Review: That Inevitable Victorian Thing

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a huge fan of alternative historical fiction, since I love putting my history minor to work and exploring possibilities with the author. In this world, Queen Victoria's children all set off around the world to the colonies, married a local, and thus strengthened Britain's sway worldwide. The States, meanwhile, fell apart.

Much of this book is centered in Ontario, when the future queen spends a summer incognito with a friend because she has to get serious about marriage and governing. I'm a sucker for balls and gowns and dancing, so I liked those parts of the book, but the real draw is the friendships created between the characters. The Crown Princess is drawn to Helena, but also to an online guy named Henry. The Crown uses genetic matching to match up marriage partners in this world, and allows chat access and dating with the matches.

spoiler
I think this is the first YA book I've read where a serious relationship triangle that turns into marriage. The Crown Princess loves Helena. Helena, raised as a girl, finds out she's intersex. She loves the Crown Princess. But she also loves her childhood friend August. Since the Princess can't really marry someone who can't have babies, she marries August, and three are happily ever after. Huh! That whole part of the story was hastily wrapped up at the end, but that goes with the fairy tale-ish feel to the novel.

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