The Virgin's Lover (Boleyn)
by Philippa Gregory
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.44 You Save: $12.56 (78%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Virgin's Lover (Boleyn)
Book Review: Disappointing after Other Boleyn Girl and Queen's Fool
Summary: 3 Stars
I listened to this book as an abridged audiobook on CD, and my comments pertain to that edition.
I can't say enough good things about the first two of Philippa Gregory's books that I read, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool. Both take place in Tudor England, feature rich historical detail, and tell compelling and suspenseful stories of observers on the edges of one of the most fascinating periods of history.
I dislike abridged audiobooks, but since that is the only edition of The Virgin's Lover available, and since it came to me at an excellent price, I gave it a shot.
Unlike the previous two books, The Virgin's Lover does not tell the tale of an observer to a tumultuous period of English history, but that of two of its central figures: Elizabeth I and her lover Robert Dudley, in the period immediately after Elizabeth has taken the throne of England. The obstacles facing the young queen are daunting: she is female, she is opposed by the Catholic church for her Protestantism (along with many of her subjects), England is caught between two far greater powers of the time, France and Spain, and very well end up a vassal state to one or the other by military might or by Elizabeth's marriage. The responsibility to steer the nation through all these obstacles falls on the shoulders of a very young woman, and on top of all of that, she must make a good and strategically valuable marriage. But she is in love with a completely unsuitable suitor: the very married Robert Dudley, descendant of a family whose loyalty to the throne has been in question as recently as the last generation. While he is the epitome of the Tudor gentleman's ideal--excellent horseman, fine figure, cultured--he cannot be the king or consort that will secure Elizabeth's throne and England's future. In fact, he could bring down both.
This would be a more tragic tale if either Elizabeth or Dudley were sympathetic characters. But Dudley is full of himself and completely selfish. All he can see is his own potential for glory. He may genuinely love Elizabeth, but even she cannot replace his first love--himself and his own ambitions. And Elizabeth comes off looking terrible--impetuous, whining, repeating over and over again that she can't bear it, whether "it" is the responsibility for the nation or sending Dudley away. On the edges are two more sympathetic characters: Amy Dudley, Robert's long suffering wife, and Cecil, Elizabeth's sage advisor who is ruthless in doing what needs to be done to save his queen and his country, but who has the best interests of both at heart.
The biggest problem with this book was its deeply sagging middle. THe abridged audio edition is 5 discs. Disc one sets up the situation nicely, and disc 5 has a great deal of suspense as the inevitable consequences play themselves out. In between is stagnant, with the same situation replaying over and over--Dudley and Elizabeth in frantic love/lust, trying to figure out how to make it work or get free of the situation, interspersed with political intrigue as Elizabeth vacillates over the questions of marriage, diplomacy with France and Spain, and what must be done to protect England from a Scottish/French invasion. AFter a while I thought I might literally start grinding my teeth if Elizabeth made a decision, called it back, and then moaned "Cecil, I can't bear it!" one more time.
I allow that part of my difficulty might be the abridgement. The full edition might have subplots or scenes that engender greater sympathy for the two lead characters, or at least that spread out the scenes of "I love you but we can't do this/Oh, call my armies back!" to make them less repetitive. But I think that part of the problem is that unlike Mary Boleyn and Hannah the queen's fool, Elizabeth and Robert are well known historical figures. We know how the story will end so much of the suspense is gone. Couple that with the fact that neither lead is terribly sympathetic, and despite the deep historical detail and excellent writing, one is left with a story that is a bit of a slog.
There is still much of Philippa Gregory's body of work that I have not read yet, and I'm still looking forward to it. I think that she would be better served by unabridged editions of her books on audio, however.
It is possible that some of the shortcomings of this book are due to the abridgement, but I think that
Book Review: Gregory's Elizabeth Tudor
Summary: 3 Stars
As stated in my other reviews of Philippa Gregory's books, I am fascinated with the Tudor period. Also, I loved Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl", as well as her "The Constant Princess". Deciding to read all of Gregory's Tudor works in chronological order, I have arrived at "The Virgin's Lover", the novel of Elizabeth I's first two years as the Queen of England, as seen through the eyes of the two most important men in Elizabeth's life at the time: Robert Dudley and William Cecil. Gregory throws in the view of Robert Dudley's wife, Amy Dudley, into the equation as well.
Elizabeth I came to the throne of England upon the death of her sister Mary, in November 1558. At the time of her death Mary I was widely disliked, largely because of her husband, King Philip II of Spain, but also because of religious persecutions and wars that almost bankrupted the treasury of England. At 25 years of age, Elizabeth was vibrant and full of life, her very existence a promise of a better future for England. As a single, young woman, Elizabeth was not secure on her throne, making marriage the top priority for Elizabeth's advisors.
Being painfully aware of her own mother's demise, as well as having had suspect encounters with married men in her life, the most famous being Thomas Seymour and King Philip II, Elizabeth was more than suspicious of marriage. Her favorite at court, Robert Dudley, Master of Horse and Elizabeth's confidant, was also married. A master of flirtation and vacillating between marriage and single life, Elizabeth bade her time while trying to secure the country.
