The Queen's Spade
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4.0 • 6 Ratings
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
“You will bow before this queen.” —Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of Night of the Witch
“Revenge and justice have never been so satisfying!” — Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles
In this riveting historical thriller inspired by true-life events, Belladonna meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.
A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge. . . .
The year is 1862 and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial "humanitarianism," which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.
Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle—even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.
Inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, The Queen’s Spade is a lush and riveting historical thriller for fans of This Ravenous Fate, A Dowry of Blood, and Grave Mercy.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A Yoruba princess targets her British "saviors" in this searing 1862-set duology opener from Raughley (the Bones of Ruin trilogy). Omoba Ina is just a child when Dahomey's king Ghezo murders her parents, the Egbado Clan's rulers, and enslaves her. Ina and fellow captive Ade are slated for sacrifice when Capt. Frederick Forbes of the British Royal Navy intervenes, convincing Ghezo to gift the kids to Queen Victoria. Ina proves "moldable" while aboard the HMS Bonetta, evidence that "even a slave can be transformed into a lady through Britain's compassion"; Ade, however, is thrown overboard. Before presenting Ina—renamed Sarah Forbes Bonetta—to her majesty, Forbes and friends measure Ina's head and make her dance naked. Ten years later, 18-year-old Ina aims to destroy those responsible for Ade's death and her debasement—Ina's "monstrous" godmother, Queen Victoria, included. Loosely inspired by the real Omoba Ina, Raughley's tempestuous tale spotlights the hypocrisy of postabolition Britain, "an unequal, unjust society filled with absurd ideologies." Formidable narrator Ina and her campaign foster drive and dread while the brilliantly rendered, racially diverse supporting cast injects conflict at every turn. Ages 14–up.
Customer Reviews
A somber tale of unresolved justice??
Reading The Queen’s Spade left me with a sense of somber reflection. I found myself questioning whether Sally Forbes truly achieved the freedom she sought. Her quest for revenge was met with complications at every turn, and I hoped for more from this unique take on historical fiction. In the end, it felt as though the queen never faced consequences for the atrocities she committed in her desire to keep Black and Brown children as part of her asinine collection.
Love women rebelling in any century!
It is absolutely necessary to tell stories like this to continue to decenter the empire and highlight the ruin colonialism has caused for centuries. We may never know how Ina truly felt, but this imaging was truly refreshing and well told!