Here's the thing, I really don't like reading about Queen Victoria. There are certain historical figures I adore and just click with (Marie Antoinette, Mary I, Cleopatra), and others that I have a really hard time getting on board with. Victoria falls solidly in the latter camp. Even Carolyn Meyer couldn't get me to like her.

So Lucy Worsley has done what I had previously believed was impossible and made me actually like Victoria. Or, well, not quiet. But she wrote a book about Victoria that I was able to really like. I still don't like Victoria.

How did she pull it off? In part because of a narrative approach I usually dislike: the "through the eyes of a servant" narration. More points to you, Ms. Worsley. In this case it really worked. Victoria's irritating personality was tempered by the fact that she wasn't the main character and that Miss V is fully aware of how annoying Victoria can be.

And, finally, for the third "usually I hate this, but Lucy Worsley made me like it" thing that happened...well, I can't tell you about it. It would be a spoiler. I'll say there's a historical twist that isn't true, but gosh do I wish it was. I imagine this is something that readers are either going to love or hate. Usually I would hate it because It's Not Real, but I wish it was real so much that I'm giving it a pass.

Anyway, chapters are short, the narrative is easy breezy, and the characters are sufficiently real that I cared about them. Miss V slowly comes to realize and come to terms with the people surrounding her and all their shades of grey. I really enjoyed this aspect and my heart broke for her as the people around her were hurt by the system or orchestrated the system. Miss V's shifting feelings regarding her father, his role, and his character was devastating.

I appreciated the small details that were added in that gave the story depth and a sense of place and people. I didn't know until after I had finished the book that Lucy Worsley is a historian, and a fun one at that. A ton of her documentaries are available on Youtube and I've since spent many happy hours watching them.

Miss V. Conroy is proper and dull. However, to her father this makes her the perfect person for a job. John Conroy is dedicated to the Princess and Duchess, mainly keeping forth with the Kensington System. Made to ensure that Princess Victoria makes it to the throne she is next in line for. With a lot of twists and secrets will Miss V. Figure out the truth? Is the Kensington System a lie? Is her father a lie? What will Miss V do with the truths she learned and the girl she has befriended, Princess Victoria? This single point of view story has a lot of political intrigue. As it takes you through the inner workings of Royal family, the secrets and the deaths and etc. Also the impact it has on the other characters. I also enjoyed the witty comments throughout the story. Miss V.s' life is flipped around and stolen from under her feet. I had profound feelings while reading this novel, and even though it seemed a bit wordy at times it made it all the better. A gem this novel is!! I not enjoyed this read but full on recommend it!!

I love Lucy Worsely’s documentaries on British history. She’s such an engaging speaker and I devour them whenever I can find them online (I wish I lived in the UK so I could actually watch them when they air on TV). So, I jumped at the chance to review her middle grade novel My Name is Victoria when it was posted on NetGalley.

My Name is Victoria tells the story of a young Queen Victoria and what her life was like living in seclusion in Kensington Palace. The young princesses’ life is highly controlled by which makes her feel sad and lonely. Her life changes when she meets Miss V. Conroy, another girl around the same age as her. Things get off to a rocky start, but soon they are close and inseparable companions. While much of the book is historically accurate, it does deviate to a “what if” plot that allowed the author to take a different route and get creative. I thought it was interesting and it totally took me by surprise. I thought the book would be a straight up review of history due to the author’s academic background. I do have to say that I liked it! It kept things interesting!

What I enjoyed most about the book was seeing Victoria as a young girl. Every movie or TV show that I’ve seen has been based on her life once she’s ascended to the throne. At first I honestly had a difficult time imagining her as a young girl but it got easier as her story was unveiled. I totally felt for her, how could I not? I can’t imagine being so restricted, overly guarded and unhappy all of the time. I thought the story was well paced and interesting, although not much really happens. It’s just Victoria’s life and her budding friendship with Miss V. in the palace. So, while the setting doesn’t change a lot, the focus and drama of the book is created through the relationship between the two girls. I thought their friendship developed naturally. They initially weren’t sure what to do with each other, but as time went on, they became close as sisters...loyal and willing to put their own needs aside for each other.

