Brandy Purdy

"I can only tell you this, for whatever it is worth to you, all those old adages about money embroidered on so many samplers are absolutely true; it cannot buy happiness and it is the root of all evil."

This, a quote from Lizzie Borden in the book, entirely sums up the story of Lizzie, at least as told in this book. This fictional account of Lizzie and the murders of her parents is so excellently told, it reads like it was written by Lizzie herself. I am thoroughly impressed with how engaging show more it is and the amazing polarity of the character of Lizzie. Purdy has outdone herself.

As one long fascinated with the story of Lizzie Borden, I, like many others, have often speculated on whether she truly committed the murders (I have always leaned toward yes) and if she did, what was her motivation. Unlike the many stories I've watched about Borden in the television medium, this telling fully develops Lizzie as a person. We learn of her inner fears and wants. We learn of a life with very little love from a miserly father and a grave and cold sister. And not only was her father a miser, but he was also condescending and always quick to inform Lizzie of her naivety and lack of worth in the eyes of others, except as a source of getting to his wealth. Lizzie was a woman so desperate for love and affection that trying to grasp it in any way she could was what ultimately led her to the rash decision and terrible acts that would change her life forever.

Going back to the quote above, Lizzie thought that she would be free...and she was. She was free to spend money and live the way she always wanted. And yet, although she was acquitted of the murders, no one ever truly believed she didn't do it and that stain would follow her the rest of her days. She could never feel truly loved because someone always seemed to have ulterior motives of getting close to her to get her story, or for notoriety. Sadly, the one time she had a chance at happiness was dashed because of her notorious past. She was destined to spend the rest of her life alone.

That Lizzie was a bisexual woman is neither here nor there. There are plenty of people in history that I'm sure were the same. In Lizzie's case, instead of being liberated by loving who she wanted, because of the norms of the time, and her upbringing to feel shame, she could never truly be happy, or feel good about herself and how she felt toward other women. Suppressed sexuality can lead to volatile feelings and this may be another clue to the motivations of her committing the murders.

We will never truly know if she did it or not. Since she was acquitted by a court of law, one wants to believe that perhaps she was innocent. However, in my mind, I must go along with the portrayal in this book, which coincides with what I've always believed. Do I think what Lizzie did was wrong? Yes, I do. Do I feel she was not punished properly? Yes, I do. Lizzie received a far worse punishment than if she would have been sentenced to hang. She sentenced herself to a life of loneliness and self-loathing. To me, that was punishment enough.

The Secrets of Lizzie Borden really is a must read. I can't even begin to express how much I enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. show less

Just when we thought we knew all there was to know about the Tudors and the families who brushed elbows with them, Brandy Purdy comes out with The Boleyn Bride, which brings us the life of Elizabeth Howard who became Elizabeth Boleyn, mother of the infamous Anne Boleyn. And what a tale she weaves.

Elizabeth is portrayed here as a vain and promiscuous woman and yet, one cannot help but root for her. Thrust into a life and marriage she did not want and forced to accept her fate demurely and show more obediently, which was what was expected of women of the time, she nonetheless goes after what she wants in her own way and lives the life she wants to live, albeit in secret. By this, I mean the taking of many lovers which surprisingly, in this tale, did not include king Henry VIII which has always been rumored in the annals of history. Her chief reason for not taking king Henry to her bed is what makes her an admirable character in my eyes. Despite her faults, she is capable of good and, in the end, she admits to the guilt of her hand in the demise of her precious son and daughter, George and Anne.

It has been some time since I've been so captivated by a Tudor based historical novel. I have to admit to being somewhat burned out by the over saturation of the Tudors since the cable television series brought them to the mainstream and the forefront of people's minds. However, The Boleyn Bride has renewed my interest. This book was truly an unputdownable read for me. I highly recommend it. show less

I always find it interesting to read a historical novel told from the point of view of a historical figure about which very little is known. It gives a fresh perspective to a story that, even for those of us who are in love with the Tudors, can grow tiresome at times. Brandy Purdy has done this for us in this wonderful book and has done it very well.

