Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collections
Publication
HarperTeen (2016), 512 pages
Description
Romance. Humor (Fiction.) Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: This comical, fantastical, romantical, New York Times bestselling, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey is "an uproarious historical fantasy that's not to be missed" (Publishers Weekly, starred review). In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history�??because sometimes history needs a little help. At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren't for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong. New York Times Bestseller * Publishers Weekly Best Young Adult Book of the Year * Bustle Best Young Adult Book of the Year * YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults And don't miss the authors' next fun read, My Plain Jane!… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member norabelle414
King Edward VI of England is 15 years old and he's dying. Before his death, he bypasses both his half-sisters (Mary and Elizabeth) and appoints his cousin, Lady Jane Grey, as his successor. Mary is extremely displeased, assembles an army, and deposes Jane after only 9 days on the throne. Also, Jane
This book is very entertaining and fun, but don't look for it to make a lot of sense. The whole "Verities vs. E∂ians" as a stand-in for Catholics vs. protestants concept does not hold water. Protestantism was a progressive movement, while E∂ian-ism is somewhere between a random occurrence and an inherited genetic trait. Plus,almost everyone in the entire book ends up being an E∂ian in the end (but they don't make a point of that) . Lady Jane Grey is a great and sympathetic character, who loves books and is very capable. Lord Gifford "G" Dudley and Edward are less engaging but still interesting. The writing is nothing special except that it's funny, with frequent asides from the authors and recurring jokes. Characters frequently quote things that are not yet in existence, like Shakespeare and Austen, which was funny at first but got old. The authors did a great job of integrating their fantasy with the actual historical events; because major points of history were retained, you could almost believe that it really happened but we just don't have any evidence.
Recommended if you like goofy historical fantasy that doesn't take itself seriously, at all.
Show More
is married to a man who turns into a horse during the day, Jane & Edward's grandmother Elizabeth of York can turn into a skunk at will, and Edward is not actually dead. Mary despises E∂ians, people who can turn into animals, and wants to burn them all at the stake which is why Edward didn't want her on the throne.This book is very entertaining and fun, but don't look for it to make a lot of sense. The whole "Verities vs. E∂ians" as a stand-in for Catholics vs. protestants concept does not hold water. Protestantism was a progressive movement, while E∂ian-ism is somewhere between a random occurrence and an inherited genetic trait. Plus,
Recommended if you like goofy historical fantasy that doesn't take itself seriously, at all.
Show Less
LibraryThing member scatlett
LOVED this book! Not so much a retelling of the Jane Grey story, but the way her story could have gone if there had been a touch of Monty Python involved.
LibraryThing member Othemts
This work of historical fiction flat out revels in the fact that it is completely made up. This version of the story of Lady Jane Grey, a.k.a. the Nine Day Queen, has the boy King Edward being manipulated and slowly poisoned by his adviser Lord Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. Edward designates his
So far, similar to reality, but sillier. In this alternate history, some people are Effians, that is having the ability to change into an animal. Swiftly, Jane inherits the the throne when Edward is declared dead, and then she and Guildford are forced to flee when Mary in turn claims the throne. Jane, Guildford, and Edward (spoiler: he's not dead) all have adventures, discover new powers, and meet interesting people along the way to a happier ending than reality. The book is riotously funny both in the dialogue and the authors asides. The audio book is excellently performed by Katherine Kellgren.
Show More
favorite cousin Jane to be his heir and has her married to Dudley's son Guildford. So far, similar to reality, but sillier. In this alternate history, some people are Effians, that is having the ability to change into an animal. Swiftly, Jane inherits the the throne when Edward is declared dead, and then she and Guildford are forced to flee when Mary in turn claims the throne. Jane, Guildford, and Edward (spoiler: he's not dead) all have adventures, discover new powers, and meet interesting people along the way to a happier ending than reality. The book is riotously funny both in the dialogue and the authors asides. The audio book is excellently performed by Katherine Kellgren.
