Even though Queen Mary was an institution within the bigger institution of the British Royal Family, she does not get nearly enough attention. Yes, she was in The Crown a little bit, but you really don’t see her a lot. And it’s shame, because she experienced and lived through some pretty dramatic events and lives. So, when I spotted a historical fiction book on NetGalley based on her early life, I knew that I had to read it. A massive thank you to NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Today, I’m going to be chatting about why you need to read Valhalla by Robert Alan Clark!
Valhalla by Robert Alan Clark
May of Teck, only daughter of a noble family fallen from grace, has been selected to marry the troublesome Prince Eddy, heir to the British throne. Submitting to the wishes of Queen Victoria and under pressure from her family, young May agrees. But just as a spark of love and devotion arises between the young couple, Prince Eddy dies of influenza. To her horror, May discovers she is to be married to the brother, Georgie, instead, a cold and domineering man. But what can she do?
Why You Need to Read This…
There is more and more royal fiction being published now, but this is quite different- it has a significant amount of weight behind it. May of Teck and Georgie (George V and Mary) are often passed over for their grandparents/parents and children, because their reign was stable rather than exciting. However, I could not put this book. Queen Mary always seems quite impervious, looking back, but the May that we meet and get to know is a very real and complex woman. Consorts are rarely given as much attention as their ruling spouse, but I am thrilled that Mary is front and centre.
Clark does fill in May’s private thoughts, and the interactions between May and George, but it fits well with what we know. It is an imagined but realistic telling of the beginning of their relationship, and it feels quite different from the public image we saw in later in years. However, that public image wasn’t the most exciting- this certainly gives us a more human and relatable story!
Also, he includes a wonderful biography. It has the standard Queen Mary biography from Hennessy Pope and Vickers’ book on that biography, but many more. This is a perfect book for anyone interested in The Crown, and the British royal family in general!
♠
If you are looking for more on Queen Mary, you can visit my post here on her fashion in the Royal Women exhibition, or my review of her major biography here!
Are you going to be reading Valhalla?
Cheers,
The Historian
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