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The Testimony of Alys Twist
Arrested by her sister for treason, who in her household can Elizabeth trust?
1553: deeply-divided England rejoices as the rightful heir, Mary Tudor, sweeps to power on a tide of populist goodwill. But the people should have been careful what they wished for: Mary's mission is to turn back time to an England of old. Within weeks there is widespread rebellion in favour of her heir, her half-sister, princess Elizabeth, who is everything that Mary isn't. From now on, Elizabeth will have to use her considerable guile just to stay alive.
Orphan Alys Twist has come a long way - further than she ever dared hope - to work as a laundress at the royal Wardrobe. There she meets Bel, daughter of the Queen's tailor, and seems to have arrived at her own happy ending.
But in a world where appearance is everything, a laundress is in a unique position to see the truth of people's lives, and Alys is pressed into service as a spy in the errant princess's household. Alys herself, though, is hardly whiter than white, and when the princess is arrested she must make a dangerous choice.
1553: deeply-divided England rejoices as the rightful heir, Mary Tudor, sweeps to power on a tide of populist goodwill. But the people should have been careful what they wished for: Mary's mission is to turn back time to an England of old. Within weeks there is widespread rebellion in favour of her heir, her half-sister, princess Elizabeth, who is everything that Mary isn't. From now on, Elizabeth will have to use her considerable guile just to stay alive.
Orphan Alys Twist has come a long way - further than she ever dared hope - to work as a laundress at the royal Wardrobe. There she meets Bel, daughter of the Queen's tailor, and seems to have arrived at her own happy ending.
But in a world where appearance is everything, a laundress is in a unique position to see the truth of people's lives, and Alys is pressed into service as a spy in the errant princess's household. Alys herself, though, is hardly whiter than white, and when the princess is arrested she must make a dangerous choice.
Hardcover
First published September 24, 2020
17 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Suzannah Dunn
22 books215 followersSuzannah Dunn was born in London, and grew up in the village of Northaw in Hertfordshire (for Tudor ‘fans’: Northaw Manor was the first married home of Bess Hardwick, in the late 1540s). Having lived in Brighton for nineteen years, she now lives in Shropshire. Her novel about Anne Boleyn (The Queen of Subtleties) was followed by The Sixth Wife, on Katherine Parr, and The Queen's Sorrow, set during the reign of Mary Tudor, ‘Bloody Mary’, England’s first ruling queen. Her forthcoming novel – to be published in hardback in May 2010 – is The Confession of Katherine Howard. Prior to writing about the Tudors, she published five contemporary-set novels and two collections of stories. She has enjoyed many years of giving talks and teaching creative writing (from six weeks as ‘writer in residence’ on the Richard and Judy show, to seven years as Programme Director of Manchester University’s MA in Novel Writing).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 9, 2022
Ill be honest right away. I haven't finished it. At this point i don't think i will. I can see the book mark looking at me, screaming in its tiny voice "pleeess... Reeeed mee... Let mee owttt..." but i just cant. It was good at the beginning, 16th century lesbians be strolling the streets, but it just lost me. The writing style is that kind where its quite emotionally detatched, which i think was partly the problem for me. If i do end up reading it though ill give an update for the 0 people who care. Love ya x
September 26, 2020
On my blog.
Rep: bi mc, lesbian li
Galley provided by publisher
If you asked me just what happened in this book, I would have zero chance of telling you. I’m, firstly, not entirely sure I absorbed any of the plot. But secondly, I’m not entirely sure there was one. Or at least, not one I could follow.
Broadly speaking, the story follows Alys, a laundress in Queen Mary’s service, who is sent to spy on the Princess Elizabeth, but later comes to be on her side? I guess? This is kind of where I got lost in terms of plot. I’m not entirely sure when or why Alys decided she would side with Elizabeth. I’m not entirely sure what her role even was in the second half. In all honesty, this feels less like a whole book in itself and more like half of a book.
I think part of that is that I was never clear on what drove Alys to most of her actions. The spying on Elizabeth is clearly not her choice, but then. Why did she change her mind? What drove her to make the decisions she did in the second half of the book? Because I couldn’t answer questions regarding her motivations, I didn’t really care about what was happening in the plot or to her.
Not that, I’d argue, much did happen in the plot. Like I mentioned earlier, the book felt more like half a book than a whole one. When it ended, I flipped through a few more pages, half expecting more to it. But there wasn’t more to it. It didn’t even feel open-ended in the kind of satisfying way, it felt like there wasn’t an end. Like it had been stopped mid-arc.
So really, I was just bored reading this. So bored that not even the sapphic romance could get me interested (sadly). But if, unlike me, you have a better attention span and enjoy historical fiction where not a lot happens…
Well, you might well like this.
Rep: bi mc, lesbian li
Galley provided by publisher
If you asked me just what happened in this book, I would have zero chance of telling you. I’m, firstly, not entirely sure I absorbed any of the plot. But secondly, I’m not entirely sure there was one. Or at least, not one I could follow.
Broadly speaking, the story follows Alys, a laundress in Queen Mary’s service, who is sent to spy on the Princess Elizabeth, but later comes to be on her side? I guess? This is kind of where I got lost in terms of plot. I’m not entirely sure when or why Alys decided she would side with Elizabeth. I’m not entirely sure what her role even was in the second half. In all honesty, this feels less like a whole book in itself and more like half of a book.
I think part of that is that I was never clear on what drove Alys to most of her actions. The spying on Elizabeth is clearly not her choice, but then. Why did she change her mind? What drove her to make the decisions she did in the second half of the book? Because I couldn’t answer questions regarding her motivations, I didn’t really care about what was happening in the plot or to her.
Not that, I’d argue, much did happen in the plot. Like I mentioned earlier, the book felt more like half a book than a whole one. When it ended, I flipped through a few more pages, half expecting more to it. But there wasn’t more to it. It didn’t even feel open-ended in the kind of satisfying way, it felt like there wasn’t an end. Like it had been stopped mid-arc.
So really, I was just bored reading this. So bored that not even the sapphic romance could get me interested (sadly). But if, unlike me, you have a better attention span and enjoy historical fiction where not a lot happens…
Well, you might well like this.
November 4, 2021
An unusual view of the palaces of Queen Mary from the laundry. Alys is an interesting character - unseen but a pivotal role in the household of the exiled princess. Hearing and seeing more than she should, Alys becomes more involved in Tudor history. I liked seeing how Alys developed as a character- learning to adapt and look after herself as the household was moved according to the Queen’s wishes but felt the ending was rather abrupt.
