Legacy: The Acclaimed Novel of Elizabeth, England's Most Passionate Queen -- And the Three Men Who Loved Her Paperback – 1 July 2010

Simply the best book written about the enigma that was Elizabeth the First.Could hardly bear to put it down.Found it easy to empathise with the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the rich description of a bygone age.It explores a fascinating theory held by some in the Tudor world, that Anne Boleyn was a witch and lived on in her daughter. Absorbing and interesting angle, if not totally accurate!!The dilemma posed by Mary, Queen of Scots, was investigated thoroughly and proved to be most thought - provoking.A must-read for people who enjoy a really good, historical novel that brings characters to life and evokes powerful images of life in the Tudor Court.

Coming into this book, I’d yet to read a definitive novel of Elizabeth’s life, something which seemed a bit of a mystery, as Elizabeth is one of the most well known figures of history. Susan Kay's Legacy is grand and ambitious in scope, taking us from the cradle to the grave, and highlighting themes across Elizabeth’s life and seeking to explain how she evolves as a character and makes her later decisions as queen. However, the novel also felt like it dealt with stages of Elizabeth’s life in more brevity, and not nearly as much detail as I wanted. Margaret George’s recent novel Elizabeth was fresh in my mind, which covers the queen's later years, so I was particularly aware of what Kay left out from the autumn of Elizabeth's life and found myself missing what was omitted.Legacy was well-written, the dialogue in particular was sharp and in character, although I missed a certain level of detail. Legacy probably is the novel that comes closest to being a definitive novel of Elizabeth’s life, but for me it just didn’t quite make it, missing it by a hair by virtue of the fact that by focusing on the wider scope Kay sacrificed the details and complexities of the era. Very enjoyable however, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Legacy to anyone.

As other reviewers have said, this is a truely amazing book. I was gripped from the first chapter and seriously didn't want it to end.The book is written as a novel around the events of the sixteenth century, with good background before Elizabeth's birth, through her childhood and growing up years. How the events that happened made her who she was. Having read other historical books, I'm not necessarily a fan of Elizabeth herself from the ways she treated others for example, Katherine Grey, and her manipulation of the men around her, but this book restored a little of my faith and gave good reasons for why she acted as she did.I really liked the day to day detail in the book, of Elizabeth and Dudley enjoying quiet evenings in her closet playing chess and sitting by the fire. It made the characters come to life and you almost felt you were there as a casual observer.I will definitely read this book again and would recommend to anyone whether they are interested in this period in history or not.

This has got to be the best fiction book that I have ever read about Elizabeth I. Phillipa Gregory could learn a few things by reading this. The research is second to none and the way the story is told it kept me turning the pages I did not want to put it down. I will certainly read it again and again. Its not boring like some historical fiction can be. Highly Highly recommended it to anyone that loves historical fiction especially about the Tudors. I wish she would write some more!!!

I first came across this novel MANY years ago and read and re-read it so often, I literally read the covers off it! I was delighted to find it again on Amazon recently and have spent many a happy hour re-acquainting myself with this old friend! The story is engagingly told from the very beginning, the characters fully rounded and the historic facts cleverly woven into the whole thing. Anyone who loves the Tudor and Elizabethan era will LOVE this book.

Can't comment on the content of the book because it is a gift for my stepdaughter! Thus 3 stars as it is "probably at least OK" if you like that sort of historical book.

The book arrived quickly and is just as described.

I've read a lot of good Historical Fiction, but I was caught up in this one at a level that made other aspects of my life just wait until I could finish. Top notch writing that kept me glued to the story.