In Her Own Right: A Novel of Lady Mary Tudor
by Amanda Schiavo

Born into a world of privilege and power, Mary Tudor expected to live the life of every other European Princess during the Renaissance.

She knew it was her duty to marry well, and provide sons and heirs to her future husband, while remaining in the political shadows of a world dominated by ruthless men.

Her father’s desperate need for a male heir and his willingness to send everybody who got in his way to their deaths, meant that Mary had very little hope of obtaining the English Crown.

But a series of traumatic events nobody could see coming would propel Mary on a life-long journey to claim what so many believe to be rightfully hers: The Throne of England.

5 out of 5 fairies

This was a brilliant peak into the past, although with a fictional twist. Normally, books around this time period focus on Mary’s father, Henry (the one with all those wives that there’s a rhyme about). This one focuses on Mary – and not on how history portrays her, as bloodthirsty and mad. Getting to see another side of Mary, and have her be the star of her own story, was refreshing in a way. While it isn’t necessarily completely historically accurate, it’s clearly based in the author’s extensive research. The story was engaging, and moved along smoothly. If you’re looking for a new view on the Tudors, and enjoy historical fiction, then I’d recommend grabbing this one.

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Amanda Schiavo is a NYC-based journalist who holds a B.A. in History from Pace University. Currently, she is an editor for a healthcare magazine, and spends her free time riding her horse Della and playing with her dog, Spencer. She is also an avid reader and is always planning her next international trip.