A joy to read and learn about Nat Davy - the smallest man in England, who proved time and time again, that size doesn’t matter. His bravery and loyalty to his friends made his character come alive, and his relationships with Henry, Jeremiah and Arabella were great to read about. This historical elements of Cromwell’s time were described in fascinating detail and helped to prove to Nat his value as a person rather than an object of ridicule.

Nat Davy is different, he is ten years old but is the same height as a two-year old and of no use to his father. Escaping the fate of being sold into a freak show Nat is instead given as a gift to the Queen, a shy 15year old Frenchwoman whose husband prefers his friends to his wife. However Nat learns love and loyalty as the country is thrown into civil war, he risks his life for those he loves and finds his family again
Whilst this is a fiction, it is based on the imaginary story of a number of court dwarves of the 16th and 17th century. Here the setting is around the court of Charles I and the tumultuous events of the civil war that pit brother against brother. It is a very pastel-painted picture and the plot suspends belief at times but it is also a very warm story about a lovable character who just wants what everyone else can have. The book is a lovely read, not too taxing but with the interest of the historical setting

This is a great book, about a period of history I knew little about. I liked the character of Nathaniel and how he coped with life as a little person in the middle ages. It's well written and the story is fast paced and exciting. Would recommend, especially if you like historical novels

A charming tale about a dwarf who finds himself the friend of the Queen of England during the English Civil War. The queen is French and married to King Charles I - and for those of you who don't know, he ended up being beheaded.

The first part of the book runs like a lovely gentle Disney film. Sold by his father, the boy who didn't grow has to cope with bullying as well as the practicalities of not being able to do what boys of his age did, but he overcomes his obstacles and manages to make and win friends, including the queen. The second part of the story sees him as an adult and new challenges appear, as the civil war puts his life in danger and those of the King and Queen. This section is a little more gritty and exciting.

A story about friendship, resilience, being different and fitting in. Written in a clear and simple style, this book is easy to follow and is written in the first person. The historical aspect is fairly sound where it exists, with actual historical figures such as King Charles and Lord Newcastle (plus The Smallest Man is based on an actual character called Jeffery Hudson), but the manner of speech and some of the social norms when addressing people of social standing is far too modern. It does show the attitudes and superstitions towards dwarfs during the seventeenth century, however, which is interesting and expressed well.

​This is a great adventure story set in the English Civil War, and I would be happy to see this made into a film, Disney or otherwise. Great stuff.

‘You’re small on the outside. But inside you’re as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won’t go far wrong in life’.

A lovely sentiment, and a positive and uplifting read...one that I think that we could all do with in our lives at the moment.

Inspired by a real person, and loosely around facts, Frances Quinn in this cheerful piece of historical fiction tells the story of Nathanial (Nat) Davy. Quinn describes Nat as a ‘figment of (her) imagination’, but what a wonderful figment he is... a dwarf from Oakwood longing to be ‘like everybody else’ but living the most remarkable life.

I appreciated the context setting that Quinn provides at the start of the novel, and then weaves through the novel as the real events of the 1600s unwind with civil unrest and war, naturally with her protagonist at the centre of it all.

Written in first person, with an informal and witty style, but an underlying tone of fear and vulnerability...Quinn shows Nat to have a selflessness and deeply rooted desire to make others happy, endearing you, as a reader to him. And through his relationships with other characters... themes of friendship, loyalty and courage are explored.

Whilst I felt the novel started incredibly strongly...I did feel it lost its way a little from about half way through. There were a few too many relationships with strong beginnings and developments, but rushed conclusions. It was as if a new part of the novel became more exciting, and the previous part forgotten...but to not appear so, were given a sentence or two in the concluding pages to wrap them up neatly. I felt disappointed particularly in how invested I felt in the Queen, and how pivotal she was to the first part of the book, for her character to feel a little forgotten.

I did also feel that whilst the plot was original, it did embed within it a lot of cliches and predictable elements that stopped me giving it a higher rating.

Having said that, it was a lovely, easy read and a much needed injection of optimism. If you’ve read and enjoyed ‘Wonder’ , I think you will enjoy this book...it is the ‘Wonder’ of the historical fiction genre.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

‘I want you to remember something, Nat. You’re small on the outside. But inside you’re as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won’t go far wrong in life.’

The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn begins in 1625 when Nat Davy was a young boy. The book tells the story of Nat Davy over the course of twenty years and two countries, England and France. Nat Davy’s story is based on the true story of Jeffrey Hudson, who was the “Queen’s dwarf.”

