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The Girl in the Glass Tower
Lost in history . . . losing her self. Uncover Tudor heroine Arbella Stuart's incredible story, reimagined by Elizabeth Fremantle in this tense, historical thriller. Hardwick Hall, sixteenth-century England. Formerly a beacon of wealth and power. Now a gilded prison. Hidden away, forgotten, one young woman seeks escape. But to do so she must trust those on the outside. Those who have their own motives... Discovery means death. But what choice has any woman trapped in a man's world? Imprisoned by circumstance, Arbella Stuart is an unwilling contender for the throne. In a world where women are silenced, what chance does she have to take control of her destiny? Praise for The Girl in the Glass 'A top-notch literary thriller' Daily Telegraph 'Thrilling, clever and beautifully written' The Times, 'Books of the Year' 'Filled with dense, dark political and social intrigue' Daily Mail 'Shots are fired, troths are plighted, sea voyages taken, escapes dared and mysteries solved' Daily Telegraph 'Beautifully written, completely engrossing and a book that stays with you after the pages are closed' Historia
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2016
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2175 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Fremantle
12 books560 followersElizabeth Fremantle is the critically acclaimed author of Tudor and Elizabethan set novels: Queen's Gambit, Sisters of Treason, Watch the Lady and Times Books of the Year: The Girl in the Glass Tower and The Poison Bed, a historical thriller written under the name EC Fremantle described as 'a Jacobean Gone Girl.'
Her latest novel is The Honey and the Sting, published August 6th 2020 as EC Fremantle
She lives in London
Her latest novel is The Honey and the Sting, published August 6th 2020 as EC Fremantle
She lives in London
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
November 2, 2017
This is literary historical fiction styled into the form of a thriller. Fremantle writes a historical account about two real life women about whom little is known, to delineate the hardships and powerlessness that women faced, even if they are high born, it really is a man's world. Arbella Stuart is the potential heir to Queen Elizabeth's throne, imprisoned in a glass tower at Hardwick Hall by the ambitious and scheming Bess Hardwick, the Countess of Shrewsbury. Aemilia 'Ami' Lanyer is a poet and mistress of Henry Hunsdon, a cousin to the Queen. A pregnant Ami is married off to Alphonso Lanyer. The author weaves fictional connections between these two strong, independent and educated women that span the courts of Elizabeth I and James I, documenting the political intrigues, religious factions, the conspiracies and the plots, the culture and the rampant paranoia that pervades the historical period.
Alphonso dies, leaving Ami single and a widow, living with debts and in poverty and struggling to bring up her son, Henry. Ami is a woman with secrets that threaten to consume her, her neighbours eye her with suspicion, and there is much talk of witches. There are references that Ami is possibly Shakespeare's Dark Lady. She comes across papers and a partial fragmented memoir of Arbella, living a cloistered life, rendered powerless and open to the machinations of family and other groups, which leaves Ami feeling decidedly guilty. We learn of Arbella through the device of the memoir, the betrayals and her isolated, thwarted life. Arbella is condemned by her familial links to royalty, serving to seal her tragic personal history as her fate lies in the hands of others, she is free to make no decisions and all hopes for marriage and happiness are cruelly dashed. The only thing she has control over is her body.
Fremantle gives us in depth insights into this turbulent historical period with detailed descriptions. Her characters are complex, shaped by the prejudices and attitudes of the time. I was fascinated with portrayal and development of Arbella and Ami, women who have much in common as they attempt to throw off the chains that bind and whose lives get dangerously entangled. This is a great book to read if you are interested in little known Tudor and Stuart history. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Alphonso dies, leaving Ami single and a widow, living with debts and in poverty and struggling to bring up her son, Henry. Ami is a woman with secrets that threaten to consume her, her neighbours eye her with suspicion, and there is much talk of witches. There are references that Ami is possibly Shakespeare's Dark Lady. She comes across papers and a partial fragmented memoir of Arbella, living a cloistered life, rendered powerless and open to the machinations of family and other groups, which leaves Ami feeling decidedly guilty. We learn of Arbella through the device of the memoir, the betrayals and her isolated, thwarted life. Arbella is condemned by her familial links to royalty, serving to seal her tragic personal history as her fate lies in the hands of others, she is free to make no decisions and all hopes for marriage and happiness are cruelly dashed. The only thing she has control over is her body.
Fremantle gives us in depth insights into this turbulent historical period with detailed descriptions. Her characters are complex, shaped by the prejudices and attitudes of the time. I was fascinated with portrayal and development of Arbella and Ami, women who have much in common as they attempt to throw off the chains that bind and whose lives get dangerously entangled. This is a great book to read if you are interested in little known Tudor and Stuart history. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
June 12, 2016
“It was the sheer size of the windows that made the rooms at Hardwick so impossible to heat… Grandmother seemed impervious to the chill and could not hide her delight at her vast shimmering rectangles of glass, fit for a cathedral, the talk of all Derbyshire.”
(photo by my husband Mark)
Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall: so went a common saying about this large Elizabethan country house. Built at a time when glass was exceptionally expensive, it was the pride of Bess of Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury, the richest woman in England after the Queen herself. If you look carefully in the photo above, you can see her initials ("ES," for Elizabeth Shrewsbury) atop many of the towers; she knew how to stake her claim. It's now a National Trust property, and Mark and I paid a visit to Hardwick Hall and its grounds on our trip to England in 2014. Portraits of its former residents, the country's monarchs, and other English notables grace the interior walls. If you get the opportunity to see it in person, go!
Elizabeth Fremantle’s The Girl in the Glass Tower delves into the life story of another Elizabethan woman who resided there, but whose story was more tragedy than triumph: Lady Arbella Stuart, granddaughter of both Bess of Hardwick and Margaret Douglas (Henry VIII’s niece). Though she's a minor figure now, for much of her lifetime Arbella was considered a likely successor to Elizabeth I. Her royal lineage proved to be a terrible burden. Other parties wrought conspiracies around her for their own ends, and her long-lived grandmother, Bess, kept her under tight control, ostensibly for her own protection. While some of Arbella’s decisions cost her dearly, Fremantle shows in no uncertain terms how her behavior was a natural result of the restrictive environment she endured.