September 25, 2020
One of the Queen’s of historical fiction returns with another original Tudor-based story seen through the eyes of a commoner. Set in 16th century England, we follow Alys Twist, an orphan and laundress at Whitehall, employed in Queen Mary’s court who becomes embroiled in a spat between sisters Mary and Princess Elizabeth. Mary feels threatened by Elizabeth’s popularity amongst regular citizens. Queen Mary made the mistake of attempting to turn the country back to Catholicism leading to uprisings calling for her sister to be placed on the throne instead of her. Alys is sent to spy on Elizabeth in another post as a laundress so she can report back to spymasters as to anything important she's overheard. Alys’ job allows her close access to Elizabeth without her even realising it.
This is an interesting story with much intrigue. It's rare to find an established novelist who includes Sapphic themes within their work but that is exactly what the author has done here. It's very much a character-driven tale with Alys front and centre; I liked her character as she was hardly whiter than white and it made for captivating reading. The amount of research carried out to make this as accurate as possible was astonishing and I found myself immersed in the story completely. If you enjoy Tudor fiction with an engaging central character, social commentary on the religious and political upheaval which was happening in England at the time, and plenty of intrigue then this is well worth your time. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
This is an interesting story with much intrigue. It's rare to find an established novelist who includes Sapphic themes within their work but that is exactly what the author has done here. It's very much a character-driven tale with Alys front and centre; I liked her character as she was hardly whiter than white and it made for captivating reading. The amount of research carried out to make this as accurate as possible was astonishing and I found myself immersed in the story completely. If you enjoy Tudor fiction with an engaging central character, social commentary on the religious and political upheaval which was happening in England at the time, and plenty of intrigue then this is well worth your time. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
May 3, 2023
This book started slow but I'm supremely glad that I persisted with it because boy, was it worth it!
I think this novel really gets going when Alys moves into the household of the Princess Elizabeth (the future Elizabeth I), ostensibly as a spy for Queen Mary's side, but then basically double crosses everyone when she starts spying for the Princess's side too. Some of the criticism of this book is that it's very history-heavy, Alys is right at the heart of the drama of Queen Mary I's early reign, and it comes at the expense of her romantic relationship with Bel, but honestly, I think her work as a spy and status as an outsider (even from those she's supposed to be loyal to) is also reflective of her being a bisexual woman in Tudor London. She doesn't quite fit in anywhere, she has to constantly be on the move. She cannot be her true self, even if she desperately wants to.
Her romantic relationship with Bel was touching, and I enjoyed that it wasn't all plain-sailing. The nature of the times the pair live in means that the pressure really gets to Alys in particular - she wants to be with Bel forever but refuses to live as her 'bit-on-the-side' (Bel's """best friend""" and ""companion""") when Bel inevitably marries. There was a really touching moment near the end of the book where Bel gleans this implication from Alys and says she would've made it alright, she would have made it work. I don't know if she could have, given the nature of the times they are living in, but it was one of the most tender moments in the book for me.
Alys is married already when the book begins, although her husband is estranged and we later learn that he's bigamously married to a new woman (and has a son). I was super interested in their relationship, especially as he turns up later on in the book as a member of Princess Elizabeth's household, and there's a lot of resentment between the pair, but also a lot of care in spite of their anger.
Some criticism has been levelled at the modern language that this book uses but I actually enjoyed this aspect of the book. It made the action relevant, fast-paced, present. And I don't think it took me out of the historical setting either.
My main gripe with the book is that it seemed to end...abruptly. Alys finds out this world-shattering piece of info about the Queen and is going to take her findings back to the Princess's household and then....it ends? And Alys sort of waves off the prospect of a cliffhanger with a comment about how it all turned out for the best (for Princess Elizabeth) in the end. If this is a stand-alone novel (which I suspect it is), it was an odd way to end.
All in all, a great read.
I think this novel really gets going when Alys moves into the household of the Princess Elizabeth (the future Elizabeth I), ostensibly as a spy for Queen Mary's side, but then basically double crosses everyone when she starts spying for the Princess's side too. Some of the criticism of this book is that it's very history-heavy, Alys is right at the heart of the drama of Queen Mary I's early reign, and it comes at the expense of her romantic relationship with Bel, but honestly, I think her work as a spy and status as an outsider (even from those she's supposed to be loyal to) is also reflective of her being a bisexual woman in Tudor London. She doesn't quite fit in anywhere, she has to constantly be on the move. She cannot be her true self, even if she desperately wants to.
Her romantic relationship with Bel was touching, and I enjoyed that it wasn't all plain-sailing. The nature of the times the pair live in means that the pressure really gets to Alys in particular - she wants to be with Bel forever but refuses to live as her 'bit-on-the-side' (Bel's """best friend""" and ""companion""") when Bel inevitably marries. There was a really touching moment near the end of the book where Bel gleans this implication from Alys and says she would've made it alright, she would have made it work. I don't know if she could have, given the nature of the times they are living in, but it was one of the most tender moments in the book for me.
Alys is married already when the book begins, although her husband is estranged and we later learn that he's bigamously married to a new woman (and has a son). I was super interested in their relationship, especially as he turns up later on in the book as a member of Princess Elizabeth's household, and there's a lot of resentment between the pair, but also a lot of care in spite of their anger.
Some criticism has been levelled at the modern language that this book uses but I actually enjoyed this aspect of the book. It made the action relevant, fast-paced, present. And I don't think it took me out of the historical setting either.
My main gripe with the book is that it seemed to end...abruptly. Alys finds out this world-shattering piece of info about the Queen and is going to take her findings back to the Princess's household and then....it ends? And Alys sort of waves off the prospect of a cliffhanger with a comment about how it all turned out for the best (for Princess Elizabeth) in the end. If this is a stand-alone novel (which I suspect it is), it was an odd way to end.
All in all, a great read.
March 19, 2022
What a weird book - what was the point of it? Was it about the romance or the spying? This book is set in the 16th century and Mary has just come to the throne. Alys is a laundress who has just started working in the palace laundry and within a short time begins a romance with someone. No sooner had the romance begun than Alys was asked to join the household of Princess Elizabeth to spy on her. Why would you employ a laundress as a spy? Surprisingly enough Alys didn't have anything to report. Her romance broke down as she was not at liberty to visit her lover and of course couldn't read or write so couldn't send a letter. So the twin threads of this book - her lovelife and her spying both bombed.
