Thank you, Alfred A. Knopf for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. In the vein of the great historical epics, Harkin’s novel immerses the reader in the story of one of the more ambiguous royal figures: Lambert Simnel, Earl of Warwick. The book begins with multiple strengths, from evocative settings and beautifully written descriptions to vibrant characters and surprising twists, but it grows slower toward the middle of the novel. Some of the royal court sections can fall redundant or lengthy, and some of the characters, while likable, acquire some of this same redundancy. On the surface, the novel is masterfully written, and it is clear ample research went into its creation. I particularly enjoyed the fluctuation of the Earl’s character; his journey is one that will surprise most readers, and his multiple personas are evocative of our modern world and the many selves we become throughout our lives. Full of impassioned wisdom in the most unlikely of places, this is a master work of a novel. Thus, though the novel was not the most entertaining to me, the effort and knowledge it surely took to write such a novel has driven me to give it a perfect five stars.

4.5 stars

I am an absolute fiend for anything having to do with the War of the Roses/Tudors/British monarchy. Combine my love for historical fiction books and The Pretender had me at first glance!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Set in one of the most tumultuous times in England's history, The Pretenders gives us a well researched historical fiction of a boy who may be an heir to the throne of England and how he used to try to supplant the Tudor line. The Yorks and Plantagenets are constantly at war for power. This book gives us all the intrigue, peril, and debauchery that happens behind the throne of one of the greatest countries of the time.

The writing is beautiful and engaging from the beginning. I will most definitely be buying a physical copy when it is released.

The history nerd in me was really excited to dive into this and I was not disappointed. The plot was strong and kept me entertained throughout the novel.

A compelling story as we follow John’s search for identity amidst the backdrop of greed.

While the family lines were helpful at the beginning of the book, I wish there had been an explanation of the true story at the end of the book.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Lifted out of a hardscrabble existence and dropped into the bewildering life of a pawn in the chessboard of royal intrigue, John is in over his head. His evolution from farm boy to touted heir to the throne of England makes for a convincing tale of bloody machinations and revolution sweeping him along in a political torrent.
John’s education in reality usurps his former mean, but tranquil life, and his necessary transformation reflects the sharp edged steel finality of his circumstances. From prosperity to pilgrim, this well written novel limns the sad truth of a soul whose naivety and innocence are spent in search of wealth and prestige only to discover an empty result, offering only hope for his hard earned resilience.

Stoney Compton, Author of Whalesong

I read 20% of this book before I gave up. The challenges: archaic language and endlessly confusing British and European royalty relationships and subterfuge. The plot involves a young boy, a likely heir to the British throne, who is taken as a tot to live with a farming family, the only home he remembers. He has no idea he is not their natural son. Since other heirs are routinely imprisoned/and or killed, he is thought to be safe away from the court. When a gentleman and a tutor come for him to reveal his true identity, he is taken to Oxford to become educated in preparation for the throne he may someday occupy which is dependent upon other heirs surviving battles and back-stabbers.

The premise was promising but I just couldn’t slog through this one.. If you love this time period you may better appreciate this novel of royal subterfuge, rough manners, genteel manners and musical chairs among European blue bloods.

The premise is fun and fascinating, especially when you look up the time period and the characters it is based on! As usually it feels like the young male protagonist's development is completely enveloped in his maturing interest in the opposite sex. It overwhelms the story at times, when I'd love to know a little more detail about the training our secret king is receiving from his tutors. It was a fun read with an unexpected and satisfying ending. I would recommend it for fans of Hillary Mantel.

Wow... I want to write this review upon immediate completion of this story in order to convey the heaviness my heart feels. While the writing and story took a little bit for me to get into, the character arc and depth this book gave me more than makes up for that. The writing I actually grew to love as it started to feel unique and cohesive the more the story progressed. And let me be clear, there is not much plot in this book. That normally means I will not like it, but the rich inner world and heavy themes of different selves and the feeling of being lost while not knowing oneself really kept me engaged. This story pained me but felt good in a way because it can be relatable. And what might you ask is relatable about a peasant boy turned maybe king? The inner dilogue conveying his loneliness and detachment from different selves because he is lost is what makes him so relatable. If you love sad stories, a rich main character who does through every humanly possible emotion and Tudor era politics and environment, this book is for you! Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing this eARC for me to enjoy~

