Friday, May 6, 2011

Book Review: Elizabeth I by Margaret George

Publish Date: April 5th 2011
Format: Hardcover 688pp

Synopsis (From the Publisher):
"New York Times bestselling author Margaret George captures history's most enthralling queen-as she confronts rivals to her throne and to her heart. 
One of today's premier historical novelists, Margaret George dazzles here as she tackles her most difficult subject yet: the legendary Elizabeth Tudor, queen of enigma-the Virgin Queen who had many suitors, the victor of the Armada who hated war; the gorgeously attired, jewel- bedecked woman who pinched pennies. England's greatest monarch has baffled and intrigued the world for centuries. But what was she really like?

In this novel, her flame-haired, lookalike cousin, Lettice Knollys, thinks she knows all too well. Elizabeth's rival for the love of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and mother to the Earl of Essex, the mercurial nobleman who challenged Elizabeth's throne, Lettice had been intertwined with Elizabeth since childhood. This is a story of two women of fierce intellect and desire, one trying to protect her country, and throne, the other trying to regain power and position for her family and each vying to convince the reader of her own private vision of the truth about Elizabeth's character. Their gripping drama is acted out at the height of the flowering of the Elizabethan age. Shakespeare, Marlowe, Dudley, Raleigh, Drake-all of them swirl through these pages as they swirled through the court and on the high seas.

This is a magnificent, stay-up-all-night page-turner that is George's finest and most compelling novel and one that is sure to please readers of Alison Weir, Philippa Gregory, and Hilary Mantel."


My Review:

Following the life of England's greatest monarch, Margaret George has captured the essence of Queen Elizabeth I's life and reign within the pages of her latest novel, Elizabeth I.

Focusing on the last decade of Elizabeth's reign, we first meet the Virgin Queen as she prepares for battle with the approaching Spanish Armada. Ignoring the advice of her council, Elizabeth armors herself and speaks to her devout soldiers. It is at this instant that the reader is given a glimpse of what a truly remarkable leader she was, and this is only the beginning, throughout the novel Elizabeth's character shines with grace, strength and passionate determination.

While the novel is told predominantly from the viewpoint of Elizabeth, there are the sporadic chapters that are narrated by Lettice, the woman whom Elizabeth despised for coming between herself and Robert Dudley. Lettice's chapters took a type of "devil's advocate" approach to the readers opinion of Elizabeth, and although this helped mix up the plot line, I did find myself less intrigued by her story. Besides this aspect, I found the novel to be completely consuming and unable to set down. Do not let the high page count intimidate you. While 688pages is quite a hefty number to comprehend, it is definitely 688 pages of captivation! Rich in historical detail and courtly intrigue, Elizabeth I is a novel that will captivate readers for years to come, just as the beloved queen has done for centuries.



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Copyright © 2011 Svea Love. All Rights Reserved.
FTC: I received this book from the publisher. As always, these are my own honest opinions.

4 comments:

Viola said...

I've got a ton of books TBR. However, this book does look good. Thank you for the excellent review!

Elizabeth 1 is one of my heroines and an endlessly fascinating character. I love to read about her.

Margaret said...

Svea, thanks so much for this review and for having me on your website. I'm glad you enjoyed ELIZABETH I and didn't find the 600+ pages too long. (Never enough pages to talk about Elizabeth, is there?)

Cheryl said...

Thanks for the wonderful review of Margaret's latest. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I found myself captivated by this story, as well. I hope your readers will take a moment to visit Margaret's website at http://www.margaretgeorge.com/ and learn more about her and her work.

All my best,

Cheryl

BurtonReview said...

I loved this book too! After reading so much on Elizabeth, some may get turned off by thinking Yet ANOTHER Tudor read.. but this was worth it, as is all other Margaret George novels I am sure.
I differ with you though on Lettice,as I have always been intrigued with her after Holt's My Enemy The Queen. I was ecstatic when I found out Lettice was featured alongside Elizabeth. It helped round out the story for me when it added more of Lettice's life into the normal Royal repetoire.