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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.92
EAN num: 9780345495358
ISBN number: 0345495357
Label: Ballantine Books
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 496
Printing Date: April 29, 2008
Publishing house: Ballantine Books
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Sale Popularity Level: 24983
Studio: Ballantine Books
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Product Description:
Following the tremendous sucess of her very 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 subsequent 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.
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Rated by buyers -
Weir's second novel is excellent- a blend of facts with some very intriguing conjecture- an enjoyable read
Rated by buyers 
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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.
Rated by buyers -
I absolutely loved Ms. Weir's very first novel, Innocent Traitor, and was hoping to feel the same about this book. While I enjoyed it, I can't say that it captivated me as much as the first. In truth, it may not be because of the novel, itself, but probably because of the fact that I read so much about Tudor times and am too familiar with the events. At first, I did enjoy reading about the relationship between Elizabeth and her sister Mary, but eventually, found it tedious and and wanted to give Mary a good shaking for her evil and selfish ways. I also found Elizabeth a little mature for her age, but the author addresses that issue in her note at the end of the book (I guess others thought as I did).
In general, Ms Weir's writing style is easy to follow and lends itself to an enjoyable and fast read. Despite the fact, that I didn't find this novel as riveting as her first, I am still eagerly looking forward to reading any future novels she plans to write.
Rated by buyers -
Alison Weir shows yet again that she is a skilled novelist, this time taking on the complex and hazy story of Elizabeth Tudor's childhood and leading up to her accession.
Elizabeth, as depicted by Weir, is savvy, politically-minded and ambitious. She is also sometimes naive and all-too-human, especially in her dealings with Thomas Seymour. Seymour's behavior would now be properly referred to as molestation, and the sequences where he invades Elizabeth's space, and betrays his wife in the process, were vividly written - so vividly that I was almost uncomfortable. His fate was not an unwelcome one, and he could have taken Elizabeth down with him.
I continue to be fascinated by Tudor historical fiction, and by Elizabeth in particular. Alison Weir is an excellent author, and while I didn't love this novel as much as I did Innocent Traitor, it is firmly in the four-star tier.
Rated by buyers 
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"The King's Daughter". Elizabeth Tudor is not quite three years old when her father King Henry beheads her mother his second wife Anne Boleyn. Thus with one stroke of the ax the child is demoted from Princess to lady. From that day until her sire dies, her life is in jeopardy.
"The King's Sister". A teen when her father dies, Elizabeth's fortune and safety improves when her brother King Edward ascends to the throne. She tries to protect her virtue from royal retinue rats, but overall feels safer than when her father lived.
"The Queen's Sister". In her early twenties when Edward dies, her sister devout Catholic Mary becomes the queen. Elizabeth being a protestant remains in more peril than when either of her male blood relatives ruled.
Alison Weir provides a refreshing biographical fiction; not an easy task as so much has been written and filmed re Queen Elizabeth I. The novel is broken into three parts all prior to Elizabeth sitting on the throne and based on her relationship to the monarch of the moment. Readers will obtain a deep look at the salad days of the ultimate survivor as the young Elizabeth navigates the political, religious, and regal shark infested waters. Ms. Weir's character opposite follow up to the ultimate victim INNOCENT TRAITOR (Lady Jane Grey's tragic saga) is a terrific sixteenth century biographical fiction.
Harriet Klausner
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