Customer Reviews
a pacy, moving historical novel - By: Mrs. F. B. Coward, 12 May 2008 
Acclaimed historian & author Alison Weir has evoked real empathy with her subject, the Princess who would one day become Queen Elizabeth I. Weir brings to life the intruige of the Tudor court, the fervent religious struggles & also the triumph & tragedy of the divided Tudor family; alll of which the young Princess must rely on her wits to survive.
Disgraced & banished while still in her infancy, the child Elizabeth lives on the unpredictable whim of her father, King Henry VIII. A dangerous combination of precociousness & will, Elizabeth's yearning to win the love of her father vies with her increasing fascination with the controversy & conspiracy surrounding her dead mother, whom she is determined to exonerate. As an adolescent Elizabeth struggles torturously to reconcile her desire, in the form of the ambitious Admiral Seymour, & her duty; emerging as a courageous, astute & also passionate young woman with her heart set upon the English throne. But Elizabeth's path is fraught with danger in many forms; seductions, revolts & the interference of foreign powers: not to mention the lethal religious conflict embodied in her conflict with her troubled half-sister Mary.
While most biographers & novelists focus on Elizabeth's reign as Queen, Alison Weir has charted the journey from naivety to maturity of one of the most remarkable women in history. She gives real imaginative insight into what transformed a young girl into a feared & admired ruler & I would recommend this book not only as accessible historical fiction but as one of the most exciting lives ever lived beautifully transferred into script.
Really Enjoyable - By: Mrs. S. Payne, 12 May 2008 
Having read `The Innocent Traitor' I was reallly excited about Weir's second book & I wasn't left disappointed. The story covers Elizabeth's first years right up until she was crowned Queen. It has some interesting subplots along the way with a possible pregnancy, the death of her younger brother & living with her sister Mary as Queen. I did feel that the story slowed down in the middle of the book & I did find myself wishing that things would hurry up but they did. A reallly good & interesting read.
Excellent Read - By: Gella, 05 May 2008 
Having enjoyed'Innocent Traitor' I could not wait to read Alison Weir's new novel - I was not disappointed. It was an excellent read particularly if you are an avid historical fiction reader like myself & find yourself quite critical - in fact, I could not put it down & was very disappointed to finish it - let's hope a sequel on the life of Elizabeth as Queen will follow!
A Terrific Read - By: J. Chippindale, 03 May 2008 Alison Weir is a much read & respected historian with a string of non fiction books to her name. She is widely known for her biographical books about British Royalty. She lives in Surrey with her two children, John & Kate.
In this her second novel it is plain to see that it has been written by someone who is at the very top of her craft. Fact & fiction blend so well together that at times it is difficult for the reader to know where one begins & the other ends.
The obvious knowledge of the author makes for a rare treat for the reader, who is taken to the very heart of Tudor England, in this, the story of the young girl Elizabeth before she became England's queen. Elizabeth of course had Henry VIII for a father, one of the most domineering men of his time. Who could fail to be impressed & to an extent moulded by such a father, even when that man has snuffed out the life of Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth's mother. Certainly not a young girl eager to please.
Elizabeth's young life has many twists & turns, not least her mother's death, but also the loss of a brother a tradgedy that culminates in her elder sister Mary taking the crown & then doing everything in her power to get Elizabeth to return to the true faith. She is said to have had a dallliance with Thomas Seymour, the Lord High Admiral, even though he was married to the old queen, Katharine Parr although this was short-lived as the admiral was shortly to lose his life as a traitor. The many other traumas she has to suffer as well as her own naked ambition are brilliantly woven together by the author into a book that is well worth reading.
Another great read! - By: Ms. A. Vaughan, 18 Apr 2008 I loved Weir's first novel 'The innocent traitor' so much & I couldn't wait for her next. She didn't let me down, 'The lady Elizabeth' was a wonderful read. It details Elizabeth's life from early childhood alll the way up to becoming queen. Weir makes the reader reallly feel for the situations Elizabeth encounters, from her curiousity about the mother she never knew, the key relationships with the women in her life, her tender love for her family, her time in the tower & under house arrest & her first love. Just some of the elements within this book.
I enjoyed the novel just as much as innocent traitor & couldn't put it down until I had finished. It focuses on her life before she reigned & what made her the queen she was. Not everything is included but it does highlight many points & ponders over theories which can't be proved or completely disproved. By doing this Weir alllows us to look at Elizabeth in a less than perfect way, which makes her very likeable & appealing.
I would recommand this book to anyone. It's an interesting, heart warming, tearful, exciting & enjoyable read. The story of Elizabeth is an extremely well known one but Weir manages to tell it in a refreshing & entertaining manner.
