Wonderful!

Tudor England may not be an exciting subject for many, but Philippa Gregory effectively draws out a unique and spellbinding story in The Queen's Fool. She artfully weaves in historical details, which not only enriches the content of the novel, but the education of the reader. The plot is original, interesting, and keeps one hooked from beginning to end. It focuses on Hannah, a Jewish Spaniard hiding in England to escape from the merciless Spanish Inquisition. However, as the novel progresses she stumbles upon many new problems. She struggles through intrigue, treason, persecution, the occult, and even unrequited love, but manages to survive in a country in chaos.

The novel begins when Hannah is a girl of fourteen, helping her father run a small bookstore, and hiding the fact that they practice Judaism. She has the Sight, a psychic ability that allows her to vaguely predict future events with brief visions. Lord Robert Dudley, a prominent lord, discovers her gift when he visits the shop one day, and decides to give her to King Edward as a fool. This introduction triggers a chain of events that relates her to the most high-ranking in the realm, and inevitably tangles her in the politics of the time period.

As a fool, she entertains the royal court with her occasional psychic revelations and quick wit. But in secret, she is also a spy for Lord Dudley - risking her life for a master that she soon falls hopelessly in love with. She is in quite a predicament, however, when Mary ascends the throne because the new queen is a pious Catholic and very unlikely to allow a Jewish girl to live. The two become close against odds, but Hannah's loyalties soon are divided between the queen, her rival sister Elizabeth, and Lord Dudley. Dangerous times ensue, as she is forced to be both loyal and treasonous, Catholic on the surface and Jewish at heart, with hopeless love unanswered and yet deep affection for another...

With so many things occurring at once, Ms. Gregory still does a wonderful job of acquainting readers with the Tudor royalty in England. Although a relatively well-read student of this particular topic myself, I learned many things of court punctilio, dress, and the subtle intertwinings of politics from this. Historical details were accurate, and although the main character herself was fabricated, most of the characters around her (especially of the court) actually lived. Ms. Gregory portrays a time that was incredibly important in English history, with some of the most famous historical figures. She doesn't merely do this though, she also includes her own spin on characters that helps readers understand their motivations. For example, Queen Mary, known commonly as Bloody Mary, is remembered by history as a fanatically religious woman who executed hundreds of her subjects for alleged heresy. Conversely, the author depicts a lonely ruler trying to do the best for her people, but influenced and constrained by the intolerance of the 16th century's church system. Elizabeth, recognized as one of England's greatest queens (and indeed she was), we find is as imperfect as us all, with her own individual strengths and flaws. These interesting aspects make for a more personal and believable story.

I would recommend this novel to anyone, whether a history-lover or no. Tudor England is the backdrop of the novel, but Ms. Gregory includes the personal and emotional struggles of one individual woman having to live in that time, creating a hybrid of the modern drama and a history textbook. Whether one wants The Queen's Fool for its fascinating plot or for its erudite appeal, it's a novel well-worth picking up.

An Easy, Pleasant Read...

Like many others, I read The Queen's Fool after reading and loving The Other Boleyn Girl. I definitely found The Other Boleyn Girl to be the better of the two books. The author is great at mixing fact with fiction. The fiction part is the problem here. Parts seemed very repetitive and I, with my very meager knowledge of English history, could see what was coming with her move to Calais! Ideally I would have given this book 3 1/2 stars, but decided to round-up! Fast and enjoyable--good summer read.