| In London of the 1540's and 1550's, the Dudley family is pulling the strings for King Edward, a sickly teenager and only son of Henry VIII. Next in line for the throne is Mary, daughter of Henry and Katherine of Aragon.
Enter nine-year-old Hannah and her father, Oliver Green. They are Jewish refugees running from the Spanish Inquisition. Hannah has "the sight", a dangerous gift in times when women burned for far less. In England the Greens live as Protestant Christians, practising their own religion in secret. Oliver is a scholar, printer and bookseller; Hannah works as his assistant and apprentice. She is betrothed to Daniel Carpenter, an English Jew and friend of the family, whom she is to marry at 16. She is 14 and dresses as a boy when she is spotted by Lord Robert Dudley, whose father, the Earl of Leicester, is the most powerful man in England. Hannah delivers the books Lord Robert had ordered to the court. There she meets the dying King Edward, who has been told about her and her gift of sight. He commands Hannah to become his fool and live at court. Hannah is terrified but neither she nor her father can do anything to help her. She then moves to court and is thrown into the turmoil of the huge royal household. The Dudleys order her to spy on everyone and tell them everything. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 1600-1899 - Life of a profession: Internal struggle/realization? Yes Struggle over Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Job/Profession/Status story Yes Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - a teen Has magical powers? Yes Magical/mental powers of main character: Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - none Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 () Europe Yes European country: - England/UK Misc setting Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references only - descript of kissing Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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