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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Historical fiction? Mystery? Intrigues? PALACE intrigues? Impersonations?
Who wouldn't want that!?! SOLD.
Peggy Fitzroy had bitten more than she could chew. All but thrown outside of her guardian's house, she traced the address of one who could likely help her out of her circumstances. There's only one catch: impersonate a Lady, enter the palace as one of the Princess of Wale's maids of honor and report back everything to her handler. The gifts she'd receive would be hers entirely. Easy enough, yes?
Wrong.
Full review at Whatever You Can Still Betray.
Who wouldn't want that!?! SOLD.
Peggy Fitzroy had bitten more than she could chew. All but thrown outside of her guardian's house, she traced the address of one who could likely help her out of her circumstances. There's only one catch: impersonate a Lady, enter the palace as one of the Princess of Wale's maids of honor and report back everything to her handler. The gifts she'd receive would be hers entirely. Easy enough, yes?
Wrong.
Full review at Whatever You Can Still Betray.
Favorite quote:
"But no mortal an move as swiftly as gossip" (145).
"But no mortal an move as swiftly as gossip" (145).
I liked this one better while I was reading it than after I was finished, if that makes sense. While I was reading, the pacing was brisk and the writing humorous and interesting, and there was still some hope that some of the logical inconsistencies might be explained. I mean, the character-training-to-impersonate-a-noble trope is fairly well-worn territory in fiction. In most versions, though, the character is taking the place of a person that either no one else has met before, or hasn't seen for years and years. In this story, however, we have a girl taking the place of another girl in a high-ranking, public position, interacting with people who last saw the girl she is replacing a few MONTHS ago. How, exactly, is that supposed to work? They look superficially alike in hair and eye color, and they seem to rely on the fact that the original was supposedly sick and our new girl is thinner and people attribute some of the difference to that, but...really? A person who has lost a few pounds in a few months doesn't look like a totally different person. What's more, do none of her close friends and associates know her voice? Her mannerisms? Her interests? After reading it, I was left with the fact that, although some people had figured this out, a lot hadn't, and this wasn't going to be addressed. Not only that, one of the people who had figured it out immediately, the princess on whom Peggy is waiting, was apparently going to take her back on as a Lady-In-Waiting, but as herself. Perhaps I read wrong and she is keeping up the facade of this other character, but it didn't read that way. How would that work? "Here's this girl who we've been passing off as your old friend, but she's not, she's this other girl. We're sure she'll remain a great spy, because why wouldn't all of you trust a person like that with your treasonous secrets?" I'll probably read the next one for fun, and to see if they ever try to straighten any of this out, but I'm not counting on it making a great deal of sense.
Maaaybe a 2.25? Maybe?
There were funny bits. I liked the funny bits. And I like historical things set in this era (King George, England). Otherwise though, unimpressed. I didn't like any of the characters in particular, except maybe Molly and Princess Caroline, and you don't see a whole lot of either. Oh, Olivia was alright as well.
The romance (there's a triangle!) was not particularly compelling. PEGGY was not particularly compelling.
Also, this was set in the direct center of a historical setting - that is, the court of King George I. Peggy is a lady in waiting to Caroline, Princess of Wales, and the plot is very concerned with the dispute of inheritance at the time... but I never got a sense of how well-researched this was or wasn't, and how much the author was fiddling with to suit her story. Fiddling is okay, to an extent, but I'm more prone to admire books that really do their homework. (See "Code Name Verity" for an excellent example.)
And finally: the language. Which is to say, most of the narrative sounds like a modern narrator. Which can be fine. Except that there were like... random words done in "period appropriate" (I assume) - b'hind, b'avior, etc. It was totally throwing and felt completely out of place.
There were funny bits. I liked the funny bits. And I like historical things set in this era (King George, England). Otherwise though, unimpressed. I didn't like any of the characters in particular, except maybe Molly and Princess Caroline, and you don't see a whole lot of either. Oh, Olivia was alright as well.
