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: One of the author's best
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a vastly superior book to "The Other Boleyn Girl", not to mention the abomination that is "The Virgin's Lover." Philippa Gregory's novels are either well-written, or just plain terrible. In this case, it's the former.
Some have criticized this novel as overly sympathetic to Mary, and I'll admit that her capabilities as a queen may have been exaggerated here. However, it is still a refreshing departure from the monstrous and inaccurate image of Mary as a cruel and ruthless tyrant popularized after her death, an image adopted by many other books in this genre (and even to some extent in the absolutely marvelous novel, "Legacy," by Susan Kay).
I did not particularly mind the protagonist, Hannah, as my main focus was upon the actual historical figures she encountered. Mostly I overlooked her, and I've already forgotten much about her character. Gregory has a tendency to focus upon one single, innocuous sideline figure (ala Mary Boleyn), and portray them as an innocent witness to the people and events around them. Because "The Queen's Fool" was my first Gregory novel, I was not yet irritated by the generic protagonist of it, and I found her own plot mildly interesting... And having read the abominable "Virgin's Lover", perhaps it's best that she go back to her reliance upon that stock character.
Anyway, well-written, a fresh portrayal of Mary, a far superior portrayal of Elizabeth compared to "The Virgin's Lover" (yes, I know that's not saying much), this book was a largely entertaining read.
But for those of you who dislike the portrayal of Elizabeth, I'd like to suggest "Legacy" by Susan Kay. I've read as many books on Elizabeth as I could get my hands on ("Virgin", "Virgin's Lover", "I, Elizabeth", Irwin's trilogy, "The Tower and the Dream", and "The Tudor Wench"). Kay's story is not only a fantastic work of historical fiction, it's an utterly captivating novel.
Personally, I think the people comparing this negatively with "The Other Boleyn Girl" probably read TOBG first. The first time you encounter the heroine, Mary/Hannah, I suppose you appreciate her the most.
Reading over this review, I realized it was largely negative in tone. I just want to state for the record that I really did enjoy this book, and this enjoyment can be seen in the fact that I subsequently purchased her others. I would recommend this book to others.
Her best by far, though, is "Earthly Joys."
Book Review: THERE IS NO FOOL LIKE THE QUEEN'S FOOL...
Summary: 4 Stars
This best selling English author of historical fiction has written yet another interesting work. This novel takes place during the reign of Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. She would leave a legacy that would cause her to be known as "Bloody Mary" for her burning of heretics.The narrator is a girl named Hannah Green, a young teenager who has fled Spain and its Inquisition with her father, following the death of her mother. She had been burned alive at the stake as a heretic, when it was discovered that she was a "Marrano", a false Christian, that is, a Jew who has converted to Christianity but who follows the Jewish faith in secret.
Landing in London, where her father opens a book store, Hannah makes the acquaintance of a handsome rake, Sir Robert Dudley, who discovers that Hannah has the gift of sight. She develops a personal relationship with him that eventually sees her enter into Queen Mary's service as her fool. Hannah serves Queen Mary, but at the same time, is sent by the Queen to serve her half-sister the Princess Elizabeth and spy upon her.
Meanwhile, Sir Robert Dudley also uses Hannah in his treasonous plot to see the Princess Elizabeth on the throne of England. So, Hannah finds herself walking a dangerous tightrope and is fearful of discovery of her role in the political intrigues that are welling around her, as well as discovery of her own background, which would be grounds for death. Her worst fears are nearly realized when the Queen marries Prince Phillip of Spain.
In the midst of all this political intriguing that appears to be going on all around her, Hannah has her own immediate future to think about, as she becomes betrothed to another Marrano such as herself. Infatuated with Lord Dudley, loyal to both Queen Mary and the clever and manipulative Princess Elizabeth, Hannah finds herself putting her own future happiness at risk amidst the political and religious turmoil of the time.
This is a fast paced, breezy read about an independent, young woman who finds herself at a crossroad in her life and begins a voyage of self-discovery that will ultimately change her life. The story takes place in sixteenth century England, amidst all the political strife and religious upheaval of the time. The author weaves an intriguing tapestry of historical events and personages together with the intrigues that were rife in the Tudor court of the Queen who would become known as Bloody Mary.
Book Review: "May you live in interesting times".....
Summary: 4 Stars
some think that living in interesting times is a curse rather than a blessing and for the narrator of this novel, Hannah Green, the times were far too interesting. As the story opens Hannah is about ten years old but she had already seen her mother burned at the stake by the Inquisition, fled with her father from Spain, through Portugal and France to England smuggled from one community of secret Jews to the next. When Hannah inadvertently reveals her gift of Sight she is placed in the Royal Court officially as a fool to young King Edward but really as a spy for the ambitious Dudley family. Hannah finds herself thrust into the dangerous world of international politics as the throne of England is fought over by Henry VIII's children and others. She finds her loyalties torn between Catholic Mary and Protestant Elizabeth even though she realizes that either would condemn Hannah and her family to the fires as a heretic. In addition her father has arranged a marriage for her to a suitable young man, Daniel, but both Hannah and Daniel have doubts about the match.
