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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Very enjoyable book, really enjoyed the characters and the book itself. Would recommend to others!
Peggy ends up involved in court intrigue in England during the 17th century. This is a quick read with a heroine who coincidentally has all the skills needed to take the place of a lady in waiting in the court. There's a lot of predictability about the plot of this book, but it is a good historical thriller with strong female characters.
In Which Our Heroine Is Nice, If Occasionally a Bit Dim:
http://thebookfix.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/not-the-jacobites/
http://thebookfix.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/not-the-jacobites/
After teenage orphan Peggy is turned out of her uncle's house for refusing an offer of marriage from a man who assaulted her, she receives a strange proposition from a man who claims to have been a friend of her mother's. She is to assume the identity of a dead lady-in-waiting at court. However, she is soon swept up into a whirlwind of intrigue, danger, and a little bit of romance.
This was a fun change of pace from my usual reading. Zettel pays homage to the eighteenth century setting with conventions like "dear reader" and the title page's "Being an account of..." without letting stuffy language overtake the story. It's left open enough at the end for a sequel, but is a complete story so there's no feeling cheated at the end.
I do wish there had been more historical notes or a "further reading" section. The novel is set against the backdrop of the Jacobite rebellion, so it could be paired with an informational book on that topic for readers or teachers interested in the historical period.
I received my copy free from NetGalley.
This was a fun change of pace from my usual reading. Zettel pays homage to the eighteenth century setting with conventions like "dear reader" and the title page's "Being an account of..." without letting stuffy language overtake the story. It's left open enough at the end for a sequel, but is a complete story so there's no feeling cheated at the end.
I do wish there had been more historical notes or a "further reading" section. The novel is set against the backdrop of the Jacobite rebellion, so it could be paired with an informational book on that topic for readers or teachers interested in the historical period.
I received my copy free from NetGalley.
Review: Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel – Comedic, Sassy, YA book with a twist! :) Coming November 2013! @HMHbooks @sarah_zettel
Author – Sarah Zettel
Title – Palace of Spies
Publisher – HMH Books for Young Readers
Genre – Historical Fiction, Mystery
Received from Harcourt Children’s Books on Netgalley
Releases November 5, 2013
Synopsis:
A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don’t.
Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she’s impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . .
History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.
Review:
Grade: A
This ARC was such a pleasure to read! It was the perfect mix of historical fiction and mystery and a perfect YA book! Peggy is such a fun character to get to know and explore this world with. She’s cunning, smart and quite funny, and she needs all her wits to solve the mystery. She has been turned out of her uncle’s home upon refusing her betrothal, and a mysterious stranger sets her up in King George’s Court..She’s got to become a spy!
I loved this book, and the idea. She’s a great heroine, she doesn’t mope, and complain, and wallow, she gets up and gets going. She’s smart, and her dialogue is as well. Snappy and witty, and it works so well. The character definitely has a knack for fitting is, and she finds herself in the middle of things, and she just uses her wits to get her out. Such a great example for the YA genre, no moping ladies here who need saved! She even gets a little bit of romance in the story, which is nice, considering how the beginning went.
Overall, this book is well written, organized well, and flows so easily, you don’t realize how much you’ve read! I was flipping pages so fast I couldn’t believe it. The murder mystery, along with the palace life, and the romantic entanglement, it was all just so compelling, I had to know more. The author does a great job keeping history consistant, and present throughout the books as well, lending a bit of education material to a wonderful spy story! I’d highly recommend this one! This author has such a wonderful writing style, I’m definitely going to check out the other books she’s written! I’d love to read more but this one was such a fun read! :)
**I received an ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley for my review.
About the Author
Sarah Zettel is the critically acclaimed author of more than twenty novels, spanning the full range of genre fiction. Her debut novel, Reclamation, won the Locus Award for Best First Novel. Her second release, Fool’s War, was a 1997 New York Times Notable Book, and the American Library Association named Playing God one of the Best Books for Young Adults of 1999. Her novel Bitter Angels won the Philip K. Dick Award for best science fiction paperback in 2009. Her latest novel, Dust Girl, was named as one of the best young adult books of the year by both Kirkus Reviews and the American Library Association. Zettel lives in Michigan with her husband, her rapidly growing son, and her cat, Buffy the Vermin Slayer.
Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook
Author – Sarah Zettel
Title – Palace of Spies
Publisher – HMH Books for Young Readers
Genre – Historical Fiction, Mystery
Received from Harcourt Children’s Books on Netgalley
Releases November 5, 2013
Synopsis:
A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don’t.
Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she’s impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . .
History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.
Review:
Grade: A
This ARC was such a pleasure to read! It was the perfect mix of historical fiction and mystery and a perfect YA book! Peggy is such a fun character to get to know and explore this world with. She’s cunning, smart and quite funny, and she needs all her wits to solve the mystery. She has been turned out of her uncle’s home upon refusing her betrothal, and a mysterious stranger sets her up in King George’s Court..She’s got to become a spy!
I loved this book, and the idea. She’s a great heroine, she doesn’t mope, and complain, and wallow, she gets up and gets going. She’s smart, and her dialogue is as well. Snappy and witty, and it works so well. The character definitely has a knack for fitting is, and she finds herself in the middle of things, and she just uses her wits to get her out. Such a great example for the YA genre, no moping ladies here who need saved! She even gets a little bit of romance in the story, which is nice, considering how the beginning went.
