A Few Words on The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

Cover of The Lady Elizabeth

“Why, governor,” she had asked sir John Shelton, in her clear, well modulated voice, “why is that yesterday you called me Lady Princess, and today just Lady Elizabeth?”

I’ve been craving historical fiction of late and this soothed my craving to no end.  I’m not a historian so I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the historical information in the novel, nor would I as this is a fictional account of the life and times of the Lady Elizabeth who would eventually become the Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen.  The novel by Alison Weir provides a well written narrative that not only follows Elizabeth, but those around her and influencing her life.  Alison Weir in her note to the reader admits to taking some liberties with the historical facts in this novel, but she states that she attempts most of the time to stay as true to the accounts of fact as she can.  Once again as I am not a historian I can not vouch for this, but as a reader and lover of history I would like to think that this is true.

As is typical of my nature when reading novels, I find myself fascinated by a supporting character.  The Lady Mary, who eventually becomes Queen Mary is a well written character in this book who you find yourself at times sympathizing with and at other times despising.  I think the emotional attachment that one finds themselves entangled in while reading this book is proof of Alison Weir’s ability to write a believable and entrancing tale surrounding the early life of Lady Elizabeth.

In The Lady Elizabeth, Weir does a fantastic job of providing a viewpoint both through the eye’s of a precocious child and through the eyes of the adults around her.  I found myself so entranced and emotionally attached to all of the characters in the book that I could not put the book aside until I had finished reading it completely.