The Lady Elizabeth: A Novel (Hardcover)

by Alison Weir (Author)
Key Phrases: prayer desk, Alison Weir, The Lady Elizabeth, Lady Bryan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Weir (Innocent Traitor) lends her considerable historical knowledge to the early years of England's famous queen in this absorbing second novel. The tale chronicles the life of Elizabeth I from her early childhood to her coronation, through the final years of her father, Henry VIII, and the brief reigns of her siblings, Edward VI and Queen Mary. Renowned for her "mercurial temperament" and "formidable intelligence," in Weir's account Elizabeth spends her childhood shuttling between royal estates and preparing for life as a "great lady" after she is stripped of her position as successor to the British throne following the execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn. As Elizabeth grows, her progressive views on women's roles, religion, and politics take shape-including her legendary vow never to marry, forged through observation of others' relationships as well as a painful first-hand brush with romance at age fourteen. Weir's Elizabeth is nuanced and enchanting, and the author lends a refreshing perspective to well-known characters and events in British history, such as the fates of her father's six wives and the brief reign of Lady Jane Grey, the subject of her first historical novel. History buffs will enjoy this entertaining look into the rarely explored early life of one of England's most fascinating characters.
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From School Library Journal
Adult/High School—This novel offers a glimpse at the motherless childhood and adolescence of the Virgin Queen. A straightforward chronological narrative, her story is told by an omniscient narrator and divided into three parts. "The King's Daughter" describes her early years, including her "demotion" from Princess to Lady at age three, after the beheading of her mother, Anne Boleyn. "The King's Sister" covers the time after Henry VIII's death, when Elizabeth's younger brother, King Edward, is on the throne. Imagining Elizabeth's adolescence, Weir writes convincingly of the struggles to focus on studies and stay true to her vow of celibacy when confronted with the overwhelming emotions of a teenage crush. The final section, "The Queen's Sister," relates the tale of political intrigue that finally led Elizabeth to succeed her sister Mary to the throne. Weir's writing is clear and engaging, and although readers know that the protagonist will eventually rule, the story remains suspenseful. The main characters are well drawn, and the historical figures are recognizable, although sometimes the multitude of minor figures becomes confusing. A genealogy at the novel's beginning, and vivid descriptions of the British Court, royal attire, and the Tower of London orient readers to the story's setting. Recurring political and religious repercussions of Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church also permeate the novel. The Lady Elizabeth will appeal to teens interested in British history and orphaned-princess stories.—Sondra VanderPloeg, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345495357
• ISBN-13: 978-0345495358
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #236,942 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars `God has given you great qualities.', July 2, 2008

By	J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A great many novels have been written about Elizabeth I, and still the market is not yet satiated. I picked this novel up wondering what new insights or interpretations could Ms Weir possibly bring to the fictional portrayal of Elizabeth.

Ms Weir's novel opens with Elizabeth being told of her mother's death in 1536, by her half sister Mary, and takes us through Elizabeth's life until the time when the death of Mary in 1558 makes her Queen of England. Ms Weir addresses three distinct phases in Elizabeth's life: as the daughter of King Henry VIII; the sister of King Edward VI; and the sister of Queen Mary I.

What makes this novel interesting to me, and made the difference between 3 and 4 stars, is the portrayal of the tensions in Elizabeth's life as her status changes. The Elizabeth portrayed by Ms Weir is deeply impacted by events around her and is quick to learn about the relative value of women as daughters, wives and mothers. At the same time, she is aware of the value of learning, the politics of religion and becomes aware of her own role as a pawn in the political marriage stakes. The focus on the early part of her life, while it undoubtedly slows the novel down, is valuable because it illustrates so clearly the insecurity born of uncertainty.

