First Line: After all the grand celebrations leading to my one-hundredth birthday, I had feared dreadfully that the calendar day itself would be a disappointment.
Karen Harper's historical novel, The Queen's Secret, begins with Elizabeth the Queen Mother about to attend one of the many celebrations for her one-hundredth birthday, but it focuses on the World War II years when she and her husband King George VI were the public faces of Great Britain. Their home was bombed; they, too, were trying to keep their children safe; they lived with the same rationing as their people; and as they visited devastated areas of London and spoke to the residents, they epitomized "Keep Calm and Carry On." They boosted their people's spirits and helped them endure untold grief and hardship.
I had to read this novel because of my English husband's fondness for "the Queen Mum." (He'd also had the opportunity to meet her more than once.) In reading The Queen's Secret, I wasn't the slightest bit surprised by the information Harper shared about Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. Great Britain was fortunate to dodge the lethal bullet that would have been their reign. What surprised me was the number of secrets that Elizabeth had to keep, and almost all of them were substantiated when I did a little research.
The story unfolds steadily and really gives readers an insider's feel for life in the royal household during World War II. Each character has his or her own distinct personality, but-- as it should be-- Elizabeth the Queen Mother shines the brightest, this plump, rather dowdy-looking woman whom Hitler called the most dangerous woman in Europe. She had a backbone of steel, a loving heart, and a sharp mind. King George VI and Winston Churchill appreciated this woman's gifts, and now I understand why she was so beloved. What a woman!
The Queen's Secret by Karen Harper
eISBN: 9780062885494
William Morrow © 2020
eBook, 384 pages
Historical Fiction, Standalone
Rating: B+
Source: Net Galley
I think the Queen Mum was definitely fascinating!
ReplyDeleteShe certainly was!
DeleteSuch a strong person (and personality), Cathy! She certainly did have backbone, which was just what was needed at the time. With such a strong presence, it's not surprising that she and her memory are still so beloved.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned some of the "secrets" to Denis this morning. His spine stiffened. His eyes narrowed. He did NOT like anything even remotely questionable being said about the Queen Mum. THAT'S the strength of emotion her people felt/feel for her.
DeleteWow, I'm still stuck on the fact that your husband had the opportunity to meet her!
ReplyDeleteMy husband retired from the Royal Navy. The Queen Mum commissioned two warships, one of which Denis was on. Whenever the ships went in to be refitted, they had to be recommissioned when they were ready to put out to sea. The Queen Mum ALWAYS came to recommission them. As far as she was concerned, they were HER ships. Each time she did so, she would make a point of shaking the crew members' hands and speaking with them.
DeleteOk, I'll say nothing about the monarchy, but I'm half Irish, with relatives from the Republic of Ireland. So enough said.
ReplyDeleteWe all have groups of people we don't want to read about. Personally, I think a remarkable person is a remarkable person regardless the circumstances of his or her birth. 'nuff said.
DeleteI think one of the most interesting points about readers is that there is such a wide range in taste. Even with close reader-friends, we agree on some books and not others. Some like thrillers; some don't. One likes to read books set in the Arctic, Alaska, Greenland or Canada (but did read Disappearing Earth). There is a pro-Fred Vargas faction and a "never read" her books faction. Then there are the books everyone I know agrees on.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is that there is such a wide range of books now that all of us can find books that match our own preferences.