Told from the POV of Amy Dudley and also Elizabeth I, the reader is taken on a touching journey. The beginning has you wondering if the entire story is going to be told from obviously the mind of a very sick and mad woman who has been scorned by her husband. Amy Dudley's cancer has spread and seems to be the cause of her paranoia. The reader doesn't know if this feeling is real or if it is just a dying woman's wild imagination.
As the story progresses we flash back to happier days when Robert Dudley and Amy first met and instantly fall in love. Even though everyone tells Robert that he is marrying beneath him, the lusty 17-year old wants no one but Amy. Amy is a country girl at heart and not one of the lofty court women. Amy loves to work on the farm and make her jellies. As time goes on and Elizabeth I, Robert's child playmate, takes the throne, Robert sees that his youthful decision was not a wise one and has hurt his ambitions to be great.
Robert becomes a disgusting character. He is greedy, abusive and narcissistic. He is constantly belittling Amy and embarrassing her in front of others so that everyone's perception of Amy is that she is a country bumpkin. He starts to slowly take everything away from Amy until she has nothing left but her every trusty handmaiden, Pirto. Amy, still thinking, that she has to hold onto Robert, tries to win back his love only to have it thrown in her face. Her attempts at times are hard to read because they are so pathetic and you just want Amy to grow a backbone.
The reader starts to think of Elizabeth as a home wrecker until her POV comes into play. Roberts duplicity is shown and how he is playing both women against each other. Elizabeth feels devotion to Robert because of their past but as we all know; Elizabeth swore she would never marry. England was her husband. But once Elizabeth finds out about Roberts lies and betrayals after Amy's mysterious death, the fiery red head gets her revenge for both the deceased Amy and for herself.
The Queen's Pleasure started out shaky for me but ended with me feeling fulfilled. All that I hoped for came from this lengthy novel of the Elizabeth/Robert Dudley/Amy Dudley triangle. I enjoyed reading the unique writing of Purdy. If you are a lover of Tudor fiction you will be enamored with this version of the story of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley's rumored affair.
(ARC was provided for an honest review)
As the story progresses we flash back to happier days when Robert Dudley and Amy first met and instantly fall in love. Even though everyone tells Robert that he is marrying beneath him, the lusty 17-year old wants no one but Amy. Amy is a country girl at heart and not one of the lofty court women. Amy loves to work on the farm and make her jellies. As time goes on and Elizabeth I, Robert's child playmate, takes the throne, Robert sees that his youthful decision was not a wise one and has hurt his ambitions to be great.
Robert becomes a disgusting character. He is greedy, abusive and narcissistic. He is constantly belittling Amy and embarrassing her in front of others so that everyone's perception of Amy is that she is a country bumpkin. He starts to slowly take everything away from Amy until she has nothing left but her every trusty handmaiden, Pirto. Amy, still thinking, that she has to hold onto Robert, tries to win back his love only to have it thrown in her face. Her attempts at times are hard to read because they are so pathetic and you just want Amy to grow a backbone.
The reader starts to think of Elizabeth as a home wrecker until her POV comes into play. Roberts duplicity is shown and how he is playing both women against each other. Elizabeth feels devotion to Robert because of their past but as we all know; Elizabeth swore she would never marry. England was her husband. But once Elizabeth finds out about Roberts lies and betrayals after Amy's mysterious death, the fiery red head gets her revenge for both the deceased Amy and for herself.
The Queen's Pleasure started out shaky for me but ended with me feeling fulfilled. All that I hoped for came from this lengthy novel of the Elizabeth/Robert Dudley/Amy Dudley triangle. I enjoyed reading the unique writing of Purdy. If you are a lover of Tudor fiction you will be enamored with this version of the story of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley's rumored affair.
(ARC was provided for an honest review)
