My Lady Jane - the not entirely true story by C. Hand, B. Ashton and J. Meadows

Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 9781406372021
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Lady Jane Grey was Queen of Tudor England for only 9 days. That much is true to history. But this Jane is a very reluctant Queen, married off to Gifford Dudley in the days leading up to King Edward VI's 'death' in suspicious circumstances.
A collaboration of three authors, the Lady Janies, have created a humorous alternate version of English history. In addition to twisting events, the authors add a pinch of magic and frequently breach the fourth wall. Jane, Edward's heir and favourite cousin, is a scholar and intrigued rather than disappointed that her new prince consort is unable to stop turning into a horse each night.
You see, Jane's magical England consists of Verities (regular people) and shape-shifting people called E∂ians. Not all E∂ians realize they possess the ability, so the inevitable nudity after returning to human form is a hoot.
When Edward's mad sister Mary deposes Jane, she immediately decrees the genocide of all E∂ians. In the pursuit of both love and revenge, Edward, Jane, Gifford, Bess and their trusted servants problem-solve their way out of some sticky situations in order to regain the throne.
This flirtatious fantasy romp through ye olde England is an easy read not to be dismissed. Hopefully we can look forward to a whole series penned by the three collaborators: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows because as Napoleon Bonaparte once proffered, 'What else is history but a fable agreed upon?'
Deborah Robins