The Lost Tudor Princess: The Life of Lady Margaret Douglas by Alison Weir, Maggie Mash (Narrator)

Final Rating: 2.7/5

 A Lady lost in 16th century Courts of joy and hate

  Have you ever been invited to a huge party and asked into a corner to only find disappointing company while all sorts of excitement, drama plays out and far more interesting figures all talk only steps away from you? Unfortunately that is exactly how I felt as I was listening to this exhaustive biography. Although detailed and honours and showcases a truly lost figure from history with so many angles of examination, I honestly couldn’t help myself to look everywhere and anywhere when listening to this late at night. It may be a combination of narrator, subject and my frustrating current luck with different title selections but The Lost Tudor Princess: The Life of Lady Margaret Douglas didn’t fully capture my attention and I don’t think I can honestly recommend this audio book to any interested night-listeners.

The narrator although very pleasant at first to sit down with quickly turns key voice characterizations into an irritating experience and I honestly grew tired of Lady Margaret Douglas sounding cartoonish and artificial (think a combination of a Scottish Scarlett O'Hara and a Disney princess) and the various foreign accents (particularly French) bizarrely sounding at times positively Transylvanian. Again this may be only me that may think these things but listening to this late at night this book failed my personal test to keep me completely alert and desiring to hear more from but I did manage to finish and I did like a few sections. I must only sadly note that I don’t think I would have a different overall impression if I picked up a hardback version of this biography, the material and presentation is surprisingly very dry and there are moments Lady Margaret Douglas just disappears from the chapters or seems lost more in everything around her ultimately confusing the reader. In the end, I have to finally admit to myself that nearly everyone else but this central figure I want to follow and learn more about. I hate to have that reaction but some figures of the past appeal more strongly to different explorers of history. Perhaps Lady Margaret Douglas will find the right companion who will think better and want to learn more with her.

-purchased and listened to Audible version