Book No. 38 of 2021
I’m moving very slowly through another read right now so this was a fun, quick read to have on the side, recommended by @cozyreadingclub.
Anna of Byzantium is the type of YA that I absolutely loved as a kid. Teen royal intrigue with political chess matches, intellectual exploration, hateable villains, and tear-jerkingly loyal allies? Yes please! I also enjoyed the ~educational aspect~ of diving into life in the Byzantine Empire in the 11th century, Crusades and all.
I know so very little about this era (I have a vague memory of the 1054 Great Schism) that I was astounded to find at the end that Anna was a real person and that the novel is a fictionalized version of true events.
Similar Reads
The overall narrative arc reminds me of a classic favorite, Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
Overall this reminded me strongly of the Royal Diaries series, which sparked my lifelong fascination with badass female royalty.