Prisoners in the Palace
131. Michaela MacColl, Prisoners in the Palace
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
As the daughter of a rich tradesman who has recently been knighted, seventeen-year-old Liza Hastings is used to the best of everything. But when a tragic accident kills both her parents, Liza suddenly finds herself alone in the world, with no money and no prospects of marriage. Desperate for a job that will keep her off the streets, she accepts a position as a lady's maid to Princess Victoria, the future queen of England. Liza soon discovers that Victoria's selfish mother and the manipulative Sir John Conroy are deliberately keeping the princess helpless and dependent in order to consolidate their own power. However, with the help of some unconventional friends, Liza is determined to protect the princess and save the throne of England.
This was a fun, quick read with an interesting take on history. I appreciated MacColl's historical note at the end of the book, explaining which incidents actually happened and which were invented. I don't know that her interpretations of the various historical figures are always correct -- her view of Sir John Conroy seems a bit too nefarious to be true -- but I appreciated the effort to be historically accurate. I wasn't a huge fan of Liza's story, though. I found her somewhat obnoxious and bratty as a main character, and I didn't think her initial plight was that believable. Surely a member of the gentry, even if penniless, would find a more genteel occupation than becoming a maid -- perhaps a governess or a lady's companion, for example. All in all, this was an entertaining book, but I don't think it would stand up well to a re-read.