Customer Reviews

The Virgin Queen's Daughter

5 star:		(18)
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3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
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The author untangles the threads of history to pursue a rumor that swirled around the early years of Elizabeth Tudor, before she is crowned Queen of England. After the death of Henry VIII, the dowager queen, Katherine Parr, marries Thomas Seymour, an ambitious man and notorious roué. During the months that Elizabeth lives with her stepmother, Parr, Seymour attempts to seduce the naïve young royal. Whether he is successful in that seduction is the crux of this novel, which is based on the possibility that indeed Elizabeth did bear an illegitimate child that would now pose a significant threat to Elizabeth's throne.

When country-bred Elinor de Lacey travels with her parents to London so that her scientifically-curious father might consult with a learned friend, five-year-old Nell catches a glimpse of Elizabeth in the Tower, where she has been held for a time during the rule of Mary Tudor. After an opportunity to speak with Elizabeth for a few brief moments, Nell's imagination is captured by the beautiful princess and she initiates a secret longing to come to Elizabeth's court when she is older.

Years later, after her beloved father's death, Nell receives an invitation to serve in Queen Elizabeth's court, much to the dismay of her mother, Lady Calverley. Nell has always viewed her mother as distant and unaffectionate, so she is thrilled to be called by Elizabeth, ignoring the dire warnings she receives. Elinor is not prepared for the treachery she encounters, the natural intrigues and suspicions that fuel gossip and dangerous rumors. At first the queen is charming, impressing on Nell the importance of guarding her honor against scheming courtiers like Sir Gabriel Wyatt, who makes no secret of his desire to marry for fortune.

All too soon, the queen is casting a wary eye on her new charge; and Wyatt has increased his attentions, which Nell does her best to discourage. When her old nurse appears suddenly and whispers a terrible secret, Nell is caught in a trap of her own making, the center of everyone's curiosity, watched closely by Elizabeth and her man, Sir Francis Walsingham. By this stage in her reign, Elizabeth has acquiesced to the necessity of ruthlessness to protect her throne; the once innocent royal has sharpened her teeth on treachery and the betrayal of others. Consequently, Elizabeth is quick to question Nell's desire to come to court and the nature of the girl's relationship with the wily Sir Gabriel Wyatt.

Although the author makes certain leaps of faith to support her story, there is significant material to feed the rumors that accompany the Virgin Queen and the possible errors of her youth. The lovely, flame-haired Nell looks much like her queen, planting a seed of doubt that sends Elinor from the imaginings of her youth into a far more dangerous world where even life may be forfeit for ambition. Longing, after all, only to return to her mother and a simple life, Nell must face the frightening consequences of an uncertain fate, struggling against those who would protect the queen at all costs. It is a painful, expensive lesson, the price of the future: "It is wicked to dredge up the past. Let it stay buried." Luan Gaines/2008.

In 1554, Lady Elinor de Lacey pays her first visit to London. She is five years-old. Elinor, (Nell), and her beloved nurse, Hepzibah Jones, accompany the child's parents, John, Baron of Calverley, and his wife Thomasin, to the capital city for the express purpose of filling up chests with books and scientific equipment for the Baron to bring home to Lincolnshire. A brilliant and learned man, he studied with Dr. John Dee in Cambridge. Dr. Dee is a noted mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, and, much later in the story, consultant to Queen Elizabeth I. De Lacey plans to spend 3 weeks studying with the scientist. The family lodges with the Lieutenant of London's Tower and his family.

The Baron believes his extraordinarily precocious daughter should be able to study and learn in an equal fashion as men and boys of the period. The Christian world, at this time, doubts that women have souls - "Let woman first prove they have souls; both the Church and the State deny it." So, obviously, women were not considered to be worthy or capable of learning. There are a few exceptions, Elizabeth I is one. As a child, Lady Elizabeth, the future queen, was given an impressive education. Elizabeth, like Elinor, excelled at her studies. Famous scholars, such as William Grindal and Roger Ascham, tutored her, and from an early age it was clear that she was remarkably gifted. Roger Ascham will also become one of Elinor's teachers.

Nell is another gifted female. Later in their lives, Dee would say, '"Elinor is the fiercest woman I have ever seen. There is something exceptional about her. Something I have wondered about all these many years. Some are destiny's children. I cannot say why it is so. Mistress Nell is one of them."

