I liked the book more as I went on. The general premise is entirely plausible, but the details seemed contrived. But then I started wondering, how else could it have happened? If you saw the movie "The King's Speech" you've been introduced to some of the characters. The story centers on Prince Edward, known to intimates as David, when he was a young man. The heir to the throne of England would prefer a less structured life. Especially, he does not want an arranged marriage. We know that eventually King Edward VIII abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, about as unsuitable a choice as any royal could bear to imagine. It's entirely plausible that he fell in love with someone "unsuitable" in his younger days and was forbidden to marry. This is even stated as fact in the Author's Note at the beginning of the book. The very idea of arranged marriages is a staggering notion for most of us in modern times, yet it's a reality some people have had to deal with, especially among royalty. Early on I thought the story was a bit sappy and sweet. I expected it to be brainless and predictable. Then it branched out into other, intertwining stories, each one of which had its own surprises. By the end of the book my heart was full of sympathy and compassion for a wide variety of flawed people. Who are we to judge others?Meanwhile, it was also rich in historical detail, some of it fairly personal, bringing bygone times to life. If it's tedious to read about ceremonial protocol, what must it be like to have to perform to those standards? What must it be like to look forward to a life time of endless protocol? Loved this book, stayed up late last night to finish it. Wonderful to read about British royalty who are not the Tudors! I didn't know much about Edward VIII, interesting how much more repressive society was at that time compared to both earlier and later eras. I had read her "Shadow Queen" prior to this, probably should have read this first, but both are really stand-alone stories. However, I would have had a greater understanding of who Lily was when we meet her in Shadow Queen. Not a big deal. I'm putting Ms. Dean's "Palace Circle" on my TBR shelf.
What do You think about The Golden Prince (2010)?
Historical fiction. Fun read, especially with Royal Wedding events.
—sheila
