Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

People SPEAK of love at first sight but don't necessarily know what it is unless they have felt it.......well I know the feeling. I was totally drawn to this book at first sight, the cover was just..well...shiny? It was an ugly cover in my opinion but i guess you could say a unique look and no doubt was the content.

I've always loved English accents! and admit to imitating/ mimicking them when I'm really bored or just for fun...pretty awesome that the dialogue is written in the accent. So anyway this tale is based in 1838 London and is a historical, half fiction and non-fiction story. I find it incredibly amazing how I loved this story although I don't quite fancy HISTORY-even the word sounds boring -.-

I’ve never really read anything about Queen Victoria and I really don’t know much about her, so I was intrigued with the story. After the book I did a little research on Queen Vicky :) and felt pretty cool in a nerdy way of-course.

Anyway... Liza, a 16 year old girl whose parents die in a crushing accident and don't leave her any inheritance, is in a rough Europe where girls like her only have one way to go. Even though she is classed a lady, to pay off her debts she takes the position at Kensington Palace as Victoria’s personal maid. Or rather, she is the Nancy Drew spy on the Duchess (her idiot mother) and the evil sir John. Liza is thrown from the life of high society she is used to, to the world unnoticed/ghetto world of the servants. Learning to keep ahead of her employers and determine her own fate. She acts the part and does what she is told, but she is really....actually looking out for herself and Victoria.

I thought Liza’s character was AwEsOmE. In the beginning she's a complete big headed SNOB!!!, you can’t really blame her... some might say?? she was used to being a lady not a maid. The girl grows up and figures out that life doesn't always go your way...ya know?? so wake up and smell the....well not so much roses. She secretly hopes to earn Victoria’s favor so that one day Victoria might renew her to being a proper lady. She’s clever and headstrong and has a clear head on her shoulders or neck?. Though some of her actions were undeniably selfish , it only errrm mystified her more. She did regret stuff and it just made her more human. She genuinely cared for people and tried her best to do right by them. To help ensure information for Victoria (I swear she’s like a quadruple spy) she enlists the help of Inside Boy and a young newspaper printer Will. If I’m not wrong I believe that Inside Boy is actually based on an actual person, and I found his character very WACKY and funny.

And Will......ahhhh Will. I just loooove the name Will. Probably one of my all time favorite guy names (unless of course you like Will Smith…a little too old though) He’s a working guy/man or whatever making a living with what he loves, complete with inky fingers, messy blonde hair and a rough on the edges and easy going personality. Typical case of OPPOSITES ATTRACT . they are very different from each other, but find they both share the same values and really connect. Plus there is the fact that there was almost a whole year between their first meeting and when their romance actually blossomed. For once a REAL believable time line for two people falling in love! HURRAY!!! They met, they got to know each other, they sorted out their true feelings, didn't rush into anything, and when it was clear they both felt the same for each other then it all came nicely together. Just PERFECT! Made me so happy but jealous!

How about DEARY Vicky??? I thought she was sooo gall-able and um hello? stupid?? A spoilt princess is more fitting now isn't it?? and pretty ideal too. I just did not under stand how someone could be that demanding and just NOT CARE! well I couldn't stand her at first but realised it was the influence of her greedy mother instead who just wanted her money and to please the evil man she was...I think the word was smitten with? Victoria did mature in the end and smartened up with the help of Liza. Her feisty Baroness ( more mother like nanny) always looked out for her and that truth hit Victoria later on in the story.

So much in this story is AWE-SPIRING (by the way...for those who don't know Awesome and Inspiring) The thing this book does that I love is, that it has made me want to learn more about Queen Victoria. I think that is a sign of a successful book because its rare for me to WANT to do that. LOVE, hate, LIKE, dislike: reading or history, whether you cant or don't read please give this book a shot!! so much more hidden in the story so READ it!! I rate this book a 9.9 and anyone can read it. =D