Bought for my NSSFCS, sending by Royal Mail, hope you enjoy!

Many thanks for this book...it is very promising! I love reading about Renaissance history, especially in the form of a well written novel, and the critics seem to be quite taken by this. Looking forward to reading it, and probably send around as a ring or ray to share :)

Review
Weir's erudition in matters royal finds fictional expression in the story of England's briefest reigning sovereign, Lady Jane Grey.Lady Jane is often viewed as merely pathetic. Who better to rehabilitate her than Weir (Queen Isabella, 2005, etc.), author of numerous works of popular history, five of which concern the Tudor dynasty. In setting her first novel around Lady Jane, daughter of Henry VIII's niece, Frances, Weir must surmount two major historical constraints; first, that Jane's fate is known, and second, that Jane, though precocious and unusually well-schooled for a girl of the time, is a necessarily passive character. A minor throughout, Jane is subject to the whims of corrupt and ambitious adults bent on exploiting her bloodline to advance their own agenda. A Tudor Mommie Dearest, Frances hardens her heart against Jane for failing to be born male. Frances brutally punishes her on the slightest pretext, and Jane is happy to escape to the household of Queen Katherine Parr, King Henry's sixth wife. After Katherine's death, Jane narrowly escapes getting caught up in the doomed machinations of the Seymours, protectors of boy-king Edward VI. Frances' plan to betroth Jane to Edward fizzles. The Seymours' replacement, the Duke of Northumberland, seeks to circumvent Henry's will, which provides for the succession of princesses Mary and Elizabeth. As Edward lies dying of consumption exacerbated by a little arsenic, the Duke prompts him to name Jane as his successor. Jane at first refuses the crown, but, a devout Protestant, she's persuaded that the accession of Mary would mean the country's reversion to Catholicism. Jane reigns for nine days, but her court evaporates when Mary musters a large army. Now Queen, Mary is loath to execute 16-year-old Jane, but succumbs to pressure from her Catholic allies. Jane has one chance to escape the headsman: Convert to Catholicism. But although Protestants don't have saints, they have martyrs, and Jane, in the end, is determined to be one.An affecting portrayal. (Kirkus Reviews)

I enjoyed reading Lady Jane's story - what a horrible family she was born into!
The author definitely knows her history and I think I may be tempted to read her non-fiction books, because in my opinion she doesn't have the "magic" of Philippa Gregory when telling tales...
We shall see what the next readers will think of it!

HOW TO USE MY BOOKRAY…

1. please make a journal entry to inform about the book's safe arrival.
2. PM the person next in line in order to obtain his/her mailing address and to find out if he/she is ok with receiving the book soon after… If the person is going away on vacation, please PM me and I will move him/her down the line (suggestions welcome).
3. do try to keep the book no longer than 6 weeks - if there is a delay, please inform me (raymaster)
4. After reading the book, make another entry and add your comments as you like…
5. ship the book to the next reader - done!

Participants:
Mallary (France, ships anywhere)
Famulus (UK, ships anywhere)
CaterinaAnna (UK, ships anywhere)
yesterdaysgirl (UK)
Wandering-B (Hong Kong, ships anywhere)
Bug2004 (US, US only)<--- asked to be skipped

last to extend the ray, RABCK or release the book, at own wish!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

In the mail to the first reader in the ray...enjoy :)

Received today - thank you!
I was in the middle of a dire book which I think I will give up on in favour of this one. :o)

Well, this book was fabulous.
I agree it wasn't the same as a Philippa Gregory novel, she does have that certain *something* but I enjoyed this book nonetheless.
My attention wavered about halfway through as the story was starting to drag but it picked up again towards the end and I couldn't put it down, despite already knowing what Lady Jane's fate would be!
She is one of those characters from history whom everybody's heard of but they don't know why.
I must have a heart of stone (according to the book reviewer Kate Saunders) because I didn't cry at the end. We all knew what would happen to her when Northumberland and Suffolk started plotting against Lady Mary so it came as no surprise.
Reserved for Famulus. Pming for her address.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Released at the Post Office to be delivered to Famulus in the UK.

