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“I don’t have a book-rating system, like 1-5 stars, or even something cutesy like apples, because I’m a teacher. If I had one, I’d give Philippa Gregory’s The Queen’s Fool three stars (or apples). Frankly, the author’s odd choice of writing almost completely in comma splices really put me off. I found it hard to concentrate on the story when this major usage error kept popping out at me over and over. I only wish I was exaggerating.
Dana Huff wrote this review 4 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Aside from that, the story moves along, and I was intrigued by the characters. Frankly, I thought the best part of the story was the portion the protagonist, Hannah Green, spent in Calais. I was much more interested in her story as a Jew in the Renaissance than all the palace intrigues.
I did not understand Hannah’s divided loyalties. She seemed to serve several masters and equally love them all, which didn’t make sense to me. Also, no reasons were really shown why she should love these people, who really hadn’t done all that much to earn it, frankly.
The writer seemed to me to choose very obvious aspects of Judaism to demonstrate her characters’ religion, although perhaps this was on purpose, too. One would not necessarily want to confuse Gentile readers who didn’t know much about Judaism. Gregory also has the excuse that her characters are actively hiding their religion and do not remember all their customs, nor keep them out of fear of being discovered as Jews. Still, I found the depiction of this side of Hannah’s life rather basic.
Another complaint I have about Gregory’s writing is that her dialogue is not period, which is something I noted while reading The Other Boleyn Girl. It is a little off-putting to find so much non-period dialogue in a piece of historical fiction. Particularly annoying was the repetitive use of “D’you” for “Did you.”
After I have said all that, you might wonder why it merited the “three stars.” Like I said, it was readable. I did become interested in the characters. I don’t think I could have finished it, considering all its flaws, if it didn’t have these good qualities. I found it odd and intriguing to see Mary portrayed so sympathetically. However, to paraphrase Will Somers, the Fool, history did not remember Mary’s good qualities, just as they did not remember her father’s. As he is remembered as a lecherous wife-killer, she is remembered for her burning of “heretics,” mostly Protestants, which rightly earned her the appellation Bloody Mary.”
“nicely written.”
SISM wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A nice story about queen ElizabethI and her brother's
sunah l wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
holy fool's life”“Best book of the series!!!”
Amber P wrote this review Friday, December 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“loved it”
Auntie Bobby wrote this review Tuesday, December 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I always enjoy the historical fiction genre. This book gave a great look at what it could have been like for a Jewish (in disguise) commoner with a "gift" to be on the inside of the royal Tudor family. While completely improbable, it does give one a flavor for what it might have been like to live in that era and throws in a little bit of the supernatural/superstition.”
Emily B wrote this review Monday, November 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This was my first time reading Gregory's work and I absolutely fell in love with her! This book is fabulous!”
Hayley M wrote this review Wednesday, November 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a beautiful story of a young Jewish girl, Hannah, living in a religiously divided country. The reader is lead away from Spain, where Hannah's mother has been burned as a Jew, through Europe and finally to England where she finds herself betrothed to a man she doesn't agree with (and his family is worse). Her journey of finding herself leads her from being a young girl disguised as a male apprentice to being a holy fool for royalty and ends with a comforting realization for her life.
theBookChubi wrote this review Monday, November 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
If you love historical novels this is definitely a pick for you. The history in this novel is well researched and follows the reign of the children of King Henry VIII (with a focus on Bloody Mary).”“I've read the Dutch version: Hannah's gave”
Mandy . wrote this review Friday, November 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Gregrory is an expert yarn-teller, especially when it comes to the every-shifting dramas of the Tudor court. Her heroine Hannah is plucky but confused and more than a little self-absorbed (like many of Gregory's heroines). While I found the protagonist a little less likable than some of Gregory's other immortal characters, the story as a whole is an interesting account of a young Jewish woman's struggles to find happiness and a measure of peace while doing business in one of Europe's most dangerous courts.”
Taina L wrote this review Wednesday, November 11 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
