The Last Crown (The Bold #2)

 


The Last Crown (The Bold #2)

Elzbieta Cherezinska

translated by Maya Zakrzewska-Pim

Original publication date: Oct. 3, 2016 under the title Krolowa

US publication date: Sept. 6. 2022 by Macmillian-Tor/ Forge Books

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 5 👢👢👢👢👢



Summary: Across Baltic shores, English battlegrounds, and the land of Northern Lights, The Last Crown is the follow up to The Widow Queen, and the epic conclusion of Swietoslawa's journey from Polish princess to Queen of Denmark & Sweden and Queen Mother of England. 

My thoughts: First let me say that you don't have to read the first book in order to read this one but I would highly recommend it. I am so grateful that this series was picked up for U.S. publication. I probably would never have given any thought to these historic figures otherwise. 

This series is more than just a loose biography of Swietoslawa. It provides a thoroughly researched and comprehensive overview of the evolution of the monarchies of Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and England. There was plenty of planning, scheming, conniving, deception, and manipulation. There was also honor, duty, devotion, commitment, and love. Cherezinska didn't just provide players on a field. She gave readers characters that were full of depth and emotion. The reason you keep going with this book is because you truly want to know what happens to them. While the historic record doesn't always provide the details behind why decisions were made, Cherezinska writes with plausibility. Although the book doesn't strictly stick to a female point of view it does a great job at highlighting the influence women have had behind the crown for centuries. 

I received an early copy of this title via NetGalley. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Phoenix Crown

Image
  The Phoenix Crown Kate Quinn and Janie Chang Pub. date: Feb. 13, 2024 by William Morrow Paperbacks Historical Fiction 4 👢👢👢👢 Summary: From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles. San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace. His patronage offers Gemma and ...
Read more

Queens of London

Image
  Queens of London Heather Webb Pub date: Feb. 6, 2024 Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 4 👢👢👢👢 Summary: Maybe women can have it all, as long as they're willing to steal it. 1925. London. When Alice Diamond, AKA "Diamond Annie," is elected the Queen of the Forty Elephants, she's determined to take the all-girl gang to new heights. She's ambitious, tough as nails, and a brilliant mastermind, with a plan to create a dynasty the likes of which no one has ever seen. Alice demands absolute loyalty from her "family"—it's how she's always kept the cops in line. Too bad she's now the target for one of Britain's first female policewomen. Officer Lilian Wyles isn't merely one of the first female detectives at Scotland Yard, she's one of the best detectives on the force. Even so, she'll have to win a big score to prove herself, to break free from the "women's work" she's been assigned. When she hears about the large...
Read more

Vincent's Women: The Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent Van Gogh

Image
Vincent's Women Donna Russo Pub. Date: March 26, 2024 by Next Chapter Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Summary: Donna Russo's 'Vincent's Women' is the untold story of Vincent's loves, how they shaped his life, his art, and his death. It writes against the ‘myths,’ exploring the possibility that none of them are true. It is the only novel to bring into question his sexuality, how he lost his ear, who he lost it for, and how he might have died, all through the eyes of a woman. We learn of Her; we learn all of it through Her. The story is guided by Johanna van Gogh Bonger, Vincent's sister-in-law, as she decides to reveal the truth about Vincent to her son. We are then taken on a journey through Vincent's life, each section bringing a pivotal moment of Vincent's life alive while showing us the part she played in bringing it about. Between each woman, our guide, Johanna, gives us the transitional periods, right up to his death, which is now in q...
Read more