April 'Book Club' Column
Written by: Jannice

Book Column is one of Portrait Magazine's more recent monthly columns. Each month we'll bring you the low down on the latest and greatest teen and young adult books!

The tale of a betrayed Lady, Alison Weir is the author of this month's book, Innocent Traitor. Taking place during the time of King Henry VIII 's marriage with his third wife to Queen Mary's rise to power, this novel powerfully expresses to be hated for not cooperating, to be used as an instrument, loved for being yourself, and dying because no one else will take the blame. The victim in Innocent Traitor, Lady Jane Grey is beheaded at 16 and has a life as a puppet. King Henry VIII, known as "The King With Six Wives", plays the great uncle of Lady Jane Grey. He was the man who made the Tudor period one of the most trivial periods in the time of kings and queens. After his death and the death of his heir, King Edward VI, Lady Jane is in the middle of who is next to rule. She is only set up to rule so others can rule wearing Lady Jane as their masks. Her only time to control her life was the time of her reign as "The Nine Days Queen".

The Prologue in the story, the first two lines foreshadows all the treachery coming up. "It it over. My trial has ended, and I am now back in the Tower of London, this place what was once my palace and is now my prison." What trial? What happened that made her world a prison? As the page goes on haunting words come back to the Lady's mind, "condemned traitor...sentencing me to...beheaded at the Queen's pleasure". And her feelings! She knows she wants to live to get a chance to live. She might escape the world that abused and used her. But death she's not ready for. "I am to die when I have hardly begun to live..."

Born October 1537 to the Marquee Henry Grey and the Marchioness Frances Brandon of Dorset, Jane Grey was birthed in silence. At around the same time Prince Edward VI is born to King Henry Tudor VIII and Queen Jane Seymour. Named Jane after the Queen, she wasn't a disappoint in her looks having inherited the Tudor genes. Having a baby in the household satisfies the Marquess soon enough though the air of disappointment is still around. When the news of Edward VI reaches them, Lady Frances immediatly begins planning on how to get Jane to be a future Queen of England. A marriage between Lady Jane Grey and Prince Edward VI would also raise the status of Jane's parents. Keeping those in secret with Lord Henry, Lady Jane is raised as a Princess of England would be. No resources are wasted, no compassion is given, no plans forgotten. In Innocent Traitor its often Lady Frances who decides the fate of her children as well as be very influential in her husband's decisions. She was the one who thought that this marriage can help their lives. We can't say much of Lady Jane Grey role as the story goes on and since once she finds her voice its silenced through abuse. As soon as she was born she was criticized and perfected as a Queen of England. No matter what she wore and how she acted all she got from her parents were silent stares, approving nods, and when no one looking, hurtful comments and shouts that made Lady Jane all the more hurt.

Towards the end of the story, the part of getting Jane on the throne, King Henry VIII dies, and soon afterwords King Edward VI. John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland and advisor to the late King Edward VII quickly influences others to passover Princess Mary and Princess Elizabeth as ineligible for the crown and convinces Lady Frances to pass it on to her daughter who was fourth in line for the throne. When Jane refuses she is beaten until she agrees as well as to marry Guilford Dudley, a spoiled brat. In a few days Lady Jane is Queen Jane. Her reign arubptly ends when Princess Mary storms in with an army to take back her throne. 9 short days was how long the Lady was a Queen. As well as being innocent in her rise to Queen status she was faithful in her religion. She refused to become a Catholic when Queen Mary gave her the chance to live. Dying February 12, 1554, Lady Jane Grey Dudley was not just an Innocent Traitor but a martyr. She's remembered for her short reign, and her untimely death.

Alison Weir is a British historian who has written countless books on the monarchy of England. Innocent Traitor is her first book. Born in Westminster and currently living in Surrey, she since has been married to Renkin Weir and has two kids, John and Kate. Originally wanting to become a teacher she abandoned that career path when she became a published author in 1989. Writing drafts during the 1970's and 1980's many of her copies were rejected, especially the original The Six Wives of Henry VIII because it was 1024 pages long and single-spaced! Alison Weir has a heart for history having said "History is full of wonderful stories and amazing characters. I feel very privileged to be able to bring them to life in both my non-fiction books and my novels."

Author Bio

Alison Weir

Alison Weir is a British historian who has written countless books on the monarchy of England. Innocent Traitor is her first book. Born in Westminster and currently living in Surrey, she since has been married to Renkin Weir and has two kids, John and Kate. Originally wanting to become a teacher she abandoned that career path when she became a published author in 1989. Writing drafts during the 1970's and 1980's many of her copies were rejected, especially the original The Six Wives of Henry VIII because it was 1024 pages long and single-spaced! Alison Weir has a heart for history having said "History is full of wonderful stories and amazing characters. I feel very privileged to be able to bring them to life in both my non-fiction books and my novels."

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Upcoming:

Novels: A novel on the story of Lady Elizabeth before her days as Queen. It will be published on 3rd April 2008 in the UK, and in May in the USA.

Historial: a biography of Katherine Swynford (already published in UK) would be released in 2009. she's also working on A Lady in the Tower, the time of Anne Bolyen's reign and unrest up to her death.

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Innocent Traitor : Word Search!
Portrait Magazine

T R Y T R A M C I E R N N I N E D A Y S A Y T E A N T R Y U I N N O C E N T E Y T N A T S E T O R P O Y N R H U H A G T R Y O G Y Q M O E U T D N N K D R I N D C I L O H T A C A O K E D W A R D L J R
lady jane grey king henry tudor innocent traitor mary nine days queen edward martyr catholic protestant dorset

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Related Media

"The Tudors" - A Showtime Series that portrays the life of Henry the VII during the time of his first three wives. The show has just launched into its second season.

"The Tudors" promo images:

"The Tudor" Season 1 Trailer:

The Other Boleyn Girl - A movie released recently telling the story of the Boleyn sister that was forgotten. Sister of Anne Boleyn, Mary Boleyn was also the topic of the novel written by Phillipa Gregory

The Other Boleyn Girl promo images:

The Other Boleyn GIrl Trailer:

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Links:
www.ladyjanegrey.org - a website kept up for the rise and fall of Lady Jane Grey
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Jane_Grey - a little more indepth into the life of Lady Jane Grey

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Alison Weir's books: