--- product_id: 4098046 title: "The Queen's Fool" price: "₪69" currency: ILS in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.il/products/4098046-the-queens-fool store_origin: IL region: Israel --- # The Queen's Fool **Price:** ₪69 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Queen's Fool - **How much does it cost?** ₪69 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.il](https://www.desertcart.co.il/products/4098046-the-queens-fool) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description #1 New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” ( USA TODAY ) Philippa Gregory weaves a spellbinding tale of a young woman with the ability to see the future in an era when destiny was anything but clear. Winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee with her father from their home in Spain. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee; she has the gift of “Sight,” the ability to foresee the future, priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward’s protector, who brings her to court as a “holy fool” for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up with her own yearnings and desires. Teeming with vibrant period detail and peopled by characters seamlessly woven into the sweeping tapestry of history, The Queen’s Fool is a rich and emotionally resonant gem from a masterful storyteller. Review: Excellent historical fiction - I remember being extremely impressed by Ms. Gregory's first novel, Wideacre, a sprawling family saga whose protagonist made Scarlett O'Hara look like a Girl Scout. Although she has been writing historical novels for a few years, this is the first one I have read, and I enjoyed it immensely. Hannah Green (nee Verde) and her father are secret Jews (at least to the extent that Judaism has been passed down to them) who have fled from Spain after the arrest and burning of Hannah's mother, and Hannah, who has "the Sight," is brought by John Dudley, the Protector of the young Edward VI, to the king's court as a "holy fool" and spy. Dazzled by Dudley's son, Robert (the future favorite of Queen Elizabeth I) and caught up in the intrigues of court life, Hannah lives through the turbulent final months of Edward's reign, the short-lived attempt to place Lady Jane Grey upon the English throne, and the five-year reign of "Bloody Mary." Torn between conflicting loyalties to those she serves and to her family, including her betrothed, later her husband, she moves back and forth between the public and private spheres, giving a unique perspective on both the historical events and on the lives of "the People," as she calls the Jews. She moves from resentment to acceptance and finally to embrace of her responsibilities to both family and faith. To me, this book is unusual in that it offers a rare sympathetic and primary view of Queen Mary. Although those that focus on Elizabeth usually do portray Mary with some understanding, she is always subordinate to her younger sister, who outshines her in fiction as she did in life. Hannah's view of Elizabeth, on the other hand, while sometimes admiring, sometimes censorious, is much more objective than her warm regard for Mary. Perhaps it is her status as a Jew, but she seems able to look upon both as living, breathing women rather than as the symbols of religious and political power that they can often be to other characters. Other historical personages also have depth and ambiguity, including Lord Robert, who is ambitious and a practiced seducer but ends up having a real regard and respect for Hannah. I thought she was a little hard on Robert's wife Amy, portraying her as not only virtually illiterate and incurious but also mentally unbalanced. Hannah and her family, particularly her faithful husband and her scholarly father, also feel like real, vibrant people, although her disapproving in-laws may hew a bit too closely to stereotypes. I would like to have seen more exploration of the motivations and background of Daniel's mother. I don't know if Ms. Gregory has any real-life connection to Judaism, but the thing that I found most powerful about The Queen's Fool, apart from the scene where Hannah finds herself unable to burn her father's "heretical" books, even to protect herself, is the haunting sadness of a culture that is being lost generation by generation, as her father and mother-in-law struggle to remember the prayers and practices that have been passed down to them, and to pass them on to their children. Review: A fool in every sense of the word... - The Queen's Fool is the coming of age story of Hannah Green, a 14 year old Jewish girl, who lived during the time of the Inquisition. Hannah and her Father must flee Spain in order to avoid persecution, and wind up living in England. Hannah has the unique gift of "Sight", the ability to predict the future. When her talent is discovered by Robert Dudley, of the powerful Dudley family, Hannah finds herself "Begged as a Holy Fool" to the court of King Edward, and then his successor, Queen Mary. Hannah cares deeply for the Catholic Queen, but also admires the Queen's sister, the Protestant Princess Elizabeth. The two sisters are at odds with one another, for both political and religious reasons. Hannah is asked to spy for both sisters on different occasions, and her loyalties are divided. She makes some questionable decisions at times, and consequently, puts her Father, and the family of her betrothed, Daniel, at risk. There are situations in this novel that are far-fetched at times, but somehow it all works. (It is fiction, after all!) It is very interesting to view the relationship of Queen Mary and Princess Elizabeth through the eyes of someone who cares for them both. Hannah's story is very intriguing as well. She is a young girl in search of a Mother figure, a home, love, and religious acceptance. In the beginning of the story, she seems lost, but through her experiences, and those of the royal sisters, Hannah discovers who she is, and the woman she wants to become. Overall, this book was very touching, and I found myself thinking about it for some time. Highly readable and recommended!! