Extremely entertaining account of the life of Queen Victoria. It is perhaps somewhat superficial in its treatment - though really, she lived for over 80 years and reigned for over 60, so a 300 page bio is barely enough for the highlights - but that is compensated for by the tone, which is the shining strength of this text. All I can say is that Strachey must have been an inveterate, gleeful old gossip! Would have loved to have gone to a dinner party with him. His writing is informal and funny and while there's a clear warmth for his subject he's not above putting the side-eye to Victoria and her many hangers-on.

We are most certainly amused.