Sixteen-year old Miranda has no idea how much her life is going to change upon hearing the news of her father's death. Left with little dowry to offer, Miranda faces a broken engagement, and is sent to live with her father's cousin, the Count John Hardwood, and his wife whose primary goal is to take her to Court and marry her off to the insufferable Lord Seagrave for their own profit.
At Queen Elizabeth's court, Miranda soon learns that a large part of her survival will depend on her knowing who to trust. All the maidens at Court dream of being one of the Queen's ladies in waiting. When Miranda distinguishes herself from the rest with her exquisite sewing and embroidery skills, she gets the attention of the Queen, much to the anger and jealousy of the courtiers, ladies in waiting, and even a trusted "friend."
As Miranda begins to win the Queen's favor, she is given the ultimate test-to recreate Elizabeth's mother's (Ann Boleyn) coronation gown. Miranda knows this is her opportunity to escape the shackles of convention and get out of a marriage to Lord Seagrave and instead establish an independent life at Court as the Queen's seamstress. But how will she reunite with Henry Raleigh, the man to whom she was once promised, and has always loved? - from amazon
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Dripping with historical detail, true love, a court full of ghastly gossip, a demanding queen, and lovable characters, A Sweet Disorder had me captivated from the very first page. I had a wonderful time reading this book and I forgot how much I love historical fiction set in the courts of England. Kolosov made the English palace, with all its splendor and danger, come to life. Not only do you get to relive lively jousting tournaments, dodge sneaky courtiers, but experience the height of tradition-arranged marriages. Since Miranda is a good seamstress, my favorite parts of the book was hearing about the elaborate dresses and wardrobes worn by the courtiers and the Queen. Besides the drama of the courts, A Sweet Disorder mentions many figures in history and is a great example of how we lived back in the Elizabethan Era (1558-1603). With her poetic easy to-read writing style, Kolosov has captured the true light of the sixteenth century and best of all, created a sweet disorder of high society, fashion, scandals, and innocent romance.
A Sweet Disorder is sure to make you fall in love with the past.
A Sweet Disorder is sure to make you fall in love with the past.
Jacqueline Kolosov is the author of two books for young adults, including The Red Queen's Daughter, and several volumes of poetry. She is a professor of creative writing at Texas Tech University.
Pages: 418 Year Published: June 2009 Genre: Historical fiction/1500s
Age Group: 13+ Content: None Enjoyed It: 5/5
Rating: (based on content)
1 comment:
Looks so good! Gotta check it out!! There is just something about books like these that just pull you in
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