Customer Reviews

Victoria

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If you're looking for an in-depth, fresh approach to Queen Victoria, and you already know the basics of her life, this is NOT the book to buy. Incredibly repetitive - entire paragraphs that were almost word-for-word repeating an earlier section, inattention to detail (chloroform is just wonderful and all, but Jaffe reviews its importance every 5th page!) and shows a lack of present research (Latest findings show that Prince Albert was actually killed through stomach cancer that he contracted several years before he died - Jaffe only mentions typhoid).

The photographs were the only positive part about this book - rich information surrounding her life.

All together a poorly written book for a reader who wanted substantial, indepth details about Queen Victoria (and who already knew the wonderful advances of chloroform!!)

I wouldn't recommend this book for serious Victoria RI fans.The book discusses the events in Queen Victoria's reign in parallel with events in 19th Century England.

There were some glaring errors in the book:

1. On the backcover, Queen Victoria came to the throne when she was 18 not 19. Anyone who knows anything about Queen Victoria knows that she was 18 years and 37 days when she became Queen. People do judge a book by its cover.

2. Prince Edward is the Earl of Wessex. He is not the Duke of Wessex. Another fundamental error.

3. Prince Philip's mother Princess Alice of Battenberg died in 1969 not 1950.

4. The Harewood/Lascelles branch of the royal family is missing. Mary Princess Royal (1897-1965) abd Henry Lascelles 6th Earl of Harewood (1882-1947) and their descendants have been omitted.

5. Frederick Duke of York died in 1827 not 1803.

6. Victoria Duchess of Albany and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was born in 1885 not 1865.

7. Prince Arthur of Connaught was born in 1883 not 1869 and died in 1938 not 1931.

The dates of many other royals are missing.

8. On page 146 one of Alfred Duke of Edinburgh's children did not become King of Romania. One of his children became Queen of Romania.

This book provides a gentle overview of Victoria RI's reign and the events in Britain at the time but adds nothing to Queen Victoria literature.

Victoria 101. I think this book is intended for a reader who has not picked up much on this subject. Includes a nice basic overview of 19th century England. I enjoyed it.