A Secret Alchemy: A Novel

by: Emma Darwin

Published by: Harper Perennial (June 2 release)

Reviewed by Krista Quinn

If you enjoy reading historical fiction, A Secret Alchemy, by Emma Darwin, will not disappoint you. This is a fictionalized account of The Princes in the Tower, one of Great Britain’s most famous murder mysteries. Set in pre-Tudor England, the novel starts with Elizabeth Woodville, mother of the princes in the tower, and weaves in the voices of two other characters: Elizabeth’s brother Anthony, and Una, a present-day historian who is researching the books of Elizabeth and Anthony Woodville. As she researches and digs deeper into the event that ended the War of the Roses, she begins to discover the similarities between her life and princes in fifteenth-century Britain. Una is wounded – dealing with lost love and family betrayals – and her grief dovetails flawlessly with the betrayals that took place during the time of the murdered princes.

Although one of the major strengths of this novel is the way in which Darwin’s vivid descriptions make the time period come alive, some of the historical events can be confusing to someone who is not well versed in 15th century British history. The reader would benefit from a quick Google search to learn a little bit about the real history behind this novel, or else risk being a slightly confused at times.

The voices of the three narrators are each beautiful and unique, and Darwin weaves past and present together seamlessly. Darwin’s authorial skills are showcased most brilliantly with Elizabeth. The novel opens with Elizabeth and from the first page, I was captivated. Elizabeth is only sixteen at the start of the novel and Darwin gets her “voice” just right. Elizabeth is innocent yet wise, and as she grows up, marries, matures and deals with increasingly more difficult circumstances, her narrative voice grows, too.

On her website, Emma Darwin explains that in A Secret Alchemy she’s out to “loosen the tethers of historical fact, and write the human truth of their story” and I think she has done that brilliantly here. Darwin strikes the perfect balance with these characters; they are rooted in historical truth, yet are enough the product of her imagination to keep the reader completely absorbed.

Armchair Interviews says: Fascinating read for fans of historical novels.

Author’s Web site: http://www.EmmaDarwin.com