Search - Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey

This is an excellent book if you are wanting to learn more about Lady Jane Grey. Learned a lot of different things that I didn't know and i've read a lot of books about The Tudors. Very hard to put down-highly recommended!

This is a MUST read. It tells the story of Lady Jane Grey from several different people including her. It was very hard to keep from crying at the end. I couldn't put it down.

Genre: Historical Fiction

This was my first book by Alison Weir and I enjoyed it a lot. As a historian, Weir brings much to the fiction table in this book. She is able to integrate a lot of intricate historical details into the overall story. When historical details are in question, Weir chooses the most believable route to follow creating a vastly interesting historical adventure.

The focus of this book is the Lady Jane Grey and her rise to the throne of England and subsequent downfall 9 days later. Her story is told from just before her birth and the life of her mother and father. She is a smart girl and lives a rather quiet life at her home of Bradgate Hall. Her mother is not the warmest person and does everything she can to advance the family in the hierarchal structure of English society. Her greatest ambition is to bring Jane to the throne, regardless of the manner or the repercussions.

This story is told through the voice of many different narrators; at last count I think there was 8, but it could be a few more than that. I am on the fence as to whether this many narrators are effective or not. Each of these people brings a different perspective of the events of the day to the table. At the same time it can sometimes get confusing as to exactly who these people are and what their purpose is. Some of the narrators appear frequently (Jane and her mother) and some only appear once (Jane Seymour). I have read other books where multiple narrators are employed (The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory) but the number has been limited to a few. I think this was more effective because you can really make a connection with the characters and understand their importance.

The character of Jane Grey is exceptionally well written. I had no previous experience with the story of Jane Grey and I have to say that I learned a lot. There were times that my heartstrings were pulled. The author really knows how to create an emotional scene.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the reign of Lady Jane Grey as well as politics of the time period.

4.5 out of 5 stars!

This book is a fictionalized yet as accurate as possible portrait of all too short life of Lady Jane Grey. While obviously we can never know exactly what people thought or what was said behind closed doors, Weir fills in the blanks of the historical story with interesting fiction that creates a logical overall story.

The book is written in the present by many narrators which allows the reader to see the story from many points of view, ulimately painting a complete picture from many points of view, humanizing each historical figure and showing what their emotions and motives behind their actions were likely to be. The story is told by Lady Jane Grey herself (the extremely intelligent, headstrong and devout granddaughter of a Princess of England), Jane's mother (proud and ambitious, a cold mother not realizing what her child means to her until it is too late), Mrs. Ellen (Jane's nurse that loved her as a mother should and was with her until the very end), Queen Catherine Parr (Jane's kindly benefactress), Dudley (the ambitious, greedy man who set in motion the events that would come by trying to retain his power), Queen Mary (who struggles with her obligations as a Catholic Queen and her conscience knowing of Jane's youth and innocence), and even the executioner himself.

I also found the historical facts of life that Weir weaves into the narrative interesting, everything from court etiquette and the religious environment, to the small things like the fact that part of the executioners payment was the clothes the executed person was wearing.

Overall a gripping read that had me fighting tears at the end and gave me a new respect for the courage of this 16 year old girl.

In many of the books I've read, the relationship of Lady Jane to the Princesses Mary and Elizabeth is really not as clear as it is here. There is a real sense in the book of how Jane is only a pawn in the greater scheme of the religious issues of the time, which is truly unfortunate. While fictionalized to some degree, the historical story is well told.

I really enjoyed this book about Lady Jane Grey. Lady Jane Grey, grand-niece of King Henry VIII, is an outstanding scholar and wants nothing more than to study with her tutor and translate the classics. But her ambitious parents push her into a role where she becomes Queen of England at the age of sixteen, although for only nine days. This story is full of intrigue and plots and is hard to put down. What's even more amazing is that the book is based on the actual history of the time. Highly recommend this.