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kristid's review against another edition
3.0
Orphaned at an early age Mary Seymour’s life isn’t luxurious or pampered as you would think the daughter of a queen’s life would be. Her mother died shortly after she was born and her father was sentenced to death for betraying the crown, leaving Mary to become nothing more than a seamstress in a duchesses’s household. Soon after the death of her guardian, Mary discovers that she indeed has a destiny all her own. "Fetch the red queen’s daughter from the house of shadows. Bring her to your home beside the dark wood. School her well in the white magician’s wisdom so that she may go forth into the world and fulfill her calling when the virgin queen ascends the throne." Lady Strange becomes Mary’s new guardian and she trains her in the ways of the white magicians.
When Mary reaches the age of sixteen she is invited to court by Queen Elizabeth and is soon made a lady-in-waiting. The queen’s court, however is even more corrupt then Mary initially believed. And the person that may possibly be the most dangerous of all, is none other than her very own cousin, Edmund Seymour.
The Red Queen’s Daughter is a perfectly blended masterpiece of historical fiction and fantasy. Although the real May Seymour, I found in research died in infancy, Kolosov’s story made me believe that she might have lived an extraordinary life. At times I thought the plot was becoming predictable, but it continued to surprised. The ending is very open, I would love to know more of the story. Perhaps there will be a sequel in the future, I can only hope! I immensely enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to all fans of historical fiction and fantasy.
When Mary reaches the age of sixteen she is invited to court by Queen Elizabeth and is soon made a lady-in-waiting. The queen’s court, however is even more corrupt then Mary initially believed. And the person that may possibly be the most dangerous of all, is none other than her very own cousin, Edmund Seymour.
The Red Queen’s Daughter is a perfectly blended masterpiece of historical fiction and fantasy. Although the real May Seymour, I found in research died in infancy, Kolosov’s story made me believe that she might have lived an extraordinary life. At times I thought the plot was becoming predictable, but it continued to surprised. The ending is very open, I would love to know more of the story. Perhaps there will be a sequel in the future, I can only hope! I immensely enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to all fans of historical fiction and fantasy.
kaitrosereads's review against another edition
4.0
The Red Queen’s Daughter was pretty good. It wasn’t the best historical book that I have read recently but I did like it. I think the thing that I didn’t like was that it took a while to get into. The first half of the book was actually pretty boring, in my opinion. After I got past that I really got into it.
Mary Seymour is the main character but there were a lot of other characters that were important to the story. Her guardian, Lady Strange, was a really big part of the first half of the book but I didn’t really feel like I got to know her history, just what she was teaching Mary. Then in the second half, the queen and Mary’s cousin, Edmund, were big parts. I really liked Edmund, even though he was supposed to be evil. And the queen seemed nice enough to Mary but once again we only got a small glimpse of her history. I just wish all the characters had been better-developed.
Also, I didn’t really get what the plot was. There seemed to be too many things going on underneath the main plot and I didn’t get how they all connected. I think things should have been elaborated a little more. And then there was the ending. It was good but it kind of left me questioning what actually happened.
Overall, I was a little disappointed by The Red Queen’s Daughter. I wish it had been a little more detailed but it was still an okay book. If you like historical fiction, you should check it out!
Mary Seymour is the main character but there were a lot of other characters that were important to the story. Her guardian, Lady Strange, was a really big part of the first half of the book but I didn’t really feel like I got to know her history, just what she was teaching Mary. Then in the second half, the queen and Mary’s cousin, Edmund, were big parts. I really liked Edmund, even though he was supposed to be evil. And the queen seemed nice enough to Mary but once again we only got a small glimpse of her history. I just wish all the characters had been better-developed.
Also, I didn’t really get what the plot was. There seemed to be too many things going on underneath the main plot and I didn’t get how they all connected. I think things should have been elaborated a little more. And then there was the ending. It was good but it kind of left me questioning what actually happened.
Overall, I was a little disappointed by The Red Queen’s Daughter. I wish it had been a little more detailed but it was still an okay book. If you like historical fiction, you should check it out!
tlbright's review against another edition
2.0
The mix of Tudor history and magic intrigued me enough to buy this book. Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour who is believed to have died around the age of two years old, is imagined by the author as a 16 year old White Magician. She is summoned to court to serve Queen Elizabeth I as a lady-in-waiting.
It seemed to take a really long time for the plot to get going, and after finally getting into the plot, the climax was very flat. The last ten-twenty pages just seemed to rush to the end. I wonder if there is a planned sequel because everything was left so up in the air.
It seemed to take a really long time for the plot to get going, and after finally getting into the plot, the climax was very flat. The last ten-twenty pages just seemed to rush to the end. I wonder if there is a planned sequel because everything was left so up in the air.
shanyreader's review against another edition
2.0
So, two stars is actually a very generous rating, but the author seems like a very nice person and her author's note at the end was very sweet, so...two stars. >.<
Now...what the book did that was wrong...it told us EVERYTHING. Now, I'm not adverse to having a few hints here and there, but when everything is spelled out for us over and over again about this jewel or that or the other thing in almost the exact same wording, even from different characters...it's hard to really be very impressed with the writing.
