RIP (Read In Progress) Wednesday

[neonpossibilities]

It's Wednesday!

What are you reading?

Comments

[screechfox]

Finished Stag Dance by Torrey Peters last week, thought it was really good!

Non-fiction, still working through Young Elizabeth by Nicola Tallis. It's interesting, but I don't love the writing style. I hadn't realised that Mary I initially planned to let Lady Jane Grey live.

Despite having three books out from the library (The Monster by Seth Dickinson, The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, and Hungerstone by Kat Dunn) I've started a reread of The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. I needed something "light", I think, and they're quick reads. I've only got the books up to a certain point (whichever were out in mid/late-2020) so it shouldn't take too long.

[spiralsheep]

Mary's marriage to Phillip of Spain made more problems than it solved, including Spain's demand for the execution of Jane (and Elizabeth was later very harsh to Jane's two younger sisters).

[screechfox]

Interesting! I can't remember if the book included that detail - probably, but maybe I missed it! It linked Jane's execution more to the Wyatt Rebellion related to Elizabeth also providing pressure on Mary to remove other contenders for the throne.

[dancesontrains]

I feel so sad for Lady Jane - afaik it was her father's continued greed for the throne, after what seems like harsh treatment throughout her short life, that eventually had her killed for treason.

Murderbot! Still only read the first one, but what a delightful character.

[spiralsheep]

Jane's father was executed but Jane was spared, and wasn't especially a figurehead for further machinations (because the plotters had other preferred candidates), until the Spanish insisted on Jane's execution as part of Mary's marriage to Philip of Spain iirc.

[dancesontrains]

I misremembered, thank you for the correction!

[spiralsheep]

I think most popular media retells the story the way you remembered it so it's not surprising people think that's what happened. :-)

[screechfox]

Jane Grey is such a tragic figure, at least in my mental image of her. There's an episode of a Doctor Who spin-off where one character travels back in time and ends up befriending her in the days of her queenship, and she's fascinated me ever since. I really ought to dig up a book focused on her somewhen.

Murderbot is such a great character! I definitely recommend the rest if you ever feel like them.