We all know there is a ton of historical fiction out there that takes place in Elizabethan England….typically in the court.
The market is simply flooded…so how do you create a new and different take on a saturated topic?
Well you take your Elizabethan heroine out of the court!
Emme Fifield is a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth.
Her life is pretty much wrapped up in the treacherous court and all she has is a good reputation and name.
Well all that changes when she is ruined by a lord who will stop it nothing but to have her. Her reputation and future prospects are a disaster.
Just when she thinks her life at court is over, Sir Francis Drake and his mariner, Kit Doonan, arrive from the new world they bring the promise of adventure.
Soon Sir Walter Raleigh begs leave to return to Virgina and Emme soon finds herself going with him. Though she is traveling under and assumed name with an alter motive.
Sir Francis Walsingham is known in court as the spymaster, he makes the arrangements for Emme to follow them to the new world and report back to him.
Emme embarks on a thrilling adventure full of romance, mystery, intrigue, and adventure on the high seas! What I found most exciting about this novel was the exploration into what might have happened to the ill-fated colony of Roanoke.
This was a new and exciting twist for me in the ‘Tudor lit’ genre. I loved getting out of the traditional court setting and exploring the vast unknown in the new world.
I especially loved the Roanoke island theories in this novel. It’s such a great mystery in history and I loved that the author brought this strange event into the story line.
It’s always fun to speculate and explore theories for some of histories greatest what ifs. So I loved this novel for that! The authors attention to the historic details was second to none! This was not just a novel with a new twist on history or just a great setting, it also had great central characters.
Emme is a mixture of strength and vulnerability that is endearing in this adventure novel. She is brave and bold but she isn’t so strong that it becomes a tragic flaw in here character. The reader gets to see he develop into a strong leading heroine while maintaining approach ability. Readers will easily identify with her and enjoy her throughout the novel.
Likewise, Kit has his own unique, complex back story. I will say that I would have liked to know more about him and would liked to have seen Kit’s back story explored in more depth but overall it satisfied the reader.
Interestingly enough, the love story between Kit and Emme wasn’t the central point in the story. The story wasn’t just about them falling in love, it was more about what they meant to each other.
The setting only highlighted that tender love story. I thought the love story and setting work together hand in hand making this story more rich and complex than just a simple ‘romance’.
This novel has a lot to love and the drama that unfolds is engaging and I appreciated the attention to details. If you are looking for something a little more exotic and a unique than traditional Tudor era historic fiction, then you’ve found the right novel!
Love, adventure, and history culminate and make this novel a truly refreshing read bringing new life and story into a genre that’s dominated with courtly tales in Elizabethan England….this a something new you will want to add to your TBR list!
I reviewed this book as part of The Lost Duchess virtual book tour hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Be sure to visit the other blog stops on the tour for interviews and giveaways!
Challenge/Book Summary:
Book: The Lost Duchess by Jenny Barden
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Kindle Edition, 448 pages
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Published November 7th 2013 by Ebury Digital
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ASIN B00DW4LBKE
- Review copy provided by: Publisher as part of the HFVBT book tour in exchange for an honest review
This book counts toward: NA
- Hosted by: NA
- Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 4 out of 5
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Tudor Lit
Memorable lines/quotes: NA
Virtual Tour & Book Blast Schedule
Monday, May 26
Book Blast at Reading the Ages
Book Blast at Literary Chanteuse
Book Blast at Bibliophilia, Please
Tuesday, May 27
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Book Blast at Flashlight Commentary
Book Blast at To Read or Not to Read
Wednesday, May 28
Review at Carole’s Ramblings and Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
Thursday, May 29
Book Blast at The Maiden’s Court
Book Blast at Cheryl’s Book Nook
Book Blast at Book Reviews & More by Kathy
Friday, May 30
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Book Blast at The Mad Reviewer
Book Blast at Curling Up by the Fire
Saturday, May 31
Book Blast at From L.A. to LA
Book Blast at Gobs and Gobs of Books
Sunday, June 1
Book Blast at Lily Pond Reads
Book Blast at So Many Books, So Little Time
Monday, June 2
Review & Giveaway at The Tudor Enthusiast
Book Blast at The Bookworm
Book Blast at CelticLady’s Reviews
Tuesday, June 3
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Book Blast at West Metro Mommy
Book Blast at bookworm2bookworm’s Blog
Wednesday, June 4
Review at The Wormhole
Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Book Blast at Kelsey’s Book Corner
Thursday, June 5
Book Blast at Books and Benches
Book Blast at Book Lovers Paradise
Friday, June 6
Interview at Dianne Ascroft Blog
Book Blast at Kincavel Korner
Book Blast at Caroline Wilson Writes
Saturday, June 7
Book Blast at Royal Reviews
Book Blast at History Undressed
Sunday, June 8
Book Blast at Book Nerd
Monday, June 9
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Book Blast at The Musings of a Book Junkie
Tuesday, June 10
Review at She Reads Novels
Book Blast at Just One More Chapter
Book Blast at History From a Woman’s Perspective
Wednesday, June 11
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession
Book Blast at Books in the Burbs
Thursday, June 12
Book Blast at Big Book, Little Book
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Notebook
Friday, June 13
Review at Susan Heim on Writing
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Saturday, June 14
Book Blast at Hardcover Feedback
Book Blast at One Book at a Time
Sunday, June 15
Book Blast at Passages to the Past
Monday, June 16
Review at Layered Pages
Review at Starting Fresh
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Tuesday, June 17
Review at The Lit Bitch
Book Blast at Griperang’s Bookmarks
Wednesday, June 18
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Book Blast at Princess of Eboli
Thursday, June 19
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Little Reader Library
Book Blast at Girl Lost in a Book
Friday, June 20
Review at Broken Teepee
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Review at The Musings of ALMYBNENR
Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Fabulous review, Anne. I am so glad that you loved The Lost Duchess! Thank you for hosting the tour!
You are most welcome, it was a lovely read :). I love summer reading 🙂