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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
Light read
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was fun to see characters from previous books (Kaz from The Gown and Stella from Our Darkest Night). I liked Edie and James' stories though if Stella's POV was left out, I don't think it would have changed the plot much (to me it didn't seem to add much to the story, though she would have been good as a background character).
The Blue Lion is such a charming place and I liked the ragtag cast of characters who live there!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Title: Coronation Year
Author: Jennifer Robson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: April 4, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Refreshing • Quiet • Mysterious
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Edie Howard, owner and operator of the floundering Blue Lion, has found the miracle she needs: on Coronation Day, Queen Elizabeth in her gold coach will pass by the hotel’s front door, allowing Edie to charge a fortune for rooms and, barring disaster, save her beloved home from financial ruin. Edie’s luck might just be turning, all thanks to a young queen about her own age.
Stella Donati, a young Italian photographer and Holocaust survivor, has come to live at the Blue Lion while she takes up a coveted position at Picture Weekly magazine. London in celebration mode feels like a different world to her. As she learns the ins and outs of her new profession, Stella discovers a purpose and direction that honor her past and bring hope for her future.
James Geddes, a war hero and gifted artist, has struggled to make his mark in a world that disdains his Indian ancestry. At the Blue Lion, though, he is made to feel welcome and worthy. Yet even as his friendship with Edie deepens, he begins to suspect that something is badly amiss at his new home.
When anonymous threats focused on Coronation Day, the Blue Lion, and even the queen herself disrupt their mood of happy optimism, Edie and her friends must race to uncover the truth, save their home, and expose those who seek to erase the joy and promise of Coronation Year.
💭 T H O U G H T S
As a Canadian historical fiction writer, Jennifer Robson is an auto-buy author for me, meaning Coronation Year was among my most anticipated 2023 releases. Her previous novel The Gown was a favourite of mine when I read it, so I was excited to see Robson return with another royal adjacent novel. It goes without saying that my expectations were sky high, and although I didn't absolutely love this one as with The Gown, there were still many aspects done very well.
To start off, it's quite evident that the author's knowledge of post-war Britain is vast, and that she's carefully researched the smallest of details. I loved getting a brief history lesson on the Coronation route and a sense of the atmosphere and excitement surrounding the day.
Another strong aspect are the characters. It brings together three very distinct and unlikely main characters. I liked getting a glimpse of what life was like post-war for three different characters and learning their origin stories and how they came to be at the Blue Lion. It certainly gave a bit of a different perspective than I am used to in WWII fiction. Additionally, I appreciated that the Queen didn't play a central role to the story
And of course, The Blue Lion hotel was an added 'character' in the novel. It had me yearning to travel, and it was so interesting to get to know each of the guests and how they'd come to be at the Blue Lion. Yes, the whole scene at the hotel on Coronation Day seemed a little over the top and out of place, but the mystery had to go somewhere.
At the end of the day, Coronation Year tells a fictional account that combines a little mystery and romance with the historical atmosphere of the time period in a hopeful and entertaining manner. Not my favourite of Robson's novels, yet timely and definitely worth reading.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• royal family devotees
• historical fiction readers looking for something different
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Words are not the only way to answer the world's questions."
Author: Jennifer Robson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: April 4, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Refreshing • Quiet • Mysterious
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Edie Howard, owner and operator of the floundering Blue Lion, has found the miracle she needs: on Coronation Day, Queen Elizabeth in her gold coach will pass by the hotel’s front door, allowing Edie to charge a fortune for rooms and, barring disaster, save her beloved home from financial ruin. Edie’s luck might just be turning, all thanks to a young queen about her own age.
Stella Donati, a young Italian photographer and Holocaust survivor, has come to live at the Blue Lion while she takes up a coveted position at Picture Weekly magazine. London in celebration mode feels like a different world to her. As she learns the ins and outs of her new profession, Stella discovers a purpose and direction that honor her past and bring hope for her future.
James Geddes, a war hero and gifted artist, has struggled to make his mark in a world that disdains his Indian ancestry. At the Blue Lion, though, he is made to feel welcome and worthy. Yet even as his friendship with Edie deepens, he begins to suspect that something is badly amiss at his new home.
When anonymous threats focused on Coronation Day, the Blue Lion, and even the queen herself disrupt their mood of happy optimism, Edie and her friends must race to uncover the truth, save their home, and expose those who seek to erase the joy and promise of Coronation Year.
💭 T H O U G H T S
As a Canadian historical fiction writer, Jennifer Robson is an auto-buy author for me, meaning Coronation Year was among my most anticipated 2023 releases. Her previous novel The Gown was a favourite of mine when I read it, so I was excited to see Robson return with another royal adjacent novel. It goes without saying that my expectations were sky high, and although I didn't absolutely love this one as with The Gown, there were still many aspects done very well.
To start off, it's quite evident that the author's knowledge of post-war Britain is vast, and that she's carefully researched the smallest of details. I loved getting a brief history lesson on the Coronation route and a sense of the atmosphere and excitement surrounding the day.
Another strong aspect are the characters. It brings together three very distinct and unlikely main characters. I liked getting a glimpse of what life was like post-war for three different characters and learning their origin stories and how they came to be at the Blue Lion. It certainly gave a bit of a different perspective than I am used to in WWII fiction. Additionally, I appreciated that the Queen didn't play a central role to the story
And of course, The Blue Lion hotel was an added 'character' in the novel. It had me yearning to travel, and it was so interesting to get to know each of the guests and how they'd come to be at the Blue Lion. Yes, the whole scene at the hotel on Coronation Day seemed a little over the top and out of place, but the mystery had to go somewhere.
At the end of the day, Coronation Year tells a fictional account that combines a little mystery and romance with the historical atmosphere of the time period in a hopeful and entertaining manner. Not my favourite of Robson's novels, yet timely and definitely worth reading.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• royal family devotees
• historical fiction readers looking for something different
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Words are not the only way to answer the world's questions."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Antisemitism, War
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes