The Last Tudor

ByPhilippa Gregory

Release Date: 2017-08-08
Genre: Historical Fiction

Score: 4.5

4.5

From 306 Ratings

Description

The final book of the Tudor series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory features one of the most famous women in history, Lady Jane Grey, and her two sisters, each of whom dared to defy her queen.

Jane Grey was queen of England for nine days. Her father and his allies crowned her instead of the dead king’s half-sister Mary Tudor, who quickly mustered an army, claimed her throne, and locked Jane in the Tower of London. When Jane refused to betray her Protestant faith, Mary sent her to the executioner’s block, where Jane transformed her father’s greedy power-grab into tragic martyrdom.

“Learn you to die,” was the advice Jane wrote to her younger sister Katherine, who has no intention of dying. She intends to enjoy her beauty and her youth and fall in love. But she is heir to the insecure and infertile Queen Mary and then to her sister Queen Elizabeth, who will never allow Katherine to marry and produce a Tudor son. When Katherine’s pregnancy betrays her secret marriage, she faces imprisonment in the Tower, only yards from her sister’s scaffold.

“Farewell, my sister,” writes Katherine to the youngest Grey sister, Mary. A beautiful dwarf, disregarded by the court, Mary keeps family secrets, especially her own, while avoiding Elizabeth’s suspicious glare. After seeing her sisters defy their queens, Mary is acutely aware of her own danger, but determined to command her own life. What will happen when the last Tudor defies her ruthless and unforgiving cousin Queen Elizabeth?

Reviews

Dismal Read...
2
By SWAppReviews
This book was a chore to read, unlike all of her others.
I found myself flipping pages ahead in hopes of an interesting turn of events. I felt as though I had been “imprisoned” as her subjects were. Page after page filled with identical subject matter and banter. A monotonous read, and horribly depressing!
Philippa Gregory’s BEST in years
4
By kelliedoll22
It’s been a long time since I was this impressed with a Philippa Gregory novel. The book contains Gregory’s usual number of historical inaccuracies (done on purpose, but why?) and I’ve read other accounts of Katherine Grey’s suffering at Queen Elizabeth’s hands. It‘s no secret that Elizabeth Tudor wasn’t fond of her female cousins... especially the pretty ones. However, by writing from the viewpoint of Elizabeth’s persecuted family members, Gregory hammers the point home, and it’s impossible not to feel empathy for the women Elizabeth should have embraced. I especially enjoyed Mary Grey’s fiery self-confidence. My heart broke for poor Katherine; I cried for her. As aforementioned, I knew Katherine Grey’s story before I read this, but Gregory made it more relatable for me. Alison Weir is my favorite Tudor-era writer. Weir gets the facts straight. But I’ve never cried while reading Alison Weir.
A must for anyone interested in Elizabethan England
5
By WestiesMama
This book is amazing! It is the history of three women, one of whom is known but not understood and two who are virtually unknown. Yet their impact on the Elizabethan court is immense. Don’t be put off by the first narrative, that of Lady Jane Grey, the 9-day Queen. She is not a very sympathetic figure and comes off as fairly sanctimonious and judgmental, but history actually shows that this is accurate despite Hollywood’s depiction of her. But the other two stories are an incredibly rich look at this time in history. You will be mesmerized by these stories. One word of warning: If, like me, you had previously viewed Elizabeth as a victim of her father’s abuse and idolized her as a great Queen, your views will be permanently changed by this book. She was, unfortunately, very human and sometimes her decisions could be very erratic and sometimes even cruel. But just read the book! It is absolutely worth your time - you will not regret it!
Three sisters
5
By Scam 2
I have read all your books about the Tudors and Plantagenets. You are an incredible writer. I have learned so much about this period and it has made such a difference in how I view life today! Thank you for all your fabulous information. I cherish such knowledge as it’s makes me realize how we haven’t “really” changed all that much. But having said that, I am SO glad I was born in the 20th century!
Captivated Every Minute
5
By I Read That!
I have read all of Gregory’s Tudor Novels. This was one of my favorites, it kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through despite knowing the history. It is also an empowering story for women.
Best Book!
5
By Ken Flach's Wife
I loved every word; every page and chapter! I didn't want this book to end! Bravo Philiipa for yet another brilliant book on the Tudor’s!!
The Last Tudor
3
By Peg1gy
Wonderful story but it could be set in Trump Tower as well as the London Tower. The lack of descriptive detail gave a "where is this" feeling to the story. I enjoyed the emotional detail but it could have set anywhere. I want to know the feel, the smell, and the taste of the times.
Interesting...
4
By Longhorn5555
An enjoyable read for the most part... bogs down heavily for a few chapters, filled with little more than the character's largely irrelevant indecision, but otherwise enjoyable.