The Lady Elizabeth, Alison Weir
The Lady Elizabeth, Alison Weir
25 Rating(s)
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The Lady Elizabeth

Author: Alison Weir

Narrator: Rosalyn Landor

Unabridged: 20 hr 18 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/29/2008


Synopsis

Following the tremendous success of her first novel, Innocent Traitor, acclaimed historian and New York Times bestselling author Alison Weir turns her masterly storytelling skills to the early life of young Elizabeth Tudor, who would grow up to become England’s most intriguing and powerful queen.

Before she is three, Elizabeth learns of the tragic fate that has befallen her mother, the enigmatic and seductive Anne Boleyn, and that she herself has been declared illegitimate, an injustice that will haunt her all her life. What comes next is a succession of stepmothers, bringing with them glimpses of love, fleeting security, tempestuous conflict, and tragedy. The death of her father puts the teenage Elizabeth in greater peril, leaving her at the mercy of ambitious and unscrupulous men. Like her mother two decades earlier, she is imprisoned in the Tower of London–and fears she will also meet her mother’s grisly end. Power-driven politics, private scandal and public gossip, a disputed succession, and the grievous example of her sister, “Bloody” Queen Mary, all cement Elizabeth’s resolve in matters of statecraft and love, and set the stage for her transformation into the iconic Virgin Queen.

Sweeping in scope, The Lady Elizabeth is a fascinating portrayal of a woman far ahead of her time–whose dangerous and dramatic path to the throne shapes her future greatness.

About Alison Weir

Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth and several historical biographies, including Mistress of the Monarchy and The Six Wives of Henry VIII.


Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by Teresa on 2011-08-06 13:00:53

Weird does a lovely job of incorporating voice and possible experiences into this novel. I enjoyed getting to know the Elizabeth who might have been and her relationships with Mary and figures we dont often hear much about. I gave this 4 stars only because the early sections of the dialogue and behaviors of young Elizabeth are rather unbelievable. Even when taken into account her obvious intelligence and the level of skills that might be aquired in the era, readers cant help but feel skeptical. All in all, an interesting read.

Goodreads review by Catherine on December 05, 2008

I read Weir's Eleanor of Aquitane and was bored stiff by all the contradicting accounts she included. You really wanted her to take a side, and she just wanted to give you all the information she had dug up. Well, this novelized version of Elizabeth I's life preceding her coronation does take sides.......more

Goodreads review by Nadine on November 24, 2010

I expected more from an historian. Weir's imaginary account of Elizabeth I's early years is a bodice-ripper. The problem with academics writing fiction is they lack imagination. Young Elizabeth is described as a "minx" whose "body betrays her" when she falls for the debatable charms of her stepfathe......more

Goodreads review by Anna on February 27, 2008

Here is another one I was asked to review for Library Journal. OMG, so good! This is the second fiction novel from Alison Weir, the fabulous Tudor historian who wrote many biographies, including The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and The Children of Henry VIII. But last year she gave us her first foray into......more

Goodreads review by Mo on June 22, 2024

10 days! It took me 10 days to plod my way through this 400 page book. I kept coming up with reasons NOT to read this. I cleaned out junk drawers, broke down cardboard boxes, sorted through my winter clothes, organized my armoire, etc. And when evening rolled around (my usual time for reading), I su......more


Quotes

Praise for Alison Weir’s Innocent Traitor

“Engrossing . . . suspenseful . . . enormously entertaining.”
–The Washington Post Book World

“Splendid . . . In giving narrative voice to her subjects Alison Weir brings us into emotional contact with them in a way that an unadorned historical account does not.”
–Boston Sunday Globe

“Every bit as good as anything [Philippa] Gregory has ever done . . . [Weir] makes a familiar story vibrant and fresh.”
–The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Completely absorbing . . . a brilliantly vivid and psychologically astute novel.”
–Booklist (starred review)

“Poignant and harrowing . . . a gripping finale.”
–The Seattle Times

“A sensitive and fast-paced tale . . . Weir conveys the age’s political intrigues, religious fanaticism and sexism.”
–USA Today

“Characters breathe as though they were alive last week–not five centuries ago. . . . A chilling epitaph on a period of history that continues to fascinate and bewitch us today.”
–San Antonio Express-News