The Lady of Misrule – Suzannah Dunn

The Lady of Misrule - Suzannah DunnAnother easy read as a break from SPQR. In this case, literally – larger font and wider spacing than Mary Beard’s book.

The Lady of Misrule is the story of sixteen year old Lady Jane Grey‘s 8 months in the Tower of London following the death of Edward VI and the accession of Queen Mary I. For 9 long summer days in between these two Tudor monarchs,  Lady Jane Grey was Engand’s first Queen, Queen Jane.

We’re shown the story through the eyes of Elizabeth Tilney, Lady Jane’s newly appointed Catholic lady-in-waiting. Also sixteen.

Each in their own way were victims of powerful men: Lady Jane Grey’s 9 days as Queen Jane were engineered to allow her father-in-law and Edward VI’s Lord President of the Council, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, to continue in power; Elizabeth Tilney, unwittingly (and I’d say fictitiously) pregnant by her father’s best friend.

Publisher’s page: The Lady of Misrule – Suzannah Dunn