Just a Girl

Just a Girl by Jane Caro (UQP)

PB RRP $19.95

ISBN 978 0 7022 3880 2

Reviewed by Jo Burnell

I never had the patience for European History at school. All those kings chopping off people’s heads put me off, but Just a Girl is not a history text. Elizabeth’s voice seduced me from the first page. Unable to sleep on the night before her coronation, she begins her memoirs. Chatting directly to me on the page, she leads me into her world. 

Important moments in her life spring to life as I walk beside her. I’m touched by those who remained faithful, even under threat of torture and possible execution. The swaying loyalties of courtiers and politicians become understandable in the knowledge of the dangers of the times.

When you are a potential heir to the throne in the 1500s and your father has a habit of ordering the execution of his loved ones, there’s not much chance of a normal childhood. Things get even more precarious when your half-sister receives the crown and fears your influence as an adversary.

I was enthralled by the gossip and personal conflicts, but it was the poor hapless Elizabeth managing to keep herself alive despite suffering physical and emotional neglect that kept me glued to the page. Can you imagine the possibility of living and dying relying on the whim of an estranged half-sister?

What do you do if your stepmother’s handsome husband makes romantic or physical overtures? Being 16 and longing for love leaves you vulnerable. The result could be disastrous. Even if some scenarios are only conjectures, they are juicy conjectures indeed.

Although about 50 pages too long for my flighty attention, Just a Girl was a satisfying read. I know more about these times than the best intentioned teacher could ever have taught me.

If you love journeying into a foreign world and witnessing the unimaginable, then Just a Girl is for you. Even if you are not usually into history, give Just a Girl a try. You are sure to enjoy the ride.

Before They Were Famous: Lady Jane Grey – Queen for Sale

Before They Were Famous: Lady Jane Grey – Queen for Sale by Caroline Corby (Walker Books)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9781406312553
Reviewed by Heather Zubek

You think you know your history. I only knew Lady Jane Grey as a delightful fruity tea to enjoy with milk in the afternoon but after reading Caroline Corby’s book Lady Jane Grey – Queen for Sale I have new respect for my afternoon cuppa. The series Before They Were Famous tells the story of historical figures before they become famous. Other figures in the series include Boudica, Cleopatra, William the Conqueror, Julius Caesar and Pocahontas.

Lady Jane Grey: Queen for Sale is the story of a young Tudor girl destined to become Queen without her blessing. At just nine years old young Jane becomes part of a ‘get rich quick’ scheme by her conniving parents. She is actually sold to a variety of families and is destined to become queen through the marriage to a ‘sniveling ponce’. The reader learns so much of Britain at the time of Henry VIII and of the trickery and cruelty that was sometimes inflicted on innocent people. We begin to feel for Lady Jane and even though it is history we are still shocked at the conclusion of the story. This is not fiction so it’s not ‘happily ever after.’

Caroline Corby sets the scene well in her story and portrays her characters convincingly through thorough research. The series is described as ‘biographical adventures’ so it’s not known how much is actually factual. The author completes Lady Jane Grey – Queen for Sale with a series of notes. The Authors Notes looks at the research conducted and the Notes from the Past gives an insight into daily life during Tudor England. The book is recommended for readers aged 8 to 12 years however I would recommend it for mature 8 year old readers as the reality of life in Tudor England could be quite confronting.