The weak side of Elizabeth, not a full view

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	• The Virgin's Lover (Boleyn) Philippa Gregory Touchstone, 2005 - 464 pages average customer review:based on 164 reviews view larger image
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An enjoyable read of historical fiction

This was my first Philippa Gregory book. It was a very enjoyable read, and I especially liked how she integrated historical events into the narrative. If you enjoy Elizabethan era history and movies like "Shakespeare in Love" you will enjoy this book.

The weak side of Elizabeth, not a full view

Elizabeth I may be the greatest most interesting ruler ever and I love Philippa Gregory, so what happened here? I know Elizabeth relied heavily on Robert Dudley but this book ONLY focused on the vigins "lover" so the other more compelling strengths of Elizabeth are just not mentioned. This book provides a distorted, narrow view of Elizabeth. I have learned more about Elizabeth I's strengths through other books and also the HBO movie "Elizabeth I" with Helen Mirren which was excellent. I suggest other sources for Elizabeth stories - keep looking.

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Falls flat

This was not at all like Philippa Gregory's other novels that I have read. Instead it was just filled with boring war talk and it made Queen Elizabeth seem weak, confused, and not a good leader whatsoever. Once I got over that fact, the book was just okay.

This story discusses Elizabeth's first few years on the throne. Her 'lover' is Robert Dudley (who also appeared in Gregory's novel The Queens Fool) and the book is central to him, his wife, and his affair with Elizabeth.

At first I sympathized with Elizabeth and I was naïve to even sympathize with Dudley himself for a short time in the beginning, but quickly I was repulsed by his devious and selfish behavior. As the book went on (and let me tell you it dragged on and on... not a fast read AT ALL...) I was quickly on the side of Amy Dudley and I felt horrible for the way she was treated and disrespected by her husband and the Queen.

I have adored the handful of Philippa Gregory novel's that I have read so far (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Constant Princess, and The Queens Fool) and I usually love biographical stories; therefore I was certain that I would enjoy this book as well. However, it was long, boring, and not filled with spice. If this is your first taste of Philippa Gregory, don't start with this book. Start with The Other Boleyn Girl; it is much better and much more fun.

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Read the book, don't listen

I had enjoyed a Phillipa Gregory book set in World War II, so I picked up this book on CD to listen to in the car, without having read her other books. I assume I was supposed to sympathize with Amy Dudley, but I found her to be such an annoying, wimpy nag I fast-forwarded through many of her exceedingly repetitious speeches. With a print page it's much easier to skip. I found myself rooting for William Cecil, the only one who seemed to have any sense. Entertaining, but flawed. Makes me want to look further into the matter.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, page 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

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