Virgin: Prelude to the Throne

by Robin Maxwell

Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII and later England's most beloved monarch, was banished by her father at the age of two, but is readmitted to the Tudor fold at nine when Henry's sixth wife, Katherine Parr, softens his heart towards Elizabeth. After Henry's death, Katherine marries Thomas Seymour, a shallow man of reckless ambition. The amoral Seymour orchestrates his master plan to capture the crown, one that includes the seduction of the young and vulnerable princess.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction-novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Tudor Period, British Literature, 16th Century, Royalty

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2001

About the author

Robin Maxwell began writing novels about the historical figures she had been obsessing about since graduating from Tufts University with a degree in Occupational Therapy. Her first novel, "The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn," now in its 24th printing, won two YA awards and has been translated into fourteen languages. "The Wild Irish" - an epic tale of Ireland's rebel queen, Grace O'Malley - closed out her Elizabethan Quartet, and is now in development for a television series. "Signora Da Vinci" and "Jane: The Woman Who loved Tarzan" are tales of the remarkable women behind two of the world's most beloved wildmen - Maestro Leonardo and Lord Greystoke. She has jumped genres again with "ATLANTOS," now a #1 Amazon Bestseller. Robin lives with her husband of thirty-five years, Max Thomas, at High Desert Eden, a wildlife sanctuary in the Mojave Desert.

Reviews

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story of historic fiction. I have recently become a huge Tudor obsessive and Robin Maxwell is my favorite author in the fictionalized versions. This book covers a fairly short period of time, from the death of Henry VIII to the execution of Thomas Seymour. and it mostly concentrates on Princess Elizabeth and her relationship with Seymour.

There is much angst and confusion in the life of the poor Princess.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have for a while now, been fascinated by the early years of Elizabeth I. What created this great woman who was one of the greatest rulers of England ever, the queen who refused to marry though her suitors included some of the most powerful monarchs of Europe at the time.

It has been theorized, that the Elizabeth, whose mother was branded a whore and executed when Elizabeth was only three years old, and a few years later a similar fate meted out to her young stepmother Katherine Howard, never married because she associated marriage with death.

In this exciting and moving book, Robin Maxwell explore the young princesses life at Chelsea House where she was sent to live with her stepmother the Queen Dowager Katherine Parr, after the death of her father Henry VIII, and the ascension to the throne of her younger brother
Edward VI.
While the Queen dowager gave Elizabeth love and was the only mother Elizabeth was known, Queen Katherine's husband Sir Thomas Seymour, charismatic and irresistible to women, sets his sights on the vulnerable and innocent young princes Elizabeth.
Seymour lures the young princess into sexual interplay, and in a strange twist there are incidents where the Queen Dowager herself, driven mad by the evil of Seymour, helps him to abuse Elizabeth.
Through suffering Elizabeth is strengthened, into the great ruler she will be, but as an abused pawn, it seems at the time far off her ever being the most powerful person in England.

An insight into Elizabeth,s painful early life, her mother butchered on
Henry VIII's orders, the little princess ignored and bastardized by her father, the mother figure she had trusted and loved she saw turned into a mad woman, and the man who had beguiled i her into giving him all her heart and soul, tried to rape and destroy her.

A fleshy, moving and evocative novel of the life of the young princess Elizabeth, who would be one of the greatest figures in England's history.

[Lucy Bertoldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a follower of my blog, then surely you know that of all English monarchs, Elizabeth I is in No way my favourite...Sorry- but that's just the way it is. There's just something cold, calculating and non-feeling about her- for me..yet, I keep reading more and more books on her. There's something intriguing about her that's for sure. Or maybe, I just won't allow myself to believe that what you see is what you get-- and nothing so far has really moved me to change my opinion of her...

Until... Virgin: Prelude to the Throne, by Maxwell. This is the story of Elizabeth from about the age of 13 to 15- don't kid yourself, this is not children's literature. Major things happen to Elizabeth and England within these two years to spur England into a series of dramatic turnabouts that it would be impossible to write-off this important time period.

