The Queen's Pleasure
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2.3 • 3 Ratings
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Accused of conspiring with rebels to steal the throne, Princess Elizabeth is relegated to the Tower of London by her half-sister, Queen Mary. There she finds solace in the arms of a fellow prisoner--her childhood friend, Robert Dudley. Certain their days are numbered, their bond deepens. But they are spared the axe and Elizabeth soon wins the crown, while Robert returns to his wife and the unhappy union he believes cheated him of his destiny to be king. . .
As a daughter of Henry VIII and the ill-fated Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth knows firsthand the cruelty marriage belies and roundly rejects the many suitors eager to wed the "Virgin Queen"--with the exception of the power-hungry Robert. But her association with him will carry a risk that could shake the very foundations of the House of Tudor. . .
A captivating story of loyalty and betrayal, duty and freedom, The Queen's Pleasure is a fascinating portrait of both the rise of Elizabeth I and one of the most compelling periods in history.
Praise for Brandy Purdy and The Boleyn Wife
"Recommended for readers who can't get enough of the Tudors and have devoured all of Philippa Gregory's books." --Library Journal
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Purdy's tedious new historical (after The Tudor Throne) focuses on the rise of Elizabeth I and her tenuous relationship with childhood friend and would-be lover Robert Dudley. Though Robert was quick to marry Amy Robsart while they were both still teenagers, his ardor soon transformed into contempt for his young wife. After Robert's brief imprisonment in the Tower with Elizabeth I, he sets his sights on the queen and the throne, and only Amy stands in the way. When the neglected Amy dies under dubious circumstances, Robert is elated, though suspicion swiftly descends on Elizabeth's conniving suitor. Amy and Elizabeth narrate the tale in alternating diarylike entries, which provide useful perspectives, but end up slowing the pace to a dreary crawl. Robert's villainy is cartoonish, and the female leads are dull at best. With the myriad Tudor historicals available, readers should look elsewhere for their royal romance fix.
Customer Reviews
Author has a gift for words, but...
The author has an impressive number of original metaphors and descriptive phrases, but sadly she feels obliged to use them ALL and ends up making the same point over and over and over... Thus the pace of the book is S L O W and the characters are two-dimensional at best.
Judicious editing could turn this into an excellent novella.