Focuses on the two sisters of Henry VIII, analyzing their influence on English and European history during the rise of the Tudor period. Everyone knows that Henry VIII had six wives. Few people realize, however, that he had two sisters who became queens of Scotland and France, scandalizing their brother and most of Europe in the process. In The Sisters of Henry VIII: The Tumultuous Lives of Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France , Maria Perry presents a history of the frequently overlooked Queens Margaret and Mary, who, like their marriage-happy brother, helped shape the ascending Tudor dynasty and 16th-century England. Having thoroughly researched libraries in both England and Scotland, the London-based Perry provides a painstakingly detailed portrait of both women, European court life, and political history. She adeptly weaves intricate genealogies, complex lines of succession, and intercourt marital intrigue into her narrative. The inclusion of such detail, however, tends to overwhelm the main narrative, and, consequently, it progresses slowly and frequently lacks linearity and a disciplined focus. The Sisters of Henry VIII was written for the reader already familiar with early-modern England. The newcomer to the period may by frustrated by her frequent mention--without further explanation--of individuals, places, and events. Similarly, readers anticipating a more psychological portrayal of Queens Margaret and Mary will be disappointed. The strength of Perry's examination lies in the breadth of detail in which she chronicles the day-to-day events of both women and the early-16th-century court life in which they lived. --Bertina Loeffler Sedlack Ah, those exciting Tudor times. Sixteenth-century England continues to fascinate scholars and general enthusiasts alike. The kings and queens of the house of Tudor were a colorful lot. Few other royal families in European history could boast such a sequence of strong personalities. Out from the shadow cast over them by their famous brother, Perry pulls two interesting Tudor women: the sisters of Henry VIII. The older one, Margaret, became queen of Scotland, and the younger, Mary, married the king of France. In other histories of the time, mention is usually made of these two women only in passing, as if their places in the big picture of Tudor dynastic history were very small. The full story of their lives is told here for the first time, and in appropriately rich prose. Perry is excellent at dramatizing events as she follows the careers of these two princesses cum queens who, although they made mistakes in their handling of political and personal situations, were vibrant characters, certainly worth reading about. Brad Hooper A highly detailed history of intricate dynastic political tangles among England, Scotland, and their European neighbors during the 16th century. English actress, journalist, and historian Perry transports readers to a far-off time as she acquaints us with Henry VIII's lesser-known relatives. The author delves deeply into contemporary sources from an age when royal marriages played a dominant role in the art of politics. She captures the pageantry of power politics in a time when nobility competed with lavish displays of great wealth and conspicuous consumption that in itself suggested power and prestige among the royal houses of Europe. Margaret Tudor, Henry's elder sister, was widowed when James IV of Scotland died attacking the English at Flodden Field, a Scottish disaster. She later married a Douglas, Lord Angus, an enemy of the volatile Scottish ruling clans, causing herself much angst while fleeing danger with her two sons, potential heirs to the English throne. After a life of turmoil in near-anarchic Scotland, she is remembered as the grandmother of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, and great-grandmother of James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England. Mary Tudor, Henry's younger sister, married the aged Louis XII of France, became a widow shortly thereafter, then wed the duke of Suffolk, producing more pretenders to the throne. Henry's marriage to Anne Boleyn divided the country as many admired the devout, rejected Katharine of Aragon. Thankfully, the book includes a ``House of Tudor'' chart that will help general readers sort out the crowded cast of characters who shaped many of the leading events of the age. Perrys insightful account of the king's sisters and their times might well provide currently Tudor-infatuated Hollywood with a good source for future movies and miniseries. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. "A splendid book with two absorbing subjects . . .This is history at its most enjoyable." - The Sunday Times (London) "She has done a lot of digging to produce this book and the results are gratifying... Maria Perry has produced a worthwhile addition to our knowledge of a pair of intriguing sisters" - The Literary Review (England) Actress and writer Maria Perry was educated Somerville