The Winter Queen: A Novel

An immensely moving account of a strange and magical interracial love affair,The Winter Queen illuminates the Netherlands of the seventeenth century. Amid the dark ambiance of the time, the exiled Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia and Pelagius, a West African prince and former slave, fall in love and secretly marry. With great erudition and compassion, Jane Stevenson vividly renders both a portrait of an extraordinary relationship and a tumultuous political history. Set against a historical backdrop enriched with the art, philosophy, and religion of the Dutch Golden Age, "scene succeeds scene in Vermeer-like richness of color" (Memphis Commercial Appeal).

"Finely nuanced . . . a bright and engaging portrait of private lives rendered against a broad and vivid canvas of human history." Kirkus Reviews

"Well-crafted, moody portrait of royal striving and human need . . . highly recommended." Library Journal Starred

"A testament to her astonishing skills. Like the late Penelope Fitzgerald, Stevenson is a meticulous fabulist."

The New Yorker

"Deploying a remarkable depth of knowledge with offhand grace, [Stevenson] writes with a casual versatility . . . a very modern love story." The New York Times Book Review

"Stevenson's knowledge of the period's physical detail [is] impressive, and her way of mixing religion, science, and politics is fascinating." Book Magazine