NOTHING PROVED

Wertman’s novel follows the unlikely rise to power of Elizabeth Tudor.

At the outset of Wertman’s first novel in her forthcoming Regina series, 11-year-old Elizabeth Tudor is deep in study with the private teacher her family hired for her brother, Edward, the heir apparent to their father Henry VIII’s throne. At this young age, Elizabeth is already far more compelled by her education than the machinations of royalty, a preference which is only underscored by her feelings of isolation from the rest of the court as the “illegitimate” daughter of the ill-fated Anne Boleyn. After her father’s death, Elizabeth’s younger half brother ascends to the throne, and Elizabeth is somewhat cast off, living away from the court, albeit in luxury with a governess and a beloved staff. Though unmarried, rumors swirl around the kingdom about Elizabeth’s potential suitors, one of whom is Thomas Seymour, husband to the late Katherine Parr (a close confidant of Elizabeth’s). Though Elizabeth did nothing to encourage Thomas Seymour, his lust for her is well documented, even going so far as an assault in her younger years, and it’s no secret he wishes to marry her. When Seymour becomes enmeshed in a treasonous plot to usurp Edward, it’s assumed by the king’s council—a group of royalty who are leading in Edward’s stead because he has not yet reached the age of maturity—that Elizabeth must have been involved. From there, Elizabeth is officially set against the family which controls her, a position that becomes all the more dangerous when her sister, Mary, succeeds the throne after Edward’s untimely death, vowing to restore Catholicism to the kingdom after Henry VIII’s schism with the church. Meticulously well researched, Wertman’s novel manages to capture some of the sumptuousness of English royal life: “The roses at Hatfield were at the height of their lasciviousness, calling out to random passersby with their shocking colors, enticing them closer with scents as heavy as incense. They were rich and gaudy and showy.” Elizabeth Tudor remains a fitting character for the 21st century, and Wertman does well to keep her story accessible for the modern reader, weaving together a pleasing tapestry of history, character, and great storytelling.

A compelling period piece which brings to life the early days of one of history’s greatest monarchs.