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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
I normally really enjoy Philippa Gregory books - they are brain candy for me - light summer beach reads, something to easily get into after a long day at work, but this one was not as good as her other novels. It follows the story of Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, from the time she is a child up until the time that Henry takes the throne. This is the second of the 'Cousins War' novels (I haven't read the others) and focuses on the house rivalries between York and Tudor. The story is told from Margaret's point of view, which I think is one of its downfalls because you really start to hate this character and you start to hate her pretty early on in the book. She's too religious, too devious, self-rightous, and not at all personable. I really wish I had liked this more because it is one of the most interesting times of British history, but it was just ok. I will, however, still be reading the other two in the trilogy as I hear they are much better!
An interesting read. I liked it much better than the preceding book.
It has good characterizations. Margaret walks the line between being a one dimensional character and being too unbelievable but somehow manages to just escape it.
It is written in first person present tense which I find wildly distracting.
It has good characterizations. Margaret walks the line between being a one dimensional character and being too unbelievable but somehow manages to just escape it.
It is written in first person present tense which I find wildly distracting.
Overall I enjoyed the book. The first 50 pages were interesting. The last 100 pages were great. The middle was downright slow and a little boring. Not sure if it was the subject that didn't grab me or the writing. I thoroughly enjoyed The White Queen from beginning to end. I do find that I didn't care for Margaret Beaufort/Tudor/Stanley at all. I couldn't relate to her at any point of the book. I enjoyed the history and of course I knew the end. Everyone knows that her son Henry ends up on the throne so there was no anticipation factor. With the white queen, you know what happened, but there was more mystery involved with the two princes etc.
I would recommend the book to others with the warning that the middle was slow and that it wasn't as good as the White Queen.
I would recommend the book to others with the warning that the middle was slow and that it wasn't as good as the White Queen.
This book had its moments but for the most part it was not a page turner. I actually skipped through parts of the book. Sometimes it feels like the author gets to mired down in expressing the internal workings of the characters. On the positive side this was by far not the worst book I have ever read.
3 stars - It was good.
Much slower than Gregory's other books that I have read, in part because you are revisiting many of the same events from the last book, [b:The White Queen|5971165|The White Queen (The Cousins' War, #1)|Philippa Gregory|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402260378s/5971165.jpg|13560666]. Read much like a memoir of a pompous, cold woman with ambition being her nucleus and what she loved above all else. Having just read The White Queen and feeling attached to Elizabeth Woodville (both mother and daughter), you feel like someone is picking a fight with one of your friends every time Margaret calls either a whore. I found b*tchy old Margaret to be infuriating - self righteous and judgmental of others while not seeing any of her own blatant faults or cruelties. A sneak peak into her mind (from Gregory's vision of course):
God cannot really want these women to lead peaceful, happy lives while my son is in exile. It cannot be His will. He must want justice, He must want to see them punished, He must want to see their downfall. He must long for the burning of the brand. He must desire the scent of the smoke of their sacrifice. And, God knows, I would be His willing instrument if He would just put the weapon in my obedient hand.
It is no comfort to me that I despise the court, that I never loved my husband, and that my son was born only to fulfill my destiny, and if he cannot do that, I don't know what use we are to each other.
Of course, this is in part why I really enjoy Gregory's books. She makes historical figures come to life and feel more real than they ever do in textbooks. In summary, from this point forward whenever I read about anything atrocious or cruel that was done by my favorite scandalous rascal, Henry VIII, I shall remember that he came by it honestly...from his paternal grandmother.
----------------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: A parcel, taken from one place to another, handed from one owner to another, unwrapped and bundled up at will, is all that I am. A vessel, for the bearing of sons, for one nobleman or another: it hardly matters who.
First Sentence: The light of the open sky is brilliant after the darkness of the inner rooms.
Much slower than Gregory's other books that I have read, in part because you are revisiting many of the same events from the last book, [b:The White Queen|5971165|The White Queen (The Cousins' War, #1)|Philippa Gregory|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402260378s/5971165.jpg|13560666]. Read much like a memoir of a pompous, cold woman with ambition being her nucleus and what she loved above all else. Having just read The White Queen and feeling attached to Elizabeth Woodville (both mother and daughter), you feel like someone is picking a fight with one of your friends every time Margaret calls either a whore. I found b*tchy old Margaret to be infuriating - self righteous and judgmental of others while not seeing any of her own blatant faults or cruelties. A sneak peak into her mind (from Gregory's vision of course):
God cannot really want these women to lead peaceful, happy lives while my son is in exile. It cannot be His will. He must want justice, He must want to see them punished, He must want to see their downfall. He must long for the burning of the brand. He must desire the scent of the smoke of their sacrifice. And, God knows, I would be His willing instrument if He would just put the weapon in my obedient hand.
It is no comfort to me that I despise the court, that I never loved my husband, and that my son was born only to fulfill my destiny, and if he cannot do that, I don't know what use we are to each other.
Of course, this is in part why I really enjoy Gregory's books. She makes historical figures come to life and feel more real than they ever do in textbooks. In summary, from this point forward whenever I read about anything atrocious or cruel that was done by my favorite scandalous rascal, Henry VIII, I shall remember that he came by it honestly...from his paternal grandmother.
----------------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: A parcel, taken from one place to another, handed from one owner to another, unwrapped and bundled up at will, is all that I am. A vessel, for the bearing of sons, for one nobleman or another: it hardly matters who.
First Sentence: The light of the open sky is brilliant after the darkness of the inner rooms.
I think it might be time for me to take a break from Philippa Gregory. This one fell super flat for me. All her novels are bleeding into to one homogenized story of "I'm destined to be Queen, I feel it in my bones". Still, it has taught me more about the history of the British Monarchy than any other medium!