Lady Mary
Author: Lucy Worsley
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Details: 384pp, £6.99, paperback
ISBN: 9781408869444
The arrival of our review copies of Lady Mary by Lucy Worsley could not have come at a better time for our team of Year 7 reviewers, as they happened to be learning about Henry VIII and his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
Our head of history reported that there was a tangible buzz of enthusiasm within the class, as our reviewers became swept along by the human story behind the politics, power and intrigue. Reviewers were frequently to be found grabbing a few precious moments of reading time in the library at breaktimes, with noses firmly buried in their proof copies - a sight to gladden the heart.
For my part, I was gripped from the very first page. The story of Henry VIII and his six wives is so familiar to us all, yet it struck me that I had given so little consideration to the human cost behind the seismic events of this period in history.
In this fascinating book, we experience events through the eyes of Henry’s young daughter, Mary. In common with other children of warring parents, she is desperate for them to remain together. However, as we all know, this was not to be.
I think that many young readers will be able to identify with Mary’s feelings of confusion and sadness, despite the vast differences in their situations, and for me, that was a real strength of the book: to see figures from history as human beings.
Mary, despite finding herself in pretty dire circumstances, fights doggedly to retain her sense of self; her passionate refusal to give up, despite the odds being stacked against her, made for an inspiring read.
I look forward to recommending Lady Mary to my readers, although I sense I may not have to do a great deal of promotion on this occasion, as my team of eager reviewers are already doing a tremendous job of recommending this book to their friends.
Emily Marcuccilli is the librarian at King’s Hall School, an independent prep school in Somerset. She tweets @KH_Library
Pupil reviews
‘Lucy Worsley is an amazing author’
I really enjoyed Lady Mary because you are so used to looking at the divorce of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII from the point of view of themselves or the courtiers; it is refreshing to have a different view. You get to understand how Catherine and Mary felt. I didn’t realise how passionate Catherine was and how much she tried to influence Mary. Catherine wanted her to be known as a Spanish princess, as well as an English one. I would have liked to have heard more about Henry VIII, his servants and his personal life. But Lucy Worsley is an amazing author. I give it 9 out of 10.
Hettie, Year 7
‘It was very gripping and had lots of twists’
This is one of my favourite books that I have ever read. It was very gripping and had lots of twists. I thought that the author wrote the book very well and I couldn’t put it down. Also, it was very interesting seeing the story from a different perspective. I was very inspired by Mary and Catherine, because they never gave up and always stayed strong. I found that Part 2 (In Exile) was a bit slow, but overall, this is an extremely good and exciting book.
Maddie, Year 7
‘It has opened my eyes to how unfair life was then’
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about Henry VIII and his ruthless manner, even towards Mary, his own child. I have become increasingly interested in this time in history. I really liked Reginald to begin with. By the end of the book, my favourite characters were Jane Seymour and Lady Mary herself. I never realised how horrible Master Cromwell was. This book has opened my eyes to how unfair life was then. I enjoyed this book so much that I am now going to do further research on Henry VIII.
Peyton, Year 7
‘It is the best book that I have ever read’
This book is so entertaining! I really couldn’t put it down. I loved how it focuses on Mary Tudor’s life, as I had no idea what happened to Mary or Catherine after Henry’s divorce with Catherine. It was really cool to find out. At the beginning, I was a bit confused when “emperor” was spelt as “emperour”, but it must have been on purpose. I still loved it though! It is the best book that I have ever read.
Ella, Year 7
If you or your class would like to write a review, please contact sarah.cunnane@tes.com
