LoveReading Says
Driven by the drama of compelling “what ifs?”, Maggie Ballinger’s James the Third poses an intriguing question: what if King George VI had had a son? Covering 1948 through to 1997, this dialogue-rich offering of speculative fiction is sure to scintillate readers interested in the British royal family, with memorable real-life events woven into the imagined alternate history (for one example, the now infamous Martin Bashir interview with Princess Diana gets a mention).
Of course, given the rules around succession, had Elizabeth and Margaret had a younger brother, Elizabeth would not have become Queen on the death of her father in 1952. Instead, as happens here, the sisters’ younger brother James ascends the throne at a young age. As he struggles to reconciles the demands and limitations of his role with personal desires, the author presents the parallel tale of sisters Lil and Peggy, devout royalists who work in Woolworths on Deptford High Street. Being of similar age, they'd "always felt a close association with the King and Queen’s daughters”.
With explanatory notes reconciling history with what might have happened had Elizabeth had a younger brother, this shines a light on the difference between being a female heir presumptive and an heir apparent. Overall, with the parallel stories playing out like a TV drama, this will surely grip and entertain readers looking to be swept up in an episodic saga.
Joanne Owen
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James The Third Synopsis
In 1936, the Duke of York unexpectedly became King George VI, and his ten-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth, became heir presumptive. However, she was never heir apparent, because a male sibling would automatically assume her place in the line of succession. So what would have happened upon the late arrival of a baby brother for the grown-up Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret? After King George VI's death in 1952, the United Kingdom's next sovereign would have been a very young boy, and one in need of a regent. James the Third tells that boy's story. How does his reign unfold? He is clever, resourceful and unconventional but can he alter the course of history, given the limited role of a constitutional monarch? Does he find true love, or must he accept second best? And, with the births of his heirs, what does the House of Windsor look like now? Set against rapidly changing times, there is a parallel tale of two working class sisters from the East End of London. As fans of the royal family, they are closer to the crown than they could ever imagine. Seamlessly blending the twists and turns of fiction with historical fact, this book is sure to please anyone who enjoys a glimpse of life behind palace walls.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781914414565 |
| Publication date: |
1st February 2022 |
| Author: |
Maggie Ballinger |
| Publisher: |
Unicorn Books |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
320 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Historical Fiction
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| Other Genres: |
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About Maggie Ballinger
Maggie Ballinger was born in Crewe, brought up in South London and now lives in Sheffield. She studied European History at the University of East Anglia and later obtained an MA in International History from Birkbeck College, London. Since retiring as a hospital manager, much of her time has been spent writing an eclectic range of material. She is the author of Britannia’s Glory – A Maritime Story (Uniform, 2019) and the illustrated children’s book Baa Baa Pink Sheep.
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