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mbenzz's review against another edition
5.0
I've read quite a few books about various British Monarchs...some about the things they had actually accomplished during their reins, and some about their 'extracurricular' activities. This book was a fantastic addition to my collection! Ms. Carroll has a wonderful sense of humor that can be found sprinkled throughout the entire book. The chapters are neat, informative, and stick to their point...the Mistresses.
If you're a fan of British history or the royals, then I definitely recommend picking this up. Ms. Carroll covers a HUGE amount of ground here (over 850 years), starting with King Henry II in 1154, and ending with Charles, the current Prince of Wales. I absolutely wouldn't hesitate to pick up another Leslie Carroll book in the future. I really enjoyed her writing style, and even though this is a pretty long book, I didn't even notice...the chapters just flew by!
If you're a fan of British history or the royals, then I definitely recommend picking this up. Ms. Carroll covers a HUGE amount of ground here (over 850 years), starting with King Henry II in 1154, and ending with Charles, the current Prince of Wales. I absolutely wouldn't hesitate to pick up another Leslie Carroll book in the future. I really enjoyed her writing style, and even though this is a pretty long book, I didn't even notice...the chapters just flew by!
violetcat's review against another edition
2.0
2 1/2 stars
Interesting subject, but I often found myself wondering if an editor even looked at this book because it could use some serious work.
Interesting subject, but I often found myself wondering if an editor even looked at this book because it could use some serious work.
serinde4books's review against another edition
4.0
This is a history of scandals of the British Royals for the last 1,000 years. It was broken up by reigns and affairs. It was a fun read. Very light and well written. I enjoyed it, but don't know that I would necessarily quote it or recommend it.
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
5.0
This is basically a trashy tabloid with a historical bent, and as someone with a historical bent who loves trashy tabloids, I was in heaven reading this book. The king who took his wife's ex-husband's 16 year-old daughter as a ward, engaged her to his son, and then promptly started having a hot and steamy affair! The queen who fell in love with her (heterosexual) lady-in-waiting and maneuvered her into a decades-long sexual affair! Oooh, scandals galore. The book was everything I had hoped for, and more.
skrau's review against another edition
3.0
Not too much I hadn't read before, as these sorts of 'non-fiction' history books are my guilty pleasure. Still interesting and very entertaining. Easy to read and good basic background information about each monarch, so I'd recommend it to friends who aren't necessarily history buffs, although those with more than a passing interest will probably want more substantial information and less trivial fluff. A good fun read.
mkundert104's review against another edition
4.0
Trashy history at its finest, I thoroughly enjoyed this work and cannot wait to read more by the author
raesnovels's review against another edition
4.0
Wonderful book. The interesting facts about all the affairs were definetly intriguing. I was glad I read it on my kindle or I would have spent half the time reaching for the dictionary. I appreciated the effort, but it felt like Leslie was going out of her way to use her thesaurus by the end. Still loved the book though.
jesslane88's review against another edition
2.0
I felt that this particular book was far too similar to Eleanor Herman's books "Sex with Kings" and "Sex with the Queen".
I realize that Carroll focused on the British monarchy but the affairs she covers are largely the same as the ones in Herman's earlier published books.
Carroll's section on Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles read very similarly to what Herman wrote.
Carroll cites both of Herman's books on royal affairs in her bibliography.
I am not suggesting plagiarism, but a lack of originality. I also really wish this had been edited better. There were some serious errors.
It was a bit too informal for my liking. It read like a gossip magazine. I realize it is light history and supposed to be entertaining but non-fiction historical works should have just a little bit more weight to them.
If you're interested in the subject matter I would go with Eleanor Herman's well written, well documented, pithy but still more "historical" books.
I realize that Carroll focused on the British monarchy but the affairs she covers are largely the same as the ones in Herman's earlier published books.
Carroll's section on Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles read very similarly to what Herman wrote.
Carroll cites both of Herman's books on royal affairs in her bibliography.
I am not suggesting plagiarism, but a lack of originality. I also really wish this had been edited better. There were some serious errors.
It was a bit too informal for my liking. It read like a gossip magazine. I realize it is light history and supposed to be entertaining but non-fiction historical works should have just a little bit more weight to them.
If you're interested in the subject matter I would go with Eleanor Herman's well written, well documented, pithy but still more "historical" books.
bibliophiliadk's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun, light read. The subject, adultery, isn't exactly the funnest i the world, but somehow Carroll made it fun and light. She had a way of pointing out the hypocrasy and the irony in these cases. There was, however, one problem with this book, a historical problem. During the entry of Anne Boleyn Carroll writes: "George (now Viscount Rochford, after the death of their father)". What Carroll obviously isn't aware of is that George dies 3 years before his father, so this is a bit of a mistake to make. But other than that I don't really have anything to out my finger on.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
3.0
Carroll covers much of the same ground that she covered in [b:Notorious Royal Marriages|7298460|Notorious Royal Marriages|Leslie Carroll|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|6845604], and since this book predates that one, I guess she covered it here first.
She also starts way too many sentences with the word AND. Really.
Additionally, I found it strange that Ives biograpny of Anne Bolyen wasn't listed in the biblography.
Still, a nice trashy, at times funny, read.
She also starts way too many sentences with the word AND. Really.
Additionally, I found it strange that Ives biograpny of Anne Bolyen wasn't listed in the biblography.
Still, a nice trashy, at times funny, read.