Synopsis: Mean Girls meets The Tudors in Hannah Capin’s The Dead Queens Club, a clever contemporary YA retelling of Henry VIII and his wives (or, in this case, his high school girlfriends). Told from the perspective of Annie Marck (“Cleves”), a 17-year-old aspiring journalist from Cleveland who meets Henry at summer camp, The Dead Queens Club is a fun, snarky read that provides great historical detail in an accessible way for teens while giving the infamous tale of Henry VIII its own unique spin.
What do a future ambassador, an overly ambitious Francophile, a hospital-volunteering Girl Scout, the new girl from Cleveland, the junior cheer captain, and the vice president of the debate club have in common? It sounds like the ridiculously long lead-up to an astoundingly absurd punchline, right? Except it’s not. Well, unless my life is the joke, which is kind of starting to look like a possibility given how beyond soap opera it’s been since I moved to Lancaster. But anyway, here’s your answer: we’ve all had the questionable privilege of going out with Lancaster High School’s de facto king. Otherwise known as my best friend. Otherwise known as the reason I’ve already helped steal a car, a jet ski, and one hundred spray-painted water bottles when it’s not even Christmas break yet. Otherwise known as Henry. Jersey number 8.
Meet Cleves. Girlfriend number four and the narrator of The Dead Queens Club, a young adult retelling of Henry VIII and his six wives. Cleves is the only girlfriend to come out of her relationship with Henry unscathed—but most breakups are messy, right? And sometimes tragic accidents happen…twice…
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About the Author: Hannah Capin lives in Tidewater Virginia. When she isn't writing, you'll find her sailing, singing or getting entirely too invested in the lives of historical women. The Dead Queens Club is her first novel.
Rating: ☆☆
My Review: I love historical fiction but this one just did not cut it at all. I tried so hard to like but it was so slow and just took way to long to get started. It did have its funny parts but for the most part, it was a chore to get through. I wish I could have really enjoyed this one but it was just not meant to be.
The characters were ok however, I did not like how deaths were just kind of swept under the rug and just kind of forgotten as they died to match what happened in history. Which made the entire murder mystery part of this was just weird.
In the end, I found this one over the top and unbelievable and just confusing at times.
Rating: ☆☆
My Review: I love historical fiction but this one just did not cut it at all. I tried so hard to like but it was so slow and just took way to long to get started. It did have its funny parts but for the most part, it was a chore to get through. I wish I could have really enjoyed this one but it was just not meant to be.
The characters were ok however, I did not like how deaths were just kind of swept under the rug and just kind of forgotten as they died to match what happened in history. Which made the entire murder mystery part of this was just weird.
In the end, I found this one over the top and unbelievable and just confusing at times.
"Witty narrator Cleves is a feminist force, lambasting slut-shaming and calling out her female classmates' internalized misogyny." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Clever nods to English history are woven throughout this teen drama...a crafty, compelling debut." –Booklist
"A fun, fresh twist on Henry VIII! Full of snark, laughs, and a whole lot of heart... Hannah Capin has a witty new voice that's sure to make heads roll." -Whitney Gardner, award-winning author of You're Welcome, Universe
"A clever, irresistible twist on history that you'll want to follow to the end. I was rooting hard for Cleves the whole time, but I have to admit I also fell for Henry. I loved this book!" -Cynthia Hand, New York Times bestselling author of My Lady Jane
"Clever nods to English history are woven throughout this teen drama...a crafty, compelling debut." –Booklist
"A fun, fresh twist on Henry VIII! Full of snark, laughs, and a whole lot of heart... Hannah Capin has a witty new voice that's sure to make heads roll." -Whitney Gardner, award-winning author of You're Welcome, Universe
"A clever, irresistible twist on history that you'll want to follow to the end. I was rooting hard for Cleves the whole time, but I have to admit I also fell for Henry. I loved this book!" -Cynthia Hand, New York Times bestselling author of My Lady Jane
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FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored.
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