Show Less
LibraryThing member avanders
A very quick read... and “engaging” for that. But 2-dimensional and rather teenage’y. My personal disappointment in all the ways this book repeatedly failed to deliver can fairly be summed up in 1 word: Donkey.
Ah well. 2 stars.
Ah well. 2 stars.
LibraryThing member asomers
I want more! I turned the last page and immediately began thinking," What period of history could these three authors write about next?" because I want more. This book had such a unique blend of historical and fantasy fiction with a good helping of wry humor and lots of adventure. Loved it!
LibraryThing member BrittanyLyn
I really enjoyed this book, it was a very well written young adult novel, full of character definition and development. The use of actual historical events, mixed with intrigue, drama, and a bit of magic, kept it intriguing and entertaining. I really enjoyed the breaks as the narrator infused humor
Show More
and perceptions that made me laugh out loud. Will definitely recommend. Show Less
LibraryThing member VavaViolet
I finished this novel last night and I truly enjoyed it! It's written with such wit and humor that I had several laugh out loud moments while reading it (much to the irritation of my sleeping husband, lol!). Also, I fell in love with the characters - both human and animal form, especially Jane,
Show More
Edward and let's call him G. I prefer this fictional version of Lady Jane Grey's fate because in my opinion she deserved a better ending. Kudos to the Lady Janies who collaborated to give us this charming story. You ladies are awesome. Magnificent. Wonderful. Show Less
LibraryThing member BrynDahlquis
I'm very, very happy with this book. It's the kind of book that is a pleasure to read all the way through. I loved all the characters and the romance and the adventure. The references to history and famous lines of poetry. It's all so much fun. Add in the pleasant size and weight of the book itself
Really, the only thing I find myself annoyed with is that the summary made it sound like G's daily transformation into a horse was an oddity - a unique experience. But then on the very first page it is revealed that plenty of people can turn into animals. I had to revise my expectations of the novel, which was mildly disappointing at the time. I don't mind that lots of people are Edians, I just wish the book summary hadn't led me to believe otherwise.
Show More
and it's an absolute charm.Really, the only thing I find myself annoyed with is that the summary made it sound like G's daily transformation into a horse was an oddity - a unique experience. But then on the very first page it is revealed that plenty of people can turn into animals. I had to revise my expectations of the novel, which was mildly disappointing at the time. I don't mind that lots of people are Edians, I just wish the book summary hadn't led me to believe otherwise.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A cute and funny story that I unfortunately felt a slight disconnect with.
Opening Sentence: You may think you know the story.
The Review:
Do you recall the story of Lady Jane Grey? She was the queen of England for a total of ten days then she was
Lady Jane Grey always has had her nose stuck in a book and she’s not really what you would imagine when you think of a high lady of the court. It’s not that she is improper, it’s more that she just doesn’t care about frivolous things like finding a husband or completing her needle point. But alas Jane was born as a noble and she knows that eventually she will have to get married and it won’t be for love! What she didn’t expect was to marry a man who has the ability to become a horse (but he seems to have quite a problem changing back)! Jane also didn’t expect to be named queen of England shortly after getting married! But you see not everyone wants her to be queen and Jane doesn’t know if she is really cut out to run a kingdom!
I loved Jane. She was such an easy character to relate to and I loved how independent she was. In the time period that she lived women were generally meek and inferior to men but that was not how Jane was. She had no problem speaking her mind or fighting for what she believed in. She was not someone you could push around or manipulate. She also had the biggest heart and quite a great sense of humor. I found her to be a wonderful character and I enjoyed reading her story.
Besides Jane there were two other main characters in the story. First there was Edward, the current king of England who was dying from ‘the Affliction’! I struggled with Edward’s character and always found his part of the story to be on the boring side. It’s not that I disliked him, it was just that I didn’t really care about him or what happened to him. So I guess you could say I was indifferent to his character.
The final character was Gifford, and he was cursed with being a horse from sunrise to sundown! He also happens to be the man who marries Jane. I thought Gifford was funny and sweet but once again, I just didn’t find his part of the story all that interesting. I thought the romance was cute and while I loved his interaction with Jane, I wanted more from his character. While I liked him better then Edward, I was once again pretty indifferent to his character!
My Lady Jane is a cute and fun story that ended up somewhere in the middle for me. It was a struggle for me at the beginning! I felt like it dragged really bad at parts but other parts were paced perfectly. After finishing the book, I found that I did enjoy it, but now that I’m trying to write the review I have come to realize that I disliked more then I thought I did. While the book had some funny moments, I didn’t find myself ever laughing out loud. It also took me a full week to finish this and that is a really long time for me. It’s true that I was very busy at the time, but I also found myself not overly excited to pick this back up. It’s not that it was a bad read! There were parts I loved, but overall, I guess I just didn’t quite connect with it as much as I was hoping. I feel like this review is very negative so let me talk about the positives! I adored some of the characters. I thought the romance was very cute, and I really enjoyed the setting. I struggled with some of the writing style at certain points but at other moments it worked for me. I love how unique the story was and it is very different from anything else I have ever read. Overall, this is going to be a 3 star rating but I am in the minority when it comes to these feelings and some of my very trusted bookish friends loved it, so if you are interested please still give it a try!
Notable Scene:
“Very funny, my lady. And that reminds me “– – he pointed the finger at her – – “no horse jokes. ”
He was making it too easy. “,My Lord, why the long face? ”
“That’s it! ” After a frantic look around the room, he grab the book from the nightstand. The trousers hung dangerously low to one side as he let the book flop open. “I don’t recall you mentioning anything about bending the spine of the book.”
Alarm filled her. “Put down the book.” She wanted to look away, as he seem distracted from holding the treasures in place, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the book. What if you heard it? What if he followed through with his threat?
“No horse jokes, “he said.
“My Lord, I apologize for the horse joke. If you put down the book – – unharmed! – – I will give you a carrot. ”
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of My Lady Jane. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A cute and funny story that I unfortunately felt a slight disconnect with.
Opening Sentence: You may think you know the story.
The Review:
Do you recall the story of Lady Jane Grey? She was the queen of England for a total of ten days then she was
Show More
beheaded shortly after she was removed from the throne. Well that is the story you read in the history books, but is it really what happened? Did Jane actually get a different ending then her head being chopped off?Lady Jane Grey always has had her nose stuck in a book and she’s not really what you would imagine when you think of a high lady of the court. It’s not that she is improper, it’s more that she just doesn’t care about frivolous things like finding a husband or completing her needle point. But alas Jane was born as a noble and she knows that eventually she will have to get married and it won’t be for love! What she didn’t expect was to marry a man who has the ability to become a horse (but he seems to have quite a problem changing back)! Jane also didn’t expect to be named queen of England shortly after getting married! But you see not everyone wants her to be queen and Jane doesn’t know if she is really cut out to run a kingdom!
I loved Jane. She was such an easy character to relate to and I loved how independent she was. In the time period that she lived women were generally meek and inferior to men but that was not how Jane was. She had no problem speaking her mind or fighting for what she believed in. She was not someone you could push around or manipulate. She also had the biggest heart and quite a great sense of humor. I found her to be a wonderful character and I enjoyed reading her story.
Besides Jane there were two other main characters in the story. First there was Edward, the current king of England who was dying from ‘the Affliction’! I struggled with Edward’s character and always found his part of the story to be on the boring side. It’s not that I disliked him, it was just that I didn’t really care about him or what happened to him. So I guess you could say I was indifferent to his character.
The final character was Gifford, and he was cursed with being a horse from sunrise to sundown! He also happens to be the man who marries Jane. I thought Gifford was funny and sweet but once again, I just didn’t find his part of the story all that interesting. I thought the romance was cute and while I loved his interaction with Jane, I wanted more from his character. While I liked him better then Edward, I was once again pretty indifferent to his character!
