This series really complements Harry Potter. If you like stories about extraordinary kids, then here's another series - only the Christian or religious crowd would have no problem with the Gifted Girls Series at all.

This is the BEST BOOK I've read in a long time!!! Better than the first book in this series. I want to read the next. VICTORIA LONDON --- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE WRITE SOME MORE OF LUCY'S ADVENTURES! Don't keep me in suspense. No wonder why the Gifted Girls books are getting so popular!

I'm 13 years old, and I loved reading about Lucy. In the first book, she hasn't learn how to use her gift yet. But in this book, she uses it often. This book isn't all about being goody-twoshoes. Lucy faces temptation, dark forces, and even a sinister plot against her new friend, Queen Cleopatra. I'm not going to tell you how the story ends, but Lucy learns a lot more than she bargained for in this book. Good adventures and plot, I'd recommend it even to boys.

I've always loved Jean Plaidy's books and I'm so happy her Tudor series is being reprinted. The Lady in the Tower is the story of Anne Boleyn. It begins and ends in the Tower with Anne, tired, wiser, and almost ready to die; trying to figure out where things went wrong. Once she was a king's beloved, now that same king was so sick of her that he'd signed her death warrant. How did she fall so far and so fast? Thus, the incredible story begins.
Most biographies, fictional or not tend to skip over her years in France but this one spends quite a lot of time on them and it's to good effect. Anne's life in France helps to explain her actions in England. This is a sympathetic portrait that shows Anne as impetuous, thoughtless at times, and too ambitious but not the evil, scheming seductress that she's been painted as. Brilliant. If you've never read Jean Plaidy, this is a good one to begin with.

'The Lady in the Tower' is a fascinating, fictionalized first person account of the life of Anne Boleyn, doomed second wife of King Henry VIII. The book begins with Anne's childhood as the youngest lady-in-waiting to Mary, young bride of France's Louis XII and sister of Henry VIII. Anne enjoys her life in France until her older sister, also named Mary, tarnishes the Boleyn name with her numerous liaisons with gentlemen of the court, including the man who succeeds Louis as king, Francis I. Anne and her sister are sent home to England, where Mary becomes Henry's mistress and the Boleyn family becomes much more significant because of this. Anne becomes a lady-in-waiting to Henry's wife Katherine, who has fallen out of the King's favor due to her inability to produce a surviving son. Henry is now looking seriously for a new, younger wife, and he finds the perfect woman--Anne. After a courtship that lasts several years, mainly because of the difficulty involved with divorcing one of Europe's most important women, Henry's marriage is finally annulled, and he and Anne marry. Eight months later, she gives birth to a healthy baby--girl. Anne is enthralled with her new daughter, but also dreads her husband's reaction. Henry is upset--after all, he has married this woman mainly to get a son--but decides that this new daughter, Elizabeth, is rather charming, and he and Anne still have plenty of time to have sons. But Anne never does deliver a live son. She has also failed as Henry's wife in other ways: she refuses to accept his dalliances with her ladies-in-waiting, for instance, and is very quick-tempered. What's more, Henry has found another woman, one who is meek, gentle, young, and healthy--and about to become his third wife. Henry does not care to got through the hassle of another divorce, though, so he has only one choice: death. Anne is arrested under trumped-up charges of adultery (including with her own brother), and is sentenced to death by beheading. As the book is written in the first person, we get to hear the thoughts she has a few hours before her execution. Most are of her life with Henry and of her daughter, who will grow up to become Queen Elizabeth I--a fact which, had Henry foreseen it, may have spared Anne's life. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves Anne Boleyn, Jean Plaidy, or both.

Jean Plaidy weaves a complex portrait of the fascinating Anne Boleyn, leading the reader through her childhood to her death.

this is a fantastic novel. all the characters--from elizabeth to robert dudley to lettice knollys--seems so real. plaidy has a magic touch.

