Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race

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✦ BLURB ✦

As tradition has it, the king of Elben must marry six queens and magically bind each of them to one of the island's palaces or the kingdom will fall.

Clever, ambitious Boleyn is determined to be her beloved Henry's favorite queen. She relishes the games at court and the political rivalries with his other wives. Seymour is the opposite – originally sent to Boleyn's court as a reluctant spy and assassin, she ends up catching Henry's eye and is forced into a loveless marriage with the king.

But when the two queens become the unlikeliest of things – friends and allies – the balance of power begins to shift. Together, they uncover a dark and deadly truth at the heart of the island's magic. Boleyn and Seymour's only hope of survival rests on uniting all six of the rival queens – but Henry will never let that happen.

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✶ PRE-READING ✶

I picked this up because I love clever reimaginings of historical figures, and the premise - Henry VIII's wives reimagined as magically bound queens in a fantasy kingdom - sounded like it could be both biting and bold. I haven’t read Holly Race before, but I was curious how she'd handle themes of power, patriarchy, and solidarity through a fantasy lens. I was especially interested to see how she'd portray the queens not as rivals, but as potential allies.

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✶ POST-READING ✶

As I thought... This was a sharply written, inventive take on the Henry VIII narrative, using fantasy to heighten the stakes while still staying grounded in the emotional and political dynamics of the real women. The characterisation of Boleyn was especially strong - ambitious, flawed, captivating - and the courtly intrigue felt satisfyingly layered. The magic system tied beautifully into the symbolism of power, ownership, and legacy.

It surprised me by... ...how much emotional weight there was between the queens, especially Boleyn and Seymour. Their alliance felt earned and powerful, especially in a world that deliberately pits women against one another. The arc from suspicion to sisterhood hit hard. Also, the way the setting leaned into fairytale motifs - enchanted palaces, dark secrets, binding spells - gave it a haunting atmosphere that elevated the story beyond simple retelling. Holly clearly spent a lot of time planning Elben and the six magical palaces, and her love for it shines through. I couldn't decide which palace I liked more, but Seymour's underwater retreat is a favourite!

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✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦

Book Recommendation: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson – another magical reinterpretation of traditional female roles in British power structures, with found family and sharp political edges.

TV or Movie Recommendation: The Great (Hulu) – though it’s more satirical, it similarly examines queenship, ambition, and rebellion with wit, style, and historical license.

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✧ VIBE CHECK ✧

A colour palette: Garnet red, ash grey, midnight blue, and gold-leaf accents

A soundtrack: String quartet with sudden discordant swells, soft vocals layered over tense piano

A season: Late autumn - when the leaves have nearly all fallen and the air is thick with endings

A mood: Tense, opulent, quietly vengeful

A scent: Spiced wine and old parchment, with a hint of smoke from a just-extinguished candle

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★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★

The Hierophant (Reversed) – Silver Witchcraft Tarot. In this deck, the Hierophant watches silently as fairies and salamanders dance through a nighttime forest - ancient magic outside his control. Reversed, this card speaks to a crumbling institution, to knowledge and power that no longer flow through sanctioned rituals. It mirrors how Boleyn, Seymour, and the other queens begin to reclaim agency from the rigid roles they've been cast into. The binding ceremonies and royal structures may appear powerful, but true magic lies beyond the palace walls - in trust, in defiance, and in alliance.

Six Wild Crowns publishes on the 10th of June, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.