Lady Hotspur

by Tessa Gratton

Overview

Tessa Gratton's Lady Hotspur is a sweeping, heart-stopping Shakespearean novel of betrayal and battlefields and destiny.

STRIKE FAST, LOVE HARD, LIVE FOREVER

This is the motto of the Lady Knights—sworn to fealty under a struggling kingdom, promised to defend the prospective heir, Banna Mora.

But when a fearsome rebellion overthrows the throne, Mora is faced with an agonizing choice: give up everything she's been raised to love, and allow a king-killer to be rewarded—or retake the throne, and take up arms against the newest heir, Hal Bolingbrooke, Mora's own childhood best friend and sworn head of the Lady Knights.

Hal loathes being a Prince; she's much more comfortable instated on the Throne of Misrule, a raucous underground nether-court where passion rules all. She yearns to live up to the wishes of everyone she loves best—but that means sacrificing her own heart, and so she will disappoint everyone until the moment she can rise to prove those expectations wrong.

And between these two fierce Princes is the woman who will decide all their fates—Lady Hotspur, the fiery and bold knight whose support will turn the tides of the coming war.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780765392503
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/05/2021
Pages:	592
Sales rank:	634,448
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

TESSA GRATTON is the author of adult Science Fiction Fantasy titles The Queens of Innis Lear and Lady Hotspur from Tor Books, as well as the original fairy tales Strange Grace and Night Shine from McElderry Books. Her YA series and short stories have been translated into twenty-two languages. Though she has lived all over the world, she currently resides alongside the Kansas prairie with her wife.

Editorial Reviews

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“Gratton takes Shakespeare to the sharpest, darkest, and most beautiful edge, perhaps where it should've existed all along.” —Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times Bestselling author of The Belles

“Thrilling, heartwarming, and original, LADY HOTSPUR is a glorious epic.” —Karen Lord, author of Redemption in Indigo

“Any Game of Thrones fans should add this to their TBR right away!” –The Nerd Daily

“The types of women we need to see more of in the fantasy genre.” —Culturess

“The wondrous worldbuilding, strong female leads, and plot filled with regicide, regrets, prophecies, and magic create an intricate and layered story of honor, family, and love.” –Library Journal (starred review)

“A tale about love, family, and creating space for your own story.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“This epic fantasy will delight readers, especially those looking for LGBTQ representation in the genre.” —Booklist

“Gratton’s lush world is full of magic, mischievous spirits, and otherworldly rituals.” —Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Queens of Innis Lear:

“Thoroughly engaging.” —New York Times

“I adore this—rich, epic, blood-soaked—a glorious and grand sweeping fantasy.” —Kate Elliott, author of The Poisoned Blade

“Gratton's first novel for adults is a force to be reckoned with...A darkly rendered epic of old magic, hard hearts, and complicated choices.” —Booklist, starred review

“Enthralling...something fresh, with a suitably tragic yet satisfying ending.” —Publishers Weekly

“A gloriously symphonic, thematically rich variation on the story of the daughters of Lear. The danger of seeking certainty makes this a tale for our time; the power of truth and mercy makes it a tale for all times.” —Karen Lord, author of Redemption in Indigo

"The Queens of Innis Lear is a spectacular book. This is a story about family and love, jealousy and destiny, with its roots in the earth and stretching to the stars. Beautifully written, it's full of complex characters who will break your heart and heal it again. An instant favorite, this is a book I'll return to again and again." —Kat Howard, author of An Unkindness of Magicians

"A welcome sight in the genre [and an] epic tale...Gratton achieves the rare feat of a Shakespeare adaptation that earns the right to exist." —Kirkus Reviews

"Messy, beautiful, and dark, darker than Shakespeare could have dreamed." —E. K. Johnston, author of Star Wars: Ahsoka

From the Publisher

Like Queens, Gratton's new novel is gigantic and decompressed…I turned pages, with engagement and interest, at roughly the pace of walking around a room and pausing to take in the view through the window…[Lady Hotspur] invites the kind of long, quiet habitation that I associate with a very different kind of book.

