The Puritan Princess

The Puritan Princess #2

by Miranda Malins

London, 1657

The youngest daughter of Oliver Cromwell, eighteen-year-old Frances is finding her place at England's new centre of power.

Following the turmoil of Civil War, a fragile sense of stability has returned to the country. Her father has risen to the unprecedented position of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, and Frances has found herself transported from her humble childhood home to the sumptuous palaces of Hampton Court and Whitehall, where she dreams of a love match that must surely be found at court.

But after an assassination attempt on the Cromwell family, Frances realises the precarious danger of her position - and when her father is officially offered the crown, Frances's fate suddenly assumes diplomatic and dynastic importance.

Will she become a political pawn, or can Frances use her new status to seize control and further her own ambitions?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, British Literature, 17th Century, Unfinished, Religion

464 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2020

About the author

Miranda is a writer and historian specialising in the history of Oliver Cromwell, his family and the politics of the Interregnum period following the Civil Wars. She studied at Cambridge University, leaving with a PhD, and continues to speak at conferences and publish journal articles and book reviews. She is also a Trustee of the Cromwell Association. Alongside this, Miranda works as a commercial solicitor in the City and began writing historical novels on maternity leave. She lives in Hampshire with her husband, young son and cat Keats. Her debut novel, The Puritan Princess, is published in 2020.

Reviews

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I make no secret of the fact that I love historical fiction so I was very excited to read The Puritan Princess as I know very little about the Stuart period of history, although I certainly know a lot more after reading this wonderful book. Miranda Malins' stunning debut effortlessly brings history to life and I was completely hooked by the Cromwell's life from the jaw-droppingly brilliant prologue.

As you find with a lot of historical novels, there is a cast of characters included at the start of the book. Spanning 6 pages, I was a little daunted and thought I would be constantly referring back to the list, however, each and every character is introduced so perfectly that I hardly referred back to it at all. There's also a wonderful addition of the Cromwell family tree from 1657 that I pored over with delight.

The story focuses on Frances Cromwell, particularly her life at court and her relationships with her siblings and parents. Family is at the heart of the story and it certainly shows Oliver Cromwell in a different light to the vague impression I had of a civil war inciting, Christmas cancelling army general who was instrumental in the execution of Charles I. The characters are drawn so vividly that I now understand Cromwell's motivations and ideas through seeing the man beneath the persona of Lord Protector.

Maintaining a perfect balance between politics and passion, I was completely swept away by The Puritan Princess as I devoured every perfect word that Miranda Malins had written. The writing is breathtaking, the plot is outstanding and the novel is exceptional. Historical fiction fans take note: there's a new author in town and Miranda Malins is definitely one to watch. A stunning debut that deserves nothing less than a 5 star rating.

Many thanks to Orion for sending me an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this was a different book to what I expecting. As you know I love historical fiction and this book is jam packed with so much history that I didn’t know about. In fact when I first started reading I was a bit confused, as the Cromwell mentioned in these pages is definitely not the Cromwell I know about. Instead here is a Cromwell who seemed like a perfectly normal man who liked music, theatre, horse racing, good food and wine. Well basically anything good that I’d enjoy these days. He was definitely not the monster I was expecting! I was so shocked that I had to look at the historical note at the back of the book before I continued to make sure I wasn’t reading an alternative history novel.
I liked Fanny and her sisters a lot, especially Mary, who was closest to her. They were intelligent women used to talking politics with men of State and knowing what was going on in the court. They weren’t just there to look pretty and be married off to strengthen political ties, at least that’s what Fanny hoped.
Her story was quite fraught at times, and I really hoped she would be able to marry for love. Of course I can’t say much more as it will spoil the book for you.
If you enjoy historical fiction that is extremely well researched, and that will open your eyes to a different side of history, full of drama, romance and tragedy, then this is the book for you!
Thanks so much to the publisher for my paperback copy.

[☆Lily☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Puritan Princess taught me a lot about a time in British history I didn’t know much about. So I learned quite a lot about Oliver Cromwell and his reign and what was going on at that time. Despite all that The Puritan Princess and I did not really get along very well. Maybe it has been too long since I have read historical fiction or it was the setting in itself but the book never really managed to grip me. It is well written and as I said I learnt a lot while reading but the story never managed to keep me wanting to go back. I liked the love story of Frances and I felt sorry for her losses but somehow I never really grew to really feel for her or any of the other characters.
It is not a bad book and I can understand why people like it, but it just was not my book. I really like the cover of the book though.