The Pretender
by Jo Harkin
Pub Date: Apr 22 2025

In 1480 John Collan’s greatest anxiety is how to circumvent the village’s devil goat on his way to collect water. But the arrival of a well-dressed stranger from London upends his life forever: John is not John Collan, not the son of Will Collan but the son of the long-deceased Duke of Clarence, and has been hidden in the countryside after a brotherly rift over the crown—and because Richard III has a habit of disappearing his nephews. Removed from his humble origins, sent to Oxford to be educated in a manner befitting the throne’s rightful heir, John is put into play by his masters, learning the rules of etiquette in Burgundy and the machinations of the court in Ireland, where he encounters the intractable Joan, the delightfully strong-willed and manipulative daughter of his Irish patrons, a girl imbued with both extraordinary political savvy and occasional murderous tendencies. Joan has two paths available her—marry or become a nun. Lambert’s choices are similarly stark: he will either become king or die in battle. Together they form an alliance that will change the fate of the English monarchy.

Inspired by a footnote to history—the true story of the little-known Simnel, who was a figurehead of the 1487 Yorkist rebellion and ended up working as a spy in the court of King Henry VII—The Pretender is historical fiction at its finest, a gripping, exuberant, rollicking portrait of British monarchy and life within the court, with a cast of unforgettable heroes and villains drawn from fifteenth-century England. A masterful new work from a major new author.

Very well written overall, but I did struggle to stay engaged with this book, especially in the middle. The end of the book was very engaging and my favorite part, but just think this wasn’t the story for me, and other people would like it a lot more.

I have always been fascinated by this story. In 1483 King Richard III of the House of York is the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty. Did he or did he not have something to do with ordering the death of his young nephews, the two princes being held in the tower, or did they escape? This question remains one of the greatest mysteries in British history. The author does a masterful job fictionalizing the true story of Lambert Simnel, a boy who was used as a pawn by Yorkists to keep a Plantagenet on the throne. Was he one of the York princes or just a peasant boy? The story delves into the machinations of both the Tudors and the Yorks to remain in power, and the very dangerous consequences for those not currently in favor.

All in all I enjoyed the book. At 496 pages, it is long and slow at points. The historically correct use of the language of the time took me a minute to get used to, but is interesting. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read! The novel was advertised as in the vein of Maggie O’Farrell or Hilary Mantel so I requested it immediately. I was swept along with the story of a real life challenger to Henry VII, who may have been a peasant masquerading as royalty—or who may have been a long lost Plantagenet heir. It seems that historians don’t actually know all that much about him, and the author did a great job filling in the details of his life, the plots around him, and various people who supported rebellion in his name. The places and characters were beautifully fleshed out; the author clearly did meticulous research yet kept the novel from being dry and dense by writing her characters to be so human and believable.

This period of history so lends itself to novelization— the pendulum of power swinging back and forth, the political machinations, etc. The author did a great job distinguishing this work from others. It was so fascinating to follow the journey of “Lambert” (or was he really Edward Plantagenet?) as he moves from a 15th century English village, to Oxford, to Burgundy, to Ireland (a high point in the novel), to London— moving back and forth between peasantry and nobility as the winds shift. Lambert struggles with his identity and his supposed destiny; he reads the works of great philosophers and historians and wonders about his place in history. He also struggles with the study of history itself, realizing that history is, of course, written by the winners. (Reader take note here that of course the rebellion was not successful—Henry VII established the Tudor dynasty. So was real Lambert fake? Would contemporary historians even tell us if he was real?) Other than those hefty questions, there are so many funny lines and so much showing the humanity of the characters. It was also just nice to read about common people; so many novels of this time have all of their focus on the nobility.

My one complaint is that I wanted an afterword from the author about what her research showed, what we do and don’t know, and where she deviated from the record. I spent a fair amount of time googling the characters to find out more about their real life counterparts!

I highly recommend this work. Thank you for the ARC.