Half of the novel comprises Arbella’s memoir, written in Jacobean times while incarcerated in the Tower of London, where she looks out on the courtyard from above, recollecting her too-short life, which comprises constant reminders of “the impossibility of freedom.” Her mother died when she was a child, and her female role models are few. Her aunt, Mary Queen of Scots, is executed as a traitor. An earlier potential successor to Elizabeth’s throne, the late Katherine Grey, had married against the Queen’s wishes and paid a great price.
The stories of these women are threaded through the novel’s melancholy atmosphere; they haunt Arbella and remind her of their fate, which could also be hers.
Raised by Bess of Hardwick to be a future queen, Arbella grows up too aware of her position, leading to missteps that make her appear haughty. In this world of plots and counterplots political and religious, she does have loyal servants and loving relatives, but not everyone – family included – has her best interests at heart.
Alternating sections introduce Aemilia Lanyer, called Ami, a talented poet banished from court because King James didn’t approve of her feminist writing. Left impoverished after her spendthrift husband’s death, and determined to conceal the identity of her son Hal’s true father, Ami contends with a treacherously nosy neighbor and unwanted advances from her landlord (I particularly enjoyed how the subplot involving these characters turned out).
The two women's tales are nicely harmonized. Their lives intersect at a few critical moments, and it’s only after Arbella’s death, and she reads her memoir, that Ami truly knows the person who Arbella was. The Girl in the Glass Tower is a deep, intimate exploration of a little-known royal woman’s life.
(photo by my husband Mark)
Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall: so went a common saying about this large Elizabethan country house. Built at a time when glass was exceptionally expensive, it was the pride of Bess of Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury, the richest woman in England after the Queen herself. If you look carefully in the photo above, you can see her initials ("ES," for Elizabeth Shrewsbury) atop many of the towers; she knew how to stake her claim. It's now a National Trust property, and Mark and I paid a visit to Hardwick Hall and its grounds on our trip to England in 2014. Portraits of its former residents, the country's monarchs, and other English notables grace the interior walls. If you get the opportunity to see it in person, go!
Elizabeth Fremantle’s The Girl in the Glass Tower delves into the life story of another Elizabethan woman who resided there, but whose story was more tragedy than triumph: Lady Arbella Stuart, granddaughter of both Bess of Hardwick and Margaret Douglas (Henry VIII’s niece). Though she's a minor figure now, for much of her lifetime Arbella was considered a likely successor to Elizabeth I. Her royal lineage proved to be a terrible burden. Other parties wrought conspiracies around her for their own ends, and her long-lived grandmother, Bess, kept her under tight control, ostensibly for her own protection. While some of Arbella’s decisions cost her dearly, Fremantle shows in no uncertain terms how her behavior was a natural result of the restrictive environment she endured.
Half of the novel comprises Arbella’s memoir, written in Jacobean times while incarcerated in the Tower of London, where she looks out on the courtyard from above, recollecting her too-short life, which comprises constant reminders of “the impossibility of freedom.” Her mother died when she was a child, and her female role models are few. Her aunt, Mary Queen of Scots, is executed as a traitor. An earlier potential successor to Elizabeth’s throne, the late Katherine Grey, had married against the Queen’s wishes and paid a great price.
The stories of these women are threaded through the novel’s melancholy atmosphere; they haunt Arbella and remind her of their fate, which could also be hers.
Raised by Bess of Hardwick to be a future queen, Arbella grows up too aware of her position, leading to missteps that make her appear haughty. In this world of plots and counterplots political and religious, she does have loyal servants and loving relatives, but not everyone – family included – has her best interests at heart.
Alternating sections introduce Aemilia Lanyer, called Ami, a talented poet banished from court because King James didn’t approve of her feminist writing. Left impoverished after her spendthrift husband’s death, and determined to conceal the identity of her son Hal’s true father, Ami contends with a treacherously nosy neighbor and unwanted advances from her landlord (I particularly enjoyed how the subplot involving these characters turned out).
The two women's tales are nicely harmonized. Their lives intersect at a few critical moments, and it’s only after Arbella’s death, and she reads her memoir, that Ami truly knows the person who Arbella was. The Girl in the Glass Tower is a deep, intimate exploration of a little-known royal woman’s life.
June 20, 2017
To read all my book reviews plus author interviews, excerpts and giveaways, visit my blog: https://whatcathyreadnext.wordpress.com/
The Girl in the Glass Tower weaves together the stories of two women, drawing on historical fact about each of their lives, although in reality, as the author admits in her afterword, there is no evidence to say they ever met in the way imagined. However, this is historical fiction after all and I really liked the way the author made connections between the situations of the two women.
Aemilia Lanyer (referred to as Ami in the novel) was an English female poet who became mistress to Henry Hunsdon, first cousin of Elizabeth I. When she fell pregnant, she was married off to Alphonso Lanyer. We encounter Ami in this novel following Alphonso’s death, left in poverty to bring up her son, Henry. Ami comes into possession of Arbella’s papers which include fragments of a memoir. [Although Arbella’s letters do still exist, the existence of a memoir is an invention of the author for the purposes of the novel.] Through reading Arbella’s words, Ami hopes to assuage the guilt she feels at having failed her friend. The reader will find out more about this towards the end of the book. Ami shares the same sense of expectation as the reader as she reads through the papers:
‘She can sense that her own story is about to intersect with Lady Arbella’s. The idea excites her, makes her wonder how she will be portrayed, whether she will recognize herself. Will she be there substantially, at the heart of the story, or as a ghost in the margins?’
At the same time, Ami must struggle with the challenges of daily life as a widow without financial means. I found the depiction of Ami’s everyday life and her efforts to carve out a living really convincing and engaging. As a single woman, and one who is educated to boot, she attracts the suspicion of her neighbours at a time when accusations of witchcraft were rife.
Arbella’s journal reveals her life in a gilded cage, existing in an atmosphere of constant threat because of her royal blood and the ever present fear that she may be used as a figurehead for rebellion by competing political and religious factions. Unknown to Arbella, those who would use her for their own objectives may be closer than she imagines – ‘invisible malign forces’. Intelligent, educated and with a gift for writing, Arbella lacks control of her own destiny. Even a potential marriage would have political consequences so she must remain unmarried and unfulfilled. In the imagination of the author, Arbella seeks to exercise a degree of control over her life in the only way available to her.
As presented in the book, there are large gaps in Arbella’s journal covering periods of years. Ami seeks to fill those gaps and bring a resolution to Arbella’s story: ‘It is the story of a woman silenced and with her pen Ami will give her a voice.’
I’d come across references to Arbella Stuart when reading other historical fiction of the period but knew little about her so I very much enjoyed having some light shed on her sad and ultimately tragic life. Arbella Stuart joins the list of Tudor and Stuart women who suffered because of their position in the royal succession and the political machinations of others. I enjoyed this book and will certainly seek out other books by Elizabeth Fremantle.
I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, Michael Joseph, in return for an honest review.
The Girl in the Glass Tower weaves together the stories of two women, drawing on historical fact about each of their lives, although in reality, as the author admits in her afterword, there is no evidence to say they ever met in the way imagined. However, this is historical fiction after all and I really liked the way the author made connections between the situations of the two women.
Aemilia Lanyer (referred to as Ami in the novel) was an English female poet who became mistress to Henry Hunsdon, first cousin of Elizabeth I. When she fell pregnant, she was married off to Alphonso Lanyer. We encounter Ami in this novel following Alphonso’s death, left in poverty to bring up her son, Henry. Ami comes into possession of Arbella’s papers which include fragments of a memoir. [Although Arbella’s letters do still exist, the existence of a memoir is an invention of the author for the purposes of the novel.] Through reading Arbella’s words, Ami hopes to assuage the guilt she feels at having failed her friend. The reader will find out more about this towards the end of the book. Ami shares the same sense of expectation as the reader as she reads through the papers:
‘She can sense that her own story is about to intersect with Lady Arbella’s. The idea excites her, makes her wonder how she will be portrayed, whether she will recognize herself. Will she be there substantially, at the heart of the story, or as a ghost in the margins?’
At the same time, Ami must struggle with the challenges of daily life as a widow without financial means. I found the depiction of Ami’s everyday life and her efforts to carve out a living really convincing and engaging. As a single woman, and one who is educated to boot, she attracts the suspicion of her neighbours at a time when accusations of witchcraft were rife.
Arbella’s journal reveals her life in a gilded cage, existing in an atmosphere of constant threat because of her royal blood and the ever present fear that she may be used as a figurehead for rebellion by competing political and religious factions. Unknown to Arbella, those who would use her for their own objectives may be closer than she imagines – ‘invisible malign forces’. Intelligent, educated and with a gift for writing, Arbella lacks control of her own destiny. Even a potential marriage would have political consequences so she must remain unmarried and unfulfilled. In the imagination of the author, Arbella seeks to exercise a degree of control over her life in the only way available to her.
As presented in the book, there are large gaps in Arbella’s journal covering periods of years. Ami seeks to fill those gaps and bring a resolution to Arbella’s story: ‘It is the story of a woman silenced and with her pen Ami will give her a voice.’
I’d come across references to Arbella Stuart when reading other historical fiction of the period but knew little about her so I very much enjoyed having some light shed on her sad and ultimately tragic life. Arbella Stuart joins the list of Tudor and Stuart women who suffered because of their position in the royal succession and the political machinations of others. I enjoyed this book and will certainly seek out other books by Elizabeth Fremantle.
I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, Michael Joseph, in return for an honest review.
June 8, 2016
Arbella Stuart was long considered a contender for the English throne after the demise of Elizabeth I. So she was kept a virtual prisoner by her grandmother, known to history as Bess of Hardwick, and cocooned against potential threats by Catholic plotters. Fremantle imagines her life and tells it as a sort of memoir being read by out-of-favour court poet Aemilia Lanyer some years later. I've come across Lanyer before in other works that fictionally explore her supposed relations with Shakespeare and put across the argument that she was his Dark Lady. This was a wonderful piece of historical fiction and Fremantle has a masterful way with words.
February 13, 2018
Quite disappointing. I've enjoyed two of Elizabeth Fremantle's previous books Queen's Gambit and Sisters of Treason so was surprised by how much this book didn't grip me and was even boring. Nothing happened until 3/4 of the way through and even then I wasn't feeling it. The majority of the book was presumably a set-up of our main character but I found her flat and not well developed even after 300 pages... And the secondary character never became someone I cared about either. Shame.
May 6, 2022
I've enjoyed this author's previous works, but I did not enjoy this one. 2.5 rounded up. It dragged quite a bit and focused on repetition to draw the story out. Also what two main characters have little to connect them. Their friendship isn't well developed and hard to understand which made this even harder.
