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A review by jmatkinson1
The King's Witch by Tracy Borman
3.0
Lady Frances Gorges has been encouraged by her parents to learn the art of healing and she is present at the death of Queen Elizabeth. however when King James ascends to the throne Frances' skills could see her accused of witchcraft and so her family decides to keep her at their country house. Unfortunately her Uncle is in a position of power and sees Frances as a pawn in his ambitions so she is brought to court to serve young Princess Elizabeth. This brings her into contact with a young lawyer, Thomas, whom she falls for but also into conflict with Cecil who is keen to find witches and treason at every corner.
Tracy Borman is an excellent historian and a writer of engaging yet learned non-fiction so I eagerly picked up this novel. On the positive side I liked the setting around the early days of James' rule and the Gunpowder Plot, this is a period of history which has not often been fictionalised. Borman wears her learning lightly and therefore although the research is clear the writing does not over emphasise historical details unlike many. On the negative side I found the heroine a little insipid and certain plot twists (the witch pricking) somewhat gratuitous. It's a solid historical romance without being memorable.
Tracy Borman is an excellent historian and a writer of engaging yet learned non-fiction so I eagerly picked up this novel. On the positive side I liked the setting around the early days of James' rule and the Gunpowder Plot, this is a period of history which has not often been fictionalised. Borman wears her learning lightly and therefore although the research is clear the writing does not over emphasise historical details unlike many. On the negative side I found the heroine a little insipid and certain plot twists (the witch pricking) somewhat gratuitous. It's a solid historical romance without being memorable.