Rival to the Queen by Carolly Erickson: A Book Review

Rival to the Queen
Author: Carolly Erickson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: 2011
Pages: 337
Source: My State Public Library
Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII comes a novel about the bitter rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I and her fascinating cousin, Lettice Knollys, for the love of one extraordinary man.

Powerful, dramatic and full of the rich history that has made Carolly Erickson's novels perennial bestsellers, this is the story of the only woman to ever stand up to the Virgin Queen— her own cousin, Lettie Knollys. Far more attractive than the queen, Lettie soon won the attention of the handsome and ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a man so enamored of the queen and determined to share her throne that it was rumored he had murdered his own wife in order to become her royal consort. The enigmatic Elizabeth allowed Dudley into her heart, and relied on his devoted service, but shied away from the personal and political risks of marriage.

When Elizabeth discovered that he had married her cousin Lettie in secret, Lettie would pay a terrible price, fighting to keep her husband's love and ultimately losing her beloved son, the Earl of Essex, to the queen's headsman.

This is the unforgettable story of two women related by blood, yet destined to clash over one of Tudor England's most charismatic men.

My Review: Leticia Knollys was a cousin of Queen Elizabeth I. She was most famous for marrying one of Queen Elizabeth’s favorite courtiers, Robert Dudley. In this historical novel, Leticia Knollys is the granddaughter of Henry VIII. Her mother was the illegitimate daughter of Henry VIII and his mistress, Mary Boleyn. Leticia becomes lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth. She falls in love with Robert Dudley whom Queen Elizabeth loves. Both Leticia and Queen Elizabeth fight with one another to win Robert Dudley’s heart.

I did not like Leticia Knollys. I found her to be very vain and haughty. She thinks she is better than everyone, including the queen, because of her royal blood. She disrespects Queen Elizabeth and gets away with it, which I find very unconvincing. I also thought that she was extremely judgmental. She was also very possessive and jealous. Thus, Leticia was not a very sympathetic character.

Overall, this novel was about ambition, power, and love. I found all the characters to be very one-dimensional. However, I did like the love triangle between Queen Elizabeth, Robert Dudley, and Leticia Knollys. I thought the fierce rivalry between Queen Elizabeth and Leticia was well done. They were very similar. However, there were many inaccuracies, and some scenes were very far-fetched. There were also parts of the novel that seemed unnecessary. The story also tended to drag at times. Nevertheless, it was a light and easy read! It was full of courtly and political intrigue that read like a soap opera! I like how it mostly focused on Queen Elizabeth’s reign. I thought Rival to the Queen did an excellent job in portraying Queen Elizabeth as a vulnerable woman. Rival to the Queen is an entertaining read that will be sure to appeal to fans of Queen Elizabeth and the Tudors! I also recommend this for fans of My Enemy, the Queen, A Woman of Passion, and The Lady Carey!

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer by Samuel Noah Kramer and Diane Wolkstein: A Book Review

Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer Author: Samuel Noah Kramer and Diane Wolkstein Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Religion, Mythology Publisher: Harper Perennial Release Date: 1983 Pages: 256 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: With the long-awaited publication of this book, we have for the first time in any modern literary form one of the most vital and important of ancient myths—that of Inanna, the world’s first goddess of recorded history and the beloved deity of the ancient Sumerians. The stories and hymns of Inanna (known to the Semites as Ishtar) are inscribed on clay tablets which date back to 2,000 B.C. Over the past forty years, these cuneiform tablets have gradually been restored and deciphered by a small group of international scholars. In this groundbreaking book, Samuel Noah Kramer, the preeminent living expert on Sumer, and Diane Wolkstein, a gifted storyteller and folklorist, have retranslated, order...

Interview with Paula Margulies

Today, I have the opportunity to interview Paula Margulies. She has recently wrote a novel about Pocahontas called Favorite Daughter, Part One , which won an Editor’s Choice Award at the 24th Annual San Diego State University Writer’s Conference. The story creates a different perspective to the American heroine. It is told in first person narrative, and it is how Pocahontas at a young age embarks through the many changes of her life. By doing so she transforms into a strong, courageous, wise woman. I am very pleased that she took the time to grant me this interview and to generously donate a copy of her novel to the giveaway. I look forward to reading her books in the future, and check back for my review of Favorite Daughter’s Part One soon. This interview is to give readers insight about her and her novel. Thank you, Mrs. Margulies. 1. Where and when do you write? In my home office mostly, although I try to sneak away to artist residencies whenever ...

The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across The AncientWorld by Adrienne Mayor: A Book Review

The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across The Ancient World Author: Adrienne Mayor Genre: Nonfiction, History Publisher: Princeton University Press Release Date: 2014 Pages: 530 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Amazons—fierce warrior women dwelling on the fringes of the known world—were the mythic archenemies of the ancient Greeks. Heracles and Achilles displayed their valor in duels with Amazon queens, and the Athenians reveled in their victory over a powerful Amazon army. In historical times, Cyrus of Persia, Alexander the Great, and the Roman general Pompey tangled with Amazons. But just who were these bold barbarian archers on horseback who gloried in fighting, hunting, and sexual freedom? Were Amazons real? In this deeply researched, wide-ranging, and lavishly illustrated book, National Book Award finalist Adrienne Mayor presents the Amazons as they have never been seen before. This is the first comprehensive account of warrio...

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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