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Lady Jane Grey, Reluctant Queen
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1952
About the author
Marguerite Vance
81 books6 followersAka Sarah K. Wright (Tales From Grimm), Anne Kramer.
" Marguerite Vance was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Miss Martin's School there, from the primary grades to graduation from the collegiate department.
Following graduation she spent three years in Paris. Returning home she married and lived for twenty-one years in Cleveland. After her husband's death in 1931 Mrs. Vance had charge of the book department in the Eastman Bolton Gallery, then for two years was with the Eigbee book department, both in Cleveland.
In 1933 she (moved) to New York to take charge of the children's book department in Dutton's Book Store on Fifth Avenue at 53rd Street. That year her first book, A Star for Hansi, was published by Harper.
In 1940 she joined the staff of E.P. Dutton & Company as editor of children's books. Of her own published books, the most recent carry the Dutton imprint. They are: Boy on the Road: A Christmas Story; While Shepherds Watched; Martha, Daughter of Virginia; Patsy Jefferson of Monticello; The Lees Of Arlington; Marie Antoinette, Daughter of an Empress; Lady Jane Grey, Reluctant Queen; The Jacksons of Tennessee; On Wings of Fire; Windows for Rosemary and The Empress Josephine: from Martinique to Malmaison
(September 1956)."
- This biography is not dated but was requested on October 11th 1960 in correspondence between Vance, E.P. Dutton and Maine State Library's Maine Author Collection so is presumed accurate at least up until that point. The full correspondence can be read here
" Marguerite Vance was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Miss Martin's School there, from the primary grades to graduation from the collegiate department.
Following graduation she spent three years in Paris. Returning home she married and lived for twenty-one years in Cleveland. After her husband's death in 1931 Mrs. Vance had charge of the book department in the Eastman Bolton Gallery, then for two years was with the Eigbee book department, both in Cleveland.
In 1933 she (moved) to New York to take charge of the children's book department in Dutton's Book Store on Fifth Avenue at 53rd Street. That year her first book, A Star for Hansi, was published by Harper.
In 1940 she joined the staff of E.P. Dutton & Company as editor of children's books. Of her own published books, the most recent carry the Dutton imprint. They are: Boy on the Road: A Christmas Story; While Shepherds Watched; Martha, Daughter of Virginia; Patsy Jefferson of Monticello; The Lees Of Arlington; Marie Antoinette, Daughter of an Empress; Lady Jane Grey, Reluctant Queen; The Jacksons of Tennessee; On Wings of Fire; Windows for Rosemary and The Empress Josephine: from Martinique to Malmaison
(September 1956)."
- This biography is not dated but was requested on October 11th 1960 in correspondence between Vance, E.P. Dutton and Maine State Library's Maine Author Collection so is presumed accurate at least up until that point. The full correspondence can be read here
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 29, 2015
I can't say that if I read this book today it would get 5 stars, but I read it when I was 11 and I adored this book--along with just about everything else by this author.
August 30, 2018
Unlike Philippe Gregory’s portrayal of Lady Jane Grey as something of a sanctimonious prig in The Last Tudor, Marguerite Vance shows us Jane as an innocent, trusting child who had no idea how she had been manipulated throughout her short life.
I loved this book so much as a kid, the 4 stars are for sentimental value. As an adult, it’s easy to see the flaws in this biography, but I would recommend it to a budding young Tudorphile
I loved this book so much as a kid, the 4 stars are for sentimental value. As an adult, it’s easy to see the flaws in this biography, but I would recommend it to a budding young Tudorphile
June 15, 2014
(Count this review as a 3.5 star, instead of a 3 star, review)
So, I am going to admit it, I happen to be a bit of a geek. I really like English history, specifically the Tudor royal family. It's fascinating! When I was younger, I would read almost anything I could get my hands on about Queen Elizabeth the First. I think that part of that was that we happen to have the same first name, and that's always cool, but also part of that was because she was SO cool. Anyways, because of my extensive (for someone under 10) research, I knew a lot about that specific time period, and I knew about Lady Jane Grey. Now, normally, she was mentioned in passing in the books I read, as she was Queen for only 9 days, so she was sort of glossed over, and you never really heard much about her after Mary took her rightful place as Queen of England.
I found my copy of this book last summer at an antique store near my house, where I got it for a toonie. I noticed it first because it was red (what is it with me and red books?), second, because it was old (I'll discuss the amazingness of old books later in the post), third I noticed the name that is the title, and finally, I noticed how fancily the title was printed. My copy is the second printing, from December 1952. Fun Fact: That means that the book was printed 398 years and 10 months after Lady Jane died. The first printing was in September of the same year. I think that it was maybe a library book at some point, and it's not in the best shape ever, but I love it.
The book begins just after Catherine Parr (in the book it's spelled 'Katherine' Parr), the dowager Queen dies, when Jane is 11 years old. We follow Jane from that point through court, parties, weddings, funerals, and everyday life until she becomes embroiled in the power play staged by her father that ultimately cost her her life.
To be fair, she did not really want the crown (note the 'Reluctant' in the title of the book), and I think her sentence was sort of harsh, considering she had sort of been led into it like a blind sheep. But, what's done is done, and I can't change it, so there's no point in dwelling.
I do agree that Mary was the rightful heir to the throne, and that it was totally within her rights to take it. I would also like to point out that it is totally within my rights to not like her. I don't know what would have happened if Jane had stayed Queen, but I suspect that there would have been a lot less burnings and torturing going on (Mary had a nasty habit of killing off anyone who professed a Protestant faith). So, if I could remodel history, I would make Jane Queen, and then pass the crown to Elizabeth. I realize that that would have been difficult to engineer, unless Jane had no children (Mary died in 1558, 4 years after Jane became Queen, so there would be no worries that the crown would pass to her instead of directly to Elizabeth), but it would have saved so many lives. Anyways, no use in re-engineering English history to be better to my liking (England would totally have ended up in the same place, monarchy-wise, so it wouldn't be hurting anything).
I really like this book. I don't know whether to classify it Historical Fiction or Historical Non-Fiction, because it reads like a story, but it is just full of history facts! The description is beautiful, it's full of detail, the facts are all bang-on, and it is engaging. It really makes you feel for poor Jane. I recommend that you all go, right now, and figure out where you can find this book. Wait, no. Finish reading this, and then go find a copy. 'Kay? 'Kay. I'm sure that you could find it through Amazon or Ebay or something, and if all else fails, go to your local antique shop, town bazaar, or library book sale, and pray that it's there.
Now, about the amazingness of old books: what isn't there to love? They look cool, they smell nice, and it feels like you are holding a piece of history! You just can't help but wonder who else has loved this book, and where it's been. Also, the chances of you getting a book that is amazing that nobody else has heard of, and you getting to re-introduce it to the world (or at least your friends) greatly increases. If you were wondering if you read the above correctly, yes, I did say that they smell nice, and I will stand by that. Unless you get one that hasn't been well taken care of and smells like old mold and must, old books, as a rule, smell nice. I'm just saying. I promise that I do not go around smelling books, honestly, I don't.
So, what do you think about old books? Have you ever heard of this one before? Are you also a fan of English history (specifically the Tudor royal family)? What do you think of my remodeled history? How would you like to have seen it all go down? Tell me in the comments below!
Stay Addicted!
-Elizabeth
Find more great reviews at:
The Book Addicts
So, I am going to admit it, I happen to be a bit of a geek. I really like English history, specifically the Tudor royal family. It's fascinating! When I was younger, I would read almost anything I could get my hands on about Queen Elizabeth the First. I think that part of that was that we happen to have the same first name, and that's always cool, but also part of that was because she was SO cool. Anyways, because of my extensive (for someone under 10) research, I knew a lot about that specific time period, and I knew about Lady Jane Grey. Now, normally, she was mentioned in passing in the books I read, as she was Queen for only 9 days, so she was sort of glossed over, and you never really heard much about her after Mary took her rightful place as Queen of England.
I found my copy of this book last summer at an antique store near my house, where I got it for a toonie. I noticed it first because it was red (what is it with me and red books?), second, because it was old (I'll discuss the amazingness of old books later in the post), third I noticed the name that is the title, and finally, I noticed how fancily the title was printed. My copy is the second printing, from December 1952. Fun Fact: That means that the book was printed 398 years and 10 months after Lady Jane died. The first printing was in September of the same year. I think that it was maybe a library book at some point, and it's not in the best shape ever, but I love it.
The book begins just after Catherine Parr (in the book it's spelled 'Katherine' Parr), the dowager Queen dies, when Jane is 11 years old. We follow Jane from that point through court, parties, weddings, funerals, and everyday life until she becomes embroiled in the power play staged by her father that ultimately cost her her life.
To be fair, she did not really want the crown (note the 'Reluctant' in the title of the book), and I think her sentence was sort of harsh, considering she had sort of been led into it like a blind sheep. But, what's done is done, and I can't change it, so there's no point in dwelling.
I do agree that Mary was the rightful heir to the throne, and that it was totally within her rights to take it. I would also like to point out that it is totally within my rights to not like her. I don't know what would have happened if Jane had stayed Queen, but I suspect that there would have been a lot less burnings and torturing going on (Mary had a nasty habit of killing off anyone who professed a Protestant faith). So, if I could remodel history, I would make Jane Queen, and then pass the crown to Elizabeth. I realize that that would have been difficult to engineer, unless Jane had no children (Mary died in 1558, 4 years after Jane became Queen, so there would be no worries that the crown would pass to her instead of directly to Elizabeth), but it would have saved so many lives. Anyways, no use in re-engineering English history to be better to my liking (England would totally have ended up in the same place, monarchy-wise, so it wouldn't be hurting anything).
I really like this book. I don't know whether to classify it Historical Fiction or Historical Non-Fiction, because it reads like a story, but it is just full of history facts! The description is beautiful, it's full of detail, the facts are all bang-on, and it is engaging. It really makes you feel for poor Jane. I recommend that you all go, right now, and figure out where you can find this book. Wait, no. Finish reading this, and then go find a copy. 'Kay? 'Kay. I'm sure that you could find it through Amazon or Ebay or something, and if all else fails, go to your local antique shop, town bazaar, or library book sale, and pray that it's there.
Now, about the amazingness of old books: what isn't there to love? They look cool, they smell nice, and it feels like you are holding a piece of history! You just can't help but wonder who else has loved this book, and where it's been. Also, the chances of you getting a book that is amazing that nobody else has heard of, and you getting to re-introduce it to the world (or at least your friends) greatly increases. If you were wondering if you read the above correctly, yes, I did say that they smell nice, and I will stand by that. Unless you get one that hasn't been well taken care of and smells like old mold and must, old books, as a rule, smell nice. I'm just saying. I promise that I do not go around smelling books, honestly, I don't.
So, what do you think about old books? Have you ever heard of this one before? Are you also a fan of English history (specifically the Tudor royal family)? What do you think of my remodeled history? How would you like to have seen it all go down? Tell me in the comments below!
Stay Addicted!
-Elizabeth
Find more great reviews at:
The Book Addicts
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews