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18th out of 353 books
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924 voters
I, Elizabeth
Publicly declared a bastard at the age of three, daughter of a disgraced and executed mother, last in the line of succession to the throne of England, Elizabeth I inherited an England ravaged by bloody religious conflict, at war with Spain and France, and badly in debt. When she died in 1603, after a forty-five- year reign, her empire spanned two continents and was united...more
Paperback, 656 pages
Published
March 25th 2003
by Broadway Books
(first published 1993)
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As a fan of the historical figure and popular interpretations of Elizabeth I, I tend to read anything I can get my hands on dealing with this fascinating part of world history. 'I, Elizabeth' interprets the story from Elizabeth's own perspective as if these are her final diaries while recounting her life.
Amusingly, her later self frequently comments on her recollections, usually with regret and embarassment, especially when she's talking about the Earl of Essex, who turned out to be a great disa...more
Amusingly, her later self frequently comments on her recollections, usually with regret and embarassment, especially when she's talking about the Earl of Essex, who turned out to be a great disa...more
I got so frustrated at this book when I was reading pages in the 400's or so. It is so historically inaccurate that I had to stop. For other novels you don't expect the level of accuaracy that you do of this book because it is supposed to be written from the perspective of Elizabeth herself. I overlooked a lot of inaccuracies but the way that Miles choses to portray Mary Queen of Scots execution is completely inaccurate. I'm sure it's a good story if you don't know the history behind it. She is...more
If Elizabeth was really the petulant, screaming, angry witch presented in this pitiable novel, then I doubt she would have succeeded so well on England's throne.
Okay, first: I hated her. She didn't take ANYTHING calmly: every other line she was screaming or weeping or kicking her feet. This is Elizabeth I, remember, one of the most powerful and intelligent monarchs ever to have lived, and she proved her male advisers completely WRONG about her "womanly weakness", but in Rosalind Miles's version...more
Okay, first: I hated her. She didn't take ANYTHING calmly: every other line she was screaming or weeping or kicking her feet. This is Elizabeth I, remember, one of the most powerful and intelligent monarchs ever to have lived, and she proved her male advisers completely WRONG about her "womanly weakness", but in Rosalind Miles's version...more
”The silence in the chamber grew until it echoed like thunder in the booklined space. In the tight circle of grave old faces, not a one flickered. At last the oldest and the gravest there laid down the document, shook his head, and spoke. 'You have her, madam - there can be no doubt.' I turned my head. Behind the ranks of gray-wigged, black-robed figures, beyond the little window of the Temple, fresh white clouds scudding like rabbits' bobtails chased each other across a shining sky. On such a d...more
An amazing book. Rosaline Miles writes in the first person, so we are reading this account of the life of probably the most powerful woman in history as she might well have written it. Our preconceptions of Elizabeth I are skewed a little by misty myth, particularly the one about the virgin queen. She was also mistress of spin, before anyone knew what that was. Her rallying speech to the fleet at the time of the Spanish Armada, for example: (paraphrased)'I may have the body of a weak and feeble...more
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I was anticipating a great historical fiction approach to Queen Elizabeth as the author has many acclaimed novels. I did enjoy the writing but I thought her approach to Elizabeth was crude and frustrating. History hails Elizabeth as the "Virgin Queen". The author spent the whole novel, (600 plus pages) with Elizabeth agonizing over her sexual vulnerability and frustration. Each chapter is dedicated to pages of her pining over "her Robin" in every manner which I believe to be too carnal and licen...more
As much as I admire Elizabeth her life story is just not as exciting as her mothers. However it was still a good read. Although this is just a work of fiction I felt it got across all the things Elizabeth sacrificed for England. It must have been horrible living when others around you were always plotting your downfall. And the poor Tudors with no glasses to help their sight or anything to clean their teeth. I wish I could travel back in time and present her with a toothbrush and tooth paste! We...more
I've been wanting a novel that embraced all sides of this Woman and Queen, and I'm glad I picked this one to read. I've read other books that show Elizabeth I as a vain jealous woman, and her character really didn't develop much past that. This book however, doesn't fail to express all aspects of her person. Yes, she was vain AND jealous. But she was also intelligent, strong, passionate, witty, and loving. Whatever faults she had, and every person has faults, she rose above them to lead England...more
This book helped me get through my steroid shot insomnia last night, and I finally finished the last 100 pages around 4 this morning. It was excellent. I'm so in love with this time period, the Tudor line, and Elizabeth I. She is without a doubt my favorite monarch ever, and the book portrayed her spirit beautifully.
