Royal Pains: A Rogues' Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds
A collection of factual stories about 12 members of European royalty who represented some of the worst outcomes of inbreeding. From King John of England in the 12th century Vlad III of Wallachia (upon whom Bram Stoker based Dracula), Ivan the Terrible of Russia, and finally to Princess Margaret, younger sister of the present Queen Elizabeth II, the range of depravity described runs the gamut. There are sadists, psychopaths, and possible sex addicts, as well as those who are simply troublemakers. For those who enjoy reading about the scandals of the noble class, and want to learn more about the darker side of various royal families, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, quick read. Each person�s environment is described so that the reader enjoys a sense of what was normal for a particular time period, and for most of these royals, they were far outside their norms. For those not familiar with royal families outside of Western Europe, there are a few standouts from other areas of Europe as well. --Rebecca Gerber