Queen Victoria: Twenty-Four Days That Changed Her Life
Worsley’s book is a fine exploration of Queen Victoria’s life told in a digestible presentation of 24 events of significance (per the author) which aided her vision and journey.
Worsley examines Victoria’s birth, accession, coronation, wedding day, the Maharaja relationship, Disraeli, and John Brown and the effects each had on both the realm and her person. She unravels Victoria’s rapport (or lack thereof) with her mother and husband and how she was altered by them.
It’s a probing view of how she blossomed into the figure of an era. Worsley determinedly offers a female-centric view point with great success. She allows us to flow through Victoria’s life in small rations that present her fully as a woman, mother and ruler, with a great will to live her life within the confines of the monarchy, something she at times embraced and rejected.
A thoroughly researched, uniquely organized, accessible biography of a complex figure.
Highly recommended.
