FICTION

The Widow Queen

by Elzbieta Cherezinska
Macmillan Audio. (The Bold, Bk. 1). Apr. 2021. tr. from Polish by Maya Zakrzewska-Pim. 23:50 hrs. ISBN 9781250789808. $78.99. F
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Cherezinka has written a fictionalized feminist history of the real-life 10th-century Polish princess Swietoslawa, whose father, the duke of Poland, plans to commit her to a politically advantageous marriage. He gives her a choice between the prince of Denmark, the prince of Norway, or the king of Sweden, but Swietoslawa is an independent young woman who doesn’t want to be forced into a loveless marriage; she feels she can rule on her own. Swietoslawa’s history is fascinating, and Cherezinka vividly brings her era to life, but this audiobook is heavy going. There’s a lot of detail that makes for a slow listening experience. However, the audiobook does allow listeners to hear the Polish names spoken aloud, and Cassandra Campbell does a remarkable job narrating the book.
VERDICT Fans of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones may be attracted to this title. Otherwise, it is an additional purchase for most libraries.
Reviewed by B. Allison Gray, Goleta Valley Lib., CA , Jul 01, 2021
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