Victoria Rebels

Gr 8–11—Meyer's intriguing first-person narrative is based on Victoria's diaries, begun when the monarch-to-be was 13 years of age. Told in a haughty, petulant voice, the novel highlights the princess's views on her status and her constant struggle against the agenda of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, and her mother's ever-conniving companion, Sir John Conroy. Ostensibly because she is being groomed and educated for her future ascent to the throne, Victoria is controlled during every waking moment and even monitored as she sleeps; she is never left alone for a second. But she is mature and impatient to reach adulthood, and very much supported by her governess and an uncle. Readers will relate to the princess's passionate views on independent thinking and the need to take control of her own future. Short chapters take the story through her marriage to Prince Albert and the birth of their third child. The realism and history behind the making of this strong-willed woman are often conveyed through feisty dialogue between Victoria and her two nemeses. An effective introductory glimpse into the monarch's soul.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI