Prisoners In The Palace: How Princess Victoria Became Queen With The Help Of Her Maid, A Reporter, And A Scoundrel Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servants' world below-stairs and the rampant trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen? Meticulously based on newly discovered information, this engrossing novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books; Reprint edition (April 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1452119589
ISBN-13: 978-1452119588
Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 1 x 8.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (118 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #592,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #94 in Books > Teens > Historical Fiction > Biographical #408 in Books > Teens > Historical Fiction > Europe #466 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Europe
Grade Level: 8 and up
PRISONERS IN THE PALACE is a lovely book from the sparkling picture of a pretty young girl on the front dust cover to the faux 19th century newspaper articles on the back. The book is not only Victorian in style but the future queen Victoria herself plays a major part. The heroine is fictional character Liza a pretty young girl raised in luxury and looking forward to her first London season. Her parents are tragically killed and she is suddenly left destitute until miraculously she is offered the position as maid to the future heiress of the British throne. Princess Victoria like her is around age seventeen and both girls are bilingual in German and English giving them an immediate bond.Liza is surprised upon her arrival at Kensington Palace to find the royal home is not in good repair and that Princess Victoria is kept a virtual prisoner by her mother and her mother's advisor Sir John Conroy. Sir John goes so far as to publish stories anonymously in scandal sheets implying that the princess is mentally unstable and possibly even feeble minded. He does this in hopes that he and her mother will be able to be the real power behind her throne when Princess Victoria's ill "Uncle King" dies and she becomes Queen of England. Clever Liza soon figures out what is going on and plots to help her princess employer regain her rights. Along the way Liza and Victoria meet some colorful London characters and their future husbands.I'm giving this book five stars because it is well written, well researched albeit with a lot of literary license and the type of book I would have adored when I was between the ages of eleven and fifteen and still enjoy as an adult. Sure some of the action is pretty improbable but the book is so much fun I can forgive it that.
As faithful readers already know, I am a historian. I am also a huge Anglophile. Alas I studied American history and not British history in college. Therefore in my pleasure reading time, I love to focus on anything British in my books. And one of my favorite British topics is the British Royals. From medieval times to the current royals, I adore reading about the monarchy. Queen Victoria is one of my favorite historical royals to read about because her story is so fascinating and also because so many European royalties all have ties linked directly to her.The main character in this book is Liza, a young woman who finds herself being forced to lower her position and status to save herself from being destitute. She becomes the lady's maid to the young Princess Victoria who is being kept pretty much as a prisoner in the palace that she lives. Controlled by her mother and Sir John Conroy under the Kensington system. Liza becomes the eyes and ears for the princess and discovers secrets about the palace that outsiders never knew existed. It's a fascinating look in the lives of British royals during the time period and it's lush and rich with historical detail.There were times in the book when I did get a bit annoyed with Liza. I understand that she grew up in a position higher than what she was now and I can understand if she was unaware of most of the customs and traditions of her new station. However there were times where I thought she acted too modern for the time period. It wouldn't have mattered if she had been rich or a royal, there were just certain things that young women of that would not have done.
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