The Girl in the Glass Tower by Elizabeth Fremantle was published in 2016 and it definitely didn’t appear in my original list of 20 Books of Summer, because it’s a library book which I picked up after reading that it was set in Hardwick Hall, a place I’ve really enjoyed visiting in the past.
But Hardwick Hall is just a sumptuous prison for Arbella, she’s the granddaughter of Bess of Hardwick, but is also the great-granddaughter of Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister and that means that she’s in the running to be next in line to the throne when Queen Elizabeth I dies. Sadly Bess has no real love for her granddaughter, Arbella is just a step to power for the wildly ambitious Bess. Arbella has only one friend, her tutor and she’s bereft when he is sent away.
There are others who regard their family as having a good claim to the throne and with Elizabeth not making clear who she wants to succeed to the throne after her death it’s a breeding ground for family intrigues.
The chapter headings range from Hardwick, Clerkenwell, Richmond Palace, Barnet, Whitehall and Bishopsgate. The Clerkenwell sections feature Aemilia Lanyer who had been a poet at court and had lived a comfortable life until the death of her partner had plunged her into poverty. She’s living a hand to mouth existence and is in danger of being accused of witchcraft.
This was a really enjoyable read and the author was able to read the many letters which had been written by Arbella over the years, which must have been a great help in capturing her personality.
A few years ago I read The Poison Bed by this author and enjoyed it – this one actually sounds even better. Hardwick Hall was on my list of places to visit in England last year before my friend became ill and, sadly, we didn’t make it.
Happy Anniversary to you and Jack! 47 years of wedded bliss – wishing you many more!
Anbolyn,
That is so sad about your friend, we’ve had similar unexpected experiences with close friends recently. I’m glad you got to Haworth though! Ahem, I don’t know about wedded bliss!! But we muddle along happily for the most part. Let me know if you ever decide to visit Edinburgh/Scotland.
I read The Poison Bed too and enjoyed it, this one might be better or it might just be that as I could see Harwick Hall in my mind it added more for me.
I had not come across this author until recently and the book I got from the library was due before I had a chance to read it. However, I have been fascinated by Arbella since I was about 12 and found a book called Too Near the Throne by Molly Costain Haycraft. I will have to look for this one, although my house is again full of library books with inflexible due dates. I will never get my guest room painted.
Constance,
So many books, it’s like being on a treadmill, but an enjoyable one, mainly. I’m sure I saw a painting of Arbella plus husband in a stately home years ago, but I can’t see it online anywhere. I wish I could remember where it was. I managed to paint my front and back doors last week, now I have to paint some interior woodwork, but I fear that if I do what really has to be painted I’ll end up doing everwhere as it’s sure to look shabby compared with the newly painted area!