The Jewess Hannah is brought by Robert Dudley as a fool to the court of Edward, the heir of Henry VIII.. After his death, she will fool of Queen Mary, who wants to install the Catholic church back in England with the help of the Inquisition. Hannah is also confidant of dazzling, constantly lavierenden sister Mary, Elizabeth. From this constellation of Mary Elizabeth Dudley the novel draws its dynamics. Especially Elizabeth comes as never tangible, constantly taktierendes and makes obsessive nature over convincingly. The fact that such a complex Gregory narrator as Hannah served and the historical figures shows through their eyes, gives the novel depth and focus and draws the reader in the middle of the action pure.
Hannah is Gregory's best storyteller. Your needs as a Jew who must hide their faith in the face of Autodafes, its built on secrecy existence amid all the courtly schemers are poignant, believable. At the same time Hannah come across as convincing free-spirited and identity-seeking stubborn skull that feels trapped in his marriage to a Jew. The only thing not satisfied is Hannah's almost childlike devotion and loyalty of each of the historical figures against, and any you forgive this well and does not require the exclusive loyalty - especially with such strong personalities like Mary or Elizabeth that seems scarcely credible.
Still 5 stars, because the novel captivates from the first to the last page.
PS: "The Queen's Fool" is better than "The Other Boleyn Girl" and much better than anything else, what else did Gregory wrote. And "The Virgin's Lover" is for "The Queen's Fool" a really big disappointment !!
