An interesting treatment of the women of one of my favorite historic periods. Instead of examining each queen in chronological biographical order, they are studied in light of the primary role they played during their reign: the Queen as Trophy (Catherine de Valois), the Queen as Lover (Elizabeth Woodville), the Queen as Whore (Catherine Howard), to name a few. There is one chapter for the Queens Who Never Were (Jane Gray and Mary Stuart), and one chapter each for the Married Sovereign (Mary I) and the Unmarried Sovereign (Elizabeth I, of course). Every one of Henry VIII's wives is included, as well as so called minor queens like William's Mary and Mary's sister Anne.

I enjoyed this book very much. The premise gave me an interesting slant on rulers I have read about before - but never from this particular angle. Recommended.