Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens (urspr publ 2003; utgåvan 2005)

Thorough, clear and readable. ( )

Not nearly finished but, man, what a great book, and the narrator is awesome. Read with enough pause between sentences that you can really take in and think about what was just said... excellent!!! Highly recommend, incredibly interesting story.

Now that I've finished... just confirming that this is an excellent book (audiobook). Easy to fully get into the storylines but, I will admit, the storylines get awfully convoluted, especially when a couple of women are named "Mary" and, well, forget the men, every other man is Henry or Richard etc. etc... There are some exceptions which help clarify to which story the author is referring but towards the middle and end it is sometimes confusing to determine whch person is in the story being currently told ( )

From the book's Preface: "Of all the monarchs of these islands, it is Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scotts who most stir the imagination." While I might argue there are others who've stirred just as much imagination, there is no denying the impact of these two women on each other's lives. This book compares the lives of both, detailing the impact of their formative years on their later lives. Mary, a pampered Queen from childhood who was given to expect everything her way and later, something of a femme fatale versus Elizabeth, once a Princess, declared illegitimate, and locked in the Tower in fear of her life under threat of her sister, Mary I. It was a fascinating account, in my opinion, and I especially enjoyed the way Dunn compared each phase of their lives, using the many letters that remain to this day as her sources. ( )

This is a well written (sometimes boring) inclusive book about Elizabeth I and the rivalry for the English Crown against her delusional, conniving, presumptuous, arrogant, murderous, and slutty cousin Mary of Scots. There are many references & notes referring back to historical documents, which makes this piece on non-fiction more authentic.

Mary got was coming to her...Elizabeth did her best to keep Mary alive, but Mary just wouldn't give up on trying to have Elizabeth murdered! ( )

A long read. The comparison between the two Queens/Cousins was certainly well researched and done. Just a bit to long for my taste. ( )