At the age of about ten, Nat was sold by his father to a Duke, who then presented Nat as a gift to Queen Henrietta Maria. Nat felt betrayed by his father. What kind of father sells his child? It was a cruel thing for the father to do but Nat tried to see the positive in the situation.

The Queen was the wife of Charles I. Charles I was the son of James IV and grandson of Mary, Queen of Scots. We see what kind of King that Charles I is from Nat’s point of view. Nat thinks the King is a bit of a spoiled brat and can never admit to his mistakes.

The Queen treated Nat very well. They became very good friends. She made sure that he was educated and had the best of everything. People didn’t know much about Nat apart from his appearances at court or gossip. No one really knew anything about Nat before he was gifted to the Queen. The reader soon learns that Nat is a kind, intelligent person. If he were a real person today, many of us would want to be friends with him too.

Nat made friends fairly easily. He had friends and a few family members that loved him. His brother, Sam, welcomes him back home after he had been gone for years. He was friends with a giant named Jeremiah and also a man named Henry. Nat was also in love with Arabella but waited so long to tell her.

There was one man who was not friends with Nat. His name was Charles Crofts. Crofts was the Queen’s Master of Horse but he was not a kind person. Crofts is just a basic bully. He bullied Nat whenever he had the chance. Nat defeated him in a horse race and later they had an illegal duel.

After the duel, the Queen arranges for Nat to go back to London. He either has to leave France or suffer the consequences of participating in the duel. At this point of the story is where Hudson’s life and Nat’s life differ.

Shortly after leaving France, Hudson was kidnapped by pirates and forced into slavery for years. I have probably already given away too much of the story but Nat’s fictional story ends differently than Hudson’s actual story.

You will enjoy this book if you are interested in historical fiction told from the perspective of someone who usually doesn’t get a chance to tell their story since the King, Queen, Duke of Buckingham and Oliver Cromwell had the attention of the people.

Basic bullies and people who are against representation of all people will not enjoy this book.

I received this ebook from NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Obviously.
Amazon affiliate link included in this post.

Nat Davy may have been small in stature but in this novel he proves himself as good as any other man. Sold for 11 shillings by his father at the age of ten and then given away as a gift to the Queen.
Very entertaining novel with lots of warmth, adventure, action and sadness. Well worth a read, enjoy.

Brilliant! This book is so easy to read, I couldn’t put it down.

The story follows the tale of Nat Davey, a child in Oakham who is waiting for his growth spurt. When it doesn’t come it leads to an amazing life for Nat.

The story is wonderful both from a historical point of view, and the curiosity of Nat’s life. At times the story is fully engrossed with the historical aspect and at others it is taken up with Nat’s life and how his size impacts on his life.

The characters are brilliant. I love Nat, the queen, Jeremiah and Arabella.

It is a story of bravery, treachery, love and heartbreak. Brilliantly written.

The Smallest Man is historical fiction inspired by a true story. It spans two decades that are said to have changed England forever. The blurb describes it as a heartwarming tale about being different, but not letting that hold you back. It is also about bravery and taking chances even when the odds are set against you. It is about friendship.

The story is set during the reign of Charles 1 and follows the story of Nat Davy, a dwarf and the smallest man in England. It's an emotional read and the author did an amazing job of bringing this true story to life on the page as Nat fights to fit in and prove himself to be as capable as everyone else.

The story is one of hope, persistence, courage, and bravery, and it flowed perfectly. Nat was a great character and fully fleshed out which made reading his story all the more enjoyable. The story is divided into three parts. All the side characters helped to make this a truly remarkable story that was really well told.

The one thing I will take away from this book is the wonderful quote given to Nat by his mother Lucy which can apply to many people. "I want you to remember something, Nat. You're small on the outside. But inside you're as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won't go far wrong in life."

A delightful read that I'm sure is going to be a big success.

Set during the tumultuous reign of Charles I, a really confusing and uncomfortable time to say the least, ‘The Smallest Man’ follows the story of Nat Davy, dubbed “the smallest man in England” due to his dwarfism.

I love that this book is based on a true story, although there has been much artistic license used which makes it even more interesting of course! It is a fantastical and deeply emotive story of one man’s fight to fit in, to prove himself as capable and most of all, prove himself as worthy of love.

Although it did take me several chapters to get into his book fully (perhaps I just wasn’t in a reading mood for a few days!) - come the end of The Smallest Man, I was fully invested in the characters and the plot.

