This review first appeared on the Historical Novel Society’s website.
The Midnight Queen
I’m not at all sure that this is conventional historical fiction – I think it’ll live on my Science Fantasy shelves! However, the world is a fascinating and complex one; magic exists, through spoken spells in arcane languages. The Kingdom of Britain includes the Duchies of Normandie, Maine, and Breizh, and excludes Eire and Alba (Scotland); Henry XII sits on the throne. There is firm, widespread belief in a slew of ancient gods – I recognised both Greek and Celtic ones – who have real powers. There is a plot against the life of the King, whose only daughter has been spirited away as a baby. The heroine is a feisty protagonist, and her character arc takes her from country bumpkin, ignorant of her magic, to a powerful mage, in the end accepting that she is indeed a Princess, with all that entails. Along the way, she meets and falls in love with her wicked stepfather’s student, who turns out to be almost her match as a mage. He returns her love, whilst developing from a callow youth with a stutter, to being a man who can defend his wife’s honour against an attack from her father the King. There’s plenty of action to keep you turning pages, and the magic is a necessary (and very interesting) part.
Overall, I enjoyed this book – it was a quick, easy read; and it’s certainly something I could see my teenage daughters devouring whole. It’s the first in a trilogy, so plenty more to look forward to.
Eclectic pleasures 