The Queen's Handmaiden

by Jennifer Ashley

A novel of the early years of Elizabeth Tudor-as told by the spirited niece of her real-life governess.

Her name is Eloise Rousell

. Daughter of a well-bred lady and a strolling player, she lived her early years in peaceful obscurity. But then her father died-and her new stepfather wanted none of her. So she was sent to her aunt, Kat Ashley-governess to the young Elizabeth Tudor.

In the tumultuous household of the princess in exile, Eloise finds her destiny- best friend, confidante, lady-in-waiting, and favored seamstress of the fiery girl who would become the greatest monarch of all time.

Through a decade of plots and counter-plots, tragedies and triumphs, Eloise, like her aunt, is a constant in Elizabeth's life. Risking her heart- and her head-in service to the cause of seeing Elizabeth on the throne, Eloise is a bright, brave, sprightly witness to history. This is her story.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Historical Romance, Tudor Period

323 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2007

About the author

NY Times Bestselling author Jennifer Ashley writes historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance, historical mysteries, and urban fantasy as Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner.

Jennifer's novels have been translated into many different languages, and earned starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly. More about her books at http://www.jenniferashley.com and http://gardnermysteries.com.

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Ashley's Regency series featuring Captain Gabriel Lacy written under the nom de plume of Ashley Gardner. I love the characters she created in that series as well as the setting and period and I'm eagerly awaiting the next book which has a tentative title of 'A Death in Norfolk' which is the seventh in the series, due out in the fall 2011.

This novel is set during the reign of Henry VIII, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I and has a charming heroine at its center. Eloise Rousell is Kat Ashley's niece and is taken under her aunt's wing after her mother remarries. Eloise is the same age as Elizabeth and the girls grow to become very close.

The events in Elizabeth's life are painted in broad strokes as is the history of the Tudor period. Eloise's movements from one place to another so she can narrate from a first person perspective seem slightly far fetched. Though I found the way Ashley connected the fictional Eloise to the historical record clever and amusing.

I enjoyed the relationships between Eloise, Kat and Elizabeth but beyond them I didn't find myself particularly engrossed in this story. It's a nice story and I liked it, I think it would be a good place for a young reader to start reading about the Tudor period and it's a decent refresher if you've been away from the Tudors for a while.

I don't feel this novel is the author's best work, for that I would recommend The Hanover Square Affair and the rest of the novels in the Captain Gabriel Lacy series. For the best on Elizabeth I, I would recommend Susan Kay's 'Legacy: The Acclaimed Novel of Elizabeth, England's Most Passionate Queen -- and the Three Men Who Loved Her'. I also recently read 'His Last Letter: Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester' by Jeane Westin which I enjoyed very much.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up at a book store at an outlet mall because my mom needed one more book to satisfy the sale (4 for $10 or something) and was worried it would be a romance.

It wasn't. Pretty straight historical fiction: Queen Elizabeth's rise to power as seen by her dressmaker.

Lots of historical details and enough characterization to make Elizabeth believable. Also, a smart protagonist who you grow to care about.

A fun book about a woman who has always fascinated me.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually began reading this a long time ago when I was a senior in high school, but I left it on the bus one day and I could never find it. I guess someone had taken it. I bought another copy not too long after that, but I only restarted and finished the book a month ago. So it has been 4-5 years since I picked up this book and I finished it in a day.

This book was an easy read. Historical wise there was some inaccuracy. (If I am wrong at how much inaccuracy there was, I apologize I am not an expert on Tudor history). As I read if I came across an individual I would usually do a quick read up on them online so that way I can test how well they did. Although it would have been nice if the book continue longer after Elizabeth became Queen, since the books is titled The Queen’s Handmaiden and not The Princess’ Handmaiden. Also the whole affair between Robert Dudley and Elizabeth should have been longer in my opinion. She didn’t give all of the characters depth like Jane Grey, just going with a typical description, however I like to think that maybe that is how the characters in the story like Eloise sees Lady Jane, after all people tend to stereotype each other.....

For more Check out my blog http://myrenaissanceblog.wordpress.co...

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I enjoyed the first person narrative and how the author gave me insights to everyone surrounding the main character. Ms. Ashley restored my faith in fiction. I hadn't been able to read anything that hooked me for a couple of months. I was surprised and pleased when I couldn't put it down.

[Krystyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I really like about this book is that unlike many Tudor historical fiction books this is not over sexed and glamoured. This book paints a more realistic view of Queen Elizabeth I. This book shows both her charms and flaws magnificently. The narrator of this book comes from Eloise; her skilled seamstress, spy and confidant.

[Katarzyna Kuczynska · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars from me. I have enjoyed the book, It is very "soft" writen, with almost thesame energy through out. Lots of plots and intrigue in Elisabeths (and Elonores) life discribed basic and simply. I liked the idea of the bastard son of Henry XVIII but again maybe too simple to make me over excited about it.

[ROBYN MARKOW · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly interesting (though highly fictionalized ) account of Queen Elizabeth the 1st's Seamstress and Hand Maid,Eloise Rousell. Sent by her mother and stepfather to live with her "Aunt"(in reality a 2nd cousin) Katherine(Kat) Ashley,Elizabeth's Governess since her mother,Anne Boleyn's execution; Eloise grows up alongside the Princess Elizabeth,becoming her playmate and later on, dressmaker. Thanks to her proximity to Elizabeth,Eloise becomes Eyewitness to the Princess' trials ;from her Stepmother Catherine Parr's husband's designs on her, to when she's imprisoned in the infamous Tower of London and then under House Arrest when her devoutly Catholic half-sister,Mary comes to power ,then (finally) becoming Queen of England. I've read a lot about Queen Elizabeth and remain continually fascinated by her so while this book wasn't great,it still held some interest for me. Eloise(who narrates the story) seemed more like a reactive character and sort of dull at times,but I still admired her loyalty towards Elizabeth; besides sewing sumptuous gowns for the future Queen and willingly putting up with her infamous temper, she accompanies her during her Imprisonment and even engages in some espionage with a secretive young man named James Colby( (we later find why)who,not surprisingly, becomes an important part of her life in another way. For fans of HF and The Tudors, a well as a decent introduction to both genres.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a number of novels featuring Tudor England and Queen Elizabeth in particular, so nothing here was particularly new to me. However, the novel is told from a different perspective, that of Elizabeth's (I am assuming fictional) seamstress, Eloise. The plot mainly centers around the time before Elizabeth becomes queen, when she was a princess. The fictional Eloise is situated as the niece of Elizabeth's governess, Kat Ashley, and is made to be the same age as Elizabeth, so they grew up together. Overall, I enjoyed returning to this fascinating time in history and found this book to be a quick, engaging read.

[Laura Bray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, easy read, after the intense six-book series for the literary fiction class. Just read for pleasure, no note taking, no paying attention to structure.

Kind of a middle-of-the-road historical fiction book. About a seamstress in Elizabeth's household. Pretty difficult to believe that a lowly seamstress would gain the confidence of the queen like she did, but setting that aside, it was an enjoyable read about a period I enjoy reading about.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A story told by the seamstress of Queen Elizabeth starting when they were children. Eloise is the niece of Kat Ashley, governess of Elizabeth. Eloise is a fictional character but the story is entertaining and easy to read. It also gives more insight to Elizabeth's character. I did, however, have a difficult time accepting James Colby and who he is presented to be.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining novel of Elizabeth Tudor as as An through a young woman in her household. A niece of her beloved governess, eloise becomed her friend and seamstress. This is th e world of princess Elizabeth from a different viewpoint. An enjoyable novel full of historic details.

[Maggie Shanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elinor Russell was raised in the home of Princess Elizabeth. She becomes adept at dress design and becomes the seamstress to the young Princess. Through intrigues and rebellions Elinor serves Elizabeth as both a message carrier and as a conscience in troubled times.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just...so boring. The author managed to make the most exciting things seem dull and tedious.

[Carolynn Markey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the fresh view of court, and Queen Elizabeth!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book of Tudor England written from the handmaiden's perspective.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story though it could have been cut down a bit.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

2012: I thought when I moved that I'd give this book away to the library or something, but I dug it out of the box that thankfully never went anywhere when I finished watching The Tudors HBO series. I still like it, found it more pleasant than I remembered.
So I watched Elizabeth again after finishing it, and the movie, while still good, A) doesn't pass the Bechdel Test, and B) has Elizabeth relying on MEN to teach her how to be strong. What I like best about this book is that Elizabeth is INHERENTLY strong. She does occasionally have to rely on her friends to remind her of her best interest, but she never waffles, and Ashley paints her as a consistent and consistently strong woman.
(Okay, after having written that, I just bumped the stars up one to 4.)
Another side note: I'm super interested in costumes right now, so the premise of this book is fun, too, and I'm going to recommend it to other costume-lovers I know!

Original review 2010: I liked this. It started out rather light and breezed over things in the first chapter, but once it got going it was good. A nice read about a couple of strong women. Not too intellectually heavy, nicely rounded out with history, and satisfying.
Makes me want to go watch Elizabeth again.
On a side note, it passes the Bechdel Test!: http://bechdeltest.com/ which yes, I do often apply to books.

[Beth Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, solidly enjoyable historical fiction read. Most books focusing on Queen Elizabeth focus on her actual reign and the time of Shakespeare; part of the charm of this novel is that we follow Elizabeth from childhood and through the turbulent time of her brother's death, Queen Mary's rule, and finally her own coronation. Very little of the book takes place in her reign. The first-person perspective is from Elizabeth's loyal seamstress, Eloise. As Eloise herself points out, many people do not notice a lone woman sewing in a corner, so she is able to witness and overhear all the drama of court. Some of the historical fiction I've read during the past year has been afflicted by the dread presence of a Mary Sue, perfection personified, but this book is free of the scourge. The characters come across as very real and well-rounded, and Eloise is a wonderful heroine.[return][return]I bought the book at the Desert Dreams Conference and spoke with the author. Jennifer Ashley was a very nice, pleasant lady. I know she also writes Scottish romances, so I think I'll look up some of her other books. She has a master's degree in Middle Ages and Renaissance lit, and that attention to detail and research shows.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent, entertaining story of Elizabeth's life centered mostly on the years of her brother's and sister's reign, as well as a little into her own.

