“An impressive debut. Weir shows skill at plotting and maintaining tension, and she is clearly going to be a major player in the . . . historical fiction game.”—The IndependentI am now a condemned traitor . . . I am to die when I have hardly begun to live. Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most … new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey–“the Nine Days’ Queen” –a fifteen-year-old girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the religious and civil unrest that nearly toppled the fabled House of Tudor during the sixteenth century.
The child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she is merely a pawn in a dynastic game with the highest stakes, Jane Grey was born during the harrowingly turbulent period between Anne Boleyn’s beheading and the demise of Jane’s infamous great-uncle, King Henry VIII. With the premature passing of Jane’ s adolescent cousin, and Henry’s successor, King Edward VI, comes a struggle for supremacy fueled by political machinations and lethal religious fervor.
Unabashedly honest and exceptionally intelligent, Jane possesses a sound strength of character beyond her years that equips her to weather the vicious storm. And though she has no ambitions to rule, preferring to immerse herself in books and religious studies, she is forced to accept the crown, and by so doing sets off a firestorm of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy.
Alison Weir uses her unmatched skills as a historian to enliven the many dynamic characters of this majestic drama. Along with Lady Jane Grey, Weir vividly renders her devious parents; her much-loved nanny; the benevolent Queen Katherine Parr; Jane’s ambitious cousins; the Catholic “Bloody” Mary, who will stop at nothing to seize the throne; and the protestant and future queen Elizabeth. Readers venture inside royal drawing rooms and bedchambers to witness the power-grabbing that swirls around Lady Jane Grey from the day of her birth to her unbearably poignant death. Innocent Traitor paints a complete and compelling portrait of this captivating young woman, a faithful servant of God whose short reign and brief life would make her a legend.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Alison Weir’s Mary Boleyn.
more
Other reviewers said that this was difficult to follow. I disagree. I loved the alternating speakers / different characters. I think it gave the story more depth. (Note to audio editor: a pause of 3 to 5 seconds as the voices shift would make it less jarring.)
The ending did drag out the inevitable a bit.
I’ve read one other book and seen one …
Alison Weir is an excellent writer and every historical novel she has written is exemplary! The way she brings the characters to life and the magical form she uses to weave history and fiction together is truly amazing and believable! I plan to read everything she has written!
Weir is dependable for historical accuracy , which makes the story all the more gripping. It was amazing to me that right down to the end (and I knew from history how it ended) the book held my interest and even provided an unanticipated twist within the expected ending. This book is outstanding.
This is the book that started my Tudor obsession! It was so intriguing that I began reading everything I could to learn more. Ms Weir brings her historical expertise into each novel she writes and the Tudors come to life!
Allison Weir is always wonderful.
Told in first-person by multiple characters, the details surrounding Lady Jane Grey are given life. While the conversations and observations made are fictional, the book gives a good amount of real-life detail (some of it rather grim) to make you forget it’s a modern novel. Lots of detail given for Lady Jane, who tends to be overlooked in many …
Innocent Traitor is Alison Weir’s debut into fiction writing as she is renowned for her non-fiction historical works, many of which relate to the same period.
The novel covers the life of Lady Jane Grey and her nine day reign as Queen of England. Whilst the historical facts remain the same and the reader knows the outcome of the book, the …
I love all of Alison Weir’s books! I can’t wait for the next one. They are entertaining and are very close to history. She’s a must read for any British Royal Historical Fiction fan.
Sad
There are not many biographies of Lady Jane Grey, and few paint her as anything but a helpless victim. This offers some plausible ways she found herself in the predicament that took her life so young.
If you like historical fiction, then this book is for you. The author really brings the story of Jane Grey to life! I really enjoy how each chapter is told from another persons point of view. Very original and a true page turner. I will definitely buy more books from this author!
Cannot go wrong with any Alison Weir book, either fiction on non fiction.
This is not the same story told in the movie Lady Jane that made me fall in love with Cary Elwes back in, ahem, cough-cough. . . some time ago. This book is factually accurate with enough time-period language to keep it feeling authentic without tripping up the reader. The portions that derive from the author’s imagination and keen perception are …
Great Read
Lady Jane Grey was a pawn in man’s world. The story was captivating and the writing excellent. It’s so hard to find a writer today whose books aren’t cringe-worthy. Alison Weir is a gifted writer and storyteller. Well worth the read.
I learned a lot more about Jane Grey than I ever knew before and in such a manner that i was able to share her triumphs and sorrows.
I have read many books about the fate of unwitting wives of England’s royalty but this one is especially moving. Jane Grey was truly the victim of power-seeking people including her own parents. I can understand why Queen Mary made her fateful decision but still found myself heartbroken over the loss of this nearly perfect victim. Highly recommend …
Written by an author who usually writes non-fiction history of this period (England 1550’s), this book was very interesting and prompted me to look into more of the English history. It is told first person, by several of the characters and is full of intrigue and political war among the Protestants and the Catholics. Good read!
Historical fiction of Lady Jane Grey the nine-day queen. This is a riveting and mesmerizing read told masterfully by A. Weir. A real page turner that was difficult to put down. A sad tale, but so interesting and haunting.
Love Wier’s historical fiction. She makes it very readable!!