The Maiden's Court: Elizabeth I

Showing posts with label Elizabeth I. Show all posts

Monday, October 20, 2014

Book Review: The Tudor Vendetta by C.W. Gortner

The Tudor Vendetta by C.W. Gortner
Book 3 in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
ARC, E-book, 304 pages
St. Martin’s Griffin
October 21, 2014
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction - Thriller

Source: Received for review from publisher as part of HFVBT tour

“Winter, 1558: Elizabeth I has ascended the throne but the first days of her reign are already fraught with turmoil, the kingdom weakened by strife and her ability to rule uncertain.
Summoned from exile abroad at the new queen's behest, Brendan Prescott arrives in London to face his shattered past. He soon finds himself pitted in deadly rivalry with his life-long foe, Robert Dudley, but when a poison attempt overshadows the queen’s coronation, Elizabeth privately dispatches Brendan on a far more dangerous assignation: to find her favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, who has vanished in Yorkshire.
Upon his arrival at the crumbling sea-side manor that may hold the key to Lady Parry's disappearance, he encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery, the more he becomes the quarry of an elusive stranger with a vendetta— one that could expose both his own buried identity and a long-hidden revelation that will bring about Elizabeth's doom.
From the intrigue-laden passages of Whitehall to a foreboding Catholic manor and the prisons of the Tower, Brendan must risk everything to unravel a vendetta that strikes at the very core of his world, including his loyalty to his queen.”

The first two books in the Elizabeth I Spymaster series I ate right up – amazing as they were. I took The Tudor Vendetta with me on my recent vacation and finished the whole thing on the flight! Yes, it is that good (the flight wasn’t that long)! While the third book might wrap up the trilogy (please write some more stories for Brendan!) it blazes ahead at the same speed as its predecessors to a satisfying conclusion.

As is the case with Gortner’s novels, the characters are so lifelike and real you can envision yourself in their shoes or encountering them in some dark alleyway. They pull at your heartstrings or make you incredibly angry with their actions. As Brendan is employed by Cecil, he is always right in the thick of some intrigue, danger, or otherwise shady circumstance. Brendan is a true HF hunk.

As has been the case with the drama Brendan has been tied up with in the past, what he faces here is not a plot twist that I saw coming. Gortner does a great job of grounding the plot in historical reality, but also playing with some of the rumors and scandals from the Tudor era to add some depth to the intrigue. Certainly plausible, definitely entertaining.

I’m saddened that we have reached the end of the Spymaster trilogy, but the novel closed with what isn’t a definitive ending, so I hope someday to be treated to more of the thrill that this series is.

Author C.W. Gortner also has written The Tudor Secret (book 1) and The Tudor Conspiracy (book 2) among other novels. You can visit Gortner’s website or blog for additional information about the book. If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book?

My reviews of other books by this author:

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

You can follow along with the rest of the tour by visiting the HFVBT site or on Twitter with the following hashtag: #TudorVendettaBlogTour.

There is also a tour wide giveaway (it is being hosted on all the blogs on the tour and the winner will be selected by the tour coordinator). It's a pretty epic giveaway too, for a complete set of the Spymaster Trilogy!! Get your entries in! Here are the rules:

Open to residents of the USA
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on November 28th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on November 29th and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen
Entries are made through the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Book Review: The Tudor Conspiracy by C.W. Gortner

The Tudor Conspiracy by C.W. Gortner
Book 2 in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
Paperback, 352 pages
St. Martin’s Griffin
July 16, 2013
★★★★½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction - Thriller

Source: Received for review from publisher as part of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour

Winter 1554. Brendan Prescott, spymaster to the Princess Elizabeth, has discovered that he is connected to the Tudors by blood as well as allegiance. Though his secret is known only by a few, it could be his downfall as he is called to London to protect the princess.

Accompanied by his young squire Peregrine, he reluctantly leaves his sweetheart Kate behind - but in the city he discovers that no one is quite what they seem. What fate does Queen Mary intend for her sister? Is Robert Dudley somehow manipulating the princess, even though he is locked in the Tower? And should Brendan trust the alluring Sybilla, Mary's lady-in-waiting, who professes to be on his side?

As he tries to unravel the mysteries of the Tudor court Brendan's life will be put in danger many times, and along the way he learns more about his own past.

If you remember, when I wrote my review of The Tudor Secret in February 2011, I crowed, “Best Book of 2011!”. While this may not be my #1 favorite of 2013, it will inevitably be within my top 5 reads this year (it will be hard to beat out my love for Roses by Leila Meacham which I read a few months ago). I’m always slightly hesitant when reading the second book in a series – especially when I really enjoyed book one – but I am pleased to say that there is no sophomore slump here.

While the plotline of this novel deals primarily with the Wyatt Rebellion, which I didn’t previously know much about, the heft of the emotional plotline is the backstory of our hero, Brendan. He learns a lot about himself throughout the span of these pages and really has to grapple with emotions and various questions of conscience. These events will change him as a character is some ways I’m sure.

