#thequeensfool

The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

5 stars out of 5

(Warning this book made me cry a little, because I'm really just a huge sap.)

In the continuation of Philippa Gregory's very popular series of historical fiction about life at the court of the Tutors, The Queens Fool tells the story of one young woman who experiences life at the court of all three of Henry VII's children. Hannah Green is newly english, born Hannah Verde she and her father have escaped the inquisition that burned her mother for being a Jew in Spain by coming to London. While Hannah and her father want to live simple quiet common lives Hannah's power to see the future gets her begged as a fool to King Edward. Under the thrall of her Master Robert Dudley Hannah spys, schemes and gets her self passed from Edward to Mary and eventually to Elisabeth. With split loyalties and a betrothed who wants her to walk away from it all one young woman must try and make the right decisions in a world where knowledge is suppressed and the correct religion to practice changes with every monarch. 

The first time I read this book it was directly after having read Philippa Gregory's The Other Boylen Girl. I was pretty young (probably a little too young for the amount of sex and intrigue in the book) and thoroughly in love with all things historical fiction. In the hight of its popularity as a book (long before the movie) I thought of The Queens Fool as its smaller less glamorous sequel. But now almost 8 years later this is the story I enjoy more and feel more compelled to return to. 

Hannah is complicated, conflicted, young, passionate, and ultimately incredible strong. As a woman and a character she is fantastic. Her life is complicated her choices are hard and there is almost never a right choice. In a time where woman were firmly the property of the men in there lives Hannah is strong intelligent and fiercely independent.  

All the characters of this book are real people, and Hannahs intended husband Daniel is in my opinion the best kind of love interest. Not perfect, not a simple refelction of the main character, and honestly compatible and in love with our heroine. While of course Daniel is not the only contender for Hannahs heart, for me he falls in to the category of fictional characters I have a major crush on. 

Even on what I think must be at least the 5th read through this book is still a page turner. It is compelling and beautifully written, It captures both the splender of court life, the fear of the Inquisition, and the day to day life of common men and women in England of this time.

I know one of the HUGE criticisms laid against Philippa Gregory is her loose use of historical fact making her books much more historical fiction then any history enthusiast can easily take. For me as long as you go in with eyes open and an understanding that first and formost this is a story for entertainment purposes then the story and lives portrayed by Gregory are so compelling that I don't really care.