I have to say not only was the plot confusing but the writing style was too. The writer used contorted phrasing like "By water was from now on how I would travel" describing Alys's first thoughts on travelling by barge which I suppose was 'Tudor phrasing' but then the book was littered with modern language - "cut me some slack" "I wouldn't kick him out of bed" "Your boss" .There was an instance of a bishop "putting the frighteners on". Then there was a disscussion between 3 young ladies in the princess's employment who used the word "enceinte" in speculating about the princess's condition (how coy) to then go on to describe using a broom handle to prepare themselves for marriage. I think the writer should have stuck to Tudor or modern this mix of the two was very distracting - what thinkest thou my Goodreads Homies?
I have to say not only was the plot confusing but the writing style was too. The writer used contorted phrasing like "By water was from now on how I would travel" describing Alys's first thoughts on travelling by barge which I suppose was 'Tudor phrasing' but then the book was littered with modern language - "cut me some slack" "I wouldn't kick him out of bed" "Your boss" .There was an instance of a bishop "putting the frighteners on". Then there was a disscussion between 3 young ladies in the princess's employment who used the word "enceinte" in speculating about the princess's condition (how coy) to then go on to describe using a broom handle to prepare themselves for marriage. I think the writer should have stuck to Tudor or modern this mix of the two was very distracting - what thinkest thou my Goodreads Homies?
January 13, 2022
I’m honestly not sure how I feel about this book.
It’s written in a way that I’m not entirely comfortable with, there’s a lot of brackets and some of the sentences are a bit long. The story itself feels a bit flat and ends without feeling quite “finished”. It’s a bit all-over-the-place and is more focused on Alys’ relationship rather than her role as a spy. There’s actually very little about her activities spying on the Princess Elizabeth. The tagline would lead you to believe it’s about the Princess’ household, her interactions and her life after her arrest, but unfortunately there isn’t a great deal of content on this part of the plot.
Overall, I’m pretty disappointed with this story and I expected more.
It’s written in a way that I’m not entirely comfortable with, there’s a lot of brackets and some of the sentences are a bit long. The story itself feels a bit flat and ends without feeling quite “finished”. It’s a bit all-over-the-place and is more focused on Alys’ relationship rather than her role as a spy. There’s actually very little about her activities spying on the Princess Elizabeth. The tagline would lead you to believe it’s about the Princess’ household, her interactions and her life after her arrest, but unfortunately there isn’t a great deal of content on this part of the plot.
Overall, I’m pretty disappointed with this story and I expected more.
June 22, 2021
Within the first few pages, I found myself immersed in the Tudor world that Suzannah Dunn had created. The vivid descriptions of the sights and smells of Tudor London really brought the novel to life and at times I felt like I was sailing down the Thames!
The novel focuses on Elizabeth as a princess and the dispute between her and Queen Mary. To read the novel from Alys, the laundress perspective, was an unusual twist as historical fiction is often written from the perspective of the royals.
Alys, the protagonist is a likeable character, with a sometimes dry sense of humour. Her motivation & loyalties aren’t always clear though, not even to herself! She’s sent to spy on Elizabeth, the laundry being the perfect place to do this - it’s amazing how much can be learned from dirty laundry!
The story isn’t fast paced, but it does continue to move along and I was keen to see the outcome that awaited Alys. My only complaint would be that the ending seemed to come unexpectedly, and I wasn’t quite ready for it!
I’d recommend this book and I’d look out for Suzannah’s other novels.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.
#thetestimonyofalystwist
#netgalley
The novel focuses on Elizabeth as a princess and the dispute between her and Queen Mary. To read the novel from Alys, the laundress perspective, was an unusual twist as historical fiction is often written from the perspective of the royals.
Alys, the protagonist is a likeable character, with a sometimes dry sense of humour. Her motivation & loyalties aren’t always clear though, not even to herself! She’s sent to spy on Elizabeth, the laundry being the perfect place to do this - it’s amazing how much can be learned from dirty laundry!
The story isn’t fast paced, but it does continue to move along and I was keen to see the outcome that awaited Alys. My only complaint would be that the ending seemed to come unexpectedly, and I wasn’t quite ready for it!
I’d recommend this book and I’d look out for Suzannah’s other novels.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.
#thetestimonyofalystwist
#netgalley
August 10, 2020
I wasn’t sure what to make of this book to start with as it’s quite different to many historical novels I’ve read of this time period but once I got further into it I really appreciated it. The central character for once isn’t a royal or in fact from any noble family, she is a laundress. And this is what makes it so unique for once you get a view of royal Tudor life from a very different perspective. Princess Elizabeth and Queen Mary although central to the story are instead almost like extras in their own stories as you get glimpses of them through Alys’s eyes.
Alys Twist is an orphan who has worked hard and is given a job as laundress to Queen Mary’s wardrobe. Soon after starting work for the Queen she meets and becomes friend’s with Bel the daughter of the Queen’s tailor. She is at last happy with her lot. But in a time when there is widespread rebellion, Alys is soon on the move again as pressed into service as a spy in Princess Elizabeth’s household, as a laundress
Alys Twist is an orphan who has worked hard and is given a job as laundress to Queen Mary’s wardrobe. Soon after starting work for the Queen she meets and becomes friend’s with Bel the daughter of the Queen’s tailor. She is at last happy with her lot. But in a time when there is widespread rebellion, Alys is soon on the move again as pressed into service as a spy in Princess Elizabeth’s household, as a laundress
June 2, 2022
Unfortunately this was a DNF for me.
The premise had so much promise! I absolutely loved learning about the Tudors growing up and I cannot get enough of Tudor history. So when o saw this historical fiction novel set in 1553, a time where Elizabeth had been imprisoned by her sister, Mary Tudor. I also found the idea of an LGBTQ representation in this time period to be interesting.
As much as I really wanted to love this book, I just couldn’t really connect with the characters and I could never really following Alys actions as there was no explanation as to why she did what she did?
I will say that from what I did read, the author has really gone out there and done her research to keep the story as historically accurate as possible, which I applaud. Not many fictional novelists will keep to the facts.
I hope to try picking this up again in the future. As it did hold some interest for me.
