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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
Was Margaret Beaufort really this ruthless and whiny? I really couldn't stand her! I enjoyed the rest of the story and characters though, especially the last chapter.
The Red Queen is Lady Margaret Beaufort, matriarch of the Tudor dinasty. A pious and educated woman living in difficult times, Gregory's portrayal of Margaret is not very edifying: Lady Beaufort's religious faith reaches extreme, fanatical levels, and makes her a often delusional and envious woman. Or that at least is what the contemporaries might have thought of this young woman, stubbornly convinced that her son, Henry Tudor, will be king of England by God's will.
And you know, she was right: the Fortune's Wheel which first favoured and then threw down the most powerful women of those times (Margaret of Anjou, Jacquetta Rivers, Elizabeth Woodville) in the end turns for Margaret Beaufort, "My Lady the King's Mother".
And you know, she was right: the Fortune's Wheel which first favoured and then threw down the most powerful women of those times (Margaret of Anjou, Jacquetta Rivers, Elizabeth Woodville) in the end turns for Margaret Beaufort, "My Lady the King's Mother".
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a lover of English and British history, this book was so good and so informative to read, and I loved learning about Margaret Beaufort/Tudor as I didn't know much about her. It was such an easy read despite it being about a true historical romance/romances.
Quotes:
- “I am old enough to be married twice. I am old enough to be bedded without tenderness or consideration. I am old enough to face death in the confinement room and be told that my own mother--my own mother--has commanded them to save the child and not me! I think I am a woman now. I have a babe in arms, and I have been married and widowed and now bethrothed again.
- “Another husband, another new house, another new country, but I never belong anywhere and I never own anything in my own right.”
- “If this is the will of God, it takes a strange and terrible shape. I did not know that the God of Battles was vile like this. I never knew that a saint could summon torment like this.”
- “I am sure your piety does you great credit, Margaret. But certainly, if God is speaking to the king, then He has not chosen the best time for this conversation.”
Really well written, but oh did I hate our narrator.
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
I know very little about what Lady Beaufort was actually like, and while Im aware this is historical fiction I found that the author made it very hard to like the character. I found her insufferable and rather-much a Pick Me. Despite that, the book was still enjoyable enough to finish and now I can move on to the next one without missing any important plot points.
I love learning about history like this. This book does a good job of quickly running through what is happening, especially where it was covered in the last book of the series, without being confusing or dragging on.
I did find it very funny that Margaret never saw the similarities between herself and Elizabeth. She was always in the right even though often they wanted the same things just on different sides.
I did find it very funny that Margaret never saw the similarities between herself and Elizabeth. She was always in the right even though often they wanted the same things just on different sides.
medium-paced
“I've enjoyed most of Philippa Gregory's work, I enjoy historical fiction for the most part- but I wasn't really a fan of this one. The Red Queen is the story of The War of the Roses told from Margaret Beaufort's point of view, Maggie is not very pleasant lady and her point of view is quite irritating. I read the White Queen just before this one and it was the War of the Roses told from Elizabeth Woodville's point of view- also not exactly riveting. I found the books to be quite repetative- perhaps if I had not read them so close together I may have felt differently about this one. Fascinating story, but I think it could have been told in one book. ”
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I liked this one more than the White Queen, though I'm glad I read the White Queen first. It was interesting to get both sides of the same story. Would definitely recommend!