My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Nat Davey is a midget who is sold by his father to be a gift to Queen Henrietta Maria, the teenage wife of Charles 1, during the wars of religion in England in the 1600s. The book brilliantly intertwines this turbulent time in England’s history with Nat’s personal story: his horror at discovering his father plans to sell him, learning how to deal with court life, and his ongoing struggle to be seen as a man, not a toy. Along the way he deals with bullies, sometimes with tragic consequences, makes friends and becomes a key advisor to the Queen.
I loved this book. Quinn’s writing is crisp, and the book moves swiftly. You are totally inside Nat’s head and heart. You feel his pain and frustration along with his moments of joy. At times I was frustrated by Nat’s bad decisions, but they were believable.
Quinn gives enough of the history to make a reader curious to learn more about what was happening in the politics of the day, but without it weighing down the story. That’s something I’m working to achieve with my novel, Red Rules, set during the Russian Revolution.
I listened to the Simon and Schuster UK audiobook version, superbly narrated by Alex Wingfield. I’ve listened to a couple of hundred audiobooks in the past few years, and I’m finally starting to understand those folks who choose books partially based on who narrates them. I’m sure I would have loved the non-audio version of the book too, but Wingfield’s narration added to my enjoyment.
Now it is time to go start reading or listening to more of Quinn’s books!
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That sounds like a really fascinating read!