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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
I picked up this book a few weeks ago as an airplane read after I had completed the first season of Victoria on my local PBS station. I had the chance to watch several interviews with the author and her research process for the book as well as her writing process. I have previously read her other novel, My Last Duchess, and expected a well-researched and well-crafted novel based off the work that I had already encountered from this author. Sadly I do not feel that Victoria was quite up to par.
I go through phases of interest in historical periods, but the relationship between Victoria and Albert has always been one that intrigues me and has me returning to learn more of the young lovers. I approached this piece expecting to get into the heads of Victoria and her husband.
The Good:
I enjoyed that the book was more forgiving to the Duchess of Kent than other works I have encountered in the past. She was more forgiving and sympathetic in this book than in other works of fiction I have encountered her in. I feel that this has also translated into the first season of the show as well. In other works, the Duchess is treated as flat and easily manipulated. In this piece, I was more able to buy her motivations and decisions as being made by an unprepared mother trying to do the best for a daughter who had an unknown future and a precarious political position.
Sir John Conroy was still painted as a character everyone loves to hate. No matter which piece I encounter him in, he always remains one of my favorite “villains”. The book did not disappoint in this aspect either.
This book was hyper-focused on the first few years of Victoria’s reign, which has gotten more attention in recent media portrayals. This is probably one of the more forgiving takes on the Hasting Affair. This is in part to Lady Flora being portrayed as a woman rather than a crony of John Conroy.
Albert was another character that I believe was given adequate development. I could more easily sympathize with him and the difficulties he likely went through in his own head while courting Victoria
The Bad:
The plot was severely lacking. I feel there were several instances—such as the Hastings affair and the Robert Peel debacle—that were merely used as backdrops for Victoria to moon over Lord Melbourne.
“They think I am still a little girl who is not capable of being a Queen,” Victoria laments to Lord Melbourne early in the novel. But sadly, that was the impression I had of Victoria throughout the entire novel. As a character, she is entirely reactionary to everything going on around her. I don’t think this is true to the Queen as she really existed. The young queen may have been easily handled by those around her in real life, but that is something she grows out of as her reign progresses.
In the novel, this is not the case at all. Several characters remark on how easy it is to influence Victoria’s actions because she loves to be flattered or think that she is right. And sadly, the Duchess of Kent, King Leopold, and Lord Melbourne are entirely right. This quality could have been redeemed if it seemed that Victoria learned or changed any throughout the novel, but she doesn’t. Not until the very end of the novel, when she and Albert become engaged. And that is entirely too late.
In this same vein, there is entirely too much focus on Victoria’s attempts at wooing Lord Melbourne. She comes across as the rich girl in high school who is using her money and position to get the attention of the hot and aloof teacher simply because she wants to prove to her friends she can do so. In short, Victoria spends 300 of 404 pages mooning over and plotting to get Lord Melbourne to be hers, and she learns nothing of being a queen or even an adult. It is this fact that detracts from the book as a whole
Final Thoughts:
If you are looking for a quick summer read, I would recommend this book. If you’re looking for a book with characters that are easily recognizable and easily interpreted, this would also be a good book for that reason. The descriptions are nice, but the author weaves too many threads and leaves them untangled, such as the comparisons she tries to draw between Lord Melbourne and Prince Albert toward the end of the novel.
Victoria as a character falls flat and leaves those around her to carry the story and shape her as a person. She is flat and unrelatable. The historical events around her seem to happen to her instead of being influenced by her and the decisions she makes as a person.
This book is a quick read and entertaining, but if you are looking for a book that is steeped in strong historical backgrounds and research, I would read other works of fiction about the Queen. They will have more faithful interpretations.
I picked up this book a few weeks ago as an airplane read after I had completed the first season of Victoria on my local PBS station. I had the chance to watch several interviews with the author and her research process for the book as well as her writing process. I have previously read her other novel, My Last Duchess, and expected a well-researched and well-crafted novel based off the work that I had already encountered from this author. Sadly I do not feel that Victoria was quite up to par.
I go through phases of interest in historical periods, but the relationship between Victoria and Albert has always been one that intrigues me and has me returning to learn more of the young lovers. I approached this piece expecting to get into the heads of Victoria and her husband.
The Good:
I enjoyed that the book was more forgiving to the Duchess of Kent than other works I have encountered in the past. She was more forgiving and sympathetic in this book than in other works of fiction I have encountered her in. I feel that this has also translated into the first season of the show as well. In other works, the Duchess is treated as flat and easily manipulated. In this piece, I was more able to buy her motivations and decisions as being made by an unprepared mother trying to do the best for a daughter who had an unknown future and a precarious political position.
Sir John Conroy was still painted as a character everyone loves to hate. No matter which piece I encounter him in, he always remains one of my favorite “villains”. The book did not disappoint in this aspect either.
This book was hyper-focused on the first few years of Victoria’s reign, which has gotten more attention in recent media portrayals. This is probably one of the more forgiving takes on the Hasting Affair. This is in part to Lady Flora being portrayed as a woman rather than a crony of John Conroy.
Albert was another character that I believe was given adequate development. I could more easily sympathize with him and the difficulties he likely went through in his own head while courting Victoria
The Bad:
The plot was severely lacking. I feel there were several instances—such as the Hastings affair and the Robert Peel debacle—that were merely used as backdrops for Victoria to moon over Lord Melbourne.