Elizabeth is being raised by her step-mother, the Dowager Queen Catherine and her husband, Thomas Seymour. With Kat as her guardian-lady-in waiting, you would think that Elizabeth had a dandy 'ole time with this wonderful mom and dashing dad...Poor Elizabeth, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Elizabeth endures such traumatic episodes that no child of that age should ever go through. The abuse, betrayal, confusion and major incidents that happened to her would for sure leave a mark on her forever. For me, this book helped explain so many things. The poor child was torn between guilt, so-called love, shame, loss, confusion and almost treason- with the risk of death.

I think I've never despised a character more than Thomas Seymour. And- what a change of heart for me to say that Elizabeth endeared me to no end! Her story literally broke my heart. I felt so much tenderness for this young girl who had her innocence cruelly taken away. What more could she experience aftet having lost her mother in the harshest of ways, her father rejecting her when she needed him most, and then this cruel man luring her heart and young blossoming passions in such a pedophilic way...all for his own glory. Poor, poor Elizabeth!

She trusted and loved this slime ball and felt guilty for thinking that she may have been the one to lure him on! These are the typical feelings of youngsters who go through abuse of this sort. Yet, after all she went through, horrible damage to her soul and person, our beautiful young royal, came out standing tall, proud and more majestic than ever, and I rooted for her all the way!

I must say that I am utterly surprised that after reading so much history, I've never read anything in such detail about this particular time in Elizabeth's life. There's always bits and pieces alluding to this horrid period- but never in such detail and never so real. Even Catherine Parr's death solved a few questions I had. this book is a must read.

Virgin, is a must read for all Elizabethan fans and historians who feel there is a missing link in Elizabeth's life. Robin Maxwell has helped put the pieces together for me and now Elizabeth appears as a whole new different person. Her depth in character, her choices in life, her destiny and her ruling have roots from a far deeper place. I understand her so much better.

I highly recommend this beautiful, heart-wrenching and enlightening read to all. Fantastic book- Thank you so much Robin Maxwell!

[Lady of the Lake · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical part of this story is not very believable I give a 2 however the enjoyment factor ofthe story I give a 4 making it a 3....? I enjoyed it but did not believe it. I learned long ago to seperate the two because I'm not a historical scholor nor a literary snob but I "like what I like" and my historical FICTION does not have to be always spot on accurate I'm smart enough not to believe anything that is in the FICTION realm. Some authors should not call themselves historians however! I'm not making any sense am I? Well sorry.... if you want an enjoyable story loosely dealing with the Life of Elizabeth 1 and THIS authors view of her life then this is it...however if you want ACCURACY...then look elsewhere! That summed it up....in fact it seems to be a running theme with Maxwells books ...ENJOYABLE to read but NOT FACTUAL.

[Ksandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Stars

As much as I love anything related to Elizabeth I, this was a hard novel to read. Readers follow Elizabeth as she deals with the aftermath of her father's death and her brother's succession. In particular, this historical fiction focuses on the Seymour Scandal.

I first read this in high school over a decade ago and loved it. Reading it now as an adult and parent, I'm horrified. Elizabeth, though an infatuated young girl, was at the mercy of a man old enough to be her father, and no one attempted to save her until it was almost too late. I know this is a product of the time period, and that this is a fictionalized version of events that were never completely confirmed.

Overall, still a good read, but not as amazing as I remember.

[Grace C · Rating 1 out of 5]

A BIG disappointment after "The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn". This is the story of a 13-year-old Elizabeth, a queen to be that would someday lead England to its Golden Age. And yet, she was portrayed as a love-struck teenager, caught in having a crush with her stepmother's lover. There is much much much more to a young Elizabeth. What about her imprisonment in the Tower, her friendship with Robert Dudley, her yearn of love from her long lost parents? There are more better issues to be addressed than a teenager in a Tudor era, having a crush to a much older man. At one stage, the book even told a story of Elizabeth pretending to be a detective, stalking Thomas Seymour. To put it simply, we are not amused.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title's a bit melodramatic, but this book was pretty good. It's about Elizabeth I, covering her dangerous infatuation/flirtation with Thomas Seymour. Elizabeth was in her early teens at the time, but was very intelligent and astute. However, she still fell into the snare of Seymour, a cold, ambitious, manipulative, yet overwhelmingly charismatic man.
Maxwell does a great job with portraying the ambitions of the Tudor nobility and the courtly intrigue they engaged in. She's also terrific at making Elizabeth young and naive and at the same time keen-witted and strong so that the reader can really see how Elizabeth became the kind of ruler she was. That, combined with the snappy pacing and smart prose, made this a very enjoyable historical novel.

