If you are pretty sure that I have had this book under the "currently reading" section of the sidebar for nearly three months-you would be correct. I think the combination of having the worst cold in my personal history, moving, and starting school all at once had something to do with the excessive time I took in finishing this book.
The novel begins in the first days of Queen Elizabeth's reign. At the time she is a virginal, optimistic and naive new queen; that is until she meets Robert Dudley, a debonair man of the court. Robert catches the new Queen's eye and the attraction is instantaneous. Elizabeth sees Robert as a strapping, attractive young man and while Robert was equally attracted, he saw Elizabeth as an opportunity to enhance his family's tarnished name.
But there is one catch: Robert is married.
The scandal doesn't stop there but I will because I don't want to ruin the story for you.
Regardless of the book's fascinating plot, it is a very slow story. I would have to say that the plot didn't pick up until somewhere around the 200th page. Once you hit 200 the story picks up and then after a hundred pages it slows down again for about fifty pages and then really picks it up for the last fifty...yes, that is right four hundred pages.
I recommend this book if you are patient or if you love Gregory's writing style. If you have never read a Philippa Gregory book I strongly recommend "The Other Boleyn Girl" before this book.
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