The Widow Queen

(Hardback)

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Swietoslawa is the youngest daughter of the great Duke Mieszko of Poland; "the bold one," the court calls her. Too bold, they whisper. To her family, Swietoslawa represents a chance; a marriage on which to build an empire. While Swietoslawa dreams of ruling without the yoke of a husband, her father looks toward the Northern kingdoms, where unrest provides opportunity. The Prince of Denmark, ambitious and hungry, plots his father's death. The King of Sweden, mighty and beloved, has no heir to give his crown. The exiled Norwegian prince, seeking vengeance for his father's murder and his throne. Each needs a wife, a queen. Swietoslawa will be that wife. But when her husband dies and she finds herself queen of a foreign land, she must reconcile her dreams with the harsh realities of an unforgiving world.

Reviews

"Elzbieta Cherezinska writes with great depth and imagination, bringing to life seductive and detailed worlds.--Olga Tokarczuk, Nobel Prize Laureate and Man Booker Prize winning author of Flights

The Widow Queen is the story of a woman standing strong in a world run by men, and of the sacrifices we must make for power and love. Elzbieta Cherezinska brings epic history to life with her own unique and recognizable voice. Her stories have emotion, drama, and make even the most well-known historical events feel exciting and fresh.--Tomek Baginski, Executive Producer, The Witcher, Netflix

"A fascinating and forgotten corner of history . . . Cherezinska brings to life a world of violence and beauty, superstition and intrigue."--Linnea Hartsuyker, author of The Half-Drowned King

"Fascinating, authentic, and beautifully told, The Widow Queen is the story of a forgotten Polish princess in an era of warriors, the headstrong, clever Swietoslawa--twice a queen, mother of kings. An impressive and compelling story brought vividly to life!"--Susan Fraser King, author of Lady Macbeth and Queen Hereafter

THE WIDOW QUEEN is a genuine gift for historical fiction enthusiasts: a deeply-detailed story of power, politics, and love--and the impossibility of keeping all three. In Swietoslawa, Elzbieta Cherezinska reveals to us a complex woman who was ignored by historians, rightfully elevating her to an equal standing with her more-famous allies and enemies. This carefully-crafted novel lives up to its protagonist's title: the Bold One.--Nathan Makaryk, author of Nottingham

"Look no further for your next great adventure. The Widow Queen unspools the true history of two courageous siblings, Boleslaw--the first and future King of Poland, and his daring sister Swietoslawa, fated to a royal destiny in a great Norse kingdom. Ranging across Baltic shores to the northern reaches of Scandinavia, and far West to King Ethelred's England, Cherezinska propels us through a tale of great personal and social transformation, from pagan to Christian, and private to political. This hidden history of a forgotten yet vitally important heroine brings Swietoslawa into the limelight she so richly deserves."--Octavia Randolph, author of The Circle of Ceridwen Saga

Author Bio

Elzbieta Cherezinska is the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of fourteen novels. She was born in Pila, a small town in the west of Poland, and currently resides on the Baltic coast in Kolobrzeg, Poland. The Widow Queen is her first novel to be translated into English. Maya Zakrzewska-Pim grew up in Warsaw, Poland. She studied English at Trinity College and has a PhD from Cambridge. Her previous Polish to English translations include Ignacy Karpowicz's Gestures and Sonka.