Title: My Lady Jane
Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Type: Fiction
Genre: YA, Historical, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins)
Date published: June 7, 2016 (hardcover) | May 9, 2017 (paperback)
Source: Library
This comical, fantastical, romantical, New York Times bestselling, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey is “an uproarious historical fantasy that’s not to be missed” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.
At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.
Like that could go wrong.
– My Review –
I read most My Lady Jane last summer while at a friend’s cottage (as you can see in the images below). I actually also hosted a readalong for this book at the same time, and you can check the posts out here if you want to see our discussions about it and such. Just beware of spoilers if you haven’t read the book yet, also you can find links to the discussions for other chapters at the bottom of that post as well. But, back to the book! I absolutely loved it, but just became swamped with reviews that I had to write for ARCs, and it kind of got pushed to the back burner until now. Well, with the next book by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Plain Jane, coming out this month, I thought that it was finally time to write a full review for My Lady Jane!
Going into the book, I didn’t know anything about Lady Jane Grey, so I don’t know which aspects of the story are accurate and which were not. Also, I want to note that I audiobooked part of this book (which was narrated by Katherine Kellgren, rest in peace), and that I absolutely adored the way that it was performed! I loved the story in general, and also the amount of humour that came through from the authors’ writing! I laughed out loud multiple times, got upset over the things that went wrong, and probably cried once or twice because of sweet or sad things that took place. I adored the relationships between characters, and particularly the interactions and romance between Jane and her love interest. The magic that was present in this book was also handled very well, and was extremely fun to read about it! All in all, I think that this book deserves every one of the five stars that I’m giving it! And I very much look forward to reading and reviewing My Plain Jane, the next book, by these amazing ladies this month!
– About the Authors –
Brodi Ashton: I write Young Adult novels. I eat cinnamon bears. I love me some Diet Coke. My debut book EVERNEATH (the first in a trilogy) comes out Winter 2012 with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins). I’m represented by Michael Bourret at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.
Jodi Meadows: I like books. Reading them, writing, and admiring them as my bookshelves begin to bow. I command a ferret army. Are YOU ready for the revolution?
I’ve heard so many good things about this book, and it sounds like the perfect summer read, I can’t wait to read it. 🙂
Also, this is totally unrelated to the book, but look at the perfection that is your top knot. <3
Yeees! I loved it so much! And oh my gosh thank you! I wish that it always looked like that hahaha
Glad you enjoyed this! It sounds like such a fun novel 🙂
It was SO much fun! I hope that you like it if you ever pick it up 😀
Fantastic review Flavia!! this one keeps getting exceptional,reviews I’ll have to read it 😉
Thank you! And yesss I don’t think I’ve ever read a negative review for My Lady Jane hehe
I love Jane Grey, and British history in general, so I went into this just thinking it was a retelling of her story. I had no idea about all the magic and extra stuff. It was such a pleasant surprise and I LOVED IT! Can’t wait for their next one (Jane Eyre is my FAV).
Yaaaay so glad to hear that you loved it! I wasn’t sure how readers who knew the actual history of Jane Grey would take the little tweaks to the story that the authors apparently made haha. And YES! I love Jane Eyre too!
I mean, you definitely have to be a certain kind of history person to enjoy it. Haha. But I think if you go in with an open mind ready to be entertained, and not as a stiff/stuffy historian, it’s just a really fun take on a crazy moment in British history. So enjoyable!
So glad you enjoyed this, Flavia!! I love this book – great review
Thank you! And I’m so glad that you loved this book too!
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