Written in the first person, the novel makes us feel as though we know what Elizabeth Tudor felt & thought. Her historical fame is not glorified; her substantial faults are not understated; but we see possible reasons for both. Above all, we are shown how her incredible scholarship and insecure youth combined, enabling her (and in a man's world) to bring England from bankruptcy & religious strife to its first age great enough to be named for one person: "Elizabethan."

This is a wonderful book which is compiled of letters and journal entries written by Queen Victoria. I have read other books about Queen Victoria and find her life to be very interesting. I thought that this book might be difficult to follow because of the format. Christopher Hibbert does a wonderful job with this book making it very easy to follow because of the bits of information he puts into it as the book goes on. The introduction is also very informative. I have trouble putting the book down and highly recommend it!!!!!

"If you could have dinner with any figure in history, who would it be?" My answer to this question would definately be Queen Victoria. This is especially true after having read this book. Even though Princess Beatrice "edited" Her Majesty's journal, it is still worth the read. These letters and excerpts from the Queen's journal are full of interesting facts, tender moments, and, of course, fiery quotes. I didn't want to put this book down! Even though I now have finished it, I still like to pick up the book and read little sections. I highly recommend this book for those who really want to get to know the real Queen Victoria. My only wish is that the editor had left the Queen's numerous underlines in tact. He says it was too expensive for the printing (which I can understand), but it really adds a lot. If readers are interested in that, they can find it in quotes in other works. This book is a must have!

Victoria Holt was one of my favorite authors when I was younger. A master storyteller, she would consistently weave a story that would have the reader turning the pages. This work of historical fiction is one of her best. Riveting from beginning to end, this fictional autobiographical account of the life of Marie Antoinette is superb. Written in the first person, with little dialogue, it is the rumination of a life that was to end tragically. Pampered, spoiled, and fun loving, the beautiful Maria Antonia of Austria metamorphosed into Marie Antoinette of France upon her marriage to the Dauphin, who would eventually become King of France, the ineffectual, but benign, Louis XVI.

This is her story, grounded in historical fact and set within the framework of history. This work of fiction about the life of Marie Antoinette, as seen through her own eyes, is fascinating, as it captures the flavor of those uncertain times and the events that led to the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy in France. It is a reflection on how Marie Antoinette's own behavior influenced the fate of France. Indulging in the excesses of the day, she initially gave little thought as to how her actions might affect the people of France or the monarchy. By the time she realized that her actions and excesses had wide spread political ramifications, it was too late, and the fate of her and her husband was sealed. No amount of personal regret could change it.

This book will be enjoyed by those who enjoy good, well written historical fiction. It is little wonder that this book spent two months on the New York Times Best Seller List. It is simply historical fiction at its best.

Keeping in mind that this is a work of fiction, it is still an excellent story about Marie Antoinette and the events that led up to the French Revolution. While the ill-fated queen is the protagonist of the tale, the author does not attempt to excuse but merely to explain the foolish and often callous behavior that placed her in history as one of the most hated women of all time. During earlier chapters we get a tantalizing glimpse into the decadent courts of Louis XIV and XV. Then we watch as Louis XVI ascends the throne, far too young and with no idea how to be a king, but determined to please everyone, including his pretty young wife. The ultimate collapse of the monarchy is mourned by the queen even as she admits her own part in it and recalls steps taken or not taken that might have averted it.

The author does not pretend that everything in the story is true; conversations that might have taken place, suspected rendezvous, and dramatic license regarding people about whom little is really known have been added for flavor. But the historical framework of the story is unfailingly accurate, with an excellent bibliography. I would not recommend this to be the first or only book you read about Marie Antoinette, but after studying some completely factual works, sit back and enjoy being drawn into the story with some vivid speculation as to how some things might have happened.

