Victoria Rebels by Carolyn Meyer
About: Through diary entries, reveals the life of Britain’s strong-willed and short-tempered Queen Victoria from the age of eight through her twenty-fourth birthday, up to her third wedding anniversary with her beloved Albert in 1843.
Ofilia’s Thoughts: I have recently been completely obsessed with Queen Victoria. It all started with the PBS Special, Victoria, which chronicles the early life of the young Queen. That got me curious, so I found this book and tore through it. There were several things in this novel that were portrayed quite differently in the TV show, so now I’m listening to a definitive biography so I can get to the bottom of it. I cannot get enough!
I liked this book because it keeps things moving even when there may not be much action. Victoria was an unhappy child, sheltered and completely cut off from society on purpose so that she would become completely dependent on her controlling mother. Lucky for us, Victoria had no plans to go along with mommy dearest and she went on to be one of the most headstrong, independent and decisive queens in history. This novel focuses mainly on the same time period as the TV show, which starts with her early teen years. It is the perfect subject for teens because it is filled with drama, betrayal and intrigue. Victoria was only 18 when she was crowned, so she was consistently underestimated. This is something I think many teens experience as well. While the book does a great job covering her life up to her wedding and birth of her first child, it ends rather abruptly in 1843 with a general happily ever after vibe. Victoria reigned until 1901, another 58 years, so there is definitely more to the story. Still, this is a great primer on her early years and paired with the TV show you might just find yourself as infatuated as I am.
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