Review: A Queen's Game by Katharine McGee
Thank you Random House Children’s for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
If it’s a royal romance, I’m gonna read it. I was a huge fan of McGee’s AMERICA ROYALS series so when I saw this pop up, I immediately added it to my TBR. And thank goodness I did because I think this might be the most well written of all her books. I found that the story structure, character arcs, peeks into history, and modern elements of romance all worked so well together. I kept running to my internet browser to Google the real lives of these characters. I also immediately wanted to watch Anastasia after I finished.
Synopsis:
“In the last glittering decade of European empires, courts, and kings, three young women are on a collision course with history—and with each other.
Alix of Hesse is Queen Victoria’s favorite granddaughter, so she can expect to end up with a prince . . . except that the prince she’s falling for is not the one she’s supposed to marry.
Hélène d’Orléans, daughter of the exiled King of France, doesn’t mind being a former princess; it gives her more opportunity to break the rules. Like running around with the handsome, charming, and very much off-limits heir to the British throne, Prince Eddy.
Then there’s May of Teck. After spending her entire life on the fringes of the royal world, May is determined to marry a prince—and not just any prince, but the future king.
In a story that sweeps from the glittering ballrooms of Saint Petersburg to the wilds of Scotland, A Queen’s Game recounts a pivotal moment in real history as only Katharine McGee can tell it: through the eyes of the young women whose lives, and loves, changed it forever.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Pacing—This was unputdownable for me in a time when I really had a hard time focusing. Everything moved very well and the tension pulsed through the pages. This is the kind of book that makes me excited about writing.
The Passion—Katharine McGee’s characters are always going to find stolen moments amidst forbidden romances. And there’s always going to be that sneaky character you aren’t sure if you should trust. She did her typical tropes SO well.
The History—I think this is a fascinating time in history, especially as Americans because the role of monarchies feels so distant and foreign. I don’t know all of this history by heart, but I did know bits and pieces of it and I loved having the chance to get to understand it better. Also, I’m glad to know we’ve come farther in terms of mental health, but it seems that there will always be a stigma surrounding it and I felt for Alix.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Nothing—I really, truly loved this book. It was escapist but not unrealistic, since it is all based in history!
Character Authenticity: 5/5 Overall Rating: 5/5
Content Warnings:
grief, death, misogyny, blackmail