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The Red Queen

Margaret Drabble

318 Pages
2023

The Red Queen

Canongate Books

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The Red Queen - Summary

A haunting tale of parallel lives across centuries, where the ghost of an 18th-century Korean crown princess mysteriously intertwines with the life of Dr. Babs Halliwell, a contemporary Oxford academic. The novel weaves together two compelling narratives: the intimate diary entries of a young girl thrust into royal Korean court life, and the present-day journey of Dr. Halliwell, who becomes increasingly consumed by the princess's story, discovering unsettling similarities between their lives.

Key Themes

1

The Echo of History in Present Lives

Through the supernatural connection between the Red Queen and Dr. Halliwell, the novel explores how historical figures can reach across time to influence and shape contemporary experiences, suggesting that human experiences and struggles remain fundamentally unchanged across centuries.

2

Power and Female Identity

The parallel stories examine how women navigate positions of power and intellectual pursuit in different eras, highlighting the constraints and opportunities that shape female identity in both historical Korean court life and modern academia.

3

Memory and Historical Legacy

The book delves deep into how stories and memories persist through time, questioning who gets to be remembered by history and how personal narratives can transcend death to influence future generations.

FAQ's

Yes, the Korean crown princess in the novel is inspired by Lady Hyegyong, a real historical figure who wrote detailed memoirs about life in the Joseon court during the 18th century.

The connection stems from shared experiences and psychological parallels between the two women, particularly in their struggles with identity, power, and personal fulfillment in their respective societies.

The supernatural element serves as a literary device to explore themes of historical memory and cultural inheritance, suggesting that the past is never truly dead but continues to influence and shape the present in mysterious ways.

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