The Passionate Tudor

A Novel of Queen Mary I

By: Alison Weir

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

The New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series explores the dramatic and poignant life of King Henry VIII’s daughter—infamously known as Bloody Mary—who ruled England for five violent years.

Born from young King Henry’s first marriage, his elder daughter, Princess Mary, is raised to be queen once it becomes clear that her mother, Katherine of Aragon, will bear no more children. However, Henry’s passion for Anne Boleyn has a devastating influence on the young princess’s future when, determined to sire a male heir, he marries Anne, has his marriage to Katherine declared unlawful, brands Mary illegitimate, and banishes them both from the royal court. But when Anne too fails to produce a son, she is beheaded and Mary is allowed to return to court as the default heir. At age twenty, she waits in vain for her own marriage and children, but who will marry her, bastard that she is?

Yet Mary eventually triumphs and becomes queen, after first deposing a seventeen-year-old usurper, Lady Jane Grey, and ordering her beheading. Any hopes that Mary, as the first female queen regnant of England, will show religious toleration are dashed when she embarks on a ruthless campaign to force Catholicism on the English by burning hundreds of Protestants at the stake. But while her brutality will forever earn her the name Bloody Mary, at heart she is an insecure and vulnerable woman, her character forged by the unhappiness of her early years.

In Alison Weir’s masterful novel, the drama of Mary I’s life and five-year reign—from her abusive childhood, marriage, and mysterious pregnancies to the cruelty that marks her legacy—comes to vivid life.

©2024 Alison Weir (P)2024 Recorded Books

religion sucks

fascinating glimpse into someone I knew very little about and how religion was used to divide people. unfortunately, not much has changed in 400+ years.

The detail

Enjoyed this book well done! Recommend to read great story with history! Look forward to next Queen Elizabeth the 1st

I totally enjoyed this book

Even though this book was fiction I still enjoyed it very much. I've been obsessed by anything Henry VIII. From what I've read in history Mary was horrible violent queen interesting Alison made her seem softer & caring. I can't wait to read more of her books about the other queens.

Interesting insight on the Bloody Mary

Intriguing and especially worth for the final words for the author as I decided to listen to this book after Ann Boleyn by the same author and knowing autobiographies and enjoying the story line and accuracy. With Queen Mary I I wanted to know more and was hoping narration will help to understand her and it did. It felt as feeling the gaps and giving understanding to her complex person. I wasn’t able to identify with her but I can admire her determination to stand with head high all those years and fighting for what she believed was good. She did deserve her nickname and this is how I envision those religious psychopaths of the era.

wow. really.

I am embarrassed to admit this, but before this book I didn't realize Queen Elizabeth had both a (half) sister and a cousin named Queen Mary.
At first I thought this book was total rubbish, until I consulted my other book on them (by Ken Follet) and did some Google research.

How embarrassing. How enlightening!

Mary accurate and compassionate

Well done! You gave Mary a good side. I like the accuracy. She saw angels at her death. God forgave her. Like Paul.

Realistic. Empathetic. Yet, Holds Mary Accountable

Mary is passionate. That is often considered a positive trait, yet in a ruler it's absolutely fatal. Mary was a bigot, but even bigoted people can be portrayed in a human way-as Weir reveals.

Weir extolls an interesting perspective on England's first Queen. I leave this series (especially this volume) with the inpression that if Mary held no real power, but lived as an ordinary woman, she would be a lovely neighbor. Yet, her fanatical beliefs made her a despicable ruler. Her traits in another lifestyle and position could have been lovely. Today, born without authority, she would be a great social worker. As Queen however, well history speaks for itself.

Lots of historical details

I enjoyed learning more about Mary’s life. This book seemed very well researched, with lots of historical details. I would have appreciated learning more of Mary’s thought process, even if it had to be inferred or imagined, such as about why she thought the heretics were so doomed. And maybe reflecting more about how she became more and more extreme and unbalanced. So that the book wasn’t just historical facts. But I did really appreciate this book.

The Saddest Lady

Loved the historical accuracy and the sensitive reality of her personal life Alison Weir brought to the pages. Superb narration

Overall great, one narration nit.

As always Weir delivers. Also I found the narration very captivating. One nut that drove me crazy. Whenever the word “messire” (meaning lord) appeared, the narrator pronounced it “messiah” (meaning the expected king of the Davidic line. It should have been pronounced /mɛˈsɪə/, sounding like mess-EER.