The Virgin's Lover
3 journalers for this copy...
From Publishers Weekly
Bestseller Gregory captivates again with this expertly crafted historical about the beautiful young Virgin Queen, portrayed as a narcissistic, neurotic home-wrecker. As in her previous novels about Tudor England (The Queen's Fool, etc.), Gregory amasses a wealth of colorful period detail to depict the shaky first days of Elizabeth I's reign. The year is 1558, an especially dangerous time for the nation: no bishop will coronate Henry VIII's Protestant daughter, the treasury is bankrupt, the army is unpaid and demoralized. Meanwhile, the French are occupying Scotland and threatening to install "that woman"—Mary, Queen of Scots—on the throne. Ignoring the matrimonial advice of pragmatic Secretary of State William Cecil, the 25-year-old Elizabeth persists in stringing along Europe's most eligible bachelors, including King Philip of Spain and the Hapsburg archduke Ferdinand. It's no secret why: she's fallen for her "dark, saturnine" master of horse, Sir Robert Dudley, whose traitorous family history and marriage to the privately Catholic Amy make him an unsuitable consort. Gregory deftly depicts this love triangle as both larger than life and all too familiar; all three characters are sympathetic without being likable, particularly the arch-mistress Elizabeth, who pouts, throws tantrums, connives and betrays with queenly impunity. After a while the plot stagnates, as the lovers flaunt their emotions in the face of repetitious arguments from Amy, Cecil and various other scandalized members of the court. But readers addicted to Gregory's intelligent, well-researched tales of intrigue and romance will be enthralled, right down to the teasingly tragic ending.
This is a WONDERFUL book, especially if you like historical fiction. Elizabeth comes across as a schemer, which she was, Dudley is a plotter, which he was, and Amy is a wimp, which she must have been to put up with everything.
Now off to blaisezabini12 via the relay ALS.
Bestseller Gregory captivates again with this expertly crafted historical about the beautiful young Virgin Queen, portrayed as a narcissistic, neurotic home-wrecker. As in her previous novels about Tudor England (The Queen's Fool, etc.), Gregory amasses a wealth of colorful period detail to depict the shaky first days of Elizabeth I's reign. The year is 1558, an especially dangerous time for the nation: no bishop will coronate Henry VIII's Protestant daughter, the treasury is bankrupt, the army is unpaid and demoralized. Meanwhile, the French are occupying Scotland and threatening to install "that woman"—Mary, Queen of Scots—on the throne. Ignoring the matrimonial advice of pragmatic Secretary of State William Cecil, the 25-year-old Elizabeth persists in stringing along Europe's most eligible bachelors, including King Philip of Spain and the Hapsburg archduke Ferdinand. It's no secret why: she's fallen for her "dark, saturnine" master of horse, Sir Robert Dudley, whose traitorous family history and marriage to the privately Catholic Amy make him an unsuitable consort. Gregory deftly depicts this love triangle as both larger than life and all too familiar; all three characters are sympathetic without being likable, particularly the arch-mistress Elizabeth, who pouts, throws tantrums, connives and betrays with queenly impunity. After a while the plot stagnates, as the lovers flaunt their emotions in the face of repetitious arguments from Amy, Cecil and various other scandalized members of the court. But readers addicted to Gregory's intelligent, well-researched tales of intrigue and romance will be enthralled, right down to the teasingly tragic ending.
This is a WONDERFUL book, especially if you like historical fiction. Elizabeth comes across as a schemer, which she was, Dudley is a plotter, which he was, and Amy is a wimp, which she must have been to put up with everything.
Now off to blaisezabini12 via the relay ALS.
Picked up today from the post office. Looks really great:)Thank you so much Ladyjanet for mailing this to me so fast!
Reserved for cats-eyes after I read it.
27 June 06: although this author books are hard for me to get into, the reading is rewarding. I like especially the way in which author manages to include historical facts, using them to revive another century. I think that is what a historian should do: have the craft to make the past alive.
This book will be mailed today to the next reader!
Reserved for cats-eyes after I read it.
27 June 06: although this author books are hard for me to get into, the reading is rewarding. I like especially the way in which author manages to include historical facts, using them to revive another century. I think that is what a historian should do: have the craft to make the past alive.
This book will be mailed today to the next reader!
Journal Entry 3 by cats-eye from Bishop Auckland, County Durham United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Received today from Blaise!
Thank you for sending this one to me - I will try to get it read and moving again ASAP, as I know it's on many wishlists!!
Thank you for sending this one to me - I will try to get it read and moving again ASAP, as I know it's on many wishlists!!
