In 1547, young Prince Edward is having the time of his life studying and hoping to one day take part in a tournament. He has not a care in the world. That is until his beloved father King Henry VIII passes away, and the 9-year-old boy is now Edward VI, King of England. He must navigate family drama between his older half-sister Mary Tudor and his uncles, Edward and Thomas Seymour while maintaining order throughout the kingdom. To top it all off, he is trying to reform the entire country and convert Catholics into the Protestant faith. His short life and reign are portrayed in Janet Wertman’s third book in The Seymour Saga, “The Boy King”.

I would like to thank Janet Wertman for sending a copy of her latest novel. I have read the first two novels in this saga, “Jane the Quene” and “The Path to Somerset,” so I knew that I wanted to read “The Boy King”. I have not read many novels that feature Edward VI as the protagonist, so I was intrigued by the concept.

Wertman divides her novel between two separate narrators, Edward, and his half-sister Mary. At first, I did not understand why she included Mary in a novel about Edward, but as the story progressed, it became crystal clear. At the heart of this novel is the struggle between Protestantism and Catholicism in England during Edward’s reign. Mary and Edward may seem like opposites when it comes to the religious spectrum, making them mortal enemies, but the way Wertman portrays them shows that they were concerned about each other’s well being, even if they did not understand each other. Mary acts in a motherly role when it comes to her criticism of Edward’s religious changes.

It was not just the rivalry with Mary that Edward had to deal with; there was also the rivalry between his uncles and the men on his Regency council. Edward and Thomas Seymour’s rivalry is legendary and has been portrayed in history books and historical fiction in many different ways. However, what puts Wertman’s narrative of the brothers’ battle for power apart from others is the way that she shows how Edward might have felt about his uncles and their falls from grace. Another court rivalry happening is between his uncle Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, and John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. Each man fights for the right to be the young king’s Lord Protector, which leads to one of them rebelling and being beheaded for treason. It is this execution that will haunt him for the rest of his life. I find it fascinating that throughout this story, Edward is striving to be like his father, yet he mourns for the mother that he never had a chance to meet, Jane Seymour.

The conclusion to The Seymour Saga is a sheer delight. Wertman has described the rise and the fall of the Seymour family in the Tudor dynasty masterfully. Throughout this novel, you witness Edward growing from a timid boy who has to rely on others to a proud and confident king who knows exactly what he wants for his kingdom. I think that what Wertman has created with her Seymour Saga is a magnificent window into the lives of the Seymour family, and “The Boy King” is the piece de resistance of the entire series. If you have enjoyed The Seymour Saga so far or you want a stand-alone novel about Edward VI, “The Boy King” by Janet Wertman is the perfect novel for you to read.