The premise had so much promise! I absolutely loved learning about the Tudors growing up and I cannot get enough of Tudor history. So when o saw this historical fiction novel set in 1553, a time where Elizabeth had been imprisoned by her sister, Mary Tudor. I also found the idea of an LGBTQ representation in this time period to be interesting.
As much as I really wanted to love this book, I just couldn’t really connect with the characters and I could never really following Alys actions as there was no explanation as to why she did what she did?
I will say that from what I did read, the author has really gone out there and done her research to keep the story as historically accurate as possible, which I applaud. Not many fictional novelists will keep to the facts.
I hope to try picking this up again in the future. As it did hold some interest for me.
May 2, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review - The Testimony of Alys Twist by Suzannah Dunn
This review has been made possible thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review has also been posted to Instagram.
This book follows the story of Alys, a laundress for Queen Elizabeth, through her friendship with the tailor’s assistant, Bel, through their work within the household. Alys has a secret, a long-forgotten husband, the story of how she moved from place to place to evade him and their past, and it’s this uncanny ability that lands her a spot in doing the laundry for the Queen’s half-sister, the Lady Elizabeth, as she is confined and sent away from the palace. 🏰
The story is character-driven, with an interesting way of conveying her thoughts as conversation, so you’re never fully certain of how much she says aloud and what is just her internal monologue. The writing flows well and Dunn is very descriptive about the environment. I really enjoyed reading this novel, as Elizabethan England isn’t a topic I’ve read much about but it was interesting nonetheless. I recommend it to readers of historical fiction and anyone who enjoys some subtle mentions of female relationships. 👩❤️👩
Have you read this yet? Or do you have a favourite book from a similar time? Let me know below 👑
This review has been made possible thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review has also been posted to Instagram.
This book follows the story of Alys, a laundress for Queen Elizabeth, through her friendship with the tailor’s assistant, Bel, through their work within the household. Alys has a secret, a long-forgotten husband, the story of how she moved from place to place to evade him and their past, and it’s this uncanny ability that lands her a spot in doing the laundry for the Queen’s half-sister, the Lady Elizabeth, as she is confined and sent away from the palace. 🏰
The story is character-driven, with an interesting way of conveying her thoughts as conversation, so you’re never fully certain of how much she says aloud and what is just her internal monologue. The writing flows well and Dunn is very descriptive about the environment. I really enjoyed reading this novel, as Elizabethan England isn’t a topic I’ve read much about but it was interesting nonetheless. I recommend it to readers of historical fiction and anyone who enjoys some subtle mentions of female relationships. 👩❤️👩
Have you read this yet? Or do you have a favourite book from a similar time? Let me know below 👑
April 4, 2022
1.5. It is riddled with anachronistic language and there are some historical inaccuracies. For an espionage novel, there's precious little espionage going on. After Alys is recruited, she spends the rest of the time looking for opportunities to get out of it. Even when she does stumble upon information, she rarely realizes it, so there's no sense of tension or drama. I also found the writing style confusing in parts; it was difficult to tell if someone else was speaking or if it was Alys' internal commentary.
August 18, 2025
Written in a style that evokes the period convincingly, includes many very descriptive metaphors. I enjoyed the viewpoint from "below stairs" and loved the way Alys fell from one situation to another. Particularly tense towards the end. A period of history that's rarely written about in any depth.
February 12, 2022
The plot was dull, it took too long to get anywhere and when I think about what has actually happened in the story then I draw a blank...did anything happen in 250 pages? Characters not likeable or relatable, you can't invest anything in them as they are too 1 dimensional.
October 16, 2020
Orphan Alys Twist has done well for herself and accepts a position as laundress at the Royal Wardrobe of the new queen Mary Tudor. At court she meets Bel, the tailor’s daughter, and the two girls start an intimate friendship. When the new queen wants a Spanish marriage and a return to the old Catholic ways, rebellion is coming to London and some people speak out in favor of her half-sister, the lady Elizabeth. Alys is sent as a spy to Elizabeth’s household to report back on her.
I previously read two novels of Suzannah Dunn, the first being ‘The queen of subtleties‘ about Anne Boleyn which I disliked and the second was ‘The May bride‘ about a young Jane Seymour that I enjoyed enough to give Dunn another try.
In ‘the testimony of Alys Twist‘ we again travel to Tudor England where the new queen Mary Tudor has just been crowned after the short reign of her cousin Lady Jane Grey. Mary is much beloved by the public and everyone is hoping that this will be the start of a new chapter for England. We meet young laundress Alys who carries a past with her and tries to find her place at the Royal Wardrobe. She befriends Bel and the two of them start to hang around together.
But when the new queen is looking to Spain for a marriage and wants to reinstall the Catholic faith, tensions start to rise with the protestant fractions resulting in the Wyatt Rebellion. Mary’s half-sister and heir to the throne Elizabeth is named as a conspirator. Alys gets charged with going to Ashridge to spy on the princess. As a laundress nobody is taking any notice of her and she can report back on what is said and done within the household.
I loved to read about Mary’s reign, as she is mostly overlooked in favor of her sister Elizabeth. From the Wyatt rebellion, the dramatic marriage with Philip of Spain to the burnings, you can feel how her people are having a hard time to accept that the new queen wants to turn back time.
Alys is a bit of a strange main character. As a laundress she can easily move within a royal household but she isn’t a real part of it. She’s still far from the action. Therefore, there’s a strong focus on her own story and for me Alys’ story was a bit of mess. She has a past she wants to keep secret at any cost, she falls in love with the wrong person and she doesn’t know where her loyalties lie—with the queen or the princess?
Also the whole spying on the princess thing turns out a bit different from what I thought it would be. I had hoped to get more of an insight into Elizabeth’s character and how she copes with her arrest and consequent house arrest at Woodstock. But Alys only comes occasionally into her room to pick up the dirty laundry.
All this results in a sudden ending of the story and too many loose ends. Dunn also uses very modern language, something that already bothered me in her previous works, but it doesn’t really feel like an issue here. I think I’m simply disappointed in the story itself. If you want to read something from Suzannah Dunn, I heartily recommend ‘The May Bride’, as it is still the better novel I’ve read from her.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher to provide me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.
