Jesse
Blackadder went on a hunt to discover the origins of her family name and
arrived at a fascinating telling of a period in Scottish history. Her curiosity about her roots gave readers a
very entertaining novel.
Alison
Blackadder was raised by her father to believe that her family’s lands and
heritage were stolen long before she was born, but that one day they would be
reclaimed. To protect her from assassins
who are hunting her family, Alison was raised as a boy, Robert. That gives her the ability to slip in and out
of both the male and female worlds, a skill that brings her to the attention of
Mary Queen of Scots. Mary has just
returned from spending most of her life in France and knows very little about
her own country or the political forces there.
Alison comes to the court planning on using Mary to recapture her
inheritance. Instead, she becomes Mary’s
weapon in trying to control Scotland and its notorious nobility. Alison teaches Mary how to move among her
people in disguise, to find out what they really want and need, but, as any
student of history knows, it won’t be enough.
As Mary’s weaknesses begin to work against her, Alison, who now realizes
she serves the queen out of love, fights for a future for her family, her
country and herself.
Students
of history might question the version that is presented in The Raven’s Heart. Mary is portrayed as being more noble and
heroic than most accounts would make her.
The basics of the story are true however and knowing what eventually
happens does not weaken the tale that Blackadder spins. If anything, Mary Queen of Scots is portrayed
as a much stronger and determined woman than history would lead one to
believe. The book is marked by detailed character
development, both in the strong and weak characters. Blackadder’s descriptions of tavern life, the
protocols in a royal court and the descriptions of the people’s daily lives
create an atmosphere of reality. It’s so
realistic that the danger is in the reader believing that this is the way the real
events unfolded.
The Raven’s Heart is an unusual
lesbian novel. Although the love
interests are present, the story focuses on intrigue, dangerous escapades and
16th century life. Love
affairs play a minor part as the reader will be swept up in the rich dialogue
and twists and turns of the plot. This
is a book for people who like strong, interesting stories and fast paced
action. The fact that it might teach a
little history is an added bonus.
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