The Boleyn Reckoning: A Novel (The Boleyn Trilogy)
*Starred Review* The powerful, slightly rushed conclusion to Andersen’s gripping, revisionist Boleyn saga doesn’t disappoint in action, intrigue, star-crossed lovers, and all the drama period fans have come to expect. William Tudor is still king of England, but his battle with smallpox has left him with scars both physical and psychic. With his emotions ruling his actions, he has become a monarch who has, not his country’s, but his personal best interests at heart. Elizabeth keeps a wary eye on her brother, subtly guided by her own “shadow court” in the form of ruthless intelligencer Walsingham and starry-eyed advisor Dr. John Dee. Dominic and Minuette, the closest friends of the Tudors, now keeping their own precarious counsel based on their secret, even treasonous marriage, also watch Will with conflicting hidden agendas. Each is driven by love for their friend and king but even more by their love for one another. But all secrets must come out eventually, and an eruption that will affect the entire kingdom is unavoidable. The only question is whether the populace and the individual players will survive it. The ending feels both destined and surprising while also leaving open a glimmer of hope for more possible stories in the ill-fated Tudor universe. Andersen could have fleshed out the culminating events in more detail, yet fans should remain satisfied with the thrilling finale-for-now. --Julie Trevelyan