Overall, this book was a fun, quick read with a twist. I think this book is great for middle grade readers and especially those interested in historical fiction. I will definitely be picking up Worsely’s other books in the near future!

**I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
This book is a twist in the actual life events of Queen Victoria. The author did her research into the Queen's history in order to include both real facts as well as twists to the facts in order to create a story of alternate possible events that could have happened. The research that was done and the story that came out of it was really good.
I don't really know a whole lot of information on Queen Victoria even though history has always been something I've had an interest in. Some things just never peaked my interest as much as others. This story, however, has peaked some interest and I think, just from reading this, I'd be interested in learning more about Queen Victoria.
I do have to point out, some of the wording, at times, seemed to be more for a younger child than that of a young adult. Some of the wording felt as though it was pulled straight out of a storybook while the rest felt mature.
The story also felt somewhat predictable. I guess if someone who knew all about Queen Victoria's history had read this, they might actually know more about what would happen that I would. But for someone who hardly knew a thing about the Queen to say this book was predictable then, well....
I'm not complaining because liked how the story ended. There are one or two things about the end that I would have changed, but only small things of no important significance.
Overall, great book. The wording was confusing in a lot of places and switched between maturity levels in a way. The ending seemed a bit predictable as the story progress, but that didn't upset me in any way.

This book was surprisingly engaging showing a different side of the Kensington System, and the life that soon-to-be Queen Victoria lived prior to her reign. This is the fictional story of another Victoria, the daughter of a Victoria's advisor who is brought in to be a playmate for the young royal. Through her eyes we see what is happening in the royal family, the political intrigue that goes into protecting the heir to the throne as well as the power plays that people are willing to make. The book's author is intimately acquainted with the royal family's history and tells a richer story because of that. Additionally, the historical facts in the novel allow the reader to wonder about the ending? Is it what really happened? How would we know?

I recommend this easy read for anyone interested in the time period, Queen Victoria, the royal family, the show Victoria, or just a good story about two girls from different worlds and how they can find friendship in even the strangest ways.

Despite the fact that I studied history in university and have a keen personal interest in royalty, I know very little about the reign of Queen Victoria. I knew she grew up isolated, and because of this was likely unprepared for what ruling would consist of. I knew about the Kensington system, and how she was so far down the line of succession it is almost comical that she made it to the throne at all. But that's about how much I knew, in a nutshell.

I have to admit, this book didn't seem all that special at first, The writing was okay, but nothing phenomenal. It promised an interesting story though, so I stuck with it. I got super frustrated with a lot of the characters rather quickly however. Miss V. Conroy seemed so daft, and every time she got frustrated with Victoria for not understanding that Sir Conroy and the Duchess of Kent had everyone's best interests at heart, I wanted to shake her by her shoulders. But, I have an entirely different perspective, one that is a) over 150 years later, and b) not that of an easily manipulated child. But I also got upset that Victoria was not all the princess I had made her out to be in my head. She seemed boring and ungrateful and hateful and I could never tell if she even wanted to be friends with Miss V. Conroy in the first place. I had to remind myself that this is only a story, and only one person's interpretation of what may (or may not have) happened.