[Christina Baehr]

The best thing about this novel for me was that through it I discovered the author’s excellent academic nonfiction work on the Cromwellian court!

In the end, this wasn’t the right novel for me, as I felt there was an unresolved tension between the fascinating historical information and the attempt to dramatise Frances Cromwell as a relatable FMC for today’s readers, but I’m grateful for her work on the subject.

Malins is likely the person in the world who knows most about the subject of Cromwell’s family, and I’m impressed by her research and passion. I’m also sympathetic towards the balance she wishes to bring to an important historical time period that is ignored and misunderstood.

Especially interesting was her perspective on Richard Cromwell as a political moderate who showed some skill at foreign diplomacy. It’s a shift from the weak, feckless man we regularly see portrayed.

Looking forward to reading some nonfiction now to delve deeper into this amazing era. I’ll definitely be following Malins’ articles and podcasts, too.

Content warnings: some fade-to-grey sexual encounters (premarital and married, same couple).

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I struggled so much with how to rate this book! For the first 1/4 of the book it, to be honest, was a bit dull and warranted simply a solid 3 stars. But then, once it warmed up, a 5 star rating all the way! In the end this book had me in floods of tears it was so powerful and emotional, and it had me staying up late into the night to read. Perfect for fans of Tracey Borman and Philippa Gregory this first novel plunges us straight into the heart of the Protectorate with a tale of forbidden love, loss, family and politics.

Frances Cromwell is the youngest daughter of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, and as her family rises she rises, when they fall, she falls, utterly without control over her own destiny. However, when she decides to take her future into her own hands determined to choose her own husband rather than play as pawn in a diplomatic marriage a whirlwind forbidden romance plays out in the heart of the ‘Royal’ Cromwell family across the backdrop of the rise, then fall of the only family to rule England without a true ‘King’ at their head.

I think the big issue with the beginning of the book was that even though it does the best to explain, if, like me you know next to nothing about that period. Afterwards, however, this is a brilliant read for all historical fiction lovers that you can really get your teeth into (even the historical note at the end is interesting, and I usually end up skipping those!)

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated by Oliver Cromwell and the period of rule in the 1650s when he was Lord Protector, Charles Stuart looking on from across the Channel. This is the story of Cromwell's daughter Frances whose life was transformed by her father's rise to power. Above all else, this is a love story and the tale of a young woman who is out of her social depth while being placed at the pinnacle of it, but I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of Oliver Cromwell, who has come down through history as one thing but may well have been another. 3.5 stars rounded up. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5🌟
Probably not the right read for me at this time but I found Lady Frances Cromwell to be an insufferable little twerp, her will-they-wont-they romance with Robert Rich, contrived and annoying and all the politicking interminable. Nice cover though.

[CLM · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely enjoyable historical novel set after the English Civil War but before the Restoration:

https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/20...

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was an okay book, possibly not one i'd have picked out myself, but i got it on a book subscription service so i wanted to give it a fair chance. primary reason for the 2-stars is that it just felt like a whistle-stop tour of the period of 1657-1661. while it was clearly deeply researched and the author knows what she's writing about, it felt very much like individual scenes linked by summaries of intervening years (most egregiously when we suddenly skipped from richard cromwell taking the protectorship, followed by a single line mentioning "unrest" and then he's deposed within another few paragraphs). as such, nothing had much weight. on top of this, the exposition at times was so dire, no one would speak like this about an event they all experienced! none of them need that background information! anyway these were my only real gripes about it. it was alright otherwise.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be totally honest, I wasn't sure how to feel about this book when I first started. The prologue is fantastic, but the beginning chapter or two...I felt like they were a bit slow, but really it was just because I was still adjusting to the characters and the roles they played in this story.

And wow, sticking through that slow bit PAID OFF. I can tell that the author cares deeply about this story and to stick as historically close to the facts as possible while also having a few (I'm sure) artistic takes on it. I felt like I was completely immersed in the world, living among the Cromwells and seeing their highs and their ultimate lows. I do not know a ton of the history, so I cannot compare my background knowledge to much, but I will say that even with a hint of knowing what was coming I was devastated with each loss that this family suffered. I truly felt like I cheered when they were succeeding and mourned when they were mourning, as silly as that may sound.

