The Sisters Who Would Be Queen: The Greys by Leanda de Lisle NF

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Wed January 28th, 2009, 9:39 pm

"The Sisters Who Would Be Queen: The Tragedy of Mary, Katherine & Lady Jane Grey" by Leanda de Lisle is a highly readable account of the tragic Grey sisters.

Lady Jane, forced to marry a man she didn't want to and made to become Queen, despite not wanting to do so. Executed because her father couldn't keep from rebelling against Queen Mary.

Lady Katherine, who followed her heart and married the man she loved without Queen Elizabeth's permission, and found herself imprisoned and separated from her husband and eldest son for the rest of her life.

Lady Mary, who also followed her heart and married without permission, also to find herself imprisoned for many years, despite the death of her husband after a few years.

Katherine was considered Elizabeth's heir to the throne by many of her courtiers, and Elizabeth had no liking for either of the Grey sisters, remembering what Jane had done. She wanted to make sure Mary, Queen of Scots succeeded her even though she wouldn't actually come out and say it. That is until she had to have her executed, the she considered James VI of Scotland has her unspoken heir.

De Lisle dispels some myths about Jane. The new consensus being that she was born sometime in May 1537, and not October 1537, and also she was not born at Bradgate but at Dorset House. De Lisle is not the only person I know of who disputes the Oct 1537 birth.

She also agrees with David Starkey's view that the recently found miniature is that of Jane, despite the fact it says the sitter was 18 and has blue eyes, instead of the brown most say Jane had. Apparently the artist the miniature is attributed to, Lavina Teerlic, painted many of her sitters with blue eyes no matter what their actual colour was. I, however, am still not totally convinced it is Jane.

It is definitely for the general public and does not go into a lot of depth but covers just enough to be interesting to those who don't know a lot about these young women. I highly recommend this book.

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy through Leanda's publisher. This book is already out in the UK but will not out in the US till sometime at the end of the year.

SM

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Wed January 28th, 2009, 9:52 pm

This is on my Valentine's Day wish list. Thanks for the review!

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Wed January 28th, 2009, 10:29 pm

This has been on my wishlist ever since I first saw mention on it. Now that it has the thumbs up from SM, I will really be keen to read it!

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Thu January 29th, 2009, 1:12 am

I want to read this along with that new one about the girls. But I have forgotten the title Daughter's Virgins or something like that//???

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Thu January 29th, 2009, 1:26 am

[quote=""Divia""]I want to read this along with that new one about the girls. But I have forgotten the title Daughter's Virgins or something like that//???

[/quote]

"The Virgin's Daughters: In the Court of Elizabeth I" by Jeane Westin?

SM

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Thu January 29th, 2009, 1:36 am

Yes! that be it! I am so looking forward to it. I am finding these Grey girls to be quite interesting.

Although now when I read her summary on her website it doesnt sound as interesting. I thought it was about the sisters?

New book, new century, new monarch from Jeane Westin.

Gloriana. The Virgin Queen. Good Queen Bess. The Tudor Rose...all these names were used by her adoring subjects to describe one woman, the iconic Elizabeth I, a queen who lent her name to a defining era of English history. But did her ladies-in-waiting with their closer view see a different woman, one whose dreadful demands of total loyalty cost their own happiness?

The Virgin's Daughters is the story of Elizabeth up close and very personal...at two cruicial times when she twice experiences and resists great loves... as a young woman for Robert Dudley, her "Sweet Robin" and later at the end of her life with Robert Devereau, Earl of Essex. A book that answers the four centuries old question: At heart, who was she?

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Thu January 29th, 2009, 2:40 am

I guess not, but I think it sounds interesting, guess we'll see.

SM

Ariadne · Post by **Ariadne** » Thu January 29th, 2009, 2:50 am

The publisher's catalog said the Westin novel was about Lady Katherine Grey and Mistress Mary Rogers in the court of Elizabeth I.

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Thu January 29th, 2009, 4:23 am

[quote=""Ariadne""]The publisher's catalog said the Westin novel was about Lady Katherine Grey and Mistress Mary Rogers in the court of Elizabeth I.[/quote]

Hmm. I think I'll wait till someone reviews this before I snag a copy for myself.

Tanzanite · Post by **Tanzanite** » Fri January 30th, 2009, 1:22 am

I ordered de Lisle's book from the UK and it just arrived yesterday. I'm looking forward to reading it (as soon as I finish a couple of library books).