Elizabeth of Bohemia
In David Elias’ engaging novel, Elizabeth of Bohemia, the drama and intrigue of 17th-century England and the Continent leaps off the page. The fierce Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of King James I, enters into a loveless marriage with Prince Frederic of the Palatinate. Amid much turmoil, the Hapsburg emperor is weakened, and with help from Bohemian rebels—and Elizabeth’s encouragement—Frederic takes over royal duties in Prague. But within the year, Elizabeth and her family are run out of Prague, setting the young queen on a journey that will test every ounce of her determination and strength.
It’s not often I read a story where the main character is so completely dissatisfied with her life. Elizabeth’s dreams of having a loving marriage are shattered when her father orders her to marry a man she doesn’t care for, let alone respect. When she tries to make a move and become Queen of Bohemia, it ends in disaster. She gives birth to thirteen children, but her relationships with all of them is strained to the point that some refuse to speak to her. When her husband dies, she is left nearly destitute and spends years scrambling for money to keep her family afloat. There is no happy ending for Elizabeth Stuart.
Elizabeth wanted so much more for her life, but she worked with what she had and refused to let obstacles get in her way. I would have liked her to find happiness in her life, yet sometimes that just isn’t in the cards for some people. I enjoyed how authentic Elias wrote Elizabeth’s story. He didn’t sugar coat the struggles she faced. It would have been nice if he could have written her a happy ending, but that would have felt disingenuous, and it would have been a lie.
One of the interesting aspects of this story was Elizabeth’s relationship with her children. I was amazed to read she had thirteen children and survived each birth. In the 1600s, that is astounding. Despite the amount of children she had, Elizabeth wasn’t interested in raising them at all. She admitted she didn’t really have any interest in her children until they were teenagers. It explains why many, if not all, of her children didn’t have great relationships with her. She especially struggled with her daughter Elisabeth. The two were so similar, their personalities clashed, sparking arguments that strained the relationship.
Some of Elizabeth’s children grew to become important historical figures, including Rupert of the Rhine and Sophia of Hanover, from whom the Hanoverian line descended to the present Queen Elizabeth II. I had no idea she was such a key figure in today’s British monarchy.
English history lovers will enjoy this book about a fiercely determined woman.
Elizabeth of Bohemia Rating: ★★★★
It’s not often I read a story where the main character is so completely dissatisfied with her life. Elizabeth’s dreams of having a loving marriage are shattered when her father orders her to marry a man she doesn’t care for, let alone respect. When she tries to make a move and become Queen of Bohemia, it ends in disaster. She gives birth to thirteen children, but her relationships with all of them is strained to the point that some refuse to speak to her. When her husband dies, she is left nearly destitute and spends years scrambling for money to keep her family afloat. There is no happy ending for Elizabeth Stuart.
Elizabeth wanted so much more for her life, but she worked with what she had and refused to let obstacles get in her way. I would have liked her to find happiness in her life, yet sometimes that just isn’t in the cards for some people. I enjoyed how authentic Elias wrote Elizabeth’s story. He didn’t sugar coat the struggles she faced. It would have been nice if he could have written her a happy ending, but that would have felt disingenuous, and it would have been a lie.
One of the interesting aspects of this story was Elizabeth’s relationship with her children. I was amazed to read she had thirteen children and survived each birth. In the 1600s, that is astounding. Despite the amount of children she had, Elizabeth wasn’t interested in raising them at all. She admitted she didn’t really have any interest in her children until they were teenagers. It explains why many, if not all, of her children didn’t have great relationships with her. She especially struggled with her daughter Elisabeth. The two were so similar, their personalities clashed, sparking arguments that strained the relationship.
Some of Elizabeth’s children grew to become important historical figures, including Rupert of the Rhine and Sophia of Hanover, from whom the Hanoverian line descended to the present Queen Elizabeth II. I had no idea she was such a key figure in today’s British monarchy.
English history lovers will enjoy this book about a fiercely determined woman.
Elizabeth of Bohemia Rating: ★★★★