Wasn't super in love with this one. Great premise and promise--I love historical fiction and I read so much about the Tudors that I was looking forward to something else. The perspective of a court fool was also intriguing, and didn't disappoint--it was delightful to see royalty from a distance.

Unfortunately, I just didn't connect to the story at all. I didn't understand why Jeffrey was in love with the queen at all. There didn't seem to be any reason, especially when she considered him a pet. He seemed cynical enough not to fall for her.

I also didn't have a very good visual sense of this story. I'm not as familiar with this time period as I am with Tudor England, and there weren't many details to help me find my way. Perhaps that's one way that history from a royal perspective helps: we get descriptions of fashions and decorations that the typical person just wouldn't have the ability to bother with.

I would definitely say that this is worth a read for those who like Tudor history and are looking to expand down the line of succession, as well as for those who like to read about history from less privileged perspectives. Jeffrey is an overall likeable character, and the parts where we watch him navigate his world--both in terms of his size and in terms of the contemporary superstition he faced--were the most interesting. I would have loved a book that focused even more on Jeffrey and the people of the menagerie. I would have loved to hear more about him learning how to be a court fool, making jokes that don't work until he figured out what does, practicing (and secretly critiquing) he masques he was called upon to participate in.

My biggest beef with the book, though, was the massive departure from history into pure fantasy at the end of the book. I'll grant a midnight ride the benefit of suspension of disbelief. That Jeffrey could thwart an assassination attempt but the whole thing could be swept under the rug of history because the king commands so is simply laughable. There's no way to stop a story like that from spreading, not in that kind of hostile environment and with so many courtiers around. I understand the need to get Jeffrey back in the queen's good graces, but did it have to be something so obviously contrived? The whole book is about how secrets can't be kept!

My reviews are devolving... ( )

Book received for free through GoodReads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the book!

Ms. Chase really knows how to bring history to life. From the harsh world of the London slums to the vivid colors of Stuart courtly pageants, she drops her readers smack daub into a world of intrigue, emotion, and life. I really enjoyed the timeframe she chose to write about. I personally didn't know that much about it, so learning something while enjoying my fiction was an added bonus.

The character of Jeffery Hudson fascinated me. As he's described in one line, he's a man whose spirit and heart are bigger than his physical body. I found him so complex. His deep remorse for the course he's forced to travel, his developing loyalty to the menagerie and his Queen, and a heart so much larger than his physical size all came together into a individual that kept me spellbound. I got so wrapped up in his struggles and triumphs that I was upset that the journey was over! If the author ever decides to explore more of his life, I will definitely be in line for that book.

The other people in this book also shined with brilliance and individuality. From honorable giant Will to gentle dwarf Sara to the wily Duke of Buckingham, I felt each of these people in my soul. They all were as complex as Jeffrey, with their own motivations and insights. Not every author is able to balance the secondary characters with their heroes as well as Ella March Chase. It was a pleasant surprise.

This is definitely a fantastic piece of historical fiction. Not only are we transported to another time and place through spectacular period detail and storytelling, but the reader lives the times. The characters in the book all shown with brilliance, hero and secondary characters alike. No one was as they seemed which made for a pleasant reading experience. I definitely recommend this book to any lover of historical fiction. ( )

An interesting and enjoyable look at the early reign of Charles I of England and his queen Henrietta Maria through the eyes of the royal dwarf, Jeffrey Hudson. Filled with court intrigue and schemes, this book makes for a fun trip to 17th-century England for fans of historical fiction. ( )

Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for a copy of The Queen's Dwarf.

Chase's novel is loosely based on Jeffrey Hudson's life, as the historic note at the back of the book details. A fictional tale of treason and love is intertwined with the actual facts regarding the problematic reign of King Charles I with his French Catholic queen, Henrietta-Maria. The lives of some real-life royal entertainers, who served alongside Hudson to make the royals laugh, is augmented with the made-up tales of other "freaks" and villains. The Duke of Buckingham and his treacherous accomplice Lady Lucy Hay, as well as Buckingham's household are also well represented in the book. Especially the Duke is presented as the master plotter in many ways.

The novel is slow to start. It was difficult to get into it in the beginning, I think mainly because the story is told in first-person from Hudson's point of view. Like most first-person narratives, it seems almost unnatural, especially as the character goes through ideas and possibilities in his head for pages. This allows Chase to develop Hudson'c character well, but all other characters are a bit flat, as we only understand and know as much as the fool understands and knows. At times, Chase overrides this shortcoming of the first-person narrative by making her characters have conversations that I found a bit unrealistic. For example, would the royal ladies really discuss a commoner (Ware) and his childhood while playing cards in the palace? Most importantly, were the British so open with their talk, as even now they are probably the most convoluted and subtle speakers of the English language, with their roundabout ways of saying things. So at times, it seemed that Chase had to get information to the reader which Hudson's character could not in the first-person narrative, so other characters had rather open and honest discussions to serve this purpose.

On the other hand, the first-person narrative really worked to wind up the story in many twists. So after the first third of the book, the story gets nicely twisted, as Hudson knows less and is trapped and coerced more, and the hostilities against the queen and Buckingham increase. Bu the last third, the book is truly a page-turner, as the reader finds out just what Hudson didn't know, and all the lies people were telling each other. In this regard, the first-person narrative is a good tool, and Chase wields it masterfully.

Overall, The Queen's Dwarf is a good read, and a good way to peek into the royal court during King Charles I's reign and the Church of England vs. Catholic wars.

Recommended for those who like monkeys, giants, and chest tube insertion. ( )