Royal Reviews: Elizabeth, Captive Princess by Margaret Irwin

Title: Elizabeth, Captive Princess (book 2 in the Elizabeth I series)
Author: Margaret Irwin
ISBN: 978-1-4022-2997-8
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Format: Trade Paperback
$14.99
How I Read It: Trade Paperback ARC
Release Date: October 2010
Rating: 4.5 Crowns

In July 1553, sibling rivalry looms perilous, even life-threatening, between the daughters of King Henry VIII. Their brother King Edward is dead, his successor Lady Jane Grey has been beheaded, and Queen Mary Tudor has just won possession of the throne. But her younger half sister—the beautiful and vivacious Princess Elizabeth—holds the hearts of the people. Despite Mary’s health fading fast and her power beginning to crumble, she won’t give up the throne, determined to rule to the absolute end as her father did before her. In these treacherous times, when all about her there is secrecy and deception, Elizabeth must rely on her faith and courage if she is to survive her ordeal and rise to fulfill her destiny. With grace and elegance, Margaret Irwin continues the story begun in Young Bess, giving readers an intimate peek into the world of that most enigmatic of Britain’s monarchs.
(from the publisher)

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved the first book in the series, Young Bess, and I have to say that I was not disappointed by Elizabeth, Captive Princess. The way that Margaret Irwin wrote this novel is as though she was weaving a tapestry of history and fiction, each part seamlessly blending into a brilliant picture for the reader to behold. It’s a very vivid story that every fan of Tudor fiction should. Each book in this series seems to surpass the other, and now I cannot wait to see what gems Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain has to offer.

This is one of my favorite times in history so I enjoy taking a glimpse into that worlds that authors create around it, and so far this has been my favorite journey.