There was great drama and pacing of the novel – which is a strength which the author does well. While we do get to spend time with some of the favorite characters from the prior novel, more time is focused on some newer characters. I was sad about this in some ways, but the characters are well developed and I enjoyed them just as much.

My only complaint was that at times it was difficult to remember which of his two identities, Brendan was at any given time; and further, who knows him as which name. I would hazard that the author found this to be a challenge as well. At one point, Queen Mary refers to Brendan as “Mr. Prescott” when all along she and 95% of the court have only known him as Daniel Beecham (pg. 74). As neither Brendan nor any of the other characters reacted to this incorrect name, I’m assuming that it wasn’t meant to be some sort of revelation.

Overall a great second book in this series and I can’t wait for more. Gortner makes the Tudor court once again new and exciting!

Author C.W. Gortner has written several biographical novels as well as book 1 in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles, The Tudor Secret. You can visit the author’s website or blog for additional information about the book. If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book?

My reviews of other books by this author:

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

You can follow along with the rest of the blog tour by visiting the HFVBT website or on Twitter with the following hashtag: #TudorConspiracyTour.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Book Review: The Lady and the Poet by Maeve Haran

The Lady and the Poet by Maeve Haran
Paperback, 384 pages
St. Martin’s Griffin
March 15, 2011
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received from publisher for review

“Ann More and her four sisters have been brought up in the beautiful country house of Loseley, near Guildford in Surrey, by their grandparents, Sir William and the Lady Margaret More. Their only brother, Robert, lives with his pompous father and shrewish step-mother nearby. But though the sisters are close, it is Ann who is the most unusual in character. Willful, argumentative, challenging and fiery, she is handsome rather than beautiful, and has an indomitable spirit. It is this that endears her to her grandfather, who encourages her learning and lets her loose in his well-stocked library to browse the volumes of Latin and Greek.

Once her favorite sister Bett is married, Ann is sent to live in York House in London, where her uncle is Lord Keeper of the Seal. Ann knows her father is endeavoring to find her a match in marriage, and she is to be presented at the Court of Queen Elizabeth yet the journey past Nonsuch Palace, through Southwark, the city gates spiked with the heads of recent traitors and across the shining river proves unimaginably exciting. Soon, Ann is quite at home at York House, and there, in the company of her young cousin, she meets the poet John Donne, a man older and wiser than her, whose verse and character she just cannot resist.

Rich in period detail, vivid in description and character, THE LADY AND THE POET is an utterly irresistible, compelling historical novel. It is, above all, the passionate story of the love match between one of the most famous poets of all time, and his young bride.”

For some reason, something that I cannot really put my finger on, it took me a long time to decide I was in the mood to read this book. I think that part of it was the fact that I truly had no idea who John Dunne was, besides the fact that he was a poet. Secondly, because I knew he was a poet, and I really don’t like reading poetry, I likely steered away from this because I was intimidated by the possibly of needing to read poetry. If you are like I was, I want to reassure you that you don’t really need to know anything about John Dunne to enjoy this novel, although an appreciation of poetry wouldn’t hurt. There are poems, or portions of poems, sprinkled throughout the novel and if you know any of Dunne’s poetry you will likely find more enjoyment in being able to place the poem historically.

One thing that this novel does very well is evoke the time period and place. Through Haran’s writing, London comes to life where you can almost see, feel, and smell the world around you. You see a little bit of everything from the seedier, back streets of London to the Queen’s chambers of the palace. At no point does the descriptions bog down the writing – the pages fly by!

The characters were well written. Ann More has several sisters and none of the women really felt stereotypical or cookie cutter. There were all a little different and unique, however at the same time they fit the most of women from that time period. One of my favorite scenes was when Ann had her introduction to Queen Elizabeth – and the Queen is in one of her jealous rages. This isn’t a side of Elizabeth that I have seen novelized much – mostly because the Elizabeth that I read of is often in the earlier years of her reign. I very much enjoyed the character of John Dunne – he was a little bit scandalous, sexy, and the man you wouldn’t want your daughter with – but at the same time he really cares so much for Ann. The two of them go to great extents to be able to love and marry and it made for great drama. Quite a touching love story.

Author Maeve Haran also has written another historical fiction novel The Painted Lady. You can visit Haran’s website for additional information about the book.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

Friday, January 20, 2012

TV Show Review: The Royal Diaries Elizabeth I

The Royal Diaries: Elizabeth I – Red Rose of the House of Tudor

Scholastic Productions

30 Mins

November 4, 2000

HBO and Scholastic (an odd partnership if there ever was one) partnered up to create three ½ hour episodes based on the popular Royal Diaries series. This was the second episode in the series. This episode is based on the book Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor.

If you have read the books, you know they are written as diaries – the episodes are set up the same way. Elizabeth is narrating the story and there are segments where she is shown writing in her diary. I thought this was one good way of tying the book to the episode. I did read the original book the episode is based on but it was so long ago I don’t know how closely they stayed to it. I do intend to reread the series at some point.

