Review and Giveaway: THE RAVEN'S HEART by Jesse Blackadder

Scotland, 1561, and a ship comes across the North Sea carrying home Mary, the young, charismatic Queen of Scots, returning after thirteen years in the French court to wrest back control of her throne.

The Blackadder family has long awaited for the Queen's return to bring them justice. Alison Blackadder, disguised as a boy from childhood to protect her from the murderous clan that stole their lands, must learn to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, building a web of dependence and reward.

Just as the Queen can trust nobody, Alison discovers lies, danger, and treachery at every turn.

This sweeping, imaginative, and original tale of political intrigue, misplaced loyalty, secret passion, and implacable revenge is based on real characters and events from the reign of Mary Queen of Scots.

"The Raven's Heart" is a breathtaking epic from a bold, fresh voice. Winner of the Varuna HarperCollins Manuscript Development Award, "The Raven's Heart" was published in Australia in 2011.

Published: Sept 2011 | Bywater Books | 464p

My Thoughts:

THE RAVEN'S HEART is an epic historical tale of a young woman's quest to reclaim her birthright. The Blackadder Family's castle was stolen from them by the Hume clan when Alison Blackadder's father was very young. He was sent into hiding for over two decades, and Alison grew up disguised as a boy. Had the enemy clan known about her, she surely would have been kidnapped by them and forced into marriage, as was the fate of her aunts.

When Mary Stuart returns to Scotland from France to claim her throne, Alison's father William arranges for her to serve the queen. He believes that Mary will force the Humes to return Blackadder Castle to them if Alison befriends her. The hasty transition from living as a boy to becoming a lady-in-waiting is not easy for Alison, but she does so to please her father. Alison quickly finds the queen's court a treacherous place with danger lurking around every corner.

THE RAVEN'S HEART is an intriguing combination of historical fact and fiction. I love that this book came about after the author researched her family roots in Scotland. It weaves together fictional character Alison Blackadder's plight and the early years of Mary Queen of Scots' reign. The book is full of rich historical details and political intrigue of the time. Alison was a fascinating and unique character with her dual identities, getting to experience life as a man and a woman. I was rooting for her and eagerly anticipating the outcome of her story. I'd recommend this book to fans of suspenseful historical sagas.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

About the Author:

Born in Sydney, Jesse now lives near Byron Bay. She is an award-winning short-story writer and freelance journalist, fascinated by landscapes and belonging. Her first novel was After the Party (2005), which was voted onto the Australian Book Review’s list of all time favourite Australian novels in February 2010. She is writing her next novel about the first woman to reach Antarctica.

Connect with Jesse Blackadder:
WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Giveaway Rules/How to Enter:

As part of my stop on Jesse Blackadder's book tour, I have one paperback copy of THE RAVEN'S HEART to give away. The contest is open internationally. To enter, please fill out this short form. Entries will be accepted until Sunday, 12/23/2012, at 11:59pm CST. Good luck!

Click HERE to see a list of all the stops on THE RAVEN'S HEART virtual book tour.