Now, however, Nell is only five and when she catches a glimpse of the fair, young Lady Elizabeth imprisoned in the Tower, walking in the Lieutenant's gardens, she is entranced and determined to free her. The mischievous child finds an old key and manages to scrabble over the gate partitioning the official residence from the garden. There the child meets the Princess and gives her the "magic key" so she can escape. For a few brief moments, they chat and Elizabeth tells Nell she will never forget her or her loyalty.

Frequent flashbacks take the reader to the period of Elizabeth's traumatic infancy and youth. The hurts and upheavals she experiences will strongly affect how she lives and rules as Queen of England. Most know the history of Henry VIII's six wives and their terrible fates, but one marriage in particular has a major impact on Elizabeth. When her mother, the King's 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn, failed to produce a male heir, Henry lopped-off her pretty head based on trumped-up charges of adultery, incest and treason. Elizabeth's birth was one of the King's biggest disappointments, and from childhood she knew this. The toddler, at age 3, and her half-sister, Mary, were declared illegitimate after Jane Seymour, wife number three, gave birth to a son, Edward.

Henry dies in 1547, when Elizabeth is 13 years old. Edward VI succeeds his father. Henry had reinstated his daughters in the line of succession before his death. Mary is to follow Edward, and Elizabeth is to follow Mary. Elizabeth is now second in line to the throne. Nine year-old Edward is too young to rule, so his uncle, Edward Seymour, becomes Protector of England. Dowager Queen Catherine soon marries Thomas Seymour of Sudley, also Edward VI's uncle and the brother of the Lord Protector. For Catherine, this is a true love match. Elizabeth, who has come to really care for her final stepmother, (and visa versa), is invited to live with the newlyweds in their house at Chelsea. This interval with the Seymours "should have been a time of happiness and security for Elizabeth." Quite the contrary, however, as she "experiences an emotional crisis that historians believe affected her for the rest of her life." The charismatic, ambitious Seymour, at age 40, possesses "a powerful sex appeal" and is a master at wooing and bedding the ladies. Historical witnesses verified that he frequently "fondled and touched" the 14-year-old girl. He was seen entering her bedroom in his nightgown, tickling her and slapping her on the buttocks beneath her own nightclothes. "There is a report of Seymour slashing and ripping Elizabeth's gown in the gardens of the house." After Catherine Parr discovers the pair in a compromising embrace, she sends Elizabeth away. Once more the young woman is abandoned and betrayed, her honor compromised by a man old enough to be her father.

When Katherine Parr dies of childbirth fever, Thomas renews his attentions towards Elizabeth. She is a beautiful teenager and Seymour wants to be King. He is intent on marrying her. When Catherine Ashly, governess and close friend to Elizabeth is interrogated, along with Thomas Parry, a household attendant, Seymour's behavior comes to light. Elizabeth, living at Hatfield House, refuses to comment, except to swear she is a virgin. She is to swear this throughout her life, and is known as the "Virgin Queen." Seymour was arrested and beheaded for plotting to marry a princess of royal blood and overthrow the government. Did Elizabeth remain a virgin all her life? Given the number of men who seriously wooed her, especially Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, it is doubtful. For many years, Dudley hoped, with good reason, that the Queen would marry him. He was widely believed to be her lover.

For centuries rumors have circulated that Elizabeth bore Thomas Seymour a child during the period right after Catherine Parr sent her away. This event would not have been impossible to conceal. England was in political turmoil. Those at the royal court paid little attention to Elizabeth, whose face was not known in the countryside. She could have been sequestered with Cat Ashley and a few other intimates. The midwife who attended her wouldn't have known who the young noblewomen was, especially if she were brought to the house blindfolded. It is a possibility Ella March Chase explores in a most believable fashion. She postulates that Elizabeth bears a daughter who is supposedly smothered at birth. The baby is secretly adopted by Thomasin de Lacey, a lady-in-waiting to Katherine Parr, who has just lost her own newborn. The girl child is named Elinor de Lacey. Her nurse, Hepzibah Jones, "Eppie," was Catherine Parr's midwife. Nell's mother, and her nurse have every reason to keep this secret. Their lives and Nell's depends it.