The best part of this book is definitely the twist at the end, hands down. I found myself getting frustrated with the author, who was having Miss V. Conroy fall in love with Albert instead of the princess. What is the point of having these two characters be perfect for each other, only to rip them away from each other because we are bound to the laws of history? In another way, it also was simultaneously intriguing because I couldn't figure out where the story was going from there. In the end, the twist of having the two girls switch places made absolute perfect sense. Miss V. Conroy was way more regal than Victoria ever was, with the addition of actually wanting to be in the position, and having fallen in love with the man set aside for the princess to boot! In the end, it made the rest of the mediocre book make sense - everything that I had a problem with funneled nicely into the story of having the much more suited Victoria take her place on the throne. And it makes the book worthwhile, because as I mentioned, it wasn't really anything special before then. I'm still not sure I would consider this a good book, however, but definitely decent, if only because it dared to present a solution to a dilemma that veers away from historical precedent. It's unique because of its twisted story line, but not necessarily because the writing offers a special experience. Nevertheless, it would probably do for a reader that isn't too bothered by fantastic writing, but yearns for an simple, enjoyable read. I certainly don't regret picking it up.

“My name is Victoria” by Lucy Worsley.
Enjoying it so much. Love Lucy Worsley ’s writing, her wittiness and delightful way of depicting British History. The story is about the friendship between young Victoria and her lifelong companion Victoria Conroy. Here is an enjoyable way, we learn about the girl who was going to be Queen of England during the 19th century. Her life in captivity for the sake of security and how her friend gave her comfort and advice during her childhood and adolescence. Lucy Worsley way of writing is so whimsical, funny that reading is easy and vivid.
Thank you Candlewick Press for sending me this ARC for an honest review.
Published May 8th, 2018.

My Name Is Victoria

by Lucy Worsley

Candlewick Press

Candlewick

Teens & YA

Pub Date 08 May 2018

I am reviewing a copy of My Name is Victoria through Candlewick Press and Netgalley:

I found My Name is Victoria to be engaging as well.

Miss V Conroy likes to sit as quiet as a mouse, both neat and discreet. She is also good at keeping secrets, but when her father sends her to Kensington Palace to become the companion to Princess Victoria. Miss v finds that she can no longer remain in the shadows. Her Father is the confidant and financial advisor to Victoria’s Father, her Father is Sir John Conroy.

Miss V finds herself torn between the loyalty between her and her father and her growing friendship between the willful as well as passionate princess.

I give My Name is Victoria four out of five stars

My Name is Victoria is a YA novel written by Lucy Worsley. I was excited about the opportunity to read this book because 19th century England is my favorite era in history. I also enjoyed the Victoria television series, as well as Daisy Goodwin’s companion novel and Julia Baird’s biography of Queen Victoria.

The story is told from the perspective of “Miss V”, the daughter of John Conrad, who oversaw the future Queen Victoria’s upbringing. The young Victoria was kept in isolation, and V is one of Victoria’s first friends. Victoria has been told that she needs to be kept apart from society because of her scheming uncles and cousins who might wish to harm her because of her proximity to the throne. Whether there is any merit to this claim, or whether this is intended to instill a sense of paranoia remains to be seen.

There is not very much that happens in this book because Victoria is not allowed to go anywhere. It’s easy to empathize with the girl, who wants nothing more than to have a life of her own, but is constantly scrutinized and overanalyzed. V tries to be a good friend to Victoria, but she ultimately realizes that she cannot be loyal to both her father and her friend. She needs to make a choice, and her decision will have permanent consequences.

I think that this book may be more thrilling to readers who are unfamiliar with Victoria’s childhood and the Kensington System. When Conroy started up with his machinations, I just saw Conroy being Conroy. I’d imagine that if this was new information, the scheming might be more melodramatic. I will say, however, that the plot twist is quite well done, and I didn’t see it coming at all!

I would recommend My Name Is Victoria to fans of YA books. As far as YA historical fiction goes, this book is exceptionally well done. It’s clear that Lucy Worsley knows what she’s talking about; this book has been impeccably researched. It’s slower paced than many of the other titles I’ve read recently, but every moment is just crammed with period details and tidbits. This is the first book I have read by Worsley, but I am definitely going to check out more of her nonfiction titles in the future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Miss V Conroy doesn’t want to move to Kensington Palace to be the companion of the eleven year old Princess Victoria. She especially doesn’t want to give away her beloved dog Dash to the Princess, who has been promised a canine companion by Miss V’s father, Sir John Conroy, comptroller of Victoria’s household and friend of her mother. After arriving at Kensington, Miss V’s worst fears are confirmed - the Princess is rude, unfriendly, and rather peculiar. Further complicating matters is Sir John, who instructs Miss V to spy on the young Princess and to report back to him each night on what she says.