Nat’s story is one of hope, bravery and perseverance, and this book now holds one of my new favourite quotes, as said by Nat’s mother to him:

“You're small on the outside. But inside you're as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won't go far wrong in life.”

Based on loosely on a true story The Smallest Man follows Nat Davy who in 1625 is taken from his quiet village life and presented to the Queen of England as a gift. Nat remains by the Queen's side from the age of 10 through the English Civil Wars, travelling with her from England to France.

I've read a fair amount of Tudor era historical fiction, mainly Phillipa Gregory but I think this might be my first set during the Stuart dynasty and I really enjoyed getting a feel of the time. I'm a little embarrassed to say I can't remember much from my secondary school lessons on the English Civil War and through this novel you get a glimpse into that time without the wars being the focal point.

Nat was a very likeable character and it was wonderful to read his journey from being a ten year old who always thought he would eventually grow taller into a man who accepts his position and even uses it to his advantage. His friendships with other characters, including the Queen and Jeremiah, are really heartwarming as the boy who was sold by his father is accepted by a family of his own choosing. I also enjoyed that the romantic storyline wasn't one of the central threads, while it aided Nat's character development, I was initially a bit worried it was going to take over the book.

The smallest man takes you on an eventful journey of Nathaniel Davy's life.

The year is 1625, Charles I is on the throne and has recently taken a French queen Henrietta Maria.
Elsewhere in Oakham Nat Davy's is 10 years old and still hasn't grown much, the fair is coming to town and in one of the tents is a fairy which he hopes will grant him one wish....to be normal sized!
However, his plan backfires when he sees the faerie he sees himself and now understands what he truly is. His short stature is noticed and people start to bid for him, unbelievably his father sells him to the highest bidder. He's been sold for 11 shillings, dolled up in fancy clothing and made to jump out of a meat pie! Nat's adventures begin from there, going into exile with the queen, fighting a war and becoming a master spy.

This was a very interesting read, this story is loosely based on the tale of Jeffrey Hudson, the queen's dwarf. He was purchased as a gift for the queen but he became her confidante, master spy and most importantly her friend.

This is all told from the perspective of Nat in 3 parts. I found the first 30% to be slow going but then I became so invested I read the rest in one sitting.

Nat has always struggled with how people perceive him and always tried to show people that despite being small he is as ordinary as any other man and just as clever. Throughout the book he is trying to convince people just that, and what you become to realise that he is an excellent ally to have and very clever and cunning.
I liked all the side characters and they were all distinctly different. The writing was easy to read and flowed very well.
My only critical would be be that some of his thoughts were repetitive regarding Arabella and slow in parts.
I would recommend to anyone that enjoys historical fiction including the monarchy.

I’m never a fan of going back to work after the (long) Xmas break I took this year, but especially so this year...purely because work took me away from this book.

What an absolute joy of a read. I’ve had it on my TBR for ages waiting for it to get nearer publication date and I’ve been looking forward to it for ages.

It’s a novel based around the reign of King Charles and his Queen, with the smallest man (Nat Davy), who was a dwarf, but of course, this was not understood at the time, and he was bought as a novelty present to the Queen.

It’s an immensely enjoyable read and it really does give a different aspect to life at the time, and the turmoil the King, Queen, and subjects lived through before they lobbed his head off!

Nat’s story is so interesting, you’re heart just goes out to him in some aspects, but I was full of pride and joy for what he went through at the hands of others, and yet he still always found joy and love around him.

An absolutely remarkable story, told extremely well! Wonderful!

My thanks to Netgalley and . Simon and Schuster UK For the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

„The Smallest Man“ is set in 1600’s England and follows the life of Nat Davey, a 10 – year – old boy who’s life is about to turn very special. Nat, you know, is small, yet he didn’t stopped dreaming of growing and being like a normal boy. However, he soon realises that it’s not possible and he starts to feel useless. His father also realises that and decides to sell Nat – to the highest bidder, as it turns out, despite Nat’s mother’s pleas and protests. Blessing in disguise, he finds himself in London, being a gift to Queen of England. Knowing better, Nat decides to do the best with his new life and slowly starts to form a friendship with the Queen, who is as lonely and misunderstood as Nat is. But times are turbulent and there is the threat of the civil war, as King’s politics are tearing the country apart. Where is Nat’s journey going to throw him? To the enemy’s territory or maybe it’s going to spare him?

