The Red Queen's Daughter by Jacqueline Kolosov

I don't buy hardbacks all that often, but as soon as I saw that The Red Queen's Daughter was about Mary Seymour, and included magic to boot, I knew I had to have this book.

Mary Seymour is, historically, a question mark. The daughter of former queen Catherine Parr and her fourth husband, Thomas Seymour, Mary was orphaned and taken in by the Duchess of Suffolk. There are no records of Mary's existence after the age of about two. Most historians believe she died in infancy, though rumors to the contrary have circulated.

Here, Jacqueline Kolosov envisions a happier fate for Mary. When the Duchess dies, Mary goes to live with the enigmatic Lady Strange, who gives her an education both in the ordinary disciplines and in the arts of magic. Mary, like her late mother, becomes unusually learned for a woman of her time. This preparation eventually leads... Read More