This is very like Gregory's better known work, THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, in that it breathes life into this intriguing period by using a combination of established fact and fictional events and characters. Hannah is a completely fictional character although communities of Jews existed at the time scattered throughout Europe, hiding from persecution. The story of how Hannah manages to carve a place for herself in this inhospitable environment makes for a compelling and enjoyable read but it is not without flaws. Despite being the main character Hannah is not very well drawn. She develops strong attachments to the Dudley family and to bother Mary and Elizabeth even though she is aware that anyone of them would betray her and her family if it suited their interests. Incredibly she attempts to serve all three factions even knowing that they are all in direct opposition. These conflicting loyalties, her ambivalence about her heritage and uncertainty about her personal life all leave Hannah as a shadowy, rather cardboard character.
Overall though this is an interesting tale about a turbulent time. Gregory has managed to introduce new viewpoints into this often visited period of European history. Fans of Gregory's other works or those interested in Tudor England in general would find this an enjoyable novel.
Book Review: One of Philippa Gergory's best...
Summary: 4 Stars
After reading The Other Boleyn Girl, I became a huge fan of Philippa Gregory's. She is a talented writer who approaches historical stories from unusual points of view. As I've read more of her work, however, I've become increasingly frustrated with her loose interpretation of historical fiction. Occasionaly Gregory has been known to actually change history, or propose historical "what ifs" that are just preposterous.
That is not the case with The Queen's Fool. Here, Gregory lives up to The Other Boleyn Girl. The story is told from the point of view of Hannah Green, a Jewish girl who has fled the Inquisition in Spain with her father after her mother's death. They relocate to London during the reign of Edward VI. Hannah's rare ability, the Sight, is quickly noted by Sir Robert Dudley and his tutor, John Dee. Dudley, a calculating courtier, brings Hannah into his service. Gregory flawlessly weaves Hannah's story with that of the Tutor monarchs, while weaving in interesting historical stories such as the failed plot to put the Lady Jane Grey on the throne, the constant backstabbing of England's lesser royalty, Mary's marriage and false pregnancies, her persecution of Protestants, and the fall of Calais.
Gregory could not have picked a better point-of-view character. Hannah is very young at the beginning of the book, and her view of the people and events that surround her reflect that -- yet because of the fact that she is secretly a Jew, she easily observes that other people have hidden secrets as well. As Hannah matures throughout the book, so does her point-of-view.
The real genius of the story, however, is that Gregory chose to portray Mary as the good princess and Elizabeth as the bad princess. It was interesting to see the "human side" of Bloody Mary. Gregory made Mary's rationale for her actions believable without excusing her behavior. (She also did a nice job showing the limits on women's power at the time -- even the limits of the Queen's power because she was a woman). In making Elizabeth the bad princess, she flushed out theories that historians have had for centuries. While I think she went a bit overboard on Elizabeth's promiscuity, she did balance her character out enough that Elizabeth doesn't feel one-sided.
Overall, this is a fast read through a tumultuous time in history. It is definitely one of Gregory's better books.
Book Review: fantastic and worthwhile read
Summary: 5 Stars
Philippa Gregory (authour of "The Other Boleyn Girl") returns to turbulent Tudor England in her latest novel, "The Queen's Fool." This time, our narrator-guide is a young Jewish girl, Hannah Green, who together with her father, has fled Spain and the Inquisition, for England. Here, they have taken great pains to live quietly and to show that they are fervent Lutherans, all the while practicing their faith in secret. That is until a chance encounter with the mysterious John Dee changes the course of their lives forever. Hannah and her father have opened a bookshop, where Hannah (unlike most girls of her age) has been working at dressed as a boy and acting as her father's apprentice. One day, however, young Robert Dudley and his tutor, John Dee, come to the shop; and in the course of things, discover that Hannah has the 'sight.' Suddenly Hannah's future changes dramatically: where marriage to a distant cousin seemed to have been her fate, she's now dragooned into the service of the Dudleys, who plan to use her 'sight' for their own means. And soon Hannah finds herself torn on all sides -- strangely drawn to her new master, Robert Dudley and yet missing her father dreadfully; and not wanting to be confined to playing the role of mere wife and mother, and yet not wanting to close the door on that option either. Hannah is confused and fearful about her future. But not even in her wildest dreams would she envision the part she would play in the fortunes of the Tudors...
I made the mistake of picking up this book just before going to sleep. Such was the sheer brilliance of "The Queens' Fool" that I had to finish the book in one sitting. What a compelling and engrossing read this novel proved to be! And what a heroine Gergory has created in Hannah! The authour did a fantastic job in 'fleshing out' the many sides of Hannha's character, thus making her both complex and sympathetic. Philippa Gregory also did a simply magnificent job of bringing to life the England of the mid 16th century with all it's brutality and turbulence, as well as it's vibrancy and colour. With exquistely drawn character, easy and swift pacing, and a wonderfully lyrical prose style, "The Queen's Fool" proved to both a joy and a pleasure to read. And whether or not you're a fan of historical novels, "The Queen's Fool" is a must read.