Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

DOOMED QUEENS recounts the tales of numerous unfortunate queens.

Some of these women died unhappily in exile or imprisoned, while others met more unfortunate ends such as suicide or assassination.

Readers will meet over fifty queens who met their doom. The timeline of queens discussed range from the biblical era of Athaliah to modern day Princess Diana. They are arranged by time periods and drafted in short and often humorous biographical information.

How would their lives have been different if they had been male?

A wonderful, entertaining non-fiction book for those curious about royalty, or a perfect sidekick for a fairy tale or royal novel. ( )

Kris Waldherr, author and illustrator of Doomed Queens- Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends From Cleopatra to Princess Di , has created an-all around engaging and entertaining historical read. Beautifully illustrated, the dreamy-eyed queens, accompanied by their fellow skeletons, meet their final tragic fate; recollected in this captivating book.

Not only does this novel tell us about the lives of these queens, it does so in a concise, yet complete, summary of events that takes us back to that particular time in history. Despite the dark finales (after all, the book’s about ‘doomed queens’), Kris Waldherr’s writing style is upbeat and witty, making it so much fun to read, you just won’t be able to put it down.

I loved the way the author was able to keep me interested in every queen by keeping it brief, filled with information and detailed with lovely illustrations to complement the scene. The ‘Cautionary Moral’ at the end of every story is hilarious as well as to the point. This book is definitely a wonderful initiation for anyone who would like to begin learning about important historical figures.

It’s especially important to note that this book is unique in its conception. First of all, it’s very rare to see a book this original in its creativity…would you believe that the front and back covers are actually ‘queen cut-outs’? This book is completely interactive. It contains a Graphic key to explain the cause of each queen’s death; an illustrated timeline; an historical explanation sidebar in every chapter, as well as a quiz; queens’ quotes; the method of death and so much more. The grand finale of this book is the quiz that you take for yourself to know whether you too, are a doomed queen…Very special.

From the introduction, p.7

‘Welcome to your favorite dream – and worst nightmare. You are cosseted in silk, crowned with gold, and bowed to. Courtiers laugh at your jokes and compliment your beauty, even when you know you’re having a bad hair day. All envy you, but things change…
No matter how your end finally arrives, one truth remains: Your fall from grace is not your call, though your actions may encourage it. It is your fate. After all, you are a doomed queen- and, if one is to go by the lessons of history, the only good queen is a dead one.”

The ultimate reading entertainment…It’s definitely one of a kind! ( )

Light on the text and nice illustration. I particularly liked the one of Katherine of Aragon as a rueful Mama Bear sort, rolling her eyes at the state of her family. I'd recommend this book as a stepping-off point for someone interested in history.

Interesting and full of little-known facts about royal women who met bad endings. The humor is hit or miss but research is well done and much of the information was new to me. ( )

This was well-written and entertaining, and taught me quite about about a lot of royals I had never even heard of. Each story averages about 2 pages a piece, which is just enough to give you a good taste of what happened. It’s also perfect if you want to read a story or two before picking up something else you’re reading. Accompanying these accounts are vignettes on some of the different methods of death or the lineage of royal families, and some great illustrations. Despite the subject matter, this was a fun read. ( )

Delightful, educational, and with great wit and humour. Fantastic visual presentation. Love it! ( )

Loved this book. Only complaint is that some of the inside illustrations are not of the best quality. However, these look to be archival images that have fallen into the public domain and not those of an illustrator for this book. Otherwise, very interesting read. ( )

It's not easy being queen, as well we know from stories of Anne Boleyn and Marie Antoinette. Kris Waldherr recounts fifty tales of queens that met unfortunate endings, including Alexandra Romanov and Mary Stuart to some lesser known stories, such as Queen Anula from Sri Lanka who murdered four consorts, including two kings. Her end was met when she was trapped in the palace and set on fire.

Waldherr brings wry humor and funny anecdotes for each tale, as well as, artwork throughout. It's a great, short read that will keep you engaged, while providing some very interesting little tidbits of knowledge. Highly recommended to all lovers of history!!

Amy Says: 5 / 5 ( )