Tag: Young adult

Book Review: “My Lady Jane” by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

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Do you have a favorite historical figure whom you have wondered what would have happened if they survived their dark fate? Have you wondered what would happen if they had fantastical abilities, such as transforming into animals? Maybe the last piece sounds a bit too far-fetched, but it makes for an interesting concept for a novel. What if we took the story of Lady Jane Grey, the Nine-Day Queen of England, and turned the tale into a fantastical comedy full of romance and adventure? Then, you would get the premise of “My Lady Jane” by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows.

Now I know what you are all thinking: why would you pick up a book that is purposefully fanciful with historical figures sprinkled in? I have always been a fan of YA fantasy novels, and so when I first heard about this book with the announcement of the Amazon show of the same name, it kind of confused me. I mean, there is nothing comedic about the story of Lady Jane Grey and her husband, Gifford Dudley; I wanted to see how these authors approached the Tudors with fantasy elements. I wanted to see how the book was before I decided whether to watch the series or not.

This story is in an alternative version of England where the people are divided not by religious affiliations but rather by whether or not they can transform into animals or not. Those who can transform are known as Edians, and those who believe that humans should stay as humans are known as Verities. For the longest time, the Verities were firmly in control, which meant that the Edians were persecuted, but things are changing. For those of us who study the Tudor dynasty pretty regularly, it is easy to see which side represents the Catholics and which side represents Protestants.

Now that we have that all cleared up, let’s dive into the actual plot of this book. King Edward VI is dying, and to make sure that the Edians are protected, he decides to override his father’s will and declare his cousin Lady Jane Grey as Queen of England, surpassing his sister Mary, who is a Veritie, and his sister Elizabeth, who is pretty neutral on the matter. Under the guidance of Lord Dudley, Edward decides that Lady Jane Grey, an only child in this novel, must marry Dudley’s son, Gifford, known as G in this novel. Marriage between strangers is not uncommon during this time, but the wedding takes place at night because during the day, G turns into a horse. Jane the bookworm must navigate her new married life with a horse husband, learn how to become a queen quickly, and uncover what happened to her beloved cousin Edward.

If you are looking for a historically accurate novel, you need to look elsewhere. This is a novel that is fun, fanciful, and full of adventure, mischief, and romance. It is also a novel that might get young adults interested in the Tudors with a fantasy twist. I think my only real big issue with this novel is that it didn’t feel like Tudor England to me, so it was a bit difficult to be fully immersed in the story. If you want a good novel to escape reality for a while with Tudors and a bit of magic, I recommend you read “My Lady Jane” by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows.

Book Review: “Medici Heist” by Caitlin Schneiderhan

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The year is 1517, and Florence is experiencing great change. No longer is it a grand republic that it once was; instead, it is under the control of the Medici family. They ruthlessly controlled Florence, especially Pope Leo X, who was born Giovanni di Lorenzo de’ Medici. The people suffer as the Medici become increasingly wealthy, but a band of misfits and thieves plan to give some power back to the people with one of the greatest heists of 16th century Italy. Can they survive as a group when revelations from the past and dangers lurk around every corner? The adventure with this ragtag team of thieves as they fight for Florence is explored in Caitlin Schneiderhan’s novel, “Medici Heist.”

I want to thank Feiwel and Friends and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. It’s been a little bit since I read a new YA historical fiction novel, and so when I read the description of this one, I jumped at the chance to read it. I like a good novel set in Italy during the Renaissance, so I wanted to see what Schneiderhan could bring to the genre.

We kick off with Pope Leo X in all his grandeur entering the city and being greeted by a girl named Cat throwing a mud pie at the Pope. This incident sets the mood of the city towards the Medicis. We then jump to meeting our main four protagonists; the con woman/ leader of the misfits Rosa Cellini, Sarra the Tinkerer, Khalid the skilled fighter, and Giacomo the master of disguise. Along with the apothecary Agata, Dominic the apprentice, and even Michelangelo, the crew has decided that the only way to free Florence from Medici rule was to steal the indulgences that the people gave the church for the forgiveness of their sins so they spend less time in purgatory when they died. The Medicis were able to gather about 10,000 florins, an impressive amount that the band of thieves hoped to split evenly. However, complications do arise such as unexpected reminders of the past, romances, and those who want the treasure for their nefarious purposes.