---
Dutch review:
Alys Twist is een onzichtbare wees maar schopt het ver wanneer ze wasdame wordt van de nieuwe koningin Mary I. Aan het hof ontmoet ze Bel, de dochter van de kleermaker, met wie ze een intieme vriendschap start. Maar wanneer de koningin voor een Spaans huwelijk kiest groeit de onvrede en zien sommigen in the lady Elizabeth een nieuwe erfgenaam voor de troon. Alys wordt tegen haar wil naar het huishouden van Elizabeth gestuurd om haar te bespioneren.
Ik las van Dunn al eens twee boeken en 'the May bride' vond ik best oké, terwijl ik haar boek over Anne Boleyn echt verschrikkelijk vond. Dus ook voor deze was het erop of eronder.
Dunn kiest altijd bewust voor een hoofdpersonage dat vrij ver van de koninklijke familie staat. In dit verhaal gaat het om wasdame Alys die heel af en toe in de kamer van de koningin komt wanneer ze de was ophaalt. Maar tegelijk is dat ook het grootste nadeel aan Dunn haar boeken: het hoofdpersonage staat nooit volop in de actie en observeert meestal wat er gebeurt.
En dus gaat het vooral om het leven van het hoofdpersonage zelf. En dat van Alys is een mess. Een verleden dat ze probeert te vergeten, een ontluikende verboden liefde en geen idee waar haar loyaliteiten liggen. Haar verhaal ging alle kanten op en hangt aan elkaar met toevalligheden. We kregen een beetje een inzicht in hoe het Elizabeth vergaat in the Tower en later onder huisarrest in Woodstock, maar het blijft vanop een afstandje.
Wel interessant is het feit dat Mary Tudor's reign eens de setting is, zij wordt vaak overgeslagen. Je voelt hoe de sfeer bij het volk omslaat wanneer Mary een Spaans huwelijk opzoekt en mensen begint te verbranden. Ik zou zo graag eens een echt goed verhaal over deze periode lezen.
Het einde is super bruut en het gaat echt ineens alle kanten uit. Dus toch wel weer teleurgesteld door deze en ik weet niet of ik nog een boek van Dunn zal oppakken.
Bedankt aan Netgalley en de uitgever voor een exemplaar van dit verhaal in ruil voor mijn eerlijke mening.
I previously read two novels of Suzannah Dunn, the first being ‘The queen of subtleties‘ about Anne Boleyn which I disliked and the second was ‘The May bride‘ about a young Jane Seymour that I enjoyed enough to give Dunn another try.
In ‘the testimony of Alys Twist‘ we again travel to Tudor England where the new queen Mary Tudor has just been crowned after the short reign of her cousin Lady Jane Grey. Mary is much beloved by the public and everyone is hoping that this will be the start of a new chapter for England. We meet young laundress Alys who carries a past with her and tries to find her place at the Royal Wardrobe. She befriends Bel and the two of them start to hang around together.
But when the new queen is looking to Spain for a marriage and wants to reinstall the Catholic faith, tensions start to rise with the protestant fractions resulting in the Wyatt Rebellion. Mary’s half-sister and heir to the throne Elizabeth is named as a conspirator. Alys gets charged with going to Ashridge to spy on the princess. As a laundress nobody is taking any notice of her and she can report back on what is said and done within the household.
I loved to read about Mary’s reign, as she is mostly overlooked in favor of her sister Elizabeth. From the Wyatt rebellion, the dramatic marriage with Philip of Spain to the burnings, you can feel how her people are having a hard time to accept that the new queen wants to turn back time.
Alys is a bit of a strange main character. As a laundress she can easily move within a royal household but she isn’t a real part of it. She’s still far from the action. Therefore, there’s a strong focus on her own story and for me Alys’ story was a bit of mess. She has a past she wants to keep secret at any cost, she falls in love with the wrong person and she doesn’t know where her loyalties lie—with the queen or the princess?
Also the whole spying on the princess thing turns out a bit different from what I thought it would be. I had hoped to get more of an insight into Elizabeth’s character and how she copes with her arrest and consequent house arrest at Woodstock. But Alys only comes occasionally into her room to pick up the dirty laundry.
All this results in a sudden ending of the story and too many loose ends. Dunn also uses very modern language, something that already bothered me in her previous works, but it doesn’t really feel like an issue here. I think I’m simply disappointed in the story itself. If you want to read something from Suzannah Dunn, I heartily recommend ‘The May Bride’, as it is still the better novel I’ve read from her.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher to provide me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.
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Dutch review:
Alys Twist is een onzichtbare wees maar schopt het ver wanneer ze wasdame wordt van de nieuwe koningin Mary I. Aan het hof ontmoet ze Bel, de dochter van de kleermaker, met wie ze een intieme vriendschap start. Maar wanneer de koningin voor een Spaans huwelijk kiest groeit de onvrede en zien sommigen in the lady Elizabeth een nieuwe erfgenaam voor de troon. Alys wordt tegen haar wil naar het huishouden van Elizabeth gestuurd om haar te bespioneren.
Ik las van Dunn al eens twee boeken en 'the May bride' vond ik best oké, terwijl ik haar boek over Anne Boleyn echt verschrikkelijk vond. Dus ook voor deze was het erop of eronder.
Dunn kiest altijd bewust voor een hoofdpersonage dat vrij ver van de koninklijke familie staat. In dit verhaal gaat het om wasdame Alys die heel af en toe in de kamer van de koningin komt wanneer ze de was ophaalt. Maar tegelijk is dat ook het grootste nadeel aan Dunn haar boeken: het hoofdpersonage staat nooit volop in de actie en observeert meestal wat er gebeurt.
En dus gaat het vooral om het leven van het hoofdpersonage zelf. En dat van Alys is een mess. Een verleden dat ze probeert te vergeten, een ontluikende verboden liefde en geen idee waar haar loyaliteiten liggen. Haar verhaal ging alle kanten op en hangt aan elkaar met toevalligheden. We kregen een beetje een inzicht in hoe het Elizabeth vergaat in the Tower en later onder huisarrest in Woodstock, maar het blijft vanop een afstandje.
Wel interessant is het feit dat Mary Tudor's reign eens de setting is, zij wordt vaak overgeslagen. Je voelt hoe de sfeer bij het volk omslaat wanneer Mary een Spaans huwelijk opzoekt en mensen begint te verbranden. Ik zou zo graag eens een echt goed verhaal over deze periode lezen.
Het einde is super bruut en het gaat echt ineens alle kanten uit. Dus toch wel weer teleurgesteld door deze en ik weet niet of ik nog een boek van Dunn zal oppakken.
Bedankt aan Netgalley en de uitgever voor een exemplaar van dit verhaal in ruil voor mijn eerlijke mening.
March 31, 2021
This is a really hard book to rate. As historical fiction that provides an insight into a time period and key characters, it ticks the boxes as it focuses on Queen Mary Tudor and her rivalry with her half-sister Elizabeth. Descriptions of London are colourful and vivid, with descriptions of the barges and the bridges making me reflect on the last river boat I took!
Insights into Tudor households are interesting and the roles of the laundress as critical to the smooth running of a palace was something I hadn’t really considered before.
However that’s where it falls flat. There isn’t much of a story. Alys has moved from job to job and finds herself in the Queen’s laundry. She makes friends with the engaging Bel - more insights into her life as a tailor’s daughter would have rounded the historical perspective - but probably add nothing to the story. For quite a while they have fun together (as colleagues and in secret) and then all of a sudden Alys is supposed to have been recruited as a spy. But she has no interaction with her recruiters afterwards... and the whole testimony is very limited. Her dark secret doesn’t really get explored as to the implications or even used to her advantage. The other thing that got me was that she took 10 days to travel 30 miles but then seemed to get from London to Woodstock in a flash. She didn’t get paid for months but managed to survive and even pay for things that she had earlier said she couldn’t afford. And finally there wasn’t really a testimony... I kept waiting for a crescendo that never arrived!
Sadly too many loose ends and not enough story to keep me fully engaged and makes it hard to recommend.
3* Didn’t quite live up to its promise.
Insights into Tudor households are interesting and the roles of the laundress as critical to the smooth running of a palace was something I hadn’t really considered before.
However that’s where it falls flat. There isn’t much of a story. Alys has moved from job to job and finds herself in the Queen’s laundry. She makes friends with the engaging Bel - more insights into her life as a tailor’s daughter would have rounded the historical perspective - but probably add nothing to the story. For quite a while they have fun together (as colleagues and in secret) and then all of a sudden Alys is supposed to have been recruited as a spy. But she has no interaction with her recruiters afterwards... and the whole testimony is very limited. Her dark secret doesn’t really get explored as to the implications or even used to her advantage. The other thing that got me was that she took 10 days to travel 30 miles but then seemed to get from London to Woodstock in a flash. She didn’t get paid for months but managed to survive and even pay for things that she had earlier said she couldn’t afford. And finally there wasn’t really a testimony... I kept waiting for a crescendo that never arrived!
Sadly too many loose ends and not enough story to keep me fully engaged and makes it hard to recommend.
3* Didn’t quite live up to its promise.
April 21, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Alys, an orphan who has come to the household of the new Queen Mary as a laundress. She is pressed into becoming a spy in the household of the princess Elizabeth during the many upheavals that occur during Marys reign due to her Catholicism and Spanish marriage. Alys herself has a less than sparkling white past (for the time) and must navigate court intrigue in her new role.
I enjoyed this book as the portrayal of ordinary women during the Tudor times. Many books have a queen or princess as a main character and so I enjoyed this alternative perspective. Additionally, I really loved Alys and Bel's relationship, showing how LGBTQ+ people may have lived during those times. However, I didn't find the spying or intrigue of this book to be very interesting. It felt like a secondary point and didn't provide much in the way of action or suspense. I think this book had a lot of potential as a) a telling of LGBTQ+ lives during a time of superstition, political upheaval and religious turmoil and b) a novel of political intrigue and danger during which time the foundations for Elizabeth I's spy network was laid with a LGBTQ+ main character. Unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me.
However, the writing was fantastic and the characters were well fleshed out. In addition, I enjoy seeing more portrayals of women in historical literature, I just would have loved if this book had been pushed that little bit further.
The book follows Alys, an orphan who has come to the household of the new Queen Mary as a laundress. She is pressed into becoming a spy in the household of the princess Elizabeth during the many upheavals that occur during Marys reign due to her Catholicism and Spanish marriage. Alys herself has a less than sparkling white past (for the time) and must navigate court intrigue in her new role.
I enjoyed this book as the portrayal of ordinary women during the Tudor times. Many books have a queen or princess as a main character and so I enjoyed this alternative perspective. Additionally, I really loved Alys and Bel's relationship, showing how LGBTQ+ people may have lived during those times. However, I didn't find the spying or intrigue of this book to be very interesting. It felt like a secondary point and didn't provide much in the way of action or suspense. I think this book had a lot of potential as a) a telling of LGBTQ+ lives during a time of superstition, political upheaval and religious turmoil and b) a novel of political intrigue and danger during which time the foundations for Elizabeth I's spy network was laid with a LGBTQ+ main character. Unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me.
However, the writing was fantastic and the characters were well fleshed out. In addition, I enjoy seeing more portrayals of women in historical literature, I just would have loved if this book had been pushed that little bit further.
July 26, 2021
Set slap bang in the middle of the Tudor period, The Testimony of Alys Twist focuses on the tumultuous period when Mary I had wrested the throne from Lady Jane Grey, and the Princess Elizabeth was out of favour. At this point in time, the country was ruled by religion and Mary was pulling the country back in time to the period before Henry VIII broke from Rome, and imposing Catholocism on the land. Alys is a young women, orphaned as a child, who had never had a real place to call home. The story picks up as she finds herself becoming laundress to the queen. She bcomes embroiled in the discord between Mary and Elizabeth, and is sent to Elizabeth's household as an informant.
I enjoyed the book in terms of the detail. This is a time period I've read about a lot but a great number of novels focus on the story from the perspective of richer folks, so it was nice to have the protagonist be a 'normal' person. There had obviously been a lot of research into the role of a laundress, and I liked learning new bits and bobs surrounding that. I also liked that the author uses plain vocabulary, and that the book would be easily accessible to anyone who wanted to read, even if they didn't have much knowledge of the period. I do feel though, that the end was a little bit disappointing. I felt that the story sort of just faded away - I didn't feel that there was a good rounding up at the end. But overall, probably 6/10!
