Review: Queen Elizabeth's Daughter: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Anne Clinard Barnhill

Queen Elizabeth's Daughter: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Anne Clinard Barnhill 

Published March 18th 2014 by St. Martin's Griffin

Paperback, 384 pages

Series: Stand-Alone

Genre: Historical Fiction
Heat Rating: Kissing to some steamy

Source:  I got a physical copy of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
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Summary from Goodreads

From the author of At the Mercy of the Queen comes the gripping tale of Mary Shelton, Elizabeth I’s young cousin and ward, set against the glittering backdrop of the Elizabethan court.

Mistress Mary Shelton is Queen Elizabeth’s favorite ward, enjoying every privilege the position affords. The queen loves Mary like a daughter, and, like any good mother, she wants her to make a powerful match. The most likely prospect: Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. But while Oxford seems to be everything the queen admires: clever, polished and wealthy, Mary knows him to be lecherous, cruel, and full of treachery. No matter how hard the queen tries to push her into his arms, Mary refuses.

Instead, Mary falls in love with a man who is completely unsuitable. Sir John Skydemore is a minor knight with little money, a widower with five children. Worst of all, he’s a Catholic at a time when Catholic plots against Elizabeth are rampant. The queen forbids Mary to wed the man she loves. When the young woman, who is the queen’s own flesh and blood, defies her, the couple finds their very lives in danger as Elizabeth’s wrath knows no bounds.

It has been such a long time since I have read a historical fiction based on Tudors Era that I couldn't wait when I saw the new release of Queen Elizabeth's Daughter to come out!

Mary Shelton is Queen Elizabeth's favorite ward, having been under the queens care ever since her mother died when she was only 3 years old - she lives the life of privilege that her position offers. Queen Elizabeth loves Mary as if she was her very own flesh and blood. Therefore like any good mother, she want's what's best for Mary, to make her a powerful match. The first person that comes to mind that has title and money is the Earl of Oxford who the queen seems to be quiet fond off. Too bad that Mary saw the darker side of the man and want's nothing to do with him.

Mary is perfectly content with being the queens maid and by her side until Sir John Skydemore shows up in her life. A knight who is a widower with five children and little money. Not to mention, Sir John is also Catholic and the Queen is currently in turmoil with Catholics plotting against her.

Interesting story. I really liked how history was weaved into the plot and became part of the story and how it affected the Queen and Mary alike. It was very interesting to read about the time era and it wasn't completely romanticized. Like the fact that the castle would eventually stink so bad that they would have to move through the seasons into a different place to live because it was a different kind of times.

What I really liked in this story is Mary. She had a very pure heart even if her love and devotion to the Queen had felt quiet overwhelming at times. As evident at the end of the book when she makes a sacrifice of some sort in order to please her Queen. I was pretty floored by her love for the queen.

What I had a hard time with in this book is some of the character. Earl of Oxford was a nasty man with ill-fitted intentions. I did not like his actions towards Mary and then him trying to drag her name through the mud when she went on rejecting him. In one scene I felt he got what he deserved.

The Queen left me scratching my head at times as well, her hot and cold temper left me cringing at times. The writing was something also to get use to, a lot of over-dramatic scenes and conversations. Including some of Mary's reactions towards Earl of Oxford, at times it sounded like she wouldn't have minded him asking the Queen for her hand - even if he was a terrible, terrible man. It read oddly at times but I had managed to by pass all of that because I did enjoy the story and the slow blooming romance between Sir John and Mary.

I also enjoyed Author's note in the end that explained which parts was fiction and facts from the research that she had done before writing the book.