Victoria’s life conveniently divides into three parts, reflected in this book: ‘A Naughty Daughter’, ‘The Good Wife’ and ‘The Widow of Windsor’. Most of the content is about her own feelings, her significant experiences and the relationships with her family. It’s necessarily selective (I’ve previously read Elizabeth Longford’s biography Queen Victoria, which was packed with a lot of information but was less readable). There is more of a focus on the early years of her reign and on her marriage to Albert than anything else. I didn’t mind that, because it’s the most interesting part of her life. Later chapters did tend to skip a decade, giving the impression of her life speeding up. Generally the book addresses the popular assumptions made about Victoria, with two exceptions: her legendary catchphrase ‘we are not amused’ and her apparent belief that lesbians didn’t exist. I would have liked Lucy Worsley to discuss these.

As with her biography of Jane Austen, the text is easy to read and, although referenced, is not too academic. It’s not quite as fun or personal as the biography of Austen, but I still enjoyed it.

Recommended if you want to know what it was like to be Queen Victoria!

First published in 2018 by Hodder & Stoughton. There are two sections of well-chosen colour plates.

Jane Austen is not my favourite author. I’ve read her novels and have a particular liking for Emma, but I used to think that the author was perhaps a little over-hyped. However, this book has changed my opinion and made me realise that she was an innovator with a brilliant mind. Many obstacles were in her way, but she achieved success with some truly remarkable novels. Her stories and characters continue to influence popular culture. She’s even on the British ten pound note. This biography made me want to read her novels again.

This is a straightforward biography which follows Jane Austen’s life. It includes background on her family and friends, the historical and social contexts of the times, her possible romances and her writing process. There’s a special focus on the importance of home, as Jane had to move several times, usually as a result of (to put it bluntly) men inheriting property. I think that Lucy Worsley being a historian lends an excellent sense of detail and atmosphere to the book, more than perhaps you’d find if a literature scholar had written it. Two sections of illustrations are also included.

First published in 2017, Jane Austen at Home is one of the best writer biographies I’ve read.