February 12, 2017
Great TOME beware!
updated on 12 Feb 2017
Excellent historical fiction which soon draws the reader into this period in English history and its intrigue and plot. The narrative covers two parallel stories, the first being the life of Lady Arabella Stuart who was destined to succeed Elizabeth 1 to the English throne. For her 'protection' she is taken to rural Derbyshire at Hardwick. I loved this as we used to live near Hardwick Hall and visited on many occasions, so this brought the backdrop much more realistic for me. The second story looks at Ami who has been exiled from court and whose story becomes entwined with the first. How the two narratives come together in the second half of the book is done well. This is a well written historical fiction, even for those readers new to the genre. I felt the overall desolation of Arabella who was technically under ' house arrest' and how awful to have so many silently plotting against her. Elizabeth Fremantle is a master other craft and this is no exception. Arabella perhaps one of the lesser known characters from the 16 th Century, however in some ways I can see why. She isn't the most endearing of women. As I couldn't warm to her,this reduced some of the enjoyment for me, hence the 4*
updated on 12 Feb 2017
Excellent historical fiction which soon draws the reader into this period in English history and its intrigue and plot. The narrative covers two parallel stories, the first being the life of Lady Arabella Stuart who was destined to succeed Elizabeth 1 to the English throne. For her 'protection' she is taken to rural Derbyshire at Hardwick. I loved this as we used to live near Hardwick Hall and visited on many occasions, so this brought the backdrop much more realistic for me. The second story looks at Ami who has been exiled from court and whose story becomes entwined with the first. How the two narratives come together in the second half of the book is done well. This is a well written historical fiction, even for those readers new to the genre. I felt the overall desolation of Arabella who was technically under ' house arrest' and how awful to have so many silently plotting against her. Elizabeth Fremantle is a master other craft and this is no exception. Arabella perhaps one of the lesser known characters from the 16 th Century, however in some ways I can see why. She isn't the most endearing of women. As I couldn't warm to her,this reduced some of the enjoyment for me, hence the 4*
May 12, 2022
Loved it. Love her.
A story of love and betrayal (fancy that!) beautifully told by one of my favourite authors.
Simple yet delightful 😊
5 🌟
A story of love and betrayal (fancy that!) beautifully told by one of my favourite authors.
Simple yet delightful 😊
5 🌟
May 16, 2018
The Girl in the Glass Tower by Elizabeth Fremantle
Title - The Girl in the Glass Tower
Author - Elizabeth Fremantle
Published - Feb '17
Publisher - Penguin
Genre - #History
Pages - 464
Price on Amazon - Paperback - £7.74 Kindle - £4.99
ISBN - 1405920041
Arbella Stuart is a royal who lives at Hardwick Hall, she cannot leave. Trapped behind the huge glass windows of Hardwick Hall Arbella longs to be free. But with half the country wanting her to take the throne and the other half wanting her dead so her cousin can take the throne and become the Scottish King.
All Arbella wants is to be free from her evil grandmother, she longs to ride her horses and be free to love who she wants. But to be free she needs to learn how to navigate the treacherous waters of the kingdom's power plays or he might just end up dead.
To be honest, I found this book to be quiet slow, I struggled to get into it and must admit I couldn't finish it. For this reason, I am unable to give a full review. I can say I will not read this book again and I would not recommend it either.
Thank You to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating - One out of Five Stars
Would I Read Again? - No
Would I Recommend? - No
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on:
Amazon (UK) under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
www.lusreviewsblog.wordpress.com
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lusreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
Title - The Girl in the Glass Tower
Author - Elizabeth Fremantle
Published - Feb '17
Publisher - Penguin
Genre - #History
Pages - 464
Price on Amazon - Paperback - £7.74 Kindle - £4.99
ISBN - 1405920041
Arbella Stuart is a royal who lives at Hardwick Hall, she cannot leave. Trapped behind the huge glass windows of Hardwick Hall Arbella longs to be free. But with half the country wanting her to take the throne and the other half wanting her dead so her cousin can take the throne and become the Scottish King.
All Arbella wants is to be free from her evil grandmother, she longs to ride her horses and be free to love who she wants. But to be free she needs to learn how to navigate the treacherous waters of the kingdom's power plays or he might just end up dead.
To be honest, I found this book to be quiet slow, I struggled to get into it and must admit I couldn't finish it. For this reason, I am unable to give a full review. I can say I will not read this book again and I would not recommend it either.
Thank You to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating - One out of Five Stars
Would I Read Again? - No
Would I Recommend? - No
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on:
Amazon (UK) under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
www.lusreviewsblog.wordpress.com
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lusreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
January 3, 2018
The absorbing and intimate story of Lady Arbella Stuart who so nearly succeeded Elizabeth I to the throne in 1603. In parallel, we experience the story of Arbella's friend, the poet Aemilia Lanyer after she fell from grace, from the court of James I.
August 29, 2016
DNF. I tried to like this, I did but it was just so very dull. No visible plot. A dual narrative that served no purpose and it just bored me to tears.
September 10, 2023
I really need to step away from the Tudor/Elizabethan era literature, however, this time, I have learned of the existence of Lady Arbella Seymour (nee Stuart). With all the frustrations that accompany this period of history (a ‘foreign’ eg Scottish king > a woman ruler), we learn through this factional account of the attempts to put her on the throne, and as always, a woman as a pawn in the political machinations to further others’ own aims. While it’s listed as a thriller, it’s more gently so, and alternating stories between the life and virtual imprisonment of Lady Arbella, and a female poet of the time, Ami Lanyer, who discovers papers of the story of Arbella, and tries to make sense of it, we’re gradually entwined in the lives of these two women with very different futures, but still restricted by the ‘shortcomings’ of their sex.
3.5 rounded up.
3.5 rounded up.
October 13, 2017
So, this book was recommended to me and to be fair it was an entertaining novel. However, there was something about it that didn’t quite resonate with me. Maybe it was the length of the book (which IMO should have been shorter) or maybe that I felt little empathy for the characters, I can’t quite put my finger on what it was. Could just be that I’ve read loads of pretty similar novels and I’m getting just a bit bored. It was good to finally read some historical fiction that doesn’t just re-hash the same Tudor stories, but I’d take some Phillips Gregory over this. In summary, it’s entertaining and perfectly readable but not the best piece of historical fiction I’ve ever read.
April 6, 2018
DNF @ 50%
The second audio book I DNF'd in a row.
I love historical fiction but this just bored me to tears. My mind kept wandering and I kept missing key plot points. I know nothing about Lady Arbella Stuart and I don't know if that's why I had such a problem concentrating on this book. I also found the Amy chapters even more boring & pointless and they seemed disjointed from the rest of the story.
