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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Not a super fast paced book but the story and writing are fantastic!!
Thanks to Goodreads' First Reads, I read an early copy of Daisy Goodwin's Victoria. I enjoyed this historical fiction account of Queen Victoria's early years as queen. The book was well-written and easily held my interest. Now I hope Goodwin will do a follow-up about Victoria's later years! Highly recommended to my reader friends who enjoy historical fiction; this is a must-read!
This is pretty much a fleshed out screenplay from the Masterpiece series. The show is better.
Wow, who knew a history lesson could be so incredibly entertaining. I fact checked a couple things in this book just to see how close to true history it was and it was spot on. Yet, I did not feel like I was reading a history book. Daisy Goodwin must have done an amazing amount of homework to be able to tell the story so true to Queen Victoria’s life. If the miniseries that is going to be released in January 2017 is anything like Victoria, the book, I cannot wait to watch it.
I knew nothing about Queen Victoria when I picked up my copy of Victoria by Daisy Goodwin so I had no idea what her history was or how the book would end. I devoured her story. The descriptions of the era, room, dresses, even hairstyles made the book play out as I read it. With each description I read I could easily picture more and more of the life that the Queen was living. The interactions with the other characters in the book were equally wonderful. I enjoyed watching Victoria grow for a young girl who was unsure of what her reactions should be in situations to a strong Queen who was able to make her wishes known and they were followed without question.
As I learned more and more about the history of the time I found myself wanting to know more about the other characters. Victoria’s mother was interesting. While I could not agree with the way she raised Victoria, I do believe that she loved her daughter and was trying to do what was right by her. Lord Melbourne is someone that I would have loved to know more about. His history and his future are questionable and I only hope he was able to find happiness again. There are so many wonderful secondary characters that I would love to know more about.
I knew nothing about Queen Victoria when I picked up my copy of Victoria by Daisy Goodwin so I had no idea what her history was or how the book would end. I devoured her story. The descriptions of the era, room, dresses, even hairstyles made the book play out as I read it. With each description I read I could easily picture more and more of the life that the Queen was living. The interactions with the other characters in the book were equally wonderful. I enjoyed watching Victoria grow for a young girl who was unsure of what her reactions should be in situations to a strong Queen who was able to make her wishes known and they were followed without question.
As I learned more and more about the history of the time I found myself wanting to know more about the other characters. Victoria’s mother was interesting. While I could not agree with the way she raised Victoria, I do believe that she loved her daughter and was trying to do what was right by her. Lord Melbourne is someone that I would have loved to know more about. His history and his future are questionable and I only hope he was able to find happiness again. There are so many wonderful secondary characters that I would love to know more about.
This book is a companion to the PBS miniseries. It is very similar to the show minus a lot of the sub plots of the staff. I was disappointed that it ended with Victoria's proposal. If you have watched the show, it isn't really worth the time. If you haven't seen the show, I would give it three stars.
Quick, easy, enjoyable read. I did not realise when I picked up the book (given to me by a friend) that it was connected to the TV series "Victoria". I enjoyed the series, and thankfully my Swiss cheese memory has enough holes that reading the book did not feel repetitive. Perfect type of book for a music festival weekend - lots of starting and stopping reading, but with this book it was never an issue. Now I am keen to read Julia Baird's Victoria biography, to see how much of Goodwin's is historical and how much is fiction.
Engaging story... until you realize the climax is a 19-year-old girl falling and getting engaged to her first cousin.
Love it! I was already interested in the show coming to PBS but now I am marking on the calendar, counting down the days excited. I am sure that purists will be quick to point out historical inaccuracies, I am sure it glosses over things but who cares. This book will just transfix you, immerse you in the time period and fall in love more than once. It is easy to identify with Victoria, to root for her and sometimes against her and to hope for a happy ending. Read it, enjoy it, savor it (if you can put it down)
I understand that Daisy Goodwin's "Victoria" was meant to be a fictional portrait of the first year of Queen Victoria's reign, and not a comprehensive overview of her entire reign. And while I enjoy historical fiction that doesn't get bogged down in too many details, I feel that limiting the account of Victoria's first year as Queen to a girlish crush on her prime minister and her "I love him/I hate him" relationship with her cousin and future husband does a disservice to the woman who, until recently, was England's longest reigning monarch. Goodwin portrays her as a whiny teenager who shows little interest in the affairs of her country and is more concerned with spiting her mother and being able to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants. Surely, even at the age of nineteen, there was more to her than that.
I have watched the first and second seasons of Victoria on Masterpiece and I've loved them. This book is essentially the first season, and practically word-for-word, and while I ordinarily wouldn't like this kind of book with the liberties it takes with conversations, I really did love revisiting the tv show through it. Queen Victoria is such an interesting person, and I can't wait for season three.