Scan barcode
mbenzz's review against another edition
4.0
If you're new to the royals, or just looking to get a quick lesson in the juicy details of each monarch since Henry VIII, then this is a book for you. I know a whole lot about very few British monarchs (Henry VIII, his offspring, and Charles II), but pretty much nothing abut everyone after James I. This book was an entertaining introduction to those various Kings and Queens...the men and women they loved, the mistresses they kept, and the children they hated.
Overall, if your a fan of the British monarchy, or even if you have a favorite monarch but don't know anything about the rest of the clan, I definitely recommend this. It's a quick read with the book being divided into sections according to the reigning family (the Tudors, then the Stuarts, and so on). Then there are individual chapters in each section given to each monarch of that particular family. There's a very brief explanation of how that person came into power, but the majority of each chapter is the sharing of the more unsavory details of that person's reign. Is it intellectually stimulating? Absolutely not. Is it an amusing way to pass a few lazy afternoons? Definitely.
Overall, if your a fan of the British monarchy, or even if you have a favorite monarch but don't know anything about the rest of the clan, I definitely recommend this. It's a quick read with the book being divided into sections according to the reigning family (the Tudors, then the Stuarts, and so on). Then there are individual chapters in each section given to each monarch of that particular family. There's a very brief explanation of how that person came into power, but the majority of each chapter is the sharing of the more unsavory details of that person's reign. Is it intellectually stimulating? Absolutely not. Is it an amusing way to pass a few lazy afternoons? Definitely.
jenkam's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great book about the english monarchs. It was different then traditional history by showcasing scandals, kind of like a people/ok magazine history. I loved it!
meaganmart's review against another edition
3.0
This book did give a really interesting look into the British monarchs, and their less than perfect actions and attitudes, but at times it did drag.
hwelch86's review against another edition
3.0
These are just fun books, though I found Secrets of the Tsars more enjoyable. The beginning of this book dragged a little for me but all in all just a fun book.
saralynnburnett's review against another edition
3.0
Fun reading in the wake of the royal wedding - filled with intrigue and beheadings and lots of cheating! The first half most people will already know about (henry VIII, Cromwell etc) but the second half was pretty fun. It goes all the way up to Elizabeth II.
sar_p's review against another edition
3.0
The two other Farquhar books I've read (Treasury of Royal Scandals & Treasury of Deception) were more interesting than this. Though the British royals are all crazy in some way, the writing was drier. Farquhar made snarky and sarcastic remarks when writing the stories in the other books and there is plenty of room for those comments when discussing the British royalty, but for some reason he doesn't do that here which made this book a bit boring. Luckily, there are enough nutcases who became rulers to add value to the book.
thenorthman's review against another edition
5.0
when i said i wanted to read more this summer i didn’t mean i wanted to be FORCED TO. getting permanently banned from twitter worse decision of my life i fink. anyways i love everything michael farquhar writes and will single handily keep food on his table for the rest of his life by buying his books
schill27's review against another edition
4.0
I just love all things monarchy, especially the British one. Perfect read for the Royal Wedding week.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
4.0
This book was pretty good. It has short little scandalous stories about quite a few different people. Some things I knew already, and some I did not. It was a book I read while waiting for my kids at dance, so it was interesting without being something I was heavily invested in.