The second audio book I DNF'd in a row.
I love historical fiction but this just bored me to tears. My mind kept wandering and I kept missing key plot points. I know nothing about Lady Arbella Stuart and I don't know if that's why I had such a problem concentrating on this book. I also found the Amy chapters even more boring & pointless and they seemed disjointed from the rest of the story.
March 13, 2018
It's difficult to write quality historical fiction based on true events, and I think that Elizabeth Fremantle did a good job on the whole. Her writing is of a very good quality and her descriptions of life in and near to court were informed and enlightening. I did, however, wonder about the choice of Arbella Stuart as a subject of a 400+ page book, when much of her life was in confinement, and most of the action doesn't start until the end of the book. If you're a Tudorphile then I'm sure you'll enjoy this book.
April 24, 2019
Slow, over long but interesting. If I am honest, I had never heard of Arbella Stuart, niece of Mary Queen of Scots and possible heir to Elizabeth 1. So I thought this would be full of plots and intrique etc and it is but boy is it s l o w, waiting 10 years for a possible marriage that never happens and the like. What it must have been like for real! Sadly, EF shows none of the flair that Phillippa Gregory and her ilk do for the fashions and flounces of the day, the smells, the swells etc. More like reading a text book sadly.
Toast
Toast
June 26, 2017
‘Memories are like that cracked pane of glass with its subtle distortions.’
Lady Arbella Stuart is ‘The Girl in the Glass Tower’ and I picked up this book with interest: Lady Arbella Stuart had always been a shadowy figure in my reading about Tudor/Stuart history. I knew that she had been considered as a possible successor to Elizabeth I, and when I first came across her name I was convinced it had been misspelled. But I knew little about her.
First, some biography. Lady Arbella Stuart was the only child of Charles Stuart, Earl of Lennox and his wife Elizabeth Cavendish. She was a grandchild of Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox and Lady Margaret Douglas, whose parents were Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus and Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England and widow of James IV of Scotland. In short, Arbella Stuart was the great-great- granddaughter of Henry VII, and was in line to the English throne. While it seems that she did not seek the throne herself, there were others keen to push her claims. Her grandmother, Elizabeth Cavendish, better known as ‘Bess of Hardwick’ was key.
In this novel, Elizabeth Fremantle brings Arbella Stuart out of the shadows. Arbella’s story is told in the past tense, in conjunction with the story of another historical figure, Aemilia Lanyer (Ami) a writer and poet whose story is told in the present. It makes for an interesting juxtaposition: Ami’s story moving back in time as Arbella’s story moves forward. The gaps in one story are filled in the other. Arbella spends much of her time with her grandmother, effectively imprisoned behind the imposing glass windows of Hardwick Hall. She is being kept safe: there is much danger in the world for those with royal blood. And living within this glasshouse, unable to take control over many aspects of her life, Arbella wishes to ride her horse Dorcas, and longs to be free.
‘You may not be Queen of England but you are queen over the realm of your body.’
The historical facts can be found readily for those in search of them, having all of the detail before reading the novel may well spoil the experience for some readers. Arbella wanted to marry, but because of her place in the succession neither Elizabeth I nor James I would agree. There were offers made for her, but they came to nothing. As Arbella grew older, she sought to control her life by controlling her body.
In this novel, her one last chance for happiness was thwarted. Ami Lanyer is part of this and, while aspects are wholly fictional, it provides an interesting dimension to Arbella’s story.
I finished this novel feeling like I had some greater sense of Arbella Stuart, but also wanting to know more about Aemilia Lanyer. I was left with a small question, though: were containers really called cartons in late 16th and early 17th century England?
Note: My thanks to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Lady Arbella Stuart is ‘The Girl in the Glass Tower’ and I picked up this book with interest: Lady Arbella Stuart had always been a shadowy figure in my reading about Tudor/Stuart history. I knew that she had been considered as a possible successor to Elizabeth I, and when I first came across her name I was convinced it had been misspelled. But I knew little about her.
First, some biography. Lady Arbella Stuart was the only child of Charles Stuart, Earl of Lennox and his wife Elizabeth Cavendish. She was a grandchild of Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox and Lady Margaret Douglas, whose parents were Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus and Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England and widow of James IV of Scotland. In short, Arbella Stuart was the great-great- granddaughter of Henry VII, and was in line to the English throne. While it seems that she did not seek the throne herself, there were others keen to push her claims. Her grandmother, Elizabeth Cavendish, better known as ‘Bess of Hardwick’ was key.
In this novel, Elizabeth Fremantle brings Arbella Stuart out of the shadows. Arbella’s story is told in the past tense, in conjunction with the story of another historical figure, Aemilia Lanyer (Ami) a writer and poet whose story is told in the present. It makes for an interesting juxtaposition: Ami’s story moving back in time as Arbella’s story moves forward. The gaps in one story are filled in the other. Arbella spends much of her time with her grandmother, effectively imprisoned behind the imposing glass windows of Hardwick Hall. She is being kept safe: there is much danger in the world for those with royal blood. And living within this glasshouse, unable to take control over many aspects of her life, Arbella wishes to ride her horse Dorcas, and longs to be free.
‘You may not be Queen of England but you are queen over the realm of your body.’
The historical facts can be found readily for those in search of them, having all of the detail before reading the novel may well spoil the experience for some readers. Arbella wanted to marry, but because of her place in the succession neither Elizabeth I nor James I would agree. There were offers made for her, but they came to nothing. As Arbella grew older, she sought to control her life by controlling her body.
In this novel, her one last chance for happiness was thwarted. Ami Lanyer is part of this and, while aspects are wholly fictional, it provides an interesting dimension to Arbella’s story.
I finished this novel feeling like I had some greater sense of Arbella Stuart, but also wanting to know more about Aemilia Lanyer. I was left with a small question, though: were containers really called cartons in late 16th and early 17th century England?