We get to see how Elizabeth deals with trying to live outside of the shadow of Anne Boleyn. We also get to see her opinion on the many wives of Henry VIII. She goes through the age old, “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived” song, but it was so funny. The relationship between her and Princess Mary is super antagonistic. The episode certainly makes it out that Mary = bad and Elizabeth = good. And of course there is a young Robin Dudley following Elizabeth around like a lost puppy.

This would be a fun show for kids to watch. This episode features the youngest cast, the characters are right around 10 years old. The history is not at too high of a level for young adults to grasp and there are funny, kid focused events too – like searching for the ghost of Katherine Howard.

As this is only a half hour episode, a very limited story is shown – primarily the events right before the death of Henry and the attempt to have Katherine Parr done in. There is a voiceover at the end that tells what happened to Mary, Elizabeth, Edward and Katherine Parr. I thought the acting was good, the scenery was well done and would certainly pass for a child – hard core history enthusiasts might find many faults but as an introductory tool I think it was well done.

You can watch the entire episode on Youtube, which I have linked below for your viewing pleasure.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Movie Preview - Anonymous

We all have heard the rumor that Shakespeare did not write all/some of his plays. The to-be-released-this-fall film, Anonymous, explores this idea more fully. The primary focus of the film is who wrote these plays but it is also described as a political thriller set in the Elizabethan Era around the Essex Rebellion. For those of you who are interested in Shakespeare and this time period, this movie looks interesting. The trailer is below – it certainly looks dramatic!

In the USA, UK, and Canada it is scheduled to be released September 30, 2011. You can check out the release dates by country here.

Joely Richardson will play a young Elizabeth Tudor while Vanessa Redgrave will play Queen Elizabeth. I don’t recognize any of the other actors in this film.

Do you think you will see this one?

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Caught on Tape: Elizabeth I

In this episode of Caught on Tape we follow the Virgin Queen, Gloriana, Elizabeth I, take your pick of names. I haven’t read a lot of the historical novels on Elizabeth, as she isn’t one of my favorite historical people, and I haven’t seen any of these films either – although after putting together this list there are several I would love to see. I really think my historical movie quota is lacking – after looking at how many movies I have featured in this series of posts, and how many of them I have not seen. Here we will take a look at some of the early movies as well as some of the most recent – it is weird how I didn’t really find any between the 1950’s and 1990’s/2000’s.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

“Tempers flared between stars Bette Davis and Errol Flynn on the set of Michael Curtiz's lavish production about the tumultuous love affair of Elizabeth I (Davis) and the ambitious young Earl of Essex (Flynn). Elizabeth mistrusts Essex's intentions with good reason -- his desire for power is stronger than his love for England. Olivia de Havilland and Vincent Price costar.” (from Netflix)

The wonderful Bette Davis and Errol Flynn (post Robin Hood) take the lead in this very early historical romance. This was the earliest clip that I could find, although there appear to have been some silent films made about the life of Glorianna. The film is based on a play by Maxwell Anderson called Elizabeth the Queen. From what little I know about the reign of Elizabeth, this romance is not realistic. Flynn is absolute eye candy while Davis makes a striking Elizabeth (not necessarily a pretty one as we will see portrayed next). Davis would go on to play Elizabeth again in 1955 in The Virgin Queen. I found it interesting that the trailer says filmed in Technicolor, but the trailer was in black and white! I guess you would have been excited to see the film after the trailer because of the color. The film received 5 Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Color Cinematography.

Young Bess (1953)

“Chronicles the life of queen Elizabeth I, before she became the queen of England. Apart from taking part in the court intrigues, she has an unhappy love for Admiral Thomas Seymour, and dreams of building a navy to match the Portuguese and the Spanish.” (from IMDB)

This movie looks like your typical 1950’s costume romantic drama. This movie stars Jean Simmons as Young Bess, Charles Laughton reprises his role as Henry VIII, Stewart Granger as Thomas Seymour and Deborah Kerr as Catherine Parr. Simmons almost didn’t get this role because she was considered to be too pretty for the role of Elizabeth. Charles Laughton looks great as Henry. I love the scene around 1:40 between Elizabeth and Henry – I don’t think that would have ever happened. I also am pretty sure that this story of love between Thomas and Elizabeth did not happen either. The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards – for Art Design and Costume. Jean makes a beautiful Elizabeth and she starred in several other historically based films (such as Desiree).

Elizabeth (1998)

“Shekhar Kapur's Oscar-winning treatise on absolute power and its human toll sees fledgling queen Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett) sacrificing happiness with her lover (Joseph Fiennes) for her own safety and placing her trust in her stealthy "spymaster," Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush). The so-called "Virgin Queen" took the throne of a Roman Catholic country, declared the nation Protestant and ruled for 45 years -- but at great personal cost.” (from Netflix)

Cate Blanchett plays another pretty (but more realistic) version of Elizabeth. This movie also has a great cast – co starring Joseph Fiennes as Robert Dudley (the first movie we have seen the character appear in thus far) and Geoffrey Rush as Francis Walsingham. This is a Hollywood version of Elizabeth’s life, you can find a whole long list of historical inaccuracies online. None-the-less, this movie has won a slew of awards.

