I recently had the pleasure of reading the third book in Janet Wertman’s Seymore Saga trilogy, The Boy King.
I have read, and enjoyed, the first two books of the trilogy, so I had high hopes for The Boy King. I’m happy to report I was not disappointed.
Once again, Wertman’s history is either spot on, or — where there are gaps in the historical record she had to fill in with speculation — extremely plausible. I have a personal pet peeve about history books that are loosey-goosey with facts, and adherence to accuracy was every bit as important to me (as a reader) as the quality of the writing. Wertman has always come through with both facts and good writing, which is why I continue to by her books.
Nonetheless, I was a bit hesitant to read The Boy King at first; it was told from Edward VI point of view starting with the earliest part of his reign, and how can anyone do a credible job explaining history through a perspective of such a young boy? I shouldn’t have worried. Wertman does an excellent job putting the reader in the king’s shoes and showing them his world through his eyes. Realistic dialogue between Edward and his advisors informs the reader of the historical context as much as it moves the story along, and Edward’s struggle to make sense of the socio-political chaos of his ‘protectorate’ reign makes the whole story feel immediate and real.
The most telling thing about how well-written the book was is that I enjoyed it despite having very different personal opinions of who the ‘bad-guys’ around King Edward were. Wertman writes with a kindly view toward Edward Seymour, the Duke of Somerset, and presents John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, as the foil. I am not a historical fan of Somerset, by any means, and have a great deal of sympathy for Northumberland. However, Wertman positioned Somerset so well (but with no distortion of the facts) that I couldn’t help feeling a little more charitable toward him by the end of the book.
In sum, if you are interested in the Tudor era and want to glean more information about the too often overlooked short life and reign of Edward VI — yet wish to read an enjoyable story rather than a dry history – I can enthusiastically recommend The Boy King. It is the kind of wonderful historical novel that can both educate and entertain the reader.