A review by whatsmichireading
The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

4.5

The Crimson Crown is a fairytale retelling/prequel about Snow White’s evil queen - that has some heavy inspiration pulled from Anne Boleyn’s story. 

I really loved this. It was slow to start as we were introduced to Ayleth’s life but once she ran away on the quest to prove herself things really picked up. And the last 30% had me in a chokehold. I was weirdly very into Anne Boleyn when I was growing up and that has certainly carried into adulthood. I loved seeing the parallels to that in this story, but Walters does a great job of building the tension between Ayleth and the king so you don’t need to be familiar with the historical inspiration to enjoy this. 

I loved Ayleth as a character - she’s complicated and layered and full of a rage that is completely justified so that by the time we get to the end i was honestly rooting for her as she began to make choices and walk the path of the Evil Queen. 

My only complaint is that there was so much tension between Jacquetta and Ayleth that didn’t feel like it built, it felt very one note to me for so much of the book. It would have made the inevitable betrayal stronger if some of their tension had built or if they’d given into that tension earlier maybe. 

Overall I really loved this and I’m looking forward to buying this in August!!

Read if you like 

• Wicked/Retellings
• Morally Grey Lesbians
• Angry FMC
• The Tudors but with Magic