The King’s Mistress by Emma Campion
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Campion opens with Alice asking the question “Yet when had I a choice to be other than I was?” It’s certainly a question we’ve all considered about our own choices. Most historical accounts portray Alice as a usurper that worked her way into the King’s bed in order to take over the castle, gain lands, and a fortune of her own. Campion paints a picture that I think is much more realistic when looking at the power that a commoner would have had in England at the time. A time when a commoner, especially a woman, would have no choice about the trail her life would take.
By piecing together actual records of Alice’s land holdings, marriage records, and historical accounts of court proceedings, Campion weaves a tale around a young Alice that is married off at a mere 15 years of age to a man she truly comes to love. What seems like a fairy tale wedding, quickly turns into a nightmare centered around a secret that must be kept in order to protect the Dowager Queen. Alice and her young daughter’s lives are soon in peril, their only chance of protection coming from King Edward and Queen Philippa, with strings Alice isn’t quite sure she wants to accept, but is left without another option.
The attention to historical detail is amazing in The King’s Mistress, including dressings, jewels, entertainment, and interactions between different levels of society. I also loved how other historical figures played into the story, especially Chaucer. There are certain historical figures I could never picture as a young child and Chaucer was definitely one of those, but Campion really brought him to life. The King’s Mistress really hits the mark, bringing history back to life in a fictional tale that ties together true events of the court of King Edward III to the life story of his renowned mistress.
Novel Whore Rating: 5 Notches on the Bed Post
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* I received a review copy of The King’s Mistress from the publisher as part of the TLC Book Tour, go read more reviews!
