The End of an Era

The Last Tudor by Philippa Gregory

Allegedly, this is the last book that Ms. Gregory will write about the Tudors, possibly forever. Such a shame, as no one writes of the Tudor women like Ms. Gregory does.

This final installment is about the Grey sisters: Jane, Katherine, and Mary. I have always loved Jane, but never care much for Katherine or knew anything about Mary. This book changed some things for me-some in good ways, others, not so much.

The first part of the book is about Lady Jane Grey, the nine days' queen. I didn't find her story all that interesting, which is unusual because there was so much more to her than presented here. Nowhere does it mention the abuse that Jane endured at the hands of her parents when she refuses to do their bidding. If anything, the Grey parents are presented as loving in parts of this book, and I find that to be patently untrue, based on more factual accounts that I have read of Lady Jane. As a result, I was not as taken with her story.

Then there is Katherine Grey, who I always disliked because she willfully disobeyed Queen Elizabeth. This made me see that perhaps Elizabeth wasn't as wonderful as I thought she was. It made me see Katherine as a person who married for love, not trying to take the queenship from Elizabeth, which is how this situation has always been presented up to this point. I liked Katherine, and my heart broke for her and the things she had to endure, just for being the pretty cousin next in line for the throne.

Last there is Mary. I knew she existed, and I knew she was a little person, but that is all that is ever mentioned of her in anything I have read up to this point. Ms. Gregory even says she has taken liberties with her story, but it just made Mary more real to me.

In short, I hate what these three women endured, just for being who they were.