My Lady Jane is a cute and fun story that ended up somewhere in the middle for me. It was a struggle for me at the beginning! I felt like it dragged really bad at parts but other parts were paced perfectly. After finishing the book, I found that I did enjoy it, but now that I’m trying to write the review I have come to realize that I disliked more then I thought I did. While the book had some funny moments, I didn’t find myself ever laughing out loud. It also took me a full week to finish this and that is a really long time for me. It’s true that I was very busy at the time, but I also found myself not overly excited to pick this back up. It’s not that it was a bad read! There were parts I loved, but overall, I guess I just didn’t quite connect with it as much as I was hoping. I feel like this review is very negative so let me talk about the positives! I adored some of the characters. I thought the romance was very cute, and I really enjoyed the setting. I struggled with some of the writing style at certain points but at other moments it worked for me. I love how unique the story was and it is very different from anything else I have ever read. Overall, this is going to be a 3 star rating but I am in the minority when it comes to these feelings and some of my very trusted bookish friends loved it, so if you are interested please still give it a try!
Notable Scene:
“Very funny, my lady. And that reminds me “– – he pointed the finger at her – – “no horse jokes. ”
He was making it too easy. “,My Lord, why the long face? ”
“That’s it! ” After a frantic look around the room, he grab the book from the nightstand. The trousers hung dangerously low to one side as he let the book flop open. “I don’t recall you mentioning anything about bending the spine of the book.”
Alarm filled her. “Put down the book.” She wanted to look away, as he seem distracted from holding the treasures in place, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the book. What if you heard it? What if he followed through with his threat?
“No horse jokes, “he said.
“My Lord, I apologize for the horse joke. If you put down the book – – unharmed! – – I will give you a carrot. ”
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of My Lady Jane. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryGirl11
Too much artistic license in this "historical" fiction for me--and the addition of "G," the noble who becomes a horse by day and marries Jane Grey, was beyond credulity, Also, the reader's voice is strident and grating. Nope.
LibraryThing member leahlo89
Such a fun book! Loved it.
LibraryThing member foggidawn
What if Lady Jane Grey managed to escape the Tower of London after her nine days as queen? And what if Edward VI was not actually dead, but had also escaped when he discovered that his illness was actually a plot to poison him? And what if some people could magically turn into animals?
As you can
As you can
Show More
see, these authors are not afraid to take a few liberties with British history. Readers who are sticklers for period detail may find themselves thinking things like, "But tea hadn't been introduced in England at that point," or "I don't think personalized wedding vows were a thing back then," or "That's a very feminist attitude for the sixteenth century." On the other hand, if you think of it as pure fantasy that bears a passing structural resemblance to events that once happened in our world, this makes for a cute story (though even then you may feel that the magic system could be better explained). There are references to The Princess Bride, Monty Python, and other elements of geek culture, and if you listen to the audiobook, Katherine Kellgren's narration is delightful. So, if you're the sort of reader who can separate your knowledge of history from your enjoyment of fiction, and you're looking for a light fantasy with some humor and some kissing and a little bit of sword fighting, this is the book for you. Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
This is my kind of historical fiction! The authors translate the Protestant/Catholic conflict in England to a fantastical shape-shifter vs. non-shape-shifter conflict, which probably resonates more with modern readers. They also turn history on its head when it comes to all the tragic parts of the
Show More
Edward-Jane-Mary-Elizabeth kingly power plays. The tone of the book is just plain friendly fun. I loved all the narrator asides. Lovely book! Show Less
LibraryThing member titania86
Lady Jane Grey in history was Queen of England for 9 days from July 10 to July 19, 1553. Her reign was short because Mary, King Edward VI's half sister later known as Bloody Mary, usurped the throne from her and then beheaded her for treason. This book tells a different story in a fantastical
The novel is told from 3 different perspectives in alternating chapters: Lady Jane bookworm extraordinaire, sickly King Edward VI, and Gifford Dudley, son of Lord Dudley (Edward's most trusted advisory) and horse by day. The novel style and tone are seamless through the eyes of these three characters as if there was one author instead of three. All three of the characters deal with normal teenage things like first love, first kisses, refusing to communicate, and forming friendships. They also deal with more adult things (as they were considered adults in that era and had real responsibility), like marriage, running countries, gathering armies, discovering regicidal plots, and fighting to regain the throne from Bloody Mary, who hates and longs to execute Ethians instead of Protestants. The various romances in the novel are sweet, but rather shallow. Lady Jane is by far my favorite character because she was quite knowledgeable about a variety of subjects due to reading constantly, which is taken from history as she was one of the most educated women at the time. Gifford is sweet, but the most frustrating because he kept up a front and told the most lies. Edward becomes more self aware and realistic about life after being so privileged. He grew on me over time.
