The Heretic Wind: The Life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England

I love everything about Tudor history. That said, among all the biographies, few have told the viewpoint of what life was like for King Henry VIII and his spanish wife Catherine of Aragon's only living daughter, Mary, from her point of view. This books does so, skillfully explaining the upheaval, fear, misery, confusion and constantly shifting religious and political environment she suffered through in her lifetime.The insistence that only one way of believing was good (Catholicism) is creepy and controlling from the point of view of someone living in the year 2020, who is used to religious freedom.Even back in the 1550's though, the way of thinking that burning someone to death saved their immortal soul is a lack of logic I can never fathom, a complete dearth of both empathy and intelligence that is monumental. However those were ignorant times, led by terror and bullying where the King was right and had the Might to do as he pleased and there was no law to stop him (or her).Mary really never had even one solid year of happiness and lack of strife after age 11.A well told story of a woman who was born into so much promise - and through the vagaries of fate - instead endured ignominy, privation, parental abandonment (Henry), humiliation, political uprisings, and never the genuine love of a husband or having a healthy baby.

I have read all of Judith Arnopp's Tudor series and was delighted that "The Heretic Wind" arrived for me to read - I had instantly preordered it as soon as it became possible. The author is simply superb, her descriptions of the lives, attitudes and characters bring them to life in the reader's mind right away. Mary Tudor's life was fraught with rejection, grief, jealousy and ill health - but the book also shows a tough and ruthless side to this Tudor queen. The story is told via deathbed recollections, with smooth transitions between the present and the past. Highly recommended! Hoping Ms. Arnopp is going to write yet another, this time about Elizabeth Tudor!

I found this very interesting book. I can understand why mary did the things she did, I don't approve of her methods but understand the why and wherefore. I feel sorry for her. Her childhood being as such and kept from her mother, well we all know Henry was a monster and bully and off his rocker. Poor mary so sad for her. But this book is well written and does hold your interest.

Be it Kings, Queens or Presidents, days of yesterday or today, it seems little changes in the quest for money, power and position. I can relate much of what is happening in the world today with what happened yesterday. Yes, so often history only repeats itself.I have been privileged to have finished most of Ms. Arnopps novels now and each of them have given me broader understanding of yesterday's monarchs. I have enjoyed her wit and benefited from the mass amount of hours she has given to research and study. However, the largest treasure has been to have my heart touched with compassion and understanding as each of her well rounded characters has come to life in front of me.I will forever be grateful for the generous spirit Ms. Arnopp must so undoubtedly possess in order to spin these historical people, places, events into a time and people who by turn-of-page come to life in our hearts and minds.I pray Ms. Arnopp keeps the midnight oil burning and her keyboard keys clicking as she creates more masterpiece tales of a foregone yesterday! I look forward to the next!

The book is well written and very successful in showing the notorious "Bloody Mary" as a very frail and vulnerable old woman. The back and forth from present to past shows the tragic life that Mary lived. The divorce of her parents, being separated from her dear mother, being declared illegitimate, just to name a few. In her adult life she never had true love and was never blessed with being a mother, something she desperately wanted. I like the character of the young girl, Anne, who seems to give Mary comfort in her last days. All in all it was a good read, though in many ways it was dark, in my opinion it portrayed Mary's life appropriately.

Ms.Arnopp’s book about Mary was a fantastic read! I thought that she really brought Mary into a different light. I think most see Mary as a fanatical religious queen bent on killing any around her that didn’t convert ( which she did) but through this whole story Ms.Arnopp lets us see Mary in a totally different way. This was a really, really, good book and if you enjoy this time era and reading about Henry’s family, you don’t want to pass this one up! Definitely a five star read! I can’t wait to read Ms. Arnopp’s other books!

I liked the book. It's very rare for me to finish a book in one sitting, but this book was an interesting portrait of Mary Tudors life.

This poor woman! She had more going on in her life than anyone should. Judith brought her to life. She made Mary human and understandable.

I've been so looking forward to reading this book, and I was not disappointed. It tells the story of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and sister of Elizabeth I, in the first person, and alternates between chronological events and instances just before her death; in these, she talks about the events of her life, which are then expanded upon in the main chapters. The format worked very well; I was engrossed throughout.Mary has always had a bad press, for being a religious fanatic and burning so many at the stake for heresy, but this book made painfully evident how tragic and lonely her life was, right from childhood, when her father all but abandoned her. I've always been Team Boleyn, but one could not help having great sympathy for Mary after reading this. Some think that she was actually insane during the later years of her reign; I am not sure that she wasn't driven to it before that - and, as I read in the author's notes, we can't try to understand her brutal, inhuman actions by relating them to the world we live in now. I daresay she really did think she was doing God's will.In all other fiction I've read about her, she is shown to have been besotted with her husband, Phillip of Spain, and her infamous phantom pregnancies being, in part, a deranged attempt to bind her to him; in this book, however, Judith Arnopp illustrates her as being as lukewarm about the marriage as he was. That she only knew just a hint of real love, with Phillip of Bavaria for just the odd brief day when she was young, is so, so sad.This is not a very long book, and is a very 'easy read', which I liked, with scant detail surrounding some aspects, but I thought this was cleverly done, because the book is written from Mary's point of view. Some events would not have been paramount in her thoughts, or she simply might not have known a great deal about them. For instance, when she is placed in a position to overhear a conversation, in order to let the reader know what was going on, Ms Arnopp does not over-egg the pudding, making it unrealistic. Snatches of conversation are all she hears.Highly recommended if you are as much of a Tudor addict as I am!

I've always been fascinated with the Tudors, and I knew very little about Mary so this book was a must-read as soon as I heard about it. The book tells the story of Mary Tudor, Queen of England, and it begins with Mary on her death bed. Narrated in the first person, it evokes a sense of immediacy and personal insight into her life & her story in such a way that you feel connected and close as a reader. While I was very aware of Mary's nickname - 'Bloody Mary' and her fight against heretics, her struggles with religion and in continuing her Catholic faith during her father's and brother's reign, the author sheds some insight into the story. And this is not to explain or impart any truths (such a difficult thing to do given the historical period), but the story allows you to see Mary in a new light, to understand the difficulties she faced from an early age through to becoming a queen herself, and indeed throughout her reign. It has given me a fresh perspective, and far more empathy for Mary Tudor than I had before. It is well written, a beautiful read, and I think the author has done a tremendous job here - she has given a voice to Mary Tudor, a fine voice, and one worth listening to.Wonderfully researched. Highly recommended read.

Really enjoyable, I have read a lot about Queen Mary Tudor's life but found some facts I hadn't known. The narrative was a refreshing change. I would certainly recommend this book.

As seen through the Eyes of Mary, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining book. A MUST for all Tudor fans, & those exploring this Era for the first time. Understanding, sympathetic, she gets to the heart of Mary the girl, Mary the woman. Thoroughly recommended👍

I am an absolute Phillipa Gregory fan but this author definitely gives her some competition! I love Tudor history and I could not put this book down - I am researching more by her to download brilliant !