Monday, June 21, 2010

Prisoners In The Palace by, Michaela MacColl

Becoming an orphan after your parents die in a tragic accident is hard enough, but after learning she must pay her father's debts, Elizabeth Hastings' life begins to deteriorate. Elizabeth, also known as Liza, must become a lady's maid to Princess Victoria in order to cover her father's debts. As a worker at Kensington, Liza begins to see things in a different light. Who is Annie that everyone whispers about? Is Sir John truly trying to become king in all but name? For those who love historical fiction, pick up this book and join Liza as she struggles to help the future queen.

I loved this book. It is an interesting mix of mystery, secret motives, and romance. My favorite character, besides Liza of course, was a teenager who went by the name "Inside Boy." He lived inside Kensington and no one knew he was there. As the story progresses the action's pace picks up and brings everything to an amazing climax that will leave readers satisfied. I think the most interesting part of this book is that it takes a look at what would most likely happen to a maid who had been dismissed from Kensington and how some of the newspapers operated at the time. The most amazing thing about this book, however, is that many of the plot lines have some truth in them. At the back of the book, the author gives her reference books and websites so that the reader can further explore the life of Queen Victoria. This book is a definite read for anyone who likes romance, historical fiction, or just a good plain book.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX U.S.A.