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readingtheskyline's review
4.0
It was a good book. I wanted to know what happened after the book was over, I was very excited to see what came next. I also really liked Francis, he was cool.
droar's review
5.0
Gorgeous and engrossing (it's a chonky boi but a quick read). I'm not generally one for historical fiction (true to history, or otherwise) these days, but Queen of the Sea brought me back to the excitement & wonder of those Royal Diaries books at least 50% of preteen girls (myself included) read obsessively.
It's a lovely mix of mundane island life, political intrigue, and family drama that really draws you in. The fact that it's hugely based off some of the most famous historical figures in English history, but distinct enough from those events makes it doubly intriguing to read & find all the little matching & unmatching bits. What really sells this for me is Margaret & the nuns, they're charming and inquisitive and kind and brave in ways that historical stories often punish charterers for. I sincerely hope there will be a sequel (the ending leaves it open to one, but not certain of it) as I'd love to watch Margaret grow even further into her own.
Highly recommended, especially for fans of the Tudor era & strong women in historical settings.
It's a lovely mix of mundane island life, political intrigue, and family drama that really draws you in. The fact that it's hugely based off some of the most famous historical figures in English history, but distinct enough from those events makes it doubly intriguing to read & find all the little matching & unmatching bits. What really sells this for me is Margaret & the nuns, they're charming and inquisitive and kind and brave in ways that historical stories often punish charterers for. I sincerely hope there will be a sequel (the ending leaves it open to one, but not certain of it) as I'd love to watch Margaret grow even further into her own.
Highly recommended, especially for fans of the Tudor era & strong women in historical settings.
thebooknerdscorner's review
2.0
"Queen of the Sea" is a middle grade graphic novel that centers around a nunnery in an alternative history of the United Kingdom during the turmoil between Queen Elizabeth I and her sister Queen Mary.
This story follow a young girl named Margaret that has grown up in a nunnery on a remote island. It follows her early life and the drabness that the life as a nun can sometimes entail. The action truly starts when ex-queen Eleanor is banished to the isle by her sister. Eleanor's arrival leads Margaret to discover things that she never would have dreamed of about the nunnery and herself. Eleanor and Margaret form a somewhat reluctant alliance to try get what they both desire.
Not going to lie, I don't know much about Britain's royal family and I don't read the summaries of books before going into them so my brain was having a hard time trying to decipher who was who at the beginning of this story. This is partially my fault, but I still think it is weird that this story is so steeped in truth (literally there is a picture of the most famous picture of Henry VIII in this book, but they call him by a different name), yet the author decided to set it in an alternative world. In the author's note it is stated that they didn't want to mess up history, but it still seems a little suspicious to me.
Honestly, there wasn't anything horribly wrong with this book, I just found it incredibly boring. The artstyle was meh for me, I didn't love any of the characters, and the ending wasn't very climatic. I also found the narration in this graphic novel a bit strange, because it would randomly abandon the panels and give long strands of words. This took me out of the story a bit and felt like I was just being lectured at from time to time.
Overall, I didn't have high standards going into this book, and it pretty much just met them. I think if you really enjoyed the royal family, this book would be much more appealing to you, but I just had lukewarm feelings towards it.
This story follow a young girl named Margaret that has grown up in a nunnery on a remote island. It follows her early life and the drabness that the life as a nun can sometimes entail. The action truly starts when ex-queen Eleanor is banished to the isle by her sister. Eleanor's arrival leads Margaret to discover things that she never would have dreamed of about the nunnery and herself. Eleanor and Margaret form a somewhat reluctant alliance to try get what they both desire.
Not going to lie, I don't know much about Britain's royal family and I don't read the summaries of books before going into them so my brain was having a hard time trying to decipher who was who at the beginning of this story. This is partially my fault, but I still think it is weird that this story is so steeped in truth (literally there is a picture of the most famous picture of Henry VIII in this book, but they call him by a different name), yet the author decided to set it in an alternative world. In the author's note it is stated that they didn't want to mess up history, but it still seems a little suspicious to me.
Honestly, there wasn't anything horribly wrong with this book, I just found it incredibly boring. The artstyle was meh for me, I didn't love any of the characters, and the ending wasn't very climatic. I also found the narration in this graphic novel a bit strange, because it would randomly abandon the panels and give long strands of words. This took me out of the story a bit and felt like I was just being lectured at from time to time.
Overall, I didn't have high standards going into this book, and it pretty much just met them. I think if you really enjoyed the royal family, this book would be much more appealing to you, but I just had lukewarm feelings towards it.
kiperoo's review
5.0
Everything about this book is fabulous! I love historical fiction, and the author does a fantastic job of showing the reader what life was like then, introducing terms and concepts, and making it engaging for young readers. Beautiful artwork to boot!
codeychristina's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
margotpolo's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
katari636's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Fun and lighthearted read!
pagesofpins's review
5.0
Margaret has always loved the island where she has lived with the nuns of St. Elysia since infancy (in charge of rescuing sailors in dangerous and remote waters). Everything changes when a series of political prisoners are brought to the island, each of which reveal things about Margaret's country, king, and her quiet life that change how she thinks about everything.
Billed as an alternate history of the skirmishes between Elizabeth and Mary, but it seemed to me to be only very loosely based on those events. Filled with the sort of medieval nerdy stuff I would have LOVED as a twelve year old.
Billed as an alternate history of the skirmishes between Elizabeth and Mary, but it seemed to me to be only very loosely based on those events. Filled with the sort of medieval nerdy stuff I would have LOVED as a twelve year old.
susannaopal's review
5.0
This was truly marvelous. A much more in depth graphic novel than I am used to but a brilliant story and beautiful illustrations. I so hope that there will be a sequel!
compass_rose's review
5.0
4.5 stars. I enjoyed this. My kind of story and graphics. I'll lead this for my tween book club later this year.
Oct. 13, 2020 - Read again with 12yo for book club. She loved it. Can't wait for #2.
Oct. 13, 2020 - Read again with 12yo for book club. She loved it. Can't wait for #2.