Legacy

I have spent around six years perusing endless amounts of Tudor historical fiction. Along my way I have encountered many portrayals of Elizabeth I; some passable, some horrendous, and some very good. But until I read Legacy, I never found my ideal portrayal. Now I have, and it feels wonderful. I received this book a few months ago, and since then it has not left my bedside table. Although I finished it in a day and a half, I have since read it three more times, not counting the hours I spend flipping to a random page to experience it again. This book is exquisite. Although it tells the entire arc of Elizabeth's story from birth to death, it only weighs in at a few hundred pages. And yet nothing feels rushed or left out. There are countless POVs, which in the hands of a less gifted writer would cause confusion, but in Susan Kay's hands gives us original insights into all the characters of Elizabeth's world. And they're all here, from Thomas Seymour to Henry VIII to numerous foreign ambassadors to the Earl of Essex. Each bring their own unique perspectives on the remarkable woman who dominates their existence. Apart from Elizabeth (who I'll get to in a moment) the best characterizations in the book are Elizabeth's lover, Robert Dudley, and her chief minister, William Cecil. Dudley is portrayed as authentically as I've ever seen him; greedy and self-serving perhaps, but also compellingly human, a man torn in different directions and above all, passionately in love with Elizabeth. Cecil is given just as thorough a treatment. Principled and pragmatic, a family man with a ruthless streak, Cecil loves Elizabeth as much as Dudley does, although in a different way. As the book says, "one desired her body, the other her spirit." The triangle of these three people forms the central conflict of the book, as both men are eventually destroyed by their devotion to her. But it is the portrayal of Elizabeth that makes this book so wonderful. It's as if Susan Kay reached into my mind, pulled out every thought I've ever had about Elizabeth while researching her, and transformed it into a stunning characterization that every few pages made me catch my breath and say "yes!" Her Elizabeth is brilliant, vain, narcissistic, loving, selfish, brave, charming, manipulative, patriotic, and above all magnetically charismatic. She has the "x" factor that other writers of Elizabeth seem to miss; the reason why Elizabeth was such a beloved leader and how she was able to command such affection and fear. To quote the book, "Elizabeth Tudor was a labyrinth. She drew people, without conscious effort, into the maze of her own personality and abandoned them there, leaving them to find their own way out again--if they could. Most found they were unable to, many never even tried. And those few who succeeded were troubled by a vague sense of loss for the rest of their days." (p. 13). I cannot recommend this book more, to everyone from a dedicated student of Tudor history to a compl

AWESOME! An absolutely brilliant portrayal of Elizabeth I. The only thing I've ever seen come close to capturing Elizabeth so clearly and brilliantly is the old Masterpiece Theatre series on PBS done back in 70's or 80's with Glenda Jackson. All the charaterizations in the book are incredibly well drawn and detailed, particulary Elizabeth, Dudley and Cecil. The author also has a wonderful way of describing the times, the scenes, the clothes, etc. The author's opinions on Elizabeth's virginity (or lack thereof) and as to who killed Amy Dudley are very intriguing. Anyone interested in reading about this very complex and powerful Queen should put this on their reading list. With the resurgence in popularity of historical fiction and all things English, I can't imagine how this incredible book can be out of print. As another reviewer wrote, go and and it now.

This is without a doubt the premier novel about Queen Elizabeth the first I have ever read and it is a shame that it is out of print. No author I believe, has come close to Ms. Kay at presenting Elizabeth and those who were around her as true people with all of the jealousy's, faults and joys that really were in their lives. And she does in a style of writing I love the most. Epic, large scale and all encompassing (and quite a bit with Dudley and romance included, which always makes me happy.) Elizabeth is hard to write fiction about I think, but that doesn't stop people from trying. As a subject for a bio epic she's perfect-the woman was both the luckiest and unluckiest woman in the world in her lifetime and brought all other powers in Europe to their knees. Not to mention the many rumors in her life. What happened with Admiral Seymour? Did Robert Dudley murder his wife Amy so he could marry Elizabeth? Did she and Dudley ever consummate their love? And what was the deal with Essex? Read it and find out. Five stars to a great novel. The best, most realistic (as apposed to romanticized) version of her life I have ever read. In fact, one of the better books I have ever read.

Before I read this book, I always felt the greatest of admiration for Elizabeth I, but I never really felt that I knew her or understood her. This novel changed all of that. I realize that it is a fictionalized "autobiography," yet it presents such a coherent yet complex psychological portrait of the "Virgin Queen" that the whole book rings true. It's also a haunting book. I can't get this Elizabeth out of my head! Images and words from the book keep coming back at the strangest times: I can see the young Elizabeth sitting in the tower mesmerizing the only male around-a mouse! I can understand her cruelty even more than her kindness now! If you are a devoted fan of Elizabeth I (as I am), you NEED to read this book! Buy it used (though I can't understand how anyone would want to sell it!), borrow it from a library, but get it! I envy you reading it for the first time.

I read Legacy for the first time when I was 15. When I was 18 I stumbled upon it again and read it. When I got married I desperately search every state library for this book....No Joke!!! I truly beleive this to be the best book I have ever read in my life. My entire family has now read it and they all feel the same. I knew and cared NOTHING of Elizabeth I...after reading this book I actually considered becoming a historian. It is so entrancing, acton-packed and succulent. I promise you will be hypnotized by Susan Kay's style and accuracy in her writing...... ALSO!! weather or not you are a Phantom of the Opera fan, check out her "Phantom" too!!! Marvelous!!!!!