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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I found Alice a very compelling 3 dimensional character who had her soft spots and edges as hard as steel. Her headspace was an intriguing one to get into and I enjoyed it. I knew very little about Alice before this story, though the author focused a little on Alice’s business acumen when it came to property and was able to paint a convincing picture of Alice as a savvy ‘femme sole’ of the medieval ages.
I found that a lot happened in this story with some moments glossed over or rushed to cover a set time period. I would love to have read more scenes between Alice and her formidable fellow courtiers/rivals Princess Isabella, the Duke of Lancaster and Princess Joan Plantagenet. That said, the writing from Anne O’Brien is beautiful and I feel she has a gift for crafting emotional and thought provoking stories based from real people.
I found that a lot happened in this story with some moments glossed over or rushed to cover a set time period. I would love to have read more scenes between Alice and her formidable fellow courtiers/rivals Princess Isabella, the Duke of Lancaster and Princess Joan Plantagenet. That said, the writing from Anne O’Brien is beautiful and I feel she has a gift for crafting emotional and thought provoking stories based from real people.
I loved this book. About a year ago I tried to read it and just couldn't get into it. However I picked it up a few days ago and couldn't get enough.
It can be a little predictable at times but I think sometimes that's what's needed.
I recommend this book to historical fiction lovers :)
It can be a little predictable at times but I think sometimes that's what's needed.
I recommend this book to historical fiction lovers :)
Very enjoyable. Interesting to read it after the other book by Anne O’Brien, you get a different perspective of the same period of time.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Anne O'Brien's work dazzles as always in a beautiful depiction of the live of the women in the life of medieval British royalty. I loved Alice Perrers and her voice as the protagonist and this was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Actually one of the best historical fiction books I’ve read in a long time. The cover and title of the book may be a little misleading - it looks like it’s more likely to be a smut read. It really isn’t. It is so well written and tells the story of Alice Perrers - a woman who was known as the king’s concubine. It was really an excellent read.
Alice is portrayed as a 14th Century pick me girl. She’s selfish, vindictive, wants every man at her feet and gets annoyed when she is called out for her entitled behavior by those ladies who are actually titled but of course those ladies are bitches for not bowing down and confirming her overinflated opinion of herself. Edward 3rd is portrayed as a true and devoted husband to Philippa of Hainault his Queen of forty years never even contemplating taking a mistress, let alone under his wife’s nose. And we are meant to believe that within a few months, Philippa actually ASKS Alice to become her beloved husbands mistress because she can no longer perform the marital act due to ill health and the man has to be serviced dammit. And the beloved husband (who doesn’t know of this deal between women) screws Alice the first chance he gets.
My expectations of this book were actually quite low considering I had been dying to read it for so long, but it was actually a really good read.
The characters were really well developed, the story fast-paced and unlike some historical fiction it emitted the details that were relevent historically, but not to our plot. This meant the story moved more fluidly than others that I've read.
I thought it was so well-written that I actually felt what the characters were feeling, and knowing that it was based - however loosely - on real events made it all the more emotional for me. Loved it!
The characters were really well developed, the story fast-paced and unlike some historical fiction it emitted the details that were relevent historically, but not to our plot. This meant the story moved more fluidly than others that I've read.
I thought it was so well-written that I actually felt what the characters were feeling, and knowing that it was based - however loosely - on real events made it all the more emotional for me. Loved it!
An enjoyable tale, though the facts of Alice's early life seem to be disputed, especially from the angle this book took. Either way, it was a fascinating voyage into a period of English history I'm unfamiliar with and as a health professional, I wondered about Phillipa's illness - a form of oedema?