My Lady Jane, by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
Published June 7th 2016 by HarperTeen
Kindle Edition, 512 pages
The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.
At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.
I’m so torn about what to say about My Lady Jane. I loved this concept – I loved how these authors turned history on its head and gave Lady Jane Grey a happier story. I actually liked Jane mostly – I always love a heroine bookworm! But at the same time this book made me a bit crazy as I was reading. I wasn’t expecting magic! The magic was fun, it just threw me for a loop! This book was really funny at times and yet so silly I couldn’t take it at others. The romance between Jane and Gifford was just too cheesy for me, too fast and I wanted to slap Gifford every time I read “Call me G.”
Bottom line, this book was crazy inventive and a really fun idea. The snark, the feminism – all great! I am very curious to see if the Lady Janies put their heads together again and if so, what chapter of history will they revise? I’d definitely read another book from them, but My Lady Jane I don’t need to read again. Again, I’m finding myself a black sheep on this book so if you like the concept definitely give My Lady Jane a try. While it is a long book at 500 pgs it flew to read. I have to say as a teen I think I’d have loved this – maybe I’m getting too old for YA? Don’t answer that!
Have you read My Lady Jane? Did you swoon over G? Is there a time we get too old for YA? I weep at the thought!
Thank you HarperTeen and Edelweiss for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
Gun In Act One 
I have a friend who ADORES YA, who devours it, who can’t get enough. Whenever I tried to get her to read outside the genre she was like “no.” But recently she’s struggling with her beloved. And I suspect it might be genre fatigue – what was once inventive and new has become almost cliche. Maybe that’s what’s happening here.
I can tell that reading this would drive me MENTAL. The story of Lady Jane Grey is so interesting! Even though it’s completely infuriating, how they USED her for their own ends and she paid the ultimate price. I don’t like when history is messed with this way!
Maybe it is some fatigue for sure. I think if a romance isn’t really well done in YA it’s over for me too. I just can’t do instalove of any kind. I definitely need to read some more about Lady Jane Grey – I’ll have to get on that. Because she has such a sad ending it was fun to imagine a happier story – but I get you, it was a little irksome even though I knew it was fiction and all in good fun.
But she dies…or not?
Well I’m not going to ruin the book for you!
When I was young, I devoured a book called The Nine Day Queen (I think that’s what it was called, but I can’t find the right one on GR – it was a long time ago). I loved it so much that I read it more than once (something I rarely did even then), and I would hide in the coat closet to get away from the rest of my family and sob at the end. Good memories. 🙂
I’m not sure I could read this and ruin that memory, but my daughter might like it – especially if it has magic in it.
Oh definitely don’t intrude on your memories! But I’d totally check it out for your daughter – I think I would have eaten this up as a teen.
This sounds rather fun, especially given my Tudor obsession earlier this year, but the magic does seem maybe out of place? Intriguing!
It is always good to read about the Tudors! I think this is going to send me down a nonfic reading path next.
I actually ended up with two copies of this one. I gave one to my daughter. I have been thinking of making it a buddy read with her; I am always curious to see her reaction to books versus mine, especially when it comes to YA. She’s my own little scientific experiment on whether a certain YA book has crossover appeal or not.
Oh that’s awesome! I think that is a really fun idea. This makes me so want to push more chapter books on my kid!
I kiiiind of wanted to read this but I’ve heard it’s more comical/silly than anything else and that usually sends me running. XD I GET TOO SERIOUS OMG I DON’T KNOW WHY. So I might try it if my library buys it? But otherwise, probably not. hehe. I’m glad it was still fun for you though!
Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
Totally a great library read!
I knew about the magic from another review and I’m glad to be aware of that and the irreverent tone going in. I am kind of excited to check it out but we’ll see! I know who to talk to once I have time to pick it up 😉