Book Review: Queen B by Juno Dawson

(This review was originally written for and shared on Books Bird)

Queen B is the bewitching new instalment in Juno Dawson’s Her Majesty’s Royal Coven (HMRC) series. A prequel novella – published ahead of the final instalment, Human Rites, due in 2025 – Queen B tells the story of the coven’s conception, and the woman behind it all, Anne Boleyn.

Set during King Henry VIII’s cruel and tyrannical reign, this is a novella of treachery and high stakes in the royal court. The narrative opens in 1536 at the beheading of Queen B, Anne Boleyn, who risked it all to be a witch on the throne. Fellow witch, Lady Grace Fairfax knows that foul play befitting of Lady Macbeth is in the air. Someone has betrayed not only their queen but also their high priestess in the coven, and she is desperate to seek revenge. At the same time, however, the entire coven is threatened by the increasingly fervent witch-hunting that could cause their downfall.

Buy Queen B, Juno Dawson

This brilliant and imaginative re-telling of such an iconic period of history, would not be out of place being told alongside the much-loved musical ‘Six’, as it gives voice to historical women who have so often been silenced, had their stories mis-told, or simply been written into the margins of history. Historical truths and key moments are cloaked in witchcraft, magic, and stars, and even if you know the facts from your history books, Juno Dawson has found clever ways to twist and bend them to fit this intriguing and beguiling narrative of the witch queen.

A historical fantasy filled with spellbinding storytelling, Sapphic yearning and sharp wit, this fast-paced novella is a deeply compelling and devouring read.

Complete with five beautiful illustrations from Emma Vieceli – who also created the maps seen in the first two HMRC novels – Queen B could easily be read independently from Her Majesty’s Royal Coven and The Shadow Cabinet, or read before them as a prequel. However, I would personally suggest reading the two novels first in order to gain the full context of what Anne Boleyn’s coven will become.