The Queen's Lover: A Novel
Everyone knows that medieval royals are hot. You need look no further than the best-selling novels of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir for proof of the popularity of this lucrative publishing phenomenon. While many are rushing to cash in on current market demand, few novels are as authentically rendered as this one. Displaying the same narrative flair and historical accuracy as she did in Figures in Silk (2009), Bennett spins the gripping tale of young Catherine de Valois, the fifteenth-century French princess sacrificed on the altar of national honor and political expediency. Hastily married off to King Henry V of England as a battle prize, she must learn to navigate the intricacies and intrigues of the English royal court after Henry’s untimely death. Luckily, she has Owain Tudor, the Welsh-born controller of her household, to assist her in doing so. Especially unique and compelling is the story of Elizabeth’s friendship with feminist poet Christine de Pizan. Historical fiction with enough heft to satisfy discriminating fans. --Margaret Flanagan