#BlogTour The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn

 

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn, published by Simon & Schuster. 

'The smallest man. The biggest heart. The mightiest story. A compelling story, perfect for fans of The Doll Factory and The Familiars.'

About the Author

Frances Quinn read English at King’s College, Cambridge, and is a journalist and copywriter. She has written for magazines including Prima, Good Housekeeping, She, Woman’s Weekly and Ideal Home. She lives in Brighton with her husband and who Tonkinese cats. The Smallest Man is her first novel. 

Follow @franquinn on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy The Smallest Man

About the book

Nat Davy longs to grow tall and strong and be like other boys, but at the age of ten, he’s confronted with the truth; he’s different, and the day when the stares and whispers stop is never going to come.

Narrowly escaping life in a freak show, he’s plucked from his family and presented as a gift to the new young queen of England – a human pet to add to her menagerie of dogs and monkeys. But when Nat realises she’s as lost and lonely as he is, the two misfits begin an unlikely friendship – one that takes him on an unforgettable journey, as England slides into the civil war that will tear it apart and ultimately lead the people to kill their king.

Inspired by a true story, and spanning two decades that changed England for ever, The Smallest Man is narrated by an irrepressible hero with his own unique perspective on life. His story is about being different, but not letting it hold you back. About being brave enough to take a chance, even if the odds aren’t good. And about how, when everything else is falling apart, true friendship holds people together

Review

Nat Davy knows he is small, but thinks nothing of it until the meeting with someone just like him teaches him a hard lesson and sets him on the path he is destined to walk upon in motion. As a child he experiences the ultimate rejection and betrayal when he is sold to the highest bidder.

He ends up by the side of the Queen of England, at first as her pet, then perhaps as something akin to two strangers against the rest of the court. As the country heads towards a civil war Nat grows into the man he might not have been had he not been sold, then again you never know.

If you know your British history you may recognise the true story behind The Smallest Man. The unfortunate Charles I married Henrietta Maria, and that young queen was presented with a dwarf. A man called Jeffrey Hudson, often referred to as Lord Minimus or the Queen's dwarf. A pet, something curious to behold and laugh at.  

It's historical fiction based on facts. Quinn takes inspiration from truth and uses it create a compelling story. It's almost as if the reader can imagine themselves in Nat's place, as he discovers he is different and not able to be the son his father expects. As he feels the humiliation of being nothing more than an object of ridicule. Nobody thinks of him as the child who grows into the man with the same desires and ambition as other men.

It wasn't until after I finished the book I read that this is Quinn's first novel. I was really surprised, I thought it was work written by an established author of fiction. It certainly felt that way from start till finish. Saying that, I really hope it isn't the last, because Quinn is an excellent storyteller and this was clearly just the tip of the iceberg.

Buy The Smallest Man at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon & Schuster Uk, pub date 7 January 2021 / Hardback /£14.99. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive. At Bookshop.org. At Waterstones.