Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey

Even students of British history who know how this story ends will find this fictionalized version (that is solidly based on historical facts) a riveting and even mesmerizing read. Author Alison Weir masterfully tells the life story of Jane Grey, known as the nine-day queen of England. The great-niece of King Henry VIII, Jane was the eldest of three daughters in a time when only sons were wanted. She was physically and emotionally abused by her mother, but found solace in books and learning--highly unusual for a young girl of these times. But her life only gets worse. When her marriage is consummated, she is brutally raped by her husband.The entire book is written in the first person but from the viewpoint of several people, including Lady Jane Grey; Mrs. Ellen, her loving and trusted nursemaid; Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, Jane's hateful mother; Queen Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII who took an interest in Jane; and John Dudley, the man who wrested the crown, albeit temporarily, from Princess Mary, the rightful heir.The book is filled with the gossip, intrigue and conspiracies of court life with such vivid descriptions that the story just pops--making you feel as if you're living in the middle of it. In the author's note at the end of the book, Alison Weir writes: "It is my sincere hope that the story that has unfolded in these pages has both enthralled and appalled you, the reader." It did both magnificently.

I've read several of Alison Weir's non-fiction books and have liked them very much. This one, "Innocent Traitor:: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey" is her debut into historical fiction. The story of King Henry VIII's great-niece, Lady Jane Grey, is an interesting although sad one. The times in which she lived were turbulent in England and who would be the heir to the throne was always uppermost in royalty's minds. Henry VIII's son, Edward, was king for a short time until his death from tuberculosis. Lady Jane's parents had made an attempt to groom Jane for court life, but Jane was more interested in studying and reading along with her devotion to her Protestant faith.. Jane's father was ambitious for her and her mother was physically and verbally abusive and spent her time at court rather than with her family. She was in hopes of seeing Jane married to Edward the king, but Jane wasn't all that interested at the age of 14. She was forced into a marriage by her mother with another young man that she had no desire for.The story of Lady Jane Grey's short nine days as queen is brought to life by the author. Each chapter is narrated by a different character, and although some of the incidents in the book are fictitious, the history itself and characters are all accurate. If you like Tudor history this is a good book, although Lady Jane Grey's short life ended tragically.

My library has many of Alison Weir's books of history, but I was looking for a "first novel" by someone who writes history.Lady Jane Grey is one of the Brit rulers of whom very little has been written, so with a touch of fiction she fills in the spaces and turns poor Lady Jane into a realistic personage. No research has been spared to do this, and like a few other history novelists, at the end of the book she explains where fiction was needed to flesh out the story.

I had always wondered just who Lady Jane Grey was and how she was queen for 9 days. This book nicely explains how she was a great-niece of Henry the Eighth. Apparently, when his son Prince Edward died in his teens of TB, quite a few of the nobility were conniving to put a monarch on the throne who was not Catholic. Fourteen-year-old Jane was manipulated by her father and uncles to step up to the throne. All the kid wanted to do was to go home! When Princess Mary arrived in London with an army to claim HER throne, Jane and the husband who had been forced on her were put in the Tower of London. Seems that Mary was quite nice to poor Jane, but decided 6 months later that it would be politically expedient to kill off Jane and all the ruthless relatives who had started this mess. The child was no real threat to anything, but Mary was taking no chances.

Never have I read such a sad tale. A child used and abused by those who should have loved her most. Her bravery, as described, was overwhelmingly sad and the closing chapters brought tears to my eyes and the futile hope - considering history had already documented the outcome - that reprieve would come.Anyone with an interest in the Tudor Reign should read this to understand how even parents would willingly pawn their own in pursuit of power and prestige.

I read this book some time ago and wanted to read it again. The story is told from many perspectives which gives you an insight into what drives many of the characters. Lady Jane Grey was a pawn in a deadly political game. She was well educated and like her cousin Princess Elizabeth (Elizabeth I) she had the Tudor red hair and she knew her own mind. Born into a time of religious intrigues between Protestant and Catholics she knew how important it was to hide her true feelings about her Protestant faith for fear of being branded a heretic.She was made Queen in July 1553 and held the title for only nine days when Princess Mary was crowned Queen.Queen Mary wanted to let Jane live but the Spanish said she would be a focal point for further uprisings and a threat to Mary's life,Lady Jane Grey was beheaded on Tower Green on the 12th of February 1554. She was 16 years old.

I am a fan of the author's non fiction historical novels, so was slightly disappointed when I started this book. However, as I went on I realized who I was reading and knew that she was Jain as many facts as she could while using her own creativeness to flesh out Jane and the people around her. So sad and yet a wonderful portrait of a time so unimaginable to modern people.

So often I wish history had turned out differently - never more than reading this well researched but ultimately extremely human account of Jane Grey. I was totally absorbed and so wanted her to be spared, but then, well, it wouldn't be history... I challenge anyone to read the end without years in their eyes.Superb.

Historic novels have the added value of truth, and also the privilege of embellishment. Two for the price of one, as it were. The Tudor 's are fascinating and shrouded in a golden aura. Innovated, cruel, and ambitious. The foundations of a failsafe novel every time. Alison Weir knows how to weave a tale.