The romance. Now. I thought there would be some nice building up to the romance, through interaction where Edward or Edmund or whatever black magician's name is, would be shown to be a jerk with a heart of gold or something along those lines. BUT we spend the whole book with our hearts set against him because all he does is impregnate females and engage in sub-par romantic, dangerous conversation with our MC. I couldn't see any chemistry between them at all and I was very sorely dissapointed with the ending because it seemed much too rushed. I didn't feel like I got to know him well enough to really care at all about him. Ugh.
Final thing it did wrong: King Lear. What. Why. WHY. *Facepalm* I love King Lear, but why is the story just...HERE? Thrown in and forced in? No purpose whatsoever.
I think it would have been so much better if the book had just expanded on other things that I thought it did well. The spells were interesting, and understanding what the different components added was very intriguing. I liked Lady Strange a lot and I would have loved to see more time of Mary's training, her growing up, and maybe have her ACTUALLY contribute something to Elizabeth's reign? We have it all being set up for us in the first half of the book about her aiding the queen...and then in the second half, that all falls pretty much apart.
It wasn't a terrible to read book...Amethysts are supposed to represent cheerfulness, and pearls are the tears of heaven--little fun facts like that and the beautiful imagery she sometimes comes up with, its fun to read sometimes...but...overall...I'm not going to really give the book more praise than it deserves, or more censure than it deserves. Eh.
I wouldn't recommend it when there are better Tudor-era books out there.
Now...what the book did that was wrong...it told us EVERYTHING. Now, I'm not adverse to having a few hints here and there, but when everything is spelled out for us over and over again about this jewel or that or the other thing in almost the exact same wording, even from different characters...it's hard to really be very impressed with the writing.
The romance. Now. I thought there would be some nice building up to the romance, through interaction where Edward or Edmund or whatever black magician's name is, would be shown to be a jerk with a heart of gold or something along those lines. BUT we spend the whole book with our hearts set against him because all he does is impregnate females and engage in sub-par romantic, dangerous conversation with our MC. I couldn't see any chemistry between them at all and I was very sorely dissapointed with the ending because it seemed much too rushed. I didn't feel like I got to know him well enough to really care at all about him. Ugh.
Final thing it did wrong: King Lear. What. Why. WHY. *Facepalm* I love King Lear, but why is the story just...HERE? Thrown in and forced in? No purpose whatsoever.
I think it would have been so much better if the book had just expanded on other things that I thought it did well. The spells were interesting, and understanding what the different components added was very intriguing. I liked Lady Strange a lot and I would have loved to see more time of Mary's training, her growing up, and maybe have her ACTUALLY contribute something to Elizabeth's reign? We have it all being set up for us in the first half of the book about her aiding the queen...and then in the second half, that all falls pretty much apart.
It wasn't a terrible to read book...Amethysts are supposed to represent cheerfulness, and pearls are the tears of heaven--little fun facts like that and the beautiful imagery she sometimes comes up with, its fun to read sometimes...but...overall...I'm not going to really give the book more praise than it deserves, or more censure than it deserves. Eh.
I wouldn't recommend it when there are better Tudor-era books out there.
bookishnicole's review against another edition
3.0
It was a fun quick read, I wasn't expecting anything too special given the magic, but it was a fun read otherwise.
bookshy's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting premise, just wish it had a little more depth. GRRM you have ruined me for all future books!
lemmyrose's review against another edition
5.0
This is an incredible book which teaches that love can be used for good or evil and can be made to make one both weak and/or strong. It was full of betrayal and intrigue and court politics so believable that I was convinced that I was right in the middle of the world of the late King Henry the Eighth and Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen. Mary Seymour, daughter of the late Queen Katherine Parr, battles her will against her heart in the heat of her cousin, Edmund Seymour's affection for her. Her determination to hold true to her virtues of goodness and not to be choked by the intoxication of love are faded as they collide with her cousin's aggression and determination for power and wealth. They run through murders and illusions and false friendships and betrayal on all sides as she is introduced to the terrible seduction of evil as he is entranced by the innocence of good, and they both enrapture the queen and court as they battle with themselves. Her will and his seem to compliment one another as light is pulled to dark and they find themselves meeting in the middle, forsaking former goals to become intoxicated in their love. Mary's final betrayal of his true nature to the queen brings about Edmund's arrest and her return to good, but no one can kiss the darkness without finding some trace of it etched into themselves, just as no one can help but wish for the sun once they have felt its rays.
anagraphy's review against another edition
2.0
For a creative writing professor I really expected more.
The premise of Catherine Parr having a daughter with Thomas Seymour is a good one... it opens up all kinds of possibilities for historical fiction set in the Elizabethan period. However, when said daughter turns out to be a wizard...
I guess it could have been really fun had it not been written so poorly. It's a shame, too. Period stuff, even if it has magic added, really gets kids interested in the historical time period.
The premise of Catherine Parr having a daughter with Thomas Seymour is a good one... it opens up all kinds of possibilities for historical fiction set in the Elizabethan period. However, when said daughter turns out to be a wizard...
I guess it could have been really fun had it not been written so poorly. It's a shame, too. Period stuff, even if it has magic added, really gets kids interested in the historical time period.
melissachristene's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting. However, I wish it would have went on longer and not have spent as much time on some of the stuff it did. Nonetheless, I still very much enjoyed it.