Book Review: The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory

The King’s Curse by Philippa Gregory
Book 6 in The Cousin’s War Series
Unabridged, 24 hr. 11 min.
Simon & Schuster Audio
Bianca Amato (Narrator)
September 9, 2014
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received the download from the publisher for review

“Regarded as yet another threat to the volatile King Henry VII's claim to the throne, Margaret Pole, cousin to Elizabeth of York (known as the White Princess) and daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, is married off to a steady and kind Lancaster supporter - Sir Richard Pole. For his loyalty, Sir Richard is entrusted with the governorship of Wales, but Margaret's contented daily life is changed forever with the arrival of Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon. Margaret soon becomes a trusted advisor and friend to the honeymooning couple, hiding her own royal connections in service to the Tudors.

After the sudden death of Prince Arthur, Katherine leaves for London a widow, and fulfills her deathbed promise to her husband by marrying his brother, Henry VIII. Margaret's world is turned upside down by the surprising summons to court, where she becomes the chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. But this charmed life of the wealthiest and "holiest" woman in England lasts only until the rise of Anne Boleyn, and the dramatic deterioration of the Tudor court. Margaret has to choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical king, or to her beloved queen; to the religion she loves or the theology which serves the new masters. Caught between the old world and the new, Margaret Pole has to find her own way as she carries the knowledge of an old curse on all the Tudors.”

This is actually the first book in The Cousin’s War series that I have read, although I do own the majority of them. I can tell you that you do not need to have read the other books in this series to enjoy this book, it reads as a stand-alone book with references to people who are featured in the other entries in this series.

I have read many other Gregory novels in the past and the style here is no different than that of her Tudor series. In this installment we are treated to Margaret Pole and the issues facing her family at the hands of Henry VII and ultimately Henry VIII. Some of the events that unfold in this book will feel a little repetitive if you have read The Constant Princess, also by Philippa Gregory. Margaret Pole is young Katherine of Aragon’s lady and she is embroiled in the whole “did they or didn’t they” scandal that surrounds Katherine and Prince Arthur’s marriage, but this time seen from a slightly different view.

I ultimately liked the Pole family featured in this novel – I found them to be likable and their story interesting and engaging (Gregory is fairly sympathetic to the York family). There always seems to be one bad egg in every family, and the Pole family has one of those too. I felt bad for all of the things that this family had to go through at the hands of the King of England. It had to be quite an unsettling time to live through, full of uncertainty. As the book is being told in the first person the end is very interesting, and I think very well done, for how Margaret’s story ends.

Overall this was a good read with just a few small places where the story slowed down.

Oh, and the curse? We are beat over the head with what that is all about. Subtlety is not her strong point.

★★★★ ½☆

Bianca Amato is a prolific historical fiction narrator. She narrates all of The Cousin’s War series and a few of the Tudor novels, as well as other books by Tasha Alexander, Celia Rees, Karen Essex and others. She has won Audiofile awards for her narrations of Gregory’s novels. And all of these awards are deserved because the narration of this book was a hit. Amato’s narration helped to gloss over some of those areas when the writing was spotty.

Author Philippa Gregory also has written the following books in The Cousin’s War series: The White Queen, The Red Queen, The Kingmaker’s Daughter, The Lady of the Rivers, and The White Princess. You can visit Gregory’s website for additional information about the book.

My reviews of other books by this author:

• The Boleyn Inheritance
•  The Constant Princess
• The Other Bolyen Girl
• The Queen’s Fool

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• That’s What She Read
• Confessions of a Book Addict

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

 

Copyright © 2015 by The Maiden’s Court

New Book Alert – Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard + Giveaway

Author Cynthia Haggard is currently touring with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and is making a stop here today with a giveaway. 

Thwarted Queen
By Cynthia Haggard
Paperback, 496 pages
Createspace
ISBN: 978-1-480-15539-8
October 29, 2012

Book Blurb:

THWARTED QUEEN is a portrait of a woman trapped by power, a marriage undone by betrayal, and a King brought down by fear.

Cecylee is the apple of her mother’s eye. The seventh daughter, she is the only one left unmarried by 1424, the year she turns nine. In her father’s eyes, however, she is merely a valuable pawn in the game of marriage. The Earl of Westmorland plans to marry his youngest daughter to 13-year-old Richard, Duke of York, who is close to the throne. He wants this splendid match to take place so badly, he locks his daughter up.

The event that fuels the narrative is Cecylee’s encounter with Blaybourne, a handsome archer, when she is twenty-six years old. This love affair produces a child (the “One Seed” of Book II), who becomes King Edward IV. But how does a public figure like Cecylee, whose position depends upon the goodwill of her husband, carry off such an affair? The duke could have locked her up, or disposed of this illegitimate son.

