I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles

[amyb]

Rosalind Miles, oh Rosalind Miles...how happy I am to have found you! You have written a most excellent novel about my favorite monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, and gave me hours of reading ecstasy that I will never forget! I loved every minute of this book!!!!

I, Elizabeth is a fantastic read of the life, loves, trials and tribulations of Queen Elizabeth I, "The Virgin Queen". We follow Elizabeth from childhood, when she was labeled a "bastard" and her mother a "whore", to the treacherous times before her accession to the throne, through her 45 year reign as Queen of England, until her death at the age of 69. Miles does a great job at putting you right there with her through it all...the good, the bad and the ugly!

The novel is broken down into 5 parts...Bastard, Virgin, Queen, Bellona and Gloriana, the five phases in Elizabeth's life. At a little over 600 pages, this is no light reading...but, do not fret, the chapters are short and it goes by quickly. Elizabeth is portrayed just how I imagined her...spunky, fiesty, strong, vain, gutsy, ornery and a tad bitchy! And it's a good thing that she was all those things, or else she never would've lasted against her Parliament!

The question of Elizabeth's virginity was handled very well in my opinion...she was such a passionate woman (being the offspring of two very amorous people, poor girl didn't stand a chance) and always surrounded herself with adoring men, it's easy to see how the scandals and rumors started. The matter of marriage never ceased to be a nuisance to Elizabeth and I can certainly understand her reluctance to it...after seeing what all the men in her life did to their wives, who could blame her?

The dialect in this novel was superb, Elizabeth has some great quotes that would make me laugh out loud or give me fantastic insight into that complex brain of hers.

Bottom line: Yours truly most enthusiastically recommends this outstanding novel to anyone and everyone who will listen! :D

[Amanda]

The dialect in this novel was superb, Elizabeth has some great quotes that would make me laugh out loud or give me fantastic insight into that complex brain of hers.


Totally agree with your review! I read this book some years ago, and I distinctly remember that the dialogue was just fantastic. She "sounds" just like Glenda Jackson.

[EC2]

Thanks Amy, I'll have to read this one. I really enjoyed Susannah Kay's Legacy about Elizabeth 1 many years ago, but have recently had to wall bang Alison Weir's efforts at the same subject. Good to know that someone else has written a decent novel about her.

[amyb]

EC...my life long mission is to get my hands on a copy of Legacy one day!! And I am sooo with you on the Weir book about Elizabeth! I didn't get that far into it before I chucked it...although I do like her non-fiction books.

[Misfit]

EC...my life long mission is to get my hands on a copy of Legacy one day!! And I am sooo with you on the Weir book about Elizabeth! I didn't get that far into it before I chucked it...although I do like her non-fiction books.

I am soooo glad I never bothered with the Weir book, but I agree with eC about Legacy. How many times can you look at a book's reviews on Ammy and see 20 + and all five stars?

Sigh, another one for the TBR pile although I think I may already own this one. :p:confused:

[Tanzanite]

I really didn't like this one and found it rather flat and uninspiring (quite unlike Legacy).

[Telynor]

This one and Susan Kay's Legacy are my favourites as far as novels about Elizabeth I. Those I can reread and not want to fling them through a window.

[Misfit]

This one and Susan Kay's Legacy are my favourites as far as novels about Elizabeth I. Those I can reread and not want to fling them through a window.

Heh, now what do we call a book being thrown out the window? Window banger doesn't quite cut it. Ideas?

:D:D

[Veronica]

This book is on my shelf... can't wait to read it now! Thank you

[robinbird79]

The dialect in this novel was superb, Elizabeth has some great quotes that would make me laugh out loud or give me fantastic insight into that complex brain of hers.


This is one of my favorite things about this novel: the voice of Elizabeth that the author manages to create. I've had this book for maybe 5 - 6 years now and I read it at least once a year. I like it that much.

[Celia Hayes]

Hmmm ... very tempting to contemplate reading, and NOT written by Philippa Gregory. My own personal visualization of the Great Eliza was formed by Margaret Irwin's trilogy of "Young Bess" and "Elizabeth - Captive Princess" and "Elizabeth & The Prince of Spain (http://www.amazon.com/Young-Elizabeth-Captive-Princess-Prince/dp/B000TZ7U5O/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249522851&sr=1-8)". That series was terrifically sensitive and well-written - anyone else have fond memories of having read it?
Ages ago, I did an essay, comparing and contrasting those two great Queens who have historical eras named after them.

For your amusement, here (http://open.salon.com/blog/sgt_mom/2008/11/06/elizabeth_and_victoria).

[Veronica]

I've read the Young Bess only a few weeks ago. Didn't stick with me at all. But if I come across the sequels I might buy them anyway.

[Carla]

Hmmm ... very tempting to contemplate reading, and NOT written by Philippa Gregory. My own personal visualization of the Great Eliza was formed by Margaret Irwin's trilogy of "Young Bess" and "Elizabeth - Captive Princess" and "Elizabeth & The Prince of Spain (http://www.amazon.com/Young-Elizabeth-Captive-Princess-Prince/dp/B000TZ7U5O/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249522851&sr=1-8)". That series was terrifically sensitive and well-written - anyone else have fond memories of having read it?
Ages ago, I did an essay, comparing and contrasting those two great Queens who have historical eras named after them.

For your amusement, here (http://open.salon.com/blog/sgt_mom/2008/11/06/elizabeth_and_victoria).

Yes, me! The Margaret Irwin series wasn't by any means the first fictional portrayal of Elizabeth that I read, but it's the one that made me go "Wow!" and has stuck with me ever since. Still one of my favourites, along with her appearance in Kipling's short story "Gloriana".

Thanks for the link to your essay.

[zsigandr]

Thanks for the review Amy! I had eyed this one a couple of times, but did not try it as I was unsure of the portrayal of Elizabeth. I have been disappointed in other novels about her, so I am glad to hear that there are a couple of great ones out there.

[Veronica]

Finished "I, Elizabeth" just now and would really recommended it. I haven't read too many books about her but this made me think of her as a person, not just a queen down the history lane. I reckon that this could be a good book to start off with for anyone who wants to start reading about Elizabeth, gives a good insight. Rosalind Miles has a very compelling way of writing and I read "Back to Eden" many, many years ago and this was my second book by her. I can say that I'll read her Guenivere (sorry, don't know how to spell that name) trilogy at some stage.

[zsigandr]

I am so excited! I found a copy of this book in our local used book store and can't wait to get into this one. Just have a couple of library books to finish first.

[Veronica]

I am so excited! I found a copy of this book in our local used book store and can't wait to get into this one. Just have a couple of library books to finish first.


You should be! It was one of the best books I've read in months. :) Never mind the library books, get on to this one instead. ;)

[Chatterbox]

I have posted my copy on PBS, if anyone is looking for one. Same moniker as here.