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My Lady Jane

Pages
515
Published
2016
Language
English

Synopsis

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey would rather bury her nose in a book than deal with the machinations of the Tudor court. But when her dying cousin, King Edward, names her his successor, Jane is thrust onto the throne of England and into a marriage of convenience with Lord Guildford Dudley, who is hiding a secret of his own: every day at dawn, he turns into a horse. In this comic alternate history of one of England's most famous reigns, Jane and Guildford must outmaneuver the scheming nobles plotting to steal the crown, all while an inconvenient attraction grows between them.

Characters

Jane GreyProtagonist

A book-loving young noblewoman, cousin to the dying king, unexpectedly crowned Queen of England.

Guildford DudleyProtagonist

Jane's reluctant husband, an Eðian who transforms into a horse every day from dawn until sunset.

Edward VIProtagonist

England's teenage king, dying and determined to secure the succession and protect Eðians from persecution.

Mary TudorAntagonist

Edward's older half-sister, who believes Eðian shapeshifters should be destroyed and schemes for the throne.

John DudleyAntagonist

Guildford's ambitious father, who manoeuvres to put his own family on the English throne.

All characters in My Lady Jane

Frequently asked questions

  • Is My Lady Jane a true story?

    No. It's a comedic alternate history "not entirely true story" inspired by the real Lady Jane Grey, who briefly reigned as Queen of England in 1553. The authors keep the broad historical outline (Jane's forced marriage and short reign) but invent a fantasy world where some people, called Eðians, can transform into animals.

  • Do I need to read the Lady Janies books in order?

    No. My Lady Jane (2016) is followed by My Plain Jane (2018), My Calamity Jane (2020), My Contrary Mary (2021), My Imaginary Mary (2022) and My Salty Mary (2024), but each is a standalone story with its own cast, loosely connected by the same alternate-history premise. You can start with whichever one interests you most.

  • Is My Lady Jane connected to the Amazon Prime Video series?

    Yes. The novel was adapted into a television series that premiered on Prime Video in June 2024, but the show departs significantly from the book in tone and plot details. The show was cancelled after one season. My Lady Jane was also a New York Times bestseller and made YALSA's 2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults list.

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