Fool - by Mary Lawrence (Paperback)

About the Book

From the acclaimed author of The Alchemist's Daughter, comes a tale of obsession and deceit...Fool: A Dwarf's Reckoning in the Court of King Henry VIII-Betrayal, Revenge, and the Power of Perception.

Book Synopsis

Fool: Reckoning in the Court of King Henry VIII-Betrayal, Revenge, and the Power of Perception

Kronos is a juggler in King Henry VIII's court; a man jeered for his dwarfism but discreetly desired by noble women. One dangerous moment of eavesdropping nearly costs him his life. Brutally maimed and left insensible, he is rescued by an apothecary and nursed back to health. When his rescuer learns of Kronos's import he contrives to make himself a rich man. He pits two powerful Tudor families, the Howards and the Seymours, against one another.

But Kronos is wise to court machinations and he's ready to outplay anyone who attempts to use him. Dismissed and underestimated, Kronos is a man who can overcome any preconceptions about his character and make his foes wonder which of them is truly the fool.

Review Quotes

"Fool is a masterclass in immersive storytelling." --Tony Riches, author of the best-selling Tudor trilogy

"Vividly written and grounded in scrupulous research, Fool captures both the dark comedy and lethal danger of Henry VIII's court."--Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown, The Chalice, and The Tapestry

"Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers, well written, well researched, and very well imagined."--Jan Matthews, author of The Last Fatal Hour

"Fool is a thoughtful and unsparing Tudor novel that reframes the court jester not as comic ornament but as a precarious witness to power."--Megan Parker for IndieReader (IndieReader Approved)