Ms Weir's Lady Elizabeth is an intelligent and complex young woman. The novel is presented within the broad framework of known history and possible (if not always probable) speculation. I enjoyed this novel because I know the historical period well enough to be comfortable with fictional liberties.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "We are two of a kind, Bessy. We do our duty against our greater desires.", April 28, 2008

By	Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The imperious Elizabeth Tudor intuits her destiny long before the crown is delivered to her hands in 1558. In 1536, the tiny red-haired princess is but three years old, already acutely aware that she is her father's beloved daughter. As step-sister to Mary, daughter of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine of Aragon, Elizabeth is much like her own intelligent, curious and driven mother, Anne Boleyn. Through separated by a number of years, the half-sisters retain an affectionate relationship; but with the birth of Edward, Henry's son by Jane Seymour, a gradual rift develops that is exacerbated by various court factions that view one sister as a threat to the other. Suffering a constant procession of step-mothers, Elizabeth relies of her father's affection, emotionally devastated by his death. Addressing these seminal years in Elizabeth's development, Weir delves deeply into her psychological makeup, both sisters destined to rule England, but divided by Mary's fanatical devotion to the Catholic cause and Elizabeth's refusal to stray from the tenets of the Reformed faith.

The author describes a child attuned to the dangers of court life, frequently chastened by her changing fortunes, sometimes nearly undone by an uncertain fate and no one to trust, save a few loyal souls. Surviving this crucible of uncertainty, Elizabeth develops a second sense for the particular dangers of her position as third heir to the throne after Edward. Joining in like cause when they are illegitimized after Edward's birth, the emotional ties between the sisters are as profound as they are disturbing, veering from deep affection to threat, depending on the circumstances in the court. Elizabeth's unique sense of self-preservation is honed during these years. After Edward's death and Mary's coronation, the new queen forcefully reinstates her religion, fortified by a marriage to Philip of Spain. Elizabeth barely escapes the ambitious plans of those who would unseat Mary in Elizabeth's name, religion once more thrusting England into turmoil, Mary determined to validate Katherine of Aragon's belief in the True Faith. Again and again their fierce wills collide, Elizabeth's subtle responses to her sister's bullying rebuffed by a thwarted Mary.

Certainly, Elizabeth can be forgiven a thoughtless plunge into romance, albeit with the dashing husband of her benefactress, Henry's last queen, Katherine Parr. The older, sophisticated Thomas is irresistible to a girl on the cusp of womanhood. Once more Elizabeth receives a lesson in treachery, paying dearly for her brief flirtation with the passions of the heart. By the time Mary dies and Elizabeth embraces her destiny, it is abundantly clear that her whole life has been in preparation for this great challenge. Weir's portrayal of this child who lives for a time in the glow of her father's love, only to be cast aside by circumstances, who learns early the danger of ambitious men and their schemes, who loves injudiciously and suffers the consequences of her actions, is amazingly insightful. A foreshadowing of the monarch she is to become, the Lady Elizabeth cuts her baby teeth on court intrigue and survives impossible obstacles to embrace her fate. Luan Gaines/ 2008.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The other Tudor girl, April 28, 2008

By	Kay Kirkpatrick (Cambridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Historians have long speculated on why, really, Queen Elizabeth I never married. Did she have an abnormality? Did she string along her suitors for diplomatic reasons? Was she unwilling to give up any of her freedom or power? Was she haunted by her mother's ill-fated marriage or terrified of childbirth?

Alison Weir explores this issue in a new novel covering Elizabeth's life up to her accession. Her mother Anne Boleyn's execution overshadowed her childhood, which was then punctuated by a sequence of stepmothers. Katherine Parr was the only one to last long enough to become like a mother to Elizabeth (the sixth queen narrowly avoided Henry VIII's deadly wrath). Katherine couldn't protect Elizabeth from every torment, though: her last husband Thomas Seymour managed to damage Elizabeth's reputation, and Katherine herself died in childbed. Weir finds the key to Elizabeth's resolve to remain unmarried in these tragedies' effect on her, tragedies inextricably linked with sex and marriage. The most dramatic event along these lines I found to be a bit far-fetched, and Weir has certainly used poetic license for dramatic effect; but other than this and a few other unknowable things, she's very attentive to historical accuracy.

Regarding the question of how Elizabeth came to be the Virgin Queen, this novel's explanation is a bit less illuminating (and more verbose) than nonfiction works like David Starkey's Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne or Alison Weir's own biography of Elizabeth. As in the biography, Weir has written engagingly (she has abandoned the multiple-first-person device of Innocent Traitor), often drawing on period sources like letters or reports for the dialogue, and weaving in the perspectives of many characters, including Elizabeth, Henry, Kat Astley, Katherine Parr, Philip, and especially Mary (who comes across as a bit flat, and in the end, unsympathetic).

This is an enjoyable novel, great for those interested in all things Tudor or looking for another diverting book about Elizabeth.