Googling the painting the author talks about in her book made the whole reading experience even much more real and poignant. The look on Nat’s face (he’s going to stay Nat for me, sorry!) will stay with me for ever and it was that moment when I really relized, oh my, you were real. Nat, you see, was inspired by a real character – Jeffrey Hudson, court dwarf to Queen Henrietta Maria and there are two kinds of books telling us fictional stories about real characters – those that either absolutely pull it off or those that absolutely misfire. „The Smallest Man“ belongs to the first category where the author beautifully and in a very captivating way brought him back to life, telling a story filled with courage, sadness, bravery and hope. As there are not many information about Jeffrey Hudson, Nat is a work of fiction but I think Frances Quinn couldn’t create a better character.

The first part of the book, telling us the young Nat’s story, was, in my opinion, much better than the two other parts that focused more on him growing up and him falling in love. They were also brilliant, don’t get me wrong, and I simply adored the whole book, but somehow the author has so beautifully captured his younger years, it talked to me on many more levels and was, for me at least, much more interesting. Because Nat’s years as a child were so poignant and beautifully written. Seeing him realise that things that we normally take for granted are so often unavailable for him made my heart break but then he un – broke my heart again with taking life and matters in his hands and achieving this what seemed impossible. Seeing him standing up to bullies, seeing how honourable he was made me feel so proud for him. Also, Nat discovering that he is valued as a person was the most fantastic subplot of this story.

The book was wonderfully researched, filled with many details about the times it was set in. The author has brought the times to life again, describing the period of the English civil war, the conflict between Parliament and the King and it was a huge joy to read it. It was very vividly described and rich in details, especially the second half of the book that focused so strong on the civil war and Nat accompanying the Queen trying to obtain money, soldiers and equipment for the King.
But the book is not only Nat because the other characters had made the story living and breathing as well. They were fabulous, and no matter how background they were, they all had their own perosnalities and distinctive voices.

Starting this book I was prepared for it to be written in the language of 17th century but here I was for a little and nice surprise. The language used was rather modern , however it worked brilliantly and made the story even more readable. The writing style is refreshing, quick, captivating and sublime. The pace is so right, the story flows and – be warned – it’s not easy to put the book down. The author seamlessly merged facts with fiction and it’s really hard to forget that hugely it’s historical fiction.

I loved this book. I loved Nat and his determination to be accepted for what he was, for the way he was – stubborn, passionate and wise, for the fact that he was much more than just Queen’s dwarf and that he himself realised this – being clever and intelligent he quickly learnt things and soon realised the mind games of politics at the Royal Court. But I also adored Queen for seeing him as much more than only her dwarf and for giving him a chance, for listening to him. Yes, they both profited from each other’s company but I had a feeling that this also a real, genuine friendship between them, and respect. He was so pure, genuine and honest, our Nat, and really, whatever you do, let him enter your life, he’s going to leave a mark in your heart and you won’t be able to forget him. His narration and perspective are clear and strong like a church bell and it’s so easy to find yourself mesmerised, there is simply some kind of magic in his words.

This book was a perfect mix of historical fiction and authentic events and characters who jumps off the pages, taking you on a brilliant journey through the times and letting you into their lives. It was a story with difference, showing what’s really important – friendship, loyalty, staying true to yourself and looking beneath the surface. It’s about strength and bravery, about taking chances. I loved this book, I loved Nat and characters surrounding him. It’s an unforgettable book that will stay with me for long – my first read in 2021 and already one of the best I have ever read!

My thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Smallest Man’ by Frances Quinn in exchange for an honest review.

‘I want you to remember something, Nat. You’re small on the outside. But inside you’re as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won’t go far wrong in life.’ - Lucy Davy to her son, ‘The Smallest Man’.

This is a beautifully written novel and an impressive debut. From the start of my immersive read/listen experience, I was totally swept up by the story of Nathaniel Davy, known throughout the country as the Queen’s dwarf.

In 1625 Nat Davy, aged ten, is sold by his father to the Duke of Buckingham, who presents him hidden in a pie to the young Queen Henrietta Maria. As time passes the lonely queen and Nat become friends. Over two decades Nat witnesses the growing unrest within the country and the resulting Civil War that ultimately leads to the execution of Charles I in 1649.

While Nat Davy is fictional, Quinn was inspired by the life of Sir Jeffrey Hudson, also known as Lord Minimus, whose likeness was captured in a famous portrait with Queen Henrietta Maria by Anthony Von Dyke in 1633. Frances Quinn wove aspects of Hudson’s life into her narrative though also exercised creative license. Through Nat’s eyes we experience the day-to-day life of the Stuart Court: the frivolities, the intrigues, and its ultimate downfall.

