My chosen poem this week is by a new poet for me. Ada Limon (1976) is an American poet who in 2022 was named the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States.
Instructions on Not Giving Up
More than the fuchsia funnels breaking out of the crabapple tree, more than the neighbor's almost obscene display of cherry limbs shoving their cotton candy-coloured blossoms to the slate sky of Spring rains, it's the greening of the trees that really gets to me. When all the shock of white and taffy, the world's baubles and trinkets, leave the pavement strewn with the confetti of aftermath, the leaves come. Patient, plodding, a green skin growing over whatever winter did to us, a return to the strange idea of continuous living despite the mess of us, the hurt, the empty. Fine then, I'll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf unfurling like a fist to an open palm, I'll take it all.
Adored only child of King Henry VIII and his first wife Katherine of Aragon, young Princess Mary grows up as the sole heiress to the English throne. But her father wants a son, and soon Mary’s world begins to fall apart.
With her parents’ marriage – and England – in crisis, Mary is banished from the court and kept apart from the mother she adores. The King promises to restore his daughter to favour, but first Mary must do something for which she will never forgive herself.
She seeks solace in her faith. But when her brother Edward VI dies, she finds herself fighting for the crown – and for her life. Emerging triumphant, all seems fair for the reign of Queen Mary. And then, very quickly, things began to go badly wrong…
Review
As you probably know if you have followed my blog for any length of time, Alison Weir is one of my favourite authors. Mary I has never really been one of my favourite monarchs from history but I was excited to read this book by Weir.
I have always found it difficult to feel any sympathy for Mary and this book was no exception. However, this book did highlight for me that Mary did not have an easy life. Her childhood started as perfect, loving parents and everything at her feet. However, that soon changed and she was separated from her parents and her life was thrust into turmoil. From that moment her life was not easy and even when she became queen her life did not go as she would have liked.
Mary could have done so much as Queen. Weir sets the scene of an England in chaos, the economy is a mess, her loyal subjects who always showed her such love are suffering and yet she does very little to help them. She is pushed around by her council and makes bad decisions, her husband doesn’t really help her and acts like a spoilt child when he can’t get his way and uses blackmail on Mary to try and get his own way. Then to top it off Mary orders cruel punishments for the heretics and orders people to be burned at the stake. Her people soon found it hard to still love her.
This book is as always brilliantly written and thoroughly well researched. Although the book is historical fiction it is based on historical evidence and well known facts from that time. The only thing that kept Mary going through her life was her fierce belief in God and the Catholic faith. I have always found the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’ quite apt for Mary I but after reading this book I fully agree with Weir’s choice of ‘Queen of Sorrows’. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Alison Weir was born in 1951 and is a British writer of history books, and latterly historical novels, mostly in the form of biographies about British Royalty.
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. For more info please check out Jana’s blog.
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have had a fab day of teaching and reading and managed to finish a book.
I have so many books that I want to read over the next few months so I thought I would take part in today’s Top Ten Tuesday and make a plan for my Spring reading.
Most of these books have been on my TBR for over a year so I’m hoping I can use the Spring to finally read them.
Goodreads Monday is now hosted by Budget Tales Book Club. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.
Hello!
I hope everyone has had a good start to the week. I have decided to have a look through of what is actually on my Kindle. I much prefer physical books to my Kindle but I’ve always used my Kindle for holidays and so I have collected quite a few books on there which I haven’t read yet or forgotten about.
Belgravia by Julian Fellowes
On the evening of 15 June 1815, the great and the good of British society have gathered in Brussels at what is to become one of the most tragic parties in history – the Duchess of Richmond’s ball. For this is the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, and many of the handsome young men attending the ball will find themselves, the very next day, on the battlefield. For Sophia Trenchard, the young and beautiful daughter of Wellington’s chief supplier, this night will change everything. But it is only twenty-five years later, when the upwardly mobile Trenchards move into the fashionable new area of Belgravia, that the true repercussions of that moment will be felt. For in this new world, where the aristocracy rub shoulders with the emerging nouveau riche, there are those who would prefer the secrets of the past to remain buried…
I hope everyone has some fun plans for the weekend. My husband is very excited that the Grand Prix is back on. Grand Prix always means more reading time for me.
My chosen poem this week is by the Austrian poet and novelist Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926).
Spring Has Come Back Again
Spring has come back again. The earth is like a child who has memorised poems, oh, many! ... now it seems worth the effort, for she wins the prize.
Her teacher was strict. We loved the white hair of the old man's beard. When we ask what the green and the blue are, right off she knows every word.
Lucky earth, with your holiday, and all the children coming to play! We try to catch you. The gayest will do it.
Teacher trained her until she knew it, and all that's printed in roots and long unruly stems she sings in song.
Underlying everything in the book is Johnson’s belief that the UK is an extraordinary country and should have an exceptional future.
From trouncing Ken Livingstone in the London mayoral race in 2008 to becoming Prime Minister, he takes readers through all the big decisions during his time in power and the reasons he took them. The challenges and crises, how they were resolved – or not – and how he nearly died from Covid. Riots, knife crime, bikes, buses, the London Olympics and so much more. He writes about his role in Brexit and the constitutional sea-change that took place in British politics in 2019 – with his landslide election victory and the massive expansion in the groups that think of themselves as Conservative.
This is the reality as he saw unvarnished, uncensored, unleashed.
Review
My best friend suggested this book as a buddy read for January and February. We read one chapter per day during the week and two chapters a day for the weekends. It was great because once we had read the chapter we discussed it together and it really added to the book.
This was my first book by Boris Johnson and I was first struck by just what an amazing writer he is. I loved reading his book and found it quite hard to read just one chapter a day as I could have easily sat down and devoured it in a few sessions.
I know reading this you had to take it with a pinch of salt as it is only one side of the story but I found it really interesting to see the different stages of Johnson’s career from when he became London Mayor to Prime Minister. Everything he did he wanted to progress and make things better.
The thing I loved about Johnson’s book was it became really clear that he thinks the UK is a fantastic place and can do so much. Everything he did was in the name of making things better for people. He wanted to create more jobs and more opportunities for people. I loved his phrase of levelling up.
The other element I loved in this book was the glimpses into his private life. The scenes that included Dilly the dog were my particular favourites. The comments about his siblings and his father were also really funny. Also the scene where Boris almost got swept out to sea while rowing in a little dingy was another favourite. The photos that were included in this book were also excellent choices and really added to the book.
I loved this book and I will definitely be reading more books by Johnson as his books on history look really interesting. Johnson is a very skilled writer and I just loved reading his book. The book was interesting, humorous, factual and gave interesting insights into other politicians. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Boris Johnson is a British politician in the Conservative Party and the former Prime Minister of United Kingdom as well as the former Mayor of London. Due to his public school, blustering, comedic style, he is generally either loved or loathed by members of the British public.
My chosen quote this week is by one of my favourite authors.
“Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken.”
Lady Book Dragon 