The Virgin Queen's Daughter

Young Elinor de Lacy has spent much of her life at Calverley Hall in the country, locked away from all the scandals and intrigues of court. After a chance meeting with the young Elizabeth Tudor, at the time imprisoned in the Tower of London, Elinor develops an affection and loyalty for the princess, that develops into a burning desire to go to court. After Elizabeth becomes queen and Elinor's father dies, her sheltering mother has no other choice but to send Elinor to court to find her a suitable husband. At court, Elinor quickly finds herself as Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth, and, while caught in the webs of court, finds that the story behind her birth may be a lie.

Newcomer Ella March Chase takes on one of the biggest scandals and show more mysteries in history: could Elizabeth I, the so-called Virgin Queen, have a child? Effortlessly weaving together fact with fiction, Chase presents an intriguing and enthralling "what if" scenario that offers a solution, as well as a face, for the long-standing Tudor mystery.

Not only is Chase an excellent historian, but a talented writer who balances effective prose with plot and lush period detail. For me, one of the biggest pitfalls that many historical fiction novels tend to have is that they are rather slow at the beginning, but Virgin Queen's Daughter doesn't suffer from this common issue. In fact, it was so enthralling that from the beginning that I never wanted to put it down. I ended up reading the book in two days, grabbing whatever reading moments I could between work and life.

With fast-paced intrigue, incredibly well-constructed characters, detailed period research and a downright fascinating premise, Virgin Queen's Daughter is highly recommended for any fan of historical fiction (though I'd warn that it's lighter on the romance, though there is a romantic subplot). One of the best genre books I've read this year. Can't wait for Chase's follow up, Three Maids for a Crown, in August. show less

I loved the premise of The Virgin Queen's Daughter. I also loved how Ella March Chase handled it. Did Elizabeth I have a child in real life? Probably not. But wouldn't it have been so much fun if she had? Let's imagine it!

The main appeal of this novel is that it was a sheer joy to read. I've read countless books on the Tudors and on Elizabeth I. After awhile, they start becoming the same; there is no new information to be had after a certain point. The Virgin Queen's Daughter is a refreshing read for historical fiction aficionados. The book is full of historical details and descriptions, which bring the novel to life for the reader. And it's always so much fun to think "what if...??"

The characters in The Virgin Queen's Daughter are very show more interesting. Nell is smart, but she is not wise; she is impulsive and sometimes does things without thinking. In other words, she's a typical teenager. March made it very easy to believe that Nell is in fact Elizabeth's daughter. Elizabeth herself is shrewd and calculating, but she is also cold and quite petty. It is clear that she has faced her fair share of adversity and is wary because of it. Is she unlikeable? Yes and no. On one hand, she has had to be ruthless in order to keep her throne. On the other hand, is it really a threat to her if one of her courtiers falls in love? The author portrays this complex woman well.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Virgin Queen's Daughter. The writing was very smooth and the pages flew by. There were a few narrator shifts, but these served to expand the storyline and provide exposition - they weren't really jarring. I highly recommend this novel to any fan of historical fiction, especially if you are tired of the same old Tudor stories!

From S. Krishna's Books show less

I thought it was an interesting take on the life of Queen Elizabeth and the "what if" scenario. It never occured to me that such a thing could have possibly have happened. Who knows? this book explores it well and what I loved the most about it was the realistic account of court life during that specific time period. There was no romanticizing court life, it's more cutthroat, like being in a lion's den and no one is really safe from anybody. One little rumor and everything could fall like a pack of dominos lined up one after the other. It was certainly a very intriguing and interesting book I couldn't find myself to put it down. It was well written, wonderful descriptions and to the point, court life was realistic and there is LOTS of show more intrigue. There is so much plotting going on you start feeling like Nell, and you feel you can't trust anybody with any of your secrets in the court. It was an absolute fun and interesting read.

