The Sisters Who Would Be Queen

by Leanda de Lisle

It is common for Lady Jane Grey to be the subject of a book but to include her two sisters was intriguing. The book was well-written, informative and as balanced as it could be between the three sisters (Mary, the youngest sister, was effectively neutralized by the politics of the day so there are not many primary sources available on her).

No huge surprises about the facts although de Lisle does stress the leadership qualities of Jane rather than portraying her only as a pawn.  The separate coverage of each sister instead of the usual treatment in which Katherine is discussed in context of Jane was a fresh approach. 

Three Tudor Roses out of Five