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The Virgin Queen
The Elizabethan era. The golden age of England. A period of time associated with William Shakespeare’s plays, Sir Francis Drake’s journeys to America, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada.But who was the queen that gave her name to this period of time?Queen Elizabeth I was one of England’s longest-reigning monarchs. A powerful and forceful woman in a world otherwise dominated by men, she learned early in life of the vagaries and caprice of men through her father’s succession of wives. The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she was born a princess. Later declared illegitimate, she succeeded the throne following a tumultuous period that saw three monarchs come and go in only eleven years. It was a throne she was to hold for nearly half a century.Surrounded by men whose first thought is of securing the succession, Elizabeth knows her duty is to marry and produce heirs. But though she entertains possibilities of marriage, the Virgin Queen cannot bring herself to enter into a union with any man, not when the man she wants most in the world cannot be hers. Marrying for love is an impossibility for a reigning queen. All Elizabeth desires is the love of a man she can cherish and respect, and who will worship, desire, and adore his queen in every possible way. Through the years, she seeks love and loyalty from the many men who flock to her Court. They pay her compliments and engage in flirtatious games in an effort to gain favour and privileges. But their greed and Elizabeth’s own lust for power and control destroy any possibility of happiness through love again and again. Through the years, Elizabeth’s deep and abiding friendship and love for Robert Dudley, and his for her, sustains her, but, like every other man she has ever known, he too eventually betrays her. Throughout it all, Tomasin Drew remains faithfully at her queen’s side. Often ignored by other members of the Court due to her small size, for over fifty years she watches and listens, absorbing everything that occurs around Elizabeth.There is no one who knows Queen Elizabeth so well, or who can speak truth so boldly to the queen. Yet even their firm friendship cannot ease the lonely ache in Elizabeth’s heart.She would be remembered as the Virgin Queen. And Elizabethan England was her legacy.The Virgin Queen is a heart-wrenching historical novel filled with the intrigue of the court and perils of being a woman in a male dominated world. Maureen Peters was born in Caernarvon, North Wales. She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. She taught disabled children before taking up writing under her own name and many pseudonyms. Peters has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines and her writing normally focuses on royalty, the War of the Roses and the Tudor period. Apart from biographical fiction on royalty she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles and contemporary mysteries. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 13, 2016
10 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Maureen Peters
90 books26 followersMaureen Peters was born in Caernarvon, Wales, on March 3, 1935, and was married and divorced twice; she has two sons and two daughters. In addition to biographical fiction, historical romances, and mystery novels written under her own name, other noms de plume include Veronica Black, Catherine Darby, Levanah Lloyd, Belinda Grey, Elizabeth Law, Judith Rothman, and Sharon Whitby.
She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. For some time she taught disabled children, and then took up writing. She has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines. Peters is also known as a Bronte scholar.
Her novels, which easily number over one hundred, have often focused on royalty, mostly the War of the Roses and Tudor period, and cover the lives of Elizabeth I of England, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Mary Tudor, Queen of France, as well as of other famous and less famous historical figures such as Edward II of England, the many Queen consorts of various Kings of England. Apart from biographical fiction on royalty (written under her own name), she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles, and contemporary mysteries.
She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. For some time she taught disabled children, and then took up writing. She has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines. Peters is also known as a Bronte scholar.
Her novels, which easily number over one hundred, have often focused on royalty, mostly the War of the Roses and Tudor period, and cover the lives of Elizabeth I of England, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Mary Tudor, Queen of France, as well as of other famous and less famous historical figures such as Edward II of England, the many Queen consorts of various Kings of England. Apart from biographical fiction on royalty (written under her own name), she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles, and contemporary mysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 17, 2016
I received this book on a read-to-review basis from NetGalley. Thank you to the author, Maureen Peters, and the publisher, Endeavour Press, for the opportunity.
Whilst only 7% through this book, I made the status update 'Either I got this completely wrong and this book is not a factual book, or it is and is written from a rather unique perspective, managing to blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction.' and I still stand by that opinion. This book managed to become a perfect amalgamation of the two conflicting formats and the result is a thoroughly a brilliant account of the life of Queen Elizabeth 1.
The story is told from the point of view of Elizabeth's consort, Tomasin Drew, companion to the Queen since her teenage years. This gave the knowledge imparted, whilst remaining highly instructive of Tudor life, a fresh and less dense feel: I almost forgot that I was learning and just lost myself in the novel's progression.
I had little prior knowledge of the subject matter which, I believe, had a direct impact in my enjoyment of the novel. Other reviews have stated this as a little simplistic and a rehashing of common knowledge, but for a novice in the area, like myself, I found it an enjoyable insight into a new subject matter. My only small gripe with the novel was that I wanted it longer in length. Some years were only glanced over and others were missed out altogether, to give a larger focus on the main events in the monarch's life, but the lesser grievances and accomplishments were of equal interest to me. I also delighted in the focus on the court intrigue and politics of the time and would have equally enjoyed chapters with little direct contact to the Queen and a larger importance given to these areas.
Whilst only 7% through this book, I made the status update 'Either I got this completely wrong and this book is not a factual book, or it is and is written from a rather unique perspective, managing to blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction.' and I still stand by that opinion. This book managed to become a perfect amalgamation of the two conflicting formats and the result is a thoroughly a brilliant account of the life of Queen Elizabeth 1.
The story is told from the point of view of Elizabeth's consort, Tomasin Drew, companion to the Queen since her teenage years. This gave the knowledge imparted, whilst remaining highly instructive of Tudor life, a fresh and less dense feel: I almost forgot that I was learning and just lost myself in the novel's progression.
I had little prior knowledge of the subject matter which, I believe, had a direct impact in my enjoyment of the novel. Other reviews have stated this as a little simplistic and a rehashing of common knowledge, but for a novice in the area, like myself, I found it an enjoyable insight into a new subject matter. My only small gripe with the novel was that I wanted it longer in length. Some years were only glanced over and others were missed out altogether, to give a larger focus on the main events in the monarch's life, but the lesser grievances and accomplishments were of equal interest to me. I also delighted in the focus on the court intrigue and politics of the time and would have equally enjoyed chapters with little direct contact to the Queen and a larger importance given to these areas.
May 12, 2017
Thomasin Drew was 13 years old when she went to stay with her uncle in the country. This is where she first meets a young Lady Elizabeth, the daughter of King Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn. Befriending Lady Elizabeth sets Thomasin on a path that she will follow the rest of her life, that of friend, confidant and attendant to a royal. Lady Elizabeth would one day become Queen Elizabeth I, the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. In this piece of historical fiction as told by Thomasin, we get an up close and personal view of Queen Elizabeth I.
Elizabeth was born a princess but when her mother was beheaded by the King, she was declared illegitimate and sent away. Cast off and out of favor, she lived with her stepmother, Catherine Parr. This is the time period when Thomasin first encounters Elizabeth. She describes Elizabeth as a person who often found the world to be enchanting and full of excitement. But beneath her smiling and giggling exterior she was often a sad and lonely person. She had no true friends until she met the forthright Thomasin. Thomasin could always be relied on not to flatter and fawn over her as others did.
Maureen Peters skims through the years of young Elizabeth’s life leading up to her reign. Her father, King Henry VIII had taken a total of six wives, creating quite a stir and leaving behind many potential successors to the throne. The years that lead up to Elizabeth’s succession to the throne were often turbulent, filled with religious conflict, wars, beheadings and political maneuvering. King Henry VIII had designated his 9 year-old son, Prince Edward, the son of former wife Jane Seymour, to be his successor. King Edward VI’s reign ended after only 6 years due to a fatal illness. Though he attempted to have his half sister Mary removed as his successor, she seized the throne from the proclaimed Queen, Lady Jane Grey after only 9 days. Queen Mary I was crowned in 1547 and would rule 5 years. The stiffly Roman Catholic Queen would become known as Bloody Mary due to her many executions of Protestants. When Queen Mary becomes pregnant, Lady Elizabeth is called to her side to attend her. However, the pregnancy is a false alarm and as it turns out Queen Mary is actually dying, and so the Elizabethan era begins.
This is the core of the story. Yes, politics and the realm are a big part of Elizabeth’s story but what about the story behind the scenes? Why didn’t Elizabeth ever marry? Elizabeth’s story is oftentimes a sad and heartbreaking one. She seemed to be full of exuberance for life yet unable to live it. She had many men try to woo her but unable to marry for love, she could not bear to marry at all, and she died being known as “The Virgin Queen.” Every overture made toward Elizabeth was possibly tainted, whether with fear or betrayal. Her siblings, cousins and all those surrounding her could not be trusted, for there was an ever present threat that they might try to usurp her throne. Elizabeth had to rule with her head instead of her heart and she has gone down in history as a powerful and politically savvy monarch who managed to rule for almost 50 years. Many of the facts surrounding her reign are skimmed over here with the story concentrating primarily on Elizabeth’s many dramatic moods, her strong determination, her trials with love and friendship and her inner qualms over her decision to imprison her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots. This is what might have been a side of Elizabeth I that the public never got to see. It’s a fascinating and decidedly human side, filled with tragedy, yet spoken with the tenderness of a longtime companion.
I want to thank the publisher (Endeavor Press) for providing me with the ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
Elizabeth was born a princess but when her mother was beheaded by the King, she was declared illegitimate and sent away. Cast off and out of favor, she lived with her stepmother, Catherine Parr. This is the time period when Thomasin first encounters Elizabeth. She describes Elizabeth as a person who often found the world to be enchanting and full of excitement. But beneath her smiling and giggling exterior she was often a sad and lonely person. She had no true friends until she met the forthright Thomasin. Thomasin could always be relied on not to flatter and fawn over her as others did.
Maureen Peters skims through the years of young Elizabeth’s life leading up to her reign. Her father, King Henry VIII had taken a total of six wives, creating quite a stir and leaving behind many potential successors to the throne. The years that lead up to Elizabeth’s succession to the throne were often turbulent, filled with religious conflict, wars, beheadings and political maneuvering. King Henry VIII had designated his 9 year-old son, Prince Edward, the son of former wife Jane Seymour, to be his successor. King Edward VI’s reign ended after only 6 years due to a fatal illness. Though he attempted to have his half sister Mary removed as his successor, she seized the throne from the proclaimed Queen, Lady Jane Grey after only 9 days. Queen Mary I was crowned in 1547 and would rule 5 years. The stiffly Roman Catholic Queen would become known as Bloody Mary due to her many executions of Protestants. When Queen Mary becomes pregnant, Lady Elizabeth is called to her side to attend her. However, the pregnancy is a false alarm and as it turns out Queen Mary is actually dying, and so the Elizabethan era begins.
This is the core of the story. Yes, politics and the realm are a big part of Elizabeth’s story but what about the story behind the scenes? Why didn’t Elizabeth ever marry? Elizabeth’s story is oftentimes a sad and heartbreaking one. She seemed to be full of exuberance for life yet unable to live it. She had many men try to woo her but unable to marry for love, she could not bear to marry at all, and she died being known as “The Virgin Queen.” Every overture made toward Elizabeth was possibly tainted, whether with fear or betrayal. Her siblings, cousins and all those surrounding her could not be trusted, for there was an ever present threat that they might try to usurp her throne. Elizabeth had to rule with her head instead of her heart and she has gone down in history as a powerful and politically savvy monarch who managed to rule for almost 50 years. Many of the facts surrounding her reign are skimmed over here with the story concentrating primarily on Elizabeth’s many dramatic moods, her strong determination, her trials with love and friendship and her inner qualms over her decision to imprison her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots. This is what might have been a side of Elizabeth I that the public never got to see. It’s a fascinating and decidedly human side, filled with tragedy, yet spoken with the tenderness of a longtime companion.
I want to thank the publisher (Endeavor Press) for providing me with the ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
March 26, 2017
Io amo molto i romanzi storici, trovo che un romanzo storico ben scritto e ben documentato sia meglio di qualsiasi libro di storia, dato che può raccontare i fatti con la medesima efficienza e con minor tedio. Purtroppo questo non è il caso di The Virgin Queen: i fatti sono pochini, e fanno da precario supporto a una serie di supposizioni sulle motivazioni di questo o quel comportamento di Elisabetta I, la formidabile figlia di Enrico VIII e Anna Bolena. Il tentativo di narrare la sua vita, dalla prima adolescenza alla morte attraverso gli occhi di una nana entrata quasi per caso al suo servizio naufraga praticamente fin dall'inizio: la nana è un personaggi di fantasia e, non essendo riuscita a creare per lei una posizione credibile a corte, l'autrice fallisce anche nel compito di rendere credibile ciò che la nana racconta. Nonostante ciò il libro è scritto bene, e fornisce un certo divertimento, anche se non ci si scrolla mai di dosso l'impressione di stare leggendo una rivista di gossip.
Ringrazio Endeavour Press e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
I love very much historical novels, I find that a well written and well documented historical novel is better than any history book, since it can tell the story with the same efficiency and with less tedium. Unfortunately this is not the case with The Virgin Queen: the facts are few, and they precariously support a number of assumptions about the motives of this or that behavior of Elizabeth I, the formidable daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. The attempt to narrate her life, from early adolescence to death, through the eyes of a dwarf girl become quite by chance a member of her household is stranded pratically from the beginning: the dwarf is a fictional character, and, not being able to create for her a credible position at court, the author also fails in the task of making credible what the dwarf says. Despite this, the book is well written and provides some fun, even if you will never shake off the impression that you are reading a gossip magazine.
Thank Endeavor Press and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ringrazio Endeavour Press e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
I love very much historical novels, I find that a well written and well documented historical novel is better than any history book, since it can tell the story with the same efficiency and with less tedium. Unfortunately this is not the case with The Virgin Queen: the facts are few, and they precariously support a number of assumptions about the motives of this or that behavior of Elizabeth I, the formidable daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. The attempt to narrate her life, from early adolescence to death, through the eyes of a dwarf girl become quite by chance a member of her household is stranded pratically from the beginning: the dwarf is a fictional character, and, not being able to create for her a credible position at court, the author also fails in the task of making credible what the dwarf says. Despite this, the book is well written and provides some fun, even if you will never shake off the impression that you are reading a gossip magazine.
Thank Endeavor Press and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2016
The Virgin Queen is the story of Elizabeth I as told from the point of view of her companion, Tomasin Drew. Tomasin first meets Elizabeth when Elizabeth is 13 and living with her step-mother Katharine Parr and Thomas Seymour and remains in contact with the queen until the end of her life. While Tomasin is supposed to be a close companion of Elizabeth, I’ve found that she’s more of an observer. There are periods (years!) where Tomasin isn’t even in the queen’s company.
The book skims Elizabeth’s life - we pass years at a time without comment. For such a full, interesting life, we miss a lot. If I wasn’t already familiar with Elizabeth’s life and the people around her, I think I would have had a hard time following the story. If you’re looking for a quick read of Elizabeth’s life that touches on the most notable events, this is the book for you. Jean Plaidy’s Queen of this Realm is a more thorough recounting of Elizabeth’s life as told from the queen’s point of view.
*I received this ARC from NetGalley*
The book skims Elizabeth’s life - we pass years at a time without comment. For such a full, interesting life, we miss a lot. If I wasn’t already familiar with Elizabeth’s life and the people around her, I think I would have had a hard time following the story. If you’re looking for a quick read of Elizabeth’s life that touches on the most notable events, this is the book for you. Jean Plaidy’s Queen of this Realm is a more thorough recounting of Elizabeth’s life as told from the queen’s point of view.
*I received this ARC from NetGalley*
January 1, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this look at the emotional and romantic life of Elizabeth I.
April 27, 2016
I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC. I love to read anything about Queen Elizabeth or any of the Tudors for that matter. I was excited to have another one to read. This book was a very simply written novel about a very complicated woman and time period. It would be great for a beginner reader of Elizabethan fiction but not for someone who has done lots of research and widely read many books on the subject. It sped through the major events of her life time witnessed by her lady in waiting, Tomasin, a midget. It does show the volatile and politically minded Elizabeth without making it repetitious. I enjoyed this easy read and it was a nice look at a Elizabeth without getting to deep into her life.
June 3, 2016
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am always fascinated with any writing about Elizabeth I and this book does not disappoint. Sticking closely to historical fact, Ms. Peters has definitely humanized the Elizabeth of the history books by showing the emotional story of this great queen's long life. Well written and researched, I will look for more by this talented author.
I am always fascinated with any writing about Elizabeth I and this book does not disappoint. Sticking closely to historical fact, Ms. Peters has definitely humanized the Elizabeth of the history books by showing the emotional story of this great queen's long life. Well written and researched, I will look for more by this talented author.
April 27, 2016
An interesting and insightful piece of historical fiction. Those who love Queen Elizabeth, as I do, will enjoy this imagined account of her life and love interests, told from the viewpoint of one of her attendants.
i-quit
June 6, 2016Nothing personal against the book. I typically read non-fiction but wanted to give this one a try because I know so much about the time period. I did not find it to my liking, but this is not to deter anyone else from trying it who enjoys historical fiction. It simply was not for me.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews