The Queen's fool is another entertaining and well written
historical fiction novel by Philippa Gregory. The story centres
around a fictional character, Hannah, who serves as a holy fool in
the courts of the young King Edward (Henry VIII's and Jane
Seymour's son) and Queen Mary (Henry's first child who becomes
known in history as "Bloody Mary"). At Mary's request, Hannah also
spends a considerable amount of time with Princess Elizabeth.
I really enjoyed Hannah as the main character. She gets entangled
in the mess of the English court but also has her own problems to
deal with. She has to hide her true origins/religion and is in
constant fear of being discovered as a Jew. She also struggles with
growing up and her role as a young woman, and with her somewhat
problematic relationship with her betrothed.
If you are interested in reading Gregory's Tudor novels in order of
the historical events, this novel comes after the Boleyn
Inheritance and before the Virgin's Lover.