abbottrabbit 's review for:

The Pretender by Jo Harkin

5.0

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An inspired imagined biography of Lambert Simnel, one of the Yorkist “pretenders” (scare quotes because who knows?) during the reign of Henry VII. Harkin creates a plausible backstory for the historical Simnel — one which conveniently never fully affirms or refutes his claim to the throne — and invents a life story for him that doubles as a reflection on the nature of identity.

I … love this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy, and to Jo Harkin for the world that unfolds in it.