But Richard does neither, keeping her firmly by his side as he tries to make his voice heard in the tumultuous years that encompass the end of the Hundred Years War - during which England loses all of her possessions in France - and the opening phase of the Wars of the Roses. He inherits the political mantle of his mentor Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, and become’s the people’s champion. The rambunctious Londoners are unhappy that their country has become mired in misrule due to the ineptitude of a King prone to fits of madness. Nor are they better pleased by the attempts of the King’s French wife to maneuver herself into power, especially as she was responsible for England’s losses in France. But can Richard and Cecylee prevail? Everywhere, their enemies lurk in the shadows.

This book is filled with many voices, not least those of the Londoners, who forged their political destiny by engaging in public debate with the powerful aristocrats of the time. By their courageous acts, these fifteenth-century Londoners set the stage for American Democracy.

You can follow along with the rest of the tour at the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours site or on Twitter with the following hashtag: #ThwartedQueenVirtualTour.

And now a giveaway for you all.  I have one paperback copy up for grabs to one resident of the USA.  Giveaway will be open until March 10th.  Entry by Rafflecopter below.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith

Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith

ARC, Paperback, 528 pages

Touchstone

May 10, 2011

★★★★★

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received from publisher for review as part of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

“In Cecily Neville, duchess of York and ancestor of every English monarch to the present day, she has found her most engrossing character yet. History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father’s household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Queen by Right marks Anne Easter Smith’s greatest achievement, a book that every fan of sweeping, exquisitely detailed historical fiction will devour.”

I have read a couple of books that took place during the Wars of the Roses and dealing with the battle between King Henry VI and Edward of York. This was the first book that I have read that takes place during the events that actually ignite this battle of wills. The book begins almost at the end – Cecily, Duchess of York is looking back at the events that led up to the death of her dear husband and son five short weeks ago. We go back and look at her life from the early days when she was the Rose of Raby and the light of her father’s eye, we see her grow to love her husband, Richard, Duke of York, and we endure all of the triumphs and tragic events that they endure. Throughout this retelling we get glimpses of the present and understand what Cecily is thinking now after the fact. It is a look into her soul and the decisions that they made.

There is no doubt what side of the argument that the author writes from and I enjoyed reading the York perspective of events that I had only previously read from a Lancastrian viewpoint. With every book I read set during the Wars of the Roses I am persuaded to switch my loyalties and this book was no different. One of my favorite parts of this novel was the development of the love between Richard and Cecily. They were friends as children and grew to respect and encourage each other and truly find a love match. It felt so realistic and organic to the characters. This was the first book that truly made me like Richard of York – until about the last 50ish pages when I felt like his character took a complete turn around and was back to what I did not like about him. Cecily on the other hand I absolutely admired and thought that she was so brave in the midst of what was going on around her.

A unique angle that I did not expect was the inclusion of the storyline of Joan of Arc and her connection throughout the novel to Cecily. While the author admits in the historical note that there is no evidence showing that these two women ever met they were certainly in each other’s vicinity and it did add to the weighty-ness of the novel and filled out Cecily’s character. I had never really thought of Joan of Arc set historically and this novel certainly helped solve that issue for me. Another thing that I found interesting (don’t quote me on this because I don’t have Daughter of York on hand) was that the beginning of this novel seemed very similar to the beginning of Daughter of York. I recollect Cecily coming to the rescue of her daughter Margaret’s nightmare following the death of Richard in both books. This would make sense with both of these novels taking off from the same point in history (one on the mother and one on the daughter) and it ties both of them together.

Overall I thought that this was a wonderful novel – not overly vilifying the Lancasters – and telling this wonderful story.

If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book?

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Burton Book Review
• Rundpinne

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Anne Easter Smith

Daughter of York
[My Review]

A Rose for the Crown

Royal Mistress

The King’s Grace

Find Anne Easter Smith: Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Follow the Tour

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours site.

Copyright © 2011 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth

Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth

ARC, Paperback, 464 pages

Berkley Trade

February 1, 2011

★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received from publisher for review for HFBRT February event

“From the award-winning author of The King's Daughter comes a story of love and defiance during the War of the Roses.

It is 1497. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, has thundered across Europe, setting royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocking the fledgling Tudor dynasty. Stepping finally onto English soil, Catherine arrives at the island of Saint Michael’s Mount, along with her husband and young son Dickon, their second child already on the way. With the keen support of Scotland’s King James IV,
Richard—known in England as Perkin Warbeck—has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Based on a prophecy given Catherine by a seer that she would be loved by a king, she has no doubt Richard will succeed in his quest. But rather than assuming the throne she believed was their destiny, Catherine would soon be prisoner of King Henry VII, and her beloved husband would, unimaginably, be stamped as an imposter.

