A Not So Queenly Queen Elizabeth

The Redheaded Princess by Ann Rinaldi

Summary: Growing up, Elizabeth fears she can never be Queen. Although she is the King's daughter, no woman can ever hope to rule over men in England, especially when her mother has been executed for treason.

For all her royal blood, Elizabeth's life is fraught with danger and uncertainty. Sometimes she is welcome in the royal court; other times she is cast out into the countryside. With her position constantly changing, the Princess must navigate a sea of shifting loyalties and dangerous affections. At stake is her life--for beheading is not uncommon among the factions that war for the Crown.

With the vivid human touch that has made her one of the foremost writers of historical fiction, Ann Rinaldi brings to life the heart and soul of the young Elizabeth I. It's a portrait of a great leader as she may have been as she found her way to the glorious destiny that lay before her.

Review: This book was a very quick read that covered Elizabeth’s life before she became queen. 

My main qualm with the book is how Elizabeth behaves. She was 25 when she became queen yet still acts like a teenager even when she is 25. When she is a teenager, I could understand the behavior to some degree, but I believe she would have been raised to handle her emotions and feelings better. From what I have read about Elizabeth, she is a calculating and clever woman who was probably aware most of her life that she very well might become queen one day.

Although the circumstances of her birth, what happened to her mother, and the turmoil of Mary’s reign are certainly interesting times, Elizabeth really shines as a ruler after she has become queen. While I may not be a fan of her personality or how she treats men, she is very good with playing people against each other and using the marriage card to her great advantage. Elizabeth as queen would probably not make for a very exciting young adult novel, but I would suggest anyone that is interested in her life after reading this book to seek out adult historical fiction, or better yet, non-fiction.

Rating:

Recommendation:  I would recommend this to those that enjoy young adult historical fiction or are interested in Queen Elizabeth.