Imagine you’re from a wealthy English family, coming of age in the second half of the 1800s, an independent female thinker, a supporter of women’s rights, and a sculptor.
How could you live out your identity if you were Princess Louise, daughter of the domineering, grief-obsessed Queen Victoria?
Heather B. Moore answers this question in her recent historical novel, In the Shadow of a Queen, based on her research into the life of Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
The novel begins when Louise is twelve, includes her father’s death and many scenes of her interactions with family members and friends, revealing the unique personality of each individual. The author doesn’t shy away from conflicts, and she closes the story with Louise’s decision of what would be her life’s project.
Characters:
Princess Louise—fourth daughter and sixth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, a talented sculptor and independent thinker who chafed at her mother’s off-the-cuff dictums
Queen Victoria—a forceful personality who bonded so strongly with her husband, Prince Albert, that she depended to an unhealthy degree on her daughters, changed her mind frequently, and never recovered from Albert’s death
John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne—Scottish suitor of Louise, a commoner considered after no attractive royal options materialized
Sybil Grey—Louise’s loyal friend, daughter of General Grey, the queen’s loyal aide
Albert Edward (Bertie), Prince of Wales—Victoria’s oldest son, heir to the throne; a sympathetic older brother to Louise as she grows up, despite his moral lapses
Louise’s other brothers: Alfred, Arthur, Leopold (Leo)
Louise’s sisters: Victoria (Vicky), Alice, Helena, Beatrice
Strengths:
In the Shadow of a Queen captures the personalities of each member of the Victorian English Royal Family, as well as others. In particular, the author shows the pressures Queen Victoria exerted on Princess Louise (and her other children), and how Louise dealt with them.
Weakness:
The story reads more like a biography than a novel, because indeed, it’s a lightly-fictionalized biography.
Content review:
This novel reveals the character weaknesses of the royal family, including smoking, class discrimination, and adultery (all common in the era).
My recommendation:
I found this novel entertaining and educational. If you enjoy books that neither romanticize nor scandalize the lives of royals, In the Shadow of a Queen will give you an opportunity to get to know Princess Louise and reflect on her life, dreams, and achievements.
Reader, can you suggest favorite novels about royal families?