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor (2000)

“Adapted from the beloved Scholastic Book Series, Dear America, The Royal Diaries focuses on the diaries of three real princesses in three separate adventures. Each story is an accurate depiction about what life would have been like in the era covered by each story and as seen through the eyes of teenage girls. The Royal Diaries mixes the magic of storytelling with historical events, bringing these unique girls to life. Let these teen princesses surround you with the adventures, struggles and responsibilities of being part of a royal family while still being true to themselves.

Includes 3 Stories:
Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor
Isabel: Jewel of Castilla
Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile” (from Amazon)

This is one part of a three part TV series based on three of the Royal Diaries YA books. One segment is on Elizabeth and the other two that are also on the DVD are Cleopatra and Isabella of Castille. These episodes originally aired on HBO. It is presented in diary format like the book and told from the pre-teen/teenaged perspective. The scene with King Henry trying to mount his house is hilarious. Tamara Hope is the young Elizabeth. This is not the most indepth of movies, but this would be appealing to a YA audience, paired with the books of course!

Elizabeth I Mini-series (2005)

“Helen Mirren earned a pair of Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her impassioned portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in this HBO miniseries that explores the effect of the monarch's public role on her private life. Unable to wed the man she loves (Jeremy Irons, in an Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning role), Elizabeth flirts with the idea of marrying a French prince and later sets her sights on the earl's stepson.” (from Netflix)

This miniseries featured on HBO focuses on the last 25 years of Elizabeth’s reign. There are two, two-hour segments. The first part focuses primarily on her relationship with Robert Dudley while the second part focuses on the problems during the end of her reign, including the issue of Mary, Queen of Scots. The fabulous Helen Mirren plays Elizabeth in a role that earned her much acclaim. Jeremy Irons (as Robert Dudley) and Hugh Dancy (as her later man of interest, the Earl of Essex) are the male co-stars here. This mini-series comes to me highly recommended.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

“Cate Blanchett earned another nod from the Academy as the Virgin Queen -- reprising her Oscar-nominated role from 1998's Elizabeth -- in this lushly costumed but historically muddy sequel from director Shekhar Kapur. Focusing on the queen's tempestuous relationship with the adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), the film also stars Geoffrey Rush as the queen's adviser, Sir Francis Walsingham, and Samantha Morton as Mary, Queen of Scots.” (from Netflix)

Cate Blachette reprises her role as Elizabeth in her second film on the Queen – this time focusing on the later aspects on her reign. It seems the focus of late is on her later life while in earlier decades it was on the romances of her early life. Geoffrey Rush also reprises his role as Francis Walsingham, while Clive Owen takes over the hunk factor from Joseph Fiennes as Sir Walter Raleigh. As with the first, this movie is full of creative license when it comes to historical fact; an issue that Cate Blanchett addressed in an interview, “It's terrifying that we are growing up with this very illiterate bunch of children, who are somehow being taught that film is fact, when in fact it's invention. Hopefully, though, a historical film will inspire people to go and read about the history. But in the end it is a work of history and selection". This movie receive less stellar reviews that the 1998 outing.

What films have you seen where Elizabeth I is present? If you have seen any of the above, what did you think?

Friday, February 11, 2011

Book Review: The Tudor Secret by C. W. Gortner

The Tudor Secret by C. W. Gortner

Book 1 of The Spymaster Chronicles
Previously published as The Secret Lion

Paperback, 336 pages

St. Martin's Griffin

February 1, 2011
★★★★★

Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller

Source: Received from publisher for review

Summer, 1553: Brendan Prescott, an orphan reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family, is brought to court, where he finds himself sent on an illicit mission to King Edward VI’s brilliant, enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth.

But soon Brendan is compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth’s protector, William Cecil—who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.

A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth's quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder.

Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, The Tudor Secret brings this world to life from a new perspective, telling the story of a spy who becomes the protector of England's future queen.

I know it is early in the year to say this and have it carry much weight but…Best…Book…of 2011! I am calling it now. I have never been a fan of the Princess/Queen Elizabeth I but anything that C. W. Gortner writes I will read. This book was amazingly well written – I am so pleased that he was allowed the opportunity to re-release this book (previously self-published under the title The Secret Lion) and thus allow a wider audience to enjoy it. Gortner seamlessly weaves Tudor lore with a mastery of suspense – even with all of the twists and turns you don’t lose anything in this novel.

This novel was a breath of fresh air for me in regards to Elizabeth. She is an important character, certainly, but the central focus of the book is Squire Brendan Prescott. We see him quickly develop from a slightly naïve squire to a dashingly handsome spy. It was so refreshing to have a male central character when the genre is typically filled with the other. We get to know all of the characters a little bit, but I felt the Dudley’s were a little underdeveloped for me. But, with this being the first in a series of books, I expect that there will be a lot more character growth throughout, so this doesn’t bother me too much. It was interesting that the majority of the characters were either fictional or lesser written about which added a new spin to the story being told.