I would love to give this book more than 5-stars! "The Pretender" by Jo Harkin is a brilliantly written historical fiction novel that transports readers back to a tumultuous period in English history set in 1487. It focuses on the intriguing story of young Lambert Simnel. He was thrust into the center of a conspiracy as a pretender to the English throne, whose royal family claimed him to be the rightful heir during the reign of Richard III. Simnel, a boy of humble origins, is taken under the wing of powerful figures who groom him to be the lost Earl of Warwick, heir to Richard III's throne. Harkin’s portrayal of Simnel is both compelling and complex—he is not merely a pawn in the hands of ambitious men but a boy trying to navigate his identity amidst the lies and manipulations of those around him.

Hidden away his entire life and raised as a peasant farm boy (named John), he is suddenly plucked from his “family,” kept in secrecy, given a new identity (Lambert Simnel), and educated in royal life as he is transported to Ireland. It is there that he meets his love and one of my favorite characters, Joan, and where he is crowned King Edward VI. There are several problems, though - Joan herself is a problem, and King Henry VII is still in power and hunting the heads of all who claim allegiance to Edward (Lambert).

Harkin's storytelling prowess brings to life the tumultuous and complex political landscape of 15th-century England, Ireland, and Scotland with vivid imagery, meticulous attention to historical detail, and the most fantastic sense of laugh-out-loud humor throughout the book! This compelling narrative skillfully weaves together the personal struggles of the protagonist with the grandeur of royal court intrigue, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of historical fiction. I found myself fully embedded in Lambert's emotions over and over again.

The author's meticulous research is evident in historical details but she also includes so many surrounding descriptive bits that make the setting truly come alive. The characters are multidimensional, each with their own aspirations, dilemmas, colorful personalities, and faults, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative (and again - at times so funny while staying true to the time!). Harkin's prose is evocative and eloquent, effortlessly transporting the reader to a bygone era filled with political machinations, royal ambitions, and personal tribulations.

"The Pretender" is an immersive and captivating exploration of power, identity, and the human desire for belonging as you watch Lambert struggle with who he is and where he belongs. Harkin deftly explores the psychological complexities of her characters, drawing the reader into a world of conflicting loyalties, moral quandaries, and the timeless quest for truth and justice. Lambert has lived so many lives in such a short amount of time that he realizes he yearns for love and freedom to be himself, whomever he chooses to be.

Overall, "The Pretender" is a masterful work of historical fiction that will delight both history enthusiasts and lovers of engaging storytelling. Jo Harkin's skillful blend of fact and fiction creates a gripping narrative that is both intellectually stimulating, humorous, and emotionally resonant. This book is a must-read for anyone with an appreciation for richly detailed historical fiction and the enduring allure of royal intrigue.

A huge thank you to #NetGalley, #JoHarkin, #BorzoiBooks, and #AlfredAKnopf for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. I truly look forward to the release of this book to add a hard copy to my collection!

This a creative and complicated look into history and identity through the eyes of a young man destined to be king of England.
Or, was he destined to be a farmer, but took a different path mid-way to adulthood?

The protagonist is a bright and sensitive young man who allows circumstances to morph him into someone very different as an adult.
Through his maturing process, and his adventures, we realize how random our fate can seem, and the quest for identity in this book leads our hero
to abandon his principles to avenge a loved one’s death. When he achieves his objective, another quest begins.

My mind was spinning at the cunning and deceit of the political animals seeking to control who sits on the throne of England. It was challenging to sort the good guys from the evil-doers, but in some ways it appeared that there was little difference between the two. So, of course, it was difficult to discern who’s who.

Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review.

Historical British fiction that at times was slow . Once familiar with the writer's style the book was interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC!

This book was an escape in the best way. I loved that our main character completes a sort of hero’s journey, depending on how you view his character; it’s a bildungsroman of a very normal boy who quickly becomes the least normal man alive, at least in his mind. I was left quite emotional on the ending for reasons I’m still unpacking; I thought it was rather perfectly done. Even though Lambert/John/Edward was a real person, this novel feels like a fairytale. The prose perfectly oscillates between amusing and serious, absurd to philosophical. All in all a gripping ride.

Loved the story so much. It took me a minute to get the cadence of the book, but once I got into it, I flew through it. It did drag at times, but was still an easy read and great story.

What a fantastic debut. A coming of age story that raises the stakes about identity and love with wit and realism. I loved it (and I would absolutely DIE for John/Lambert/Edward/Simnel).

Solid historical novel for patrons that enjoy reading early English history. Different perspective from a lesser known character vying for the crown!