  The young Mary's perspective, although dramatized here, is spot-on enough to be a satisfying read for young people.  This reader wants to know more and will use Meyer's book as the stepping off point.

As I see it, Meyer's Mary Tudor is pretty close to the real thing.  There's enough intrigue, terror, sadness, and truth to keep you slack-jawed in amazement at how royal behaved.  This is drama for the ages!

Task 11: A YA novel