The Lady Elizabeth

Rosalyn Landor's brisk narration zooms in on Elizabeth I's life from age 3 to her early twenties, when she comes to rule. Landor demonstrates the many fine details of Weir's research and highlights relationships and characters with well-interpreted voices. We warm with Elizabeth when her father, Henry VIII, praises his "chip off the old block" and then shrink when he roars with displeasure. Landor highlights the tenderness and constancy of Elizabeth's governess, Kat Ashley; the tenacious pursuit of her stepfather, Thomas Seymour; the bitterness and jealousy of her sister, Queen Mary. Together the portraits give listeners an understanding of a precociously wise young woman caught in precarious situations. An author's afterword describes how differently Weir approaches novels and nonfiction writing. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

March 31, 2008
Weir (Innocent Traitor) lends her considerable historical knowledge to the early years of England's famous queen in this absorbing second novel. The tale chronicles the life of Elizabeth I from her early childhood to her coronation, through the final years of her father, Henry VIII, and the brief reigns of her siblings, Edward VI and Queen Mary. Renowned for her "mercurial temperament" and "formidable intelligence," in Weir's account Elizabeth spends her childhood shuttling between royal estates and preparing for life as a "great lady" after she is stripped of her position as successor to the British throne following the execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn. As Elizabeth grows, her progressive views on women's roles, religion, and politics take shape-including her legendary vow never to marry, forged through observation of others' relationships as well as a painful first-hand brush with romance at age fourteen. Weir's Elizabeth is nuanced and enchanting, and the author lends a refreshing perspective to well-known characters and events in British history, such as the fates of her father's six wives and the brief reign of Lady Jane Grey, the subject of her first historical novel. History buffs will enjoy this entertaining look into the rarely explored early life of one of England's most fascinating characters.

June 30, 2008
Rosalyn Landor distinguishes the female characters nicely, handles the British and Welsh accents well and has a charming narrator's voice. She's less successful voicing the children, who sound like squeaky toys, and her Henry VIII makes one think of Papa Bear. While the book is often tediously detailed, and the children's psychological sophistication and vocabulary are beyond belief, Weir knows her landscape and how to tell a good yarn: she has written 10 histories of this period, and one bestselling novel, Innocent Traitor
, about Lady Jane Grey. Landor's narration carries the fascinating plot twists and dynamic characters. Weir fans, historical novel and Elizabethan era buffs—and teenage girls—will enjoy this audio. A Ballantine hardcover (reviewed online).