The King's Favorite: A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II

The King's Favorite: A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II
by Susan Holloway Scott

The King's Favorite: A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II
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Book Summary Information

Author: Susan Holloway Scott
Edition: Paperback
Published: 2008-07-01
ISBN: 045122406X
Number of pages: 448
Publisher: NAL Trade

Book Reviews of The King's Favorite: A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II

Book Review: A Thoughtful Retelling of Nell Gwyn's Tumultuous Life
Summary: 5 Stars

A Thoughtful Yet Entertaining Retelling of Nell Gwynne's Life

It's not easy to take a familiar historical legend and make it seem new. The story of Nell Gwynne, who hopped from selling oranges during theater intermissions to the bed of the king of England is well-known, and the inspiration for old chestnuts like "Forever Amber." But in this thoughtful yet entertaining retelling, the author resists the familiar conventions and shows us new aspects of Nell and her royal consort. We see not only "pretty, witty" Nell famously selling her citrus-wares, but also her appalling girlhood poverty, her many friends (including the famous rake and poet Lord Rochester), and her protectors before King Charles. While Nell's life is the centerpiece, Restoration London (1660-1685) comes alive in all its unruly splendor, from the louche backstage of the playhouse to the splendor of the palace and Charles's court of beautiful loose women and international playboys, to the ghastly treatments employed by Rochester to treat his syphillis. The research to support all this is extensive and richly felt, but it never overwhelms the story, and it is the characters who carry the day. Nell, Lord Killigrew, King Charles, Lord Rochester, and the others are shown much as they must have been: witty, charming, and ultimately flawed, the way most real people always are. Highly recommended.

Summary of The King's Favorite: A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II

The acclaimed author of Duchess and Royal Harlot returns with the unforgettable story of a king?s last love and London?s darling?
BR>Nell Gwyn has never been a lady, nor does she pretend to be. Blessed with impudent wit and saucy beauty, she swiftly rises from the poverty of Covent Garden to become a sensation in the theater. Still in her teens, she catches the eye of King Charles II, and trades the stage for Whitehall Palace?and the role of royal mistress.

Even though she delights the king, she must learn to negotiate the cutthroat royal court, where ambition and lust for power rule the hearts of all around her. For beneath her charm and light-heartedness, Nell has her own ambition?to become no less than the king?s favorite.

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