Victoria Rebels - Carolyn Meyer

Victoria Rebels by Carolyn Meyer

Publisher: Paula Wiseman Books
Publication: January 1, 2013

Source/Format: Edelweiss (Thanks!) || e-galley

[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects the thoughts expressed in my review.]

Queen Victoria left behind a very significant legacy that included the expansion and development of the British Empire. Taking its cue from various journals that the queen left behind, this book weaves a cleverly authentic tale of Victoria and her journey towards becoming one of the most well-known figures in history.

It's really been a while since I've been able to indulge in anything remotely even close to historical fiction. This makes me sad, since I've always been fascinated with history in general, especially when it comes to royalty. Thankfully, I stumbled across this little gem on Edelweiss, downloaded it as soon as I got approved and am glad to report it left me in a pretty darn good place. Victoria Rebels may not necessarily be the best historical fiction piece I've ever read, but it certainly satisfied my craving for a bit of history and a bit of entertainment.

This novel is probably better suited to younger readers, if only because it feels like we're seeing the events through the eyes of someone who is very young. In part, this is true. The book is presented in a manner that allows the reader to believe we are being given access to Victoria's journal, a fact that lends it both a personal and youthful tone. While it was interesting to see how everything she went through played out in her mind, and to know her thoughts, it was sometimes a teensy bit too juvenile for me. Overall though, it was enjoyable and interesting to witness her unique point of view.

The novel was packed with little tidbits about Victoria and her life, but it, in no way, felt like the information was being dumped into my lap. It came across as the real  story of this real figure in history, and that made the history behind her tale more appealing. Though Victoria is not necessarily my favorite of the European monarchs (since reading about the Boleyns is usually more my cup of tea), it was a pleasure to get to know her a little bit better.

This would be a great novel for a younger audience, though it is fairly certain that the older readers might appreciate the facts that were included in this novel. It's a very light, extremely charming and pretty well-written novel.