I've read and enjoyed most of Alison Weir's non-fiction books on the Tudor family and was pleasantly surprised to find one I hadn't read yet. But "Traitors of the Tower" isn't really one of those well-documented fascinating Weir tomes -- it's more like an extended pamphlet that could be sold in a gift shop outside the Tower of London so you can learn more about the seven poor souls who were beheaded there.

This slim book really only provides an overview of each person's lives and alleged crimes. It's good for what it is, but wasn't exactly what I was expecting. ( )

The book provides a reasonably engaging and informative view of the rise and fall of seven individuals during to rule of the Tudor line in the fifteenth and sixteenth century. In all instances they meet a grisly end on the chopping block, some going more cleanly than others. While a mere 75 pages in length, Traitors probably hits the right mark for non-readers first stab at history. ( )

Alison Weir summarises events that led to seven executions that transpired in the Tower of London between 1483-1601. Those unfortunates covered are:

1. Lord Hastings
2. Queen Anne Boleyn
3. Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury
4. Queen Katherine Howard
5. Jane Parker, Lady Rochford
6. Lady Jane Grey
7. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex

Four of the above were sentences to death by Henry VIII, the king notorious for lopping off heads.

Of the seven, Lady Jane Grey, in my view, was the most tragic case, as she was a young woman treated badly from birth by her parents, forced to take the crown of England when she didn't want it, and because of her nine-day stint as queen she spent the rest of her short life in the Tower before her beheading. She in fact welcomed death to escape the misery of he life. Mary I even gave her a lifeline by promising to free her if she converted to Catholicism, but the devout Protestant that Jane was refused her chance of freedom. This is another example of a good heart whose life was wasted and cut short just because of her royal bloodline.

With the possible exception of Jane Parker, and maybe Robert Devereux too, I don't believe that any of these people deserved to die for the charges placed upon them.

Alison Weir has done a good job here of laying down the essential events in this short work. Again with exceptions of the two aforementioned,she evokes great sympathy for those executed, creating the terrifying atmosphere that preceded the eventual death blow - or blows in the case of poor Margaret Pole.

This "quick read" was also a good read for me. ( )

I like these Quick reads because in an hour or so you've not only read a book, but had you interest sparked for other books on the same or similar subjects. The Tower of London was originally a palace but became a place to be feared and at all costs avoided. There were not many who, once sent to the Tower ever came out of it alive. The times of Henry VIII were times of great betrayal and scheming treachery, a time when you could be considered a loyal and trusted friend one day, but could be beheaded as a traitor the next! ( )

This was short read (less than 100 pages), that I read while I was trying to decide what I wanted to read next. It was full of interesting stories of how all seven historical figures were beheaded in the Tower of London.

Alison Weir always writes with such historical accuracy and instantly transports into the period of time that she is writing about.

This was an interesting read that I would recommend to historical fiction fans, when they are in between books.

This review was first published on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com ( )