Queen of This Realm: A Novel

By Jean Plaidy

In this "memoir" by Elizabeth I, legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy reveals the Virgin Queen as she truly was: the bewildered, motherless child of an all-powerful father; a captive in the Tower of London; a shrewd politician; a lover of the arts; and eventually, an icon of an era. It is the story of her improbable rise to power and the great triumphs of her reign--the end of religious bloodshed, the settling of the New World, the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Brilliantly clever, a scholar with a ready wit, she was also vain, bold, and unpredictable, a queen who commanded--and won--absolute loyalty from those around her.

But in these pages, in her own voice, Elizabeth also recounts the emotional turmoil of her life: the loneliness of power; the heartbreak of her lifelong love affair with Robert Dudley, whom she could never marry; and the terrible guilt of ordering the execution of her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. In this unforgettable novel, Elizabeth emerges as one of the most fascinating and controversial women in history, and as England’s greatest monarch.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 21, 2009
• ISBN: 9780307497451

Jean Plaidy

Jean Plaidy, the pen name of the prolific English author Eleanor Hibbert, was one of the preeminent authors of historical fiction for most of the twentieth century. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages and have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. She died in 1993.

Reviews for Queen of This Realm

[librarycin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.75 stars. This one is about Elizabeth I. This is only the second Plaidy I’ve read, but it seems that they are very detailed. Which is very interesting, but at times I found it a little long (which is why I didn't give it the full 4 stars). Sometimes it’s hard to think that the book is fiction. Obviously, with the dialogue and such, it is, but I’m thinking that most of what she describes actually did happen, and Plaidy doesn’t seem to play up the rumours. They are mentioned, but in the book, they are just rumours.

[cinderh_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The best word I can think to describe this book is tedious. Elizabeth I is a very interesting person and her life story should not have been all about her relationship with men. I found no strength of character and she appeared to be a ding-bat teen in her emotional relationships up until her death. Elizabeth speaks of her beloved Robert endlessly. Which might be ok except she says the same thing page after page..."I could almost marry him today...but I can't". And she also goes on and on about how she surrounds herself with handsome men at court who are all in love with her and who must show her that love and pretty much court her forever because she can't ever marry, but she wants to be loved. You get the picture? Where was all the interesting spy stuff? Mary Queen of Scotland? Oh she was there, but in the same way as Elizabeth spoke of the men. She should kill her, but not today because she really doesn't want to be remembered for killing another Queen. The first person voice used to tell this tale was the wrong fit.

[ejgrogan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Highly recommended! Another simply magnificent work that should not be missed.

[angelic55blonde · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really like this historical fiction novel by Jean Plaidy. This is the second volume in Jean Plaidy's "Queens of England" series of books and it is written as a first person narrative, which makes this book highly readable. It makes Elizabeth I more relatable and more personable to the reader. The author takes the reader through Elizabeth's early years and her early and tumultous reign to the end. This is a great book for anyone interested in the period and likes historical-fiction.

[elevesque_8 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I definitely enjoyed reading this story. I know that someone less patient than I would have much trouble with the monotony of the novel. Elizabeth the I, while a fascinating historical character, becomes quite tedious throughout the book, especially as she really shows no change throughout the 400+ changes. At times the book dragged and the story became old. The constant repetition of various ideas and feelings often became frustrating. The entire book would do well to see the business end of the delete key. Despite this I enjoyed the novel. I don't know that I would recommend it to anyone. Perhaps because I don't know anyone who would be interested in such a book.