She was a tease, a feminist, vulnerable, yet with a steel core, and so intelligent. Rosalind Miles wrote Elizabeth as a real person, not as an untouchable, emotionless, one-dimensio...more
She was a tease, a feminist, vulnerable, yet with a steel core, and so intelligent. Rosalind Miles wrote Elizabeth as a real person, not as an untouchable, emotionless, one-dimensio...more
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I was disappointed by how bored I was while reading this. I found it tedious and repetitive...bastard, not a bastard; in love, not in love. I was really expecting to like it because I love historical fiction, especially about the Tudors. The writing was okay but at times it was hard to follow...like Miles was intentionally leaving out names to see how well the reader was paying attention. I found myself having to backtrack a few times to figure out who "my lord" was because several men received...more
This book a novel but I think it doesn't stray too far from the truth of Queen Elizabeth I's life (as far as what I personally know about her). Miles does a good job of writing the struggles of what the first female queen would have went through -- men doubting her, her love life and the pressures of getting married and killing the Mary Queen of Scots. It's written in a first hand account of her life and lets the reader get into Elizabeth's psyche. Great read! Only problem is that because it's p...more
This book...I technically haven't finished it yet, though I haven't picked it up in a couple of years. The author borrows liberally and anachronistically from other authors and from Shakespeare. I enjoyed the portrayal of Elizabeth's relationship with Dudley, but reached a point in the narrative where my willing suspension of disbelief wasn't so willing anymore. Then when I tried to take it back up again it just wasn't working, so I haven't tried again in a while. I imagine someday I will finall...more
Elizabeth I is an amazing Queen who is still shrouded in some mystery. There is a quest amongst historians to get at the "real" Queen Elizabeth and Roslind Miles does a great job of doing this. This is an intriguing "historical fiction" read about Elizabeth from her young days of being the discarded child of Ann Boleyn to the beloved Queen of England. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in learning a little more about the Queen. Although this is a historical fiction, the au...more
This is absolutely the best historical novel I have read. It is beautifully written and fleshes Queen Elizabeth I out to be a vivacious, shrewd, powerful woman. She brought England into world power status, where it stayed for 300 years. Yet, she suffered very personal losses by never marrying and being betrayed by lovers. And of course, her great (but ultimately neccessary) sin of killing her cousin Mary Queen of Scots. Ironically it is Mary's son, King James I who gains the throne of England, a...more
Too long and kind of boring. Particularly the large chunks where Elizabeth can't stop talking about how much she loves Robert Dudley, then near the end she goes on about the Lord of Essex. I was much more interested in the politics, but Miles didn't really go into that much, which is surprising. It appears as though Miles did her research; with a historical novel, I like to see a bibliography, but unfortunately, Miles does not include one. Also, the number of characters and their name changes be...more
This historical novel about the first Elizabeth was very enjoyable, though quite long. It gave a different picture on some of the characters from that time and I wonder what the true picture really is. She was painted as a narcissistic old woman constantly looking to the young men of her court. She did quite a good job with keeping the country viable, but was constantly in a quest for money.
The descriptions of the clothes and jewelry were mind boggling.
I recommend it if you like reading about...more
The descriptions of the clothes and jewelry were mind boggling.
I recommend it if you like reading about...more
Publicly declared a bastard at the age of three, daughter of a disgraced and executed mother, last in the line of succession to the throne of England, Elizabeth I inherited an England ravaged by bloody religious conflict, at war with Spain and France, and badly in debt. When she died in 1603, after a forty-five- year reign, her empire spanned two continents and was united under one church, victorious in war, and blessed with an overflowing treasury. What’s more, her favorites—William Shakespeare...more
Wow, this book was not as good as I thought it would be. The first two-fifths of the novel was interesting but when Elizabeth ascended the throne...oh boy...I found the tone of the novel annoying. Elizabeth was not portrayed as the Queen I pictured her to be. In this novel, she mooned over her various crushes/favorites, especially Robert Dudley, and daydreamed about them over and over again. I wouldn't have minded if the romance was toned down a bit and there was a bit more history involved, but...more
Historical fictional buffs are quite used to the endless supply of Elizabeth Tudor books with beautifully decorated covers. Sometimes, though, there are too many books and too little time to stick to reading one which isn’t as satisfying.
As hard as I tried to “truck” through “ I, Elizabeth”, by Rosalind Miles; I simply could not continue after 200 some odd pages. The novel wasn’t overly scholarly and was accurate enough which I thoroughly welcome in historical fiction literature. However, it st...more
As hard as I tried to “truck” through “ I, Elizabeth”, by Rosalind Miles; I simply could not continue after 200 some odd pages. The novel wasn’t overly scholarly and was accurate enough which I thoroughly welcome in historical fiction literature. However, it st...more
“He will make a good death, they say. The better for him, for he could never make a good life. Nature made him a king among men, and offered him a king’s fortune, too. But Cecil, always the wisest of my counselors, called him ‘the Wild Horse,’ and true, it was he never could be backed or broken.”