I liked Nell from beginning to end. She was so strong and although a bit headstrong and naive at times, she's mature enough to learn from her mistakes and continue to stay strong. Her traits were admirable and inspiring. I liked her relationship to Gabriel as well. They did suit each other and although it was obvious he was trying to help her, you couldn't help but mistrust him at the same time. He may seem very immature at first, and you share a dislike in him as Nell did at first, but as their relationship develops, you eventually accept him, and like him too. I also loved Nell's friendship with Mary Grey although an odd pair at first, and probably friends because they were "outcasts", Mary was probably one of the very few decent ladies in court (you'll find the maids of honor are rather catty and hard to deal with).

Queen Elizabeth wasn't the nicest Queen either in this book, and I liked how the book portrayed her. Sometimes it does get tiring of reading on how great she was, I'm sure she has her evil bad days as well. In this book you'll find a much more mean, catty, jealous side to Elizabeth and not the wonderful regal Queen we're so used to reading about.

The only criticism I can give to this book is, a little more historical information should have been given in the Author's note. It might help to have a bit more of an introduction for those that aren't too well versed with the history behind the Tudors.

Overall, a wonderful exciting intriguing book about life in Queen Elizabeth's court, I definitely recommend this book to fans of Tudor England. show less

3.5 stars really. The story was definitely slow to begin with, but did feel like more of a 'thriller' towards the end. I had no idea what would happen and did care more about the characters and story by that point! The ideas were good, but so much of it was just so difficult to believe, even small details. However, it's obviously a work of fiction and not meant to be taken seriously, and I did enjoy some of the more shocking events. The second half, when I reached it, was very entertaining. Recommended, but may take a little while to get into.

This was entertaining, as most novels containing the vindictive, petty, jealous, and headstrong Elizabeth Tudor tend to be. It contained the usual court drama and intrigue, courtiers tip toeing around the queen, being fearful of all they say, kissing her majesy's rear end, and having quiet, forbidden affairs. This book was very well written and I found it impressive as debut novels go. Nothing makes it stand out from other royal court dramas tho except the fact that one of the ladies in waiting may very well be Elizabeth's secret daughter. Nell, a well to do country girl, grows up very protected by her mother, Lady Calverly, and after the death of her beloved father, Nell blatantly brushes aside her mother's warnings and goes to court show more to serve Queen Elizabeth. From there, the drama ensues. A visit from her old nanny strikes fear into Nell's heart as she is informed that she is not the country girl she thought she was, but a forbidden princess. Death, scandal, secrets, and torture ensue as Elizabeth gets wind that there may be a threat to her throne. Will Nell's life be spared? show less

There are rumors that Queen Elizabeth had a child in the years that she stayed with Catherine Parr as a young adult. This story imagines what might have happened if Elizabeth had had a daughter in secret. Nell de Lacey grew up knowing nothing of the terrible circumstances surrounding her birth. Elizabeth thought her daughter had been killed after birth to destroy the damning evidence of her affair. In secret, the midwife had taken the child and delivered her to a mother unable to have children of her own. Now years later, Nell has become a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth and old secrets are starting to unravel.

This is an engrossing historical romance full of intrigue and suspense. I enjoyed the storyline and the well-drawn setting. show more However, the writing could use some improvement. Often times, the author would reveal something that she wanted the reader to know about the characters by simply having another character ask a pointed question. This was used far too often and it seemed like a cheap literary device. She would also refer to one thing or another in a way that was inappropriate to the storyline in order to introduce a subject. For example, Nell kept referring to a scar on her hand that she had had since birth. Most people do not constantly think of old wounds they have had their entire lives, so it stood out in the story. Later, bother Nell and the reader learn that there is significance to the scar. Examples like this brought me out of the story that I so desperately wanted to be caught up in. Overall, the novel was enjoyable, but it could use some work. show less

What a wonderful book! I have mentioned before that I enjoy historic fiction from this period in time. The Virgin Queen's Daughter is now at the top of my list of favorites! This book is more than a historical romance it is a look into the scholarly musings of the time. It brings to light things like alchemy, the revolving of the the earth and questions of astronomy. What a deliciously intelligent novel. The only quip I might have is the ending was a bit of a disappointment. There was a point at the end where I thought Okay, I would be happy if it ended here. I wish it had.