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bananagoo's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
daemonad's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a pleasant surprise. The bold voice pulled me in and kept me attentive and entertained throughout. I also liked that Kay didn't take any sides with the exception of Walsigham. (I felt the author disliked him, called him "bigot" through Elisabeth, but maybe Elisabeth did so herself). So I too ended up hating Walsigham but also Cecil and his hunchbacked son.) At the same time, Elisabeth didn't come across idealized as you often see with authors who write about their European queens as strong and without guilt or single blemish. Kay drew on primary sources of which there are tons and the reader can see that the mighty Elisabeth was brilliant but very much flawed woman.
On the negative side, some of the ideas behind Elisabeth's behavior weren't convincing, likewise Robert behaved erratically and while we were told he enjoyed and studied mathematics it never showed in his actions. I didn't understand how Elisabeth gave in to Essex knowing this demonic side of her would drive him to destruction. But in the end it was Essex's pride that did that. Even after he had drawn a sword against her and threatened her, she merely cast him out of the court and impoverished him so again he rose against her and only then and on the pressure of her council, she had him executed. I believe that she took no joy in executing trouble makers.
Elisabeth was a force to recon with and I never felt sorry for her because you know she comes out of everything as victorious. Even her loneliness didn't stir pity in me, while I was moved deeply by her Queen's Mary Tudor, lot, the empty cradle... I had to remind myself she'd done some monstrous things so as not to weep for her.
On the negative side, some of the ideas behind Elisabeth's behavior weren't convincing, likewise Robert behaved erratically and while we were told he enjoyed and studied mathematics it never showed in his actions. I didn't understand how Elisabeth gave in to Essex knowing this demonic side of her would drive him to destruction. But in the end it was Essex's pride that did that. Even after he had drawn a sword against her and threatened her, she merely cast him out of the court and impoverished him so again he rose against her and only then and on the pressure of her council, she had him executed. I believe that she took no joy in executing trouble makers.
Elisabeth was a force to recon with and I never felt sorry for her because you know she comes out of everything as victorious. Even her loneliness didn't stir pity in me, while I was moved deeply by her Queen's Mary Tudor, lot, the empty cradle... I had to remind myself she'd done some monstrous things so as not to weep for her.
ejwilf98's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm not sure how to feel about this book. It is clearly an ambitious project and it started out really strong, but I think unfortunately it suffered from being too long. I started out loving how the characters were so complex (Elizabeth isn't just typical #girlboss), but ultimately the characters stopped feeling consistent. I like ambiguity, but after a certain point I couldn't even tell what the author intended. Was Elizabeth supposed to be a witch? Or was she totally crazy? I ended up kind of just disliking everyone and rooting for nobody. I especially disliked that a lot of the narrative verged on sexist - it was all about Elizabeth, even as a 14 year old, "destroying men's lives" or whatever. It also ran into the historical fiction problem of verging on textbook talk, like "she didn't know xyz thing would be remembered this way..."
That's a lot of negatives, but I did generally like it. Again, very ambitious to cover Elizabeth's whole life and it was a different angle on her story.
That's a lot of negatives, but I did generally like it. Again, very ambitious to cover Elizabeth's whole life and it was a different angle on her story.
yulannu's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a pleasant surprise. The bold voice pulled me in and kept me attentive and entertained throughout. I also liked that Kay didn't take any sides with the exception of Walsigham. (I felt the author disliked him, called him "bigot" through Elisabeth, but maybe Elisabeth did so herself). So I too ended up hating Walsigham but also Cecil and his hunchbacked son.) At the same time, Elisabeth didn't come across idealized as you often see with authors who write about their European queens as strong and without guilt or single blemish. Kay drew on primary sources of which there are tons and the reader can see that the mighty Elisabeth was brilliant but very much flawed woman.
On the negative side, some of the ideas behind Elisabeth's behavior weren't convincing, likewise Robert behaved erratically and while we were told he enjoyed and studied mathematics it never showed in his actions. I didn't understand how Elisabeth gave in to Essex knowing this demonic side of her would drive him to destruction. But in the end it was Essex's pride that did that. Even after he had drawn a sword against her and threatened her, she merely cast him out of the court and impoverished him so again he rose against her and only then and on the pressure of her council, she had him executed. I believe that she took no joy in executing trouble makers.
Elisabeth was a force to recon with and I never felt sorry for her because you know she comes out of everything as victorious. Even her loneliness didn't stir pity in me, while I was moved deeply by her Queen's Mary Tudor, lot, the empty cradle... I had to remind myself she'd done some monstrous things so as not to weep for her.
On the negative side, some of the ideas behind Elisabeth's behavior weren't convincing, likewise Robert behaved erratically and while we were told he enjoyed and studied mathematics it never showed in his actions. I didn't understand how Elisabeth gave in to Essex knowing this demonic side of her would drive him to destruction. But in the end it was Essex's pride that did that. Even after he had drawn a sword against her and threatened her, she merely cast him out of the court and impoverished him so again he rose against her and only then and on the pressure of her council, she had him executed. I believe that she took no joy in executing trouble makers.
Elisabeth was a force to recon with and I never felt sorry for her because you know she comes out of everything as victorious. Even her loneliness didn't stir pity in me, while I was moved deeply by her Queen's Mary Tudor, lot, the empty cradle... I had to remind myself she'd done some monstrous things so as not to weep for her.
tharina's review against another edition
Legacy provides an epic overview of Elizabeth I's life. While Susan Kay might take some liberties in her interpretation of historical fact, Legacy has an internal consistency - Kay might draw her own conclusions, but she keeps to the boundaries she set for herself. I'd recommend it for those intrigued by the life of Elizabeth I.
tje_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I read this a LONG time ago, but remember really liking it.
emilyinlalaland's review against another edition
5.0
A well-rounded, flawed portrayal of Elizabeth not discounting her achievements or her mistakes? Never heard of her (until this book)!
oliviamunrow's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not going to rate it until I re-read it. It's been six months and I barely remember it amid all the other Elizabethan HF I've read since then (which says more about me than this book).
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