Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I felt for Victoria through this book. Not only is it an intimate retelling of history, but it’s also about being a young woman struggling to figure out what’s your place is in this world… which is my everyday life at the moment!
Irrelevant rant: I have a crush on Albert. Is it because of his portrayal by Rupert Friend in the movie The Young Victoria? Maybe a bit. But he was such a lovely character in this book also.
Irrelevant rant: I have a crush on Albert. Is it because of his portrayal by Rupert Friend in the movie The Young Victoria? Maybe a bit. But he was such a lovely character in this book also.
It hasn’t even been a month since her eighteenth birthday, but Alexandrina Victoria is now the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Her mother has done everything in her power to shelter and control Drina, but now that she is Queen, she will not bow to anyone. One thing she insists on is her royal name. She will be Queen Victoria. Young Victoria must overcome the obstacles of a limited education while also sidestepping everyone who wants to help pick her husband. Will she be like Queen Elizabeth I and never marry or will she find love?
Victoria is an historical fiction book with the potential for additional volumes. Goodwin has taken information found in Victoria’s own diaries and has weaved her writing style into a plausible story. Goodwin is also the author of the PBS/Masterpiece TV series that will begin airing in January 2017. If the show is anything like the book, I will be hooked from the start. Although this is a short period in Queen Victoria’s reign, it is full of drama and will have readers turning pages throughout.
Victoria is an historical fiction book with the potential for additional volumes. Goodwin has taken information found in Victoria’s own diaries and has weaved her writing style into a plausible story. Goodwin is also the author of the PBS/Masterpiece TV series that will begin airing in January 2017. If the show is anything like the book, I will be hooked from the start. Although this is a short period in Queen Victoria’s reign, it is full of drama and will have readers turning pages throughout.
As a fictionalized history, "Victoria", by Daisy Goodwin, touches on everything from Victoria’s precarious relationship with her mother, to her childish infatuation with Lord Melbourne, to her love for Prince Albert. Her immaturity shines through in her continued dependence on Lehzen who was once her governess, but continues to care for her charge by taking on the role of lady-in-waiting. Victoria is often described as flighty, inconsistent, and emotional, which is expected of a teenager, but not of a queen. Her lack of socialization as a young child has left her friendless and suspicious, so it’s only natural she bonds with the dynamic Lord Melbourne, the current Prime Minister. Not only does she rely on his advice in matters of state, but she also depends on him for guidance in her personal life and relationships. This reliance quickly turns into infatuation, which, of course, cannot be publicly acknowledged. When Prince Albert, her Coburg cousin, is introduced, he comes across as being awkward, formal, and unyielding. Despite his faults, Victoria sets aside her disapproval of him and falls in love.
Overall, this is an easy and engaging read that combines historical fact with speculative prose to bring to life the Victorian era. Small details such as the red boxes, Victoria’s love and care of Dash, and fashion and hair styles create a realistic setting, illustrating what life might have been like for these fictionalized personalities who lived in the 1800’s. I would have liked to see more of the relationship between Prince Albert and Victoria, as her change of heart from Lord Melbourne felt abrupt. Even though this wasn’t a love story as much as a coming of age story, there’s a jump from flighty, infatuated child to confident engaged woman that feels incomplete.
I received a pre-release copy of "Victoria" by Daisy Goodwin via Netgalley for an honest review.
Overall, this is an easy and engaging read that combines historical fact with speculative prose to bring to life the Victorian era. Small details such as the red boxes, Victoria’s love and care of Dash, and fashion and hair styles create a realistic setting, illustrating what life might have been like for these fictionalized personalities who lived in the 1800’s. I would have liked to see more of the relationship between Prince Albert and Victoria, as her change of heart from Lord Melbourne felt abrupt. Even though this wasn’t a love story as much as a coming of age story, there’s a jump from flighty, infatuated child to confident engaged woman that feels incomplete.
I received a pre-release copy of "Victoria" by Daisy Goodwin via Netgalley for an honest review.