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #249,418 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #52 in Renaissance Historical Fiction (Books) #1,954 in Historical British & Irish Literature #2,518 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 6,193 Reviews | ## Images ![The Queen's Fool - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81kb9N-X3mL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent historical fiction *by L***K on December 23, 2005* I remember being extremely impressed by Ms. Gregory's first novel, Wideacre, a sprawling family saga whose protagonist made Scarlett O'Hara look like a Girl Scout. Although she has been writing historical novels for a few years, this is the first one I have read, and I enjoyed it immensely. Hannah Green (nee Verde) and her father are secret Jews (at least to the extent that Judaism has been passed down to them) who have fled from Spain after the arrest and burning of Hannah's mother, and Hannah, who has "the Sight," is brought by John Dudley, the Protector of the young Edward VI, to the king's court as a "holy fool" and spy. Dazzled by Dudley's son, Robert (the future favorite of Queen Elizabeth I) and caught up in the intrigues of court life, Hannah lives through the turbulent final months of Edward's reign, the short-lived attempt to place Lady Jane Grey upon the English throne, and the five-year reign of "Bloody Mary." Torn between conflicting loyalties to those she serves and to her family, including her betrothed, later her husband, she moves back and forth between the public and private spheres, giving a unique perspective on both the historical events and on the lives of "the People," as she calls the Jews. She moves from resentment to acceptance and finally to embrace of her responsibilities to both family and faith. To me, this book is unusual in that it offers a rare sympathetic and primary view of Queen Mary. Although those that focus on Elizabeth usually do portray Mary with some understanding, she is always subordinate to her younger sister, who outshines her in fiction as she did in life. Hannah's view of Elizabeth, on the other hand, while sometimes admiring, sometimes censorious, is much more objective than her warm regard for Mary. Perhaps it is her status as a Jew, but she seems able to look upon both as living, breathing women rather than as the symbols of religious and political power that they can often be to other characters. Other historical personages also have depth and ambiguity, including Lord Robert, who is ambitious and a practiced seducer but ends up having a real regard and respect for Hannah. I thought she was a little hard on Robert's wife Amy, portraying her as not only virtually illiterate and incurious but also mentally unbalanced. Hannah and her family, particularly her faithful husband and her scholarly father, also feel like real, vibrant people, although her disapproving in-laws may hew a bit too closely to stereotypes. I would like to have seen more exploration of the motivations and background of Daniel's mother. I don't know if Ms. Gregory has any real-life connection to Judaism, but the thing that I found most powerful about The Queen's Fool, apart from the scene where Hannah finds herself unable to burn her father's "heretical" books, even to protect herself, is the haunting sadness of a culture that is being lost generation by generation, as her father and mother-in-law struggle to remember the prayers and practices that have been passed down to them, and to pass them on to their children. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A fool in every sense of the word... *by M***R on April 18, 2007* The Queen's Fool is the coming of age story of Hannah Green, a 14 year old Jewish girl, who lived during the time of the Inquisition. Hannah and her Father must flee Spain in order to avoid persecution, and wind up living in England. Hannah has the unique gift of "Sight", the ability to predict the future. When her talent is discovered by Robert Dudley, of the powerful Dudley family, Hannah finds herself "Begged as a Holy Fool" to the court of King Edward, and then his successor, Queen Mary. Hannah cares deeply for the Catholic Queen, but also admires the Queen's sister, the Protestant Princess Elizabeth. The two sisters are at odds with one another, for both political and religious reasons. Hannah is asked to spy for both sisters on different occasions, and her loyalties are divided. She makes some questionable decisions at times, and consequently, puts her Father, and the family of her betrothed, Daniel, at risk. There are situations in this novel that are far-fetched at times, but somehow it all works. (It is fiction, after all!) It is very interesting to view the relationship of Queen Mary and Princess Elizabeth through the eyes of someone who cares for them both. Hannah's story is very intriguing as well. She is a young girl in search of a Mother figure, a home, love, and religious acceptance. In the beginning of the story, she seems lost, but through her experiences, and those of the royal sisters, Hannah discovers who she is, and the woman she wants to become. Overall, this book was very touching, and I found myself thinking about it for some time. Highly readable and recommended!! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful and hard to put down! *by P***O on January 27, 2026* Great character development, beautiful descriptions. The story makes you feel like you are part of it, anxiously waiting for the next chapter. I read into the wee hours several nights! ## Frequently Bought Together - The Queen's Fool - The Taming of the Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.il/products/4098046-the-queens-fool](https://www.desertcart.co.il/products/4098046-the-queens-fool) --- *Product available on Desertcart Israel* *Store origin: IL* *Last updated: 2026-05-17*