I found this an excellent work of historical fiction, rich in period detail and full of excitement as the Royalists and Parliamentarians engage in strategic battles across the English counties. The Parliamentarians are especially keen to capture the Queen in order to force the King to agree to their demands.

Quinn has clearly undertaken a great deal of research into the Stuart period and has the skill to weave these into a moving portrait of a man who may have been small in stature but had a huge heart.

Overall, I felt that ‘The Smallest Man’ contained everything I seek in a work of historical fiction. Following this stunning debut I will be eagerly awaiting news of Frances Quinn’s future projects as well as widely recommending this excellent novel.

A wonderful start to 2021!

First book of 2021: The Smallest Man. And what a little delight this was.

Right, ready for the TL;DR? Go.

✨ Set in 17th-century ye olde England with kings, queens, war on horses and all that jazz
✨ Based on a real story but fictional so make-believe with a pinch of actuality which is nice
✨ Your dad is a prick but that’s fairly standard for those times I guess

Your main man is Nat Davy. A 10-year old Dwarf born into a poor family who’s convinced a circus faerie can help him grow. That wee trip gave dick bag father some ideas about what to do with his ‘useless’ son and before you know it, cutie pie Nat is being sold off.

Now, this can go one of two ways: you get sold into a hellish nightmare or alright life. For Nat, it was the latter as he found himself being thrust into his new court role as the Queen’s Dwarf. His only responsibility was to keep her entertained, but all he wanted was to be seen as a human.

The Queen had similar desires. As a French Catholic in a very anti-Catholic Britain, she was very much seen as the enemy of the people, yet found a trusted ally and BFF 4 lyf in Nat.

For the next two decades, you experience life through Nat’s eyes and if you don’t have a warm spot in your heart from him by the end, then we absolutely cannot be pals.

This is a wonderfully cute book with an unlikely, unsung hero who never wanted fame or attention. Whilst I’m not one for being those fanciful messages woven throughout, this is absolutely a story about acceptance, self-discovery and not letting the bastards grind you down. And, hell, I’m totally on board.

So why only 4 stars, Jen, you weirdo? You just sung its praises and then snatched away a point?
Firstly, you shouldn’t give a damn about what this random person thinks and secondly, I LOVED the beginning and just got a little lost towards the end. That’s it. No hidden agendas.

The Smallest Man is out on 7th January 2021 and you should absolutely give it a shot if historical fiction is your jam.

The Smallest Man is a very absorbing, gripping piece of historical fiction set in a fascinating period of English history.

Firstly Nat Davy, the books narrator, is a wonderful character that I grew very fond of during the story. It was heart warming to see his brave attempts to try and be like the other boys his age, though heartbreaking to see the constant set back he suffers. I often wished I could reach into the book and give him a hug or stand up for him in some way. His bravery and the way he stood up for the queen was wonderful to read about and ensured that I continued thinking about him long after I’d finished reading.

This book is set in a turbulent time in English history which I didn’t know much about before reading this. It was fascinating to learn more about the build up to the Civil war and to see events from an insider point of view. I liked getting a tour of some of the famous buildings whilst the story unfolded and learning more about what it was like living in them.

Overall I really enjoyed this gripping read which I flew through in a few days. The author’s vivid descriptions make it easy to imagine things as they unfold so that I often felt like I was there actually watching everything unfold. This made me feel closer to the characters and helped ensure that I kept reading as I cared about what happened to them. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jess Barrett from Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.

The Smallest Man in the title refers to our narrator Nat Davy. As a child he dreamed that one day he would grow and be like his brother Sam, and the other boys in the village, he even goes to the fair to see the fairy in the hope that she can help him with a spell. At ten years old, his father sells him to the Duke of Buckingham who wants to give him to the new Queen Henrietta Maria as a gift, and so Nat starts a journey that changed his life. He may start his court life as her Dwarf, there to entertain but over the years he becomes her friend, confident and defender. This is not only Nat’s story but by association also Queen Henrietta Maria’s story.

