Review: "Prisoner of the Queen" by E. Knight

Synopsis:  I have served three queens in my life. One was my sister, one was my savior, and one my bitterest enemy.

Knowing she was seen as a threat to the Queen she served, Lady Katherine Grey, legitimate heir to the throne, longs only for the comfort of a loving marriage and a quiet life far from the intrigue of the Tudor court. After seeing her sister become the pawn of their parents and others seeking royal power and then lose their lives for it, she is determined to avoid the vicious struggles over power and religion that dominate Queen Elizabeth’s court. Until she finds love—then Kat is willing to risk it all, even life in prison.

My Thoughts:  Prisoner of the Queen is a refreshing look at the life of Katherine Grey.  For the first time, she is portrayed as a strong, intelligent woman instead of as a foolish and naive girl.  I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Knight's unique portrayal of this fascinating historical figure.

Likes:  In addition to Knight's portrayal of Katherine, I also thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters.  There were plenty of familiar faces but there were some less familiar characters who played big roles in the story.  Both the Duchess of Somerset and the Dowager Duchess of Suffolk were wonderful characters and I liked getting to know them and see their perspectives.  I especially liked the Duchess of Somerset; she was so cold and distant but at the same time she really did care about her children and doing what was right for her family.  I definitely want to read more about her in the future. 

Dislikes:  This was truly Katherine's story so I understand why some of her family didn't play huge roles in the story but I did kind of miss seeing Mary Grey as a character.  That was probably the only thing I found lacking with the story. 

I know the story of Katherine Grey and her demise but despite knowing how it would end, Ms. Knight's depiction of the events of Katherine's life kept me interested from beginning to end.  The combination of her portrayal of Katherine with a well-written narrative made Prisoner of the Queen a very compelling read.  3 1/2 stars.

About the Author:

 

E. Knight is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Romance Writers of America and several RWA affiliate writing chapters: Hearts Through History, Celtic Hearts, Maryland Romance Writers and Washington Romance Writers. Growing up playing in castle ruins and traipsing the halls of Versailles when visiting her grandparents during the summer, instilled in a love of history and royals at an early age. Feeding her love of history, she created the popular historical blog, History Undressed (www.historyundressed.com). Under the pseudonym Eliza Knight, she is a bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author of historical and erotic romance.

For more information please visit E. Knight’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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