The romance (there's a triangle!) was not particularly compelling. PEGGY was not particularly compelling.
Also, this was set in the direct center of a historical setting - that is, the court of King George I. Peggy is a lady in waiting to Caroline, Princess of Wales, and the plot is very concerned with the dispute of inheritance at the time... but I never got a sense of how well-researched this was or wasn't, and how much the author was fiddling with to suit her story. Fiddling is okay, to an extent, but I'm more prone to admire books that really do their homework. (See "Code Name Verity" for an excellent example.)
And finally: the language. Which is to say, most of the narrative sounds like a modern narrator. Which can be fine. Except that there were like... random words done in "period appropriate" (I assume) - b'hind, b'avior, etc. It was totally throwing and felt completely out of place.
Kept my attention the whole way through...I loved that it kept me guessing.
Book synopsis: Girl becomes a spy in the Court of King George I.
At the beginning, it was kind of slow as that part is described in the synopsis. It did get better, the writing and the mindset of the main character made it feel more authentic. To read this book though you would have to keep in mind that the book is written to be set in a historical time period in Britain and that it is a spy book.
At the beginning, it was kind of slow as that part is described in the synopsis. It did get better, the writing and the mindset of the main character made it feel more authentic. To read this book though you would have to keep in mind that the book is written to be set in a historical time period in Britain and that it is a spy book.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A fun little historical fiction romp with conspiracy and mystery abounding. Maybe I'll read book 2 or maybe not. I haven't decided.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
An attempted rape in the first few chapters. After that, the violence is more the swashbuckling-adventure spy kind.
Peggy is an orphan who lives with her uncle, aunt and beloved cousin, until she is thrown out of the household for refusing to marry the man her uncle has chosen for her. Peggy has few options, so she turns to a gentleman who seemed to know her mother when she was alive but whom she only met the day before. With no other choices, Peggy is drawn into the sparkling grandeur of being a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. But she does not go as herself, instead she assumes the identity of Lady Francesca Wallingham. As Fran, she joins the circle of girls serving the queen but she also must be watchful for anyone discovering her. As the intrigue increases, Peggy realizes that anyone around her could be a spy and starts to question what happened to the real Fran.
Zettel manages the near impossible in this novel. She has a historical novel that stays true to the time period and yet manages to read as swiftly as a more modern teen novel. Without ever breaking out of the setting or inserting modern sensibilities, Peggy still manages not to turn off readers with her opinions. Readers are quickly shown what life was like for an orphaned and penniless girl in this time with a sexual assault on Peggy soon after we meet her. This helps underline her lack of power and explain why she takes on the danger that she does for the rest of the book.
Zettle plots this book with great skill, revealing the true motivations of the characters slowly. There are several mysteries at play here and more that emerge as others are figured out. The pacing of the book is don’t very well too, with enough historical detail to make sure the setting is strongly presented but never too much to slow down the speed of the storytelling.
A dark and mysterious historical novel, this is much less froth and much more intrigue and betrayal with some romance too. Appropriate for ages 14-17.
Zettel manages the near impossible in this novel. She has a historical novel that stays true to the time period and yet manages to read as swiftly as a more modern teen novel. Without ever breaking out of the setting or inserting modern sensibilities, Peggy still manages not to turn off readers with her opinions. Readers are quickly shown what life was like for an orphaned and penniless girl in this time with a sexual assault on Peggy soon after we meet her. This helps underline her lack of power and explain why she takes on the danger that she does for the rest of the book.
Zettle plots this book with great skill, revealing the true motivations of the characters slowly. There are several mysteries at play here and more that emerge as others are figured out. The pacing of the book is don’t very well too, with enough historical detail to make sure the setting is strongly presented but never too much to slow down the speed of the storytelling.
A dark and mysterious historical novel, this is much less froth and much more intrigue and betrayal with some romance too. Appropriate for ages 14-17.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Review to come.
Review to come.
It's an easy, breezy read. Very silly. If you start thinking about it, it all falls apart remarkably rapidly so... don't think!