I've heard a lot of great things about this book (especially from colleagues) but didn't find myself enjoying it, so I DNF'ed.

It took me several months to get through this book, which, as a lover of historical fiction, was not a good sign. I have a degree in medieval history, and I found myself getting bogged down in the details, so I can't imagine what someone with no familiarity with this subject would feel. I think the Hilary Mantel comparison is aspirational, but not entirely inaccurate. Maybe I need to give this another try.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
Not sure if they author was going for the same mentality as Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy, but it reminded me a lot of that. The events are fascinating; a king trying to keep a firm grasp on his meager claim to the throne following years of fighting and an up and coming with the right money and backing to take on that king. A good book for those who liked Mantel's trilogy, or those who like this time period but prefer a fiction novel over a non fiction monograph.

The dialogue. The characters. The politics. The humor!! I loved every second of this book! I love historical fiction, and this has become a favorite!

If you imagine that a historical novel about a little-known imposter to the English throne might be boring, the cover of this book should clue you in to ints contents: clever, funny, irreverent, and beautifully written, The Pretender is a delight. I am recommending it to all of my friends who also have a book hangover after reading Hilary Mantel and are hoping for some luscious prose and dry wit. Brava to Jo Harkin! Please write us another historical.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

The Pretender is one of those books that you can’t judge by its cover! Irreverent, clever and witty, Harkin tells a story based on Lambert Simnel, an imposter who claimed to be the 17th Earl of Warwick. This takes place during the War of the Roses and is more entertaining than anything we ever covered in history class. An original read for sure!
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC.

I've not read anything quite like this before--I guess the Hilary Mantel comparison is most apt? The pacing lags in the middle of the book, and the bawdy talk gets boring after a while, but Simnel's development and the hilarious-yet-dark dialogue make this a compelling read.

I was so impressed with this novel, I could not put it down. Harkin has taken a blip in history and crafted an incredible work of historical fiction out of it. The character development was top notch, which is saying something because of the sheer amount of characters that populate the story - understandable as John/Simnel travels to different locales in hopes of taking the throne from Henry VII. And while he may be trying to take the throne, he is at all times endearing and the reader cannot help but love him and root for him.

What really did this for me was the writing style and dialogue. It was top notch and I look forward to anything Harkin writes again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title!

The Pretender  by Jo Harkin is abit if a coming of age historical fiction novel that tells a highly fictionalized version of the life of thr boy history knows as Lambert Simnel, who was claimed to really be Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick at thr beginning of the Tudor Era.

Simnel, who begins the book as John Collan, grows from a naive boy to a mature and calculated young man out for revenge as he ultimately struggles with his identity his developing morality, and his lack of faith in god in a highly religious and dangerous era.

Is he John, Simnel, or Edward? Is he a peasant, a pretender, or an earl? Does god exist when his intentions are unclear and his words silent?

The Pretender is very good and imaginative historical fiction.

The Pretender is a brilliant historical fiction novel based on the true story of Lambert Simnel, an impersonator of Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick. Simnel was a young peasant boy when he was taken away by a noble and groomed for the English throne. We follow Simnel as he is educated in courtly manners and etiquette, comes of age, grapples with his identity, falls in love, and becomes deeply tangled in a web of political schemes. The Pretender has an intriguing plot, a cast of unforgettable characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and will sweep you away to the turbulent time of the Tudors’ ascent. Highly recommend.

4/5
Thank you to NetGalley + Publisher(s) for allowing me to read this as an e-arc!
Jo Harkin did an amazing job with this! It's been a hot minute since i read a historical fiction where the author has obviously did their research for the time period they are writing about!
I usually get bored with this writing style but Harkin kept me intrigued and even giggling at times. Will most definitely keep my eye out for her works in the future!

This was an interesting book, but I also found it very slow going to get through it. The concept is solid, but the execution had some challenges for me. While I'm not especially offended by profanity, the amount in this book is significant, and seemed excessive. I have been fascinated with the Tudor period for over 4 decades, so the subject matter was of interest to me, and the book did make me think about an alternate version of history, but is likely not something that a general audience would enjoy - it's best suited for those obsessed with this time period. I appreciate the free e-copy in exchange for an honest review of the book.

This is such a sad, but very well told story of a child who never truly understands his role in a world where trying to seize power from others is everything. I definitely think the biggest thing to know before going into this story is this isn't for people who know absolutely nothing about English history, especially the Tudors. You definitely need some background and understanding of the politics of the time and the major players. Otherwise, this book does such a great job of vividly bringing you back into history and makes you feel something for real people of the past. Sometimes, when you read these types of books, it's from a very detached standpoint, but this really makes you feel in the story and of the time. I feel like these is one of the books that you won't necessarily enjoy because of how sad it is, but you'll get something out of it.

The Pretender
By Jo Harkin

This is the time of the Wars of the Roses. The Yorkists and the Plantagenets have struggled for the throne of England. As the story begins, a young boy, John Collan, is being raised as the youngest son on a farm far away from the intrigues and battlefields. Richard III, has supposedly murdered the sons off his deceased brother, King Edward, and taken the throne for himself. But another threat in the person of Henry Tudor is invading in order to overthrow Richard and claim the throne.