The premise of this story is set mostly in the fictional setting with historical characters and real events weaving in and out. It is amazing to me how well the author was able to blend the historical with the fictional and nothing seemed out of place. Very quickly you are swept up in the intrigue and mystery of what is happening at court. Seeing everything from the viewpoint of Prescott keeps you in the dark more often than not, but that is one of the things that keeps you hanging on to every word. This novel is very fast paced and before you know it you will be closing the cover and be unable to let out your breath. There are some crazy revelations in this novel and it was an absolute joy to read. I cannot wait for book 2!

I have to share with you this one quote that seemed to speak directly to why many of us read:

“But for me, learning became a passion. In those musty tomes I found a limitless world, where I could be whomever I wanted” (Gortner 8).

If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book or watch the below book trailer?

Reviews of this book by other bloggers

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by C.W. Gortner

The Tudor Conspiracy (Book 2)
[My Review]

The Tudor Vendetta (Book 3)
[My Review]

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici
[My Review]

The Queen’s Vow
[My Review]

Mademoiselle Chanel
[My Review]

The Vatican Princess
[My Review]

The Last Queen

Marlene

Find C.W. Gortner: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Book Review: The Queen’s Fool by Philippa Gregory

Happy Holidays everyone! I will be away until Sunday immersed in the Christmas festivities with my boyfriend's and my families. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow! I thought. I would leave you with a review of one of my favorite Philippa Gregory books.

The Queen’s Fool by Philippa Gregory
Book 5 in the Tudor Court series

Paperback, 504 pages

Touchstone

February 3, 2004
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Collection

A young woman caught in the rivalry between Queen Mary and her half sister, Elizabeth, must find her true destiny amid treason, poisonous rivalries, loss of faith, and unrequited love.

It is winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee Spain with her father. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee. Her gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, is priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up in her own yearnings and desires.

Teeming with vibrant period detail and peopled by characters seamlessly woven into the sweeping tapestry of history, The Queen's Fool is another rich and emotionally resonant gem from this wonderful storyteller.

Hannah Green is the daughter of a Jewish book maker living in London. While trying to keep a low profile, Hannah tells the young King Edward that she sees golden gates behind him and he declares that she should be his holy fool. Hannah is quickly thrown into the world of court politics. She becomes enamored with Lord Robert Dudley, her protector at court, and at the same time is betrothed to Daniel Carpenter. She is constantly in conflict – torn between Elizabeth and Mary, Robert and Daniel, her religious beliefs and her safety, among others. Hannah must make crucial decisions that will affect her life as well as those around her as she moves through the courtly inner circles.

Hannah Green is a fictional character living in the Tudor period and interacting with very real characters. This is the first book in the Tudor series of books that I have read where the narrator is not a real historical character. I really enjoyed this though. I loved how Hannah has a conscience and we get to watch her grow up over the years that take place in this novel. She starts out as someone who is controlled pretty easily and over time develops her own sense of self and decides what she really wants out of life. I really enjoyed the love story that developed throughout. Hannah is not one dimensional - she handles conflict and wavers back and forth in what she should do. I really connected with Hannah and I think that having a fictional character weave her way through the historical courts allowed the reader to see the world from an outsider’s perspective.

One thing that I enjoyed about this novel is that Hannah lived in the courts of Edward, Mary and Elizabeth Tudor. I hadn’t read any fiction that really included Edward at all. It was interesting to see him interacting with Hannah and then see what happened after he died. You also had the opportunity to see how things changed at time moved on.

Another great read from Philippa Gregory.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Philippa Gregory:

Philippa Gregory has written many books, among those included in the Tudor Court series are:

The Constant Princess (Book 1)
[My Review]

The Other Boleyn Girl (Book 2)

[My Review]

The Boleyn Inheritance (Book 3)

[My Review]

The Taming of the Queen (Book 4)

The Virgin's Lover (Book 6)

The Other Queen (Book 7)

Other Philippa Gregory books I have reviewed:

The King's Curse (The Cousin's War series)

Find Philippa Gregory: Website | Facebook | Twitter |Youtube

Monday, October 12, 2009

Book Review: Elizabeth’s Women by Tracy Borman

Elizabeth’s Women: The Hidden Story of the Virgin Queen

by Tracy Borman

UK Edition, Hardcover, 482 pages

Jonathan Cape

September 24, 2009
★★★★☆

Genre: Non Fiction, Tudor England

Source: Received from publisher for review

"Elizabeth’s Women contains more than an indelible cast of characters. It is an unprecedented account of how the public posture of femininity figured into the English court, the meaning of costume and display, the power of fecundity and flirtation, and how Elizabeth herself—long viewed as the embodiment of feminism—shared popular views of female inferiority and scorned and schemed against her underlings’ marriages and pregnancies.

Brilliantly researched and elegantly written, Elizabeth’s Women is a unique take on history’s most captivating queen and the dazzling court that surrounded her."