While the book is very fun and light hearted, I had a few problems with it. I didn't like how the authors addressed the reader except for the introduction. The other few passages took me out of the story and didn't really add anything. I thought the lighthearted tone would change when talk of people being executed and such was discussed, but I never felt like these characters where in any danger. It's also based on a pretty horrific event in English history where Mary executed 280 Protestants. Subtle pop culture references are peppered throughout the book like quotes from Shakespeare, lines from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Mark Twain quotes. I enjoyed them as little Easter eggs, but again, it kept the story too light for such subject matter.
My Lady Jane is a fun, fantastical read that is the perfect summer read. It has romance, betrayal, secrets, people turning into animals, kissing, adventure, scheming relatives, and humor. It's a coming of age novel about finding oneself as well which pretty much anyone can relate to. The writing and style flowed well through the different characters' chapters. I look forward to another collaboration between these authors.
Show More
world. This version of England has Ethians, people who can turn into an animal at will, against Verities, people who don't have this ability, instead of Protestants against Catholics. King Henry VIII was a very public Ethian, prone to fits of rage, turning into a lion, and eating people. Despite this, Ethians are still hunted and killed, so they rose up in a marauding gang called the Pack. The peasants are caught in the middle and are hostile towards Ethians since their livelihoods in livestock and food are constantly being stolen by them. King Edward VI has thus far done practically nothing about it, but he's slowly dying of the Affliction without having done much at all. This world takes historical events and puts a fantasy spin on it. The tone is much more lighthearted than I expected because it still deals with some heavy subjects.The novel is told from 3 different perspectives in alternating chapters: Lady Jane bookworm extraordinaire, sickly King Edward VI, and Gifford Dudley, son of Lord Dudley (Edward's most trusted advisory) and horse by day. The novel style and tone are seamless through the eyes of these three characters as if there was one author instead of three. All three of the characters deal with normal teenage things like first love, first kisses, refusing to communicate, and forming friendships. They also deal with more adult things (as they were considered adults in that era and had real responsibility), like marriage, running countries, gathering armies, discovering regicidal plots, and fighting to regain the throne from Bloody Mary, who hates and longs to execute Ethians instead of Protestants. The various romances in the novel are sweet, but rather shallow. Lady Jane is by far my favorite character because she was quite knowledgeable about a variety of subjects due to reading constantly, which is taken from history as she was one of the most educated women at the time. Gifford is sweet, but the most frustrating because he kept up a front and told the most lies. Edward becomes more self aware and realistic about life after being so privileged. He grew on me over time.
While the book is very fun and light hearted, I had a few problems with it. I didn't like how the authors addressed the reader except for the introduction. The other few passages took me out of the story and didn't really add anything. I thought the lighthearted tone would change when talk of people being executed and such was discussed, but I never felt like these characters where in any danger. It's also based on a pretty horrific event in English history where Mary executed 280 Protestants. Subtle pop culture references are peppered throughout the book like quotes from Shakespeare, lines from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Mark Twain quotes. I enjoyed them as little Easter eggs, but again, it kept the story too light for such subject matter.
My Lady Jane is a fun, fantastical read that is the perfect summer read. It has romance, betrayal, secrets, people turning into animals, kissing, adventure, scheming relatives, and humor. It's a coming of age novel about finding oneself as well which pretty much anyone can relate to. The writing and style flowed well through the different characters' chapters. I look forward to another collaboration between these authors.
