Treason

Gr 7–10—Doherty brings the court of King Henry VIII vividly to life. She weaves intricate details of the sights, sounds, and smells of 16th-century England into a story of family devotion and court intrigue. Young William Montague loves his family, his gentry home, and his Catholic faith. His life changes drastically when his childless aunt and uncle use him as a pawn to gain favor with the mercurial king. Will is chosen to be Prince Edward's page. His life now entails entertaining an 18-month-old prince. He does his job well, pleasing the prince and pleasing Henry, the most powerful man on Earth. The king favors him, but Will knows how trapped he is. Rumors, lies, and intrigue surround him. When his father is imprisoned for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith, Will must make a choice. Where does his ultimate loyalty lie—with his father or with his king? He flees the palace, falls in with a kind peasant family, and eventually sails to France to plead with his sister (married to Henry's chief liege) for help. Doherty effectively conveys the fear and tension involved in court life, where one's fortune could change in an instant. The writing is flawless, the pacing perfect. This is historical fiction at its finest.—Lisa Crandall, formerly at Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI