by Rose Tremain
First published 2000
Peter Claire steps off the ship into the Danish court of King Christian IV in 1629. The young English lutenist has come to join the royal orchestra, but his first rehearsal takes place in a frigid cellar beneath the king's chambers. The court seethes with conflict between opposing forces of virtue and corruption. King Christian IV calls Peter his "Angel" for his handsome appearance, yet Peter finds himself drawn to a young woman who serves as companion to Queen Kirsten, the king's unfaithful and estranged wife. As Peter navigates the treacherous currents of court politics, his divided loyalties threaten to destroy him. He must choose between his duty to the king and his growing love for the queen's companion. The Danish court becomes a battlefield where music wars against silence, light struggles with darkness, and tenderness fights violence. Peter searches for a way to honor both his heart and his conscience in a place where such choices can prove fatal.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, music
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: divided-loyalties, enemies-to-lovers
Setting: Danish Court, Denmark
Period: 1629
480 pages · Hardcover · Farrar, Straus and Giroux