Note: My thanks to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 2, 2017
I requested this book from Netgalley on a whim, but I’m glad I did! It’s a historical epic, spanning two Royal Families, two centuries and two rather remarkable women who did their best to throw off the constraints of the era, but who, unfortunately, history has forgotten.
The heroine of the story is Lady Arbella Stuart, cousin to Queen Elizabeth I and, at one time, thought to be the childless Queen’s successor (though the throne eventually went to Mary, Queen of Scots’ son, James. Confession: I didn’t even know she existed before reading this, but her story is fascinating, and Fremantle portrays it well, sucking you into the tragic life of this troubled young woman as she is confined throughout her childhood and eventually imprisoned for marrying against the king’s will.
The characters in the novel are really well drawn. Fremantle really gets under the skin of Arbella, and the secondary characters are convincing, believable and in some cases make you care about them after only a couple of sentences. As a study of shifting power, betrayal and the constant paranoia that came from being a member of the royal family, it’s fascinating- especially when it comes to the women that inhabited the strict Tudor hierarchy. From Arbella’s strict grandmother, Lady Bess, who refuses to show her affection, but who dragged the family up from nothing, to Aemilia, the poetess whose story intersects with Arbella’s, the heart of the story is about women struggling to survive in a harsh and male-dominated world.
Ami’s story is just as interesting as Arbella’s. Though they only barely knew each other, their stories intersect throughout as the novel builds to its ultimately tragic conclusion. Aemilia was the first woman to be recognised as a poet in England, thanks to the book of poetry she published during her time as Henry Hunsdon’s mistress- but in the story we see her as an older woman who is struggling with her debts and trying to establish herself as a woman in a society where fear of witches was rife. I really liked her as a character- she’s warm, determined and resourceful- and as the story unfolds we learn more about the secrets she is keeping, too: secrets that have the potential to ruin her.
Though the story can, at times, drag a little- especially when it comes to Arbella’s imprisonment- the ending is exciting, and the plot densely woven enough to merit a second reading. Fremantle has a knack for creating complicated characters that you really care about, where nobody is as black and white as they might first appear, and several turn out to surprise you later on. Arbella and Ami are strong, capable women who did the best they could with the times they lived in, and Fremantle makes their story- and Arbella’s tragic ending- just as compelling as it should be.
The heroine of the story is Lady Arbella Stuart, cousin to Queen Elizabeth I and, at one time, thought to be the childless Queen’s successor (though the throne eventually went to Mary, Queen of Scots’ son, James. Confession: I didn’t even know she existed before reading this, but her story is fascinating, and Fremantle portrays it well, sucking you into the tragic life of this troubled young woman as she is confined throughout her childhood and eventually imprisoned for marrying against the king’s will.
The characters in the novel are really well drawn. Fremantle really gets under the skin of Arbella, and the secondary characters are convincing, believable and in some cases make you care about them after only a couple of sentences. As a study of shifting power, betrayal and the constant paranoia that came from being a member of the royal family, it’s fascinating- especially when it comes to the women that inhabited the strict Tudor hierarchy. From Arbella’s strict grandmother, Lady Bess, who refuses to show her affection, but who dragged the family up from nothing, to Aemilia, the poetess whose story intersects with Arbella’s, the heart of the story is about women struggling to survive in a harsh and male-dominated world.
Ami’s story is just as interesting as Arbella’s. Though they only barely knew each other, their stories intersect throughout as the novel builds to its ultimately tragic conclusion. Aemilia was the first woman to be recognised as a poet in England, thanks to the book of poetry she published during her time as Henry Hunsdon’s mistress- but in the story we see her as an older woman who is struggling with her debts and trying to establish herself as a woman in a society where fear of witches was rife. I really liked her as a character- she’s warm, determined and resourceful- and as the story unfolds we learn more about the secrets she is keeping, too: secrets that have the potential to ruin her.
Though the story can, at times, drag a little- especially when it comes to Arbella’s imprisonment- the ending is exciting, and the plot densely woven enough to merit a second reading. Fremantle has a knack for creating complicated characters that you really care about, where nobody is as black and white as they might first appear, and several turn out to surprise you later on. Arbella and Ami are strong, capable women who did the best they could with the times they lived in, and Fremantle makes their story- and Arbella’s tragic ending- just as compelling as it should be.
July 31, 2017
The Girl in the Glass Tower weaves together the stories of Arbella Stuart and poet Aemilia Lanyer, both historical figures, educated women in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Elizabeth Fremantle does admit that they were both at the Royal Court at the same time, probably in Queen Anne's rooms, there is no actual evidence that they met. This is a historical fiction and Elizabeth Fremantle uses Aemilia Lanyer and her poetry as a way to tell the story of Arbella Stuart, a lesser known and shadow figure in the Tudor dynasty. Both women are feisty and want to be incharge of their destiny at a time when that was not possible. Lanyer, may not have been the first female poet, but she was the first women to declare herself a poet, a very radical thing to do.
The plot follows Arbella's life, and also Aemilia who is reading writings by Arbella about her life in the hope of finding some sort of forgiveness for an act that we are not privy to until the end of the book. The only problem was that the chapters were not labeled as to where they are in both date and who they are about; I think doing this would have made reading this book a bit easier as there are jumps in time which can cause some confusion. I would also have liked a family tree at the beginning of the book to refer to to help make sense of all the family relationships. I had a digital copy to read so I am not sure if it was included in a print copy, but it would have made a difference to my reading experience. Apart from that it is well written, and it is obvious that Elizabeth Fremantle has done a vast amount of research into the characters and cultural history of the time. I found myself looking into the characters on the internet to refresh my memory of the details of the characters and the period. I have added two pictures at the end of my review of Arbella Stuart and Aemilia Lanyer for you to look at if interested.
I found The Girl in the Glass Tower to be an interesting and engaging read, full of historical fact and political and social intrigue in post Elizabethan England.