Nothing could shake Catherine’s belief in Richard and her loyalty to the man she loved. She became a favored lady-in-waiting to the queen, Elizabeth of York, but her dazzling beauty only brought her unwanted affections from a jealous king and enmeshed her in a terrifying royal love triangle. With her husband facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the glittering but deadly Tudor Court, finds the courage to spurn a cruel monarch and shape her own destiny, winning the admiration of a nation.”

This story takes on a unique subject in the genre of historical fiction – that of the quest of Richard, Duke of York to reclaim his throne, but he is known to the world as Perkin Warbeck, the pretender to the throne. I love when authors take on a subject that has very rarely been written about. In my opinion, Sandra Worth does Richard much justice. He was just waiting for the right author to come along and write his story. Her writing style really allows you to connect with Richard and uncover his thoughts and feelings and motivations. The author also presents and very convincing case that suggests the person known as Perkin Warbeck was really Richard. Honestly Richard was a character you could easily fall in love with. I haven’t encountered one of those since William Marshall and Roger Bigod from The Greatest Knight and For the King’s Favor respectively.

At the same time, this book is a story of Catherine Gordon and the adversity that she faces being married to Richard and then later having to live in the court of Henry VII, the great enemy of her husband. Her and Richard really were fighting an uphill battle throughout the whole book and I just kept thinking, “could they ever catch a break!?”.

All of the books I have read where Henry VII was involved, he played a minor character and I was never really given enough information to even have an opinion about him. In Pale Rose of England Henry is very much a key player in the story and I really came to despise him – he just caused problem after problem for our protagonists. Another thing that I really enjoyed about the characters in this book was that it wasn’t your typical Tudor cast of characters. You had Catherine and Richard, as well as King James of Scotland, James Strangeways (courtier to Henry and her eventual second husband), and Matthew Craddock (her eventual third husband) as well as several of the sisters of Elizabeth of York (Cecily, Anne, Catherine and Bridget). It was great to see a little more of who was who in this time period.

A truly wonderful read that will pull on your heartstrings.

If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book?

You can also watch the book trailer below.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• The Tudor Book Blog
• Booking Mama

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Sandra Worth

The King’s Daughter

The Rose of York: Love & War (Book 1)


The Rose of York: Crown of Destiny (Book 2)

The Rose of York: Fall From Grace (Book 3)

Lady of the Roses


Find Sandra Worth: Website | Facebook 

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Also as part of the HFBRT event, check out:

A guest post by Sandra Worth at Historical-Fiction.com
A highlight on Sandra Worth at HFBRT




Copyright © 2011 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: Daughter of York by Anne Easter Smith

Daughter of York by Anne Easter Smith

Unabridged, 23 hr.

Random House

Rosalyn Landor (Narrator)

February 15, 2008

★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Digital Download from my Library

“It is 1461: Edward, son of Richard of York, ascends to the throne, and his willful sister, Margaret, immediately becomes a pawn in European politics as Edward negotiates her marriage. The young Margaret falls deeply in love with Anthony Woodville, the married brother of Edward's queen, Elizabeth. But Edward has arranged for his sister to wed Charles, son of the Duke of Burgundy, and soon Margaret is setting sail for her new life. Her official escort: Anthony
Woodville.

Margaret of York eventually commanded the respect and admiration of much of Europe, but it appears to history that she had no emotional intimate. Anne Easter Smith's rare gift for storytelling and her extensive research reveal the love that burned at the center of Margaret's life, adding a new dimension to the story of one of the fifteenth century's most powerful women.”

I have a confession to make – this was my first read based on The War of the Roses! Gasp…I know…I don’t know what took me so long – but now that I have broken that spine I am reading more and more about it now. I think that this was a decent introduction to that time period because it doesn’t just throw you right into the War. You get a little bit of life before the War on the York side and as we follow Margaret’s story, you really are not right in the middle of everything. As Margaret is living in Burgundy, she isn’t in England and just hears news from messengers and her brothers when they come by. This made it possible to dip your toes in the water and generally get a sense of what was going on – so the next book I read I will be ready for more intrigue and action. It was really interesting to get a sort of outsider’s perspective on the War. She certainly has her loyalties, as she is a York, but she isn’t being directly affected by it.

As I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about the characters in this book prior to reading it, my opinions of them were not tainted either way going into it. And let me tell you I was so surprised as I got toward the end of the book and suddenly realized that young Dickon would eventually become King Richard III. I know that he is a polarizing figure in this era of history – but I was really loving him as a young boy! And just to throw it out there, I still don’t think that I am on either side of the fence about him yet.

Overall, the story was a delightful read that helped introduce me to the world of The War of the Roses.

★★★★½☆

Choosing to read this as an audio book turned out to be a blessing and a curse. It was great because I loved hearing the accents and pronunciation of words and the reading was superb, but it was SO long (I’m pretty sure it was about 18 disks). This was one of those times that I really wished I could flip back a few chapters to reference something or reread a few pages to get back on track after taking the weekend off from reading it. I will take this into consideration when I think about reading other books by this author.

You can listen to a sample from the audiobook here (links to Audible):

Here is a video with Anne Easter Smith talking a little about Daughter of York and her writing process.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Jenny Loves to Read
• Medieval Bookworm

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Anne Easter Smith

A Rose for the Crown

Queen by Right
[My Review]

The King’s Grace

Royal Mistress

Find Anne Easter Smith: Website | Facebook | Goodreads 

Copyright © 2010 by The Maiden’s Court

Berengaria of Navarre - Queen of England

Berengaria of Navarre might be a medieval queen that you have never heard of. I had heard the name mentioned before but knew very little of her. There is a reason for that though, very little is actually known about her.

Berengaria was one of the daughters of the King of Navarre. She likely met Richard when he came to Navarre when she was a young girl and he was traveling around. They didn’t meet again until Queen Eleanor decided that this girl would be a good match for her son, now King Richard I, the Lionheart. As Richard had set out on Crusade already, Eleanor brought Berengaria to him. Historians are skeptical that this was a love match because it seems that Richard kept trying to put off the wedding. His excuse was that it was Lent and would not be prudent to host a wedding party. It is also questioned as to whether the marriage was consummated or not – the couple never did have any children during their marriage.

As this leg of the Crusade drew to a close, Richard sent his wife and his sister back ahead of him to France. As we know, Richard was captured and held hostage on his way back. After he was released, Richard headed back to England – leaving his queen in France. He tried setting things straight in England after his long absence, but didn’t seem in a hurry to recall his wife. Finally the Pope stepped in and ordered him to reunite with his wife. So he headed to get her.

Sometime after that, Richard was struck with a poisoned arrow and while on his deathbed and later at his funeral – Berengaria was not called for – and she was less than a day’s ride away. Following his death, Berengaria fought with King John for her pension and he would not give it to her. Finally after his death, his son granted her the pension. The rest of her days not much is known about. She was buried at the abbey at Le Mans, which she helped fund.

Berengaria is most known for being the only English queen to never set foot on England’s soil. It doesn’t sound to me like she had a love match, although it doesn’t sound half as bad as some other royal marriages. The marriage of Richard and Berengaria is fictionalized in the novel The Passionate Brood by Margaret Campbell Barnes – and she makes it sound a little more like a love match – but you definitely get to know Berengaria!

Copyright © 2010 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Passionate Brood by Margaret Campbell Barnes

The Passionate Brood by Margaret Campbell Barnes

Paperback (Reprint), 368 pages

Sourcebooks Landmark

October 1, 2010

★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received from publisher for review

“In this compelling novel of love, loyalty, and lost chances, Margaret Campbell Barnes gives readers a new perspective on Richard the Lionheart’s triumphs and tragedies. Drawing on folklore, Barnes explores what might have happened if King Richard’s foster brother were none other than Robin Hood, a legendary figure more vibrant than most in authentic history. Thick as thieves as Richard builds a kingdom and marshals a crusade, the two clash when Robin Hood so provokes the king’s white hot temper that Richard banishes him. The Passionate Brood is a tale of a man driven to win back the Holy Land, beset by the guilt of casting out his childhood friend, and shouldering the burden of being the lionhearted leader of the Plantagenets”

For a novel whose title states it’s a novel of Richard the Lionheart and the man who became Robin Hood, there is fairly little Robin in this novel. He has a semi-prominent role in the first quarter of the book and then appears again in the last few pages, although he is never far from Richard’s thoughts. I think for the importance that the title places on the character, there was not enough time spent on him. Once he becomes “Robin Hood” we really don’t find anything more about him – it’s more of a story of how casting Robin aside affects Richard’s conscience; a little different than how I pictured the story to be. Aside from that, I think The Passionate Brood is certainly an appropriate title – those Plantagenets were very passionate people and as a group even more so.

What I liked most about this novel was the importance placed on the female characters whom you rarely see in novels about the children of Eleanor of Aquitaine. We have the pleasure of meeting Eleanor’s daughter, Johanna, as well as Richard’s wife, Berengaria. While this was certainly a story of Richard and we spent a lot of time on Crusade, it was a story of these women as well. You were able to learn about their hopes and fears and see how they dealt with being on Crusade. I think I loved the character of Johanna the best – she was very similar to her mother – spunky, willing to go on Crusade, and wanting to be “one of the boys”. As a reader you get the whole family feel and see the distinct personalities that emerge from these characters.

As I was reading some of the events within this novel, I began connecting it with events in the Elizabeth Chadwick books, For the King’s Favor and The Scarlet Lion. In the Barnes’ novel, you see the royal side of the events, while in the Chadwick books you see the courtier side of the same events; the most notable example for me was when Richard was captured and they had to raise the ransom money to free him. By having read all three of these books it helped me to round out the experience more.

When I previously read Barnes’ novel Within the Hollow Crown, I had a very hard time getting into it and had a harder time connecting with the characters. I am glad that I didn’t base my decision to read more of her books on my opinion of that novel. I very much enjoyed this book and I don’t think that it had any of the pitfalls of her other book (in my opinion).

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• The Calico Critic
• Anna’s Book Blog

Buy the Book:: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia 

Also by Margaret Campbell Barnes:

Margaret Campbell Barnes wrote many novels, but many are hard to find.  However, the below have been reprinted by Sourcebooks:


My Lady of Cleves

Brief Gaudy Hour

The Tudor Rose

King’s Fool

Within the Hollow Crown
[My Review]

Mary of Carisbrooke
[My Review]

Copyright © 2010 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: Within the Hollow Crown by Margaret Campbell Barnes

Within the Hollow Crown by Margaret Campbell Barnes

ARC, Paperback (Reprint), 368 pages

Sourcebooks Landmark

April 1, 2010

★★★½☆☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received from Sourcebooks for review

"Set against the backdrop of a country racked by revolt and class warfare, Within the Hollow Crown showcases the true spirit of a king at the end of one of the most glorious dynasties, who wants both England's heart and crown. Perhaps one of the most misunderstood of all English monarchs, the son of the Black Prince and grandson of Edward III has been portrayed in a dim light by history. But Margaret Campbell Barnes gives readers a different portrait of Richard II. Although his peace-loving ways set him apart from the war-mongering medieval world around him, Richard proved himself a true king by standing down a peasant revolt and outwitting the political schemes of his enemies. Struggling to uphold the valiant Plantagent dynasty, Richard and his queen, Anne of Bohemia, nonetheless manage to create an exquisite partnership, described as 'one of the tenderest idylls of romance ever written.'"

Richard II is a just a kid when he becomes the King of England. As a boy king, his uncles have a lot of power over his decisions and use him to put their own agenda forward. After dealing with a large scale peasant revolt, where he takes control of the situation himself to the shock of his uncles, Richard begins to take over the reins of government. For the first time in years, England is in a state of relative peace, but that cannot last for long…

The thing that I enjoyed the most about Barnes’ novel was the way the characters are written. Richard grew up from a young, disinterested boy king, to a confident king who believed what he was doing was right. I think it was very unfortunate the way things turned out for him. Barnes did a very good job at portraying Richard in a more realistic light – as opposed to the Richard of Shakespeare lore – a more human Richard evolved from the pages. I also really enjoyed the relationship that evolved between Richard and his first queen, Anne of Bohemia, very sweet.

The first section of the book, about the first 100 pages or so, focus on the Peasant Revolt, a rather significant event of that time period. I had a very hard time getting through this section because it felt very dry and not much happened during those pages. I persevered because I had heard good things about the rest of the book. As I got to section two I found it much more of an enjoyable read. Richard’s wife, Anne, becomes a major character and I really enjoyed the person that Richard became when he was with her. The rest of the book flew by and I found myself with a few tears at the ending – I really liked Richard. The reign of Richard II precedes the War of the Roses, but I don’t think this was the best book for me to start reading about this period with.

Overall, I enjoyed the writing style of Barnes but it would have been a better, in my opinion, if the peasant revolt section was shorter or a little more exciting. It would have been much quicker to get into. This is definitely another character driven novel.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Devourer of Books
• Mrs. Q. Book Addict

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia 

Also by Margaret Campbell Barnes:

 

Brief Gaudy Hour

King's Fool

Mary of Carisbrooke
[My Review]

My Lady of Cleves

The Passionate Brood
[My Review]




Copyright © 2010 by The Maiden’s Court