The Queen's Fool: A Novel (Boleyn) by Philippa Gregory
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Book Reviews of The Queen's Fool: A Novel (Boleyn)
Book Review: A Royal Fool is No Fool At All
Summary: 5 Stars
THE QUEEN'S FOOL is a work of genius on several levels. First, the simple fact that author Philippa Gregory even had the idea for the concept of this fiction is staggering.
Then, that she unfolds the complicated story with such grace and such ease seems miraculous.
Finally, the depth and breadth of her research to provide the numerous historic details which make this plot come alive must have been massive.
Anyone with some curiosity about the Tudor queens Mary and Elizabeth will find the story of "fool" Hannah Green to make for riveting reading. This was an era when one could be burned at the stake for heresy--and any religion other than the ruler's was heretical--for treason, and for witchcraft.
Hannah, who is a secret Jew--with second sight--effectively is sold by her father to Lord Robert Dudley to service the royal court. She has to walk a careful line between the rival half-sisters, both daughters of Henry VIII and heiresses (in sequence of birth order) to the throne of England.
How she manages to survive her servitude makes for quite a tale, and no one is better equipped than Ms. Gregory to spin this yarn.
THE QUEEN'S FOOL is a work of genius on every level.
Book Review: Courtly intrigue at its best!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are even remotely interested in historical fiction, this book is for you! I'd bet someone with ZERO interest would still be captivated.
A young Jewish girl, Hannah Green, forced to flee her native Spain due to her heritage, suffers from visions, and is taken into the royal court in England as a "Holy Fool" during the ill-fated reign of King Edward.
She comes of age at court, forced to hide her true faith during the swing from the Protestant religion of King Henry to the reinstatement of the Catholic faith under Queen Mary. Hannah is pulled into court plots and intruigue both at and against her will.
She learns to love deeply, both unconditionally and selflessly. In turn, the reader cannot help but fall madly in love with Hannah - her innocent, intelligent, and sweet manner. You can't help but be touched by her unfaltering devotion to her father, Queen Mary, Sir Robert Dudley and Princess Elizabeth, and eventually her husband Daniel.
Her loyalty to each is questioned at times, and seems unlikely given the warring factions, but Hannah teaches us that love is not mutually exclusive.
Beautifully written, intense and passionate. A permanent addition to my collection.
Book Review: excitingly revisionist
Summary: 5 Stars
Philippa Gregory is one of the best historical novelists writing today, and she's at the top of her game with this book. As in the Meridon trilogy and "Wise Woman," she infuses her historical romance with a touch of mysticism. She takes the daring approach here of making Mary the sympathetic Tudor and Elizabeth the nasty one, and creates a most likeable heroine in Hannah Green, a Jewish clairvoyant in boy's garb who is a nice mixture of audacity and empathy. It sounds far-fetched, but Gregory pulls you in with believable (though not exactly period) dialogue, discreet sex, and fast-paced adventure. Hannah's emotions and reactions are always realistic, and neatly woven into the fantastically convoluted events of 1552-58. She lets "Bloody Mary" off a bit too easily regarding the burning of Protestant heretics (though of course, real life punished Mary badly enough), and makes Robert Dudley seem more of a matinee idol and less the calculating courtier that he was, but then this story is told from the point of view of an adolescent girl, so it's not really a flaw. There are many hints of a sequel in the novel, so I'm looking forward to her next revisionist take on the legendary Tudor women. I just hope we'll see more of Hannah Green, too.Book Review: Excellent historical fiction
Summary: 5 Stars
While the spotlight of historical fiction has often shined on Queen Elizabeth I, only seldom has it shone on her older sister, the infamous Mary Tudor. In this fine work, Phillipa Gregory makes a sympathetic character out of the woman history has dubbed "Bloody Mary", and shows us the darker side of England's greatest queen, the beloved Elizabeth.Hannah Green is a young girl when she first encounters the then Princess Elizabeth, who is at the time acting in an inappropriate fashion with her stepfather. This image haunts Hannah, who becomes "Fool" to the ill-fated King Edward, then his sister, Queen Mary, by virtue of her gift of Sight. A Jew masquerading as a Christian, Hannah quickly learns to adapt to the religious changes that accompany the change of monarch, and learns to love Mary, whom so many in history have hated. Still, she is drawn to the glittering Elizabeth as a moth to a flame.
As she matures, Hannah learns to appreciate her heritage, her family, and the love of a good man. Only in nearly losing all does she begin to appreciate the life she has.
An excellent read, I recommend it highly to all those interested in the concept of religious tolerance, English history and the Tudor family.
Book Review: A Rich Tapestry
Summary: 5 Stars
Born in Kenya in 1954, Philippa Gregory moved to England with her family at the age of two and was educated in Bristol. Philippa now lives in the north of England with her husband and two children. She has written a number of highly acclaimed historical novels and her latest ones revolve around the rich tapestry provided by the Tudor period. I have not read all of the authors books but Earthly Joys and Virgin Earth were among the ones I have read and I found those two fascinating.
Hannah a young Jewish girl on the run from the Inquisition is sworn into the service of Robert Dudley. He sends her on a spying mission into the household of Mary Tudor, the forgotten heir to Edward's throne. Mary has a sister Elizabeth, sister who is waiting in the wings for any mistake. Far from being the bigot and religious fanatic the she has been proclaimed, Hannah finds that Mary is a gentle woman, waiting for her chance and only wanting the best for her subjects.
Philippa Gregory has come up trumps again with a book that takes the reader on a journey through the Tudor court with all its subterfuge and plotting and leaves the reader wishing that the book had not finished.