My Lady Jane is a delightful alternate History book, with fantasy elements like shape shifting masterfully woven in.  It is a great book for young people, who love going to History class (but wish that there were a few more feminine voices that floated through our records) and love a story with a healthy mix of fantasy.

Whilst the plot deviates significantly from the events of History, in the most self-aware manner possible.  It features real people who, for those who study Tudor and Elizabethan England are well known names, King Edward, Jane Grey, Elizabeth and Mary Tudor, even Mary Queen of Scots.  These characters enter a what-if scenario in which they get to experience extended life, its delightfully the opposite of most medieval based fantasy series where no-one is safe and it becomes, in essence, a blood bath.  Another element of the humorous self-awareness of the novel in regards to its interpretation of history is how delightfully anachronistic it is! I love the weaving of Shakespeare quotes, and versions of Shakespeare quotes (“My wife’s Kingdom for a horse” is my absolute favourite) and the comments from the narrators about how elements hadn’t actually been invented yet.  It made the story a whole new level of funny.

The alternating points of view contained distinct voices, values and motivations.  Each was engaging and I never found myself dreading any voice, though I did enjoy Jane most and resonated with her bookish ways, I found comfort in G’s insecurities and found Edward’s pompousness funny.

The narration of this audiobook was another well crafted element of the book, tough I would’ve found a male narrator for the characters of G and Edward a lot more immersive.  Though I do understand that the choice of a single narrator was to reflect that this was a version of history being communicated to the reader from a chosen narrator who had uncovered a clandestine version of events that challenged traditional history.  There were unique voices for character and expression that were worked in, varying for people of different gender identities and class/stations, I thought Gracies accent was brilliant in particular but also appreciated how narration reflected each of the characters; Bes’ voice was calm and soothing, Mary was patronising and cloying and even Lady Francis’ sycophantic characteristation was communicated in a shrill narration.

I probably keep repeating the word ‘fun’ in my review, but I can think of no better descriptor for listening to My Lady Jane, I simply put, had a brilliant time.  I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley and Bolinda Audio in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.