A NIGHT OWL REVIEWS BOOK REVIEW | Reviewed by: Danya
At fifteen, all Lady Margaret Shelton wants is the quiet life in the country she's had so far. But she is sent to court to serve her cousin, Queen Anne Boleyn. Known as Pretty Madge, her innocence and naive beauty is used to gain the king's interest, as a ploy to help Queen Anne hold onto to her position. All Madge wants is the chance for love and a life outside court, if that is even possible. Forces are sweeping the nation and court, threatening not only the Queen's position, but her very life. As a fan of historical English novels, this was a wonderful read, told from the little used viewpoint of one of Queen Anne's maids. This was one of the most politically tumultuous time periods in English history, with scandal and religion creating massive upheavals. "At the Mercy of the Queen" by Anne Clinard Barnhill is a well-crafted addition to this genre, sure to be a delight to fans of Philippa Gregory and Carolly Erickson alike.
Dec 15, 2011 | 9780312662134
5 - Rare Top Pick | 4.5 - Top Pick | 4 - I Liked It | 3.5 - Enjoyable | 3 - OK | 2.5 - It just didn't click
Book Blurb for At the Mercy of the Queen
A sweeping tale of sexual seduction and intrigue at the court of Henry VIII, At the Mercy of the Queen is a rich and dramatic debut historical about Madge Shelton, cousin and lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn. At the innocent age of fifteen, Lady Margaret Shelton arrives at the court of HenryÿVIII and quickly becomes the confidante of her cousin, Queen Anne Boleyn. But she soon finds herself drawn into the perilous web of Anne's ambition. Desperate to hold onto the king's waning affection, Anne schemes to have him take her guileless young cousin as mistress, ensuring her husband's new paramour will owe her loyalty to the queen. But Margaret has fallen deeply in love with a handsome young courtier. She is faced with a terrible dilemma: give herself to the king and betray the love of her life or refuse to become his mistress and jeopardize the life of the her cousin, Queen Anne.
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