A highly readable account of Alice Spencer, the progenitor of a family that achieved high social status ... It is a fascinating story, well told by Ms. Wilkie ... Inevitably Ms. Wilkie’s account is full of 'may haves' and 'must haves.' It could not be otherwise. There are no diaries or memoirs by Alice or others to draw on ... Ms. Wilkie is at pains to explain much that, while known to professional historians, will be unknown to others. The result is a life that, if sometimes thin on personal detail, is pleasingly informative.
A captivating book that chronicles the life of Alice Stanley, the Countess of Derby ... The book’s strength lies in its clear explanations of legal concepts that affected women in the Tudor era, especially the intricacies of marriage contracts, being a co-heiress, and jointures.
As the author shows, Alice was remarkable in her ability to forge her own identity in a highly patriarchal era ... Diligent archival research reveals a unique, independent Elizabethan woman.
Engrossing and well-researched ... Wilkie writes with focus and economy, weaving in fascinating information about Tudor-era nuptial contracts, medical practices, and dynastic intrigues. This biography fascinates.
