Lady Jane Grey is only a few people away from the throne. She is a cousin of the Tudors, and spends her youth studying with her cousins Edward and Elizabeth. Her parents are very ambitious for her. They ensure her education is one worthy of a queen, hoping to marry her to Edward, and have her be the future Queen of England. Although this is their main goal, they are adaptable, and will do anything to get their daughter on the throne.
I was delighted when I found out about this book. I enjoy a lot of Alison Weir's books, but had never read any of her historical fiction before. I have since read all of her historical fiction that is currently available, and this one is my favorite. I really liked reading about Jane's life. It was tragically short, as she was caught up in a struggle for the throne. Her reign only lasted for nine days. I think Jane is an intriguing historical figure, and I thought this was a good story about her life.
I really liked how Weir wrote the relationships in Jane's life. They are complicated and vary person to person, just as you would expect them to. They really help explain who Jane is, and I thought the way the relationships were written added a lot of depth to Jane's story. The plot was fascinating. I knew how it would end for Jane, but I still found myself caught up in her story. To me, this is one of the signs of good writing.
I really appreciated how Weir included notes about where she deviates from historical record, or was just a little liberal with the facts. This is something I always look for in historical fiction, and too often I am disappointed. I like the honesty. I know it is fiction, so I expect to find some deviation or imagination, but I care about accuracy. I am more likely to like a historical fiction that tells me where it deviates.
If you are interested in the Tudors or this time period, I highly recommend reading this book.
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