Changes

The majority of ''The Virgin Queen's Daughter'' is set within the confines of the Elizabethan court. Once Nell gets there, there aren't many scenes set elsewhere. Confining the action to such a small area adds another restriction to an author's freedom. However, Ella March Chase uses this confinement to great advantage, highlighting the claustrophobic bitchiness of life amongst people who are there just to better themselves and ensure that the Queen notices them, often at the expense of others. The Ladies in Waiting are a sisterhood, but a sisterhood prepared to disengage from any of their number who displeases the monarch, just in case that displeasure is contagious. There were a couple of occasions where I found myself mumbling under my breath 'Show, don't tell!' as life outside the court's confines was relayed to the reader in conversation. However, on the whole the dialogue was deftly written, moving the story along and deepening the atmosphere of intrigue and, ultimately, fear. For the Elizabeth of this book is the 'Queenie' of Blackadder without the comedy. She's capricious, spoilt and her moods change with the weather.