To get inside the mind of Queen Elizabeth the First, would make for a wonderful novel, and that is precisely what Rosalind Miles did. From her pre-teen years, when she was aware of the dangers, her roy...more
To get inside the mind of Queen Elizabeth the First, would make for a wonderful novel, and that is precisely what Rosalind Miles did. From her pre-teen years, when she was aware of the dangers, her roy...more
I picked this book up because Queen Elizabeth I fascinates me. I've read many different historical fictions about her. I really liked the first part of the book. Most things I've read start were her half-sister Queen Mary has her in the Tower of London. So, I haven't read much concerning her childhood and when her father was still alive (at least were she was the focus of the story anyway). I felt that reading about that time period helped me better understand some of her actions as an adult. I...more
Rosalind Miles, oh Rosalind Miles...how happy I am to have found you! You have written a most excellent novel about my favorite monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, and gave me hours of reading ecstasy that I will never forget! I loved every minute of this book!!!!
I, Elizabeth is a fantastic read of the life, loves, trials and tribulations of Queen Elizabeth I, "The Virgin Queen". We follow Elizabeth from childhood, when she was labeled a "bastard" and her mother a "whore", to the treacherous times befo...more
I, Elizabeth is a fantastic read of the life, loves, trials and tribulations of Queen Elizabeth I, "The Virgin Queen". We follow Elizabeth from childhood, when she was labeled a "bastard" and her mother a "whore", to the treacherous times befo...more
I seem to agree with most people who have reviewed this, I found the first part really good to read, but found myself losing interest the further I got into the book. My the time I got to the last fifty or so pages I was skimming rather than reading it because I didn't care as much about her anymore. I know it was based on history and that limits what the main character can do, but I don't think she needed to moon over Robert for anywhere near as long as she actually did.
However, Rosalind Miles...more
However, Rosalind Miles...more
Goodreads rates a 2 star book as "ok." I'm giving this 2 stars, not because I didn't like it, because I did, but just that it was OK.
First of all, it was very very long. Almost 600 pages and like 1,000 words per page. I exaggerate, but truly, this was not a quick read. I've been reading this for a week straight, hours a day, and it drug on for a while.
Second of all, there are literally hundreds of characters. This book spans around 60 years, and honestly, from the first few pages I was confused...more
First of all, it was very very long. Almost 600 pages and like 1,000 words per page. I exaggerate, but truly, this was not a quick read. I've been reading this for a week straight, hours a day, and it drug on for a while.
Second of all, there are literally hundreds of characters. This book spans around 60 years, and honestly, from the first few pages I was confused...more
I absolutely love this book and I have read it several times. I have never read another novel about this era that written so beautifully or with so much (I believe) accurate information. As I reread it I have to admit, it does become somewhat of a romance novel in the parts where Elizabeth and Robert Dudley are together, but the first time through I really didn't notice because I was loving the writing so much. In addition to the usual "I began to breathe heavily as his fingers fumbled with the...more
If you enjoy learning about the British monarchy, especially the Tudors, you will love this novel. Although fiction, the novel gives excellent insight into the rule of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and, of course, Elizabeth I. It also is rich on detail about life at the time, from the use of cosmetics to palace life to fashion to food.
The novel also gives a voice to one of England's greatest and most fascinating monarchs. It is impossible to know how accurate Miles' portrayal is in terms of El...more
The novel also gives a voice to one of England's greatest and most fascinating monarchs. It is impossible to know how accurate Miles' portrayal is in terms of El...more
This book is about Elizabeth I, and it is so well written, that you begin to feel that it is a diary, and not fiction. The characters are all represented from Elizabeth's point of view, so there is no omniscience, only her personal take on events and people's actions. In the process, you also learn quite a bit about British royal history (if you are not already versed in such). I really enjoyed the book. It was one of those books that you just hate putting down until you get to the end. There wa...more
so. when i started this book...i was all into it, it was crazy good, a real page turner. then i got half way (almost 3/4) through the book, and i was just...well...confused and a bit bored.
it's an extremely long book...and the author, i think purposefully, portrays the "human" side of Elizabeth as a bit of a weak woman at times. i'm no historical buff, or anything, but i just don't like Elizabeth being portrayed as a lovesick fluffy woman. i dont know. it turned me off a bit.
also...there are so...more
it's an extremely long book...and the author, i think purposefully, portrays the "human" side of Elizabeth as a bit of a weak woman at times. i'm no historical buff, or anything, but i just don't like Elizabeth being portrayed as a lovesick fluffy woman. i dont know. it turned me off a bit.
also...there are so...more
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Rosalind Miles is an author born and raised in England and now living in both Los Angeles and Kent, England. She has written both works of fiction and non-fiction. As a child, Miles suffered from polio, and had to undergo several months of treatment. After being accepted to a junior women's college, Miles acquired a working knowledge of Latin and Greek, along with developing her life-long love of...more
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“Oh, I know, I know, she was a sweet girl, a simple country girl; everyone told me that, both then and since. But I could not forgive her animal dumbness - worse, her rank sensuality, easy as any cow's, and like her dumpling breasts, quite irresistable to men - while those of us whom God has made to think and feel, who are strung out like harps along the wires of our own nature, why, we are rarer than music and must content ourselves with smaller audiences.”
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