Beware, Princess Elizabeth: A Young Royals Book (Young Royals, 2)
R**D
Good book!
In the historical fiction book Beware, Princess Elizabeth, by Carolyn Meyer, the theme is to persevere against all odds. This book takes place in the 1500's in London, England and the outskirts of London. The titular protagonist is a teenage Princess Elizabeth, who is a bit of a rebel, and the future queen of England. After her father, King Henry VIII dies, his last wife dies, and finally her half brother dies, the kingdom of England is left in the hands of Elizabeth's sister Mary. Mary is the daughter of King Henry's first wife, who hated Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn, and therefore, hates Elizabeth. Under Mary's rule, Elizabeth is in constant danger, forced to convert to Catholicism, and is put under arrest in the Tower of London. After countless betrayals, repeated imprisonments, and being treated like a common peasant, she still ascends the throne, but not after a long and painful journey to get there.While this book is aimed more towards girls, with its protagonist being a princess, it still has the adventure, beheadings, and various other elements that could make it appealing to boys as well. This is a really good book, and shows an insight to one of England's greatest monarch's days before she was queen. It also shows how little those of stature cared for each other. After her father's death, Elizabeth remembers the death of her father's fifth wife: "My mother was not the only wife my father sent to the Tower and then had put to death. I was eight years old when his fifth, Catherine Howard, was sentenced to die. All the nervous excitement of this latest execution could not be kept from me, and it was as if my own mother's execution were being repeated. I wept, I cried out, for days I could neither sleep nor eat. Kat, frantic to calm me, summoned the court physician to prescribe a sleeping drought. When I awoke it was over. I listened as servants whispered how Catherine Howard's head had been caught in a basket, her blood sopped up by crones with handkerchiefs, her body carried off for burial. The way it must have been for my mother, I thought, and I have thought of it many times since that day. Remembering Catherine Howard's death has always struck terror to my heart." (17-18.) This is an example of how ruthless the monarchs were at this point, and how even eight year old Elizabeth could be in danger. It also shows how empathetic Elizabeth is, even when thinking of the woman who faced the own doom as her own mother. This story is a lot like other stories of women in power at this time. Elizabeth is forced to persevere against the odds that she faces, and these odds are only increased by her gender. This book is a fantastic read for anyone who loves adventure and a bit of a history lesson at the same time.
K**G
A Riveting Historical Fiction
Carolyn Meyer paints a wonderful picture of what Elizabeth's teenage years must have been like. This narrative, a historical fiction, tells of Elizabeth Tudor's years after her brother Edward's death and into her elder half-sister's reign. The rebellions and suspicions cast upon Elizabeth put her life in terrible danger, sending her to the tower where her mother was executed years earlier. It's a great book, especially for those of you guys and gals that loved Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries) , this one is more geared towards the young adult market with its language and content. However, this novel doesn't focus on Elizabeth's romantic escapades like some novels do, just her struggle to maintain her faith and her life under her sister's ever watchful gaze. It is a great book, and I highly recommend it. :)
M**N
Four Stars
I really loved the history and the easy read this series was.
M**.
Gloriana's childhood.
We all know who Elizabeth I is; Gloriana, the Virgin Queen, the last of the Tudor monarchs. But underneath all the powder and the wigs, who was this woman? How did Elizabeth Tudor go from the scared cub of a lion to as ferocious as the lion himself?The book starts off with Henry's death, declaring weakling Edward as king. From there we get to see Elizabeth's life (albeit a PG-13 version) unfold; all the major events of her life are covered, such as Thomas Seymour's failed flirations, the Wyatt Rebellion, and her incarceration in the tower. Unfortunately, as most of Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals books do, the book ends before Elizabeth begins her reign. I suppose the purpose of these books is to focus on the familiar royal characters in their younger years and nothing more. I still wish that some of these books would at least cover the first year of he specific royal woman's reign, to show you how things started off for them once they took the throne.I myself am an adult who enjoys adding Tudor books to her collection, and this is definitely a worthy addition. It's perfect if you have a young person who has an interest in history, or is looking for a strong female role model.
E**N
Perfect for Philippa Gregory Fans
If you enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl or Philippa Gregory's other books, then this is a perfect book for you or a way to introduce teens to the Tudor era without being overtly inappropriate.
A**R
Good read
it was a good book that gave me a better idea of the royal family and what it must be like to be a part of it. I did not like the one word used often bas####. overall it was a good book.
E**S
A Word from Elizabeth about Elizabeth
The reign of Queen Elizabeth I was a golden age for England. I've always wanted to get past the history books and get a glimpse into what life would have been like for Elizabeth as a young girl. After all, she was the daughter of Henry VIII and the fallen Anne Boleyn. Life couldn't have been easy for her after her mother was executed, I kept thinking. Questions pounded through my head, one by one: How could such a young girl live through such a time? How did she cope with being the younger, supposedly "illegitimate" daughter of Henry VIII? How did she feel about being the daughter of a woman believed to be one of the worst of sinners?This book is woven with spellbinding magic, telling the story of a young girl and her struggle not only to be Queen of England, but also to be known, and I quote, "not for my (Elizabeth's) father (Henry VIII), or my mother (Anne Boleyn), or my sister (Queen Mary I of England, also Bloody Mary), but for myself (Elizabeth)."
C**C
Fun and interesting to read
I wish the book extended into the early days of Elizabeth's reign. It offers insight into the brutal natural of royal siblings' interactions and the fight for power rising above and destroying the potential for any sense of family
C**S
Readable
This was for my Granddaughter for Christmas just what she wanted
C**N
excelente servicio
excelente servicio brindado por parte de Amazon, en el servicio, precio, facturación y entrega del libro. sin necesidad de dar seguimiento a la entrega.saludos!
B**D
Sibling Rivalry at its best
Mary wants to control her little sister Elizabeth's dating life, religion, and future. Hmm, sounds like an uber-strict parent. Of course, the difference is that Mary is Queen, and if Elizabeth doesn't comply to her every wish she might get beheaded.Once again, Meyer used a young alert voice, making Elizabeth easy to relate with. One has to admire her struggle to choose her own marital status as she fights everyone by admitting she never wants to get married. Who could blame her after the numerous wives her father had? The book is short, but the tension constant. A great way to have fun and learn some history.
G**N
Beware, beware!!!
Le produit reçu est neuf, pas abimé, l'ISBN correspond et c'est effectivement le bon bouquin, mais ce n'est pas l'édition annoncée, ni tout-à-fait le même éditeur d'ailleurs! Quand il s'agit d'une collection de livres, surtout pour un cadeau, avoir la même présentation et le même format que les autres tomes est appréciable... Bref je le garde quand même, pour moi, parce que l'histoire me paraît intéressante, mais je vais devoir le recommander ailleurs!!!
C**R
Undaunted determination, encouraging -)
That was cool how Elizabeth didn't let anyboy do her and in the end, was victorious. She had a lot of trouble and stood in danger with the abuse at the hands of Bloody Mary and yet, she made it in the end - even to the top! I also liked the portrayal of her friendship with Anne of Cleves and Bess Sands and how she personally viewed her mother in a positive light.
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