"Advice to a grand-daughter" is a collection of letters from Queen Victoria to her granddaughter, Princess Victoria of Hesse, wonderfully selected and edited by Richard Hough. The letters date from April 1870 to July 1900. Victoria of Hesse was the oldest daughter of Queen Victoria's Hessian grandchildren, and after their mother (the Queen's daughter Alice) died in 1878, Queen Victoria undertook to raise them long-distance, often by barraging Princess Victoria with instructions on how to deal with the younger children.

As always, the Queen's charming and forceful-- if occasionally overbearing-- personality makes itself felt in her letters. The Hessian royal children grew up to be forceful personalities in their own right. Princess Victoria married Prince Louis of Battenberg; the family changed their name to Mountbatten towards the end of the First World War; Victoria's youngest son is best known as the late Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and one of her grandsons is Prince Philip, the current Duke of Edinburgh. The second girl, Princess Elizabeth, married a son of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and, after his murder by anarchists, took the veil and was herself murdered during the Russian Revolution. The third, Princess Irene, married the only brother of Kaiser Wilhelm II. The youngest daughter, Alix (or "Alicky", as she appears in these letters), married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia; she and her entire family were killed during the Revolution. The boy, Ernest Louis ("Ernie"), was the last reigning Grand Duke of Hesse, a patron of the arts.

These letters provide a detailed and fascinating recounting of some of the childhood events of the Hessians-- Princess Victoria's marriage, the Queen's hissy fits over each marriage, in turn, of the three youngest girls', family births and family deaths, the Queen's trips to Europe. An absorbing book, highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Queen Victoria and the intertwined relationships of European royalty of the period.

This book is a great incite into the times of elizabeth the first. Written from the perspective of Elizabeths cousin, this was an honest, enlightening and interesting book. It has certainly got me gripped on the British monarchys history. Elizabeth is seen to be a domineering, spoilt person but yet extremely loyal to friends, family and her favourite servants. She is torn between the love of the charming Robert Dudley and her obsession not to have to share her crown.

this is a really wonderful book. it's so descriptive and it feels as if you are looking through an window of Tudor England and seeing everything, from a jewel on a queen's splendid crown to the look in a man's confident eyes. Lettice tells her story so well, and makes the characters so real and believable. It is a good mix of entertainment and history.

It was refreshing to see Queen Elizabeth from a different point of view; you always hear her described as "Good Queen Bess". Of course, we are shown through this book that the Queen wasn't as good and sweet as everyone thought she was. Granted, though, she was still brilliant.

It was also interesting to see more about the Queen's "favorites". Overall, I would highly reccomend this book.

Victoria Holt was one of my favorite authors when I was younger. A master storyteller, she would consistently weave a story that would have the reader turning the pages. This work of historical fiction is one of her best. Riveting from beginning to end, this fictional autobiographical account of the life of Marie Antoinette is superb. Written in the first person, with little dialogue, it is the rumination of a life that was to end tragically. Pampered, spoiled, and fun loving, the beautiful Maria Antonia of Austria metamorphosed into Marie Antoinette of France upon her marriage to the Dauphin, who would eventually become King of France, the ineffectual, but benign, Louis XVI.

This is her story, grounded in historical fact and set within the framework of history. This work of fiction about the life of Marie Antoinette, as seen through her own eyes, is fascinating, as it captures the flavor of those uncertain times and the events that led to the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy in France. It is a reflection on how Marie Antoinette's own behavior influenced the fate of France. Indulging in the excesses of the day, she initially gave little thought as to how her actions might affect the people of France or the monarchy. By the time she realized that her actions and excesses had wide spread political ramifications, it was too late, and the fate of her and her husband was sealed. No amount of personal regret could change it.

This book will be enjoyed by those who enjoy good, well written historical fiction. It is little wonder that this book spent two months on the New York Times Best Seller List. It is simply historical fiction at its best.

If you are intersted in the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, or just want a good read, this book is the one to read. If you like this book and become interested in royalty, or you already are, Victoria holt wrote tons of other books on British and some Spanish, French, and Italian royalty under the pseudonym Jean Plaidy, so try those.
This book is a fictional memoir written by Marie Antoinette between 1789 and her death in 1793. It covers her whole life (sympathetically) and dispells the rumor that she said "Let them eat cake". Read this!

