I was greatly looking forward to reading this novel and it did not disappoint! I fell madly in love with the first novel in the series last year, and read it in a matter of 2 days. I was super excited to read the next installment in Rose Ransom's adventures in an alternate version of post-WWII London.

Widowland" ended with the assassination of "the Leader" (i.e., Hitler) -- referred to as "the Event" -- and a bit of a cliffhanger as to the fate of our highly ranked heroine, Rose Ransom, who played a key role in his death. As "Queen High" opens, we learn that (somewhat improbably), Rose survived and returned to her job in the Ministry of Culture. (Of course, there wouldn't be a sequel if she hadn't, right?) Unsurprisingly, the regime discourages female literacy. Girls are not taught to read until the age of eight and even after that, they are taught at a more basic level. The intended goal is that a female's vocabulary should be no more than two thirds that of a man. The risk of reading was 'that it could accidentally expand a child’s use of language. It might enchant and intoxicate her. Help her express herself in new and exciting ways.' It is the casual way that it is gently 'suggested' that a girl need not bother learning to read, such as when Rose's boss - a married older German who is also her lover - tells her that she should not read to her niece, I'm the kinda gal that needs closure so I'm glad I read this as I can now say I've completed a series. Congratulations to me. BUT if I knew then what I know now, I probably wouldn't have read book 1 at all. It's a shame as the premise is brilliant and so thought provoking. In fact, it would make for great discussion.stars. I’m super excited to see what comes next!! Anyone who loves dystopian books, needs to get both books in the widowland saga! London, 1955. The Leader has been dead for two years. His assassination, on British soil, provoked violent retribution and intensified repression of British citizens, particularly women. Now, more than ever, the Protectorate is a place of surveillance and isolation―a land of spies. I admire Carey’s ability to tell a riveting tale of a dystopian society. I had lavished ‘Widowland’ with praise for its powerful storyline, the attention to detailing the everyday lives in the 1950s Anglo-Saxon Alliance, and its celebration of the power of literature. It didn’t work out that way; England stood its ground and King George basically exiled his brother to a governmental post in the Caribbean. This is book two and, although there is a sufficient amount of catchup for those who need a gentle reminder, I think you will be best off reading book one - Widowland - first.

n Queen Wallis, Rose Ransom works at the Culture Ministry (in an AU 1955 England who allied with Nazi Germany in World War II), cleaning up poetry and other literature to fit the regime’s standards. The Leader was assassinated 2 years ago in England, Rose’s involvement in his death has somehow remained overlooked. Now, England prepares to welcome President Eisenhower, who will be the first American president in 2 decades to come to England. Queen Wallis Simpson is to meet with the President, and Rose is tasked with meeting Queen Wallis and report on her mental state. I began a novel, an alternative history set in 1953. In this dystopia, England has formed an Alliance with Nazi Germany and a female caste system has been implemented. The most savage aspect of this hierarchy concerns widows and childless single women over 50 who are confined to rundown places on the edges of towns called Widowlands. Therein lies the irony. The inhabitants of these Widowlands may be marginalised I kept getting distracted by weird things like the statement that Edward and Wallis are the direct descendants of Charles I (I'm not sure here but wasn't Anne the last Stuart monarch and then the throne goes to George I from the House of Hannover, her second or third cousin?). I was bemused, too, that one of the caste differentials for women is the number of calories per day that they're allowed: Lenis get 2,020 while Magdas get only 2,006 - wow, 14 calories - what is that? half an orange? a quarter of a slice of bread? Widowland называется «Книга Розы» и, как ни странно, такая локализация куда удачней простого перевода. Роза мечется между своим отцом, сестрой, любовником, работой, но только книги дают ей возможность трезво посмотреть на свою судьбу и понять, что нужно что-то менять.Apart from hearing that my first novel was to be published (sitting at my desk at the Daily Telegraph) it would be the day I went walking with my uncle through Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire and we came unexpectedly across the village of Adlestrop, made famous by the Edward Thomas poem. It felt like serendipity because we had been talking about poetry and the First World War. Someone had framed the poem by a bench, and we stood and read it. Edward Thomas could have been standing right beside us. There was a strange, almost eerie, feeling of transcendence, of literature and life merging together.