Knight Media, LLC
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Series: Tales From the Tudor Court
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis From Goodreads:
I have served three queens in my life. One was my sister, one was my savior, and one my bitterest enemy.
Knowing she was seen as a threat to the Queen she served, Lady Katherine Grey, legitimate heir to the throne, longs only for the comfort of a loving marriage and a quiet life far from the intrigue of the Tudor court. After seeing her sister become the pawn of their parents and others seeking royal power and then lose their lives for it, she is determined to avoid the vicious struggles over power and religion that dominate Queen Elizabeth’s court. Until she finds love—then Kat is willing to risk it all, even life in prison.
So What Did I Think About The Story?:
There are few things I like better than a well told Tudor
historical! There are so many angles to take and interpretations to present that
show the many players and many sides in this political viper’s nest. While Jane
Grey, the 9 days queen, is a key player in many novels surrounding the Tudor court
her younger sisters, Katherine and Mary Grey, are usually relegated to the
sidelines. Ms. Knight’s Prisoner of the Queen places Katherine front and
center, letting her tell her heavy story of great love and much loss.
I have to say that I could not help but love Katharine!
Sweet, generous and often innocently naïve, Katherine wants nothing more than to
devote herself to helping others less fortunate and to find a marriage match
based in true love and safety, something she has rarely seen among those of her
class. But being a princess of the blood means many others – including her own
cruel and unloving parents – will use her as a pawn in the dangerous game of
power that always looms heavy around the throne. Seeing her sister beheaded by
their own cousin, Queen Mary, for doing nothing more than being the unwitting
recipient of the crown placed on her head by men who wished to rule through
her, Katherine learns quickly she wants nothing of it. But everyone is
suspicious of her and she can’t be sure who she can trust as she carefully
slides around those jealous of her beauty and kindness, no one more than her
other cousin, Queen Elizabeth. But don’t let her kindness deceive you!
Katherine’s spine is all steel under her elaborate finery and she will let no
one – not even the Queen – keep her from having the true love she finds in
Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford. She
will live for her heart, regardless of the consequences. How can you not root
for a woman like that?!
Elizabeth is portrayed as a nasty, vengeful young woman and,
eventually, Queen. While she seeks the love of her subjects she is refused the
passion and love of a man of her own, making her bitter and jealous of anyone
else having it. She plays quite the loathsome villain with all her arrogant,
vicious and hypocritical ways. I kept thinking a glimmer of heart would shimmer
through all that cold and calculation but she proved to be too damaged and
scarred to see beyond her selfishness and fear. The gilding on this glamorous
court and its people is thoroughly stripped off and what is left is the
defensiveness and cunning of a group of people always living on the line
between greatness and destruction.
Even with this wonderful character development my favorite
aspect of the novel would still be the elaborate descriptive style. The reader
is so effectively saturated in period details and descriptions that they can
almost hear the wind rustling the elaborately embroidered dresses and feel the
abject fear flowing through Katherine’s royal blood. I felt completely
transported into her world and wanted her to find the peace and happiness she
so longed for – even as I knew her story couldn’t possibly end that way – as if
she was a real friend of mine.
Prisoner of the Queen is top shelf historical fiction.
Anyone as addicted to Tudor history as I am will love escaping into this heartbreaking
yet touching look at a woman taking her own life into her hands and making her
own choices despite what tragedies may come.
So What Did I Think About The Cover?:
I really like it! While the woman on the cover isn't exactly the picture of Katherine I had in my head I love her dress and the color scheme. I also enjoy the bare wall behind her, making me think of Katherine trapped in the Tower of London.
My Rating: 4.5/5.0
Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book
Tours for providing me with a free copy
of Prisoner of the Queen in exchange for an honest review! Be sure to continue
below for more information about the author and the book tour.
About The Author
E. Knight is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Romance Writers of America and severalwww.historyundressed.com). Under the pseudonym Eliza Knight, she is a bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author of historical and erotic romance.For more information please visit E. Knight’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Tales From The Tudor Court Series
Book One: My Lady Viper
Book Two: Prisoner of the Queen
Prisoner of the Queen Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, September 15
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Tuesday, September 16
Review & Giveaway at JulzReads
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Wednesday, September 17
Review at Just One More Chapter
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Thursday, September 18
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection
Friday, September 19
Guest Post at What Is That Book About
Monday, September 22
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession
Interview & Giveaway at The Tudor Enthusiast
Tuesday, September 23
Review at Book Nerd
Review at Historical Tapestry
Wednesday, September 24
Review at leeanna.me
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Thursday, September 25
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Review at Curling Up By the Fire
Friday, September 26
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Monday, September 29
Review at Book Drunkard
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Tuesday, September 30
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Wednesday, October 1
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Review at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews
Thursday, October 2
Review & Excerpt at Romantic Historical Reviews
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Friday, October 3
Review at The True Book Addict
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
This sounds another good Tudor historical fiction read. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful, Mystica! There is going to be a Facebook launch party tonight for the book and I believe there will be chances to win a copy so you should check it out! Here is the link to the information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1536262656610601/1537707493132784/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity.
DeleteI have not read the book yet, so I will not comment on its handling of the history. However, let's just make it clear that Lady Jane was all into the conspiracy to take the throne after the death of Queen Mary. In addition, there were many conspiracies. I also think that the author exaggerated QEI quite a bit. Now to the cover. Horrible! The dress is NOT Tudor, it is mid-18th century, Georgian.
ReplyDelete