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Virgin: Prelude to the Throne
Virgin Prelude to the Throne
Author: Robin Maxwell
...a riveting portrait of Elizabeth I as a romantic and — vulnerable teenager, dangerously awakening to a perilous — liaison with the wrong man. — England, 1547: King Henry is dead. Elizabeth's half-brother, nine-year-old Edward, is king in name only. Thomas Seymour, brother to the ambitious duke who has seized power in this time of crisis, calcula...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780743204859
ISBN-10: 0743204859
Publication Date: 6/25/2002
Pages: 256
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 52

3.6 stars, based on 52 ratings
Publisher: Touchstone
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Readnmachine avatar reviewed Virgin: Prelude to the Throne on + 1472 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
Shorter than "The Queen's Bastard", this work about Elizabeth's early teen years is nevertheless an important component of the trilogy. It is striking in its depiction of the way royal children were manipulated and betrayed by those who were supposed to be mentoring and caring for them. No wonder so many of them turned out rotten!
reviewed Virgin: Prelude to the Throne on + 164 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
At first this was a little bit like reading a history lesson, but as the story progressed the plot picked up quite a bit. There's a definite young adult quality in that the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad, with very little ambiguity or question. I was really into it by the end, and a lot of what was going on was new to me. Maxwell's got a point - how is it that this whole time period in the life of one of history's most famous queens is never mentioned? That's very strange, especially considering how much it may have influenced some of her later decisions in life, such as never marrying.

I was glad there was a brief afterward by the author discussing how much of the story was solidly based on history, and how much was artistic license.

Overall, good story, and I learned a few things too!
GowerMeower avatar reviewed Virgin: Prelude to the Throne on + 179 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
Fictional account of Elizabeth I as a teenager princess in constant danger due to among other things, her liason with Thomas Seymour, her step mother's husband. Robin Maxwell wrote the Secret Diary of Ann Boleyn and The Queen's Bastard. If you enjoyed those, this one won't dissapoint.
reviewed Virgin: Prelude to the Throne on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
I couldn't even finish it, especially after reading Margaret George's splendid "Autobiography of Henry VIII," and I'm not going to bother reading any of Maxwell's other novels. For good historial fiction with romance, I recommend Philippa Gregory. For GREAT historical fiction, I recommend Margaret George.
JeffersonsAmbrosia avatar reviewed Virgin: Prelude to the Throne on + 98 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Wonderful book! Great writing. And wonderful story telling. It wasn't until I was almost done with this one that I found out it had two books before it.But that was still okay. This book stands alone perfect well for a Tudor fan.A wonderful story of the turmoil of young Elizabeth's life. I highly recommend this one.
Read All 9 Book Reviews of "Virgin Prelude to the Throne"


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