The story of Elizabeth I of England has been told many times. These stories tend to focus on the men in her life – Robert Dudley, her father Henry VIII, Thomas Seymour, just to name a few. This new book by Tracy Borman explores the effects that the women in Elizabeth’s life had on her – starting with her mother and moving on to courtiers, cousins, stepmothers etc. Don’t get me wrong, the men are still an integral part of the story, but they are not the focus.

This book was very interesting to me. I had only read one book about Elizabeth before and that book didn’t really focus on Elizabeth’s life but more of the effect her mother’s legacy had on her life. I had enjoyed the perspective of that book and Elizabeth’s Women took that perspective much further. This book was organized very well – each chapter focused on a different set of relationships in chronological order. You could see how interactions with women early in her life effected decisions she made later in her life. One of my favorite things about the book was that the author kept coming back to how these early relationships (particularly the deaths of her mother and stepmother, Katherine Howard) effected her decisions about men, marriage, and children.

The chapters that focused on her servants were sometimes hard to pay attention to. There were a lot of names that were thrown about and it was difficult to focus on who was who. I tended to just gloss over these parts. The only other part, and it was a very small part, that I had an issue with was there was a mention of a son between Jane Parker and George Boleyn that I can't find reference to anywhere else. Other than these small issues, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I feel that I learned a lot about Queen Elizabeth – what drove her as well as the way she ruled. I respect her more because of the way she paid homage to her mother when it wasn't a popular thing to do.

I would recommend this to anyone who doesn’t know much about Elizabeth as well as those who would like to see the Queen from a different perspective.

If you would like to try out a sample of the book, check out the excerpt at the publisher's website.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Buy the Book:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Tracy Borman:

Henrietta Howard: King's Mistress, Queen's Servant

Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I

The RIng and the Crown (with Allison Wier, Kate Williams, and Sarah Gristwood)

Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Faithful Servant

Witches: A Tale of Sorcery, Scandal, and Seduction

Find Tracy Borman: Website | Twitter

Book Discussion

Marie from The Burton Review was my read-along buddy and we discussed this book and proposed questions to each other throughout our reading. You can find the first part of our discussion at her blog. The second part is as follows.

At this point in the book, (about Chapter 8) what is the most enjoyable thing for you or something that sticks out that you have learned so far?
Heather: I have really enjoyed learning about all of the ways that Elizabeth was similar to her mother and the ways that she tried honoring her. She was smart in the ways that she did this though, and did this is ways that wouldn’t upset her people. She promoted those who had been faithful followers of her mother (or in some cases their descendents), she modeled her coronation after that of her mother’s, adopted her emblem (the white falcon) as well as many others. Elizabeth had Anne’s attitude of requiring strict adherence of her women to her moral code and sharp punishment if they didn’t. She also had the power to charm the people, to a better degree than Anne ever could.

Marie: I am really enjoying seeing how these female relationships of Elizabeth's corresponded to what effected Elizabeth in her formative years. The fact that Kat Ashley was the most constant person in her life is sad but makes me glad that she did have someone to rely on, but it proved disastrous particularly with the Seymour scandal. I have now come to realize that Elizabeth probably felt at odds most of her young life, with the strained relationship of her half-sister Mary; and the fact there were a series of failed marriages of her father with deadly conclusions probably reinforced her fear of marriage altogether. Jane Seymour and Katherine Parr both died of the puerperal fever brought on by childbirth, which also could have greatly helped formed opinions regarding having a family of her own. Another person who was once close to Elizabeth was Jane Grey, and she was executed as a direct result of her family's greed for power. After being in a dysfunctional family herself and witnessing how family used Lady Jane Grey, what could have been Elizabeth's feelings about the strength and importance of family bonds? It becomes more understandable how Elizabeth learned to cope, and rule, as one person with no strict relationships as far as marriage or children, and knowing to not fully trust others.

In the chapter The Queen’s Hive, the author mentions how Elizabeth promoted many members of her family once she was queen. One of this people was the son of Jane Parker and George Boleyn, Anne Boleyn’s brother. What do you think of this?
Heather: I was under the impression that George and Jane did not have any children. I had heard that there was someone who was thought to be their son by historians, but was most likely to be just another distant relative. Even though it was just a one sentence mention, it bothers me a little bit.

Marie: I noticed it too and raised a red flag as well. I carried on and forgot about it till you brought it up again. I then googled it and can see no trace of the mention of any children at all issued to George and Jane, and I don't remember reading anything about it all either. All I can find on the post of the Dean of Lichfield which Borman says was given to this son, was that it a post in the Comerford family at that time, from the transition of Mary's reign to Elizabeth's. there was certainly upheaval and the posts were taken from Catholics (or Mary's favorites) and given to Elizabeth's favorites, but I can't see who held what post after Elizabeth became Queen.

