Victoria Rebels (Paula Wiseman Books)
Meyer ably reconstructs Queen Victoria’s childhood in this mild historical novel, in which a young princess struggles to reconcile her desires with her place in history. Stifled by a controlling mother and placed in the center of a power struggle between that mother and King William, Victoria longs for the day when she can be her own woman. Her inevitable marriage is another threat to her independence, until she meets Prince Albert and falls in love. Once she is queen, her passionate but self-righteous childishness gives way to a more balanced woman willing to admit mistakes, in part thanks to Albert’s equally passionate opinions. Though Queen Victoria’s life was tumultuous, Meyer’s narrative often lacks drama and excitement, smoothing the story into a diarylike recital of events. Distracting stylistic choices—use of all capitals and underlining—were taken from Queen Victoria’s own diaries but lack some context. However, Meyer’s intimate and authentic portrait will engage readers looking for a personal connection or proof that history’s largest figures were once just like them. Grades 6-9. --Krista Hutley