• The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor

  • Elizabeth I, Thomas Seymour, and the Making of a Virgin Queen
  • By: Elizabeth Norton
  • Narrated by: Sarah Nichols
  • Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (418 ratings)

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The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor

By: Elizabeth Norton
Narrated by: Sarah Nichols
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Publisher's summary

A power-hungry courtier and an impressionable young princess: The Tudor court had never been more perilous for the young Elizabeth, where rumors had the power to determine her fate.

England, late 1547. King Henry VIII is dead. His 14-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, is living with the king's widow, Catherine Parr, and her new husband, Thomas Seymour. Seymour is the brother of Henry VIII's third wife, the late Jane Seymour, who was the mother to the now-ailing boy king.

Ambitious and dangerous, Seymour begins an overt flirtation with Elizabeth that ends with Catherine sending her away. When Catherine dies a year later and Seymour is arrested for treason soon after, a scandal explodes. Alone and in dreadful danger, Elizabeth is threatened by supporters of her half-sister, Mary, who wishes to see England return to Catholicism. She is also closely questioned by the king's regency council due to her place in the line of succession. Was she still a virgin? Was there a child? Had she promised to marry Seymour?

Under pressure, Elizabeth shows the shrewdness and spirit she would later be famous for. She survives the scandal. Thomas Seymour is not so lucky. The "Seymour Scandal" led to the creation of the persona of the Virgin Queen. On hearing of Seymour's beheading, Elizabeth observed, "This day died a man of much wit, and very little judgment." She would never allow her heart to rule her head again.

©2016 Elizabeth Norton (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor

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Thomas Seymour Biography

Mis-titled to make it seem more interesting, this is actually more about the scheming of Thomas Seymour than the “temptation” of Elizabeth. I kept waiting for Elizabeth to play a role but she is a very minor character in this scholarly work. This would have been more interesting except for the very monotonous reading and misleading title. Not a novel. Not a temptation. Not recommended.

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16 people found this helpful

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Straight Up History

I really thought this was a refreshing take on the story of Elizabeth Tudor. It was more talk and factual sounding than fictional but it still keep my interest.

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6 people found this helpful

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EYE OPENER

A pleasure to read, with brand new facts about the sociopath Tudor clan and Elizabeth specifically. A must read that will clear the fog on this very clever queen-child, and the heads that fell long before she became queen. Longshanks could not hold a candle to her when it came to manipulation.

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A nice listen.... but

This was a great listen for anyone who is already familiar or interested in Queen Elizabeth I or the Tudors. It is not a novel as much as a biography. I found it interesting for sure but it does not have the language for flow of a novel. I have read over 100 books on the Tudors so this information just expanded on things I have already known. I would recommend if you are looking for information but not if you are looking for drama, and the feel of a novel.

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Ugh! Reads like a PhD thesis.

God, was that tedious! It read like a PHD thesis. A long bunch of historical excerpts laboriously strung together into a “story”. Factually meticulous, but it was boring!

I want my book credit back!

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Dry

It was not what I expected it to be. I thought it was good though I found it dry

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Title Made Me Underestimate this Book

I love historical fiction, biographies, and nonfiction written about the Tudors. The title of this book made me think it would be a lightweight, possibly steamy book. Still, it was about Elizabeth so as a fan girl, I had to get it.
I was pleasantly surprised that it was not silly at all. It was well-researched and had so many details I’ve never heard. This is one of my new favorite Tudor texts.

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Kept true

I enjoyed this book immensely. There was no improvisation... the author kept true to the facts as we know of them.

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NOT historical FICTION! (thank heavens)

So well-researched and well-written! Other reviewers, I guess, thought this was historical fiction because of the title?! SMH! Elizabeth Norton delivers an account of what REALLY happened - why would anyone want to fictionalize it? Narrator is articulate, composed, and I will definitely listen again.

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a good read

narrator was very good. Book isn't about Elizabeth but information was a very good on the back story of who raised and used her brother Edward.

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