Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An eye-opening look at the two years prior to Princess Victoria ascending the throne. While HRH is not the main character we are given a wonderful insight into her young character and her circumstances leading up to her becoming Queen. The focus is upon her fictional maid, a lady who has been orphaned without inheritance and must fall from grace and accept work to survive. Here we are introduced to downstairs life, the seamy underbelly of London life for single helpless women as the maid finds herself involved in intrigue involving the Princess and a plot to keep her from the throne for as long as possible. Along with the mystery is a romance and much detail on pre-Victorian life and Princess Victoria's life from 16 1/2 to 18 years old. Well-written with much obvious research done. This is the author's first book and that is a bit visible in some over dramatic scenes and flowery passages but this is forgiven with the inclusion of real excerpts from the Princess Victoria's journals of the time. I've read another of MacColl's work and can say this was a good effort for her first book. Will appeal to Victorian fans and is suitable for the younger age range of YA.



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