I read this book in 1973!? It was so wonderful that I planned my trip to Paris around Marie Antoinette's homes - the Grand and Petit Trianon at Versailles for one stop. The author writes historical fiction so beautifully that you can't help wishing to run to Europe and experience the lives of the queens you've read about!! I'll never orget this book - and others by Victoria Holt!

Few of us will ever forget the events of September 11, where we were, how the nation reacted. Tony Rennell tells us of another earthshattering event, for its time, the death of Queen Victoria.

Beginning a few days before the Queen's death, Rennell proceeds slowly through her final illness, providing enough background to satisfy us without boring us. After the Queen passes, he gives us ample reaction to the death, even printing (rather pompous by today's standards) poems and songs written at the time (interesting to compare them with the songs written after September 11). He brings us through the funeral and burial at Windsor.

Rennell tells us what was not widely known before--that Victoria was buried holding a picture of John Brown and a locket with his hair, and wearing a ring he had given her. He is careful to put this in the proper context, devoting an appendix to setting forth his view that Brown and the Queen had an entirely proper, though unconventional, relationship.

Rennell puts the event in historical perspective--the conflict between those who wanted a "proper" amount of mourning, and those who wanted to move on quickly, reopen the theaters, put off mourning dress. I wonder how long it has been since the general public wore mourning for a monarch, and if there will be any expectation that it be done next time. Yet in 1901, the period of public mourning was shortened to "only" six weeks!

This book was published before 9/11, but I wonder, if, in 2101, a similar book will be published to remind the public of our watershed event.

Well worth reading.

I was going to say "enjoyable and informative", but then thought that saying reading about someone dying was enjoyable wasn't quite right. However, the author has given us so much background and detail on what was going on in England at this time that I will say those parts were enjoyable!

It seems unbelievable that the government apparently had not done much advance planning. It's as if no one thought the Queen was going to die. I was reminded of the smooth operation of the Queen Mother's funeral in April where everything went like clockwork. Queen Victoria had given a few orders for her funeral, but the details were left to others with the usual squabbling.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the British Royal family.

This book covers, and covers quite well, the events surrounding the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. It's especially relevant now that the "Queen Mum" has passed away, for she was more than likely alive when Victoria died, the last connection in the British royal family to that era of pomp and circumstance. It's very interesting to see how death and services for royals were handled 100 years ago, when there were many more monarchies and the almost reverential attitude towards them had not been soured by WWI.
Victoria was beloved by her people, and almost all of them could not remember another reigning monarch, since she ruled for 64 years, almost a lifetime in those days. There was genuine grief and fear at her departure, and a worry at the changing world everyone would face in her absence. A few years ago I read the book "Farewell In Splendor", which covers the same sets of facts, and both of these works are well worth reading. You will learn many things you didn't know about the end of the Victorian age, and perhaps have an air of nostalgia for what appears to be a quite different, and perhaps better, past.

Many interesting photos and trivia about Victoria's large extended family-there's good reason she referred to it as "the mob".Slightly marred by sloppy editing and stilted translations;overall enjoyable and worthwhile.

for those interested in royalty. While some of these photos can be found in many different books, some of them I've seen for the first time. Queen Victoria's decendants are so numerous and belong to so many different royal houses. Definitely a worthwhile purchase!

Zeepvat has compiled a collection of photographs any follower of Queen Victoria's family will appreciate. While many biographies display photos of Victoria and Albert, their children and children-in-law, only a smattering of her many grandchildren are featured. And rarely are there any likenesses given for her army of great-grandchildren. This treasury of snapshots, many before unseen by the general readership, is laid out in generational format. The insightful captions and copious genealogical charts in the end pages both make for easy reference to keep up with how the subjects are related to one another. In short, a very touching and well-presented album sure to please many.