  | Plot to kill a queen : a royal spy story in three acts Author: Hopkinson, Deborah | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
In 1582 thirteen-year-old Emilia Bassano is a lute player and aspiring playwright who stumbles on a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth, and is recruited by Sir Francis Walsingham to go to the castle where Mary Queen of Scots is being held and discover who is responsible for the plot.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 5.30 Points: 6.0 Quiz: 522549 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (08/15/23)
Booklist (09/01/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 09/01/2023 The imprisonment of Mary, Queen of Scots and the conspiracies against Elizabeth I come to life in this middle-grade novel for fans of theater, Elizabethan England, and smart female protagonists. Emilia Bassano has grown up at court, raised there after her father’s death, but when the Queen’s spymaster needs her help, she goes undercover as a lute player to play for the imprisoned queen. In between attempts to write her own play, Emilia embarks on a quest to save her queen that unfolds scene by scene, act by act. While there is a mystery in the plot, the theatrical air of the narrative, filled with asides and scene setting, takes prominence and will entice readers interested in the period or theater in general. Somewhat clunky pacing distracts, but the historical intrigue, espionage themes, and Renaissance setting will appeal to fans of Karen Cushman's classic The Midwife's Apprentice. Back matter offers more information on the real figures that inspired Hopkinson's characters, as well as the text of Emilia's fictional play, The Princess Saves the Cakes. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
