The Virgin's Lover

Another Phillipa Gregory title that left me impressed, it did not impress me as much as her previous titles but for anyone who has listened and or read any of her books this one has all the similar elements that her previous titles has. The narration is (as expected) spot on and the story itself was (again as expected) engrossing.

Phillipa Gregory titles always seems to benefit from attracting and employing the best most suited narrators for this type of genre out there. There is nothing I can say more about the narrator than that she (Davina Porter) did an excellent job, there is nothing I can take away from it. She had a task with having to portray a wide array of characters from different viewpoints and she did it with some ease.

The story is something you can get lost in. It starts off a bit slow but it picks up pretty well but it once again starts to drawl a bit in the center. The plot itself is very interesting with the dynamics between Queen Elizabeth, Robert Dudley and Lady Amy being the focal point of the book. Lady Amy's faith throughout the book was both admirable and foolish at the same time if you ask me.... while Robert Dudley's cunning nature is nothing short of disturbing.... Queen Elizabeth comes off as both naive and ruthless at the same time in this book.

Excellent title overall.

Several years ago, I bought this book in paperback and read the entire book in one day - I could not put it down. Despite the dramatic license taken at times with history, this book tells a great story that leaves you wanting to know more about every character involved.

The audiobook was a harder sell for me. I've listened to it twice and it makes me question if the book was as great as I thought or if listening to it brings out things I didn't notice in reading it myself. In reading it myself, my pity was stirred for Amy, but in listening to the accent the reader gives Amy and the tone she uses, I find myself frustrated with Amy and sympathizing with Robert Dudley! In the same way, in the book I found Elizabeth, while pert and demanding, also very alluring and charismatic. In this reading, however, she comes across distinctly bratty. I did adjust both times to the accent and it's not necessarily the reader's accent that is bad but her interpretation of the characters. However, it is worth listening to, whether or not you've read the book.

I think Gregory must have rushed this book, because the real life story of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley was so fascinating that it shouldn't be hard to write about.

In past books, it was easy to see that Philippa Gregory had a biased opinion of certain characters... It didn't bother me when it didn't detract from the story. In "The Other Boleyn Girl", Gregory is obviously no fan of Anne Boleyn, portraying her as a one dimensional super bitch.

Well in this story, Gregory has a bias toward Elizabeth, and her portrayal of the Queen is negative and highly inaccurate. It did bother me this time. Her version of the beloved rake Robert Dudley was also unsympathetic and just dull. His wife Amy was the obvious "victim", and I did feel bad for her, but her character just didnt move me.

Also, the story was not very interesting. Nothing really happens. Although, It was angsty and had a couple passionate scenes in the beginning... I was hopeful for the first half of the book, but the second half was a disappointment. The name of the book gave me high expectations, as I love the enduring relationship btw the Queen and Sir Robert Dudley. But Gregory told only a tiny part of the story, and upon finishing the book, I just felt really depressed!!!

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For a fantastic and much more accurate view of Elizabeth's younger years, check out Alison Weir's "The Lady Elizabeth". It is exceptional historical fiction.

A recommendation for Philippa Gregory fans: "The Boleyn Inheritance" IS A MUST BUY!!!! It is an extraordinary audiobook, and the narration is perfect, of the highest quality, by all the favorite narrators. (Bianca Amato, Davian Porter, etc)

Loved the reader and the story. Very interesting and well done. I am looking for more like this!

Seriously, Davina Porter whistles on her S's and after a while it's like someone stabbing you in the eardrum. I listened to her narrate the Outlander series and don't remember this being a problem, but this recording is almost unbearable with headphones on. Otherwise I think she was ok, and the story was good... but not as good as the earlier books in this series.

Amy Dudley, poor thing. No match for the cards she was dealt.

Ms. Porter often makes the character's sound like witches, very distracting and unsat.

Please bring back Bianca Amato to finish the work she began on this series. Her voice is well moderated, mature and does not interfere with the story. Amato has developed Phillippa Gregory's characters with subtlety and precision and allows the book to speak for itself, rather than imposing a bombastic pretentiousness on the work. It was jarring to hear the over-done, sloppy cadence of Davina Porter being applied to this narrative. Porter's interpretation of the characters, as she has done on the Outlander series, swings between overwrought and flippant, creating a two-dimensional listen out of a complex read.

Kept with the original reader: Bianca Amato.

Absolutely not.

I'd heard so much about Philippa Gregory's books and was looking forward to reading one of her historical novels. I understood that license had been taken with the historical facts, and I was prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for was a poorly edited novel with a plodding plot and text and dialogue of the same quality that's in the average Harlequin romance novel. I got about a third of the way through this on Gregory's reputation and just gave up. I really like Davina Porter as a narrator and it's unfortunate that she does books like this (ie, Outlander series).

I really don't know the story. I could not get past the whiny old woman narration. I will never buy an audible with this narrator again!!!!

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Bianca Amato (The Queen's Fool) could have narrated.

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I am learning to be more careful with audiobooks. A narrator can make or break a book.