[Rosanna Miranda o'leary · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book about Elizabeth I. Awful!! Could only read 3/4 before putting down FOREVER!! Ridiculous and juvenile!!

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.00/5.00

This novel is a different perspective on the youth of Elizabeth I, and the time she spent under the roof of Queen Katheryn Parr and Thomas Seymour. However, instead of truly focusing on young Elizabeth, it spends more time focused on the plans and intrigues of Thomas against his brother Edward, as well as his young nephew King Edward VI. Elizabeth is relegated to a side character in a story titled after her, and not exactly in a good way.

Maxewell's writing is excellent, but I didn't want to read another novel about the plans of men in history so to say. We know Seymour failed, we know Elizabeth was almost destroyed by him as well; but there is more to the story then what he did or did not accomplish. Maxwell could've and should've spent more time on Elizabeth. That said, this novel is still worth a read if you are a fan of Elizabeth, a fan of Tudor history, or in need of a good historical fiction novel.

[Lyndsey Gollogly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m fascinated by the Tudors and our English history and I love historical fiction so this was right up my street! Robin Maxwell certainly knows how to spin a tail! Elizabeth is definitely one of my favourite royals and to have an insight of her young life after already overcoming the embarrassment of her mother’s demise then this scandal truly shows why she remained unmarried and one of the longest strongest rulers!!

[HM Book Club · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decidi ler este livro pois pensava que seria a história da Rainha Isabel I, desde pequena até à sua morte. A culpa é minha, que não me informei o suficiente. Se o tivesse feito, não teria garantidamente lido este livro.
Basicamente, está obra retrata a história de Isabel com Thomas Seymour, tio do seu irmão e Rei de Inglaterra, Eduardo VI. Existem algumas histórias paralelas, mas só mesmo para emoldurar o "romance" de Thomas e Isabel. Na minha opinião, é um livro aborrecido e desinteressante.

[Lois Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Virgin

This is a very readable book! I appreciate that at the end of the book the author takes the opportunity to make clear which parts are indeed fact and which are based on fact, but may actually not be true. That's why this is historical fiction. As a fan of this era, I very much enjoyed this book!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a very long time to read this book. It was more about Thomas Seymour and less about Elizabeth. He was truly despicable and set the tone for the entire story. That alone made it hard for me to read. If you are looking to read about Elizabeth and her story, you cannot leave him out, but this may not be the book for you.

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our visit to the Tower of London stimulated my interest in the history of Britain as it relates to this world heritage site. Robin Maxwell's historical fiction is an informal way to become familiar with royalty 600 years ago. Human behavior hasn't changed over the centuries in the ways of the heart.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the quality I expected

I was disappointed in this book and ended up skipping majority of the middle of the book. I did not like nor care for any of the characters and just wanted to get to the end which is known by most Tudor fans. It is historical fiction but not the quality of The Secret Diary of Anne Boylen. May you enjoy it more than I.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting novel looking at Elizabeth's life when she was living with Catherine Parr and Thomas Seymour, and the period after Catherine's death leading up to Thomas' execution.

Well written and researched. It all hangs together plausibly.

A good read for any fan of Elizabethan fiction.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read which shed more light on the patriarchy of the time period and the ways in which things were done. Overall, I enjoyed the book, though I wish it had covered a few more years rather than quickly summing them up at the end.

[Tocci]

Great Read

Historical fiction at its best, this novel is a perfect example. Research and conjecture combine with fantasy to create a excellent and interesting story of famous historical figures. The characters are very real and believable.

[Ashley Hobgood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read this e-book out of curiosity. I liked learning about Queen Elizabeth's friendship with both Catherine Parr and her husband Thomas Seymour. I thought the novel was a little slow in places. It is okay but not a favorite.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really well written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Even though it is historical fiction, it’s obvious that the author used a lot of research to build her story. Everything she conjectured seems plausible.