When Baron de Lacey dies, Nell secretly contacts Queen Elizabeth and wins a place at court. As a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, the lovely, red-head learns just how dangerous life at court can be, with the courtiers' ambitious scheming, and political intriguing. She begins to understand why her mother obsessively wanted to keep her in Lincolnshire. Nell's appearance and character, so similar to Elizabeth's, draws the curiosity of those who surround the Queen. Elizabeth becomes increasingly suspicious of Nell's origins and sends spies to all corners of her kingdom to gather information. Nell realizes her life is in serious jeopardy when she learns the truth of her birth. She wants nothing more than to return to Calverley, but there is no way out for her now. Her life means nothing. Protecting Queen Elizabeth, her reputation, and her reign is everything. The story builds in suspense and the author delivers a gripping and compelling ending. She also includes a romance between Nell and a courtier, loyal to Robert Dudley. Their relationship helps to bring the story to an extraordinarily surprising ending.

Ms. Chase brings Elizabethan England to life. Many historical characters figure in the storyline. Her research into 16th century England, is impeccable. I am very interested in this period and am impressed by her knowledge.

Above all, this is a story of two brilliant women trying to survive, on their terms, in the traditional world of men. They both share a love of knowledge and the truth, and rebel against a woman's subordinate role. Elizabeth and Elinor are both strong heroines.

I highly recommend "The Virgin Queen's Daughter," for historical fiction fans who are interested in a different take on Tudor England.
Jana Perskie

Queen's Bastard: A Novel
The Lady Elizabeth: A Novel (Random House Reader's Circle)
The Life of Elizabeth I
I, Elizabeth: A Novel
Queen of This Realm

This is Ella March Chase's first novel? Wow! What a debut for this wonderful new author! I absolutely and completely enjoyed The Virgin Queen's Daughter. The novel was based on a well-known myth about Queen Elizabeth giving birth to an illegitimate child. The myth can be traced to a story that has come down through the ages of a midwife that was blindfolded and taken to a great estate to attend a "fair lady" who was giving birth. Was this Elizabeth? I seriously doubt it.

When Elizabeth was queen she was stricken with small pox and came very near to death. During this ordeal she swore that she had never had relations with any man and was indeed a virgin. This is a historical fact. Considering the religious mind of the times and how close Queen Elizabeth came to death, it is practically impossible to believe that she could be lying. This has always been enough proof to me that the virgin queen was in fact what she claimed.

The Virgin Queen's Daughter was beautifully-written. I actually enjoyed this novel more than Alison Weir's The Lady Elizabeth. Weir's book is based on the same myth, except that book claims the child was Thomas Seymour's. Ms Chase's book doesn't ever reveal who Elinor de Lacey's father was, but the ending leaves the impression that it was Robert Dudley.

I have read many books about Queen Elizabeth, and I have to say that this book captured the essence of who Elizabeth Tudor really was, or at least who history indicates she was. Elizabeth's wit, personality, and the ever-present threat to Elizabeth's claim to the throne are all vividly written to bring the Tudor court to life before your very eyes.

The book features many well-known historical figures: Katherine Ashley, Isabella Markham, Robert Dudley, William Pickering, Francis Walsingham, William Cecil, Lettice Knollys, Mary Grey and many others. I do wonder why William Cecil did not play a more prominent role in this book considering the role he played during Elizabeth's reign. Regardless, this was a wonderful read! Five stars! I look forward to reading another novel by this author!

A pleasant little historical confection working from the premise that Queen Elizabeth I had a daughter.

The author deftly re-imagines Queen Elizabeth I's court & courtiers, placing her daughter in the midst of its intrigue. Filled with characters that will be familiar to anyone who reads historical fiction of this era, the sense of place & time is palpable.

Court intrigue, romance, torture - a nice, fluffy read.

I started this book expecting it to be complete fluff, and while for the most part is was, it was still a good read. Elinore de Lacy is a country born gentlewoman in the mid 16th century, who loves all things science. She's very close to her father who teaches her to become the scholar he knows she's born to be. However, after a chance encounter with the captive Princess Elizabeth Tudor at the Tower of London in 1554, young Nell wishes with all her heart to go to court when she's old enough, and serve her captive princess once she becomes Queen. Her mother is none to pleased about this since there are many secrets regarding Nell's birth that she is unaware of. Secrets that, if the wrong people find out, could mean her death.

