My Lady Bookworm

The past is malleable and flexible, changing as our recollection interprets and re-explains what has happened. — Peter L. Berger

I happily give My Lady Jane five, heavenly stars. This is possibly my most favorite book of 2016. As I write this review, I am overwhelmed by this bittersweet feeling because I am very satisfied with how the story turned out, but I am very sad to say good-bye to such a wonderful historical retelling.

I loved this book primarily because it featured characters who were nothing but priceless. Jane, Gifford (G), and Edward are henceforth my literary baes. Even though My Lady Jane is nearly 500 pages long, I kinda wished it would never end because I wanted to spend more time with these pseudo-fictional characters.

Jane was unforgettably relatable. I adored her unwavering love for books, Hermione-like intellect, and ability to stand up for herself in a very sexist/patriarchal environment. She really wasn’t a girl whom people (especially men) could mess with. Yes, she was occasionally quite mean and stubborn, but I couldn’t help but think of her as every male bookworm’s dream girl.

Gifford (G) was charmingly bookish in his own way. He had a knack for poetry, which I found to be impressive and downright romantic. The “historical twist” to his talent with words also made him a very intriguing character. 😉 What really made him special in my eyes was his positive attitude towards femininity. Instead of being intimidated by the opinionated Jane, he did his best to understand, protect, and treat her as his equal.

As for Edward, he was the protagonist who made me laugh the most. It was interesting how his sexist comments sounded both annoying and endearing. Furthermore, his subtle advances towards a certain girl were hilarious. He was admittedly inexperienced in romance, but he was surprisingly good at it. I especially liked him because of his outstanding character development.

One of the best things I liked about this novel was it’s lively, quirky, and magical approach to history, which I humbly admit was not my favorite subject in school because it was often quite…tedious. There were lots of historical elements in this book, and although they were indeed altered according to the authors’ liking, I loved how they still retained essential bits of truth.

To be more precise, I particularly enjoyed relearning the familial troubles of the Tudors, the violent tension between the Catholics and Protestants, and the political alliance of France and Scotland (against England). I’ve been a fan of similar historical retellings like Reign and The Other Boleyn Girl, so I had a lot of fanboy moments while reading My Lady Jane.

In the end, I applaud the Lady Janies for a job well done. In light of all its virtues, I am sure that this book will go down in history as one of the best works of YA literature. I do hope to read it again someday. 😀