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thestarrfish 's review for:

The Pretender by Jo Harkin
4.25
adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

It’s been a while since I have read historical fiction focusing on this time/place, I really enjoyed it and in many ways it reminded me of the books I liked to read as a kid. That said, much grittier, dealt with harsh realities much more hands-on, and was a bit queerer as well (all positives in my book!). Lambert is super compelling, it is odd to find a like child royal/spy for the king of England so sympathetic.