The Queen’s Fool ~ Ally Sherrick
Expected UK Publication Date: 4th February 2021
Our chosen theme for May was history and I will be honest and say that historical novels are not my usual cup of tea. I do love learning about history but there have been far too many that I have disliked, especially those that involve some form of royalty. One of my favourite eras of British history is the Tudors, I studied it nearly every year at school. It’s probably the era I know the most about. As The Queen’s Fool is set in Tudor times, I thought I would give it a chance.
The Queen’s Fool by Ally Sherrick is middle-grade fiction that follows Cat Sparrow as she leaves her home at the Nunnery, to go after her sister who has been taken away by a rich man.to London. On her journey, Cat ends up joining a travelling troupe of players and winds up being made into Katherine of Aragon’s fool.
I found myself really enjoying the plot of this book. I liked the way each of the plot elements linked, even when at first glance it seemed like they wouldn’t. I loved the historical details that made the book more believable. Despite writing for ages 9-12, Sherrick didn’t shy away from using historically believable plot points that wouldn’t have been out of place in an adult historical drama (although it is resolved differently).
My biggest problem with this book was the characters, only one in particular: Cat Sparrow. The blurb does tell the reader that Cat thinks differently, but that does not prepare you for how differently. Cat came across as childish and annoying. I did choose to read it as a mental disability, but as the majority of the novel is first person from Cat’s point of view, it gets a little too much at times. Some of the names that Cat comes up with for the other characters are quite funny, including Candle Wooly for Cardinale Wolsey and Lord Bucket for The Duke of Buckingham.
Alongside Cat, there is a second narrator, Jaques Bonhomme who was my favourite character. Jacques has an interesting backstory that I wanted to know more about. However, Jacques is the type of character I expected in a historical novel, so maybe it is for the best that his story was not the main plot. Also, Jacques has a pet monkey named Pepin, who is a character in his own right.
I didn’t know what to expect when starting this novel and at the end, I’m not entirely sure what I feel about it. I definitely enjoyed the plot and the historical aspect was something I enjoyed a lot more than I was expecting. The only issue I had with this book was Cat Sparrow’s irritating childishness. Whilst I can only rate this book as three stars, it has left me open to trying more historical novels. The Queen’s Fool is expected to be published on 4th February 2021 in the UK.
C🌙
