None But Elizabeth is the third book I've read by Rhoda Edwards - the others were her two novels about Richard III, Some Touch of Pity and Fortune’s Wheel, both of which I enjoyed. This one, first published in 1982, is a fictional retelling of the life of Elizabeth I. The book is written in a straightforward, linear style as we follow Elizabeth from childhood to old age.

There are some things Edwards does very well – the depiction of Elizabeth’s feelings for Robert Dudley, the man she loves but never marries; Elizabeth’s internal conflict over how to deal with the threat of Mary, Queen of Scots; the symbolism used to mark the passing of time; the way in which Elizabethan poetry is woven into the text – but as someone who has read about Elizabeth many times before, there was nothing new or different here.

I love Tudor history and I’ve read many, many novels about this family and Elizabeth in particular, but this was the worst and I ended up skimming most of it. Not only was it a rehash of material done better by other authors but the author made but she made her whiney brat who was afraid of everything and not the strong, confident woman queen that she grew into.

I would still be slogging my way through this tripe, if I hadn't started skimming huge passages and putting it aside to read other books.

1.5 /5 STARS: **I want to thank the author and/or publisher for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**