“They think I am still a little girl who is not capable of being a Queen,” Victoria laments to Lord Melbourne early in the novel. But sadly, that was the impression I had of Victoria throughout the entire novel. As a character, she is entirely reactionary to everything going on around her. I don’t think this is true to the Queen as she really existed. The young queen may have been easily handled by those around her in real life, but that is something she grows out of as her reign progresses.
In the novel, this is not the case at all. Several characters remark on how easy it is to influence Victoria’s actions because she loves to be flattered or think that she is right. And sadly, the Duchess of Kent, King Leopold, and Lord Melbourne are entirely right. This quality could have been redeemed if it seemed that Victoria learned or changed any throughout the novel, but she doesn’t. Not until the very end of the novel, when she and Albert become engaged. And that is entirely too late.
In this same vein, there is entirely too much focus on Victoria’s attempts at wooing Lord Melbourne. She comes across as the rich girl in high school who is using her money and position to get the attention of the hot and aloof teacher simply because she wants to prove to her friends she can do so. In short, Victoria spends 300 of 404 pages mooning over and plotting to get Lord Melbourne to be hers, and she learns nothing of being a queen or even an adult. It is this fact that detracts from the book as a whole
Final Thoughts:
If you are looking for a quick summer read, I would recommend this book. If you’re looking for a book with characters that are easily recognizable and easily interpreted, this would also be a good book for that reason. The descriptions are nice, but the author weaves too many threads and leaves them untangled, such as the comparisons she tries to draw between Lord Melbourne and Prince Albert toward the end of the novel.
Victoria as a character falls flat and leaves those around her to carry the story and shape her as a person. She is flat and unrelatable. The historical events around her seem to happen to her instead of being influenced by her and the decisions she makes as a person.
This book is a quick read and entertaining, but if you are looking for a book that is steeped in strong historical backgrounds and research, I would read other works of fiction about the Queen. They will have more faithful interpretations.
I could not tell you how much I enjoyed this gorgeous book. Daisy Goodwin’s prose is perfect. The way she writes reflects so faithfully how Victoria would be speaking and expressing herself in a true and believable way. It’s reserved and calm, but still has all the passion and desperation and frustration and excitement that her story brings out. It’s a beautiful and honest portrait of this woman’s world, Goodwin researches primary sources and lifted much of the story directly from her diaries, so it’s not surprising she captures her so well. Love tremendously.
Finally read the book, and now I can watch the tv series!
Ugh, I love Daisy Goodwin. I also love anything royal family
Seemed to be written for children re the simplicity of the writing style. Not what I was expecting.
This was a wonderful, light read on Victoria. I haven't watched the show to compare it too, but I absolutely adored reading it. It was refreshing to read about a young queen coming into her own power, with her trials and tribulations that she went through. She heeded advice as often as she disregarded it. I do wish it went further, this ends just after her engagement, but it was a fantastic read.
While I enjoyed this novel, as well as Ms Goodwin's writing style and different view of Victoria, none of the ideas were that unique. I felt like I had read this book before. Goodwin did bring some new perspective, but not necessarily new insight. Regardless, it was a fun read.
As a huge fan of anything and all thing Victorian, I can definitely say that this novel is worth the read! Although the structure of the text is relatively simple, it does not deter from the story. In fact, I believe it enhances it.
The way this novel was written really portrays Victoria in an interesting light: not only a queen but also as a woman and girl. It goes through her emotions in such a relatable, interesting way that a new perspective on who she was really shines though.
I have to confess, I did watch the PBS show first so i did imagine all the characters as their actors, but I found the novel more insightful in areas, especially dealing with internal emotions and struggles that are harder to portray with only facial expressions. I definitely enjoyed the parts in the novel that didn't make their way into the show as well. They added nicely to the characters themselves!
Overall, this is a must-read for all Queen Victoria fans! I am anxiously praying for a second novel!!
The way this novel was written really portrays Victoria in an interesting light: not only a queen but also as a woman and girl. It goes through her emotions in such a relatable, interesting way that a new perspective on who she was really shines though.
I have to confess, I did watch the PBS show first so i did imagine all the characters as their actors, but I found the novel more insightful in areas, especially dealing with internal emotions and struggles that are harder to portray with only facial expressions. I definitely enjoyed the parts in the novel that didn't make their way into the show as well. They added nicely to the characters themselves!
Overall, this is a must-read for all Queen Victoria fans! I am anxiously praying for a second novel!!
SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD ------- When I started reading this, I expected it to be exactly like the show, though with more insight from the characters on certain things. And while this was mostly true, there are parts of the book that have scenes altered or taking place in different ways. For example, we get more of a background on Victoria's Uncle Leopold, we get the full conversation between Victoria and Conroy on his leaving to go back to Ireland while they are dancing, a bit more on Victoria's fascination with Elizabeth past what was shown in the third episode, and a lot more. I thought this was a really great book both as a written version of the show and an extension of it. The only bit I don't like is that instead of going through the end of the first season like I had hoped, it only ends with Victoria proposing Albert, which makes me hope Goodwin will write out a sequel for the last four episodes of the first season.