The King's Mistress by Emma Campion

[BexReads757]

I grabbed this book from the library at random, because it looked decent, and I was trying to get some books and get out of there! It is the story of Alice Perrers, mistress to King Edward III, and I found myself really enjoying it. At first, I could not remember who Alice Perrers actually was...there are too many kings and mistresses to keep track of, but after reading a few chapters, I remembered her as the woman who became involved with Edward III in his old age. She is usually portrayed as a gold-digger type, taking advantage of an ill and aging king, making important decisions, acquiring property and jewels, and becoming the object of resentment for his children.

This novel told the story of an entire life of being used as a pawn for multiple people, and having very little control over the outcome of her future. She was first married off to an older man by her father. She fell in love with her husband, but soon learned that his family had many secrets. Most confusing to a girl from a merchant class, and married to another merchant was a close tie to the much hated Queen Isabella, who overthrew her husband's rule with her lover Roger Mortimer. As the secrets became more confusing, Alice was eventually separated from her beloved husband, who ordered her to serve Queen Phillippa, wife of Edward III. When King Edward began showing interest in Alice, she became frightened and confused, eventually realizing that the intent to make her his concubine was not unknown to the queen, who was already becoming very sick.

The story takes us through Alice's childhood, her first love and marriage, and a life full of schemes by various powerful men, where she was often an unknowing and unwilling pawn. It portrayed a woman who loved her husband, loved her children, and loved King Edward as well as his wife, Queen Phillippa. The book also narrated the heartbreaking plot arranged for her after the death of the king. I enjoyed this book, because it showed Alice Perrers as a pawn of powerful men, rather than as her typical portrayal of a selfish and ruthless mistress of an old and unknowing man. I have no idea how much of this is fact, but I appreciated both the story and the excellent writing. I will definitely be looking for more books by Emma Campion.