The Review

Today Mercedes Rochelle reviews Queen of Martyrs: The Story of Mary I by Samantha Wilcoxson. The author has very kindly offered a signed paperback copy as a giveaway.  To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.

Good luck!

'God save the Queen! God save our good Queen Mary!'
When these words rang out over England, Mary Tudor thought her troubles were over. She could put her painful past - the loss of her mother and mistreatment at the hands of her father - behind her.
With her accession to the throne, Mary set out to restore Catholicism in England and find the love of a husband that she had long desired. But the tragedies in Mary's life were far from over. How did a gentle, pious woman become known as 'Bloody Mary'?

Forever condemned by her appellation “Bloody Mary”, Henry VIII’s eldest daughter always seems to get short shrift when talking about the Tudor world. Samantha Wilcoxson has tried to make up for this in her novel with the curious title “Queen of Martyrs”. Is she a martyr herself, or is she lording it over other martyrs, so to speak? It’s hard to say. Mary certainly seemed to feel like she was never quite loved enough, never quite strong enough or healthy enough or wise enough. 

She was constantly on the verge of a migrane which would condemn her to bed for a number of days. After her glorious entry into London, Mary was stunned that her popularity diminished so quickly—though even she seemed to understand that her unfortunate choice of husbands had something to do with it. But, true to her Tudor heritage, she was determined to have her way regardless of the consequences. That went for religion as well, though it was difficult for me to determine just what percentage of the population welcomed a return to the old faith. Never mind; it didn't matter. She knew best.

I was expecting more details about Mary's antipathy for her sister. In this novel, although the subject was broached, Elizabeth's dire situation didn't get all that much attention. Her release from the Tower was almost an afterthought. How much danger was Elizabeth in? Did she meet Philip while she was incarcerated? Since this book wasn't about Elizabeth, we'll have to go elsewhere to get an answer. The main concern here was Mary's unhappy marriage, her poor health, and her dependence on her cousin Reginald Pole—a bad influence, as far as I can see! 

I almost felt sorry for Mary’s misfortunes until she decided to overcompensate by burning more and more heretics when her policy fell short. It’s hard to justify those actions to a modern reader, and I would assume it wasn’t any easier to justify it to her contemporaries. No matter how hard she tried, she just didn't seem able to redeem herself. It was a sad story about a sad princess who didn't seem to learn from her mistakes. Maybe she was a martyr after all.

*

About the Author: Samantha Wilcoxson is an American writer with British roots. When she is not reading or travelling, she enjoys spending time at the lake with her husband and three teenagers. The Plantagenet Embers series debuted with 'Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen: The Story of Elizabeth of York'. It has been selected as an Editors' Choice by the Historical Novel Society and long-listed for the 2016 HNS Indie Award. 'Faithful Traitor: The Story of Margaret Pole' is the second novel in the trilogy, continuing the story of the Plantagenet remnant in Tudor times. This novel has received 5-stars from Readers' Favorite and a Discovering Diamond award. The final installment in Plantagenet Embers, 'Queen of Martyrs', features Queen Mary I and her story of the counter-reformation in England. Some of the secondary characters of the Plantagenet Embers series are explored in novellas, including 'The Last Lancastrian' featuring Margaret Beaufort and 'Once a Queen' which focuses on the final decade of Elizabeth Woodville's life.
Links: Amazon; Facebook; Twitter; Blog

About the Reviewer: Born and raised in St. Louis MO, Mercedes Rochelle graduated with a BA in Literature from University of Missouri. She learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.She is the author of The Last Great Saxon Earls trilogy.
Links: Website; Blog; Facebook page; Amazon page.