The plot follows Arbella's life, and also Aemilia who is reading writings by Arbella about her life in the hope of finding some sort of forgiveness for an act that we are not privy to until the end of the book. The only problem was that the chapters were not labeled as to where they are in both date and who they are about; I think doing this would have made reading this book a bit easier as there are jumps in time which can cause some confusion. I would also have liked a family tree at the beginning of the book to refer to to help make sense of all the family relationships. I had a digital copy to read so I am not sure if it was included in a print copy, but it would have made a difference to my reading experience. Apart from that it is well written, and it is obvious that Elizabeth Fremantle has done a vast amount of research into the characters and cultural history of the time. I found myself looking into the characters on the internet to refresh my memory of the details of the characters and the period. I have added two pictures at the end of my review of Arbella Stuart and Aemilia Lanyer for you to look at if interested.
I found The Girl in the Glass Tower to be an interesting and engaging read, full of historical fact and political and social intrigue in post Elizabethan England.
September 6, 2017
Arabella Stuart heeft niet alleen Stuart- maar ook Tudorbloed door haar aderen stromen en wordt daarom van kinds af aan al genoemd als mogelijke troonsopvolger van de kinderloze Elisabeth I. Heel haar jeugd brengt ze door opgesloten bij haar grootmoeder. Wanneer ze uiteindelijk toch naar het Hof gaat leert ze Ami kennen, een jonge dichteres met wie ze haar liefde voor schrijven deelt. Maar al snel blijkt dat voor iemand met koninklijk bloed vrijheid niet bestaat.
Ok, ik ga het zeggen. Fremantle is momenteel mijn favoriete historische fictieschrijfster. In de eerste plaats neemt ze originele figuren uit de geschiedenis (de 6de vrouw van Henry VIII, Penelope Devereux...). Ik wist als echte Tudorfanaat niets van Arabella Stuart en heb dus ademloos zitten lezen. Weer een tragisch verhaal.
Daarnaast zet Fremantle ook altijd een perspectief van een onbekende persoon naast het hoofdpersonage. Dat gebeurt veel in dit genre, maar vaak zijn het hofdames die maar weinig bijdragen aan het verhaal. Wel, in deze boeken heb ik altijd een enorme klik met de bijpersonages. Ook nu las ik Ami's verhaal even graag als dat van Arabella. Misschien met momenten zelfs liever.
Het zit gewoon allemaal goed in elkaar, het is verfrissend, er zit symboliek in, geen vreemde anachronismen en geen grote loopjes met de geschiedenis. De pure feiten kloppen, de rest mag van mij best interpretatie zijn, dat kan ook niet anders.
Ook fijn dat in dit boek personages van haar vorige verhalen voorbijkomen. Ik heb deze nog niet allemaal gelezen, maar dat gaat niet lang meer duren.
Dit verhaal was misschien iets minder krachtig dan The Queen's Gambit, maar het vertelt een minder bekend verhaal, van een tragisch maar sterk meisje wiens enige misdaad haar afkomst was. Aanrader!
Ok, ik ga het zeggen. Fremantle is momenteel mijn favoriete historische fictieschrijfster. In de eerste plaats neemt ze originele figuren uit de geschiedenis (de 6de vrouw van Henry VIII, Penelope Devereux...). Ik wist als echte Tudorfanaat niets van Arabella Stuart en heb dus ademloos zitten lezen. Weer een tragisch verhaal.
Daarnaast zet Fremantle ook altijd een perspectief van een onbekende persoon naast het hoofdpersonage. Dat gebeurt veel in dit genre, maar vaak zijn het hofdames die maar weinig bijdragen aan het verhaal. Wel, in deze boeken heb ik altijd een enorme klik met de bijpersonages. Ook nu las ik Ami's verhaal even graag als dat van Arabella. Misschien met momenten zelfs liever.
Het zit gewoon allemaal goed in elkaar, het is verfrissend, er zit symboliek in, geen vreemde anachronismen en geen grote loopjes met de geschiedenis. De pure feiten kloppen, de rest mag van mij best interpretatie zijn, dat kan ook niet anders.
Ook fijn dat in dit boek personages van haar vorige verhalen voorbijkomen. Ik heb deze nog niet allemaal gelezen, maar dat gaat niet lang meer duren.
Dit verhaal was misschien iets minder krachtig dan The Queen's Gambit, maar het vertelt een minder bekend verhaal, van een tragisch maar sterk meisje wiens enige misdaad haar afkomst was. Aanrader!
April 19, 2017
The girl in the glass tower by Elizabeth Freemantle.
Tap. Tap. Tap on the window. Something, someone wanting to be heard. Waiting to be free. Tudor England. The word treason is on everyone's lips. Arbella Stuart, niece to Mary, Queen of Scots and presumed successor to Elizabeth I, has spent her youth behind the towering windows of Hardwick Hall. As presumed successor to the throne, her isolation should mean protection - but those close to the crown are never safe. Aemilia Lanyer - writer and poet - enjoys an independence denied to Arbella. Their paths should never cross. But when Arbella enlists Aemilia's help in a bid for freedom, she risks more than her own future. Ensnared in another woman's desperate schemes, Aemilia must tread carefully or share her terrible fate . . .
A very good read. Little slow to start with. I liked the story and the characters. 4*. Netgalley and penguin books-Michael Joseph.
Tap. Tap. Tap on the window. Something, someone wanting to be heard. Waiting to be free. Tudor England. The word treason is on everyone's lips. Arbella Stuart, niece to Mary, Queen of Scots and presumed successor to Elizabeth I, has spent her youth behind the towering windows of Hardwick Hall. As presumed successor to the throne, her isolation should mean protection - but those close to the crown are never safe. Aemilia Lanyer - writer and poet - enjoys an independence denied to Arbella. Their paths should never cross. But when Arbella enlists Aemilia's help in a bid for freedom, she risks more than her own future. Ensnared in another woman's desperate schemes, Aemilia must tread carefully or share her terrible fate . . .
