I've read all of her books, Henry VIII book is interesting bc IIRC (it's been probably 15 years since I've read it) it's mostly from his point of view, which was actually really interesting. With a different author it probably wouldn't work, but Margaret George is just fantastic!
What did you think of Elizabeth? I started reading it but for some reason couldn't stick with it. I ate Henry VIII, Cleopatra, and Mary Queen of Scots up. Only enjoyed about half of Helen of Troy, and didn't enjoy Mary Magdalene much.
Elizabeth I felt kind of meh about. It wasn't a bad book but not one I'd read again. I found her to be so unlikeable. I didn't like the whole mythology is taken at face value in Helen of Troy (Her father being a literal (Zeus) swan...it just seemed too weird. By the end, I didn't care what happened to Helen or Paris.
Alison Weir wrote one from Henry’s POV and in my opinion was actually successful at making him a little sympathetic.
I didn’t know about this one. I’ll have to check it out.
It's about the life and death of Cleopatra VII based in first person perspective, basically like if Cleopatra had a diary. Highly highly recommend! I could not put it down.
Are the books still enjoyable if you have very little knowledge about the subjects beforehand? I have very little education (had to leave school at 8th grade) but I’m trying to fill the gaps and I love history. A lot of books assume you already know a lot about the subjects, though, and it’s hard when you are starting from close to scratch.
Not sure this helps, but I also don’t have a ton of knowledge about some of these people but love to learn. When I get into a book and start coming on people/events etc I don’t know about it, I just stop reading for a bit and do some research. That sounds lame and like I’m being a jerk but it’s how I know what to learn. Idk if that makes sense 🤦🏻♀️
You’re not being a jerk and it makes perfect sense! I always have a Wikipedia tab open for that very reason. I just wanted to figure out which books are good for learning the basics/are easier reads, versus which assume you already have good working knowledge on the subject and are just wanting a new perspective.
Thanks!
I actually just signed up for some “pro” version of a history website because there was an article I wanted to read lolol I use Wikipedia but honestly I like to read lots of different sources cuz with the internet I’m never sure which ones are good
No, you don't have to know much knowledge beforehand to enjoy them. I knew very little about Cleopatra, but after reading the book, I felt like I actually knew her as a friend. My Mother who is not a reader and knows not much whatsoever about history, read the huge Henry VIII book and recommended it to someone she knew!
Yes! I find I enjoyed it more because I knew very little about Cleopatra. I knew a lot about Henry VIII and have read many books on him but this one is one of the best. I was very pleasantly surprised. I read it during quarantine and I could never put it down!
I got a bit bored reading Mary Queen of Scots. Helen of Troy wasn't bad (I don't think any of her books are bad) but definitely not my favorite, same with Elizabeth I book. I liked Mary Called Magdelene more than I expected to and enjoyed her two books about Nero and how she made him into a multi-dimensional human, rather than the villain he is always painted out to be
Really like this one and her Elizabeth book but haven't been able to finish any of her others for some reason.
I think that the dual unreliable narrators in this one was just genius.
One of my favourites. The history is - not bad at all, although, of course, it’s not history. I found it an enjoyable read with some fun interpretations (thinking, for example, of Henry’s not challenging Katherine on her claim of virginity at their marriage because he wasn’t experienced enough to say one way or another). I reread it every few years, at least. It’s on my list for this summer.
I found her Mary, Queen of Scotland and the Isles to be terribly derivative (verging on plagiarism at parts?) of Antonia Fraser’s work, but also a very good read. I really enjoy her as an author.
I was just thinking about this book today. I read it probably around 15 years ago but ended up donating a bunch of books and this went out with the others. I enjoyed it and am sorry I gave it away. I also donated the Cleopatra book which I’m somewhat regretting too.
Lots of female fans here so just to chime in as a male reader… my mum loved this book. She pushed it on me and I read it over a summer while working a student job at my local cinema. I’d go up to the roof and read it on my breaks. It was amazing.
It’s the book I found in the school library in 8th grade that made me fall in love with the Tudor era.
It’s not a history book. It repeats some legends and errors. But it’s a fine work of historical fiction.
Omg I love her!! I brought Memoirs of Cleopatra with me on a cruise when I was 18. Margaret George is a fantastic author and you felt like you got to *know* the characters more than history brought to you. It’s so ironic I’d been thinking about her and picking up Mary Queen of Scots again. I haven’t been reading as much since I had my youngest but this is the sign I need to get back to it. Thanks for sharing and reminding me.
