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Summary: Elizabeth's story
Review: "I, Elizabeth" is a well-written, highly detailed novel about Queen Elizabeth Tudor's life, almost from beginning to end. Rosalind Miles depicts every incident in history at the time with amazing accuracy, from the defeat of the Spanish Armada, to the ongoing conflict with Mary, Queen of Scots, who threatens Elizabeth's life time and again throughout the lengthy story. Elizabeth gives surprising insight for a royal princess (and later queen), but at other times can seem highly arrogant. While Miles excels in telling the everyday details of court life in Reformation England, character development is often overlooked. For example, Elizabeth's younger brother Edward (the only son of King Henry VIII to live to rule) is briefly described as a weak, brainwashed boy whose only trust is in his father and Privy Counselors. Mary, Elizabeth's sister as well as her rival, is described as an insane, short, ugly woman whose forty years husbandless has finally driven her over the edge of sanity. None of the characters in the book are particularly memorable, likable, or well-developed. The italicized hind sights of an older ruler break up the plot, and contribute to the drawn out book. This novel is an intriguing tale of Elizabethan England's court life, but doesn't manage to make any of the historical characters stand out (except, maybe, Princess Elizabeth).
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Summary: It's as though Elizabeth herself was there...
Review: ...writing her memoirs, a la _I, Claudius,_ at the end of her life. Her view of her splendid, utterly dysfunctional family is wry, unsentimental and faithful to what the real Elizabeth probably thought. Her relationship with the Earl of Leicester (her Robin)is well-depicted, as is her long, dangerous dance on the high-wire as heir to the throne and then Queen of England in a world full of dreadful dangers. I think the real Elizabeth would not disapprove of this book.
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Summary: Elizabethan England Comes Alive!
Review: A fast paced, although lengthy, first person narrative showcasing the complexities and intrigues surrounding Elizabeth's rise to power. Her loves, her enemies, her triumphs and failures, they are all here. A compelling,"I can't put it down" read. Historical fiction is a super interesting way to supplement drier biographical approaches. An enormously fascinating and emotionally evocative drama. Her life was amazing. I loved this book!
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Summary: I Elizabeth
Review: A totally wonderful read. Really makes you feel as though you are right there in the action. I feel such empathy with Elizabeth as I can now reflet on what her life really was like.
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Summary: Was E R really a simpering, vapid woman?
Review: Argh, as a reader of historical fiction I was really looking forward to this book and it is only about 30% actual history and the rest is Elizabeth's vapid moaning about (a) men she loves, (b) men who love her, (c) catty other women, (d) men she loves, and so on. By the end of the book (around age 60) she is showing herself as a ruler who is being led by her heart, not her mind, with consequences for England that were not the best.
Due to the excessive discussions of love and romance in this book I'd be more tempted to classify it as a romance novel than historical fiction.
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Summary: Captures the essence of the Queen and her times
Review: As a keen reader of Tudor fiction and non-fiction, I found the character of Elizabeth as portrayed in this novel to be spot-on with my imagined image of one of the most influential queens and rulers of the world. A rivetting book, with all the sweetings, swearings, bellowing and tantrums of the Queen, courtly intrigue and power politics of the time.
Remains one of my favourites.
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Summary: A story that could use a pick-me-up
Review: As I read this book, I was compairing it to the only Tudor book or book placed during that period of time that I had read so far- The Other Boelyn Girl. The Boelyn Girl book was one of the best books I've read- ever. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book on the other hand was very dry. Very dry. I was disappointed when reading this book, at several stages I had to urge myself to "plug along". It was not for total waste, the book did have some shining points. I guess it lacked most of the suspense and mystery that The Boelyn Girl had. And certainly I agree with the other reviewer that the only character that we really got to know, (her thoughts) was Elizabeth herself. It might have been helpful to get more insight on others. The book was very detailed and I give the author a huge thanks for printing in the back a glossary of "cast members". It came in handy, especially when one person could be and was called 4 different names, which made it hard to keep things straight. I know this book was fiction, but less fiction than the Boelyn Girl, which could be what made it a little less exciting to read. So, I guess that's a plus and a minus in it's own way. If you are interested in Elizabeth, I would still recommend this book, but also with the warning that it's not fast paced. In it's own right it is worth the time to someone who's hobby is learning about this era.
Rating: 
Summary: Elizabeth!
Review: Elizabeth is probably, without argument, the greatest queen of all time. She had the most cunning mind of her time. What we know of her is that she was the best ruler of England (king or queen) that the country has seen. Even Queen Victoria doesn't seem to really compare. But in Miles's book Elizabeth is portrayed, not as a stern queen, but as a woman with emotions and desires. Her scandalous relationship with Robert Dudley is shown as a genuine affection between them. Even Elizabeth's attitude towards her troublesome cousin, Mary of Scots didn't seem to be very harsh. When asked to sign her death notice, Elizabeth hesitated for many months and even years before she went through with it. She had compassion towards family; she restored all the titles her Boleyn side of the family lost when her mother was executed. In general she seemed like an actually human being. But I rated this book four stars instead of five because, despite of the excellent reviews, the book was just not very interesting. I was surprised, since Miles has written excellent books about Guenevere. A much better book, written by Margaret George would have done Elizabeth justice.
Rating:
Summary: Elizabeth!
Review: Elizabeth is probably, without argument, the greatest queen of all time. She had the most cunning mind of her time. What we know of her is that she was the best ruler of England (king or queen) that the country has seen. Even Queen Victoria doesn't seem to really compare. But in Miles's book Elizabeth is portrayed, not as a stern queen, but as a woman with emotions and desires. Her scandalous relationship with Robert Dudley is shown as a genuine affection between them. Even Elizabeth's attitude towards her troublesome cousin, Mary of Scots didn't seem to be very harsh. When asked to sign her death notice, Elizabeth hesitated for many months and even years before she went through with it. She had compassion towards family; she restored all the titles her Boleyn side of the family lost when her mother was executed. In general she seemed like an actually human being. But I rated this book four stars instead of five because, despite of the excellent reviews, the book was just not very interesting. I was surprised, since Miles has written excellent books about Guenevere. A much better book, written by Margaret George would have done Elizabeth justice.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous!
Review: I am a Briton and a history buff, especially of my country. Elizabeth is one of the most fascinating women of history, British or otherwise, and I loved this personal insight into the extreme pressure of being a queen. From her speeches about Robin Dudley, to her worries about her face and body as she gets older to the threat of the Armada, this is a wonderful book, all around. Vive la reine!
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