Knopf Publishing Group
The Pretender
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Set in the tumultuous period of the Tudors' ascent, The Pretender brings to life the little-known story of Lambert Simnel. From humble beginnings as a peasant boy, Lambert's life takes an astonishing turn when, at just ten years old, he becomes a claimant to the English throne as one of the last of the Plantagenet line. As Lambert navigates the treacherous waters of royal intrigue and court life, complex themes of identity, power, and destiny unfold, weaving a tapestry of ambition and survival in a world where the stakes couldn't be higher.
"A...transporting feat of imagination and storytelling."--Maggie Shipstead, New York Times bestselling-author of Great Circle
"Original, vivid, and witty. [The Pretender is] Glorious Exploits meets Wolf Hall--and I completely loved it."--Joanna Quinn, New York Times bestselling-author of The Whalebone Theatre
In 1483, John Collan's greatest anxiety is how to circumvent the village's devilish goat on his way to collect water. But the arrival of a well-dressed stranger from London upends his life forever: John discovers he is not the son of a farmer but Edward, Earl of Warwick, the son of the long-deceased Duke of Clarence, and has been hidden in the countryside after a brotherly rift over the crown--and because Richard III has a habit of disappearing his nephews. But now the time has come for him to take his place as rightful heir to the throne and overthrow Henry VII, the first Tudor king.
Abruptly removed from his humble origins, John is put into play by his masters: learning Latin in Oxford, aristocratic manners in Burgundy, and courtly machinations in Ireland, where he encounters Joan, the delightfully strong-willed and manipulative daughter of his Irish patrons, a girl imbued with both extraordinary political savvy and occasional murderous tendencies. Joan has two paths available to her: marry or become a nun. Lambert's choices are similarly stark: He will either become king or die in battle. Together they form an alliance that will change the fate of the English monarchy.
Inspired by a footnote to history--the true story of the little-known Simnel, who was a figurehead of the 1487 Yorkist rebellion and ended up working in the court of King Henry VII--The Pretender is historical fiction at its finest, a gripping, exuberant, irreverent portrait of British monarchy and life within the court, with a cast of unforgettable heroes and villains drawn from fifteenth-century England. A masterful new work from a major new author.
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Book Details
ISBN:
9780593803301
EAN:
9780593803301
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
496
Authors:
Jo Harkin
Publisher:
Knopf Publishing Group
The author did a fabulous job in re-creating late 15th century England and the conflicts between the Yorks and the Lancasters. As the title suggests, the main character’s psyche gets totally jumbled, as he is never exactly sure who he is throughout the entire book. This conflict propels him into many regrettable actions, until he finally decides to just live with the fact and be himself.
Last night I finished Jo Harkin's The Pretender - set in the late-15th century. The reader is plopped into the time period with language and description I thoroughly enjoyed but expect some could find off-putting. It works because you get a good sense of John Collan the kid before he is whisked away to become a 'king.' While she retains the word usage, as you read the words become familiar and the book flows. In this imagining of a person of which little is known, the kid is required to become a new person several times over the course of the novel, a marvel. The evolution is fascinating though teens everywhere exhibit a willingness to try new personas. More interesting, to me, is the desire of the people who want John to be King Edward to accept the improbable origin story of our protagonist. Yes, winning the kingdom is high stakes, but how would a farm boy turned king rule or be ruled? Speculative fiction, perhaps to continue the tale? I highly recommend the book set in a period of history I love. Well done, Jo Harkins.
I've never read a book quite like this one. History, mystery and a deep dive into human behavior and human sense of conflicted self. Magnificently done.Dickens won accolades for works that create moods and settings of the times. This book arguably outdoes Dickens in that regard. The style of writing, the capturing of the language and the depiction of the brutality of 15th century English power struggles and how the protagonist navigates those as a boy/man who isn't sure who he is makes one wonder: How did the author pull it off?Gets a little complicated at times following all the characters, but well worth it.
The best type of historical fiction - the history firmly scaffolding the fiction. The history, not widely known in great or explicit detail, but the broad strokes easily verified. Between those broad strokes is the opportunity for our author to weave in the finer details of what may have been and could have occurred. We are slyly reminded over and over that “history” is massaged and propagated by the victors, so don’t hold too dear to what you “know” are the facts.
Gave it one star just for the effort of writing it.I never leave a book unfinished but with this book I was tempted to do so several times. Extremely boring, there is not a single character to like or care for. It is written in what the author tried to imitate as "old English" but only accomplished to make the reading even more tedious.If you want to read a good book about the princes in the tower pick up a copy of Alison Weir's "The Princes in the Tower," or Elizabeth St John's "The Godmother's Secret."