Overall, this book is well written, organized well, and flows so easily, you don’t realize how much you’ve read! I was flipping pages so fast I couldn’t believe it. The murder mystery, along with the palace life, and the romantic entanglement, it was all just so compelling, I had to know more. The author does a great job keeping history consistant, and present throughout the books as well, lending a bit of education material to a wonderful spy story! I’d highly recommend this one! This author has such a wonderful writing style, I’m definitely going to check out the other books she’s written! I’d love to read more but this one was such a fun read! :)
**I received an ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley for my review.
About the Author
Sarah Zettel is the critically acclaimed author of more than twenty novels, spanning the full range of genre fiction. Her debut novel, Reclamation, won the Locus Award for Best First Novel. Her second release, Fool’s War, was a 1997 New York Times Notable Book, and the American Library Association named Playing God one of the Best Books for Young Adults of 1999. Her novel Bitter Angels won the Philip K. Dick Award for best science fiction paperback in 2009. Her latest novel, Dust Girl, was named as one of the best young adult books of the year by both Kirkus Reviews and the American Library Association. Zettel lives in Michigan with her husband, her rapidly growing son, and her cat, Buffy the Vermin Slayer.
Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook
I don't know enough to comment on its accuracy as a historical, but it was a fun read. The main character came off a little ditzy, but, on the other hand, she really didn't have a hell of a lot of information to go on.
I loved the way this book was written. The voice is vivacious and the language is creative and quirky (it reminds me a lot of my own writing style). The mystery got a little *too* mysterious at times, I thought.
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I'm a sucker for orphan stories, especially when they involve spying, intrigue, and Georgian fashion. Peggy is an orphan who is living in her uncle's house and is completely at his mercy. When he tries to force her to marry a man who assaulted her, she runs away and does the only thing she can think to do: accept the offer of a stranger who promises her freedom from her uncle. This lands her the job of impersonating a lady-in-waiting at the palace who mysteriously died a few months previous. Peggy has to find a balance between doing spy work for her benefactors and finding answers to her own questions about the woman she is pretending to be.
The beginning started off wonderfully, and Zettel shows the stark reality of Peggy's situation as an orphan. She has absolutely no status as a woman with no parents to protect her. We see this clearly when she is assaulted at a ball, and when her uncle insists that she marries her assaulter for his money. She is completely at the mercy of the men she comes into contact with, and though she runs away from the situation, she finds herself in the same place when she is put under the care of two men to impersonate a lady-in-waiting at the palace. Of course, that simply won't do for a young woman as independent and clever as Peggy, so she learns to take matters in her own hands, and she does it beautifully.
I can't think of anything better to say other than it was a fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It's funny and a bit silly at times, but Zettel throws in a bit of darkness so that the characters really shine in overcoming all the obstacles that are thrown at them. The spy/impersonation aspect keeps things lively, and I was certainly always in suspense as to whether or not Peggy would be revealed to be an impostor. Peggy is lovely, and the passive hostility between her and another lady-in-waiting perfectly parallels many female-rival conflicts I've seen play out in middle school and high school.
As with any story like this, I wasn't sold on the idea of a sixteen-year-old girl being able to turn into a master spy and impersonator within a few months without raising suspicion. Yes, Peggy is spirited and capable, but if the princess and the ladies-in-waiting are supposed to be as clever as they are described, it would be difficult for that sort of scheme to pass. Despite this, the story was fun and full of drama and intrigue, so I decided to not let myself dwell on how "realistic" this concept really is.
Palace of Spies is an exciting story, with plenty of twists, and characters who are fun to get to know. I am eagerly awaiting the second in the series to see what sort of crazy adventures Peggy gets into next.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
I'm a sucker for orphan stories, especially when they involve spying, intrigue, and Georgian fashion. Peggy is an orphan who is living in her uncle's house and is completely at his mercy. When he tries to force her to marry a man who assaulted her, she runs away and does the only thing she can think to do: accept the offer of a stranger who promises her freedom from her uncle. This lands her the job of impersonating a lady-in-waiting at the palace who mysteriously died a few months previous. Peggy has to find a balance between doing spy work for her benefactors and finding answers to her own questions about the woman she is pretending to be.
The beginning started off wonderfully, and Zettel shows the stark reality of Peggy's situation as an orphan. She has absolutely no status as a woman with no parents to protect her. We see this clearly when she is assaulted at a ball, and when her uncle insists that she marries her assaulter for his money. She is completely at the mercy of the men she comes into contact with, and though she runs away from the situation, she finds herself in the same place when she is put under the care of two men to impersonate a lady-in-waiting at the palace. Of course, that simply won't do for a young woman as independent and clever as Peggy, so she learns to take matters in her own hands, and she does it beautifully.
I can't think of anything better to say other than it was a fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It's funny and a bit silly at times, but Zettel throws in a bit of darkness so that the characters really shine in overcoming all the obstacles that are thrown at them. The spy/impersonation aspect keeps things lively, and I was certainly always in suspense as to whether or not Peggy would be revealed to be an impostor. Peggy is lovely, and the passive hostility between her and another lady-in-waiting perfectly parallels many female-rival conflicts I've seen play out in middle school and high school.
As with any story like this, I wasn't sold on the idea of a sixteen-year-old girl being able to turn into a master spy and impersonator within a few months without raising suspicion. Yes, Peggy is spirited and capable, but if the princess and the ladies-in-waiting are supposed to be as clever as they are described, it would be difficult for that sort of scheme to pass. Despite this, the story was fun and full of drama and intrigue, so I decided to not let myself dwell on how "realistic" this concept really is.
Palace of Spies is an exciting story, with plenty of twists, and characters who are fun to get to know. I am eagerly awaiting the second in the series to see what sort of crazy adventures Peggy gets into next.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
I LOVED this book. If you love the time period piece with a little bit of intrigue, then this is an awesome book. It was well written, and I didn't completely see everything coming in the end.