[Sunshine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an incredible read!
I loved every page!
One of my favourites!
Just a gripping story
Impression made

[Bronte Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! However hard to tell the difference between the fictional and the nonfictional

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting book that I must give three stars to as I don’t believe certain things happened in this uncertain time in Elizabeth’s life.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focuses in great detail on the relationship between Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour during his marriage to Catherine and after the latter's death. Fictionalized but very believable.

[Soc Page]

A historical-fiction book
Elizabeth I, Thomas Seymour, and Catherine Parr.
a window into a 2-3 year period of Post Henry VIII history.

[Nichola · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the finest novels in the English language, but unputdownable.

[Natasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for all Elizabethan fans and historians who feel there is a missing link in Elizabeth’s life. Robin Maxwell has helped put the pieces together for me and now Elizabeth appears like a whole new, different person. Her depth in character, her choices in life, her destiny and her ruling have roots from a far deeper place. I understand her so much better.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maxwell touts this as a part of Elizabeth history that has been largely ignored until now. Not sure I agree with that as this was not a new story for me. It is interesting take on some of the events when Elizabeth was residing with her step mother and Tom Seymour.

[Morgan Dhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a Tudor bug now, it seems, and have been picking at the books dealing with that era in my TBR pile. Today's selection, Robin Maxwell's novel Virgin: Prelude to the Throne, is a rather short and somewhat overblown novel dealing with a rather short period of Elizabeth Tudor's life - the two years following her father's death.

What is historical record is that Thomas Seymour, one of the uncles of the young king Edward VI, secretly married the Dowager Queen, Catherine Parr, within a few months of Henry's death in January 1547. Seymour took up residence in Catherine's household at Chelsea House, where Princess Elizabeth was also living. Later accounts suggest that Seymour was sexually aggressive toward Elizabeth during this period, and that eventually she was sent away from Chelsea House to live in Sir Anthony Denny's household at Cheshunt.

Meanwhile, Catherine Part became pregnant, and died shortly following the birth of her daughter Mary Seymour. Now free, Thomas Seymour attempted to press his suit with Elizabeth. At the same time, Seymour was planning a coup to remove his brother Edward Seymour, the Lord Protector, from power and assume control of the young king himself.

Thomas Seymour was arrested following an attempt to approach the King in his private chambers, charged with treason, and executed. Elizabeth and her staff were questioned, but while the staff reported Seymour's behaviour toward Elizabeth and confessed to promoting the idea of a marriage, no involvement in Seymour's schemes on Elizabeth's part was ever proven.

Over the years, many authors have taken a variety of approaches to this period of Elizabeth's life. Some have followed the rumours of the time that Seymour and Elizabeth had a sexual relationship and that her removal to Cheshunt was to cover up a pregnancy. Others have held Elizabeth to be an innocent forced by circumstances to endure advances she found wholly unwelcome. Maxwell has taken the position that the adolescent princess was swept up in her first sexual awakening by an ambitious and experienced adult's seduction plan, and that while she was unwise and took far too many risks, she emerged from the tumultuous time still a virgin, and innocent of everything but a dangerous and all-encompassing infatuation. In this story, Seymour is beyond all doubt the villain. I'm not sure I agree with Maxwell's characterisation of Elizabeth in this novel, but it made for a quick and pleasant read.

[Tsvetomira · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Tudor fiction and history nerd it's kind if a hobby for me to explore authors and see different interpretations of the same historic facts. One thing is sure about these facts: they never change. What can change is people's views, understanding, interpretations and I find it super fun to see how much the author's imagination dares to alter the facts and make the story different. The challenge in my opinion is to succeed to tell the truth while at the same time make it irresistably interesting to read.
This author managed to keep the story interesting and truthful but went a little far with some storylines. It's too far-fetched to suggest that Thomas Seymour poisoned his wife, even though I agree the match was a political one (for him). His ambitions were too big for there to be love. Katherine Parr died of quickly developed childbed fever. It is said that she died in sorrow, telling her husband he broke her heart, but she never accused him of anything else. I think it's safe to assume that she meant his inappropriate advances towards Princess Elizabeth.
I enjoyed the portayal of the relationship between Elizabeth and Robin Dudley - it was a match made in heaven, started as a strong frienship and bond which remained unbroken forever.
I give it two stars because of some things I strongly disliked and thought were too out there: the poisoning of Katherine Parr was the one and the other the attack on Elizabeth by Thomas and him trying to rape her.