I enjoyed the story, told from the perspective of Elizabeth's seamstress, who is also the niece of Kat Ashley. The intrigues everyone was jumping into were entertaining, though you could feel Elizabeth's frustration as she was wielded like a pawn for so long.

The story was a bit simplistic, playing on the interpretations that have come down through the centuries (Kat Ashley's supposed inclinations to meddle in things she shouldn't, Jane Grey being a weak, willowy girl who wouldn't say boo to a kitten, etc) without any real attempt to look deeper, to make the characters a bit more real.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is fluid, easy reading. The problem comes in the back sixth of the book, which should be the back *third* -- we know that Elizabeth ruled for, what was it, forty years? Therefore the tension surrounding the Robert Dudley plot and the revelation of James's identity (which was telegraphed way too early, in my opinion) is just not there. The agony of Eloise's choice between her husband and her queen is never brought to a head, and you know it won't ever be. That said, the romance is well-handled, very subtly, although I would have liked to see Eloise's emotion toward her husband and daughter much more vividly.

[Wen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was well done. It is a light historical read in that it does not bog down in excessive historical accounts. It Does hold lots of historical content. The view is told from Eloise who in this story is Elizabeths seamstress. I do not know if such a person ever existed but the accounts told through her eyes are pretty correct. There is room for discrepencies too since it is told from the one view point so it covers many of the things that may not have been completely accurate. The descriptions of the colthing and fabrics are very well done. Characters are very easy to like or dislike as they should be. Good read.

[Sarah W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical novel chronicles the early days of Elizabeth I through the character of Eloise Rousell, a seamstress and confident of the young princess. Eloise must balance her duties to Elizabeth with the turbulent times she lives in and the man she comes to love. While this novel is an okay read and certainly would be enjoyed by fans of Tudor England, I felt it could have been much better and especially the ending could have been better done. The last few chapters felt like an epilogue, with much of the motivations which previously drove the characters having dissipated.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reviewer from Publishers Weekly apparently approached this book as "Serious Fiction" and chose to be disappointed. I, on the other hand, viewed it via the author's imagination when focused on the experience of Princess, and later Queen, Elizabeth, through the eyes of her chief seamstress. It is not Great Historical Fiction, accurate in every detail. It is not dramatic literature. It is 'just' a very good story, highly readable, both funny and touching, and extremely engrossing.

I loved it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm getting to the point where some historical novels no longer hold the same charm they once did for me. There's a limit, I suppose, to the number of times one can read the same story from different viewpoints. Elizabeth still remains a fascinating figure, but I'm tired of exploring her and her times from 46-million different angles. And how come there's always someone with psychic abilities in the story?

Did find the tidbits about costumes and gowns and materials of interest.

[gia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of a popcorn read, The Queen's Handmaiden isn't a frivolous bodice-ripper in historical fiction guise, nor is it particularly deep in either character or complexity. Fun, but a bit predictable. The depiction of Queen Elizabeth, prior to her queenhood, is flat enough that it might annoy anyone particularly invested in her as a historical figure, but if you just want to kill some time, here you go.

[Helen Azar · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing remarkable about this book, but it was a fairly good read, albeit with some creative licensing involved. Not bad compared to the rest in the recent wave of all the Tudor fiction novels... Told from the first person perspective of the fictional niece of Kate Ashley (Elizabeth I's long time governess)... Recommended for Tudor era fiction fans but don't expect that much, and try not to get too upset about the liberties it takes...

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about Eloise Rousell who is sent to live with Kat Ashley, Elizabeth's governess, who happens to be her aunt. She is a talented seamstress who makes Elizabeth's dresses and gets involved in various plots to help Elizabeth behind the scenes. Her love interest in the story, James Colby is an interesting character in the novel. I liked the descriptions of clothing and the relationships between Elizabeth, Eloise and Kat, and Eloise and James. This is a light read but likeable.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid narrative of the years leading up to Elizabeth I's coronation, but very much in the vein of The Other Boleyn Girl and the rash of Tudor novels that have been published lately. The narrator is, unfortunately, a bit bland, but the relationship between Eloise and her husband made the book more likeable.

[Jeneale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book told the story of the fictional (I assume) seamstress for Queen Elizabeth I. It was light and quick, and it wasn't challenging as far as vocabulary, but it was very fun. Ashley did a good job of making the characters believable, but it helped that I had read The Other Boleyn Girl so I had a little background on Elizabeth and the other Tudors. I would recommend it.

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a decent read, it was not as good as Phillppa Gregory’s novels…but it was still good. I liked the basic story and it was decently written. I don’t think I would go out of my wayto read this author again, but if I happened to see another of her books, I would probably read it…does that make sense?