Princess Victoria, bound by the “Kensington System,” which prevents her from leaving the palace or from visiting with other people in order to keep her safe, feels that she is being held prisoner inside the walls of Kensington. As Miss V spends more time with the Princess, she begins to see how isolated Victoria’s life is, and starts to feel sorry for her. Over time, Miss V gains affection for the uncouth & flighty Princess, and comes to enjoy her time spent with her at Kensington. The two become fast friends as they learn how to outsmart Miss V’s father, begin to notice boys, and finally venture out of the palace into the great wide world.

“My Name is Victoria” by Lucy Worsley follows the relationship of Princess Victoria and Miss V from pre-adolescence to young adulthood when Victoria ultimately ascends the throne. Miss V is a rather dull narrator, and considering that Victoria was locked inside Kensington for much of her childhood, the novel lacks the drama, spice, and flair typically associated with life as a royal. Young readers may find it difficult and tiresome to plod through the tedious & uneventful life of the young Princess; however, adult readers will appreciate this rare glimpse into the childhood of one of England’s most celebrated Queens.

Note: Told in four parts from Miss V’s POV, readers should be advised that this novel is an alternate history, and that the author has taken some liberties in twisting the facts for speculation’s sake. Readers will either love or hate the surprise that awaits them at the end of this novel, but regardless of your feelings for it, the prospect is still interesting to consider.

<i>Thank you to NetGallery for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.</i>

Two girls named Victoria. One is the princess and is held under the thumb of Sir John Conroy, and the other is the companion of the princess placed there by her father to keep an eye on the princess. With the strict living arrangement, the girls find comfort in each other even though they are not completely satisfied with their lives.

I first want to state that this book comes out (again?) on 05/08 and if you like historical fiction books, this book will probably be right up your alley! I like some historical fiction, like The Infernal Devices, The Dark Days Club, and some others but I am not someone who goes out looking for historical fiction. I say that because I want you to go into my review knowing that I am not a big H-Fiction fan and this was written by someone who just thinks they are okay and not the best thing to happen to man-kind.

So, anyway, this book was dragging for me. I am not sure if it was because there wasn’t a lot of action and that the plot was lacking some for me, but for some reason I found myself enjoying it enough to keep going, but had to force myself to pick it up each time instead of reading one of my other books. I take complete blame for that though. I went into this book knowing it wasn’t going to have huge fight scenes and such, but for some reason I was still waiting for them.

The characters weren’t very three-dimensional, but felt as if they had a lot of potential to be so. I found myself caring for the girls and hoping things would turn around for them, but it was more of how an acquaintance feels for someone, and not how a friend would feel, if that makes sense to anyone but me.

I believe this is based off of real-historical events and settings. I’m not a huge history-buff, so I know very little about Queen/Princess Victoria and what all happened during her life. This was very enlightening on what could have happened though. The author, of course, has creative liberties and might have changed a few things, but I believe she tried to stick to the main story as much as she could.

To conclude, I think if I was a bigger fan of historical fiction, I would have enjoyed it more. So I will give this an even three star rating to show how on the fence I am about it.

