The king had never expected to rule. He was the third son, not even the spare but when both his older brothers die, he is crowned the ruler. His is not a ruling temperament. He is a mild man who would rather contemplate nature than make plans to conquer neighboring kingdoms. His queen, whom he loves dearly, is in a long-term relationship with another man and the king allows this to continue if it makes her happy. The counselors don't know what to make of him as he seems little interested in their plans and warnings. Even the servants are bemused as the king prefers to eat plainly and rarely asks them to do anything. Can such a man rule a kingdom?
Rebecca Perry is an English author who started her career as a poet. This is her debut novel and what a novel it is! It has been chosen as a Booker Prize shortlist nominee and it also won the Waterstones Debut Fiction prize. She wanted to explore the issues of authority and imagination. Can someone without the desire to rule others be the steward of power? How much authority does the curator have in her choices and timelines to create her art? I will be closely following this author as she continues her career and look forward to seeing what she next produces. This book is recommended for literary fiction readers and historical fiction readers of alternate histories.
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