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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Top five of my favorite authors. Her writing is so rich and keeps you hooked. My favorite time period of historical fiction- England during the Tudor/Plantagenet reigns. This one was 597 pages so it will take a bit to complete.
My another one favourite author after J.Rowling! Wonderfully written. Very captivating story.
Wow. So this is the last of this series that I had to read (I read them completely out of order) I knew who Margaret Pole was, I knew how it ended for her. But it was genuinely chilling to see the kind of relationship she had with Henry VIII. How she loves him as a child and was even very close to him as an adult, with him restoring her fortune. Allowing her and her family to live as they were entitled by birth. Then he completely and utterly destroyed them. On whim.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
4.5 stars
This book is a work of fiction based on the life of Margaret Pole, one of the few surviving members of the Plantagenet royal family after the War of the Roses. This is a dangerous name to have in this period of time, during the reign of Henry VII and then Henry VIII. Margaret - a lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon (wife #1 of Henry VIII), has a rather tumultuous ride through life, as she sees most of her family executed and has her own rise and fall in favour with the Tudors over her lifetime.
If you’re a history fan like I am, this is a fascinating book and the author certainly makes history interesting! Henry VIII is an intriguing, if horrific and tyrannical character whose behavior is shocking and incomprehensible - which always makes for an interesting read! This book is quite lengthy (about 600 pages), but is paced quite well for the most part. Although I do have a few very minor quibbles with the language used and the occasional pacing, overall this was a fascinating read about one of the minor characters from this time that you don’t often hear much about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
This book is a work of fiction based on the life of Margaret Pole, one of the few surviving members of the Plantagenet royal family after the War of the Roses. This is a dangerous name to have in this period of time, during the reign of Henry VII and then Henry VIII. Margaret - a lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon (wife #1 of Henry VIII), has a rather tumultuous ride through life, as she sees most of her family executed and has her own rise and fall in favour with the Tudors over her lifetime.
If you’re a history fan like I am, this is a fascinating book and the author certainly makes history interesting! Henry VIII is an intriguing, if horrific and tyrannical character whose behavior is shocking and incomprehensible - which always makes for an interesting read! This book is quite lengthy (about 600 pages), but is paced quite well for the most part. Although I do have a few very minor quibbles with the language used and the occasional pacing, overall this was a fascinating read about one of the minor characters from this time that you don’t often hear much about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"I have spent my life running away from the Tower..."
Margaret Pole was of the old family, the Plantagenet's. Her father was executed for treason. Her brother lost his head for nothing more than his family name. When Henry VIII comes to the throne, it is a new world for Margaret. Her lands are restored, and she is made a countess in her own right. With her husband gone, she is once again on the rise in the world of power and intrigue. But power is fleeting and wealth counts for nothing. As the court of Henry VIII begins to turn on each other for suspicion and the nobleman begin to enter the Tower, there are fears over the safety of the Lady Mary. As the world shifts underneath them and the scenes change, no one can be sure that they will be safe. Family or not, the world of Henry VIII is what he makes it and wants it to be....
A ghost from the past comes back to retell her story..
This was a great read. I enjoyed every minute of it. Margaret Pole is one that has not been written on much. Her story is one of pain and loss, but fortune's wheel must make its full turn. At the age of 67, Margaret is sent to the executioners block. There was no trial, there was no evidence. She was killed for her family name, and the fear of a king. The fear that her family would rise up again and try to regain the throne of England. While she may have been lost to history for a short while, her story has once again come to light.
Margaret Pole was of the old family, the Plantagenet's. Her father was executed for treason. Her brother lost his head for nothing more than his family name. When Henry VIII comes to the throne, it is a new world for Margaret. Her lands are restored, and she is made a countess in her own right. With her husband gone, she is once again on the rise in the world of power and intrigue. But power is fleeting and wealth counts for nothing. As the court of Henry VIII begins to turn on each other for suspicion and the nobleman begin to enter the Tower, there are fears over the safety of the Lady Mary. As the world shifts underneath them and the scenes change, no one can be sure that they will be safe. Family or not, the world of Henry VIII is what he makes it and wants it to be....
A ghost from the past comes back to retell her story..
This was a great read. I enjoyed every minute of it. Margaret Pole is one that has not been written on much. Her story is one of pain and loss, but fortune's wheel must make its full turn. At the age of 67, Margaret is sent to the executioners block. There was no trial, there was no evidence. She was killed for her family name, and the fear of a king. The fear that her family would rise up again and try to regain the throne of England. While she may have been lost to history for a short while, her story has once again come to light.
Who is ever going to find the courage to name what is more and more clear: that the king does not see the world as it is, that his vision is unreal, that-though it is treason to say it-the king is quite mad.
At first I thought that I may have read too many Henry VIII novels, as everything felt very familiar, but as I got further into the book I understood why Philippa Gregory decided to use Margaret Plantagenet as the narater. It allows a much wider view of this era, as well as Henry. Most of her other books tells the story of a specific queen, which obviously only allows us to see what is happening in the court. Margaret is able to do this, but also give us a much bigger perspective as to what was happening in the country and how the king's choices affected everyone. But even more than that, she is able to really show us how shocking the changes in Henry's personality was, as she knew him from birth. I've read quite a few books on Henry VIII, but I don't think I've ever understood how extreme these changes were, and that he became such a tyrant and persecuted and killed so many people. As the Plantagenet's were rivals to the Tudor reign Margaret is once again ideally situated to illustrate this - her father, her brother and her son was taken to the tower and executed. She was Henry's oldest victim, and was executed at the age of 67. Philippa created a strong, engaging and authentic protagonist. At the end of the King's curse I felt I had a much clearer picture of Henry's madness.
If you enjoy HF, I highly recommend this book.
The last of the Cousin's War series from Philippa Gregory tells the story of Margaret Pole, never heard of her? Read on.
Margaret Pole was cousin to Elizabeth of York (Henry VIII's mother), she was the most important and richest woman in England in her own right, owning lands and titles when she was a widow. Living through dangerous times, she saw most of her male relatives killed by the crown, as they were Plantagenet heirs and a threat to the King. This is a wonderfully in depth (and long) biography of her life and boy did she have a life.
She was either banished from the court or the King's favourite depending on his mood. She and her husband looked after Prince Arthur in his Welsh castle and welcomed Catherine of Aragon as first Arthur's wife and then Henry's. She was a loyal advisor to Henry and this novel beautifully depicts his state of mind throughout all his marriages. Eventually Henry's patience (or good sense) ran out and Margaret was the oldest person to be beheaded in the Tower of London (she was 67).
Another wonderful novel from Gregory, I have loved her work for many years and enjoy seeing history from the woman's point of view, so much more interesting than what we are taught in schools.
Margaret Pole was cousin to Elizabeth of York (Henry VIII's mother), she was the most important and richest woman in England in her own right, owning lands and titles when she was a widow. Living through dangerous times, she saw most of her male relatives killed by the crown, as they were Plantagenet heirs and a threat to the King. This is a wonderfully in depth (and long) biography of her life and boy did she have a life.
She was either banished from the court or the King's favourite depending on his mood. She and her husband looked after Prince Arthur in his Welsh castle and welcomed Catherine of Aragon as first Arthur's wife and then Henry's. She was a loyal advisor to Henry and this novel beautifully depicts his state of mind throughout all his marriages. Eventually Henry's patience (or good sense) ran out and Margaret was the oldest person to be beheaded in the Tower of London (she was 67).
Another wonderful novel from Gregory, I have loved her work for many years and enjoy seeing history from the woman's point of view, so much more interesting than what we are taught in schools.