Pre-Tudor prose a royally good romp

Winnipeg Free Press

31-05-2025

Funny, clever and unapologetically filthy, English writer Jo Harkin's second novel explores the life of an obscure but fascinating figure in the 15th-century English royal court.
Harkin debuted as a novelist in 2022 with Tell Me An Ending, a work of literary sci-fi. She easily proves her depth as a writer with her switch to historical fiction in The Pretender.
Harkin's stark prose and unsentimental view of history will remind readers of fellow English author Hilary Mantel, best-known for her Wolf Hall series, set at the court of King Henry VIII of England.
The Pretender
Here the main character is Lambert Simnel, a pretender to the throne of King Henry VII of England (father of Henry VIII).
The novel opens on a remote farm in England in 1483, introducing readers to 10-year-old peasant John Collan.
When we first meet John, his biggest worry is avoiding the bad-tempered village goat on his way to collect water.
This changes when a nobleman arrives one day with astonishing news: John is actually Edward, Earl of Warwick, a member of the ruling House of York, nephew to the current King Richard III, and secret son of Richard's long-dead brother George, Duke of Clarence.
As the nobleman tells him, 'You are the earl of Warwick by title… and, after the present king and his progeny, you're next in line to the throne.'
Codenamed Lambert Simnel for now, the bewildered child is whisked away and groomed to take his place as heir to the throne when the time arrives.
Lambert is informally tutored by Joan, the daughter of one of his mentors, who is gifted with striking political savvy and a definite lack of conscience.
When Henry Tudor arrives in England and takes the throne from Richard III, Lambert's mentors plot to overthrow Henry and crown Lambert as the true King of England. But meanwhile, Lambert and Joan plot to take control of their own lives.
The best historical fiction not only explores the dynamics of the past, it draws parallels to present times.
Harkins does this skilfully. She explores themes of identity, misogyny, freedom and the biases of recorded history.
One passage even takes sly aim at the influence of misogynistic podcasters like Joe Rogan and incel culture: 'All the Roman poets hated women… Men who aren't wanted by women say women are shrews or strumpets,' points out Lambert's friend Joan.
While we know very little about the real-life Lambert Simnel beyond his role as a threat to Henry VII's rule, Harkins goes beyond this one episode of his life to explore how it may have affected his psyche:
'More than anything, he (Lambert) feels a great hatred for himself. His self? What is that? What part of him is this? Does it come from John Collan, or Lambert, or Edward, or Simnel? Is he any of them, even? Who the f— is he?' Lambert frets.
Harkins is gleefully dirty in her writing, dropping references to sex and bodily functions as often as horses drop, well, poop.
While this adds humour and makes her writing stand out against dominant historical novelists such as Philippa Gregory and historian-turned-novelist Alison Weir, it does seem gratuitous at times.
Kathryne Cardwell is a Winnipeg writer.