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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
informative
slow-paced
This book is very readable and engaging. It details Elizabeth's dealing in her public and private life with intimate details.
Lots of repetition with not much going on in the story. It is a biography with collections from a variety of resources. The reader was great as well. I think I may eventually finish it, but I am putting it down for now.
It took me a long time to get through this book --- not b/c it's not well written and fascinating, but because I could never find a chunk of time to dedicate to it. It's a biography, perhaps a bit dry in some areas, but is a compelling read if you're into Elizabeth and the history before her (Henry VIII) and after. Alison Weir does a fabulous job with research and pulling together the book.
informative
slow-paced
A very solid, detailed and granular biography of one of our most renowned monarchs, Elizabeth I. This is an excellent trove of detail and information, giving a full portrait of a Queen in both her prime and eventual decline.
Weir skips the early life of Elizabeth, so we meet her fully formed as Queen Mary lies dying. The early life of Elizabeth is a subject touched upon in some of the author's other, excellent, Tudor histories and doesn't really impact on her reign. A lot of detail is given to Elizabeth's several marriage negotiations and we are how this fascinating woman battled the preconceptions of the time, skilfully avoiding a match and defying all expectations to rule effectively.
As her reign continues the machinations at court are explored, with both Leicester and Essex examined in depth. It's remarkable just how detailed this biography is, there is no speculative history here (a particular bugbear of mine is an author putting words or thoughts into a person - "Elizabeth would have felt angry" etc), instead every action, thought and comment is thoroughly sourced, making this a must-read for anyone serious about Tudor England.
I've marked this as 3 stars, as despite the depth of learning that is in display I didn't find this as enjoyable or as well paced as other books by the same author, and found some passages a struggle to get through. That said, it will remain in my shelves as my go-to reference point for Elizabeth in the future.
Weir skips the early life of Elizabeth, so we meet her fully formed as Queen Mary lies dying. The early life of Elizabeth is a subject touched upon in some of the author's other, excellent, Tudor histories and doesn't really impact on her reign. A lot of detail is given to Elizabeth's several marriage negotiations and we are how this fascinating woman battled the preconceptions of the time, skilfully avoiding a match and defying all expectations to rule effectively.
As her reign continues the machinations at court are explored, with both Leicester and Essex examined in depth. It's remarkable just how detailed this biography is, there is no speculative history here (a particular bugbear of mine is an author putting words or thoughts into a person - "Elizabeth would have felt angry" etc), instead every action, thought and comment is thoroughly sourced, making this a must-read for anyone serious about Tudor England.
I've marked this as 3 stars, as despite the depth of learning that is in display I didn't find this as enjoyable or as well paced as other books by the same author, and found some passages a struggle to get through. That said, it will remain in my shelves as my go-to reference point for Elizabeth in the future.
A good biography, but not worth the hype. The constant use of quotations without any reference indicating who said it or when is problematic.
Completely engrossing. Not gossipy or dry like some biographies can be. She was a fascinating person with numerous talents, but still fallible. This was a very human depiction of a great historical figure. I would love to read more by this author.
I just wasn't as interested in Elizabeth as I thought I would be.