Publishers Weekly
★ 04/18/2016
Hand (the Unearthly series), Ashton (the Everneath series), and Meadows (the Orphan Queen series) clearly had a ball working on this joyous rewrite of the story of Lady Jane Grey and King Edward VI, and readers will have just as much fun with it. The authors follow history to the point of tragedy, then toss it aside to allow love and good to triumph. One significant tweak is the creation of a shape-shifting people called E∂ians, such as Jane’s new husband, Lord Gifford Dudley, who spends his days as a horse and his nights as a man. This version of England is full of E∂ians, and Edward’s power-hungry sister Mary (aka Bloody Mary) is one of the Verities who want to purge the country of them. Alternating third-person narration scrolls smoothly among Edward, Jane, and Gifford in chapters packed with hilarious banter, authorial asides, and polite avoidance of nudity as characters shift into and out of animal forms at inopportune moments. It’s an uproarious historical fantasy that’s not to be missed. Ages 13–up. Agent: (for Hand) Katherine Fausset, Curtis Brown; (for Ashton) Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management; (for Meadows) Lauren MacLeod, Strothman Agency. (June)
From the Publisher
★ “Wacky, irreverent, and just plain fun. This fantasy-adventure politely tips its hat to history before joyfully punting it out of the way. An utter delight.” — Booklist (starred review)
★ “An uproarious historical fantasy that’s not to be missed.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Gleefully anachronistic comedy.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Three cheers for this well-written and rollicking revision of history full of timely mannerisms and bold adventure. Those who enjoy clever humor, colorful fantasy, and light romance will savor each page.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“The Tudors meets Monty Python. Prepare to laugh and gasp and clutch your pearls.” — Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series
“History, humor, and unexpected magic come together in this marvelous story.” — Jessica Day George, author of Silver in the Blood
“Adventure, intrigue, humor, and romance abound. A great choice for those who enjoy lighthearted, alternative history adventures.” — School Library Journal
Booklist (starred review)
★ “Wacky, irreverent, and just plain fun. This fantasy-adventure politely tips its hat to history before joyfully punting it out of the way. An utter delight.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Three cheers for this well-written and rollicking revision of history full of timely mannerisms and bold adventure. Those who enjoy clever humor, colorful fantasy, and light romance will savor each page.
Jessica Day George
History, humor, and unexpected magic come together in this marvelous story.
Tahereh Mafi
The Tudors meets Monty Python. Prepare to laugh and gasp and clutch your pearls.
School Library Journal
05/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—In real life, Edward VI and Lady Jane Grey died young in 16th-century England. Here, Edward and Jane get another chance at happiness thanks to the irrepressible imaginations of the authors. Adventure, intrigue, humor, and romance abound—so, too, does high fantasy. England is a place where people (including royalty) are either EÐians (those who can shape-shift) or Verities (those who cannot). Because many Verities believe EÐian magic is evil, they set about to obliterate it. EÐians retaliate. Also, someone keeps poisoning the king's food. The plot, then, involves Edward, Jane, and their allies trying to figure out how to keep peace in the kingdom, find out who is poisoning the king's food, and restore Edward to the throne (he is presumed dead and gads about incognito for part of the book). EÐian "facts" are woven in with such subtle assurance that they come across as a genuine part of English history. For instance, the year the volatile Henry VIII discovered his leonine animal form and devoured the court jester is known in the kingdom's collective memory as the Year of the Lion. Wisecracks are prevalent, which would be grating after a while if the characters did not fairly sparkle with the complete array of honest human qualities. Readers will need to know the basic backstory of Lady Jane Grey and Edward VI. VERDICT A great choice for those who enjoy lighthearted, alternative history adventures and romance.—Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Libraries, NC
Kirkus Reviews
2016-03-16
Lady Jane Grey's nine days as queen are reimagined as a tongue-in-cheek shape-shifter romance. Between the reigns of adolescent King Edward VI and his bloodthirsty half sister, Mary I, England was ruled for nine days by doomed Lady Jane, a 16-year-old political pawn—or that's how it went in our world. In the world of this novel, both Edward and Jane have happier endings. Instead of Catholics and Protestants, England is torn between the Eðians, who shape-shift into animals, and the Verities, who loathe them. As in reality, Jane is wed to Gifford (Guildford in history) Dudley, installed as queen, and imprisoned by Mary. However, this Jane and Gifford escape their executions through animal magic. It's inconvenient for the newlyweds' sex life that Gifford spends every dawn to dusk as a horse, but it's also terribly convenient for frantic escapes from Mary's soldiers. Fourth-wall-breaking and pop-culture references that span from Shakespeare to Game of Thrones show signs of strain, especially the many references to The Princess Bride (1973). The latter, sometimes layered one atop the other without a break, merely highlight this book's contrast with the classic's stellar comic timing; perhaps it's for the best that few teen readers will be familiar with either the decades-old film or even older book. Joan Aiken or Terry Pratchett this ain't, but the lightweight, gleefully anachronistic comedy will entertain with its cast of likable heroes and buffoonish villains. (Fantasy. 13-17)
