Review: "The Lady Elizabeth" by Alison Weir

From Goodreads:  The early life of Lady Elizabeth, the woman destined to be Queen Elizabeth I, is the subject of Alison Weir's second historical novel. In Weir's vivid rendering, the princess by birth emerges as a youthful alert witness to Tudor court intrigues and feuds. As in Innocent Traitor, the novelist peoples her narrative with sharply etched leaders competing for power and personal gain. A singular view of the flowering of a great monarch.
My Thoughts:  I love Alison Weir because I can always count on her for a good read.  The Lady Elizabeth is the story of Elizabeth I before she became queen of England.  It starts with the death of her mother, Anne Boleyn, and ends with the death of her sister, Queen Mary.  I really enjoyed seeing Elizabeth’s childhood portrayed and it really made me think about how tumultuous and traumatic her younger years must have been.  I can’t imagine growing up with so much dysfunction in one’s family.  It was also really interesting to see the relationship that Weir created between Mary and Elizabeth.  Once again, I can’t imagine how difficult that relationship must have been; I can totally understand Mary loving her sister but also distrusting her because she was the daughter of Anne Boleyn.   This book did stall at times; it definitely wasn’t as good as Innocent Traitor but I still really enjoyed it.  If you haven’t read any of Weir’s books, fiction or non-fiction, I highly recommend them.  3 ½ stars.