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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
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