Although no mention of the Boleyn's, an interesting history that comes from Patrick Comerford's site at http://revpatrickcomerford.blogspot.com/2009_08_14_archive.html:
"Henry {Comerford} was summoned before the Privy Council on 27 February {1559}. He was deprived of all his benefices because of his extreme Catholicism, and he was held in prison until April. Four months later, in June 1559, Ralph Baynes was deprived as Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. At the same time, the Dean of Lichfield, John Ramridge, was sent to the Tower – when he was released on bail, the dean made good his escape to Flanders, where he was later murdered. In addition, the Chancellor of Lichfield, Alban Longdale, was deprived, the Treasurer, George Lee, resigned, and many of the prebendaries and cathedral clergy were deprived or forced to resign between 1559 and 1564"

From British canon resident records I found the list of canons and of Deans, and at that time period:
Henry Williams B.D. (dean) 1536-1554
From: 'Canons residentiary of Lichfield', Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: volume 10: Coventry and Lichfield diocese (2003), pp. 78-94. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=34773

John Ramridge D.D. (dean) 1554-1559. {The Same John Ramridge mentioned above}
Instal. 2 Apr. 1554; depriv. c. 1559 (see Deans).
From: 'Canons residentiary of Lichfield', Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: volume 10: Coventry and Lichfield diocese (2003), pp. 78-94.
but the most important coming:
Lawrence Nowell M.A. (dean) 1560-1576.
Instal. 29 March 1560; d. 17 Oct. × 22 Nov. 1576 (see Deans).
George Boleyn D.D. (dean) 1576-1603.
Instal. 22 Nov. 1576; d. Jan. 1603 (see Deans).
From: 'Canons residentiary of Lichfield', Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: volume 10: Coventry and Lichfield diocese (2003), pp. 78-94.
24 Oct. 1599: Boleyn (dean), Babington (Bishop's Itchington, precentor), Bagshaw (Colwich), Exton (Offley) + Merrick (Bobenhull) (D30/2/1/5 f. 11) = 5]
From: 'Canons residentiary of Lichfield', Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: volume 10: Coventry and Lichfield diocese (2003), pp. 78-94.

We know that Anne's brother, George Boleyn, was married 1525 to Jane Parker. He was executed in 1536, she was executed in 1542. There is indeed a possibility they had a child, but since there was no mention of it, it is hard to believe there was. Yet, as a countess, Jane may have had the necessary provisions to allow offspring to be raised and educated elsewhere while Jane was a courtier and Lady in Waiting to Queen Catherine Howard. So who is the George Boleyn who was given the post later in 1576 and held it till the end of Elizabeth's reign?
George and Anne Boleyn's father thomas was one of about ten children, giving Thomas at least three brothers to help carry on the Boleyn name. There is of course the possibility that one of these uncles had offspring that had offspring etc. that may have had the first name of George, who we see in the above role of Dean. I am not so sure of the fact that the George, Dean of Lichfield, that we see held the post from 1576 to 1603 is the offspring of George and Jane. If he was a son of George and Jane he would probably have been born between 1526 and 1535. This makes him between 51 and 61 when first given the post as dean, and holding it until age 68 or 78.. which seems highly unlikely in Tudor times. So I would go with the belief that this George, Dean of Lichfield is a descendent of one of George and Anne's uncles.

Midway through the book, Borman writes of Mary, Queen of Scots in the Cousins chapter 9. Was there anything that surprised you here, and what were the effects of Mary's many uncouth political actions onto Elizabeth?
Heather: There were actually quite a few things that surprised me in this part about Mary, Queen of Scots. I didn’t know much about Elizabeth and I knew virtually nothing about Mary. I was surprised by all of the turmoil that she went through after her seemingly great life in the French court. Her choice of husband, her second, turned out to be not quite what she wanted. Then she was forced to marry her third husband who raped her, and then she was forced out of the position of queen. I think that these relationships further showed Elizabeth how marriage wasn’t something she wanted – she didn’t need to suffer the abuse of men and the agony of children. She also saw how easily she could lose her throne if the people didn’t like some of her choices.

Marie: I had read several books pertaining this cousins relationship, and most of it was old news. This is the point in the book that was a little tougher to get through, this chapter being 50 pages long. The decisions of Mary Queen of Scots could have helped to solidify Elizabeth's negative views on marriage due to the fact that Mary's choices in men were very disastrous, which made Mary an object of ridicule. There was no way that Elizabeth would put her title as Queen in such peril that Mary Queen of Scots did, who was forced to abdicate Scotland in favor of her infant son.

After completing the book, who has now become an intriguing character to you?
Heather: I am very interested in Arbella Stuart and Mary, Queen of Scots. I had never heard of Arbella before this and hadn’t read anything about Mary before. From the description of Arbella in the book, she sounded kind of crazy – I would like to read more and see how other people described her and her personality. I had originally thought that I would dislike Mary (for some reason, I really had no base for the assumption) – but when looking at the situation between Elizabeth and Mary – I ended up liking Mary better. I would love to explore her life a little more.

