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In the perilous world of kings and queens, one woman matches ambition with loyalty and ruthless intrigue with all-consuming passion in this gripping historical fiction novel. London, 1673. With her family ruined by war, penniless thirteen-year-old Sarah Jennings is overjoyed to be chosen as a maid of honor at the bawdy Restoration court of Charles II. She soon wins the trust of Lady Anne of York, a lonely princess who becomes one of her staunchest allies. And though Sarah's beauty stirs the desires of jaded aristocrats, she wants a grander future for herself than that of a pampered mistress. Only one man possesses ambition and passions that match her own: John Churchill, a dashing young military hero. He would ask for her hand--and win her heart for a lifetime... But Whitehall Palace is ripe with ever-shifting alliances and sexual scandal, and Sarah will need all her cleverness to succeed. Titles, power, and wealth are the prizes, while an idle whisper in the wrong ear can bring a cry of treason, and the executioner's ax. Will Sarah's loyalties--and her dreams--falter when a king is toppled from his throne and a new queen crowned? And will she dare risk everything when her one true love is tested by a passionate, dangerous obsession? Brimming with the intrigue and sensuality of one of history's most decadent courts, Duchess brings to vivid life the story of an unforgettable woman who determines her own destiny--outspoken, outrageous, but most of all true to herself.… (more)
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Duchess tells the story of Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlbrough. Born into a commoner family, young Sarah goes to court at the tender age of thirteen after she is chosen to be a lady in waiting to Lady Anne, Duchess of York and daughter of the king. While gaining Anne's trust, Sarah is introduced to the sensual, religiously charged, political world of Charles II's court. Soon she catches the eye of the dashing John Churchill, another low-born man who is making a name for himself in the military. As Sarah becomes drawn into the intrigues of court, and the conflicted affections of John Churchill, she grows closer and closer to the royal family, but not without consequence.
Duchess is a fabulous novel, especially for a debut. Scott's talent as both a writer and historical are evident from the first page, where she pulled me in and refused to let me go. In particular, Sarah is a well-developed characters who is easy for readers to relate to and, throughout the novel, goes through a realistic transformation from an innocent child to a mature, intelligent woman who can manipulate the terrors of court with ease. It's easy for readers to get pulled into Sarah's twisty and unexpected tale, especially since she is a little-known and rarely explored historical figure.
Probably the only issue I had with this book was the pacing. It moved just a little bit too slow for me at points, especially at the beginning, but once I got through that I couldn't put the book down. Each page is dripping with politics, religious issue of the period and a fascinating tale of a compelling character.
The novel is based on the life of Sarah Jennings, who first
Scott presents a fairly interesting overview of the politics, fashions, customs, and rivalries in the late 17th-century court, and Sarah and John are fascinating figures of the day. I do have one caveat, which may not apply to most readers: I might have enjoyed the book more if I had not seen (several times) the excellent 1970s PBS series 'The First Churchills.' In many ways, I felt that I was reading a summary of the series, because nothing really new was added or further developed. I anticipated every event and plot turn (while picturing in my mind Susan Hampshire, John Neville, and Margaret Tyzak--which wasn't a bad way to read it!). So if you haven't seen the series, I'd recommend this book with a higher rating (4 stars). If you have seen 'The First Churchills,' just be prepared for a decent summary review.
So when I
She quickly becomes very adept at court life--politics and intrigue and knowing who to cultivate and who to snub, and most importantly, she avoids becoming a casualty of court life--a mistress of the king or some other powerful man.
She falls in love with John Churchill, who's very much like her with a similar non-wealthy background and very politically astute. She holds out for marriage, while he's determined to marry for wealth and have Sarah as a mistress.
The book tells of her fluctuating political fortunes, tied to those of Princess Anne, and I found it just fascinating, particularly because it doesn't just give a list of events, but the thoughts and emotions motivating them. It also paints a very vivid picture of court life at the time.
So I've been entertained, and learned a little about British history in the process. And if historical scholars have different interpretations of the personalities and events in the book, I'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to get too worried about it.