Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

Kate Saunders of The Times says on the front of Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir ‘If you don’t cry at the end, you have a heart of stone’ So there you go, I have a heart of stone, in fact I’m as hard as nails – did I tell you I come from Glasgow?

Anyway, I knew the story of Lady Jane Grey so nothing was a surprise and for me that was the problem with this book, I think if you don’t know much about the subject then this is the book for you. I knew most of the history involved, if not all and I found the massive info dumps annoying.

The tale is told from several different characters’ perspectives and I don’t think that that was well done as they all had much the same voice as far as I was concerned’ which is definitely not something that happens with real people.

It is about one of the most tragic occurrences in English history, a young girl used and abused by the very people who should have nurtured and loved her most. That they only saw Jane as an object for their own advancement was shameful but probably not that surprising to the people around them at the time. In fact if you have a look at the news reports there are plenty of abusive parents around now.

That’s probably me being a right grumpy besom but I think for some reason I have a problem with Alison Weir as a fiction writer, I intend to have a go at one of her straight history books as I think I might prefer those. I see that her history books veer mainly towards the Tudor period, I fancy trying her Eleanor of Aquitane, but the question is – will she be as good a historian as Antonia Fraser? No doubt I’ll find out. Have you read any of her non-fiction books?

6 thoughts on “Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

  1. I have this book but have not read it yet. I enjoyed The Princes in the Tower by Weir (non fiction) but I just couldn’t persevere with her Mary Queen of Scots! I’ve started it a few times and whilst it is interesting it is so detailed – and very long – and my copy is in a very small font! I gave up and hope to try it another day!

    • Margaret,
      I would like to read her Princes in the Tower, but I doubt if she could top Antonia Fraser’s Mary Queen of Scots so I wouldn’t bother with that one. Possibly there is just too much in the way of historical documents involving Mary Stuart, it sounds like Weir needed to edit herself more!

  2. I enjoyed this a bit more than you did, but I knew almost nothing about Jane at the time so the info dumps didn’t bother me. I’ve read Alison Weir’s non-fiction book on Elizabeth of York and thought it was fascinating, although there was too much speculation for my liking.

    • Helen,
      You mentioning too much speculation reminded me that I had read Weir’s biography of Mary Boleyn and I said that the book was full of question marks. I borrowed her Anne Boleyn from the library today and that seems better, but there is so much evidence of what went on then that it should be more definite and less airy fairy.

  3. When I read your post, I thought, “Alison Weir, fiction? Really?” I suppose that was uncharitable of me, but I think she has her nonfiction style nailed down. Being a fiction writer is a totally different craft and discipline. I shouldn’t judge without reading her fiction, but I do trust your insight, Katrina.
    Judith

    • Judith,
      I agree, I think she should definitely stick to non-fiction, and even with those she should edit herself more. I get the feeling that if she digs up a letter or document it has to go into the book, despite the fact that it might not be of much interest or is just repeating something else.

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