Conspiracy of Doves
Helen Conner
Helen Conner’s “Conspiracy of Doves” follows mixed race girl in alternate history Great Britain
UNITED KINGDOM, May 12, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — With her novel, “Conspiracy of Doves,” Helen Conner gives historical fiction buffs a treat, portraying an alternate timeline where a mixed race girl finds her place in the royal court during Elizabethan England. With this, readers can get a glimpse of the time period while following the compelling life stories of Conner’s protagonists.
The narrative follows a girl named Cat, who lives with her African mother in London during the time of Henry VIII. They make a living by washing clothes, eking out an existence among other commoners. Life during this time was not easy and Conner does not romanticize it, readers will see the difficulties everyday people encountered in this era. The narrative also portrays what it was like at the time to be an African in England. Readers will follow Cat’s struggles as she is taken captive by a man and how it profoundly affects her. At the same time, her mother is taken to a bawdy house in Southwark.
Later on, Cat is given to Queen Elizabeth as a gift, and interestingly enough she closely resembles the monarch despite their differences in skin color. In time they become close and Cat becomes privy to affairs of the kingdom and, in a twist of fate, meets the Italian cosmological theorist and occultist Giordano Bruno. During this time, Elizabethan era explorers would venture into the New World. And in Conner’s version of historical events, Bruno avoids his real-life fate and develops his practice of the art of memory, blending it with his cosmology and his beliefs in God which were considered theologically fraught during the time. Cat is in the middle of all this and readers will see the role she plays as the narrative diverges from historical events and goes down its own path.
With “Conspiracy of Doves” Conner makes full use of the possibilities offered by the alternate history genre, exploring the intriguing concepts practiced by Bruno, contributing to representation and diversity in the genre, and giving readers a mixed race protagonist to root for. In the author’s own words:
“I wanted to save Giordano and give him descendants. I also wanted to get a mixed race girl on the throne of Great Britain without killing off half the Royal Family. We’d like a little black in the Union Jack.”
About the Author
Helen Conner has spoken with Emmy award-winning journalist Kate Delaney on America Tonight. She is also associated with Brian Koz and Shawn Casey who have a mission to help small businesses succeed in the long term as most fail within 5-15 years.
BookTrail Agency
BookTrail Agency
+1 888-446-3094
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