I enjoyed the book in terms of the detail. This is a time period I've read about a lot but a great number of novels focus on the story from the perspective of richer folks, so it was nice to have the protagonist be a 'normal' person. There had obviously been a lot of research into the role of a laundress, and I liked learning new bits and bobs surrounding that. I also liked that the author uses plain vocabulary, and that the book would be easily accessible to anyone who wanted to read, even if they didn't have much knowledge of the period. I do feel though, that the end was a little bit disappointing. I felt that the story sort of just faded away - I didn't feel that there was a good rounding up at the end. But overall, probably 6/10!
April 15, 2021
A delightful historical novel centered around the highly toxic and very dysfunctional sibling relationship between Mary Tudor and her sister Elizabeth at the beginning of the 1550s, as we follow the adventures of Alys Twist, a young orphaned girl working as a laudress within the confines of the royal palace, Whitehall. It's 1553 and England is awashed with conspiracy fever and wary about its future. Recently married to her Spanish monkey, Philip of Spain, and soon to be consumed by an imaginary pregnancy, the Queen is deeply convinced that her half sister is comploting her downfall somewhere behind her back. Unable to shake that gnawing feeling, the unbalanced monarch will pretty soon set up a sinister game of cat and mouse into which the innocent Alyse will eventually and unwillingly be drawn into, a dangerous web of espionage and counter-espionage that our smart and quick-witted heroine will have to learn how to navigate in order to avoid its treacherous pitfalls and remain safely ahead of her game..... A rich and colorful tapestry of a rather somber moment in English history full of memorable characters and compelling historical details. A delightful story from start to finish. Many thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown UK/Abacus for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.
February 22, 2022
DNF. This was so completely not for me that I read the first chapter and could *not* continue.
Aside from the incredibly irritating way that the historical background was dumped in a monologue that would be more appropriate for telling a modern 10-year-old about Mary Tudor than for a conversation between two characters who were her contemporaries, there was the incredibly basic historical inaccuracy of “dark blue velvet coronation robes” and something about how it had been embroidered. Sorry, but please don’t try writing about dress history if you know less than a quick Google search, and/or you don’t know anything about the history of coronations. I realise this is a slightly older book so not all of the resources may have been there for research when it was being written, but there was no way I could tolerate reading about people working in the Royal Wardrobe when so many details of the actual clothing were likely to be wrong.
Aside from the incredibly irritating way that the historical background was dumped in a monologue that would be more appropriate for telling a modern 10-year-old about Mary Tudor than for a conversation between two characters who were her contemporaries, there was the incredibly basic historical inaccuracy of “dark blue velvet coronation robes” and something about how it had been embroidered. Sorry, but please don’t try writing about dress history if you know less than a quick Google search, and/or you don’t know anything about the history of coronations. I realise this is a slightly older book so not all of the resources may have been there for research when it was being written, but there was no way I could tolerate reading about people working in the Royal Wardrobe when so many details of the actual clothing were likely to be wrong.
April 10, 2022
I have to say, unfortunately the plot of this book didn’t really go anywhere. The ending felt rushed, and although we know the truth of what happened to the real life people in this story, there’s no real ending of wrap up for the fictional characters.
Alys Twist is given a job in the palace of Queen Mary I of England, as a laundress. She befriends a girl named Christobel, Queen Mary’s tailor’s daughter, and falls in love with her.
It’s decided that Alys will be sent to work in the household of Princess Elizabeth, as a spy. But she doesn’t really do any spying for the crown at all. Elizabeth is sent firstly to The Tower of London, then to Woodstock Palace under house arrest, accused of plotting against the queen with the leaders of the Wyatt rebellion. Alys finds herself building relationships with the other members of Elizabeth’s household, especially Thomas Parry. At some point she seems to unknowingly switch allegiance and spies on Elizabeth’s jailor on behalf of Parry.
Alys Twist is given a job in the palace of Queen Mary I of England, as a laundress. She befriends a girl named Christobel, Queen Mary’s tailor’s daughter, and falls in love with her.
It’s decided that Alys will be sent to work in the household of Princess Elizabeth, as a spy. But she doesn’t really do any spying for the crown at all. Elizabeth is sent firstly to The Tower of London, then to Woodstock Palace under house arrest, accused of plotting against the queen with the leaders of the Wyatt rebellion. Alys finds herself building relationships with the other members of Elizabeth’s household, especially Thomas Parry. At some point she seems to unknowingly switch allegiance and spies on Elizabeth’s jailor on behalf of Parry.
May 19, 2024
I enjoyed reading about what it was like to live and work in London during the Tudor Court period as a laundress as well as the meaning of the "The Tide Letter". It was a light uncomplicated insight to the history of those times. I was also particularly interested in the references to specific London streets and areas around The Thames at that time as was able to pinpoint more or less exactly where the places stand today some of which I have walked passed regularly. I learnt the meaning of a Gatehouse and what it stood for then and subsequently went to visit an existing Gatehouse in London. I enjoyed the storyline about Alys and her personal and work life with its funny and different twists and turns. It was particularly nice to be able to draw parallels between about her experiences then to modern living.
August 27, 2020
Alys is a laundress, this means that she has access to some very interesting places and people.
This is not that great when you live in Queen Mary's Catholic London and the world is full of plot and intrigue around the Queen's marriage and the actions of her younger sister Elizabeth.
Who is in the best position to find out - a laundress.
This plot was amazing, however, it does not get 4 stars because there was a bit of a gap between the action and the how Alys ended up where she was.
It also ended very suddenly so I hope we get to find out more
Overall great idea and plot, with interesting characters and understanding of the political and religious history of the time. Just needed more fine tuning for me.
This is not that great when you live in Queen Mary's Catholic London and the world is full of plot and intrigue around the Queen's marriage and the actions of her younger sister Elizabeth.
Who is in the best position to find out - a laundress.
This plot was amazing, however, it does not get 4 stars because there was a bit of a gap between the action and the how Alys ended up where she was.
It also ended very suddenly so I hope we get to find out more
Overall great idea and plot, with interesting characters and understanding of the political and religious history of the time. Just needed more fine tuning for me.
November 7, 2020
Orphan Alys has managed to survive against the odds. She works as a launderess and has secured a position in the household of the new Queen. Mary Tudor in 37 and has waited to claim the throne for many years, now she has done so and is also about to get married to a Spanish prince. This is causing some upset among the people of England and there are plots to dethrone Mary centred around her half-sister Elizabeth. Alys is pressured into becoming a spy in Elizabeth's household.