In The Queen's Pleasure, we get to experience the lives and love of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley through the eyes of Amy Robsart Dudley, show more and we learn of her life with Dudley as well. Amy is a colorful character who at the same time is very tragic. She is swept up in a life that she thought was going to be very different and all because of politics and power play. Such were the times in Tudor England. Not many were safe from its ill effects. Though Elizabeth's reign was a good and strong one, the constant jockeying for her hand in marriage was ever present and Robert Dudley was right at the center of it. When his ambition took flight, there really was no hope for poor Amy, his wife.

All the above aside, what I really want to touch on is Purdy's descriptive and flowing prose. As I was reading, I felt that I was right there experiencing everything along with the characters, especially in the parts that Amy tells. To many, Amy may seem a bit too downtrodden, but I saw more. Purdy has given Amy Robsart life...has given us more than just a woman who was Dudley's wife and who died a suspicious death. We now see that Amy was once a living, breathing person who loved and believed in her husband and ended up betrayed in the end. How many women have been led to believe in a dream, only to be tragically disappointed in the end? Amy speaks for all of those women throughout history.

Although my favorite queen, and probably favorite historical figure of all time, is a character here, Amy Robsart is the true star of this book. This is my first read by Ms. Purdy and it will not be my last. Read this book if you love the Tudors, but also read it if you feel for the sad plight of all women through the ages. This is their story, as well as Amy's. show less

I'm almost embarrassed I read this.

I mean, I'm no stranger to trashy Tudor fiction -- I have read everything Philipa Gregory has had to say on the subject, for instance. I'm certainly no stranger to actual Tudor history, having been fascinated by the dynamic Henry VIII for as long as I can remember.

This was, without a doubt, the worst, most lurid, and poorly-researched piece of fiction I have every read about the Tudors.

I was so excited by the idea of this book -- who ever tells this story show more from Jane Boleyn's perspective? -- that even though I requested that my local library order it, I then went out and bought it for myself so i wouldn't have to wait. I was really hoping the author could add some facets to a historical figure that is usually propped up like a cardboard villain.

Instead, I got cardboard villain from inside the head of cardboard villain. Her motivations were unclear even as she's explaining them.

But that's not all. There was a serious lack of accuracy in the book, from the usage of nicknames that were not extant at the time, incorrect time lines, alterations of famous speeches, placing historical figures in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a few brazen passages that couldn't have been mistakes. They must have been intentionally incorrect.

I would describe how absolutely pornographic this book was, but I'm afraid this isn't the venue for it. I've read coyer erotica. By the time I got to the ludicrous sex scene between Catherine Howard and Anna of Cleves (no really!), who kept shouting "Ya Liebchen!" (And don't get me started on the whole line about giving the "Flanders Mare" the ride of her life) it just got funny. I was reading passages aloud to my howling friends, tears streaming down our faces.

And yet, it might have gotten away with it all, or at least some of it, if the writing quality was any better than that of your average internet fan fiction. Really, I swear people did not constantly refer to each other as "Bluff King Hal," "The Rose Without a Thorn," "The Goggle-Eyed Whore," and so forth. It's as if the author was so proud of having unearthed these well-known nicknames, she had to use them as frequently as possible. And the dialect of Anna of Cleves (particularly in the aforementioned sex scene) was... oh there are no words. There were tense shifts, point of view shifts, and if anything else could be shifted, it probably was.

I'm just so terribly disappointed to see such and interesting subject treated so badly. Although it is non-fiction, and therefore less speculative and exploratory, I guess I'll have to be satisfied with Julia Fox's biography.

For the connoisseur of Tudor history, even the fluffier sort, stay away. There are much better things out there that, even when they aren't 100% accurate, are at least better told. show less