Marie: Bess of Hardwick and her granddaughter Arbella Stuart have always been intriguing to me, but the author mentions more of the Boleyn cousins, the Howards, and the Careys who were Elizabeth’s first cousins as well. These relations were promoted to higher posts once Elizabeth finally had the crown, and I can imagine that they were very much involved in politics and the outcomes of some of Elizabeth’s decisions. This is where I would like to continue my reading, into more of the familial connections now that I have satisfied my thirst for the intrigues of the peers of Elizabeth in this book.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

New Book Alert – Elizabeth’s Women: The Hidden Story of the Virgin Queen by Tracy Borman

Elizabeth’s Women: The Hidden Story of the Virgin Queen by Tracy Borman

Genre: Non-Fiction; Biography

Release Date: September 24, 2009 (UK)
September 2010 (US, I read this on TudorHistory.org)

Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd

From the inside book jacket:

“Elizabeth I was born into a world of women. As a child, she was served by a predominantly female household of servants and governesses, with occasional visits from her mother, Anne Boleyn, and the wives who later took her place. As Queen, she was constantly attended by ladies of the bedchamber and maids of honour who clothed her, bathed her and watched over her while she ate. Among her family, it was her female relations who had the greatest influence: from her sister Mary, who distrusted and later imprisoned her, to her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who posed a constant and dangerous threat to her crown for almost thirty years.”

This looks to be a wonderful look at the life of Elizabeth – from a slightly different perspective. When people look at the reign of Elizabeth they tend to focus on her relationship with Robert Dudley as well as the many potential suitors for her husband. This book looks at Elizabeth from the perspective of the influence that the women in her life had on her. There are some great reproductions of artwork included showing many of these women from her family as well as those she kept close and trusted.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this hardcover book from the author/publisher and received it a little over a week ago (thank you Tracy and Jonathan Cape Ltd). I know that some of you have made comments (Marie, lol) about me having a copy – but don’t feel too bad, I haven’t had the chance to read it yet – but it is up next on my list after I finish Cleopatra’s Daughter. I am very excited to read this because it will be my first non-fiction about Elizabeth.

If what I read is true and it isn’t going to be released in the US for another year, I would recommend using UK Book Depository to get the book – and they have free shipping!

You can check out Tracy Borman’s website for more information on Elizabeth’s Women as well as her previous book Henrietta Howard: King’s Mistress, Queen’s Servant.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Book Review: The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell

The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell

Paperback, 281 pages

Touchstone

May 28, 1998

★★★★½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Collection

One was queen for a thousand days; one for over forty years. Both were passionate, headstrong women, loved and hated by Henry VIII. Yet until the discovery of the secret diary, Anne Boleyn and her daughter, Elizabeth I, had never really met.

Anne was the second of Henry's six wives, doomed to be beloved, betrayed and beheaded. When Henry fell madly in love with her upon her return from an education at the lascivious French court, he was already a married man. While his passion for Anne was great enough to rock the foundation of England and of all Christendom, in the end he forsook her for another love, schemed against her, and ultimately had her sentenced to death. But unbeknownst to the king, Anne had kept a diary.

At the beginning of Elizabeth 's reign, it is pressed into her hands. In reading it, the young queen discovers a great deal about her much-maligned mother: Anne's fierce determination, her hard-won knowledge about being a woman in a world ruled by despotic men, and her deep-seated love for the infant daughter taken from her shortly after her birth.
In journal's pages, Elizabeth finds an echo of her own dramatic life as a passionate young woman at the center of England 's powerful male establishment, and with the knowledge gained from them, makes a resolution that will change the course of history.

There have been many books written about Anne Boleyn, but I don’t think one has been written in this manner. The present time in this book is the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth I – she is 25, in love, and newly come to the throne. One day an old woman comes to her presence chamber with a diary for her – the diary of her mother, Anne Boleyn. In this diary, Anne wrote of her life from before her ascendency to the throne right up to just before her execution. As Elizabeth reads through this diary she learns a lot about the mother she doesn’t remember and learns many valuable lessons that she will apply during her reign as Queen of England.

I thought that this was an amazingly well written book. I enjoyed how the story bounced back and forth between the present time with Elizabeth and the time while Anne was alive, in the diary. As Elizabeth learned things from her mother she would then apply them to how she ruled her kingdom. It would be neat to think that this was actually the case. It’s a unique way to look at such a sad story.

The character of Anne Boleyn was written in a sympathetic manner. She is not depicted as a cunning, power hungry woman. Instead, she is written as a woman who didn’t really want what happened to her and absolutely loved her daughter. There are several touching scenes between mother and daughter that happen through this diary. Elizabeth learns about her mother first-hand, as opposed to what she has always been taught about her mother being a whore, traitor, and a witch. Elizabeth understands more of whom she is and where she came from and that forms the way she will carry herself from that point on.

I really enjoyed this book, mostly for the connection between mother and daughter and for the depiction of Anne as wholly human. I look forward to reading more of her books, I have Signora da Vinci on my shelf.

Other reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Where to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Robin Maxwell:

Mademoiselle Boleyn

Jane [My Review]

O, Juliet [My Review]

The Queen's Bastard

Signora da Vinci

Virgin

The Wild Irish

Find Robin Maxwell: Website | Twitter | Facebook

About Me

Heather, 30, USA. Hi everyone! I started my blog, The Maiden's Court, in May 2009 as a creative outlet for my reading and it has completely taken me to new places. I love sharing my reading and the things that I learn.

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