When the adventurer Walter Ralegh first encountered Elizabeth I, he supposedly placed his cloak over a puddle and allowed the queen to walk across it. Thus began one of the most intriguing relationships between a monarch and her favourite. "The Favourite" explores the labyrinthine complexity of human emotion, ambition and ritual within the restricted confines of the Tudor court. Was the favourite a Machiavellian schemer who fooled the queen in her affections? Was Elizabeth willing to manipulate her courtier for her own ends? The Queen's affection for Ralegh would protect him but he would soon become the 'most hated man in England'. In "The Favourite", Mathew Lyons reveals a new portrait of an immortal relationship and a fascinating exploration of the many layers of love between Gloriana and Ralegh- courtier, chancer and privateer. Reviews for "Impossible Journeys": - 'Jocular but scholarly compendium of outlandish voyages' - "Book of the Week", "Time Out". 'Lyons' account is truly heartbreaking' - "New Statesman". 'The Book as a whole has a kind of understated magic' - "Guardian". 'Presents the tales with great wit and wisdom, and an undercurrent of learning that makes the whole project very attractive indeed' - "Independent on Sunday". 'Each story is told exquisitely and comes backed with exhaustive research' - "Sunday Times".
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The Favourite is wonderful. Elegant and intriguing - a seductive portrait of a fascinating relationship. I couldn't put it down. --Helen Castor, author of The She-Wolves.
Book Description
The true story behind one of the great love affairs in British history: Sir Walter Ralegh and Queen Elizabeth I.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Islander
Format:Hardcover
The Favourite is a fascinating and beautifully written account of the relationship between Sir Walter Ralegh and Queen Elizabeth I. The story may seem familiar with cloaks on puddles etc but what Mathew Lyons gives the reader is not just a well-wrought retelling. I felt submerged in the intricate machinations of Elizbeth's court, the plots, the characters, the political and social context. Ralegh emerges as a complex man but Lyons makes him come alive through meticulous research and a real eye for what makes people tick. Equally, I finished the book feeling that I had finally understood the whys and wherefores that led to the creation of the living icon, the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I. Reading The Favourite felt like being guided through the murky and highly dangerous Elizabethan court by an eloquent and erudite insider. Briliant.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By jaffareadstoo
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Kindle Edition
The Favourite is a well researched and meticulously detailed biography which explores the intriguing and fascinating relationship between an aging Queen Elizabeth I, and her "favourite"- Sir Walter Raleigh. Before reading this biography I knew very little about Sir Walter Raleigh other than he laid his cloak over a puddle so that Queen Elizabeth didn't get her feet wet, but there was far more to this complex statesman than pure chivalry. Most certainly he was an adventurer with an opportunist's eye for advancement but his affection for Elizabeth seemed to be genuine, and his influence on the Tudor court was significant. A larger than life character, Sir Walter Raleigh lived the life of a glittering celebrity, had he been alive today he would most certainly have been hounded by the paparazzi.
I found the book very readable, with a degree of informality that made the text interesting without being too arduous, and on a personal level maintained my interest and kept me intrigued until the end.
I found the book very readable, with a degree of informality that made the text interesting without being too arduous, and on a personal level maintained my interest and kept me intrigued until the end.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Lancia78
Format:Hardcover
I enjoyed The Favourite immensely. Well written and painstakingly researched, the narrative goes much further than any other published works and gives an objective but clearly human view of a complex time, culture and relationship. The intricacies and factions of the Elizabethan court, the vivid descriptions of the reality of the historical context and life at sea ( especially ) and the very modern political machinations are highly illuminating and thought-provoking. I did not know, and was quite struck by, Ralegh's strong Devon accent which makes the conversations play very differently in your head.
7 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm sorry but I couldn't wait to finish this book. It had so many negatives for me.
It's obvious that the book is well-researched but Mathew Lyons has wasted what he could have used. The book relies far too much on the psychological side of Walter Ralegh and Elizabeth's relationship and misses telling a jolly good story. When a story is told it sometimes is guilty of covering events, but only up to the late 1580s, that have very little to do with Ralegh.
A waste of time and very boring indeed!
It's obvious that the book is well-researched but Mathew Lyons has wasted what he could have used. The book relies far too much on the psychological side of Walter Ralegh and Elizabeth's relationship and misses telling a jolly good story. When a story is told it sometimes is guilty of covering events, but only up to the late 1580s, that have very little to do with Ralegh.
A waste of time and very boring indeed!
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