Book Review: THE KING'S DAUGHTER by Christie Dickason

Elizabeth Stuart daughter of king James I of England was born in Scotland. She eventually moved to England when her father became King of England upon Elizabeth I’s death. Elizabeth had a very sheltered childhood. Her father was adamant that she would not have any knowledge of the court’s happenings. He even went so far as to make sure she was not educated too much because he believed educated women were trouble. Even though her father forbade her many things including a loving mother, Elizabeth gathered court information from her beloved older brother Henry Prince of Wales.

Henry and Elizabeth were thick as thieves because their mother was not exactly all there and James was abrasive to say the least. That made their relationship solid but with their parents it was very awkward. The siblings literally had no relationship with their mother Queen Anne of Denmark and their relationship with James was brutal. James was cold, calculating, and hardly missed a beat. His children were terrified of the things he did. In the political world James wanted to play peacemaker in the courts abroad. To appease all fractions James promised one child would marry Catholic and the other Protestant. As Elizabeth came of age her list of suitors was long and always changing, which made it very hard for her to gather information about who was on the list. She was literally in the about any negotiations until a new unlikely friend was forced upon her.

This new friend showed up after Elizabeth had a disastrous reunion with her mother after she arrived in England. Her mother had treated her strangely. She was shown no love and later her mother gifted her a peculiar gift of a human being flesh and blood. Her name was Tallie and she showed up unannounced and had put Elizabeth on edge because she really had no idea what to do with the gift of a person. Tallie was a slave and had dark ebony skin yet it was not the color of her skin that made Elizabeth uneasy. Elizabeth did not care much for appearances she wanted the one thing no one else would give her, the truth. Elizabeth's “herd” of ladies were never completely honest with her and she knew it. Elizabeth became friends with Tallie because they made a pact that they would always be honest with each other. After the ground rules were established for their new friendship the two conspired together on gathering information on the ever-changing court objectives of the moment. Top on the courts priority list was finding a suitable suitor for Elizabeth.

Tallie would do anything for Elizabeth and Elizabeth the same because no one else ever seemed to care about the two girls except for Prince Henry. Henry was Elizabeth’s everything and he wanted to make sure Elizabeth married well. He genuinely wanted his sister to be happy. There were new suitors being added to the list daily for her hand. Then there was one suitor that the siblings became immediately smitten with, Frederick Elector of the Palatine. When he arrived in England Elizabeth immediately knew he was meant for her heart and soul. But in a tragic turn of events Elizabeth could loose the man she never had and the best friend she never asked for. She had to be brave and take her future into her own hands or loose everything she held so dear to her heart.

4/5 Light, fun read some might find this a “fluffy” novel. I enjoyed it and that is all that really matters in the end. I have not read much on James I’s court, which is a problem I am quickly working to rectify. I have a feeling this novel was more on the dramatic side of the historical fiction spectrum so if accuracy is your thing this might not be your cup of tea. I would recommend this novel to newbies of James I’s court and Elizabeth Stuart.

R-Rating for sexual reference
FTC- this novel is from my personal collection.
Amazon 
The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason
~Lizzie~

Late Mailbox Monday

The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason
"The daughter of James I, the Princess Elizabeth would not be merely her father's pawn in the royal marriage market.

The court of James I is a dangerous place, with factions led by warring cousins Robert Cecil and Francis Bacon. While Europe seethes with conflict between Protestants and Catholics, James sees himself as a grand peacemaker—and wants to make his mark by trading his children for political treaties.

Henry, Prince of Wales, and his sister, Elizabeth, find themselves far more popular than their distrusted father, a perilous position for a child of a jealous king. When Elizabeth is introduced to one suitor, Frederick, the Elector Palatine, she feels the unexpected possibility of happiness. But her fate is not her own to choose—and when her parents brutally withdraw their support for the union, Elizabeth must take command of her own future, with the help of an unexpected ally, the slave girl Tallie, who seeks her own, very different freedom".

Wicked Company by Ciji Ware
"If Shakespeare had a sister... In 18th century London the glamorous Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres were all the rage, beckoning every young actor, actress, playwright, and performer with the lure of the stage lights. But competition and back-biting between theatre owners, patrons, actors, and writers left aspiring playwrights with their work stolen, profits withheld, and reputations on the line. For a female, things were harder still, as the chances of a "petticoat playwright" getting past the government censor was slim.

In this exciting and cutthroat world, a young woman with a skill for writing and an ambition to see her work performed could rise to glory, or could lose all in the blink of an eye...

In Ciji Ware's signature style, real-life characters of the day create a backdrop for a portrait of a glittering era, a love story, and a compelling glimpse into what life was like for a strong and independent-minded woman in an emphatically man's world".
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
"In 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are—Shanghai girls".

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
"Bioengineers clone 15 species of dinosaurs and establish an island preserve where tourists can view the large reptiles; chaos ensues when a rival genetics firm attempts to steal frozen dinosaur embryos, and it's up to two kids, a safari guide and a paleontologist to set things right. PW called this, "A scary, creepy, mesmerizing technothriller with teeth".


~Lizzie~