The Smallest Man is an absolute gem of a read. The combination of a witty, and charming narrator, the mixture of fact and fiction and a troubled period in English history make this such a compelling read. I loved Nat as a narrator and anybody reading this book won’t be able to stop themselves falling a little bit in love with him. He may be small in stature but he is huge in heart and personality as we follow him through lifes highs and lows. Until the age of ten years he believed that he would grow eventually to be like other boys his age, it was not unti he arives a court that he learns of the term Dwarf and the reality that he won’t ever grow.He obviously feels aggrieved at being sold for being of no use to his family, but at court he has the opportunity of an education, and lessons in shooting and archery, to be warm and well fed and to make friends. At ten, Nat is only five years younger than Queen Henritta Maria, and both find confort from each other in being seperated from their family, and so starts a long friendship and respect between the two. Nat’s bravery, courage and loyalty to shines through in this book, not just to the Queen but also to his friends, willing to put his happiness aside for theirs.

What I loved most about this book, apart from Nat, was the different perpective his narraion gave to Queen Henrietta Maria and the English Civil War. Henietta Maria grows from a vunerable young girl to a Queen fighting for her husbands throne. We see her as head of a band of soldiers, leading them in an assualt against the Parlimentary forces showing her understanding of war and bravery, and as the strength behind King Charles I. Frances Quinn’s research is impeccable with her attention to detail, inclusion of many of the key points in the life of the Queen and of Jeffrey Hudson, the inspiration for Nat Davy. I loved reading more about this turbulant time in English history, those at the centre of it, how it effcted the country and the lengths the Queen went to to support her husband. However, this book is also about friendship, overcoming adversity and having the courage to believe in yourself and those around you.

To say I loved reading The Smallest Man would be an understatement. This is a fascinating story of a young boy who grows into a man with a big heart and who shows that how anything is possible if you believe in it. Nat’s narration is wonderful, giving a different perspective to an important period of history and the character of Queen Henrietta Maria. Beautifully written, this really is captivating book that you can’t help but loose youseld in. This is not published until 7 January, but is well worth waiting for and will give you a fabulous literary start to 2021.

The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn is the story of Nat Davy, court dwarf and loyal companion to Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I and is loosely inspired by the real historical figure Jeffrey Hudson.I always enjoy historical fiction and was drawn to this book because of its setting in an era that is not so widely written about. I knew little about Charles I other than the fact that he was beheaded following a civil war between Royalists and Parliamentarians and I thought the author did a wonderful job of weaving the historical facts through her very engaging narrative. This book relies on the character of Nat, and I have to say I really grew to like him over the course of the book, from his humble beginnings to his time at the royal court and later while in hiding from those who branded him a traitor, He is wistful yet determined and incredibly loyal to those he cares about. The description of his childhood realisation of his differences and what that means for his future were heartbreaking.
The writing style is simple and straightforward and the use of the first person narrative is very effective. I read the e-book but I think the way this book is written would lend itself very well to an audio format.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I'm always searching for stories about Tudor Kings and Tudor queens, I have lots of books because I love this timeframe in history. Unfortunately I have only read a couple of books on the Stuarts, and so I have to say this book was a nice surprise. King Charles is often ignored, and with reason I believe.

At the time of reading this, I realised I was one who didn't care about his French queen. I thought she was always an outsider, as I knew their marriage had started off like that.

But now I know she loved England and fully embraced England, Scotland and Ireland as much as her own country. I don't think I'll forget the name Henrietta Maria after this or Nat Davy... and I'm sure if you love history you'll be googling a little to find out some more.

This is the story of Nat Davy and is narrated by him and his role in life as the Queen's dwarf,

This novel is based on the true life of Jeffrey Hudson, Frances Quinn creates an interesting tale filled with intrigue, murder, suspense and a touch of romance. She does take a fair bit of creative licence when it comes to Nat's story and I completely loved it.

At least in this fictional world, Nat deserves a happy ending. You need to google ti find out his real ending, not so happy.

Sold by his father for eleven shillings, Nat finds a new home with the young queen who shares a similar fate in her political marriage with King Charles.

Since his size limits his access to complex political scenarios, we don't get to know the king that much. Instead, Quinn focuses on the life of Nat's in the palace and as they travel, the way he swallows the insults directed against him, turning his disadvantage as a means to create a happy story.

From the very beginning we are pulled into this fast paced story growing with Nat, feeling his pain. My only complaint is regarding the abrupt ending which doesn't give information on the restoration.
I've realised that Stuart history is just as interesting as Tudor - I had just forgotten the significance of it all and its fascinating.

Nat was a great character and I felt myself throughout the book imagining how his life must have been in the Royal households and when in hiding against the patriots.

A must read for anyone wanting to dip their toes into their first Stuart historical fiction.

Thank you in advance for the copy.