One day, John is spirited off to play the pawn. He is told that he really is the son of George, Duke of Clarence, Richard's brother. He has been hidden away since birth to keep him out of harm's way. John goes through many transformations, ultimately ending up as Edward, Earl of Warwick, at the court of Burgundy. His Aunt Margaret, a Plantagenet, rules here, and she grooms him to become the rightful King of England. The naïve boy is sent back to Ireland to play a role in this game of politics.

But Henry Tudor is on the throne and he is a paranoid and vicious man who will protect his position at all costs. As history tells us, Edward falls into Henry's hands. He is imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he remains for 14 years. At Henry's order, he is beheaded at the age of 24, the last of the challengers for the crown.

This is a sad book. John never quite understands his role in all this, but tries his best to do the right thing and to win God's approval. He proves to be quite the scholar – his dreams of sailing the world and writing about his travels never reach fruition. Instead his life is forfeit through no fault of his own. The author obviously pitied this young man who ended up on the wrong side of history.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

gosh, i have so many things i could say about this book. i’ve needed time to parse out what i think and how i feel about this book before writing a review.

i received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, so thanks to them and the publisher, Knopf, for sending me this copy in exchange for a review. i can honestly say when i requested this ARC, i was not prepared to love this book as much as i do.

it’s a longer read and the writing takes getting used to, since the writing style lends itself to historical accuracy. don’t let that intimidate you because the book is hilarious and follows the story of a young boy who learns he is a secret heir to the English crown following the War of the Roses and with Henry VII as King. the main character, who is a young child for most of the book (we follow him from the time he’s 8 til he’s a young adult), is considered a political threat despite having no idea what’s really going on at any given time.

we watch this character grow from a young, genuine child to someone who has been hardened by the adults around him who have conspired for and against him. we watch him fall in love and go through heartbreak, we watch and feel the betrayal he feels when adults in his life prove their untrustworthiness, and even when he’s making morally wrong decisions, it’s hard not to root for him.

this book does a great job poking fun at the British monarchy and the wealthy lords and ladies that uphold the diabolical and dysfunctional political system. there’s a lot of parallels to politicians today that feel more relatable than a book set in the 15th century (where leaders kill children and wage endless wars) should.

definitely add this one to your TBR.

The Pretender fills a hole that Hilary Mantel left--it's a slow burn of a novel, but thoroughly enjoyable when you don't want to think too hard but also want to enjoy something.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beyond my expectations, genuinely funny, heartbreakingly tender. Requested this given its comp to Maggie O’Farrell’s historical fiction and because my Roman Empire is the Tudors / I’ve been too intimidated to pick up Wolf Hall. The Pretender is set in the aftermath of the War of the Roses, an English crisis of succession resulting in civil war/extensive shifting of noble alliances, as paranoid Henry VII becomes the first Tudor king. But old factions still vie for power, as poor John Collan, a son in a peasant village is plucked from his existence and heralded as the switched at birth, true Earl of Warwick with real claim to the English throne. As he tumbles through identities, John questions what it means to have his whole identity forfeit and what it means to build a life when everything you knew was a lie.

Things I loved: the humor! I’m easily cringed out by humor but the comedy was great, reflective of the jesting Decameron but contemporary enough to be accessible without feeling immersion-breaking. The characters! Joan and Simnel and their tender, juvenile, cruel, competitive joust of a relationship. The ache of not knowing yourself! Through John’s journey across identities as he is battered by the political forces of this world, we understand what it means to build personal meaning and belonging, meditations on capital G God/atheism, how do we write history both national and our own, how we chase the wrong things, how we belong, how we love. I’m doing a disservice to the way Harkin presents these but the last few chapters hit me like a freight train.

The Pretender took me by surprise after a months-long drought of ok reads so maybe that’s why it struck so hard (or maybe it was the perfect crossroads of my interests) but I’d assert it an underrated fav! This needed more fanfare! Will likely pick up Hamnet to see how the vibes compare but if you wished O’Farrell was a little more funny, I’d pick this one up.

The premise of this was absolutely fascinating, and the author executed it so well. To take a character that is a footnote in history, and create a fully fleshed life for them was no small feat. The writing was witty and nuanced. If you like historical fiction, especially medieval historical fiction, this book is fantastic.

John Collan is a peasant boy, living a very simple life, when one day some well dressed strangers show up on horseback. He discovers that he is not John Collan, but Lambert Simnel, rightfully heir to the throne.

What I liked:

- The historical setting
- The author’s unique take on the often overlooked part of history
- The historical accuracy

What I didn’t enjoy:

- The emotional disconnect; it was hard to connect with the characters and much of it just felt like explanations rather than immersing the reader in the emotions
- The writing style overall was challenging
- The pacing was slow, with lots of unnecessary detail, especially in the middle.
- The overwhelming cast of characters in the book

I struggled with this book with the way they spoke. I know it was historically correct but it made it difficult for me to read and enjoy the story.