The Virgin Queen's Daughter

Fabulous, couldn't put it down! Can't wait to hear more from this author..... wonderful!

Not only does the The Virgin Queen's Daughter explore a historical rumor in a way that caused this reader to believe such a scenario could have been possible, it is beautifully written. The characters, language and details transported me to 16th centural England. I enjoy historical fiction for the same reason I enjoy biography. Learning about how an individual's life evolves and unfolds fascinates me. Chase's book not only fulfills this need but it also simply just a good story. There are not many books that lure me away from prime time TV or motivate me to squeeze a page or two into any spare minute but The Virgin Queen's Daughter did just that. One doesn't need to be a world history wizard to enjoy this novel. I would recommend it to any reader of historical fiction or just plain good fiction.

This is Ella March Chase's first novel? Wow! What a debut for this wonderful new author! I absolutely and completely enjoyed The Virgin Queen's Daughter. The novel was based on a well-known myth about Queen Elizabeth giving birth to an illegitimate child. The myth can be traced to a story that has come down through the ages of a midwife that was blindfolded and taken to a great estate to attend a "fair lady" who was giving birth. Was this Elizabeth? I seriously doubt it. When Elizabeth was queen she was stricken with small pox and came very near to death. During this ordeal she swore that she had never had relations with any man and was indeed a virgin. This is a historical fact. Considering the religious mind of the times and how close Queen Elizabeth came to death, it is practically impossible to believe that she could be lying. This has always been enough proof to me that the virgin queen was in fact what she claimed. The Virgin Queen's Daughter was beautifully-written. I actually enjoyed this novel more than Alison Weir's The Lady Elizabeth. Weir's book is based on the same myth, except that book claims the child was Thomas Seymour's. Ms Chase's book doesn't ever reveal who Elinor de Lacey's father was, but the ending leaves the impression that it was Robert Dudley. I have read many books about Queen Elizabeth, and I have to say that this book captured the essence of who Elizabeth Tudor really was, or at least who history indicates she was. Elizabeth's wit, personality, and the ever-present threat to Elizabeth's claim to the throne are all vividly written to bring the Tudor court to life before your very eyes. The book features many well-known historical figures: Katherine Ashley, Isabella Markham, Robert Dudley, William Pickering, Francis Walsingham, William Cecil, Lettice Knollys, Mary Grey and many others. I do wonder why William Cecil did not play a more prominent role in this book considering the role he played during Elizabeth's reign. Regardless, this was a wonderful read! Five stars! I look forward to reading another novel by this author!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book- I was drawn into the time and place along with the characters. With each character, the reader can see how trials shape them, harden them, and made them see that there were things bigger than themselves to protect. All of this creates a web and conflict of interests that keeps the reader turning the pages, waiting to see whose dreams are crushed and whose are realized. I recommend this book to anyone- it has everything one would want in a great novel, but all in moderation to create a believable tale of what really could have happened had England's Virgin Queen had, in fact, not been.

Ella March Chase combines the best of literary worlds, Historical Fiction, Strong Women, and a hint of Romance. You cannot go wrong with this book! I couldn't put it down, it's riveting and addictive! Ella's research has unearthed a mystery that may have been told before, however, she adds a new twist, making this book a must read! Ms. Chase's descriptions of the royal court and the countryside make the Tudor era come to life. One can feel dreariness of the Tower when described, the intrigues and elegance of the court, the paralyzing fear of discovery. Her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth reminds the reader of the nagging frustrations the Queen faced due to being an intelligent, strong woman of this era. The Queen is not unlikable; in fact she serves as a model for those facing a reality which one does not wish to live. She governed and led a country at a time when intelligence, being strong willed and power hungry was a resounding negative unless you were tied to a man. Both she and Nell share the thirst for knowledge and the truth as well as rebelling against the roles of the sexes in the time period. Thus, proving themselves to be more than capable, intelligent, resourceful, judicious heroines in their own right. They never cease to inspire!