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Summary
Summary
Following the tremendous success of her first novel, Innocent Traitor, which recounted the riveting tale of the doomed Lady Jane Grey, acclaimed historian and New York Times bestselling author Alison Weir turns her masterly storytelling skills to the early life of young Elizabeth Tudor, who would grow up to become England's most intriguing and powerful queen. Even at age two, Elizabeth is keenly aware that people in the court of her father, King Henry VIII, have stopped referring to her as "Lady Princess" and now call her "the Lady Elizabeth." Before she is three, she learns of the tragic fate that has befallen her mother, the enigmatic and seductive Anne Boleyn, and that she herself has been declared illegitimate, an injustice that will haunt her. What comes next is a succession of stepmothers, bringing with them glimpses of love, fleeting security, tempestuous conflict, and tragedy. The death of her father puts the teenage Elizabeth in greater peril, leaving her at the mercy of ambitious and unscrupulous men. Like her mother two decades earlier she is imprisoned in the Tower of London - and fears she will also meet her mother's grisly end. Power-driven politics, private scandal and public gossip, a disputed succession, and the grievous example of her sister, "Bloody" Queen Mary, all cement Elizabeth's resolve in matters of statecraft and love, and set the stage for her transformation into the iconic Virgin Queen. Alison Weir uses her deft talents as historian and novelist to exquisitely and suspensefully play out the conflicts between family, politics, religion, and conscience that came to define an age. Sweeping in scope, The Lady Elizabeth is a fascinating portrayal of a woman far ahead of her time - an orphaned girl haunted by the shadow of the axe, an independent spirit who must use her cunning and wits for her very survival, and a future queen whose dangerous and dramatic path to the throne shapes her future greatness. From the Hardcover edition.
Author Notes
Alison Weir was born in London, England on July 8, 1951. She received training to be a teacher with a concentration in history from the North Western Polytechnic. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a civil servant and ran her own school for children with learning difficulties from 1991 to 1997. Her first book, Britain's Royal Families, was published in 1989. Her other books include The Six Wives of Henry VIII; Children of England; Eleanor of Aquitaine; Henry VIII: King and Court; Mary, Queen of Scots; and Isabella.
Her first novel, Innocent Traitor, was published in 2006. Her other novels include The Lady Elizabeth, The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn, The Captive Queen, A Dangerous Inheritance, and Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Rosalyn Landor distinguishes the female characters nicely, handles the British and Welsh accents well and has a charming narrator's voice. She's less successful voicing the children, who sound like squeaky toys, and her Henry VIII makes one think of Papa Bear. While the book is often tediously detailed, and the children's psychological sophistication and vocabulary are beyond belief, Weir knows her landscape and how to tell a good yarn: she has written 10 histories of this period, and one bestselling novel, Innocent Traitor, about Lady Jane Grey. Landor's narration carries the fascinating plot twists and dynamic characters. Weir fans, historical novel and Elizabethan era buffs--and teenage girls--will enjoy this audio. A Ballantine hardcover (reviewed online). (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Popular historian Weir's second fictionalized foray into England's Tudor period, which has been her nonfiction mainstay all along, follows the impressive Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey (2007). She now tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I's early life, most specifically her perilous, even, at times, life-threatening, path to the throne. Daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth was bastardized upon her mother's downfall; later recognized as an heir to her father in order of succession after her brother and older sister, Elizabeth nevertheless remained officially illegitimate. Victim in her early teens of the sexual advances of her stepfather, Thomas Seymour, Elizabeth also endured rough treatment from the hands of her sister Queen Mary I, because of her Protestantism and the threat she posed to Queen Mary's obsessive Catholicism. As Weir so painstakingly creates her, within the precocious young Elizabeth are seen the seeds of the wise, successful adult queen. When understanding of a character reaches a level of identity with her or him, especially in historical fiction, the result is a compelling, even irresistible, read. Having established that identity here, Weir offers an exceptionally perceptive as well as imaginative interpretation of the most significant monarch in English history.--Hooper, Brad Copyright 2008 Booklist
Library Journal Review
What comes after a debut about that Innocent Traitor, Lady Jane Grey? The story of young Elizabeth. With an 11-city tour. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.