What a fascinating book this turned out to be. I’d never heard of Mary Ward and I’m so glad I now have. Religious sister Mary Ward (1585-1645) was a remarkable woman. Her sole aim in life was to establish schools for girls. She believed in the equality of men and women in an age where few agreed with her, and that girls should be educated as well as boys. She also believed that women should be actively involved in the life of the Catholic Church, not simply as members of the congregation or as nuns, and that nuns should not be cloistered, Not difficult to imagine how these ideas were received by the establishment. So determined was she to set up her schools that she did it in defiance of the Catholic Church, with her band of devoted followers, even walking all the way to Rome to try to convince the Pope. Although she faced opposition throughout her life, her legacy lives on and there is now a network of around 200 Mary Ward schools in over 40 countries.
Stylistically I had a few gripes, not least the author’s predilection for exclamation marks. And one or two flights of fancy sometimes intrude, for example, “…as Mary Ward was standing in front of mirror one morning getting dressed….”. Not sure as a religious she would have had a mirror at that time, nor can the author know she stood in front of one.
What I did like were the codas at the end of chapters, with such refrains as “walking walking, walking, venturing, taking chances” and similar, followed by some general historical points about the times. However these disappear later and I felt that was a shame.
However, overall this is a well-written, thoroughly researched and engaging biography and a worthy tribute to this amazing woman.

Sydney Thorne Mary Ward: First Sister of Feminism Pen & Sword History 2021

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof copy for review.

The theme of this book has its beginning in Mary Ward’s walk to Rome in 1621- the mark of a woman who was different from most of her Catholic companions, different from the people she met and attempted to cajole into seeing matters her way, and different from those who sought to diminish her. A rather modern tale in many ways. Where it has its roots in historical events is in her family background as a member of the family responsible for the Gunpowder Plot, her support from powerful people, her life during the Inquisition and the English Civil War.

Mary Ward was determined to establish girls’ schools, seeing their needs as no different from those of boys. Imprisoned for such a radical belief, Mary Ward’s determination only grew. However, her path, chosen in many ways by herself, was not one dimensional or always focussed. Rather, her spiritualism led her into byways and changes of heart throughout the progression of her establishment of the schools. Despite such developments, she was essentially successful: schools for girls established through her work remain part of the education system in many countries today.

Sydney Thorne has brought together a strong woman with determination to achieve her aim – certainly one aspect of a feminist as the title claims. Her spiritualism, drawing her into a range of responses to success, is even reminiscent of the way modern feminists are prepared to consider new ideas, new aspects of their ideology, and pursue alternative ways of achieving their purpose. There are useful endnotes and, most thrilling, photos that provide the information for one’s own walk reflecting some of Mary Ward’s travels.

Where I could not engage fully with the book was in what I thought was a somewhat uneasy writing style. An open and friendly style is a hallmark of the Pen & Sword series, and it usually works well. To produce history as an accessible and appealing story is a feat in itself – and a worthy one. However, in this case I felt the intention was somewhat strained – but acknowledge this may certainly not be the experience of other readers. Apart from this reservation, I found that Mary Ward: First Sister of Feminism lived up to its title. It is a strong and valid reminder that a Catholic sister was relevant to making the world a less discriminatory place for girls and women. Thank you, Sydney Thorne for this well researched book with its abundance of photographs and historical material.

I really enjoyed this book! I'm so glad that the publisher decided to grant my risk.

I love reading about powerful women in history, and Thorne did such an amazing job bringing Mary Ward's story to life. At times I felt like I was walking and fighting right along with her. Ward's story is a fascinating one, I am definitely going to read up on her and her sisters more.

Even if Catholic history isn't your thing, you will definitely enjoy this book.

As an alumni of a Loreto school, I was really honoured and intrigued to be able to read this book. It was amazing to read about the journey that Mary Ward took to establish her schools and it was particularly awe-inspiring to be able to reflect on my years at school and the lasting impact that what Mary Ward did over 450 years ago.

I went into this book a little hesitant as I find that faith in the written word to sometimes come across as quite intense so it was very refreshing to discover that the author is somewhat agnostic (it is not overtly stated however there are points where they insert their interpretation of visions from God) and in fact were just so wholly impressed by the lasting impact of Mary Ward and the many ways that their life had been touched by her. This book also provides a really interesting snapshot into Europe in the late 1500s to mid 1600s.

What an absolute joy it was to read this book about an amazing figure of early feminism, written by a man!

Finally, not only female authors find it important to learn and tell the world more about influential women in history. Here comes a man, Sydney Thorne, introducing rarely-discussed Mary Ward to us, and paying her due respect. This is an informative read, and since the tone of voice is not too formal, very entertaining and easy-going too.

You'll be shocked to learn how many things have not changed a bit in women's life, rights or status since the 17th century, and how much Mary Ward did to empower other women, facilitate girls' education and take a step towards gender equality.

I am thankful for NetGalley and Pen&Sword for this Advance Reading Copy.