This was really interesting listen. I never knew much about her life until I listened to this. I never watched the show so I didn't know that was an enhancing of this book. However I enjoyed the book and Queen Victoria's history. I wish it would've gone a little more into other parts of her reign but maybe there will be a sequel so I can learn more
I may upgrade this to 2.5 stars at some point but right now I’m sort of annoyed. I started watching the show a month ago and I’m enjoying it and assumed that the show was based on the book, but then I got to the end of the book and the author states that she wrote it concurrently with the creation of the TV series. Now it makes sense to me why this reads like the afterbirth of a screenplay, because it is! While I was reading it I said to my husband, “It must have been easy to write the screenplay because this is word for word what happens in the show, the dialogue is almost identical!” Now I feel foolish. Plus it’s only the 1st season! I wouldn’t waste your time with the book if you’ve already watched the show (which is good TV in my opinion).
Took a little while to get going, but overall was enjoyable to read.
First off, thank you to Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for the Early Readers Edition... which I received on November 22nd, the day of publication. I feel as if I couldn't quite do my duty of a pre-release review, but I certainly appreciate the free book. So THANKS!
I was very happy to win this one, actually, because I am completely in love with the television series that Ms. Goodwin also penned, and which this is basically a novelization of. Much of the dialogue is exactly the same. Which is fine, but I would have appreciated if this went a little deeper, or covered different parts of Victoria's life. This covered the first four episodes of the series; from the young queen's ascension to the throne, her dependence and friendship with her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, and then her meeting with her cousin, Albert, and the proposal five days later.
Honestly, I preferred the show. The book was a nice companion piece, but I had already seen most of this and seeing it was much more sumptuous than reading. I have enjoyed both of Ms. Goodwin's novels; [b:The American Heiress|9999107|The American Heiress|Daisy Goodwin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1307342832s/9999107.jpg|14894050] and [b:The Fortune Hunter|18404135|The Fortune Hunter|Daisy Goodwin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1401059745s/18404135.jpg|26037994], though I saw great improvement in the writing of the latter. Goodwin tends towards soapyness and that is definitely present here. She is good with ideas and dialogue and I believe she may have found her calling in television.
As for this, I would say it is not essential reading. The writing is often simplistic and only skims the surface. It reads very much like a novelization rather than a novel. I would recommend the show whole heartedly, but this maybe if you're really into the show. Seeing as though I AM a fan of the series, I was always going to read this and I enjoyed it. Especially the parts with Albert.
I was very happy to win this one, actually, because I am completely in love with the television series that Ms. Goodwin also penned, and which this is basically a novelization of. Much of the dialogue is exactly the same. Which is fine, but I would have appreciated if this went a little deeper, or covered different parts of Victoria's life. This covered the first four episodes of the series; from the young queen's ascension to the throne, her dependence and friendship with her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, and then her meeting with her cousin, Albert, and the proposal five days later.
Honestly, I preferred the show. The book was a nice companion piece, but I had already seen most of this and seeing it was much more sumptuous than reading. I have enjoyed both of Ms. Goodwin's novels; [b:The American Heiress|9999107|The American Heiress|Daisy Goodwin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1307342832s/9999107.jpg|14894050] and [b:The Fortune Hunter|18404135|The Fortune Hunter|Daisy Goodwin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1401059745s/18404135.jpg|26037994], though I saw great improvement in the writing of the latter. Goodwin tends towards soapyness and that is definitely present here. She is good with ideas and dialogue and I believe she may have found her calling in television.
As for this, I would say it is not essential reading. The writing is often simplistic and only skims the surface. It reads very much like a novelization rather than a novel. I would recommend the show whole heartedly, but this maybe if you're really into the show. Seeing as though I AM a fan of the series, I was always going to read this and I enjoyed it. Especially the parts with Albert.
I received this book for free from SheSpeaks. I enjoyed reading Victoria. It feels a bit like a YA novel, since the main character is so young -but it's quick to get into and a good coming of age story. Would recommend this to someone looking for a light, historical fiction novel. I think you can tell the author is also a screenwriter - short chapters seem like scenes, it's cinematic.
4.5. I got this book free through Goodreads Giveaways.
Highly recommend this book if you’re a British Royal enthusiast and you have not watched the PBS series by the same name. If you have watched the series, the book is good but slightly less enjoyable as it follows so closely, the book tends to drag if you already know the outcome.