Joanna Hickson

The Lady of the Ravens (Queens of the Tower, Book 1)

'A fascinating portrait of the women who helped make a dynasty' The Times 'Bewitching' Woman & Home 'Evocative' Woman's Weekly

Sepia

*Thank you to Netgalley and  Harper Collins UK for the E-ARC all opinions are my own.*

I hadn't read a historical fiction book in so long! This book is about the start of the Tudor dynasty and Henry VII becoming king. It follows a lady in waiting,Joan and her life in the court.

I enjoyed this book and was hooked instantly. This book is split into 4 parts and I read the first part,which is around 130 pages, in one sitting! I really liked the court intrigue and what was happening around the kingdom.

I found the pacing to be a bit slow for me. A lot was happening but sometimes it felt like everything was going too slow. I found the parts where she is not in court to be too long and I wanted to rush past that to get to the interesting part. This book isn't specifically about a certain event that would happen,rather, it focuses on the English Kingdom and King Henry and everything he did to keep the throne. It's not a story where there's a big plot. It has many little things happening in it. I think I would have liked it more if there was an overarching plot but it was still very much enjoyable seeing day to day life. I also liked the idea behind the ravens and I understand why it has this title.

In terms of characters, I really liked Joan. She was not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for herself. I also liked the King and Queen,they really cared for their subjects. I thought I would like  Sir Henry Wyatt but he ended up being horrible.

This book doesn't have much romance but I didn't like who she ended up with at first but by the end,I was glad she chose who she did.I didn't like her reasoning but her instincts were right in the end.

All in all,I liked this book and it has definitely made me want to read more historical fiction and has reminded me why I love them so much.

I would recommend this book if you like character driven books spanning many years.

The Lady of the Ravens (Queens of the Tower, Book 1)

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