Received Tuesday, sorry I've only just had chance to journal it. Looking forward to this one - thanks Mallary :O)

I really enjoyed this book. As has been said elsewhere, this isn't the very best historical novel I've read, but it's pretty good for all that. Ready to send on now to CaterinaAnna as soon as I get her address.

Arrived safely at work this morning.
Thank you famulus, Mallary & YowlYY for getting it safely this far.
Number 2 on Mount Toobie, behind another ray book.

I enjoyed this book, sad and flawed as it was. I knew the bare outline of the life of Lady Jane Grey, although, in spite of having read some version or other of Foxe's Book of Martyrs several times in my childhood, had forgotten that she is considered a martyr by the Anglican Church. It was therefore interesting to read a more detailed version of her story. Yes, I know the account is fictional but with a such a reknowned historian writing we can be fairly certain that the events, if not the motives for them, are fairly accurately recounted.

The device of having multiple narrators is a useful one, making it easy to reveal the thoughts of key characters, but I'm not convinced that Wier has the novel-writing expertise to pull it off. There were places where she showed her pedigree as an historian by having people describe the quotodian in a way that helped to set the scene but that no-one talking to a contemporary would have thought to do. For example, a subtle anachronism - a reference to the discomfort of travelling in an unsprung carriage at a time when few, if any, benefitted from this convenience - was the very one I remember being cautioned against by my Latin teacher.

It was also hard to remember just how young Lady Jane was. There were obvious gaps in her understanding when she was very small, and no doubt she was forced to grow up quickly, but there was little difference between her voice at four years and at sixteen. Even the most precocious and formal of children betray their age at some points and she would have been a more endearing - rather than merely sympathetic - character had we seen more of her childish, as opposed to technical, innocence.

What does come across in this account is Jane's integrity: she may have been a pawn of more powerful people in terms of being placed on the throne, but here she has to be convinced that there is some justification for it first, and it is her courage in holding fast to what she believes to be right that is the ultimate reason for her death at the hands of a reluctant Mary.

In spite of its flaws, a powerful and gripping telling of the tale of one of Britain's often overlooked monarchs.

I have yesterdaysgirl's address and will get this on its way soon.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Finally en route to yesterdaysgirl this evening.

Thank you very much for this CaterinaAnna! I'm not quite sure when it arrived as I was away at Uni, and found it on my desk when I got back a short while ago.

A very pleasant surprise, as earlier today was my last exam!

I shall read it as soon as I finish my current read.

Journalling to say I still have this book at the top of my TBR. I've had a few things crop up in RL, and a last minute holiday which I got back from last night.

Promise I'll get to it in the next couple weeks! :)

Just posting so those later in the list know that I started it today, and I should get to pass it on shortly.

What a beautiful book, thank you so much for sharing. I am not often a fan of the POV narrative, but I found this one really hard to put down, though I do admit not crying at the end! But it did move me.

I think it helps that I am fascinated by that area of history.

I will PM the next person on the list tonight & take it to the Post Office as soon as possible.

Received in today's post. Thanks Yowlyy for making it a ring/ray and to yesterdaysgirl for sending it to me. I really enjoy historical ficiton and am looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I still have a backlog from being away on holiday (around 7 more) so it may be a little while before I can get to it. Although I'd love to put it at the top of Mt. TBR :)

Have arrived home after an unexpected and extended stay in the US - will be reading it next, so it will not be much longer. Thank you for your patience.

Bug2004 has asked to be skipped - will try to continue the ray on the forum.

Continuing the ray on to heartthumper today, 06 November.

Received in mail today. Thanks so much! Looks good, though it may take a while to get to. Several books ahead of it. I will find another reader when I'm finished.

Beautiful book. Very sad story.

Added to the Half & Half Book Box.

Thanks for sharing, but I think I try to find a new reader for this.

Putting this in the Wrap It Up Bookbox. Enjoy!

Wow! I'm excited to receive a book that has had so many journalers. I look forward to reading it. Thank you for sharing.

I included this book in the Swap Up Mt. TBR Bookbox.

The blurb on the back cover put this in my "keeper" pile... and the reviews by previous BXers kept it there. Thank you for sharing!