VIRGIN AND THE CRAB: Sketches, Fables and Mysteries from the early life of John Dee and Elizabeth Tudor Hardcover – December 23, 2021

What a fabulous concoction of history and metaphysics! I have always been curious about John Dee, court astrologer to Queen Elizabeth I, but until I read this fascinating novel, had never found a work that featured him as the main character. He is normally relegated to shadowy mentions, if he is even included at all, perhaps to avoid casting Elizabeth as some kind of nut case. For many centuries, astrologers were respected members of the court and were regularly consulted for advice about all things political. Author Parry is clearly well-informed about his subject and his discussions of the nativities of the persons here and his astrological information in general is both quite accurate and most interesting. The title itself refers to the Sun signs of Elizabeth (Virgo the Virgin) and Dee (Cancer the Crab). All too often, authors who attempt to include mentions of things astrological in their books have no idea what they're talking about resulting in comical, often wrong, passages better suited to a Sunday supplement level of understanding. John Dee was an observer of planetary movements and an early creator of ephemerides - something readily bought today in any bookstore, but mostly unavailable in the years described here. Further, Parry is also informed about magical operations and writes about them as serious, rather than preposterous, ceremonies. Best of all, the author is an elegant wordsmith and the historical background itself if also accurate. The book takes place in the years following the death of Henry VIII, including the abortive attempt to put Jane Grey on the throne, and later the 5-year reign of Mary I who sent 300 people to the stake for heresy as she attempted to reinstate Catholicism as the national religion of England. These were uneasy times for the young Elizabeth and Parry's depiction of her strikes just the right note. My only complaint about the edition I read was the terrible copy proofreading which resulted in an extreme number of typographical errors - as many as 7 on one page alone. Apart from that problem, however, this is an extremely well-written and unusual take on this period in English history and is highly recommended to those who are willing to place their prejudices aside and learn about a rarely told part of Elizabeth's story.

Don't be put off by the title: "Virgin and the Crab" refers in no way to some type of venereal disease. It in fact tells the story of two remarkable Renaissance figures; the young Elizabeth Tudor and John Dee, a brilliant mathematician and astrologer (among other things) who serves her. The title refers to the astrological signs of Dee and Elizabeth, and the sly wit of the title infuses the rest of the book.The book traces the treacherous years leading up to the accession of Elizabeth, particularly the reign of Mary I. A well-known story to Tudor enthusiasts, but Parry makes it fresh with engaging, witty prose and wonderful characterization. The joy of the book is in the detail in which less well-known Tudor characters are portrayed. The stars of the tale are a group of academics and reformers who share an idealistic dream of England's future under Elizabeth. They include several non-household names such as Elizabeth's tutor, Roger Achasm, humanist John Cheke, the more well-known William Cecil (who usually is portrayed as some sort of dour bureaucrat, but here is brought to vivid life), and even Robert Dudley. Elizabeth also makes several appearances, but the book really belongs to Dee. He is shown here as a figure of marvelous complexity; a spy, a teacher, a mystic. It is a wonderful characterization on which the whole book rests.The book is written in present tense, giving the setting an appropriately mystical feel. The language is hypnotic at times, and sharply witty at others. Instances of humor abound, such as the Spanish ambassador's botched attempt at an English saying, or Cecil's indignant response to Dee's insinuation that he can't fight; his grandfather fought at Bosworth Field! Dee's response is priceless: "Wonderful. Do you think he could be persuaded to come with us?"Unfortunately, the delightful detail of the book is a double-edged sword; an average Joe is probably not acquainted with the minor characters and nuances of the age which "Virgin and the Crab" is concerned with. A character chart at the beginning of the book is handy, but I got the feeling that had I not been as deeply fascinated with Tudor history as I am, I might have had trouble following along. That being said, not every book can or should have mass commercial appeal; "Virgin and the Crab" is an absolute feast for Tudorphiles, and in that respect it is a major success.

My Thoughts --The story reads like a play, and written in a narrative style, as if it were presently happening.If you are not used to this style of writing, it can throw you off a little.But I didn't mind it at all and I think it would be really great to see this book made into a movie. I think it would be famously remembered.In fact, when I look back on this book in the future, I will remember the different scenes in it, just as I would Romeo and Juliet, or Hamlet. It was such a unique style and I commend the author's creativity.John Dee's character is very complex and interesting, and I like that the author really brought him to life for us. It was a promising story of the relationship between Dee and Elizabeth. Some of the scenes were truly heart warming.I did wish that Mary had been a more likable character though. She is always portrayed in a darker light than I'd like to see her in.Elizabeth's character was enjoyable, especially the scenes between her and Robert Dudley. I found myself not wanting those scenes to end :0)There are so many Tudor books out there, and it is hard to find a new variation to the stories, but the author did a splendid job.I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a "fresh take" on Tudor England.

This book manages to transport the reader into the brilliance and treachery of the Tudor court. Above it is a story of three women. Lady Jane Grey is the innocent and naive pawn of her family's ambition She is beaten into submission but behaves with great dignity and refuses to be cowed. Mary Tudor is bitter and rancorous, and suddenly in a position of power, She is aware that she is eclipsed by her charming, scintillating sister and initiates a regime of intolerance and bloodshed. She is beset with illness which increases her determination to reinstate her beloved church and wipe out religious freedom. Throughout the book there is Elizabeth, intelligent, mercurial and vigilant ,with a small group of servants and advisors she must try to be unobtrusive and uninvolved until her sister dies. All this ground has been covered before but I found this version of events riveting.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Virgin & the Crab. It covered a period in history of which I was not really knowledgeable about - the hiatus between the death of one of England’s foremost Kings , Henry V111 and the ascension finally of his second daughter Elizabeth 1.In between we are taken through the 6 year reign of Edward V1, followed by Lady Jane Grey’s short 9 day reign and then Mary’s bloody 5 years in power, where the protestant faith is under threat from Rome. Meanwhile Elizabeth’s life is always in jeopardy but her loyal, subjects such as Dee & Cecil, help her to manoeuvre through this turbulent period in our history.We get a good deal of film and television about Henry V111 but I think Robert Stephen Parry’s book will make an excellent television series along the lines of The Tudors particularly if dramatised under the wing of the BBC.

I'm really interested in John Dee and I thoroughly enjoyed the story as it was very well written.However, there were terrible errors on nearly every page. I'm not usually bothered by a few errors in a book as it's par for the course, but this was quite jarring and it stopped it from being a four star read for me. If I hadn't been so interested in the subject matter, I think I would have stopped reading.

Thoroughly enjoying this unusual book. I wanted to know more about John Dee and this explains some of his interests as well as the times he lived and worked in. A clear picture of the turmoil of the last three Tudor reigns.