| The Lady Elizabeth | 
 enlarge | Author: Alison Weir
Publisher: Hutchinson
Category: Book
List Price: £12.99
Buy New: £6.98
You Save: £6.01 (46%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 566
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 496
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.7
ISBN: 0091796725
EAN: 9780091796723
ASIN: 0091796725
Publication Date: April 3, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Worth reading, not worth re-reading September 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I read "Innocent Traitor" and adored it, from the entertaining, engaging story-telling to the passion and beauty of an old tale told anew, in such a fresh way. I waited for "The Lady Elizabeth" with hot anticipation but was very disappointed to find my enthusiasm cooled within the first few chapters. Although it's worth a read, especially if (like me) you are a die-hard fan of tudor fiction and/or Alison Weir's tremendous non-fiction works. But it feels rather two dimensional. Not a single character sprang to life from the pages as in her previous fiction book and I was left feeling rather indifferent to most of the hardship and suffering of the principal players. This book is simply a rather clinical telling of the story which left me feeling I would rather tuck into a non-fiction book if the author was going to avoid stirring up a single emotion whilst telling the tale. Interesting but not at all engaging.
 A fantastic read August 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you are interest in Elizabeth I in any capacity, then this is the book for you. I stumbled across Alison Weir's book on Lady Jane Grey, and was transfixed, so was delighted when The Lady Elizabeth came out. The book takes you through Elizabeth's childhood, her teenage years, until the moment that she becomes queen. It is both fascinating and compelling and I would recommend it to anyone who has any interest in this period, but more importantly for bringing to life Elizabeth I's amazing and intriguing personality. A fantastic, higly recommended read!
An entertaining read June 10, 2008
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I enjoy historical novels and am a reader of all things tudor both fact and fiction. Whilst this was an entertaining read, I completely agree with the previous reviewer who stated Alison Weir's dialogue could be quite nauseating at times. She writes with a simplicity which does not reflect the period or subject matter. At times it is almost, "he said", "she said", which did annoy after a while.
In addition, I believe this period of time and particularly the story of Elizabeth is interesting enough without having to incorporate myth, legend and the supernatural as fact. The author herself states in her epilogue that she does not believe some of the things on which she has elaborated.
See Phillipa Gregory for a superior example of how to write Tudor history.
 Nauseous June 3, 2008
7 out of 14 found this review helpful
I find the subject very interesting but her style is nauseating, too sycophantic/reverential, the sweetness of her characters is cloying and unreal.
Hmmm May 29, 2008
12 out of 15 found this review helpful
I read 'Lady Elizabeth' recently and unlike all the other reviews here it left me cold. I must admit to not usually choosing to read historical novels and so have little to compare it to in terms of peer comparison.
Whilst the portrayal of Elizabeth as a teenager and feisty young woman was good, and showed well the intertangled web of relationships in which she was involved, Alison Weir's characterisation of the young Elizabeth, I feel, was somewhat clumsy. She seemed desperate to emphasise the childs precociousness and in doing so lost sense of her innocence (except where sexual matters were concerned) as a young girl.
Her writing throughout the book remained very literal, showing little fiction writing skill of using inference and deduction to intrigue the reader and let him or her draw their own conclusions by leaving clues through characters actions and speech.
Despite it being referred to in the authors note in the back of the book, the speech throughout the book veered from authentic Tudor phrasing to more modern variations, which often made for uncomfortable reading.
However, her true skill throughout the book lay in her conjuring up colourful and authentic historic images, which she did well, her 'history' cannot be doubted, although I would question her decision to include Anne Boleyn's ghost which had no place in the book and felt entirely incongruent with what she was trying to achieve.
A useful book in terms of bringing history to life but not one I would read for reading pleasure.
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