Book Club: The Dangerous Kingdom of Love
Neil Blackmore takes us inside the court of King James I.
Published in 2021, The Dangerous Kingdom of Love is the fourth novel from Neil Blackmore.
What's it about?
Francis Bacon is a philosopher, politician, writer, and a key player in the court of King James I.
When his political enemies - including the King's lover Robert Carr - move against him, Bacon is determined to fight for his survival.
In alliance with the Queen, Bacon resolves to find a beguiling young man who can supplant Carr in the King's bed. However, desire is not a weapon that is easily controlled.
What's the context of the story
Blackmore is drawing on real people and events for the plot-points of his story.
James I came to power in England in 1603 after the death of Elizabeth I. James and Elizabeth were cousins, both descendants of Henry VII. Upon her death, James was Elizabeth's closest living relative.
This is the Jacobean era of British history.
The key events in this story are inspired by the Overbury affair - a murder scandal that rocked the royal court. In 1613, Thomas Overbury was poisoned while he was being held prisoner in the Tower of London.
Is The Dangerous Kingdom of Love worth reading?
Told in the first-person, the story is narrated by Francis Bacon but he frequently delivers Brechtian caustic asides to the reader.
Giving us a vivid picture of London at that time, the novel also includes plenty of graphic sexual encounters - which you don't often get with historical novels.
As well as the sex, Blackmore also explores the duality that queer men had to navigate at that time. Everyone knew that the king's favourites were his lovers but allegations of sodomy could ruin a man's life. Despite the potential consequences, men still sought out each other for sex.
Francis Bacon is an unreliable narrator - we are seeing this world through his eyes, we are seeing his power-plays from his perspective. It's a subtle reminder that we shouldn't always believe what people tell us about themselves.
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