Reviews

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

alexisdpatt's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

“Innocent Traitor” by Alison Weir ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Innocent Traitor” tells the story of Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554), known to history as The Nine Days Queen, and the dynamics and strings behind how she became queen in the first place and her tragic death at the scaffold. 

This was such an intriguing to read. Although Weir succumb to usual historical fiction tropes, this being Weir’s first fiction novel was an interesting choice. Most of her novels are written in third person limited. With this, however, Weir decided to write Jane’s story through first person narration through the eyes of several different people who play a major role in Jane’s story: her mother Lady Frances Grey, Katherine Parr, John Dudley, and Lady Mary just to name a few. Since Jane only lived to be 16, by spreading out the story this way, Weir is able to show all of the pieces and how they played out. 

As the novel went on, it brought me back to Nicola Talis’s nonfiction on Jane that I read a few years ago. The way that Weir depicted her really reminded me of how Talis talked about her and I’m very happy that they can easily go hand in hand with each other. 

This book has cemented the fact that her novel on Mary I will be the next one of hers that I read and o genuinely cannot wait for it. 🙈

alexandra_kat's review against another edition

dark reflective tense

4.75

I have been crying for the last thirty minutes 

kristinmagoo's review against another edition

3.0

I was oddly disappointed. I enjoy historical fiction, but for some reason this was just a tad boring for me. I finished it, and it was not a miserable experience. But...meh.

nocuplongenough's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

bpacker22's review against another edition

4.0

I really liked this book and how it shared Jane Grey's story from different perspectives. It was well written but some parts seemed to be in there for no reason. I was however very upset with the ending. I knew how it was going to end but I was not thrilled to read it from the perspective of the executioner. he was heartless and it left me pissed off instead of sad and depressed.

cidaumer's review against another edition

5.0

This will be discussed at an upcoming Book Chat at Hobart. Discussion date is March 17th @ 2pm. Pick up a copy of the book starting February 17th.

jsegaloff's review against another edition

4.0

I am not a huge fan of "The Crown" but reading this book has helped me see the allure. Thoseroyal families are fraught with lies and deceit!

steph323's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

calidris_pygmaea's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

jeanajen2024's review against another edition

5.0

This book tells the story of Lady Jane Grey. The young girl who ruled England for nine days. This is one of the most well written non-fiction books I've ever read. It told a story. A heartwrenching story about a young girl used as a pawn by her parents and others in power to get what they wanted. I was appalled at the attitude that Jane's mother had. She never seemed to love her children and as a mother that is hard to understand.

As Jane grew in the book, I was amazed at how I could see her views as those of a teenager. Maybe it come from having a teen now, but Jane, while wise beyond her years, was very clearly a teenager. She was a staunch Protestant with extreme views and was sure that she really already knew it all. I found myself smiling at some of her statements.

In the end, this book had me crying. To think of this poor innocent girl being sent to her death because her parents are assholes is just so difficult.