Barnhill's second novel once again focuses on the Tudor dynasty. Unfortunately, it fails to live up to the brilliance displayed in
At the Mercy of the Queen. A ward of Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Shelton struggles to choose her own husband and chart her own course despite being subject to the queen's decisions. Wanting nothing more than a quiet, simple life filled with love, she chooses to defy her adored Elizabeth to marry the man she desires, an act that could have dangerous consequences.
VERDICT Once again, the author draws on her own family history to write about lesser-known figures at the Tudor court. Unfortunately, the plot takes too long to get going and, once under way, falls short of enthralling. Lovers of historical fiction will be underwhelmed. [Library marketing; for libraries that prefer hardcover editions, the publisher is issuing a limited-run two-volume hardcover version, ISBN 9781250043795.—Ed.]
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