I truly love how much care the author takes in this story, and I am so appreciative of finding it because I have learned so much because of it and am craving to learn more. Historical fiction is fantastic. It always has me learning new things or looking at different events from different angles. I love it.

The story of the Cromwell family was one I will never forget and hope to look in to more. I am so intrigued with the theories of what happened with Oliver Cromwell, and just how it all went down in general. Just...wow.

I am absolutely in love with this book. I knew I'd like it, but I didn't know I'd like it this much.

[Jessica Beevers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic story from an underappreciated part of English history. This was an excellently written piece of work, with romance, family love and hate, politics, death, mourning, life, and pragmatism in the face of terrible circumstances balanced so finely that I could understand our protagonist’s choices fully, even while disagreed with some of them. Frances was a fully realised, incredibly well-rounded character whose experiences in the novel were thrilling and heartbreaking in equal measure.

This will join the shelves of books I will most certainly read again.

[JosefineS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ein Debüt, was deutlich Zeit braucht um in Fahrt zu kommen.
Ein völlig zerrissenes England im Jahre 1657. Der König gestürzt und enthauptet, das zerrüttete Land braucht neue Führung, welche einige in dem Feldherr Oliver Cromwell sehen. Am sozialen Tiefpunkt seines Lebens lediglich der Pächter eines Landgutes, wird er aufgrund der andauernden Unruhen und seiner vielen guten Eigenschaften erst zum Soldat, Feldführer und später zum Protektor. Mitten in diesen stürmischen Entwicklungen befindet sich seine Familie treu an seiner Seite. Doch die neue Würde bringt zugleich auch eine große Bürde mit sich. Darf Frances, seine jüngste Tochter, ihrem Herzen folgen oder muss sie für Macht und Einfluss einen politisch günstigen Mann heiraten um das Gelingen der Cromwell Herrschaft zu sichern.

Da Miranda Malins ein, als Historikerin, fundiertes Wissen über die Geschichte und die Geschehnisse der damaligen Zeit hat, hegte ich große Hoffnungen, dass dieses Buch mich in diese Zeit entführt und nicht zur Liebesromanze in alten Gewändern verkommt. Trotz der enthaltenen Liebesgeschichte, nahm diese nicht gänzlich die Story für sich ein. Leider gilt das für viele andere, in meinen Augen wichtige Details. Ich verstehe, dass sie politisch nicht all zu tief abtauchen wollte um nicht zu langweilen. Doch an einigen Stellen fehlt etwas der historische Hintergrund und stellenweise handelt sie Szenen zu schnell ab. Die ersten 300 Seiten waren leider furchtbar zäh. Unfassbar lange Kapitel, oberflächliche Charaktere und eher ein stoisches runter rattern der Fakten. Politik, Gebalze und gefühlt 150 Namen samt den Amtstiteln geben sich abwechselnd die Klinke in die Hand ohne wirklich zu einer Story zu verschmelzen. Trotz des umfangreichen Glossars zu Beginn, bin ich heillos im Ozean der Namen ertrunken. Mit zunehmendem voranschreiten des Buches besserte sich tatsächlich einiges. Ob ich in die Zeit oder Miranda Malins erst ins schreiben finden musste, vermag ich nicht zu beurteilen. Als es jedenfalls so weit war konnte das Buch sogar begeistern und zu Tränen rühren. Auch wenn sie zum Schluss gerade bei politischen Machenschaften wieder zum anfänglichen Husch- Husch neigte, hat sie das Ruder noch mal rumgerissen und ein bewegendes Ende hingelegt. Möglicherweise stellt sich der Anfang für einen bewanderten Leser dieser zeitlichen Epoche anders dar. Geschichtlich ist die Zeit und auch das Leben der Familie Cromwell sehr interessant und aufschlussreich. Selbst im historischen Nachwort ist viel Wissen und Hingabe, so lässt sie uns nicht über das weitere Leben der handelnden Personen im Unklaren. Ein, wie ich finde, sehr gelungener Abschluss.

Fazit: nach einem qualvollen Start fand entweder ich in die Geschichte oder Miranda Malins in einen guten Schreibstil, wodurch ich das Ende des Buches doch noch genießen konnte.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frances is the youngest daughter of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector. Told through her eyes, this is based on the last years of the Interregnum. I studied the Civil War and Commonwealth for A Level History but it didn't touch on the family or personal life of Cromwell. Malins sets about to rehabilitate the image of Cromwell and to show him as a loving husband and father who wasn't the sour puss that history has always led us to believe. This was a great novel, well-researched and extremely engaging. I'll definitely be reading the next instalment of the lives of Cromwell's women.

[Марија Андреева · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
In theory, this should have been a book that I would adore, since I love historic dramas and this time period. However, a big part of the book fell flat to me, a lot of the times repeating sentiments, or points. It was not that bad ether, there were some good moments that I liked.

[Sophie Slater · Rating 2 out of 5]

God this book was a hard slog. I don’t like giving low ratings, but I really struggled with this as it was just a bit boring.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle edition.
This book follows the life of Frances, Oliver Cromwells’s youngest daughter. She grew up during her father’s ascendancy and was feted as a princess until his death. The constant tension between the army and Parliament comes to a head when Frances’ brother, Richard, succeeds their father and results in the restoration of Charles 11.
The surviving Cromwells are allowed to retire to quiet lives. Frances personal life is sad although probably Richard’s is sadder. I would have liked more time in the book to have been spent after 1660 but there is a helpful ‘what happened next’ final chapter.
As with the Rebel Princess, the political background isn’t as clear as it could be, ( probably it wasn’t at the time either) and that makes the story drag a bit.

[maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

so well researched and written and it made me cry like a baby. so good.
i hate the title though

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this because it's not a part of history I'm particularly familiar with and it didn't go down the route of ignoring history and just giving a romance novel with a historical backdrop. There is romance in it but also grief and betrayal and family tensions. I think it's part of a series and I have read the other book too but I don't think you need to to enjoy this.

[Jaffareadstoo]

've a vague notion of Oliver Cromwell as a stern and rather bluff figure who accepted his role as Protectorate with a rather grumpy sort of grace and who, with Puritanical zeal, cancelled Christmas, closed down theatres and forced everyone to wear monochrome.

Reading The Puritan Princess, fiction based on fact, brought the Cromwells into sharp focus and showed a family who were taken out of their rural comfort zone and transplanted into the opulent trappings of, to all intents and purposes, undeniable monarchy, even to being addressed by their Whitehall courtiers as 'your highness'. I discovered such a lot about life at the Cromwellian Court and not just that Cromwell wasn't really grumpy but rather that he was a considered and pragmatic statesman, who, regardless of his grisly fate, left England in a better state than when he found it.

However, whilst Cromwell as a ruler is fascinating, this interesting historical account focuses on eighteen-year old Frances Cromwell, the youngest of Cromwell's brood of children. Frances, the eponymous puritan princess, is an interesting character and watching how she progresses, from ingénue to accomplished young woman, is made all the more interesting by the author's skill in bringing both Frances and court life alive in the imagination. Throughout the story there is both danger and intrigue, in fact, everything you would expect from living life at court and yet, there is also an aching vulnerability, as Frances and the family learn to cope with complicated politics and the ever present threat of danger.

It's been such a treat to read this story about the Cromwells and whilst there's an inevitability about what happens, as we know the outcome for the country after Cromwell's death, it has been really lovely to find out more about the family, and in particular Frances and Mary, two siblings who had such a strong bond. The author writes well and using her extensive knowledge of this period brings together a novel which is both authentic and beautifully researched. A little bit slow at the beginning but once the place, people and history start to become settled in the imagination so the whole story starts to comes alive.

The Puritan Princess is a fascinating fictional account of court and family life during one of the more turbulent periods in our history. I look forward to seeing what this talented author does next.

[Rosemary Griggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the last days of Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate, just before the Restoration, The Puritan Princess by Miranda Malins is not my usual century. However, most women I’ve come across from this period were royalists, so I was curious about those on the other side.

Oliver Cromwell’s family has come a long way from their humble beginnings in East Anglia. They now occupy the Palace of Whitehall and Hampton Court Palace, surrounded by the trappings of wealth and splendour. I was surprised to discover that they were soon treated like royalty. Their new found status has, in effect, catapulted the two younger daughters, now being addressed as ' Highness,' into a gilded cage. Like all women in the family, the girls, are acutely aware that every word and gesture of theirs will be closely observed for any hint of their humble beginnings. Not accustomed to having an army of servants, simple actions like opening doors or picking up discarded clothing could inadvertently reveal their true background. This is well illustrated in their mother’s frustration when she is compelled to let the kitchen staff bake Cromwell's beloved eel pie for his birthday. It is a duty she has always carried out joyfully, even during his time on the campaign trail. As their father contemplates the suggestion that as part of a new constitution, he should accept the title of ‘King of England,’ the girls are now of high value in the ‘marriage market.’ Suitable’ marriages are mooted, but Frances, the youngest, is determined to decide for herself who she will marry…

This is a thoroughly researched and, at times, poignant story, shedding light on the lives of women we rarely hear about. Frances’ love life was touching, set as it was against the background of the vast political challenges the Parliamentarian side faced to govern the country without a monarch. Cromwell emerges as a rather likeable family man, who enjoys good food and wine, theatre, music and horse racing, Not at all the tyrannical monster I had imagined. I have to say I found the prologue a bit of a barrier, meaning it took me a while to get into the story, but overall I enjoyed this interesting glimpse 'behind the scenes’ in a turbulent period of our history. I’ll be looking out for more from this author.

[Annette Poro · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book succeeds well in both relating the events of the interregnum period and engaging the reader with the family life of the Cromwells, especially Fanny, who is painted as an admirable likeable young woman.

However the author fails to depict all relevant aspects of Cromwells character and deeds, painting him in an entirely positive light.

His appalling campaign that caused such devastation and bloodshed in Ireland, and amounted to ethnic cleansing, is completely overlooked. Cromwell is also portrayed as being religiously tolerant, when he was completely intolerant of Catholics, passing Penal Laws in Ireland severely restricting the rights of Catholics.

I found the glowing description of Cromwell in the authors Epilogue especially jarring, in the light of his murderous and deeply discriminatory behaviour towards the Irish people. His actions there set up population displacement and conditions for conflict and famine in the generations that followed.

I found it to be an engaging historical novel but this is a serious flaw which is why I gave only 2 stars.

[Emma Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I am so interested in history that as soon as I read the blurb I knew that I’d enjoy it. The personality of each character was distinguishable and throughout the book you could detect noticeable growth in each person as political instability ensues. I grew to like characters that I initially disliked and really understood the emotional repercussions of each event as it occurred. (Minor spoiler) The amount of death in this book was a bit disheartening, but then again, it’s history! Plus, the way it was written was perfect for each character and their relationship to Frances.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is even the slightest bit interested in history as the way Miranda portrays it makes me want to visit Hampton Court so badly!

[georgia · Rating 2 out of 5]

i was excited for this book but it ended up very disappointing. there was little in the way of narrative drive and i felt like i was just wading through a plot with little action or purpose. even the romance subplot, which had a lot of promise, ultimately fell flat with little tension. it was only in the last 20% that the book got slightly interesting to me.

however there is no doubt it was incredibly well researched and the picture that was painted of the interregnum period was immense. the writing too was also very accomplished but a little soulless at times.

[savage_book_review · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frances Cromwell has only ever really known her father as the leader of the Parliamentary army, victor of the Civil War and Lord Protector of England. With every day that passes, it seems more and more likely that he will be named King in his own right. Facing a choice between duty and desire, she must decide whether to snatch control of her own future or be used as a pawn in service to the fragile regime that makes her a Princess in all but name.

The biggest compliment I can give this book is that it really brings to life Oliver Cromwell the man; the father, the husband, the thinker and the man of God. The author has done a brilliant job at making him a well rounded character, casting off the traditional stereotypes and opening him up to be a more relatable, more understandable human being. I feel like I learned quite a lot about him from this book, despite him not being the lead character! Likewise, it was interesting to get to know his children a bit better - until recently I was only aware that he had one son! It humanises the downfall of the Protectorate and gives an insight into what he might actually have been trying to do for the country.