I gotta say, I was a little curious as to why Nell's mother didn't just tell her the truth. Why she had to be so vague about everything. Had Nell known the story, she wouldn't have wanted to go to court and the whole mess that followed would have been avoided...though I suppose that wouldn't have made much of a book. I liked the fictional characters of Nell and Gabriel Wyatt, a courtier who whose attentions to Nell are irritating, yet exciting. My least favorite character was Elizabeth (this was through no fault of the author though). I've only read a few books centered on Queen Elizabeth I, but every time I read one, it reminds me why I avoid them. I love her father, King Henry VIII, and have read plenty of books about he and his many wives. He's arrogant, obnoxious, and tyrannical, but he's Henry...you expect if from him. Elizabeth however, is just a b**ch, and not the good kind. Every book I've read about her she's extremely childish in her need to be complimented ALL THE TIME. Having to constantly be assured of her beauty (which is questionable) and praised for her intellect. She can't stand for anyone to find love and be happy...and God forbid if they have children, even married couples! She CHOSE to be the 'Virgin' Queen and never marry or have children, but why she expects everyone around her to do the same is beyond me. She may have been one of England's greatest Queens, but she was NOT a likeable person.

That aside, I absolutely recommend this book if you're at all interested. Ms. Chase has done a fine job with her first foray into Historical Fiction. Her research was extensive and accurate, and her portrayal of all the characters was very true to history. I like that she chose to center her story on two fictional characters in an actual court. It gave her so much room to play with the story, and she keeps the flow of the book going at a great pace. I was never board at any point while reading this. I definitely look forward to whatever it is Ms. Chase comes out with next, and I hope she keeps if in this genre...she does such a great job with it.

Not only does the The Virgin Queen's Daughter explore a historical rumor in a way that caused this reader to believe such a scenario could have been possible, it is beautifully written. The characters, language and details transported me to 16th centural England. I enjoy historical fiction for the same reason I enjoy biography. Learning about how an individual's life evolves and unfolds fascinates me. Chase's book not only fulfills this need but it also simply just a good story. There are not many books that lure me away from prime time TV or motivate me to squeeze a page or two into any spare minute but The Virgin Queen's Daughter did just that. One doesn't need to be a world history wizard to enjoy this novel. I would recommend it to any reader of historical fiction or just plain good fiction.

Every so often I really enjoy switching off today's world and taking a mental time machine to long-ago England, when the Tudor courts teemed with intrigue, romance, and violence. When women were nothing but the sum of their gowns, the money their fathers gave them, and the men to whom they were connected. Queen Elizabeth I stood apart from orat dinary women, not only because she was Henry VIII's daughter, but because of her solid resolve, independence and courage in the face of terrible odds. So many centuries later, she is still considered tbe best monarch England ever had.
So, what of the speculation that she may have had an illegitimate child? Although it's highly unlikely, Ella March Chase takes up the idea and makes alternative history of it in her book (her only book so far), The Virgin Queen's Daughter. A very enjoyable story, if you like this sort of stuff. And, as I heard the audiobook rather than read the book, a riveting listen. It was beautifully read by Rosalind Landor
Ella Chase tells her story well. Her main character, Elinor de Lacey, meets the imprisoned princess Elizabeth just once, when she was just five. Upset to see the princess in captivity, she steals a key and gives it to the princess telling her to escape because her head was "loose on her shoulders". Elizabeth, of course, becomes Queen, but Elinor discovers to her horror that she may well be the illegitimate daughter of the mighty monarch. She was supposed to have been put to death on birth...but wasn't. She was rescued by the midwife and brought up by parents who loved her. Now though, she is at Elizabeth's court, where she faces danger, romance, and imprisonment. Seems unfair, doesn't it? But that's how life was at the time.
Ella Chase has a hard act to follow with historical romance writers like Phillipa Gregory, Jean Plaidy and others having written about the same period in dozens of books. Or, you might say she has the advantage of knowing how it's done. Either way, it's fun to read... like eating marshmallows by a fire.

After reading the first review I have to admit Gregory's line of books on the Tudors did get me into the era. However, this one really pulled me into the story in a way The Other Boleyn Girl and The Constant Princess never did. I don't want to give anything away but I got so involved with The Virgin Queen's Daughter that I cried my eyes out the last two hours I was reading! Amazing Book! You have to read this book, even if you've never read anything on the Tudor reign!

Fabulous, couldn't put it down! Can't wait to hear more from this author..... wonderful!

What a possibility! I found it a very plausable yarn, and interesting from an historical point of view.