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Paperback
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Format: Bargain Price
In this groundbreaking novel, award-winning author Sandra Worth vibrantly brings to life the people’s Queen, “Elizabeth the Good.”
Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth of York trusts that her beloved father’s dying wish has left England in the hands of a just and deserving ruler. But upon the rise of Richard of Gloucester, Elizabeth’s family experiences one devastation after another: her late father is exposed as a bigamist, she and her siblings are branded bastards, and her brothers are taken into the new king’s custody, then reportedly killed.
But one fateful night leads Elizabeth to question her prejudices. Through the eyes of Richard’s ailing queen she sees a man worthy of respect and undying adoration. His dedication to his people inspires a forbidden love and ultimately gives her the courage to accept her destiny, marry Henry Tudor, and become Queen. While her soul may secretly belong to another, her heart belongs to England…
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| Elizabeth the Good |
| Customer Rating: 2 out of 5 |
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I have always been enthralled by stories of the medieval English court and for that very reason this book held a superficial luster for me. However as I delved farther into the chapters, the woman who was both admired and abhorred for her choice to marry the first Tudor, who shone within these pages displayed an abominably passive and static character. Due to this, I was left with little feeling of connection to the character. Henry VII shone more brightly than she for whom the book was named.
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| story of Henry VIIIs mother, father and siblings |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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I found this to be very enjoyable. It is approximately 1-2 generations before Henry VIII, which is the era I usually prefer, but I found it easy to adjust to the differences, because the writing style of Sandra Worth is such that she explains as she goes along. Also included in this story is an additional theory as to what happened to the "two princes in the tower". It is a new look at Henry VIII's mother, who, I have found, doesn't get a lot written about her in fictional histories featuring Henry. Recommend giving it a try!
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| Inconsistent |
| Customer Rating: 2 out of 5 |
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I couldn't feel any sympathy for this character, she was whiny and her mother was horrible to her while she oscillated between hating her mother back and saintly forgiveness for a woman, who was a witch in all sense of the word.
Then Elizabeth doesn't love Richard III and then guess what? She does! Her ridiculous, obsessed veneration of the overly noble king, who wouldn't hurt a fly, is suddenly really love. Who knew?
This book is probably a good read if you are just looking for a romance with a historical setting, but it is obviously marketed to those of us who prefer historical fiction with a romance aspect and I didn't have the patience to finish, Elizabeth just pissed me off so much.
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| Not well written |
| Customer Rating: 2 out of 5 |
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I love historical novels but this one is poorly written. Not so much the history--there are a lot of versions of the Richard III story, and they are all interesting. Rather the writing itself is pretty amateur. More harlequin romance than historical novel.
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| Really Enjoyed This... |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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Well, there's not much else I can add to the (mostly) glowing reviews of this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was my first real look at the reigns of Richard III and Henry VII. I've read MANY books about Henry VIII and his wives, and court, but it was nice to finally get the story of where he came from. While I don't fully agree with all the authors portrayals, she did do a great job of telling Elizabeth's story in what I imagine would be very close to her own voice.
I won't summarize this since it's already been done so many times here, but Elizabeth is a very realistic and sympathetic woman who blossoms into a gentle and loving Queen...the polar opposite of her Mother, Queen Elizabeth Woodville. She manages to balance out her always suspicious and ruthless husband, King Henry VII. I'm not sure I buy Elizabeth's pinning for Richard III her entire adult life, but this is a fiction book, so Ms. Worth is able to stretch some ideas a bit. Also, I personally am a believer of the little princes being killed in the tower, but she almost makes you believe that Perkin Warbeck is in fact Prince Richard.
Overall, I definitely recommend this. I like the first person format, even if it can be a bit stifling at times. The story moves quickly and is one that I believe most Tudor-ear fans will relish.
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