I,
Elizabeth - Reader's
Guide
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I, Elizabeth
The life of
Elizabeth I, Queen of England, has captured imaginations around
the globe from the time of her death in 1603 to the present day.
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As Princess Elizabeth leaves
behind the safety of her country home and enters the king's
court - a world where rubies are the size of hen's eggs, where
every shadowy corner contains a spy, and where a slip of the
tongue may be construed as treason and is punishable by
beheading - she knows her young life will never be the same.
Quickly plunged into the terrifying, exalted world of sovereign
power, rife with political intrigue and deadly plots, Elizabeth
must turn against her own siblings in the quest to establish a
just monarch on England's throne. Once ensconced as queen,
however, she finds the jeopardies double. Spain lurks, sniffing
for war; Mary, Queen of Scots challenges Elizabeth's claim to
the throne; and Rome considers Elizabeth little more than the
bastard daughter of a corrupt king and his whore.
Turning to her council for guidance, she finds nothing but
pressure to marry and produce an heir as quickly as possible,
and grumblings around her court when she resists doing so. And
as the Virgin Queen explores love at her own pace, hidden from
the all-probing public eye, she discovers that even the truest
bonds of devotion can harbour betrayal and disaster.
Only one man, Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth's Secretary of State
and Lord Treasurer, provides her with undying loyalty. And in
the end, Elizabeth betroths herself to England alone, dedicating
every drop of her blood and every ounce of her strength to the
nation she loves. In a sweeping, utterly
fascinating journey through Elizabeth's six decades in the
spotlight of history, Miles presents the dazzling Virgin Queen
as she's never been seen before.
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A glittering
figurehead, a passionate mistress, and a charismatic politician,
the powerful and opinionated Elizabeth has been immortalized in
hundreds of books, paintings, stage productions and films,
including the highly acclaimed Elizabeth, featuring Cate
Blanchett in an Oscar-nominated performance.
Yet never has any novel matched the scope and mesmerizing detail
of Rosalind Miles' breathtaking I Elizabeth. From her rise to
power amidst the religious upheaval and political scandal left
in the wake of Henry VIII, to her glorious final days as the
unassailable Virgin Queen, I Elizabeth recreates Elizabeth's own
voice and razor-sharp wit, and re-imagines her reign in
brilliant color and nuance.
Miles effortlessly weaves years of research into heartstopping
storytelling and arrives at an unforgettable portrait of one of
history's greatest heroines. This guide is designed to help
direct your reading group's discussion of I Elizabeth.
ABOUT THE BOOKS
It is the year 1546
and King Henry VIII is not long for this world. He leaves behind
three young heirs, from three dead wives, and decisions must be
made that will ensure a smooth succession.
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