A very good read. Little slow to start with. I liked the story and the characters. 4*. Netgalley and penguin books-Michael Joseph.
August 7, 2017
Fantastic historical fiction from this established author.
Easy to read with characters I had not read much about. Arabella Tudor is the believed successor of Elizabeth I and spends all of her life waiting for this to happen. Very descriptive it is the final piece in the Tudor historical lineage.
Recommended - thank you to author, publisher and net galley for my copy.
Easy to read with characters I had not read much about. Arabella Tudor is the believed successor of Elizabeth I and spends all of her life waiting for this to happen. Very descriptive it is the final piece in the Tudor historical lineage.
Recommended - thank you to author, publisher and net galley for my copy.
January 10, 2020
I was gripped! I don't usually read historical fiction, but I thought I would give this one a go, and I loved it! A story in which you never know who to trust, and there are so many different threads of intrigue to keep hold of. Excellent!
June 19, 2018
Very interesting historical read !
November 17, 2020
This is a lovely book. The author wove a beautiful tale. I felt caught up in the narrative, and couldn’t put it down! Well written - superb.
August 28, 2025
Miss Fremantle gives history a voice and your imagination will devour the language and the times of a brutal existence....fantastic historical story telling...I was going to award this 5 stars 🌟...but towards the end it did seem to lose its grip on me somewhat...still a cracking read.
February 5, 2017
It's a little known fact that I have a deep love for historical fiction particularly about the Tudors.
The Girl in the Glass Tower is about a little known woman of history, often referred to as the 'lost queen'. Arbelle Stuart is heir to Elizabeth Tudor's throne. Living between Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall, her grandmother Bess of Hardwick prepares her to be a Queen.
But things don't always go to plan, religious conflict is rife and not everyone is happy when Elizabeth I changes her mind and names James Stuart of Scotland her heir.
The story juxtaposes between that of Arbelle in the past and that of of Aemilia Lanyer someone Arbelle once considered a friend.
Now fallen from grace Ami has been banished from James I court and is living with her illegitimate son Hal in an unsavoury part of town. As she reads Arbelle's discovered diary she begins to recall their friendship and the events which led to her friend's death.
The stories weave well together creating a build up of suspense and intrigue. Living in Derbyshire I've always been interested in Bess of Hardwick and this was a very different perspective of her. Although not that different considering she has always been known to be ambitious.
I found the story to be very engaging and interesting, I've definitely garnered an interest in Arbelle and I'll be looking up her biography to get more information about the 'lost queen'.
If you have a love of books by authors like Philippa Gregory or just a general interest in the lost names of history, then you should definitely read this!
The Girl in the Glass Tower is about a little known woman of history, often referred to as the 'lost queen'. Arbelle Stuart is heir to Elizabeth Tudor's throne. Living between Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall, her grandmother Bess of Hardwick prepares her to be a Queen.
But things don't always go to plan, religious conflict is rife and not everyone is happy when Elizabeth I changes her mind and names James Stuart of Scotland her heir.
The story juxtaposes between that of Arbelle in the past and that of of Aemilia Lanyer someone Arbelle once considered a friend.
Now fallen from grace Ami has been banished from James I court and is living with her illegitimate son Hal in an unsavoury part of town. As she reads Arbelle's discovered diary she begins to recall their friendship and the events which led to her friend's death.
The stories weave well together creating a build up of suspense and intrigue. Living in Derbyshire I've always been interested in Bess of Hardwick and this was a very different perspective of her. Although not that different considering she has always been known to be ambitious.
I found the story to be very engaging and interesting, I've definitely garnered an interest in Arbelle and I'll be looking up her biography to get more information about the 'lost queen'.
If you have a love of books by authors like Philippa Gregory or just a general interest in the lost names of history, then you should definitely read this!
February 14, 2017
Covering the era of Elizabeth I this book focuses on the story of Lady Arbella, granddaughter of Bess of Hardwick and with a strong claim to the throne. Raised by her domineering Grandmother in Derbyshire, Arbella's fate is set to be Queen, yet, like most of the Tudor reign, plots, paranoia and politics all play their part to intervene in her destiny.
I enjoyed how the story was told on two narratives: one told in the first person via personal papers of Arbella, the other through the holder of the papers, Ami, a close ally of Arbella's in her later years.
Both characters have tragic and difficult lives, and the underlying narrative of how difficult it was being a woman during those times, despite having two consecutive female monarchs, was an interesting element not often explored in historical novels.
I'm a regular visitor to Hardwick Hall and therefore aware of Arbella's story but this novel really brought her, and Bess, to life for me and I'm looking forward to my next visit to note some of the rooms, gardens and paintings featured in this book more closely.
Copy received via netgalley
I enjoyed how the story was told on two narratives: one told in the first person via personal papers of Arbella, the other through the holder of the papers, Ami, a close ally of Arbella's in her later years.
Both characters have tragic and difficult lives, and the underlying narrative of how difficult it was being a woman during those times, despite having two consecutive female monarchs, was an interesting element not often explored in historical novels.
I'm a regular visitor to Hardwick Hall and therefore aware of Arbella's story but this novel really brought her, and Bess, to life for me and I'm looking forward to my next visit to note some of the rooms, gardens and paintings featured in this book more closely.
Copy received via netgalley
September 19, 2020
I liked her other books better. Having said that it wasn’t that this story was bad or that the writing wasn’t excellent. In fact I think the stagnancy of the first half of the book sought to induce the same sort of feeling of being trapped as Lady Arbella and I found it quite evocative. Maybe it was more the style that jarred with me a little. The to and fro between the characters perspectives. I also struggle to connect with first person POV. If I could I would have given 3.5 stars.
July 26, 2017
I was looking forward to reading this and learning about Arbella Stuart. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this as I had hoped. The combination of fact and fiction and two interwoven stories of two women made it confusing reading.
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