My name is Victoria was captivating from the very first page. The characters were real and flawed and perhaps at times predictable. This was not the story of Queen Victoria as you’d expect but the story of two young girls and the friendship between them. I think the author either with or without realizing it showed Queen Victoria in a new light splitting her true personality between two girls who were both her in a sense, leading up to an alternate but not impossible twist in history. This book was fun, easy to read, and most enjoyable.
Thank you.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult 24 April 2018

BOOK REPORT for My Name is Victoria by Lucy Worsley

Cover Story: Big Face: Historical Edition
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Jane Austen Jr.
Bonus Factor: Dash
Relationship Status: LYLAS

Cover Story: Big Face: Historical Edition

I have a lot of feelings (mostly negative) about Big Face covers, but I have to admit, this one is clever. While I can’t go into details without getting spoilery, I can say this cover gets a cool nod of approval from me for its ability to capture an integral part of the story with subtlety.

The Deal:

At 11 years old, Miss V Conroy, daughter of royal comptroller Sir John Conroy, is brought to London to live at Kensington Palace and be the companion of Princess Victoria. Miss V (whose name also happens to be Victoria) is quiet, shy, and well-behaved—the exact opposite of Princess Victoria, whose bad behavior is only worsened by the fact that she must abide by the Kensington System. The System is a set of rules developed by Sir John as a means of keeping Victoria safe from any would-be assassins who might hope to usurp her claim on the throne, but is mostly a way for Sir John to control everything that Victoria does.

Over the years, Miss V becomes Victoria’s closest friend and confidant, but as Victoria gets closer to the throne, Sir John’s hunger for power grows, as does his need to control and oppress Victoria and everyone around him. Miss V must find a way to beat her father’s system and protect her friend at all costs—even in ways Miss V never, ever expected.

BFF Charm: Yay

At first, Miss V seems like kind of a dud. She’s nice, but incredibly shy and a bit scared of everything around her. Which, I guess, is fair, since she’s 11 years old when she is taken from her home and sent to live with a crazy princess in a dingy palace with her mean dad. But as she gets older, she becomes bolder and more assertive, thanks in part to Victoria’s influence. By the time the girls are 18, Miss V has grown to be clever and loyal while still keeping a pretty chill persona—my favorite combo! She doesn’t need or want to be the center of attention, which makes her exactly the friend that Victoria needs.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4

Victoria and Albert are a love story for the ages, so I was excited to get a new version of this romance, and Worsley certainly delivered. While the first half of the book takes place when Victoria and Miss V are only 11 years old, a certain German prince makes his appearance in the second half of the story, but the swoon doesn’t happen at all like you think it will. I’ll avoid spoilers and just say that, like any good historical romance, the swoon in this book is restrained and sweet, and a lot of the excitement comes from its uncertainty.

Talky Talk: Jane Austen Jr.

Lucy Worsley’s prose captures the feeling of the era without the density of most historical fiction, which makes it a perfect introduction to historical fiction for younger readers. But My Name is Victoria takes a lot of liberties, creating an alternative history of Victoria’s rise to the throne, and one that, if you’re a Queen Victoria stan like myself, might be a bit hard to swallow. That said, the pacing was quick and the story intriguing, and even if just to find out what the heck Worsley is up to, you’ll be turning the pages rapidly to the end.

Bonus Factor: Dash

The royalest good boy that ever good boyed! In Worsley’s story, the famous King Charles spaniel belongs to Miss V, and I felt A LOT of anxiety about Sir John’s command that she give Dash as a gift to Princess Victoria. Luckily, with Miss V living at the palace, she gets plenty of Dash time, which means we get plenty of Dash time too.

Relationship Status: LYLAS

Book, you were like the little sister I never had, and though your outlook was a bit more innocent than what I’m used to, I enjoyed your ideas and your style.

Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing friendship with the willful and passionate princess, Miss V has a decision to make: continue in silence or speak out. In an engaging, immersive tale, Lucy Worsley spins one of England’s best-known periods into a fresh and surprising story.

This is a great historical fiction for the young YA reader! It might be a little light for an adult reader, but it is very enjoyable.

Lucy Worsley has done it again.
I have since seen a few people stating that they did not appreciate the plot twist - but I thought it was very well done.