Show Less
LibraryThing member yrizaria
Laugh out loud funny in parts and I loved the asides from the authors breaking the 4th wall now and then. All in all a delightful book, I'm so glad I gave it a go.The bear hunt..Hahahahahaaha
LibraryThing member srsharms
That was cute!! I enjoyed the witty banter, and the recreation of a world so rich with intriguing characters & shady situations. I appreciated the nod to Monty Python via snippets of dialogue, but their imitation of breaking down the 4th wall via narration felt clunky. Loved Bess most of all.
LibraryThing member erinclark
Really enjoyed this funny smart romp back to an alternate history of Lady Jane Grey and Edward Tudor. Throw in some shape shifting magic and it was a load of fun to listen to. The narrater was fabulous, highly recommended.
LibraryThing member BethYacoub
This was a good old-fashioned Alt History with romance and loads of snarky quips. Silliness and an effervescent reimagining of some real life Tudor tragedies ensues and a good time is had by some. On a personal note, I really enjoyed Jane! I loved her obsession with all things biblio, surely a love
Show More
we can all relate to....the smell of the books, the palpable excitement associated with the start of a new adventure, the places you go and lives you lead, the actual feel and weight of the thing, and all the other blissful -philias accompanied with the ownership of a book. I especially enjoyed Jane's relationships with her cousin, King Edward VI, and her husband G. This quasi-historic, multiple POV retelling has a strong plot, likeable/ relatable characters and an inspiring re-imagining of a happier ending for those unfortunate Fortunates. Be aware: this feels rather lengthy at times. This is especially true if you're in the mood for something gripping or deeply life altering because if that's what you're craving this is not your book. It is, however, a whimsically lighthearted (often mind numbing) royal romp. SO, you've been warned!. Okay Alternative History buffs and Fantasy folks... unite and devour this exceptionally fun, well written, cohesive, tri-author gem. Show Less
LibraryThing member jdifelice
This was such a fun read! I adored the characters, the writing and the humour :) I love that they took history and re-wrote it, and just made it altogether much more awesome. Jane and Gifford were such great characters and I loved reading about them and how they developed. Edward got better near
This story was written so well and I loved the fantasy elements, the comedy, and the historical inaccuracies :)
I also loved the Uppercase interactive portion for My Lady Jane, it was super fun and great extra content.
Recommend to all
Show More
the end, but I did really enjoy his development and the little quips the authors made about him. This story was written so well and I loved the fantasy elements, the comedy, and the historical inaccuracies :)
I also loved the Uppercase interactive portion for My Lady Jane, it was super fun and great extra content.
Recommend to all
Show Less
LibraryThing member BillieBook
I'm not sure if I hated it or loved it. The story and characters themselves were charming and delightful and I liked spending time with them, but the "clever" winks and homages and "borrowing" from other works occasionally got in the way. Look, I adore The Princess Bride--both book and movie--as
Show More
much as anyone, but there are ways to honor a work without feeling like you're trying too hard to be the work. And there were other works referenced (or "borrowed" from), including much Shakespeare (explained at the end of the novel) and Ladyhawke and the tales of Robin Hood (most notably the Disney animated version) and gods know how many others. It got in the way of me enjoying the story, and I'm sure there are references I missed. But, in between these references is a clever, enjoyable re-telling of the story of Lady Jane Grey and Cary Elwes Lord Guildford/Guilford/Gifford/G Dudley, complete with a happily ever after for the young couple. So, I'm torn. The story, without all the blatant references to other works, would be a four-star book, but my annoyance level would have made it a two. Thus, I'm compromising and giving it three. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
Oh my, what a wonderful book! This is a fantasy alternate history in a world where E∂ians (sort of were creatures in the Andre Norton tradition) and Verities (normal people) add to the politics in Tudor England. It is well-drawn with people I came to love.
It is set during Edward VI's illness and
The authors had me from this sentence on: "Yes, it’s a tragedy, if you consider the disengagement of one’s head from one’s body tragic." That is the tone that is throughout the book.
I think the authors expressed the primary theme here: "Evil will exist among E∂ians, just as goodness will exist among Verities. I believe E∂ians deserve protection from persecution. The scales need to be righted in the direction of equality. And if it were the other way around, and Verities were persecuted, I would still fight for equality. Not dominance. Dominance leads to tyranny."
Secondary themes are friendship and love in various forms, responsibility, and learning to control one's special gifts.
Who should read this book? Anyone who enjoys fantasy or alternate histories. Fans of Andre Norton's Witch World series. People who enjoy well-written, witty books.
Just go ahead and read it!
It is set during Edward VI's illness and
Show More
death, Lady Jane's marriage and succession to the throne, and the following chaos. Edward grows in maturity and wisdom, Jane is delightfully bookish, and Mary and Elizabeth both are in the story. The authors had me from this sentence on: "Yes, it’s a tragedy, if you consider the disengagement of one’s head from one’s body tragic." That is the tone that is throughout the book.
I think the authors expressed the primary theme here: "Evil will exist among E∂ians, just as goodness will exist among Verities. I believe E∂ians deserve protection from persecution. The scales need to be righted in the direction of equality. And if it were the other way around, and Verities were persecuted, I would still fight for equality. Not dominance. Dominance leads to tyranny."
Secondary themes are friendship and love in various forms, responsibility, and learning to control one's special gifts.
Who should read this book? Anyone who enjoys fantasy or alternate histories. Fans of Andre Norton's Witch World series. People who enjoy well-written, witty books.
Just go ahead and read it!
Show Less
LibraryThing member starsandscribbles
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
I have always been fascinated with how the War of the Roses/Tudor drama played out, in real life and in fiction, but it's always hard to write a story that's filled with intrigue and
The Lady Janes did a fantastic job with the novel; Brava I say!
I liked how the characters were focused and clear. The reader gets a great grasp on who these people really are and just how wonderful they are in their story. I worry sometimes with multiple authors listed, because the character might be irregular or fickle. But each character -- Jane, Gifford, and Edward -- had strong qualities and deserved to have their stories be told.
I *really* liked the way in which the Lady Janes put in a sarcastic but whimsical sense of humor into the book. History can easily get stuffy, but when you incorporate shapeshifters, magic, romances, and teen angst, the plot gets better but the style of writing -- with side notes, extra narrations, and insights -- really made the reading enjoyable.
Great for: teens who don't like history, romancers, and Anglophiles
I have always been fascinated with how the War of the Roses/Tudor drama played out, in real life and in fiction, but it's always hard to write a story that's filled with intrigue and
Show More
drama but not overbearing.The Lady Janes did a fantastic job with the novel; Brava I say!
I liked how the characters were focused and clear. The reader gets a great grasp on who these people really are and just how wonderful they are in their story. I worry sometimes with multiple authors listed, because the character might be irregular or fickle. But each character -- Jane, Gifford, and Edward -- had strong qualities and deserved to have their stories be told.
I *really* liked the way in which the Lady Janes put in a sarcastic but whimsical sense of humor into the book. History can easily get stuffy, but when you incorporate shapeshifters, magic, romances, and teen angst, the plot gets better but the style of writing -- with side notes, extra narrations, and insights -- really made the reading enjoyable.
Great for: teens who don't like history, romancers, and Anglophiles
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jessika.C
This was an ambitious story intended for purely fun and whimsical purposes. In real life, Lady Jane Grey became queen for a very short time after her cousin died then she was killed off. But in this story she lives and on top of that there are magical elements added to make for a fun adventure.
I
It almost felt like the story dragged too much and when it finally got to the good bits I lost interest. The romances were cute though but it wasn't enough for me to like the whole book.
I
Show More
wanted to like this book but honestly, it was too long and I wasn't a fan of each main character. King Edward was hilarious but kind of whiny. Gifford was the best character of them all but I found Jane to be an insufferable know-it-all and there was no G without Jane so.... It almost felt like the story dragged too much and when it finally got to the good bits I lost interest. The romances were cute though but it wasn't enough for me to like the whole book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Kat.Nova
Well, that was just delightful.
I've seen so many people say that you shouldn't take this book too seriously, and I have to agree. This book was so wacky, so unique. However, it honestly wasn't as weird as I expected. I mean, yes, one of the main characters is literally a horse but when you look
“He wanted to tell her she'd have more room if she'd just get rid of her books, but he supposed that in her case, it would be like telling a mother she'd have more room if she threw out her children.”
Then there's Edward (the king), oh Edward. I have a bit of a soft spot for this boy. His character growth was awesome, he literally threw sexism out the window and I have to stan. Gifford (the horse), is just a sweetie and his poems give me life. Gracie (the Scottish girl that wears trousers instead of dresses) is a bad bitch and I want to be friends with her.
I do feel that there were some unnecessary scenes/narrations, especially towards the end but they were entertaining nevertheless. So yeah, My Lady Jane was very quirky and very fun and you don't even need to know the story of Lady Jane Grey before reading this.
I've seen so many people say that you shouldn't take this book too seriously, and I have to agree. This book was so wacky, so unique. However, it honestly wasn't as weird as I expected. I mean, yes, one of the main characters is literally a horse but when you look
Show More
past that, the story kept me intrigued and I genuinely cared about the characters. Speaking of the characters, wow... We definitely had some interesting personas here. I honestly loved Jane, but she kind of reminded me of Rachel Berry from Glee? Just with books instead of singing. I absolutely loved and related to all the book jokes made throughout the story.“He wanted to tell her she'd have more room if she'd just get rid of her books, but he supposed that in her case, it would be like telling a mother she'd have more room if she threw out her children.”
Then there's Edward (the king), oh Edward. I have a bit of a soft spot for this boy. His character growth was awesome, he literally threw sexism out the window and I have to stan. Gifford (the horse), is just a sweetie and his poems give me life. Gracie (the Scottish girl that wears trousers instead of dresses) is a bad bitch and I want to be friends with her.
I do feel that there were some unnecessary scenes/narrations, especially towards the end but they were entertaining nevertheless. So yeah, My Lady Jane was very quirky and very fun and you don't even need to know the story of Lady Jane Grey before reading this.
Show Less
LibraryThing member forsanolim
This is a fantastical, comical reimagining of the life of Lady Jane Grey, in reality the "Nine Days Queen" who ascended to the English throne after Edward VI's death and was summarily executed by Mary I shortly thereafter. This book starts with kernels of truth--the royal family setup, Jane's
I wasn't totally sure how the authors were going to manage to make the story of Jane Grey into a comedy, but they somehow managed it--the whole book was utterly ridiculous, in the best way. It was a really quick read; though I'm not totally sure how memorable it'll be, it was definitely a light and pleasant read.
Show More
exceedingly brief rule--but definitely and unabashedly plays around with the details. The authors add various magical elements and often break the fourth wall to (humorously) comment on the proceedings.I wasn't totally sure how the authors were going to manage to make the story of Jane Grey into a comedy, but they somehow managed it--the whole book was utterly ridiculous, in the best way. It was a really quick read; though I'm not totally sure how memorable it'll be, it was definitely a light and pleasant read.
Show Less
Awards
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Nominee — 2018)
Audie Award (Finalist — Young Adult — 2017)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2018)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 2019)
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2018)
Florida Teens Read Award (Nominee — 2017)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2018)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Nominee — 2018)
Junior Library Guild Selections (Selection)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2017)
CCBC Choices (2017)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2017)
Tome Society It List (2018)
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (Fiction)
Language
Original publication date
2016-06-07
Local notes
Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger—and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that’s the least of Jane’s problems. She’s about to become Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.
Sweet, but a bit more juvenile than I was expecting.
Sweet, but a bit more juvenile than I was expecting.