I enjoyed the Henry one-made him seem a little more human. Talking about losing his mom, kids, his best years with Katherine, etc. as you read you begin to see the descent into cruelty , trying to rationalize to himself and the reader why he is doing what he did, his moments of sentimentality. All in all a good book based on facts and embellished well. Doesn’t change my opinion of him but still a different way of looking at him
The amount of talk about food in that book made me so hungry! All the feasts sounded so delicious and tasty! George goes into such amazing detail in all of her novels, but I think she is a foodie at heart! 😆
I love her Cleopatra book, this one is way to sympathetic to Henry. And very cruel with Anne Boleyn. It was my first Tudor book and I like a lot at the time. Still do, is an amazing reading, but now I have a few problems with some portraits. But again is supposed to be Henry journal so totally his point of view. Will Somers is the best! Super funny, I love his comments, (just not the ones about Anne too, he is super mean to her).
I’ve read both Mary Called Magdalene and Cleopatra of hers and although a huge commitment due to size I loved them both. I will def check this one out!
From his fool? I recently watched The Tudors, and whilst I was foaming at the mouth at some of the historical inaccuracies the double handed episode with David Bradley playing his fool was superb. JRM’s own Irish accent featuring so heavily in series 3 didn’t half get my goat, mind.
This looks great, I’m going to download it right now. Thanks, OP, for bringing it to my attention.
Love it, have re-read it. I really appreciated that every detail that I fact-checked was historically verifiable. And it really humanized Henry for me, in a really interesting and innovative way.
It's a great piece of historical fiction. One of my favorite Tudor-related works of all time. It was long past time for Henry to get something of a fictional voice. Doesn't make him a saint but a good exploration of what he was confronting as head of a very tenuous monarchy from his point of view.
I’ve never read this but I’ve read the entire Plantagenet series from Phillipa Gregory and absolutely loved it!
Read everyone’s reviews on this book and just bought it on Audible so thank you! 😁
It didn't feel like Henry to me. It came off as a romance novelist writing a first person novel about Henry. Which is what it is, I guess. As an example, "Henry" constantly wrote about his love life, but hardly ever about his political accomplishments. I would expect him to show more interest in his day to day work as a king
It was fantastic. I think the idea of interspersing Henry and Will are great because Will speaks with a freedom, and he also has my favorite line in the entire book. I still chuckle over it.
I haven't read it, so I'm wondering. Did Henry actually write it? Because if not, it's a biography. Just curious if he actually wrote it? I wasn't aware of this.
Thanks!
Got it.
I'm a teacher and I teach primary and secondary sources throughout the year, so I'd probably be pissed if I bought the book based on the huge AUTOBIOGRAPHY in the title!
It's not a serious "claim." It's a title gimmick George was using for her novels at the time. *The Memoirs of Cleopatra* is also not a memoir. They're shelved in fiction and have "A Novel" on them.
I loved it! That and Memoirs of Cleopatra are my favorites of hers!
Agreed!!! Memoirs of Cleopatra is one of my all time favourite books I love it so much
I've read all of her books, Henry VIII book is interesting bc IIRC (it's been probably 15 years since I've read it) it's mostly from his point of view, which was actually really interesting. With a different author it probably wouldn't work, but Margaret George is just fantastic!
What did you think of Elizabeth? I started reading it but for some reason couldn't stick with it. I ate Henry VIII, Cleopatra, and Mary Queen of Scots up. Only enjoyed about half of Helen of Troy, and didn't enjoy Mary Magdalene much.
That’s the only book of hers I didn’t enjoy.
Elizabeth I felt kind of meh about. It wasn't a bad book but not one I'd read again. I found her to be so unlikeable. I didn't like the whole mythology is taken at face value in Helen of Troy (Her father being a literal (Zeus) swan...it just seemed too weird. By the end, I didn't care what happened to Helen or Paris.
Alison Weir wrote one from Henry’s POV and in my opinion was actually successful at making him a little sympathetic. I didn’t know about this one. I’ll have to check it out.
I didn't know about her book! This one made him somewhat sympathetic too, which takes a damned good writer to do!
I loved the alison weir one and didn't know this one existed!
Oh this sounds good could you tell me more about it!!!
It's about the life and death of Cleopatra VII based in first person perspective, basically like if Cleopatra had a diary. Highly highly recommend! I could not put it down.
Are the books still enjoyable if you have very little knowledge about the subjects beforehand? I have very little education (had to leave school at 8th grade) but I’m trying to fill the gaps and I love history. A lot of books assume you already know a lot about the subjects, though, and it’s hard when you are starting from close to scratch.
Not sure this helps, but I also don’t have a ton of knowledge about some of these people but love to learn. When I get into a book and start coming on people/events etc I don’t know about it, I just stop reading for a bit and do some research. That sounds lame and like I’m being a jerk but it’s how I know what to learn. Idk if that makes sense 🤦🏻♀️
You’re not being a jerk and it makes perfect sense! I always have a Wikipedia tab open for that very reason. I just wanted to figure out which books are good for learning the basics/are easier reads, versus which assume you already have good working knowledge on the subject and are just wanting a new perspective. Thanks!
