Queen B Review

I love Juno Dawson’s writing — all her books I’ve read make me so sad. This Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series prequel about Anne Boleyn is making me even more impatient to be devastated further by Human Rites. Please come and rip my heart out, Juno!

I have been somewhat accidentally on a witch marathon recently, and Queen B has reminded me why witch narratives are so great. Discourse about witches often reflects attitudes towards real women, something Dawson consistently uses intentionally and effectively in her writing.

Queen B is a slight departure from the rest of the HMRC series. Dawson proves she can master a compelling novella (more difficult than it seems!) as well as a fantastical epic. The shift in historical vs. modern settings feels seamless — Dawson’s voice and style translate well to the historical context and has retained its social commentary and modern politics.

I received the advanced reader copy of Queen B but also listened to the audiobook narrated by the incomparable Nicola Coughlan, whose talents elevated my reading experience.