Louise Pedersen Pedersen itibaren Maksimovskoye, Yaroslavskaya oblast', Oroszország
I rarely give a book a full 5 stars, but this one truly deserves the highest rating possible. I've never read a piece of historical fiction that brings the characters to life as much as this novel does. I love to learn new things, and this book prompted me to read more about that period in European history. This was the best historical fiction novel I have ever read. Whenever I pick up a book of any genre of fiction, I'm always hoping that I will find a character (or characters) who will be interesting and who I will grow to admire as the story progresses. The Queen's Fool is Hannah, and she captured my heart in the first 20 pages. Told from her point of view, the novel weaves her fictional life into the intriguing cloth of the people and events of Tudor England. The author did a fabulous job of researching the history of this period, and inspired me to read more about Mary I of England, Elizabeth I of England, and Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. I've always been at least slightly interested in British history, but this novel has certainly piqued my hope to learn more. One thing I found extra cool about this novel is that some of it takes place in Hampton Court, and I was privileged to visit there while in high school, so I was able to imagine it as it really is. Another important thing to me when reading a book is a happy ending. I don't like sad or unfinished endings. While this novel doesn't actually end happily for everyone, it is a satisfying conclusion to a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more of Philippa Gregory's talent-filled tomes.