My Lady Jane

My Lady Jane (2016) is a work of young adult fiction by Jodi Meadows, Cynthia Hand, and Brodi Ashton, who collectively call themselves the “Lady Janies.” The book offers a fantastical retelling of the life of Lady Jane Grey, a short-lived queen from the Tudor era. In the book’s version of Tudor England, the minority Ethians (people who can turn into animals) are persecuted by the majority Verities (people who can’t). Against these tensions, the dying teenager King Edward makes his cousin Jane his heir. He marries her to Gifford, the Ethian son of his advisor, Dudley. However, he flees when he discovers Dudley is poisoning him, and then his bloodthirsty sister Mary seizes the throne from Jane. Edward, Jane, and Gifford must try to survive and regain power, learning about themselves and working together for the sake of their divided country.

Between them, the book’s three authors have published over 30 novels, novellas, and short stories, primarily young adult fantasy. Together, they have published five other books, which retell the stories of other famous historical or fictional women in a similar style to My Lady Jane. My Lady Jane was a New York Times Bestseller and was adapted into a six-part television series for Prime Video in 2024.

This guide uses the Walker Books paperback edition published in 2024.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of misogynistic attitudes, non-graphic violence and death, non-graphic mentions of sex, and discussion of terminal illness.

Plot Summary

In Tudor England, there is a rift between Verities, who traditionally hold power, and Ethians, who can turn into an animal form but have historically been persecuted. The teenage King Edward learns he is dying of sickness. His right-hand man, Lord Dudley, says they must resolve the succession: He is concerned that both of Edward’s sisters, Mary and Bess, will come down too strong on one side. He suggests that Edward’s beloved cousin Jane could inherit and marry his own son, Gifford, who turns into a horse each day. Edward sadly agrees.

Jane loves escaping into books. She is alarmed at the idea of marriage and horrified to learn that Gifford is apparently a womanizer. Gifford, who prefers to be called “G,” also tries to object, but his father insists. He is the least favorite son and is relieved to run free in horse-form by day. He goes to poetry events by night, under the guise of womanizing. At the wedding, they secretly find each other attractive, but each resents being forced into the marriage. When she sees Gifford’s horse form, Jane is furious that no one told her first, even though she loves the idea of the Ethians.

Edward deteriorates fast, and decides to let his beloved dog Pet accompany him in the palace. However, in private Pet turns into a human—she is actually the stable master’s daughter. She reveals that their family has always guarded the king. Pet says she can smell Edward’s food: Dudley is poisoning it.

Jane and G go to Dudley Castle for a honeymoon. On the way they encounter Ethian outlaws, the Pack, stealing from villagers. When Jane tries to help, Gifford prevents her. They discuss their thoughts about Ethians and about the social divide: Jane is idealistic, but G feels there’s not much they can do. They both agree that no one should be persecuted, and they bond over taking food to the villagers. They banter, warming to each other.

Edward realizes his sister Mary, a Verity who believes in killing Ethians, is complicit in his poisoning. He refuses to eat, but eventually Dudley and his men restrain him and force-feed him poison. He survives thanks to an antidote from his other sister Bess, who is secretly an Ethian with a cat form. She tells him to flee to their Gran’s place. He turns into a bird and flies away, discovering he too is an Ethian.

Dudley reports Edward’s death and has Jane crowned. She mourns Edward and is suspicious of Dudley, creating tension with G as they navigate the power dynamic. Mary rallies an army and seizes the throne. Dudley and the nobles quickly change loyalties. Mary prepares to execute Jane and G. Jane finds she also has an Ethian form: She turns into a ferret, enabling her to escape and free G. The stable master smuggles them a message about where Edward went.

Edward struggles with the demands of being on the run. He is still ill, and is used to having servants do everything for him. He can’t fully control when he changes form. He meets Gracie, a Scottish outlaw who can turn into a fox, who is skilled at surviving. He finds her very attractive, but there is awkwardness due to his administration’s treatment of Scots and Ethians. Nevertheless, she helps him get to Gran’s just in time for him to take an antidote that saves him. Bess meets them there.

Jane and G also head to Gran’s, led by Pet, who follows Edward’s scent. Neither can control their transformations: Jane becomes a ferret at night and G becomes a horse in the day, so they only have a few minutes together at dawn and dusk. Seeking food, they encounter the Pack, and Jane is injured, despite G telling her to stay back. They reach Gran’s just in time for Gran to tend her wounds.

Gracie and Gran try to help Jane, G, and Edward control their transformations, explaining it requires self-knowledge and mental strength. Bess leads the group in planning their next moves. They decide to try to win the support of the Pack, as they need numbers to confront Mary, but also because they all want to try to heal the social divide. Edward feels sheepish about his inaction as king when he sees Bess’s mix of idealism and pragmatism. He is worried about the Pack, as their leader, Archer, is Gracie’s ex, whom she left when she felt they were getting too violent.

Archer tells them he’ll only help if they do something for him: Kill a legendary bear that’s terrorizing the area. Edward and G use teamwork to complete the quest. Gracie remains to keep an eye on Archer, but G locks Jane up to stop her coming, creating a rift between them.

The group travels to France to seek the French King Henry’s support. Bess devises tactics for Edward to use, which involve bonding with Henry over a sexist idea that women shouldn’t rule. Edward is successful but internally re-examines his own ideas. With Gracie’s help they also win over Mary, Queen of Scots, who resents her own arranged betrothal. Edward asks to kiss Gracie, but she feels it isn’t possible because he is king. He wonders if he is the right person for kingship.

The combined forces make camp outside London. G and Jane resolve their rift as G acknowledges Jane’s right to autonomy, and Jane feels comfortable accepting her love for him. She finally controls her transformations but is sad that G still can’t control his, feeling he isn’t as motivated to stay with her. She masterminds a plan to seize the crown.

The armies attack London as a diversion, including Gracie, who fights with the Pack. Jane and Edward infiltrate the Tower in their animal forms and let in G, who faces down his father and imprisons him for a trial. Mary argues that the throne is hers by right as the eldest, but Bess takes the floor and successfully defends Edward’s right. Furious, Mary turns into a donkey, revealing that she is also an Ethian despite her persecution of them. She is imprisoned. Edward declines the crown and gives it to Bess instead, whom he feels is better equipped. Later, he visits Gracie, who reveals she’s now the leader of the Pack after Archer died in battle. They kiss.

G confesses his love to Jane and his feelings of inadequacy, finally enabling him to control his form. He reveals he was never a womanizer, but instead loved writing poems and plays. He reads her a sonnet. They have a second wedding, this time by choice.