THE KING’S FAVORITE – Susan Holloway Scott
A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II
A Perfect 10
NAL (Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 978-0-451-22406-4
July 2008
Historical Fiction

London, England – 1662

In Susan Holloway Scott’s latest novel, she paints a colorful picture of the darling of the Restoration Period of England’s grand history, Nell Gwyn, THE KING’S FAVORITE.

In the year 1661, Nell Gwyn, scamp and imp of Drury Lane, was growing up with a realistic portrait of just what her life would become if she did not take the reins. As the daughter of a less-than-glamorous whore, it did not take book education for Nell and her sister Rose to figure out just what they would grow up to be. Rose had her sights on the plumped pockets of gentleman and rogues looking for a good time, but Nell had stars in her eyes. She excelled at getting a crowd’s attention with a jig and a song, and it wasn’t long before she had caught the eye of Charles II’s ward, Lord Rochester. It was a quick friendship from there, and even though Nell had a deep affection for the king that England already loved, through Rochester she had her first glimpse of the man -- and king -- she would later hold dear in her heart as an adult woman.

Some people will do what they must in order to become noticed. In Nell’s case, she did what came naturally to gain King Charles II’s attention. As an orange girl (young girls who sold oranges and other fruit) in the King’s Theater, she was on one of the lowest rungs of the ladder in her bid to obtain the stardom she felt she deserved on stage. Theater was a magical world to Nell, and although she had no experience whatsoever, she did her utmost to impress the playwrights, key actors, and managers to let her go straight onto the stage. Alas, it was not meant to be, but being and working in the atmosphere was enough for Nellie Gwyn. Under the brutish eye of Mrs. Meggs, Nell flourished and developed her own style and theatrical chops. Before long it was Nell, the Orange Girl, and her antics they all came to see; the actual play became an afterthought (not that people attended plays for the art itself anyway).

While the theater was chiefly an arena to see and be seen, Charles was a devoted fan of the dramatic arts. In one fortunate night, he had his first look at the girl who had captured many hearts as he joked and flirted with Nell in the aisle. That night (in this reviewer’s opinion), despite her very young age, Nell fell deeply in love. Even though Charles had already proven his penchant for gathering mistresses like bibliophiles collect books (*ahem*), Nell could not see any fault in her king. It was a rapid journey from selling oranges to people taking note that put her on the stage. She had become the darling of London’s theater scene, and it wouldn’t be a much longer climb to Charles’s more amorous notice.

In THE KING’S FAVORITE, Susan Holloway Scott takes an already fascinating tale and makes it her own by telling it from Nell’s personalized perspective. What I found nifty, neat-o cool was that Ms. Scott took historians’ thoughts and beliefs and let Nell, in her own words, explain her side of it. While it is known that Charles was not only a fan of the arts, but of a woman’s lush curves as well, many believe that Nell entertained other lovers while she was the king’s mistress. We may never know, but this version of the actress-turned-favorite abolishes many of those opinions in a cheeky manner that is not only refreshing, but riveting as well.

For those who have read THE ROYAL HARLOT, Lady Castlemaine’s recounting of her own affair with Charles, THE KING’S FAVORITE truly takes off during the heyday of that relationship, in 1662, two years after his return to England from exile, and not long after the king marries Catherine of Braganza. What I found interesting is that even after it had been established that Nell was the king’s latest and well-seated mistress, she chose to continue her work in the theater. Never was she ashamed of her roots and even brought that integrity to her relationship with Charles, showing him just what it was like on the ‘other side of the throne’. She did not apologize for who she was and was quick to sympathize with the lesser people of England in those tipsy times; she was real, just like them.

THE KING’S FAVORITE is not only a great character study of a woman who has not always been judged in a positive light, but also a riveting story with Ms. Scott’s own theatrical spin. It’s not a huge step from there to bestow my own royal (*cough*) edict and call THE KING’S FAVORITE a Perfect 10 read. While the author has created her own fan base in historic romance as Miranda Jarrett, I believe that she has truly found her niche in historic fiction. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us in the future. Hmm, I hope she writes fast…

Amy Cunningham