Customer Reviews

The Lady Elizabeth: A Novel

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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

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.

It seems every year a new crop of novels about Elizabeth Tudor pop up. It's not surprising why-she's one of the most fascinating, powerful women in history. The first woman to rule a nation without a male consort, despite carrying on a lifetime (consummated or not) romance with a man considered highly inappropriate by her counselors and people. She played a highly skilled waiting game with the most powerful men in the world, stringing out marriage negotiations to ensure peace between the nations when she never intended to marry. I could go on and on and on...

But every novelist seems to have a different view of Elizabeth, the real, person Elizabeth that you can't learn about from reading her writings or researching her history. Sometimes Elizabeth is seen as a dark, brooding, sexual, regal, commanding and yet still unsure creature, frightened when it came to trusting any man. Others portray her as strong and unwilling to be dominated be anyone and if more naïve and willing to trust when she was young, she changed as she aged. And some (unfortunately) have her being sometimes strong, bet most often naïve and needing to be lead by men.

But the truth is, this is one of the only areas an author can be original in writing a biographical novel. There is only one story of Elizabeth's life, only so many historical documents and accounts left behind and no one will ever no know the whole truth and nothing but the truth unless Elizabeth herself shows up and decides to be very candid. So that leaves us with novelists, who take room for speculation and dramatic addition in the rumors of the time, or in adding a fictional character or event that may have influenced Elizabeth's life or character in some way, but in the end, the bare bones of the story are always the same.

But the story is a far different thing than the book. I must have read 10 different accounts of different parts of Elizabeth's life and no two are exactly alike. Writing style, importance of side characters, attention to historical detail, these things all change how the book is read.

"The Lady Elizabeth" Alison Weir's second novel is about Elizabeth's life from age 3 (1536) (when she was declared a bastard) to her ascension to the throne in 1558 and includes all that happened to her within this time period. Her version of Elizabeth is almost unveiled from the mythos that has come to surround the Virgin Queen. Here Elizabeth starts as a privileged child, somewhat imperious, enjoying her own importance, and quickly learns that the world is a dangerous place for her. She resolves not to love but can't help having a crush, and finally realizes the immense importance of deciding who you place your trust in. In short, she is a child who becomes a politician.

In my review of Weir's first novel I said that there could be no doubting of the accuracy of her research since her first route to fame was through biography. Well, now she's found her novelist's legs (keep this in mind as you read.) There is little or no mention in this book of events I've found in every other novel spanning the same time frame. Examples would be: The way no funds were given to Elizabeth's household after her mother's execution, Mary Tudor's often cruel and taunting treatment, Henry VIII's fickle nature regarding affection for his daughter and most strangely, an almost complete lack of Robert Dudley in Elizabeth's childhood.

I had always assumed that Robert and Elizabeth were schooled together and in a way grew up together but through a small amount of research have found that while they did share tutors, there is no evidence that they were taught by these men at the same time. If anyone knows more factual info about their childhood histories please leave a comment below. I just have a hard time believing they barely new each other and then all of a sudden on her coronation day he rode beside her as master of the horse. Seems like a big leap up, no?

There's also the matter of one of the more interesting and scandalous rumors that surrounded Elizabeth's life when she was young which Weir has taken fictional license to make true for her version of Elizabeth's life. This really bothered me at first but since reading the author's note I have no complaint. It is a novel after all and this does increase the drama factor by ten-and explain some major things about Elizabeth (if it happened to have been true.) But that doesn't mean I believe the incident was possible. (Sorry to be cryptic, major spoiler.)

In the end I think historical figures, especially ones who didn't leave behind especially clear impressions of their private selves such as Anne Frank are open to so much interpretation that you can almost pick and choose which version you like best. While Weir's Elizabeth will never be my favorite, ("Legacy" by Susan Kay has set the standard for me and I'm afraid there's no going back) I can't fault the style the book was executed in, only puzzle over parts of it. But there's no doubt that third person suits her much than first as she used for "Innocent Traitor." I Hope she continues to write this way (or maybe even experiment with second!)

It's always a pleasure to watch an author improve. I assume there will be a sequel to this. Perhaps, "Elizabeth the Queen?" I'll be on the look out for it and I look forward to Alison Weir's views on the development of the Queen's true personality.

Maybe in the end my ranking is tainted by the ghosts of other author's Elizabeth's floating around my head (and by my confusion about the absence of what I always viewed as some of the building blocks of Elizabeth's character) but I have to say in the end, for me, this is a three point five star book. I did enjoy it, went through it fast and would recommend it for the slightly different story of Elizabeth's early years and because it is only by gathering as much information as we can (even if it fictionalized) that we gain a true portrait of who a person really is. And with someone like Weir who knows Elizabeth probably was well as anyone alive today does, this does help fill in some blank spots on a canvas of a historical figure I revere immensely.