While I do applaud Schneiderhan for writing her first-ever historical fiction novel, which is not an easy task, I did have a few issues when I was reading this particular novel. I felt like this book read more like a screenplay in that it gave locations and information, but it was hard to visualize for someone who cannot see these locations as images. The characters felt a bit generic and blended together, especially with the short chapters that might have been purposeful to get through the story quickly, but I was not able to build a connection to these characters. Finally, I feel like this story does not feel like it could take place in the 16th century, except for a few famous name drops, historical places, and the currency used at the time. It feels too modern and it could be put into any period and it would still work. I wanted to get lost in 16th century Florence and that did not happen for me.

Overall, as a YA heist book, I think it is a pretty good book, but it missed the mark when it came to the historical element for me. I feel like the concept of this book was strong, but the execution was a bit lacking. It was a difficult book for me to read and at times, I did want to put it into a did not finish pile, which I never do with books. I know that some books just are not right for me, but they might be right for other people, which is why I continued to read this book. If you do want to read this book, it might be a good idea to have a device next to you to look up the locations mentioned to help visualize what is happening. If you want a heist book with some history sprinkled in, “Medici Heist” by Caitlin Schneiderhan might be the book for you.

Book Review: “The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn” by Wendy J. Dunn

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The light in the labyrinthThe year is 1535 and a young girl whose mother was a shining light at court, dreams of getting away from her family and joins her aunt at court. Her name is Kate Carey, the daughter of Mary (Boleyn) Carey, and her aunt is Queen Anne Boleyn. Little does Kate know that the court life she desires is full of danger and enemies around every corner. In the labyrinth of court life, Kate must navigate it successfully to come out alive, even as her aunt’s reign is coming to an end and a secret is revealed that will radically change her life forever. Wendy J. Dunn tells Kate Carey’s story in her young adult novel, “The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn.”

I would like to thank Wendy J. Dunn for sending me a copy of this novel. I do love a good young adult novel and so when I heard about Wendy Dunn releasing a new edition of a young adult Tudor novel that she had written previously, I knew I wanted to read it.

We begin with a dispute between Kate and her mother Mary. Kate is upset with her mother after she remarries William Stafford when her father William Carey dies. She wants to get away from home and go to the court of Henry VIII where her aunt, Anne Boleyn, sits as queen. Reluctantly, Mary agrees to Kate’s request and allows Kate to join her brother Harry Carey in court.

Kate’s entrance to the glittery Tudor court comes at a crucial point. Anne Boleyn is pregnant with what she hopes will be the son she and Henry desire. Kate is surrounded by her cousins including Meg Lee, her uncle George, and of course her aunt Anne. Along the way, Kate falls head over heels in love with Francis Knollys and learns a secret about her father that will rock her small world forever. However, Kate learns that love in court is a double-edged sword that can have deadly consequences.

When King Henry VIII had his jousting accident, Anne suffered a miscarriage and lost her son who would have been her savior. The fall of Anne Boleyn was nothing short of tragic, but to see it from her young niece Kate’s perspective added layers of depth and emotion that I was not prepared to read. I have read so many different accounts of the death of Anne Boleyn, both fiction and nonfiction, but Kate Carey’s version hit me emotionally that I was almost in tears by the end.

Dunn has not only shown that she is a brilliant author of historical fiction but also a fantastic young adult historical fiction writer. It is not just the main story, but the poetry and the two short stories that show how much love Dunn has for Kate Carey. A true triumph of a novel that I did not want to end. I do hope she will write more young adult historical fiction novels set in the Tudor era. If you want a heartbreakingly spectacular novel set in the Tudor age, I highly suggest you read, “The Light in the Labyrinth: The Last Days of Anne Boleyn” by Wendy J. Dunn.