Published November 7th, 2024 by Sunbird Stories
Historical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical Fantasy, Adventure Fiction
The Last Princess is out today! Thanks to Ellen Alspten and Sunbird Stories for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. And don’t miss our chat with the author on November 13th on the SquadPods’s Instagram.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
Young and beautiful Gytha Godwinson is the envy of England when her father Harold seizes the country’s crown in early 1066. But soon, treachery tears her house apart, and triumph turns to terror. An evil star appears, heralding the end of an era and a new beginning for Britain. Her family and the country seem cursed. Yet even as she suffers loss, betrayal and humiliation, Gytha is determined to regain what is rightfully hers.
In a stunning re-telling of 1066, international bestselling author Ellen Alpsten has created a captivating new heroine in Gytha Godwinson. Witness the end of England’s ancient house, the demise of a cursed kingdom and the emergence of a new empire: ‘The Last Princess’ bridges between myth and modernity.
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MY REVIEW:
1066. A date we all know. But until now we’ve only heard one side of the story. The Last Princess captures that famous year through the eyes of Gytha Godwinson, the daughter of King Harold II. It is a story of princes and princesses, kings and queens, warriors, sorceresses, fairies, magic, mythology and religion. It is the story of the battle for a kingdom that tears a family apart and the young girl grieving those she’s lost. And it’s a story of survival, strength and resilience.
Ellen Alpsten’s books are always an auto-read for me and I’ve been a fan of her writing ever since I read her debut, Tsarina. So I was excited when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read The Last Princess as one of our featured books this month.
While I’ve obviously heard of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings, I’ve never gone beyond the basics I was taught in school so I was looking forward to learning more about that time, especially from a lesser-known point of view. I’ll be honest, I’d never heard of Gytha, but I am so glad to have met her through this book. Alpsten captures her essence perfectly, balancing her royalty with someone who is also deeply human and relatable. She’s determined, brave and resilient, but also scared and naive. I felt like I’d stepped into her shoes, feeling every emotion alongside her: her confusion as her father took the throne, her worry as he went to battle, her gut-wrenching grief at his death, her terror as she wondered what her family’s fate might be and her determination to survive against the odds. I loved reading her.
From the moment I read the author’s note at the beginning of the book I was captivated by this story. Exquisitely written and meticulously researched, Alpsten transported me back almost one thousand years and immersed me in Gytha’s world, flawlessly educating while also entertaining me. I was so completely immersed that the ending snuck up on me. And what a cliffhanger! I’m going to need book two as soon as possible.
Historical fiction fans, don’t miss this book!
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ellen Alpsten was born and raised in the Kenyan highlands, where she dressed up her many pets and forced them to listen to her stories.
Upon graduating from the ‘Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris’, she worked as a news-anchor for Bloomberg TV London. While working gruesome night shifts on breakfast TV, she started to write in earnest, every day, after work, a nap and a run. So much for burning midnight oil!
Today, Ellen works as an author and as a journalist for international publications such as Vogue, Standpoint, and CN Traveller. She lives in London with her husband, three sons, and a moody fox red Labrador.
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BUY THE BOOK:
Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
Emma's Biblio Treasures 