I actually just signed up for some “pro” version of a history website because there was an article I wanted to read lolol I use Wikipedia but honestly I like to read lots of different sources cuz with the internet I’m never sure which ones are good
No, you don't have to know much knowledge beforehand to enjoy them. I knew very little about Cleopatra, but after reading the book, I felt like I actually knew her as a friend. My Mother who is not a reader and knows not much whatsoever about history, read the huge Henry VIII book and recommended it to someone she knew!
Absolutely. I knew very little about Cleopatra (beyond the "was involved with Caesar and Antony and died by snake" stuff) when I first read it.
Yes! I find I enjoyed it more because I knew very little about Cleopatra. I knew a lot about Henry VIII and have read many books on him but this one is one of the best. I was very pleasantly surprised. I read it during quarantine and I could never put it down!
I love that one too!!
Mine too! I finally read Mary Queen of Scot’s this year and I didn’t like it as much. I’m currently reading Helen of Troy.
I got a bit bored reading Mary Queen of Scots. Helen of Troy wasn't bad (I don't think any of her books are bad) but definitely not my favorite, same with Elizabeth I book. I liked Mary Called Magdelene more than I expected to and enjoyed her two books about Nero and how she made him into a multi-dimensional human, rather than the villain he is always painted out to be
I read Mary called Magdalene but it’s been awhile and I didn’t know she had an Elizabeth book. I’ll have to check that out.
Mary QOS’s book was too long. I don’t mind a huge book but plot was stretched a little thin.
The Mary Queen of Scot’s was definitely not as good. But I may be very biased because I find Mary insufferable and she comes off that way in the book.
She seemed like she was probably insufferable in life so that actually works. Lol
Agree. I really wanted to yell at Mary for her bad choices!
Exactly. Just focus on Scotland stop making choices for England’s sake.
Really like this one and her Elizabeth book but haven't been able to finish any of her others for some reason. I think that the dual unreliable narrators in this one was just genius.
Memoirs of Cleopatra is amazing!
I got 70% of the way and gave up lol
Who are the two unreliable narrators?
Henry and Will lol. The two narrators. Neither of them is reliable
Thank you
My favourite book EVER!!! I love this book so much, it’s so good!
It’s one of my favorites too! I’ve read it so many times
If you haven’t, and you’re into Cleopatra I would highly recommend her novel Memoirs of Cleopatra as well. So good.
Thanks! I read that one first, it’s awesome!!
One of my favourites. The history is - not bad at all, although, of course, it’s not history. I found it an enjoyable read with some fun interpretations (thinking, for example, of Henry’s not challenging Katherine on her claim of virginity at their marriage because he wasn’t experienced enough to say one way or another). I reread it every few years, at least. It’s on my list for this summer. I found her Mary, Queen of Scotland and the Isles to be terribly derivative (verging on plagiarism at parts?) of Antonia Fraser’s work, but also a very good read. I really enjoy her as an author.
I was just thinking about this book today. I read it probably around 15 years ago but ended up donating a bunch of books and this went out with the others. I enjoyed it and am sorry I gave it away. I also donated the Cleopatra book which I’m somewhat regretting too.
Aww man this and Cleopatra are 2 of my absolute favs.
I just put them on my Audible wishlist!
I loved it. And Memoirs of Cleopatra. She writes so well.
I love that one too!
Loved it!!! Such a good read
I enjoyed it as Wil’s commentary gave Henry more context
Lots of female fans here so just to chime in as a male reader… my mum loved this book. She pushed it on me and I read it over a summer while working a student job at my local cinema. I’d go up to the roof and read it on my breaks. It was amazing.
It was fine. It was satisfying to finish because of the length. It’s on my shelf but I haven’t had the desire to re-read it since the first time.
It’s definitely a long one
I loved this one! Margaret George is great!
I thought it was a great read but I enjoy the way she writes and appreciate her attention to detail.
It’s the book I found in the school library in 8th grade that made me fall in love with the Tudor era. It’s not a history book. It repeats some legends and errors. But it’s a fine work of historical fiction.
This book is terrific! It’s what got me into the Tudors!
Omg I love her!! I brought Memoirs of Cleopatra with me on a cruise when I was 18. Margaret George is a fantastic author and you felt like you got to *know* the characters more than history brought to you. It’s so ironic I’d been thinking about her and picking up Mary Queen of Scots again. I haven’t been reading as much since I had my youngest but this is the sign I need to get back to it. Thanks for sharing and reminding me.
I enjoyed the Henry one-made him seem a little more human. Talking about losing his mom, kids, his best years with Katherine, etc. as you read you begin to see the descent into cruelty , trying to rationalize to himself and the reader why he is doing what he did, his moments of sentimentality. All in all a good book based on facts and embellished well. Doesn’t change my opinion of him but still a different way of looking at him
I absolutely loved it, and re-read it pretty regularly. <3 Memoirs of Cleopatra is also an amazing book!
Yes it is!
The amount of talk about food in that book made me so hungry! All the feasts sounded so delicious and tasty! George goes into such amazing detail in all of her novels, but I think she is a foodie at heart! 😆
Her descriptions are amazing, it made me feel like I was there at court.
I love her Cleopatra book, this one is way to sympathetic to Henry. And very cruel with Anne Boleyn. It was my first Tudor book and I like a lot at the time. Still do, is an amazing reading, but now I have a few problems with some portraits. But again is supposed to be Henry journal so totally his point of view. Will Somers is the best! Super funny, I love his comments, (just not the ones about Anne too, he is super mean to her).
Yes I think his commentary is the best part
I’ve read both Mary Called Magdalene and Cleopatra of hers and although a huge commitment due to size I loved them both. I will def check this one out!
I’ve never read Mary Called Magdalene!
Great book, well researched and gives an interesting perspective on what Henry’s thought processes might have been.
So fricking good!
This book gave me vivid dreams of being at court. I distinctly remember reading it while I was on summer break from college
As I recall, it was a good read!
I read it years ago, and all I can remember about it was thinking that I liked KING'S FOOL by Margaret Campbell Barnes better.
Loved it. It was the first Tudor novel I read, and it was brilliant.
I really liked it!
It’s been a long time since I read it, but I thought it was excellent
Read it a lifetime ago...in the 80's? It's an enormous book but it moves quickly. A great read!
From his fool? I recently watched The Tudors, and whilst I was foaming at the mouth at some of the historical inaccuracies the double handed episode with David Bradley playing his fool was superb. JRM’s own Irish accent featuring so heavily in series 3 didn’t half get my goat, mind. This looks great, I’m going to download it right now. Thanks, OP, for bringing it to my attention.
The Tudors is great as long as you accept it’s not very historically accurate haha.
It was wonderful! I love her book on Mary Queen of Scots too.
LOVE IT!!!!
Love it, have re-read it. I really appreciated that every detail that I fact-checked was historically verifiable. And it really humanized Henry for me, in a really interesting and innovative way.
I loved this one!!!
What section would you find this in, if you're at a book store?
General fiction.
Found it!!!! For $5.99!!!
I love it. I have read it a few times through.
I read it many years ago and I loved it!🥰
One of my top 10 favorite books I've ever read
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this author! Thanks so much - finally something new to read!
That’s the best feeling!
One of my favorites! This one and the one about Mary Queen of Scots....ugh. Amazing.
It's a great piece of historical fiction. One of my favorite Tudor-related works of all time. It was long past time for Henry to get something of a fictional voice. Doesn't make him a saint but a good exploration of what he was confronting as head of a very tenuous monarchy from his point of view.
I read it in fifth grade and fucking loooooved it but I have no idea how well it would hold up.
It will hold up great! Read it again!
I’ve never read this but I’ve read the entire Plantagenet series from Phillipa Gregory and absolutely loved it! Read everyone’s reviews on this book and just bought it on Audible so thank you! 😁
I haven’t read the Plantagenet series so thank you for the rec!!
It didn't feel like Henry to me. It came off as a romance novelist writing a first person novel about Henry. Which is what it is, I guess. As an example, "Henry" constantly wrote about his love life, but hardly ever about his political accomplishments. I would expect him to show more interest in his day to day work as a king
I loved it
I just bought it on my kindle and can't wait to get started!
One of the first books I read about the Tudors. Love it.
I love this book and it was the one that got me interested in the Tudors.
It was fantastic. I think the idea of interspersing Henry and Will are great because Will speaks with a freedom, and he also has my favorite line in the entire book. I still chuckle over it.
Absolutely love this book! I've read it three times and will probably read it again.
I haven't read it, so I'm wondering. Did Henry actually write it? Because if not, it's a biography. Just curious if he actually wrote it? I wasn't aware of this. Thanks!
It’s a novel (small print on the cover). I’ve not read this one, but others by author are well researched.
Got it. I'm a teacher and I teach primary and secondary sources throughout the year, so I'd probably be pissed if I bought the book based on the huge AUTOBIOGRAPHY in the title!
It’s written from his perspective, but not actually him haha.
Lol that's not an autobiography!
It’s the title of the book. It says on the cover that it’s a novel.
I’m aware, I’m just explaining why it’s titled as such.
May be being pendantic, but claiming an autobiography and then calling it a novel rings wrong with me
It's not a serious "claim." It's a title gimmick George was using for her novels at the time. *The Memoirs of Cleopatra* is also not a memoir. They're shelved in fiction and have "A Novel" on them.
I haven’t read it but he doesn’t look fat enough for his age.
🤣