a_manning11's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't struggle with the changing names of people, as another reviewer stated, but found it difficult to follow the chronology, since important topics were discussed outside the chronological telling of events, and jumped ahead.
This book is a very political (and in this case marriage related) version of the life of Elizabeth. To give it five stars, I would have liked to learn more about the culture, society and other events. That's what makes history interesting for me.
I found the book repetitive sometimes, but admit that this is probably a good thing, since not everyone is likely to listen to this book in two days, and those little reminders might be valuable then.
I will give her other books a try.
This book is a very political (and in this case marriage related) version of the life of Elizabeth. To give it five stars, I would have liked to learn more about the culture, society and other events. That's what makes history interesting for me.
I found the book repetitive sometimes, but admit that this is probably a good thing, since not everyone is likely to listen to this book in two days, and those little reminders might be valuable then.
I will give her other books a try.
jsh626's review against another edition
4.0
This is more like a text book than a historical novel, but it is a fascinating look into the detail of Elizabethan life. She meticulously analyzes the gossip, myths and intrigue following Elizabeth. So far very enjoyable, but not a "beach" book.
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
Alison Weir has written an excellent introductory biography of Elizabeth I. Elizabeth I was one of England's most influential monarchs and her long reign was full of conflict and drama--the threat of the Spanish Amanda, the intrigues of Mary Queen of Scots, and the continuing religious struggles between Catholics and Protestants and between High Church Protestants and Puritans within the kingdom. And then the issue of Elizabeth's ultimate refusal to marry after spending years manipulating the marriage markets of both England and Europe. Weir brings Elizabeth I to life in all of her complexity. Coming to the throne at age 25, Elizabeth lived a fascinating life and she was responsible for transforming England from a debt-ridden country of little international influence into a united kingdom fully engaged in European politics. This book is social historian Alison Weir at her best.
yggdrasil793's review against another edition
5.0
10/10 Stars. The best book on Queen Elizabeth I that I have read to date. Extremely detailed, well written, and really shows who Elizabeth and the people of her court were. It celebrates her virtues and her successes but also points out her very real and at times, frightening, flaws. This book humanizes Elizabeth and others (Dudley, Cecil, Essex, etc) and gives real insight into Elizabethan England. A must read for anyone interested in Tudor history, especially Elizabethan history.
sophronisba's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
A good bio of Elizabeth that gives you some basic context about the Tudors and the broad strokes of Elizabeth's reign. One of Weir's better books, she seems less credulous here than in, say, her Swynford book.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Elizabeth I was born in England in 1533. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife. Her father had her mother executed via beheading when she was two years old. Before the execution, their marriage was annulled, making Elizabeth an illegitimate child. She was educated by tutors, learning several languages. When Henry VIII died, she lived in the household of Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour. He engaged in severely inappropriate and abusive activities toward Elizabeth, which I am sure traumatized her in some way. He was eventually executed for plotting to marry Elizabeth, as well as marrying her cousin to her half brother. Eventually, after the death of her brother Edward VI, her cousin Lady Jane Grey, and her sister Mary I, she became queen. The year was 1558, and she was 25 years old. Elizabeth would go on to be the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor.
During her reign, she was known for a lot of different things. The fact that she absolutely refused to marry was one of them. She did not want to give a man the right to control her and her decisions, and I certainly cannot blame her for that. Plus, they were all scheming anyway to become King. She did have a long love affair with Robert Dudley though, and was probably not a virgin as people were want to call her. She was also an imperialist, seeking to grow her kingdom. She engaged in several military conflicts, but also worked to foster good relationships with allied kingdoms.
Alison Weir is one of my favorite female historians. I typically enjoy all of her work, and this one was no exception. Her research is always very well done, and I have picked up further reading from her bibliography several times. I enjoy the way she tells the stories of people in a way that is interesting, entertaining, and educational. Elizabeth I is a monarch that I have read a lot about, but still managed to learn a few new things from this book. Any book by this author is a good choice to add to your TBR pile.
During her reign, she was known for a lot of different things. The fact that she absolutely refused to marry was one of them. She did not want to give a man the right to control her and her decisions, and I certainly cannot blame her for that. Plus, they were all scheming anyway to become King. She did have a long love affair with Robert Dudley though, and was probably not a virgin as people were want to call her. She was also an imperialist, seeking to grow her kingdom. She engaged in several military conflicts, but also worked to foster good relationships with allied kingdoms.
Alison Weir is one of my favorite female historians. I typically enjoy all of her work, and this one was no exception. Her research is always very well done, and I have picked up further reading from her bibliography several times. I enjoy the way she tells the stories of people in a way that is interesting, entertaining, and educational. Elizabeth I is a monarch that I have read a lot about, but still managed to learn a few new things from this book. Any book by this author is a good choice to add to your TBR pile.
sortabadass's review against another edition
2.0
I knew very little about Elizabeth I besides her basic biography and that her bonuses in Civ 5 are awesome.
Now, I know way more than I ever wanted to know about her. I'm trying to read more nonfiction, and I generally enjoy the biographies of interesting monarchs. Because Elizabeth I was a sovereign in a time when women were considered unfit to rule, I assumed she would be interesting. I have never been more wrong.
Now I'm sure that Elizabeth was a very good queen. It's just that 40 years of maintaining economic stability and peace doesn't make for a great book.
Weir does well vividly describing 1500s England and outlining the broad strategies that encompassed Elizabeth's reign, but I feel like she could have condensed some of the oft-repeated scenarios to make it a little easier on the reader. (An example of this is Massie's treatment of the later "favorites" in [b:Catherine the Great Portrait of a Woman|10414941|Catherine the Great Portrait of a Woman|Robert K. Massie|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327884954s/10414941.jpg|15319151].) As an ugly American, I also have zero experience with formal titles. The closest thing in my experience to someone being granted an official title is Snoop Dogg changing his name to Snoop Lion. So when a main character gets a new title halfway through the book and suddenly is referred to exclusively by the new title, that stuff's confusing. Especially because this happened to several -- if not most -- of the characters. I wish Weir would have just referred to them by last names instead of titles for the sake of clarity.
Now, I know way more than I ever wanted to know about her. I'm trying to read more nonfiction, and I generally enjoy the biographies of interesting monarchs. Because Elizabeth I was a sovereign in a time when women were considered unfit to rule, I assumed she would be interesting. I have never been more wrong.
Now I'm sure that Elizabeth was a very good queen. It's just that 40 years of maintaining economic stability and peace doesn't make for a great book.
Weir does well vividly describing 1500s England and outlining the broad strategies that encompassed Elizabeth's reign, but I feel like she could have condensed some of the oft-repeated scenarios to make it a little easier on the reader. (An example of this is Massie's treatment of the later "favorites" in [b:Catherine the Great Portrait of a Woman|10414941|Catherine the Great Portrait of a Woman|Robert K. Massie|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327884954s/10414941.jpg|15319151].) As an ugly American, I also have zero experience with formal titles. The closest thing in my experience to someone being granted an official title is Snoop Dogg changing his name to Snoop Lion. So when a main character gets a new title halfway through the book and suddenly is referred to exclusively by the new title, that stuff's confusing. Especially because this happened to several -- if not most -- of the characters. I wish Weir would have just referred to them by last names instead of titles for the sake of clarity.