Scan barcode
A review by charlottereadshistory
The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Susanna Kearsley’s The Kings Messenger is a historical fiction with a hint of fantasy set in the turbulent reign of James I. The death of his eldest son Henry plunges the nation into mourning, but the rumours around suspicious circumstances of his demise are rife.
The story follows two main protagonists who live on the same street as both families are in the king’s service - Andrew Logan is a King’s Messenger and Phoebe Westaway’s father is a court scribe. Both are sent north to apprehend Sir David Murray, the Prince’s closest confidant and potential suspect - but everyone quickly realises the truth may not be so simple.
The historical setting and the world building were immersive and detailed - there were so many little details about the environment, clothes and the political and culture structures of the time. I liked that the main characters were tangential to court life rather than being immersed in it which is more usual in historical fiction.
There was also an element of fantasy to the story which is typical of Kearsely’s books, but it wasn’t fantastical and didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story - Andrew Logan’s family is from the Highlands and has the gift of the Sight and could see flashes of the future. It added depth to the exploration of Andrew’s thoughts and feelings about those around him, and how he sometimes struggled to handle the responsibility of such knowledge.
I also really enjoyed the themes of found family and the characterisation of all of the main protagonists. No one was perfect and everyone had their own struggles to navigate as well as dealing with the significant issues at hand!
Thank you to the publishers Simon and Schuster and the author for a #gifted advanced copy of the book in return for an honest review.
The story follows two main protagonists who live on the same street as both families are in the king’s service - Andrew Logan is a King’s Messenger and Phoebe Westaway’s father is a court scribe. Both are sent north to apprehend Sir David Murray, the Prince’s closest confidant and potential suspect - but everyone quickly realises the truth may not be so simple.
The historical setting and the world building were immersive and detailed - there were so many little details about the environment, clothes and the political and culture structures of the time. I liked that the main characters were tangential to court life rather than being immersed in it which is more usual in historical fiction.
There was also an element of fantasy to the story which is typical of Kearsely’s books, but it wasn’t fantastical and didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story - Andrew Logan’s family is from the Highlands and has the gift of the Sight and could see flashes of the future. It added depth to the exploration of Andrew’s thoughts and feelings about those around him, and how he sometimes struggled to handle the responsibility of such knowledge.
I also really enjoyed the themes of found family and the characterisation of all of the main protagonists. No one was perfect and everyone had their own struggles to navigate as well as dealing with the significant issues at hand!
Thank you to the publishers Simon and Schuster and the author for a #gifted advanced copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent