THE COUNTERFEIT PRINCESS

There’s nothing like the mess Henry VIII left his children in to produce captivating historical fiction. Intrigue, politics, spies, princesses, noble and ignoble folk alike are all grist for the mill. Thomas’s heroine Iris is an appealing young Protestant noblewoman whose parents, sympathetic to the princesses Mary and Elizabeth, are rounded up and murdered as part of the Duke of Northumberland John Dudley’s plot to subvert Edward’s throne. Pressed into service by Elizabeth’s ally William Cecil, and hoping for revenge against Northumberland, Iris is trained in stealth and camouflage. The story calls to mind something of Cap O’Rushes—the noblewoman in disguise, the lost wealth and rank, the restoration of status in a royal house. And there’s a handsome knight, as well. Iris is well-drawn as a self-composed, strong-willed and capable girl who evokes sympathy for her plight and admiration for her courage. Conscientious readers may be bemused rather than enlightened by glimpses into royal relationships and conspiracies, the religious conflict of the age could have been put more firmly into perspective, and there actually are too many Cooks—but overall, a fine read with spirited escapades. (Fiction. 11-14)