A lovely book that reminded me a bit of A Little Princess

With My Name Is Victoria, delightful British historian Lucy Worsley (you may have seen her in multiple BBC and PBS productions) brings her second piece of historical fiction to the market.  Featuring the story of Victoria “Miss V” Conroy, daughter of Sir John Conroy – creator of the infamous Kensington System, by which the young Princess Victoria was controlled and cared for in her youth -  it’s a well-told and impassioned story that will surely captivate young readers.

For as long as ten-year-old Victoria Conroy can remember, her nickname has been Miss V. Well-mannered and polite, if unaccustomed to the royal lifestyle, she is the epitome of the kind of girl her father wants the Princess to emulate.  Introverted, quiet, prim and proper from birth, she adores writing and her small dog, Dash, and has no idea how she’ll relate to the young princess with whom she will be expected to live as a lady in waiting and bosom friend.  In her father’s opinion, she will make an ideal companion for the young queen-to-be sitting in Kensington Palace – docile and obedient, she will impress upon the princess the only lesson her mother and their advisors wish to teach the girl: to be subservient to her elders.  Conroy’s livelihood depends upon his daughter’s success – John, private secretary to the princess’ mother and comptroller of the household – needs proof that his vaunted new educational system is working.  When Miss V is told Dash is to be her introductory gift to the young princess, she is horrified, but her father, a social climber determined to keep his post in the royal household, impresses upon her the import of first meetings.

The two Victorias get off on the wrong foot, naturally.  Utterly alone except for her rarely-seen mother and her household staff, Princess Victoria has no experience with other children and instantly mistrusts Miss V’s intentions, presuming her to be yet another household spy – saying that she wanted a “Real little girl”, not a relation of the comptroller’s; she is haughty, imperious and formal at first blush, trusting no one, declaring she only agreed to the meeting so that she’d get the puppy.

But that puppy proves a bonding point for royal and commoner; and while she remains haughty and pushy, soon the princess trusts Miss V enough to explain about the isolating System that keeps her bitterly stuck between the four walls of the palace.  Miss V’s father explains that it is for the princess’ protection, and that if they continue to obey the royal edict, the family will be well-rewarded with riches.  But he soon makes his intentions clear by all but employing his daughter to spy on the little princess and report to him if she misbehaves or mentions any of the adults in her life in an unflattering way.  As time passes, Victoria and V become true friends; as the girls approach their sixteenth and seventeenth years and marriage looms on the horizon, Miss V is caught between her father’s desire that she divulge the Victoria’s every secret and her loyalty to the bold, tempestuous, but fun-loving princess.  When she discovers a heartbreaking secret about her father’s two-faced collusion with (and work against) the princess’ mother, soon followed by her father’s plot to keep Victoria from marrying Albert of Saxe-Cobourg - whom both of the girls have become fond of -  Miss V must choose between rebelling against the system, a forbidden romance with Albert, or being loyal to the father she loves in spite of the growing certainty that he’s an embezzling charlatan, a philanderer… and the possible true biological father of the princess.

Make no bones about it - the novel is a delightful retelling of the childhood of a little-known character in Queen Victoria’s life.  For young readers, the positively Frances-Hodgson-Burnett-ian tone of the novel will require little else but enjoyment – but adults with curious, intelligent children might want to consider adding a little bit of historical background to their consumption.

The characters feel very true to the period and to themselves.  Victoria, naturally, only wants to be a normal girl, and at eleven to fifteen is bold and fighting the world, yearning for excitement and fashion and glamour.  Miss V is loyal, bright and nervy; she develops an observational eye that grounds the reader into the story.  Her imperious father – who runs through servants at lightning speed – has no patience for his family and even less for any mistakes; it’s easy to see him as the con-man whom Victoria’s mother later insisted swindled her out of large amounts of money (and who, in fact, swindled Victoria’s aunt out of even more money).  Other characters manage to make a good impression, including Mrs. Spath, the only member of the royal entourage that the future queen likes.

