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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Plantagenet and Tudor novels are just juicy reads that I can't ever seem to get enough of. I love that Philippa Gregory chooses to base her stories around women on the fringe of history. She makes the time period come alive.
And even if these are mostly fiction, you can tell she has an affinity for the historical era. What is probably made up seems very plausible. These books are typically sexy romps without coming across as trashy. While the prose isn't anything to "write" home about (ha), she does take care to ensure these are fully realized women living in extraordinarily limited circumstances.
With that said, she does fall short with Margaret Beaufort. Her writing goes round and round Beaufort's singular obsession to put her son on the throne based on her religious calling and visions. I thought young Margaret at the beginning of the book was really interesting, how she was fascinated by the story and myth of Joan of Arc and wanted to be exactly like her.
But as the novel progresses, Beaufort becomes unnecessarily cruel and staunch. She randomly falls in love with a man who never spoke two words to her before. We never get a real sense of the visions she's having, nor hear her inner prayers to God, or even a scene or two where she interacts with a Confessor and has heart to hearts interpreting scripture to meet her goals. All this said: we are TOLD quite a bit about what Margaret is thinking and feeling but don't necessarily see it in action.
The novel just runs from date to date and loses steam pretty early on. Even Gregory's dialogue spins in circles. She wastes time having Margaret go on and on about her hatred for Elizabeth Woodville, denouncing her beauty and her enchanting charms and witchcraft. We get it: Elizabeth is beautiful. She is known for her beauty. This is repeated several times. And so is the adverb "quietly," used in almost every other sentence.
Margaret complains often about how much she prays, atones, and no one else suffers like she does. In short, she just became insufferable. I don't have to like a character, but I sure do have to root for them in some way. And I couldn't root for Margaret given how she is portrayed here (and possibly as a murderer?!). I got the sense that Gregory just didn't quite know who Margaret was and didn't take many risks here in having her have some crisis of faith when none of her plans came together. Or have her secretly yearn for love and acceptance and try to go about getting it instead of constantly whining about not having it. She could have been portrayed as a woman having a much deeper connection to God than what was presented here.
But as I said, even with these misgivings, I'm a sucker for this time period! I get fully invested in at least learning more about the Tudors and looking up all the historical names. This is an effortless read, too, and easy to sink into.
I definitely preferred The White Queen installment over this one - I felt it had much stronger stakes. And for anyone interested in Beaufort/Lancaster history in fictional format, read Katherine by Anya Seton. It's a much richer read.
And even if these are mostly fiction, you can tell she has an affinity for the historical era. What is probably made up seems very plausible. These books are typically sexy romps without coming across as trashy. While the prose isn't anything to "write" home about (ha), she does take care to ensure these are fully realized women living in extraordinarily limited circumstances.
With that said, she does fall short with Margaret Beaufort. Her writing goes round and round Beaufort's singular obsession to put her son on the throne based on her religious calling and visions. I thought young Margaret at the beginning of the book was really interesting, how she was fascinated by the story and myth of Joan of Arc and wanted to be exactly like her.
But as the novel progresses, Beaufort becomes unnecessarily cruel and staunch. She randomly falls in love with a man who never spoke two words to her before. We never get a real sense of the visions she's having, nor hear her inner prayers to God, or even a scene or two where she interacts with a Confessor and has heart to hearts interpreting scripture to meet her goals. All this said: we are TOLD quite a bit about what Margaret is thinking and feeling but don't necessarily see it in action.
The novel just runs from date to date and loses steam pretty early on. Even Gregory's dialogue spins in circles. She wastes time having Margaret go on and on about her hatred for Elizabeth Woodville, denouncing her beauty and her enchanting charms and witchcraft. We get it: Elizabeth is beautiful. She is known for her beauty. This is repeated several times. And so is the adverb "quietly," used in almost every other sentence.
Margaret complains often about how much she prays, atones, and no one else suffers like she does. In short, she just became insufferable. I don't have to like a character, but I sure do have to root for them in some way. And I couldn't root for Margaret given how she is portrayed here (and possibly as a murderer?!). I got the sense that Gregory just didn't quite know who Margaret was and didn't take many risks here in having her have some crisis of faith when none of her plans came together. Or have her secretly yearn for love and acceptance and try to go about getting it instead of constantly whining about not having it. She could have been portrayed as a woman having a much deeper connection to God than what was presented here.
But as I said, even with these misgivings, I'm a sucker for this time period! I get fully invested in at least learning more about the Tudors and looking up all the historical names. This is an effortless read, too, and easy to sink into.
I definitely preferred The White Queen installment over this one - I felt it had much stronger stakes. And for anyone interested in Beaufort/Lancaster history in fictional format, read Katherine by Anya Seton. It's a much richer read.
Philippa Gregory's The Red Queen is the second in a series of historical fiction novels on the War of the Roses a.k.a. “The Cousin's War”, following the House of Lancaster, rulers of England and Wales. This book follows Margaret Beaufort from a child to the mother of King Henry VII. In this book, we follow the fall of the Tudor King Henry VI, the rise and fall of power of the York kings, to the reclamation of the throne by the Tudor King Henry VII.
I am thoroughly engrossed in this series and have taken great pains to work out the different families/royalty. It is hard to keep all the Henrys, Margarets , Edwards, Elizabeths, etc. sorted out, and am finding the history fascinating. I am now hooked and am glad to be reading this series while the Starz Network is playing the mini-series based on The White Queen, The Red Queen, and The Kingmaker’s Daughter.
I am thoroughly engrossed in this series and have taken great pains to work out the different families/royalty. It is hard to keep all the Henrys, Margarets , Edwards, Elizabeths, etc. sorted out, and am finding the history fascinating. I am now hooked and am glad to be reading this series while the Starz Network is playing the mini-series based on The White Queen, The Red Queen, and The Kingmaker’s Daughter.
I just did not like this one as much I loved White Queen. I think Margaret as a character bothered me after I had been on Elizabeth's side for both Lady of the Rivers and White Queen.
Absolutely enjoyed this series of the Plantagenet dynasty. This specific narrator came across as entitled. Though throughout history Margaret believes God has chosen her. I can only imagine how she will be as a Mother in Law. Now that Henry is King, I am excited to read what happens next.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5/5
Again, I an really enjoying this series and the drama these families have, but everyone other man is named Edward, Henry, or Richard, and every woman is either Elizabeth or Margaret.
The sheer ignorance, naivete, and self righteousness of Margaret Beaufort is astonishing. Margaret and Elizabeth Rivers have the same goal, but because she (M) delusionally believes God has singled her out from the whole of England, her cause is just.
Again, I an really enjoying this series and the drama these families have, but everyone other man is named Edward, Henry, or Richard, and every woman is either Elizabeth or Margaret.
The sheer ignorance, naivete, and self righteousness of Margaret Beaufort is astonishing. Margaret and Elizabeth Rivers have the same goal, but because she (M) delusionally believes God has singled her out from the whole of England, her cause is just.
I hated this book I am no longer wasting my time to finish it
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A really refreshing look at the war of the roses, and an emotive and inventive one too. very enjoyable reading, and very thought provoking vis a vis the way history is told.
This and the White Queen would have been better all as one book with some editing. Neither book grabbed me like the other Phillippa Gregory books I've read. I felt as I read this book, it would have been a better story to have the two parts woven together.