Skip to main content

The First Elizabeth by Carolly Erickson: A Book Review

The First Elizabeth 

Author: Carolly Erickson 

Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography 

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Release Date: 2024

Pages: 680

Source: Personal Collection 

Synopsis: In this remarkable biography, Carolly Erickson brings Elizabeth I to life and allows us to see her as a living, breathing, elegant, flirtatious, diplomatic, violent, arrogant, and outrageous woman who commands our attention, fascination, and awe.


      With her acclaimed writing skill, Carolly Erickson electrifies the senses as she evokes with total fidelity the brilliant colors of Elizabethan clothing and jewelry, the texture of tapestries, and even the close, perfumed air of castle rooms. Erickson demonstrates her extraordinary ability to discern and bring to life psychological and physical reality of England's Golden Age.


      My Review: Queen Elizabeth I is considered one of England’s greatest monarchs. She is best known for bringing about the Golden Age. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII of England and Queen Anne Boleyn. This biography shows the complexities of Elizabeth's reign. It also shows Elizabeth not only as a Queen but as a woman.


        Elizabeth was never meant to be a Queen. She had a younger half-brother and an older half-sister who would both take the throne before. She was mostly neglected during her father’s reign. However, Elizabeth was said to be vastly intelligent and had knowledge of the classics. When she became queen, she wanted to dominate the men around her. She was very cunning and manipulative. Queen Elizabeth was also very eccentric. Even though she was considered The Virgin Queen, she flirted constantly and had many male favorites. Her one particular true love was Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester whom she wanted to marry. She also almost married a French prince but negotiations fell through. Queen Elizabeth was very competent in matters of state. It was easy to see why England regarded her as a great queen.


       Overall, this was a very comprehensive and balanced biography. Mrs. Erickson did an excellent job in portraying Queen Elizabeth’s shortcomings and advantages. It also showed that even though she was adored by the public, the nobles wanted a man on the throne and greatly disliked that they had a female ruler. One thing that I did not like about the book was that it mostly glossed over most  of the important events of her reign and heavily focused on the dresses and accessories that Queen Elizabeth wore. Nevertheless, it was still a fascinating and enthralling read! I could not stop turning the pages! I recommend this for fans of Eric Ives, Tracy Borman, and Antonia Fraser!


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath...
2 comments
Read more

Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen: A Book Review

  Iceberg Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen Genre: Children, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Adventure Publisher: Scholastic Release Date: March 7, 2023 Pages: 317 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis : As disaster looms on the horizon, a young stowaway onboard the Titanic will need all her courage and wits to stay alive. A thrilling tale from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen!     Hazel Rothbury is traveling all alone from her home in England aboard the celebrated ship Titanic . Following the untimely death of her father, Hazel’s mother is sending her to the US to work in a factory, so that she might send money back home to help her family make ends meet.     But Hazel harbors a secret dream: She wants to be a journalist, and she just knows that if she can write and sell a story about the Titanic ’s maiden voyage, she could earn enough money to support her family and not have to go to a sweatshop. When Hazel discovers that m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shipwreck (The Heirs of Anarchy #3) by G. Lawrence: A Book Review

Shipwreck (The Heirs of Anarchy #3) Author: G. Lawrence  Genre: Historical Fiction  Publisher: G. Lawrence Publication Date: 2021 Pages: 315 Source: Borrowed Synopsis: Autumn, 1139, Normandy        On a beach in Normandy stands Matilda, once Empress, Queen and Countess, named heir to England and Normandy, daughter of Henry I. Her throne stolen from her by the hands of her cousin Stephen of Blois, Matilda has waited to gather her supporters, waited to sail to England that she might wage war to claim the throne she was promised by her father.        With loyal men and women at her side, the Empress will begin her campaign for the throne of England and Normandy, to reclaim her birthright from the man who stole it from her. The period known to history as the Anarchy is about to begin, and chaos to unfold upon England, Normandy and the people of those kingdoms as one cousin struggles against another for the crow...
Post a Comment
Read more