My second read by this author and she is really turning me on to historical fiction. This book focuses on the reign of Queen Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen and her lifelong conflicts with her cousin Lettie. ( )

My second read by this author and she is really turning me on to historical fiction. This book focuses on the reign of Queen Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen and her lifelong conflicts with her cousin Lettie. ( )

This wasn't by any stretch of the imagination a great novel or even great writing; but it was enjoyable, light and fast reading.

The story follows the life of Leticia Knollys, cousin to Queen Elizabeth I, who had the nerve to secretly marry Robert Dudley (who at one time had ambitions to be King), Elizabeth's favorite sycophant & courtier.

The story follows Leticia, her sister Cecily (who seemed quite a nasty piece), her father (a very loyal councilor to the Queen and to Henry VIII & Edward before her), and other members of the family.

It was interesting to learn of their time in Germany during the reign of Mary Tudor, the persecution of the Anabaptists by the German Protestants, the strict control that the German Protestants exerted over their community members......

Unlike other works of historical fiction I have read, there were no afterwords citing historical facts and that did disappoint me.....

This is good for a light entertaining read. ( )

I've not read a book centered on Lettice Knollys, Mary Boleyn's daughter, prior to this. Interesting viewpoint of the reign on Elizabeth I. Both women in love with the same man. Therein lies the rivalry. There are a couple of things that I don't think fit in the storyline, but overall, it was a good quick read and I enjoyed it. ( )

Please visit my blog for my full review:
http://bookchateau.blogspot.com/2012/03/rival-to-queen-carolly-erickson.html

Disappointing. I am normally a fan of Erickson's work but this has got to be her worst novel. The characters were flat and boring; the story was full of pointless sub-stories that really had no place; the ending was horrible. Where was the drama? Where was that bitter rivalry between the cousins? There was so much potential for this book but unfortunately it was just blah . . . I couldn't wait for it to end. ( )