Lady Alys Drury had met John Huntley when she was a
child, and had never forgotten how the boy with
distinctive green eyes had defended her against bullies
while they were both at Queen Elizabeth's court for a
short while in 1576, before Alys was whisked off to
Galway City Ireland, by her father. Twelve years later,
in Ireland, there is danger in the air, as Alice and the
residents of the castle of Dunboyton fear the arrival of
the Spanish enemy on Irish shores. John is a spy and the
ship he's on is heading towards Britain, when a violent
storm breaks the ship in two, and John is stranded on the
Irish shores, injured. When the survivors reach the
beach, they are brutally killed by the Irish forces, and
Alys is horrified at the sight. When she finds John, who
tells her his name is Juan, she helps him hide in the
deserted abbey and heal his wounds. Alys is extremely
perceptive, and she wonders if Juan is a spy, but she
likes him more than she should, and he seems trustworthy.
Then, one day, Juan is gone, but provisions were secretly
made to reward Alys, and soon afterwards, she is headed
for court, as the Queen awaits her to help get the
Christmas celebrations under way. That's also when Alys
meets John Huntley, and she feels betrayed that he had
not told her his true identity, but there is a spy in the
royal court.
The Elizabethan era is one I know very little about, and
THE QUEEN'S SUMMONS was a terrific way for me to learn
some history, as Ms. McCabe based this book on historical
facts, and Ms. McCabe thoroughly researched her subject,
the Spanish Armada. The author's attention to detail is
astounding: she presents a portrait as delicately nuanced
as those of the Masters', and a feeling of authenticity
permeates the entire book: whether it's about the daily
life on a country estate, the court of Queen Elizabeth I,
the clothes, the food, medicinal herbs, or the terrible
storm at sea that brings Alys and John together the first
time.
The dialogues and the characters' behavior are equally
period-sensitive, and the writing throughout is
understated, gorgeous, and utterly impeccable. I also
loved that British spelling is used, which I prefer when
the story is set in Great Britain. I love the quiet tone,
the steady pace of the narrative, with occasional bursts
of action, as befits the life of a spy, and yet, THE
QUEEN'S SUMMONS is very lively, mostly because of Alys'
sunny personality and the literally colorful details
pertaining to Elizabeth's Greenwich palace. It's also
very romantic, in a subdued and tender way, again in
accordance to the times and the characters' very nature.
Ms. McCabe achieves that often elusive balance between
historical facts and romance, as Alys and John's love
story is inextricably tied to politics, and while nearly
half the book takes place at Greenwich, it could have
been overwhelming because the royal court and its
courtiers are painstakingly described, I loved every
little detail. This is a testament to Amanda McCabe's
superb writing skills as I hungrily devoured every
paragraph, whereas I often find it numbing.
THE QUEEN'S SUMMONS is a beautiful story of true love
between two very appealing characters, and so superbly
written that one needs a few moments to get back to the
twenty first century.
"Royal courts are glittering places. But there can be
many dangers there."
The words of Juan, the
shipwrecked Spanish sailor Lady Alys Drury nursed back to
health, echo in her mind as she puts on another courtly
smile.
Then Alys locks eyes with a handsome man
amid the splendor of Queen Elizabeth's Christmas court—Juan
is posing as courtier John Huntley! Alys is hurt at Juan's
deception until she learns he's an undercover spy for the
crown… Amid the murky machinations of the court, can true
love still conquer all?
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