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.

The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir begins with a not quite three year old Elizabeth being told by her older sister Mary that Elizabeth's mother is dead at the hands of their father, the King. This shattering event becomes a shadow that will hang over Elizabeth throughout her life and shape the wily young woman and future queen that she will become.

Ms. Weir takes us through Elizabeth's life from the time of the death of her mother, Anne Boleyn, until the day she ascends the throne of England upon the death of her older sister Mary. Elizabeth's life is always tense and she often finds herself caught up in intrigues that are none of her making. Anyone familiar with Elizabeth will know how these events eventually turn out yet Ms. Weir is able to weave the tales with a sense of urgency and an edge of fear of the unknown. While the author's take on some of the details of Elizabeth's life are pure fabrication (as she mentions in her author's notes), so seamlessly does she create the atmosphere that I found myself able to believe things just might have happened that way. As one who is a stickler for historical accuracy, I must applaud Ms. Weir for being able to give a new spin to an old, old tale and make it convincing.

The novel started off a bit slow; the details of Elizabeth's very early years, while essential to show how her character was shaped, did tend to err on the side of overkill at times. However, by the time Elizabeth's father dies and she arrives on her step-mother's doorstep, I was so hooked that I literally could not put the book down. My biggest complaint is Weir's incessant need to throw in her dislike of Richard III in some way in every one of her books when his presence or mention is unncessary and a distraction. However, excellent writing and research more than make up for any minor qualms I had. Historical fiction that actually should rate 4.5 stars for quality. Recommended!

The book covered in fiction format familiar territory to Tudor history readers. Elizabeth declared illegitimate, her mother executed, the friction with her elder sister Mary, and her father's marriages are all covered here. The time period starts with Mary I and Elizabeth's nanny trying to tell toddler Elizabeth about her mother's execution and ending with Elizabeth becoming Queen of England. Weir though disappoints with a rather startling revision of history: the rape by Admiral Seymour, Elizabeth's pregnancy, and miscarriage. There is no evidence that this ever happened-the Admiral flirted with Elizabeth and they were said to be caught in an embrace (not in bed) by Catherine Parr, Seymour's wife. And it's rather disturbing to read about the fictional rape and pregnancy. The rest of it is more accurate with Henry VIII appearing as a loving father but with whom Elizabeth cannot disagree or challenge him(she gets in trouble by saying her mother was innocent). Her stepmothers are loving to her and there are nice passages of the ghost of Anne Boleyn comforting her.

Had Weir not veered off facts and making the Seymour case more lurid, I would have given it more stars. An interesting read without that part of the book.

The infamous rulers of the Tudor dynasty have recent become minor celebrities in American pop culture. With the popularity of Showtime's The Tudors and Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, Tudor mania has taken over.

The Lady Elizabeth appears to be just another historical fiction novel, created to capitalize on the Tudor fad. Even though this probably helped prompt the novel's publication, Weir is able to play off a fad, while still creating a wonderfully engrossing and informative narrative.

The novel opens when Elizabeth is only three years old, shortly after her mother, the infamous Anne Boleyn, is beheaded. Not long after, Elizabeth's father, King Henry VIII, marries Jane Seymour and Elizabeth is declared illegitimate so that Jane's children can succeed Henry. Elizabeth is launched into a difficult and confusing world filled with treason, betrayal, and power where the smallest mistake could mean losing your head. At the end of this treacherous road lies Elizabeth's destiny: the throne of England.

Weir's writing is fast-paced and filled with just enough detail to easily move the reader from scene to scene. I found it hard to believe that this is only Weir's second fictional novel, after Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, because it feels like it is from a master. She weaves together history with fiction just enough that the novel is informative, but not a history lesson.

Fans of Philippa Gregory's Tudor court novels will find The Lady Elizabeth to be a fresh read. I'll even dare to say that Alison Weir is a better writer and storyteller than Gregory. While Gregory tends to get rather tedious with her stories and focuses on sex, Weir is more interested in building a plot that moves along with every sentence. Is it possible that Gregory, the current queen of historical fiction, could be toppled by Weir?

There had been a great deal of drama and intrigue in Elizabeth Tudor's life. After all, she was the daughter of Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII's second wife, the one who was beheaded for supposedly committing treason. The Lady Elizabeth focuses on Elizabeth's life from the age of three, when she was declared a bastard, to her reign in 1558. Rich with historical details, a little too much focus on history by my measure (more on that later), Alison Weir chronicles Elizabeth's life -- how she deals with a father who is at times affectionate and other times aloof, to growing up a woman in an era where men ruled, to her woes and joys with siblings Edward VI and Mary Tudor. Through it all, Elizabeth maintains the conviction that she will never marry, but she does develop a crush on someone during her teens. How had things been different had she not been the "Virgin Queen" who ruled alone? And was her childhood part of the reasons why she became the woman she turned out to be, one whose views (at least according to Weir and other historians) were ahead of her time?

Lately, it seems that everyone and her grandmother is writing a novel based on one of the Tudors. Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I are the most popular. Some of it is good and well researched while others are so bad and downright inaccurate I wonder if they had paid the editors to have it published. The Lady Elizabeth falls into the former category. Weir knows her Tudor history, that much is certain. I love the Tudor era, especially the Elizabethan, which is why I gave this novel a whirl. I thought a novel about Elizabeth before she became queen would be interesting. I enjoyed Weir's fictional take on this historical figure and I'm glad that I read it. However, the author focuses so much on the historical aspect that she at times forgets about the fictional part. I agree with some reviewers that there are parts of the story that seem implausible, some things I don't think Elizabeth would have thought or done, but Weir maintains a faithful portrayal of the Virgin Queen for the most part, and that, coincidentally, is what put me off slightly. And that is why I give this three stars. I may give Innocent Traitor, Weir's debut novel, a whirl some time in the future though. Her writing is wonderful and I will give her another try.

Alison Weir is a great historian. Her non-fictional books are delight and her last year debut in fictional genre Innocent Traitor was excellent. I was looking forward to reading The Lady Elizabeth, but now having turned the last page, I must say I'm greatly disappointed.

As a work of fiction and fantasy, a novel is supposed to lift the veil above the characters private life, their true feelings, their genuine emotions and motives. The novelist is free to invent a plot where no historical evidence is present, but above all a novel must create a living personality. Only then the history comes to life, only then the reader can smell and feel and see the characters clearly for what they really and truly are, only then we are able to understand and empathize, to love, to hate, to be them. It takes not just historical knowledge but also a great storytelling talent, to create such a novel.

Unfortunately, The Lady Elizabeth doesn't live up to the expectations. It is rather dry and distanced. The teller jumps from character to character, providing us with information about motives and interests, but failing in its most important task - Elizabeth stays impenetrable like a very official version of herself. When she is a very little girl, she is portrayed as if we're looking at a formal picture of a stiff toddler in royal garments - it has nothing to do with real living toddlers as we know them - noisy, boisterous, stubborn, happily running around in diapers or having tantrums on the supermarket floors. When she is about to become Queen, she's an elusive hypocrite - she clearly wishes her sister's pregnancy to prove false and Mary herself to die as soon as possible, while pretending to be a loving sister and a loyal subject. Of course, that's what the real Elizabeth did, no doubt, but the fictional Elizabeth could have been just a bit more honest with us, the readers, and betrayed more of her real feelings and wishes.

I very much liked though the Elizabeth's relationship with the memory of her mother. The supernatural scenes when Anne Boleyn's ghost comes to comfort her suffering daughter are very touching.

Only 3 stars, because I certainly expected much more engaging and exciting reading. Instead, the overall impression is that I've been re-reading The Life of Elizabeth I with previously deleted scenes now included. Which is great and yet somehow doesn't make a great novel.

Allison Weir's wonderful reputation as an historian might have been challenged after she authored her first novel "Innocent Traitor". Proving "Innocent Triator" was no fluke, Weir again takes her knowledge of history and passionate voice to create an engaging novel about Elizabeth I, when she was simply "The Lady Elizabeth".

Undoubtably Weir uses dramatic liscense when necessary, but she supports 80% of the novel with historical truth.Weir uses historical truth as a background for many fictional posiblites, which in turn provide a possible explain for Elizabeth's character and policital savvy. I especially enjoyed Weir's portrayl of Mary/Elizabeth's relationship, often loving but obvioulsy ambivelant- any one could understand how Elizabeth reminded Mary of Anne Boleyn, whom she blamed for her mother's heartache and her own demise into bastardy.

As far to the question of whether Elizabeth was actually a virgin, Weir points in ther author's note that no one can be aware of what goes on in a person's private life- especially when that person lived over 400yrs ago. As a novelist, Weir does an entertaining job of taking history and asking "what if" while keeping readers entertained in the process.