This is an interesting take on Tudor history and from the viewpoint of a quite humble servant which is to its benefit. I found the 'lesbian' love affair unconvincing and didn't really see what plot there was. However as a view of Tudor England from a lowly perspective it was interesting
This is an interesting take on Tudor history and from the viewpoint of a quite humble servant which is to its benefit. I found the 'lesbian' love affair unconvincing and didn't really see what plot there was. However as a view of Tudor England from a lowly perspective it was interesting
May 7, 2022
I have read a lot of books by Suzannah Dunn in the past as I do enjoy historical fiction especially the Tudor period. I loved The May Bride but the rest of them have been hit or miss.
This story follows Alys Twist, a laundress in the household of Queen Mary 1st. She is then sent as a spy in the household of the princess Elizabeth. That basically is it.
For me the plot was slow and nothing much does happen. I did think how can a laundress become a spy when all of her time is taken up in the laundry. I also felt the story was fleshed out with lots of descriptions of clothing and cleaning.
This book was too dull for me and half way through I decided to not read anymore. Very disappointed.
This story follows Alys Twist, a laundress in the household of Queen Mary 1st. She is then sent as a spy in the household of the princess Elizabeth. That basically is it.
For me the plot was slow and nothing much does happen. I did think how can a laundress become a spy when all of her time is taken up in the laundry. I also felt the story was fleshed out with lots of descriptions of clothing and cleaning.
This book was too dull for me and half way through I decided to not read anymore. Very disappointed.
February 5, 2023
I found this book interesting, and I genuinely enjoyed the romance of Bel and Alys, despite the breaking down of it in the end, which felt natural and good for the progression of the story.
HOWEVER, the ending??? absolutely awful. left on a weird disappointing cliffhanger (if you can even call it that), and the book feels incomplete. if Dunn had added even just a couple more chapters wrapping things up instead of seemingly just dropping the story without resolution this book would have a much much higher rating.
TLDR: a good book which is tremendously let down by the ending, or lack thereof.
HOWEVER, the ending??? absolutely awful. left on a weird disappointing cliffhanger (if you can even call it that), and the book feels incomplete. if Dunn had added even just a couple more chapters wrapping things up instead of seemingly just dropping the story without resolution this book would have a much much higher rating.
TLDR: a good book which is tremendously let down by the ending, or lack thereof.
May 19, 2022
This is such an interesting read.. The sibling rivalry between Queen Mary and Lady Elizabeth is
retold as laundress Alys Twist aka Annie Turner is obliged to perform espionage duties. We are drawn into a world
of faction and intrigue where danger is lurking in every corner and no one is safe.. Lesbian Alys has to juggle
her relationship with Bel with her royal duties, a. dangerous and challenging mix.
This is an extremely readable and enjoyable story that brings sixteenth-century England to life..
retold as laundress Alys Twist aka Annie Turner is obliged to perform espionage duties. We are drawn into a world
of faction and intrigue where danger is lurking in every corner and no one is safe.. Lesbian Alys has to juggle
her relationship with Bel with her royal duties, a. dangerous and challenging mix.
This is an extremely readable and enjoyable story that brings sixteenth-century England to life..
July 17, 2020
An interesting idea to have the main character,a laundress,to spy on her mistress.
Especially so when you place her in the employ of the princess of England,later to be queen Elizabeth.
A laundress is rarely noticed,yet sees and hears a lot.
I enjoyed the story itself,it was an easy read,and provided some background on an era I don't know very much about,and the workings of not only the laundry,but the whole clothing of the monarchy.
Enjoyable,but probably not too memorable.
Especially so when you place her in the employ of the princess of England,later to be queen Elizabeth.
A laundress is rarely noticed,yet sees and hears a lot.
I enjoyed the story itself,it was an easy read,and provided some background on an era I don't know very much about,and the workings of not only the laundry,but the whole clothing of the monarchy.
Enjoyable,but probably not too memorable.
July 14, 2023
I've read a few of her books now, and love how Suzannah Dunn uses a servant's/commoner's point of view to tell a historic event. With this one, I loved the characters and their realistically nuanced relationships, but ultimately it felt like it could have been a much bigger book, or one of a series, in order to really give all of the characters time to really shine. I was ultimately left disappointed, there was so much more to explore.
November 9, 2022
Ahhh, I really thought when I picked this up that I'd fall in love with it, because I've recently really fallen in love with Historical fiction, but I just didn't which was really disappointing.
Alys is a laundress of Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary), after having quite a difficult life, becoming part of the Queen's household was a real honour and accomplishment for Alys. During her time, she becomes close to Bel, a young seamstress whose adored by all within the Kingdom. However, just as the two are falling for each other, Alys is sent to be a spy in Elizabeth the first's household to collect intel for Mary, as she becomes more paranoid about her half sisters intentions. Alys soon becomes conflicted about what she wants, having to leave Bel without a word, and who she really wants to work for, with the Queen's subjects breathing down her neck, she find it difficult to navigate her own feelings and choices. After Elizabeth is arrested and imprisoned, Alys must make a choice that could impact everything she holds dear.
It was a really slow start, and takes a while for the plot to unfold. I did really love watching the relationship blossom between Alys and Bel, it was very sweet and tender. However, overall, I just found that not a lot really happened to keep you engaged, the characters feel a little flat and it's hard to stay attached to them. The plot had a lot of promise but unfortunately the execution was a little off for me. It was okay, just nothing spectacular.
Alys is a laundress of Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary), after having quite a difficult life, becoming part of the Queen's household was a real honour and accomplishment for Alys. During her time, she becomes close to Bel, a young seamstress whose adored by all within the Kingdom. However, just as the two are falling for each other, Alys is sent to be a spy in Elizabeth the first's household to collect intel for Mary, as she becomes more paranoid about her half sisters intentions. Alys soon becomes conflicted about what she wants, having to leave Bel without a word, and who she really wants to work for, with the Queen's subjects breathing down her neck, she find it difficult to navigate her own feelings and choices. After Elizabeth is arrested and imprisoned, Alys must make a choice that could impact everything she holds dear.
It was a really slow start, and takes a while for the plot to unfold. I did really love watching the relationship blossom between Alys and Bel, it was very sweet and tender. However, overall, I just found that not a lot really happened to keep you engaged, the characters feel a little flat and it's hard to stay attached to them. The plot had a lot of promise but unfortunately the execution was a little off for me. It was okay, just nothing spectacular.
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