However, I was less impressed with the choppy pace and overall narrative. I appreciate that this is based on the lives of real people and the author has tried to stick closely to the real timeline, but there is an awful lot of build up within the romantic element for what ends up being a relatively brief payoff. I found it hard to understand the motive behind the author's writing; was she trying to tell a romantic tale based on historical events? In which case the focus should have been very much on telling Frances' story and having the constitutional issues as a background murmur. Or was she looking to give an easily accessible overview of the end of the Interregnum and the Restoration? If so, I think the wrong sister was picked to weave that narrative. As a result, the writing feels hesitant in places, giving neither subject the time and detail it really deserves.

I also think it does a disservice to the character of Bridget, Frances' older sister. While this was the first book written by the author, she followed it up with a prequel, 'The Rebel Daughter', which I read first. That book gives a very sympathetic portrayal of Bridget, which is completely ripped away in this one. I felt that I should have some understanding of her because of her hardships, and yes there are moments in Rebel Daughter that do foreshadow her hardening attitude, but the author seems to have lost all care for the character when writing this book; she is haughty, proud, stubborn and thoroughly unlikeable. I found this detracted from my enjoyment. It's hard to recommend either publication order or chronological order for reading in this case... I think you need the background of Rebel Daughter to properly appreciate what's going on in Puritan Princess, and yet publication order gives Bridget a bit of a redemption arc, plus avoids spoilers!

As always, I think my favourites moments are those where history meets speculation. In this case, considering whether Oliver Cromwell might have been rescued by his daughters and their husbands so as not to suffer the indignity of being executed after being dead for two years. It's an interesting thought!

I'll admit to knowing very little about this period - I did briefly study it in middle school, but it never interested me in the same way as the Tudors or the Wars of the Roses. So it was interesting to read about the factions within factions, and the considerations of where the merry go round might end. Some basic understanding may aid you in following the political background of the book, but overall you don't need that knowledge to follow the story.

This isn't a book I can get truly excited about, and nor am I likely to read it again, but if this era is to your taste, you probably would enjoy it more than I.

[Detlef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auf diesen Roman aus dem Rowohlt Verlag hatte ich mich bereits bei Ankündigung sehr gefreut. Zum Jahresende empfehle ich gerne dicke, historische Romane, weil man in ihnen trief versinken kann. Dies ist der Debütroman von Miranda Malins, einer Historikerin.

Der Roman handelt von und beschreibt die Familie des Oliver Cromwell, der Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts das britische Parlament angeführt hatte.

Der Erzählstil, den Miranda Malins wählte, ist für einen historischen Roman etwas ungewöhnlich. Francis, die jüngste Tochter von Oliver Cromwell erzählt in der ersten Person aus ihrer Sicht über das Geschehen am Hofe bzw. am Parlament. Damit ist man als Leser sehr nah am Geschehen. Mit den Augen dieses fast 20jährigen Mädchens werden viele Details über den Umgang der Leute zur damaligen Zeit untereinander, über die Gepflogenheiten bei der Jagd, beim Essen, bei den Bällen gezeigt. Und man erfährt viel von den Regeln des politischen Geschehens im damaloigen England, Schottland und Irland. Malins hat die faktenreichen, historischen details sehr geschickt in die Gedanken der erzählenden Fanny eingeflochten, so dass sie nicht wie in einem Lehrbuch daherkommen.

Etwas vergessen schien mir eine tragende Handlung, die von Anfang bis zum Ende reicht. Am Ehesten handelt es sich bei diesem Roman um einen Liebesroman. Denn die Beziehung der Ich-Erzählerin zu einem Snob Namens Robert Rich gibt, dem Enkel des Earl of Warwick, gibt am ehesten die Spannung vor, an der sich der Leser entlanghangelt.

Ein zweiter Handlungsbogen ergibt sich aus dem politischen Geschehen in England. Soll Oliver Cromwell zum König gekrönt werden obwohl gerade durch ihn eine Republik geschaffen worden war? Für den geschichtsbewussten Leser, der sich für die Historie Englands interessiert, gibt es sehr viele Details in diesem Handlungsbogen.

Als historischer Roman ist dieses Buch dennoch extrem interessant, gespickt mit vielen Details. Und Miranda Malins beweist auch Sinn für Humor. Denn eine Szene von Francis mit einer Hofdame und einem Kaplan entbehrt nicht mal einer sehr unterhaltsamen Situationskomik. Lautes Lachen sei erlaubt.

Als dicker Weihnachtsschinken mit historischen Details ist dieser Roman in jedem Fall zu empfehlen. Dieser Roman ist der erste Band einer Trilogie mit dem Titel »Cromwells Töchter«. Freunde von Rebecca Gablé, Bernhard Cornwell und Ken Follett sollten ihn nicht missen.

© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2021

[Michael Bully · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author seems on a mission to present an alternative view of Oliver Cromwell and to highlight the lives of his family , particularly the younger daughter Frances . Cromwell is shown as a loving father, a conscientious ruler,who gained international respect. Someone who enjoyed music, the occasional bout of drinking and feasting. And in 1657 was clutching at power, knowing that there were assassins and rebels out to end his rule.
His family enjoy life at Whitehall and Hampton Court at weekends. The novel highlights the dilemma concerning whether Cromwell should go the whole hog and just become king. Whilst Frances is determined to marry a man that her father does not approve of. Life seems unreal, the family were not born to rule. Within a year a series of tragedies strike the family culminating in the death of Cromwell himself on 3rd September 1658. In 1659, the hold of the Cromwell family upon power, particularly with Richard Cromwell at its head, is severely weakened, and of course in 1660, they fall .
I found the first 100 pages quite intense. The author seems determined to demonstrate her considerable knowledge of history to the extent that it became more like a biography of the family. I love 17th century history, but began to wonder, whether the book have been a non-fiction study of the subject.And how someone without any great enthusiasm for the era would take to it. But once the historical context had been explained, the novel got totally captivating. And couldn't stop reading .... overall a success.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the only tiny comment I have about The Puritan Princess is that I'm not that fussed on the title. It feels a bit shoehorned into the text, it's only used a couple of times, and it's probably the only piece of the text that feels almost out of place, as the Puritanism isn't really the key focus of the story (it's about people/families and change more than anything else).

That said, The Puritan Princess was a great read! I know very little about the English Civil war and the Cromwells, so this was a brilliant introduction and felt extremely well researched (also the Author's note was very helpful at the end, apparently we have the Victorians to thank for the current popular view of Oliver Cromwell). It was well balanced, with the political and personal sides, and Frances makes for an engaging protagonist who drives the story. She's intelligent, caring and unafraid to go out and so what she needs/wants, showing a lot of growth as a character throughout the narrative. Her interactions with Oliver Cromwell are particularly interesting, exploring how best to make decisions and rule in a system that hadn't previously been seen in England. And it's made me want to go and read more a lot more around the topic, so thank you Miranda for piquing my interest!

[Julian Malins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I declare an interest. The author is my daughter. I once received a prize from the hand of Field Marshall Montgomery. As he handed it to me he said, "It's a good book: I wrote it myself". It was "The History of Warfare". The first statement was not true. The second statement was only partly true. If Miranda had said the same to me (she did not), both statements would have been true. In fact it is better than good. It is brilliant. It is perfectly researched, following years of study of the period and grippingly written. For me, just the Historical Note was worth the purchase price. Did you know that Winston Churchill (then First Lord of the Admiralty) asked George V to name a new battleship, "The Oliver Cromwell", and was refused? Did you know that Tony Benn (as Postmaster General) wanted to put each Head of State from James I onto a new series of stamps, including Cromwell, but our present Queen refused, so the plan was scrapped? I did not. Remember that the last English Army to be feared in Europe was The New Model Army. Cromwell deserved better. So I conclude by saying: "It is a great book: I know the author". From me, both statements are true.

[Suzanne McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A splendid evocation of the people and the politics of the final years of the Protectorate, shading into the Restoration, seen through the eyes of Frances Cromwell, and a deeply moving presentation of her story. Full disclosure - I am something of a nerd when it comes to this period, so this is very much home territory for me. I wonder if familiarity with the people and the period helps with appreciation for this novel? I was a bit surprised when some reviews mentioned that they felt detached and disengaged from the characters, for example. I confess to needing tissues on hand at various points, so that clearly wasn't an issue for me :) My obsession with the period also means I have some very nerdy minor quibbles :) (William Dutton, anyone?! And also, Frances deep attachment to Robert Rich considerably predates when the novel proper begins), but some compression here and there is well within what is reasonable for a historical novel, and Malins remains true to the people, the period, and the issues. This exactly what a historical novel should be - superbly researched, and powerfully and engagingly written. Can't wait to start her latest, about and from the perspective of Frances' older sister Bridget.