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I really like this historical fiction novel by Jean Plaidy. This is the second volume in Jean Plaidy's "Queens of England" series of books and it is written as a first person narrative, which makes this book highly readable. It makes Elizabeth I more relatable and more personable to the reader. The author takes the reader through Elizabeth's early years and her early and tumultous reign to the end. This is a great book for anyone interested in the period and likes historical-fiction. (

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Angelic55blonde | Jul 11, 2007 |

The seventh novel in the Queens of England Series, this is the story of Henry VIII's favorite child, Elizabeth. The story begins with her auspicious birth as the daughter of the fascinating Anne Boleyn, through her fears of losing her life under her father's, brother's and sister's reigns, and continuing until the end of her life.

Jean Plaidy always presents history in such a fascinating way. By presenting Elizabeth's story from her own perspective, it makes the history seem alive and Elizabeth as a vibrant woman, not as the dry mannequin she seems like in history books. (

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aharey | Jul 9, 2007 |

I definitely enjoyed reading this story. I know that someone less patient than I would have much trouble with the monotony of the novel. Elizabeth the I, while a fascinating historical character, becomes quite tedious throughout the book, especially as she really shows no change throughout the 400+ changes. At times the book dragged and the story became old. The constant repetition of various ideas and feelings often became frustrating. The entire book would do well to see the business end of the delete key.

Despite this I enjoyed the novel. I don't know that I would recommend it to anyone. Perhaps because I don't know anyone who would be interested in such a book. (

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elevesque | Sep 17, 2006 |

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Series (with order)

Queens of England (2)

Canonical Title

Queen of this realm

Original publication date

1984

People/Characters

Elizabeth I, Queen of England

Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester

Mary, Queen of Scots

Henry VIII, King of England

Mary I, Queen of England

Important places

Important events

Awards and honors

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

Quotations

Last words

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0609810200, Paperback)

In this "memoir" by Elizabeth I, legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy reveals the Virgin Queen as she truly was: the bewildered, motherless child of an all-powerful father; a captive in the Tower of London; a shrewd politician; a lover of the arts; and eventually, an icon of an era. It is the story of her improbable rise to power and the great triumphs of her reign--the end of religious bloodshed, the settling of the New World, the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Brilliantly clever, a scholar with a ready wit, she was also vain, bold, and unpredictable, a queen who commanded--and won--absolute loyalty from those around her.

But in these pages, in her own voice, Elizabeth also recounts the emotional turmoil of her life: the loneliness of power; the heartbreak of her lifelong love affair with Robert Dudley, whom she could never marry; and the terrible guilt of ordering the execution of her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. In this unforgettable novel, Elizabeth emerges as one of the most fascinating and controversial women in history, and as England’s greatest monarch.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:22 -0400)

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