This is not a perfectly flawless read, however.  There are moments where the dialogue comes off as a bit too info-dumpy, and Miss V and Victoria seem a tad bit too mature for the eleven and ten year olds they are for half the novel but it’s a fact that unfortunately, children in their positions were forced to grow up far too quickly in those days. And while this book is excellent historical fiction, it is DEFINITELY fiction, with a plot twist that will leave parents of more well-informed readers scrambling to explain why things deviate so wildly from the record at a certain point.  On the other hand it’s a lot of fun to read.  If the child consuming the book is able to separate fact from fiction properly, then this book shall be a wonderful, soapy delight on par with their first YA series.

Consider My Name Is Victoria a fun, romantic, melodramatic diversion for your child.   If they have a yen for historical fiction, this might be their first step toward enjoying Carolly Erickson or Allison Weir someday.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Initially, I was very excited and intrigued with this story. I love historical fiction novels and stories that involve royalty. However, I didn't know much about Queen Victoria before reading this book and I still, sadly, don't feel as if I know all that much after finishing it.

The first half of the book dragged on in my opinion. There wasn't much action and there didn't seem to be much of a plot. The main characters, Miss V and Victoria, didn't feel completely fleshed out to me. I didn't start to feel connected to the story until I got halfway through the story. The whole tone of the book--and my opinion of it--didn't start to shift until Miss V matured and gained her own voice. I wish there had been more of that throughout the whole story. Meanwhile, Victoria was annoying and incredibly childish. I was not a fan of hers at all.

This story had a lot of potential but it just did not measure up to my expectations. The characters were two dimensional, the plot was boring (and extremely predictable), and the pacing wasn't all that great. I would consider reading another book by this author because I did like her writing style, but this book just did not do anything for me.

I was excited to read this book. But found myself disappointed by it's predictability and lack of attention to characterizations between Miss V. and Victoria. We got glimpses but not enough in my opinion to justify the ending.

Actual rating: 1.5 stars

First off, thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for giving me a free, digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Initially, I was very excited for this book. I like historical fictional, especially Regency and Victorian, and Queen Victoria is one of my favorite British monarchs. So when I read the synopsis for this book, I was intrigued. If you’ve read anything about Queen Victoria, you know how controlling John Conroy was when she was younger. But not one biography I’ve read (or maybe I just don’t remember reading?) mentions Conroy’s daughter, also named Victoria, and how she became the future queen’s childhood companion.

I really wanted to like this book. Truly, I did! It has everything I love, even a gorgeous cover! But wow, what a disappointing read. This book is split into two parts: when Victoria Conroy (known as Miss V in this book) first meets the young Princess Victoria when they are both around 11 years old, and part two: five years later, when the two girls are sixteen and Princess Victoria is much closer to the throne now, with only her uncle, William IV, in the way.

We see the young Victoria portrayed as a very obstinate child, fighting against the “Kensington System,” willfully disobedient, believing everyone, including her own mother, is against her. The book adds to the rumor, too, that John Conroy and Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent, possibly had an intimate relationship, though he quite often calls the Duchess “stupid,” something Miss V notices right away.

Miss V herself proves to be an interesting character, though. She’s torn between the love for her father and wanting to obey him, but then discovering the “reasons” why the Kensington System was put in place, along with people who want to see harm come to the young princess, puts the young girl in an awkward place. She soon sees herself as a protector of sorts to Victoria.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get very far after part two, just as one of Victoria’s other uncles, King Leopold of Belgium comes into the picture. I found the narrative as a whole quite boring, and while Miss V is an interesting character, there wasn’t much else I liked.

I’m not an expert on the life of Queen Victoria, but I thought it was quite strange the author used the name Victoria to refer to the princess. From what I understand reading biographies of the queen, she was referred to as Alexandrina, or Drina, up until she became queen and had to choose a regnal name. I always saw that as Victoria shedding her past life and starting anew.