Whistlestop Book Review: "Elizabeth I" by Margaret George

Be awed by the presence of Elizabeth Tudor, the woman behind the sovereign, as you explore the humanity of the indomitable Virgin Queen of England through the pages of Elizabeth I.  Margaret George’s meticulously researched first person account of the last thirty years of the queen’s life is an enthralling breath of fresh air.

Written with a consistently regal tone, the book gives us a mirror image of Elizabeth, the woman. Glimpses into the brilliance and machinations of Shakespeare, Francis Bacon and Sir Walter Raleigh abound. Skillfully woven into the book are both the human and regal facets of the queen who “ruled as much from the heart as from the head.”

We see Elizabeth’s success and love for her people. Her ability to stand for long periods of time seems a metaphor for her triumph as regent. She manages uprisings in Ireland and continued assaults from Spain. She masterfully chooses advisors for her privy council perfectly suited to their jobs. In a nation beset with famine, the queen imbues calm. In an attempt to keep the plague under control, Elizabeth closes theaters and concerts and sends provisions to survivors. We view her humbly conduct an intimate ceremony of kissing and washing the feet of her subjects on Maundy Thursday (as Jesus did with his disciples) while giving each gifts of food.

No sovereign rules without frustrations. Queen Elizabeth’s include controlling the sulking, deceitful Earl of Essex, stepson of her beloved Leicester. She juggles insufficient resources to provide food for the needy after three years of failed harvests. To provide her kingdom with funds, she must decide which jewels to pawn. She persists in dodging the matter of her successor as she nears the age of seventy, not out of a lack of responsibility but because she wants to settle it in her own way. She watches her most trusted advisors in the Privy Council die off one by one.

The novel brilliantly sheds light on the queen’s humanity without losing any reverence for her scepter. She spends hours in prayer. Called a stingy penny-pincher, Elizabeth I wore elaborate gowns and owned the finest collection of jewels in Europe.  Her brave show encouraged the nation she pulled out of poverty. Particularly touching scenes depict her feeding broth and reading the Bible to beloved advisors Walsingham and Burghley on their deathbeds. She gallops on horseback across the fields to be alone and endures hot flashes. Her favorite pastime—translating philosophy from the Latin.

George, a premier historical novelist, is known for her intense and impeccable research. Most interesting is her humble thanks to the queen in her Acknowledgements. “…the spirit of Elizabeth…hovered over the book as it was taking shape and whispered her guidance.”

Penguin Group provided the advance review copy.

Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont