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kellygoesgeocaching's review against another edition
3.0
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?
amylikestoread's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty decent read, although it had its flaws. My copy stands at around 600 pages and there could have easily been 200+ cut from that with all the repetition (usually about her need for land) and angst. The repetition is a pain, it slows down the story each time, we get it, she needs property to feel secure, I don't need to be told 10 times. It is reminiscent of another historical fiction writer who uses a similar tactic *coughs* Philippa Gregory *coughs*. I read O'Brien's book on Katherine Swynford and found the same problem but I couldn't finish that. The romances were pretty good and there's nothing too steamy if you're not into that. I've never read anything about Alice Perrers before, non-fiction or fiction, so I don't know how much of this matches up to what she was like. I'd recommend this as a fairly quick read, the writing style is for the most part engaging and is easy to read.
jrmarr's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting enough to keep me reading but occasionally repetitive and slow. Didn't know much about the reign of Edward III, and Alice's story was a good introduction to it. A good book, but not earth shattering. Worth reading if you're interested in royal British history. Probably won't be on my 'to re-read' shelf.
courtknee_bee's review against another edition
2.0
Yawn. Too much telling, not enough showing. The character were flat and boring. I honestly can't even remember anything that happened in the middle of this novel.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
1.0
I do not really know what happened, it could have been growing all week. I was all come on, 600 pages? Why is that needed? Cos honestly nothing happened in the book.
I started to read, it felt ok, but then I started to skim and skimmed to the end. I could have worked through it and given it a good rating but it was a library book which means...I gave up and skimmed. I have too many books. I need awesome, if the library do not give me awesome I go all eh.
I am also not a fan of the this is me, the narrator, I am old now and telling my story. I want to live in the moment. I do not want the narrator as a old woman there with me at the same time looking back.
The book deserved more, I could just not deliver this time.
I started to read, it felt ok, but then I started to skim and skimmed to the end. I could have worked through it and given it a good rating but it was a library book which means...I gave up and skimmed. I have too many books. I need awesome, if the library do not give me awesome I go all eh.
I am also not a fan of the this is me, the narrator, I am old now and telling my story. I want to live in the moment. I do not want the narrator as a old woman there with me at the same time looking back.
The book deserved more, I could just not deliver this time.
sabregirl's review against another edition
4.0
Three and a half stars. I didn't really enjoy this book all that much. Alice as a narrator was annoying and repetitive. Questioning everything even when the truth was thrown in her face. I can see how the author was trying to make Alice a strong woman who just had a lot of enemies. But what she made her was an annoying child even into her thirties. Age wasn't really discussed in the book so it was hard to tell how old she was through all of this except through the aging of Edward. But she acted like a spoiled child most of the time.
cher_n_books's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars - It was great. I loved it.
I have read little historical fiction set in the 1300’s, and nothing that I can recall of King Edward III and his royal mistress, Alice Perrers. Nor had I read anything by this author prior to this book. It was wonderful on all fronts - engaging and with well fleshed out characters. I will be looking for other works by this author.
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Favorite Quote: I had shown that their hostility meant nothing to me. I would make no excuses, I would not retaliate, I would keep my own counsel. They would see that I had no fear of them. For the first time I learned the true power of self-control.
First Sentence: ‘Today you will be my Lady of the Sun,’ King Edward says as he approaches to settle me into my chariot.
I have read little historical fiction set in the 1300’s, and nothing that I can recall of King Edward III and his royal mistress, Alice Perrers. Nor had I read anything by this author prior to this book. It was wonderful on all fronts - engaging and with well fleshed out characters. I will be looking for other works by this author.
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Favorite Quote: I had shown that their hostility meant nothing to me. I would make no excuses, I would not retaliate, I would keep my own counsel. They would see that I had no fear of them. For the first time I learned the true power of self-control.
First Sentence: ‘Today you will be my Lady of the Sun,’ King Edward says as he approaches to settle me into my chariot.
halkid2's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book, though there were a few places where it read like a trashy romance novel.
Before this book, I only knew Alice Perrers as Edward III's "evil" mistress, vaguely aware that she was supposed to have been power-mad, greedy, and vicious. The portrayal of Alice in this book is quite different. She simply has the sensibilities of a modern woman, living in the 1300s.
Abandoned at birth and left to the brutal rearing of a convent, it's a rags-to-riches story. But not an ordinary one. Given the circumstances of Alice's early life, she grows up unwilling and unable to trust others and determined to rely on her wits alone to secure a future for herself and later her children. Unlike most royal mistresses, Alice doesn't advance simply because she's beautiful, talented, or otherwise able to catch the eye of important people. Instead, she rises because she is blunt, clever in business, determined, and fiercely independent. Even though these characteristics run counter to the rules society tries to impose.
In fact, it turns out that her wiliness, the thing that sets her apart from other women, is the very thing that brings her to the attention of royalty. And it's intriguing to watch Alice navigate King Edward's III's medieval world where her attitudes and actions, ones that would now be considered commonplace and acceptable, were challenged and perceived as threats. It certainly explains why she has come down through history with such a bad reputation.
Before this book, I only knew Alice Perrers as Edward III's "evil" mistress, vaguely aware that she was supposed to have been power-mad, greedy, and vicious. The portrayal of Alice in this book is quite different. She simply has the sensibilities of a modern woman, living in the 1300s.
Abandoned at birth and left to the brutal rearing of a convent, it's a rags-to-riches story. But not an ordinary one. Given the circumstances of Alice's early life, she grows up unwilling and unable to trust others and determined to rely on her wits alone to secure a future for herself and later her children. Unlike most royal mistresses, Alice doesn't advance simply because she's beautiful, talented, or otherwise able to catch the eye of important people. Instead, she rises because she is blunt, clever in business, determined, and fiercely independent. Even though these characteristics run counter to the rules society tries to impose.
In fact, it turns out that her wiliness, the thing that sets her apart from other women, is the very thing that brings her to the attention of royalty. And it's intriguing to watch Alice navigate King Edward's III's medieval world where her attitudes and actions, ones that would now be considered commonplace and acceptable, were challenged and perceived as threats. It certainly explains why she has come down through history with such a bad reputation.