Mary is the only living child of her father Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. She’s the apple of his eye at court until he casts aside her mother for Anne Boleyn. Catherine is exiled, the catholic faith abandoned and Mary has to serve her new half-sister Elizabeth while being called a bastard herself. Nonetheless, Mary keeps fighting for her status as true heir of her father and her own catholic faith.

Elizabeth certainly outnumbers the attention Mary Tudor receives in historical fiction. Schiavo debut novel makes a fine attempt to sketch Mary’s childhood as a girl who has had a lot to endure. But also of a stubborn woman who continued to fight for her rights and her faith.

Unlike other authors, Schiavo does manage to portray Mary humanely. Mainly by creating her fictional friend Margaret and by establishing a warm relationship with Elizabeth. The two sisters are very close in this story. But once again we get a Mary who acts coldly towards all Henry’s other wives (except Jane Seymour) and most of the nobles at court… She doesn’t make things easy for herself.

The book goes in a very fast pace by just about everything that happens at the Tudor court and therefore lacks some depth for me. The story does its best to frame what happens later during her reign in the light of her unhappy childhood. And as the author herself puts it: this doesn’t excuse what ‘Bloody Mary’ did afterwards, but we may be judging this queen a bit too much for those five years of reign, rather than on everything that happened before that.

This is not the best Tudor novel I’ve read. Mary is certainly not my favourite Tudor figure. But this novel does shed a -probably- quite correct and rather warm light on England’s first queen regnant.

Thans to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an excellent book. I have been reading about this book about Princess Mary and when I received an email from Black Rose that it was available at NetGalley for review, I immediately requested a chance to review it. I am so glad I did. I am one of those followers of the British Royal family that have read numerous books on all of the Kings and Queens since 1066 but have not read much about Queen Mary I herself, just the terrible things that happened to non-Catholics during her reign.

This book deals with what happens to her after her parents marriage falls apart. All the turmoil she went through when she was declared illegitimate and knew that there were so many people against her because they considered her a threat to their own ambitions. I know that this not a biography but a fictional account of Princess Mary's life but does ring true in so many ways, especially since I have read more history books about her recently.

King Henry VIII was a horrible man and the way he treated his wives and daughters was appalling. In full disclosure, I am an admirer of Richard III and not a fan of either King Henry. But I have read a lot of books on King Henry VII, his wives and children. Queen Elizabeth I, on the other hand, is the true shining star of the Tudor family. And this book was very flattering to her legacy.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. My review is voluntary and honest

A fabulous historical fiction work and introduction to Lady Mary Tudor. The writing style is simple and direct, and the story keeps a good pace to ensure the reader remains engaged. The author's focus on Mary is a refreshing one, as she suggests in the author's note, that many other works are preoccupied with other events during this same period (King Henry, his wives and their gruesome deaths, is one clear example).

Mary's proposed personality, views and opinions are given quality page time and I enjoyed trying to understand more about her position instead of her just being written off simply as 'Bloody Mary, the tyrant.' (Of course, bearing in mind that this book is still historical fiction and not taking everything as gospel therein.) I would love to read a part two to this novel which dives into her marriage to King Phillip II of Spain and the Marian persecutions. It would be interesting to see what Mary-focused light the author sheds on those events having already laid out clear origins and the early tribulations of a defiant and determined young royal in this book.

Mary's relationships with those close to her play a significant role which keeps things ever-so interesting, especially given the fact that not all her closest companions shared her views. While Mary was firmly allied with her mother, her relationships with Elizabeth and Edward are conveyed as being close despite their fundamental disagreements on religion and reform. The story also does a great job of remaining character-driven, instead of simply a dry political retelling.

An excellent novel, one that is a great and simplified introduction to the beginnings of Mary I of England's relatively short but eventful life. That you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to provide this early review.

Interesting and well-written. I always found Mary's life fascinating, especially before her reign. The pain, turmoil, and uncertainty she suffered was unimaginable during her father's lifetime, but likewise she caused the same to others later when crowned queen.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This book was so enlightening. It isnt often we hear Mary’s side of the story. I feel like i learned so much.

This is the story of Mary Tudor's early years - up to her coronation. It does not appear that there will be a continuation of the story. It is well written historical fiction and told from Mary's pov - rather than her just being a character in someone else's story. The author writes in Mary's voice very much as we have come to know her throughout other historical facts. Very entertaining and doesn't drag out those events that all Tudor fans know like the back of their hands. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is well written historical fiction about Queen Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. This takes you from her childhood to becoming Queen. I appreciate this information, as I continue to be muddled about the Royals.

Mary went through many hardships - her father was Henry VIII after all. Beheadings, trips to the Tower, scheming, the incredibly distant parenting of the Royals, her loneliness. This is an excellent read, and I’m grateful to have read it.

I am a Tudor fan. I've read a lot of Tudor books, but I think I like this one a lot.
I feel that in a lot of ways, Mary was who she had become because of the way her father had treated her and her sister throughout her growing up years.
I really enjoyed this book. I felt that I got to know Mary much better than I ever thought I would.
My heart really goes out to this woman simply because women at that time were used a pawns. So I guess what you'd say is a game of chess.
I was really impressed with Queen

In Her Own Right is a fictionalized history of Queen Mary, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

The book starts in early childhood and continues up to her marriage.

A quick and easy read, Ms. Schiavo 'takes us into a fictionalized account that is easy to understand (the Tudor line can be confusing) and pulls us into Mary's fraught relationship with her father and her devotion to her mother.

I really enjoyed this book and afterwards fell into the rabbit hole of European royal families.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are strictly my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Amanda Schiavo, and Black Rose Writing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of In Her Own Right: A Novel of Lady Mary Tudor in exchange for an honest review.

Let me preface by saying that this book is a fictional account of Mary's life. It should in no way be viewed as being historically accurate. The events mentioned were extremely choppy and rushed. The author does acknowledge all of this at the end, which was much appreciated for the awareness.

Mary was not present for a lot that went on at court, so it makes sense her version of everything that went on would be shortsighted based on things she would hear.

With that said, this novel is brief and to the point. It was very easy to finish it in one sitting. This is finally a version of Mary in a more positive light and not the mopey and depressed person she is often portrayed as in other books on the time period. It was entertaining and I would read it again. I wish it would have continued through to the end of her life to include her brief reign and her marriage to Philip. This book ends with her coronation.

A fictional telling of the early life of Henry VIII's daughter, Mary, up until her coronation. While the idea is good and the question of why Mary was so different in her religion from her siblings, I'm not convinced with her argument. The book is nicely written but unsatisfying.

This is Mary Tudor's story, from toddler to her coronation but it doesn't deal with her marriage to Philip of Spain. The reader views the religious turmoil of Henry VIII's England and each of his six marriages through the eyes of Mary, a staunch Catholic who becomes more devout as she ages.

I've been reading Tudor fiction & histories for eons and found this to be well-paced, with a particular focus on the lives of the famous women of the era. Although Mary has never been a personal favorite because of her extremism, one wonders how she didn't lose her sanity altogether due to her father's cruelty to her. All of these women were used as pawns by their families and the Church with no control over their own lives. In the game of royal patriarchy, not only were these women not allowed on the team, they were the ball. This book makes that abundantly clear. If you are a Tudor fiction fan, there's a new kid on the block. Enjoy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to read this ARC. The review is my own.