The New York Times Book Review - Amal El-Mohtar

12/02/2019

Gratton returns to the expansive world of The Queens of Innis Lear with this intricately layered fantasy, a loose, gender-bent adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV. A prophecy predicts disaster for three closely entwined women in the kingdom of Aremoria. When Hal’s mother overthrows the king, Hal is expected to transition from hard-living Lady Knight to respectable heir to the throne. Hal’s best friend, Banna Mora, daughter of the conquered king, is exiled. Lady Hotspur, Aremoria’s fiercest warrior, is as devoted to her country as she is to her lover, Hal, and dear friend, Banna Mora, but knows that the demands of status will force her and Hal to part eventually. Hal is focused on avoiding responsibility, drinking, and finding ways to be with Hotspur, while jealous Banna Mora schemes to take Aremoria back. Hotspur is forced to choose between her reckless lover and the ruler she thinks would do right by her kingdom. Gratton’s lush world is full of magic, mischievous spirits, and otherworldly rituals. Readers won’t have to be familiar with either the previous book or the source material to appreciate this well-crafted, if over long, fantasy. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

In a pleasing voice, Jessica Hayles narrates an epic tale set in the days when knights, magic, and royalty ruled the land. Three young women are bound together by war, prophecy, and love: Prince Hal, the daughter of the new Aremorian queen; Lady Hotspur, a knight who is Hal’s lover; and Banna Mora, Aremoria’s deposed heir. This is an ambitious production for even the most seasoned narrator. Newcomer Hayles gives an admirable performance. She imbues the intense scenes with emotional gusto; however, her pleasant, soothing tones easily lull the listener’s mind during descriptive passages. Additionally, there are numerous odd pauses throughout the otherwise respectable narration. Because of its length, this audiobook is best for fans of grand fantasies. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

APRIL 2020 - AudioFile

In a pleasing voice, Jessica Hayles narrates an epic tale set in the days when knights, magic, and royalty ruled the land. Three young women are bound together by war, prophecy, and love: Prince Hal, the daughter of the new Aremorian queen; Lady Hotspur, a knight who is Hal’s lover; and Banna Mora, Aremoria’s deposed heir. This is an ambitious production for even the most seasoned narrator. Newcomer Hayles gives an admirable performance. She imbues the intense scenes with emotional gusto; however, her pleasant, soothing tones easily lull the listener’s mind during descriptive passages. Additionally, there are numerous odd pauses throughout the otherwise respectable narration. Because of its length, this audiobook is best for fans of grand fantasies. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

APRIL 2020 - AudioFile

★ 2019-10-14
A reluctant prince is forced to choose among friendship, love, and duty in this epic fantasy retelling of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I.

Set in the same world as Gratton's earlier Shakespeare fantasy retelling, The Queens of Innis Lear (2018), this new novel is set in the neighboring nation of Aremoria. Shakespeare's histories are perfectly suited for epic fantasy, what with all the battles and political intrigue, but this homage is also gender-flipped. Prince Hal is a woman, as are her "Lady Knight" friends and her mother, Queen Celeda. The titular Lady Hotspur is a brilliant soldier and commander, and she helps Celeda overthrow the king in the opening chapter. Hal and Hotspur's friend Banna Mora, the heir to the deposed king, is forced to give her title of "prince" to the new heir, Hal. Hal is uncomfortable with her position of authority and buries herself in partying and her intense romance with Hotspur. Banna Mora secretly plans to take back the throne, eventually teaming up with the prince of Innis Lear. Due to some thorny political issues familiar to anyone who knows the play (or just Googles it) and Hal's refusal of any princely responsibility, Hotspur eventually comes to side with Banna Mora against Hal, whom she still loves. A few references to the previous novel aside, this book isn't a sequel, nor does it have the same problems as its predecessor. The strange, magical culture of Innis Lear works much better alongside the more practical culture of Aremoria. Readers turned off by flowery, lyrical writing should look elsewhere, but Gratton maintains a dreamy tone that suits the story nicely. What's more, she writes in conversation with the bard instead of just copying him, using the play as a starting point for a tale about love, family, and creating space for your own story.

Not for everyone but an impressive feat.

Kirkus Reviews