Gregory's version of Elizabeth I is that of a young woman uncertain of anything in her life: cowardly, adulterous, unscrupulous, selfish, fickle, calculated and capricious. While there is no doubt that Elizabeth was some of these things, Gregory's novel portrays this queen as none of the good things that she undoubtedly was. In "The Virgin's Lover" we see Amy Dudley's suffering as her husband Robert, driven by ambition, all but abandons Amy in favor of Elizabeth and the court. Robert Dudley, widely thought to be the best looking man in England at the time, indeed ambitious and calculated, sees Elizabeth as his ticket to Kingdom and power.
"The Virgin's Lover" reads more like a Tudor-time romance novel involving the Queen of England herself than a novel of historical fiction. While I know that Gregory emphasized the fact that this novel is a work of fiction, I am still disenchanted by this description of Elizabeth. And while there is very little doubt that there was some sort of intimate relationship between Elizabeth and Dudley, Gregory's assertion of a full-blown relationship and almost marriage, prevented only by William Cecil, is a bit far-fetched. Gregory's elaboration of Amy Dudley's death was actually pretty good. The death of Lady Dudley is still a mystery for the historians.
Philippa Gregory is very good with narratives and character development. She definitely can build a suspense and make the reader believe that they are actually included in the thinking processes of the mightiest people in England. Gregory does stretch her fictional license by describing Elizabeth I in terms that are utterly unflattering to this great monarch. The novel, however, is very easy to read, even if one disagrees with Gregory.
All in all, "The Virgin's Lover" is a well-written novel about the first years of the reign of Elizabeth I; a novel concentrating on Robert Dudley's attempt to sway the Queen into marrying him. Good narration loosely relying on history makes the novel entertaining. The fact that the novel reads as a romance novel more than anything else is a matter of taste for individual readers, a matter that did not particularly appeal to me personally. Recommended with caution.
Book Review: The journey that began with a bang ends with a whimper.
Summary: 4 Stars
After tearing through The Other Boleyn Girl, I made up my mind to read all four of the other books in Gregory's Tudor series, sure that each one would be the equal of the fascinating, soapy and wonderfully rendered first novel. Unfortunately, none of the others succeeded in matching that one, either in the writing and storytelling, or in my own enjoyment factor. This one comes closest, but it is still a far cry.
My main problem with this novel is that it has to be judged more by what it ISN'T that what it IS. For instance, it ISN'T horribly repetitive like The Constant Princess and The Boleyn Inheritance. That's kind of like judging food by saying "Well, it didn't make me sick." Food isn't SUPPOSED to make you sick, and books aren't SUPPOSED to be horribly repetitive. Yet somehow that's a compliment to Gregory.
Readers of Gregory's other books will be alternately rewarded and disappointed by the inclusion of other characters and/or historical figures in this novel. For instance, Hannah the Fool, a fictional character Gregory employed as the star of The Queen's Fool: A Novel makes a brief appearance and is referenced a few times when it's relevant to the plot. Mary Boleyn & King Henry VIII's illegitimate daughter Catherine is brought back as a minor character, and while it's wonderful to see her come into such a good future, it's puzzling that her brother Henry was omitted -- especially since Gregory writes in the author's note of TOBG that he grew to be a minor player in his half-sister/cousin Elizabeth's court.
And then we come to my primary problem with this novel: Elizabeth herself. In every single history book, historical fiction novel, television special and movie I have ever seen on Queen Elizabeth I, she has always been portrayed as an intelligent, cunning and capable ruler with the strength and conviction needed to run a Kingdom alone for nearly fifty years, and position it to be one of the most powerful nations in the world for centuries to come. In short, she's always portrayed as nothing more or less than what she was: the greatest ruler in Great Britain's history. Gregory's interpretation of this character turns her into a sniveling, whining child who is incapable of making even the simplest of decisions without going to a man for guidance and spends more time moaning about the fate of her Kingdom than she does actually taking a hand in deciding that fate on her own. This may be seen by some as a novel approach by Gregory, but I was annoyed and dismayed by the Elizabeth she created. How could such a powerful female icon be reduced to this dependent, paralyzed, and frankly stupid woman? I've never considered myself a feminist, but even I was appalled by this.
However, it's easier to dwell on my problems with this novel than to itemize all the little things I did actually enjoy about it. In fact, if it weren't for the utterly abrupt, rushed and disappointing nature of the ending, I might have even been moved to give it five stars.
I didn't like any of Gregory's other books enough to make reading her non-Tudor efforts a high priority. I like historical fiction enough to know that I'll certainly read them one day, but that day is a long, long ways off. And hopefully that will give her plenty of time to come up with something else that matches the power of The Other Boleyn Girl.
Book Review: Was She, or Wasn't She?
Summary: 4 Stars
This historical novel focuses on the love triangle between Queen Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley, and Dudley's wife, Amy. While all the characters in this novel are taken from history, Gregory obviously takes some liberties with historical events. Despite the historical inaccuracies and uncertainties, the book is a highly enjoyable read. It was my first introduction to Gregory's work, and I have since read 3 more Gregory novels.
It is 1558, and Elizabeth has just ascended the throne. She finds that there are only a few people she can trust, since treachery lurks around every corner. She is, after all, a Protestant queen, in a country unwilling to fully embrace Protestantism. The legitimacy of her throne is questioned because of the circumstances surrounding her birth. Elizabeth finds herself without the funds to defend her throne and to protect England.
In steps Robert Dudley, the disgraced son of a previously prominent family. He and Elizabeth are old friends, and he takes advantage of Elizabeth's vulnerabilities to rise to a position of great power in her court. He becomes her Master of Horse, but also her confidante, and eventually, her lover. Gregory leaves some ambiguity as to whether Dudley is pretending in order to increase his position in the court, or whether he actually has such depth of feeling for Elizabeth. But one thing is clear, he brings out a passionate side in the queen, and it is because of this that she may end up in further danger.
Elizabeth is soon torn between her love for England and her love for Dudley. Her closest advisor, William Cecil, believes Dudley to be a threat. Elizabeth becomes confused - torn between wanting to follow Cecil's counsel, or follow that of Dudley's - advice that sometimes conflicts. To add further confusion, Elizabeth must marry someone of power and produce an heir in order to secure her position on the throne. Her devotion to Dudley and her unwillingness to betray him mars the prospect of marriage.
Dudley himself aspires to be Elizabeth's husband. But one thing stands in his way - his wife, Amy Robsart. Amy, who practices Catholicism in secret, despises the queen, but realizes that she is the only person who can restore dignity to the Dudley name. She waits faithfully at home while Dudley is off at court, and when rumors begin to circulate about Dudley's love affair with the queen, Amy can do nothing but sit and wait for infrequent contact from her husband. Whether she is willing to believe the rumors or not, she obviously still loves her husband, and she knows that she is no competition for the beautiful, glamorous queen.
As with any love triangle, it cannot end well. As it is brought to an anguished end, Dudley ends up shamed once again. Elizabeth sits a bit more securely on the throne, but Dudley is left pondering what happened, and whom is responsible. Gregory leaves a bit of a mystery at the end, just as there are some mysteries remaining about Elizabeth's court. It is only fitting that the novel leaves loose ends, and that the reader must draw their own conclusions. Mystery and intrigue are part of courtly life, after all.
Book Review: An interesting idea that never bore fruit.
Summary: 2 Stars
"The Virgin's Lover" is based around the love triangle between Queen Elizabeth the 1st, her Master of Horse, Robert Dudley, and his wife, Amy Robsart.
In essence, Gregory is trying to repeat her success with "The Other Boleyn Girl" here. We have the nasty, self-serving man (Henry VIII/Dudley); the kind, sweet girl who loves him (Mary/Amy); and the capricious, selfish, vain woman who tears the man away, only to grow increasingly neurotic as the story goes on (Anne/Elizabeth).
The sad part is, the book didn't begin that way. True, Amy is portrayed as a kind, loving, simple girl, but she's not perfect in the beginning of the book. She's snippy in some parts, judgmental in others, and obstinately refuses to see her husband as he is, instead pushing her idea of how he should be onto him. Meanwhile, though Elizabeth and Robert are not shown as nice people, they are genuinely in love, and we have to admire their intelligence and wit.
We do know that Elizabeth I was vain, tempermental, coquettish, and sometimes downright mean. Also, in the early years of her rule (when this story takes place) she simply wasn't as good a queen as she was later on, when she'd grown more experienced. A book willing to focus on those faults is rare, and was very interesting to read, as was a love triangle with three flawed people.
But about halfway through the book, when war was declared in England, the story fell apart. Elizabeth became a shrieking, neurotic mess, unable to take a step without Dudley to guide her. She is shown in at least half a dozen scenes screaming and crying, screaming and crying, screaming and crying until we the reader grow so irritated with her that all sympathy is gone. We're told all about how she has Catholic priests locked up, and ominously informed that she will "probably" have them killed. That storyline is never followed up, obviously because Elizabeth did NOT kill people of opposing religions, and was comparatively one of the most tolerant monarchs Europe had ever seen up until that point. But Gregory couldn't let her readers know that, lest they get too positive an image of her.
Meanwhile, we're treated to at least as many scenes of Amy suffering. The pain in her breast (believed by historians to be cancer) is referred to as heartbreak, and we watch her terrible humiliation as she's thrown out of good homes, divorced by her husband, rejected by doctors--scenes that Gregory invented herself, of course. That there's so many of them made me feel I was being beaten over the head with a club that read: AMY IS A VICTIM!
A shame. I've rarely seen a book with so much potential go down the crapper so quickly and completely.
I will say this: Gregory knows how to write. Her scenes were compelling, and even when I was annoyed, I wasn't bored. I hope she writes more about characters that she doesn't have such an obvious vendetta towards in the future; I'm certainly interested enough by the talent shown here to read more.