Innocent Traitor

By Alison Weir

Book Overview

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A wrenching novel about the life and death of Lady Jane Grey, one of the most complex and sympathetic figures in Tudor England, by popular historian Alison Weir: ideal for fans of Wolf Hall

Lady Jane Grey was born into times of extreme danger. Child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she was merely a pawn in a dynastic power game with the highest stakes, she lived a life in thrall to political machinations and lethal religious fervour.

Jane's astonishing and essentially tragic story was played out during one of the most momentous periods of English history. As a great-niece of Henry VIII, and the cousin of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, she grew up to realize that she could never throw off the chains of her destiny. Her honesty, intelligence and strength of character carry the reader through all the vicious twists of Tudor power politics, to her nine-day reign and its unbearably poignant conclusion.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0099493799
• ISBN13: 9780099493792
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd.
• Length: 421 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 1.0" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

One of my favorite books

such an amazing book, well written, lovable characters and driven prose. I could not put this book down. If you love this subject, or this genre this is a MUST READ.

Fine first novel

Alison Weir is well-known in the field of Tudor and medieval history and having read several of her biographies (including "Children of England" and "Eleanor of Aquitaine"), I was interested to see how she would tackle fiction. While her non-fiction can sometimes be hit-or-miss in terms of accuracy, she is a very good _writer_. In this case, I was not disappointed - this is a compelling exploration of the events that led to Lady Jane's tragic death, and a vivid depiction of the period. This novel has clearly been carefully and comprehensively researched, but never becomes "dry." The device of alternating narrators, each giving a unique perspective on events as they unfold, worked really well in maintaining (for want of a better phrase) dramatic tension. While each character's apparent acute self-awareness can stretch credulity at times (no one is THAT consistently insightful), this did not detract from my enjoyment of the novel. I initially was a bit taken aback by Jane's apparent self-possession and insight at the ripe old age of four, but given that children were treated, and expected to behave, as miniature adults during that era, it's not as unrealistic as it sounds. Even though most of us will know the story already, "Innocent Traitor" is well worth reading. I look forward to Weir's next novel.

Unlucky Lady

"A beautiful daughter, my lady," announces the midwife uncertainly. "Healthy and vigorous." I should be joyful, thanking God for the safe arrival of a lusty child. Instead, my spirits plummet. All this-for nothing. So begins the story of Lady Jane Grey. Historian and gifted author Alison Weir, in her first foray into the realm of fiction, has brought the world of Tudor England vividly alive in her version of the events that took place after the death of Henry VIII. Through first person narratives by Jane herself and a number of the other central characters, Jane's brief, tragic life unfolds. Known today as the Nine Days Queen, this maltreated girl was the innocent, unwilling pawn of her parents' political ambitions and victim of the vicious religious conflict that tore England apart during the 16th century. All the pageantry, plotting, and maneuvering of the royal court swirls around Jane as she grows, until the age of 15 when she is horrified to find that she has been declared Queen of England in place of the rightful heir, the Catholic (soon to be "Bloody") Mary. Vibrant characters, a plot that's hard to believe but true, and accurate period detail make this first novel an enthralling page-turner. If Jane had been the hoped-for son , would her fate have been different? Would her brother's? Somehow, with the the Marquess and Marchioness of Dorset as parents, that's doubtful. The dearth of male heirs was a plague on the house of Tudor.

A tragic, riveting read

This is my first Alison Weir book and I am impressed. The story of Lady Jane Grey unfolds beautifully and tragically. Weir blends fact and fiction into a powerful story not only of Lady Jane Grey but of the House of Tudor and the protestant/catholic struggle in sixteenth centruy England.

Could not put it down

I've read extensively both non-fiction and historical fiction in this time period and this is easily one of the better books out there. I read it on lunch at work and jogging on the treadmill at the gym, could not put it down.

Lady Jane Grey

I have always been fascinated with Lady Jane's story, ever since I was a child. I have read most of Alison Weir's non-fiction books and loved them, and so I really looked forward very much to this book. And it didn't disappoint. She has fictionalized the story very well, holding strong to accuracy (and we know we can trust her in this, as a historian) and the few liberties she has taken (for example, Lady Jane's presence at the execution of Anne Askew) are not glaring or out-of-place. The relationship between Jane and Guilford was portrayed as brutal, perhaps overtly so, but I much prefer this over the notorious innacuracy of their relationship in the 1986 movie. Again, a place where Weir had to "fill-in-the-blanks", and I am glad she did so in a more realistic way than others have chosen to when telling this sad story. The constantly character-shifting narration did not bother me, although at first I was disappointed in the choice of the executioner's narration for the final scene of Lady Jane's life; I would have preferred Mrs. Ellen, as it seemed so impersonal. But ultimately, maybe this was a good choice; Jane herself was, in that situation, detatched from those who had cared for her, and so why shouldn't the reader join her in the hands of this stranger? The author's afterword, to me, was one of the best parts of the book. You can tell she is excited about her first fiction. She's sharing her experience of having written it with the reader, even mentioning how she had to "use her imagination" in parts. It's endearing. You can tell she had a good time writing it, and I appreciate that she shared those feelings with us. "Innocent Traitor" is a good book, based on a horrific and tragic story, and I'm very glad this respected author decided to tell it accurately.