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Prisoners in the Palace

How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel
by Michaela MacColl
304p. 978-0-81187-300-0.
COPY ISBN
RedReviewStarGr 7 Up—Through the eyes of her maid, readers get to know Princess Victoria during the year before she becomes queen. Down on her luck when the deaths of her parents leave her penniless and debt ridden, Liza finds employment at Kensington Palace. She quickly learns that Victoria is a virtual prisoner of her scheming mother and her mother's lover, who seek to control the future queen through a regency. Liza initially thinks only of ways to gain favor and influence, and, ultimately, money, from Victoria, but she gradually comes to feel compassion for the lonely and ill-treated 17-year-old. The emotional growth of both young women is the heart of the story, and it unfolds naturally because of a riveting plot full of conspiracy, sexual abuse of servants, treachery, and a great love story. There are references to prostitution, abortion, apparent suicide, and murder, but they are not gratuitous. Liza's riches-to-rags-to-almost-riches story and her development into a young woman of high moral purpose, and Victoria's growth from a docile teen into a queen who would define an era, make this a great read.—Corinne Henning-Sachs, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME
Fascinating research about the press, social classes, and royal politics in the years before Victoria took the throne undergirds this tale about the isolated princess and a fictional maid, Liza, who helps her achieve independence. There's some awkwardness to the otherwise engaging narrative; for example, Victoria's passivity makes her annoyingly self-centered and Liza's accomplishments become melodramatically exaggerated. An author's note is appended. Reading list.
A fast-paced book filled with romance and intrigue and populated with convincing characters, from servants to royals to street people. By using Liza—a maid—as the narrator, Michaela MacColl highlights the inequities of classism, and shows that everyone, whether they’re famous or not, has historical significance. It’s interesting to see Princess Victoria, who became a famously cold, rigid queen, depicted as a seventeen-year-old trying to find her way in the world. She’s a believable combination of bratty teenager, tender-hearted benefactress, and frightened young woman.

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