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victoriathuyvi's review against another edition
3.0
Fun, easy read, but I felt like there was not much substance or plot. Enjoyable nonetheless.
fosterdogmom's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.75
peaches1951's review against another edition
4.0
Goodwin's rendering of Queen Victoria in the early years of her reign is well-researched, and sparkling.
krystyne88's review against another edition
3.0
This book is frustratingly a guilty pleasure read. There are multiple flaws to Victoria but I still gobble it up like a juicy peach. And the most frustrating thing is just as it was getting to the good stuff between Albert and Victoria it abruptly ends!! Ugghhh.
I doubt the historial accuracy of this book. So if you are looking to read something more historically acurrate I would not recommend this book. Victoria is more of a romance.
It gets Sooo repetitive for 75% of the book. Victoria is infatuated with Lord M. Lord M is enraptured with Victoria. Rides in the park with Lord M and demanding he be wherever she is. It doesnt get refreshing till Albert and Ernst come to town. I loved the witty banter between Albert and Ernst. Why so much of the Lord M crap?
She is Queen and yet she does nothing but change her hairstyle, ride in the park and obsesss over Lord M surely historically she cared more politically about the country she was ruling she could not possibly be that ignorant and spoiled.
Honestly I think the first two seasons of Victoria were amazing. Victoria is hella more strong and independent.
Ugggh so torn between giving a 3 or 4 star so I give it 3.5 stars.
I doubt the historial accuracy of this book. So if you are looking to read something more historically acurrate I would not recommend this book. Victoria is more of a romance.
It gets Sooo repetitive for 75% of the book. Victoria is infatuated with Lord M. Lord M is enraptured with Victoria. Rides in the park with Lord M and demanding he be wherever she is. It doesnt get refreshing till Albert and Ernst come to town. I loved the witty banter between Albert and Ernst. Why so much of the Lord M crap?
She is Queen and yet she does nothing but change her hairstyle, ride in the park and obsesss over Lord M surely historically she cared more politically about the country she was ruling she could not possibly be that ignorant and spoiled.
Honestly I think the first two seasons of Victoria were amazing. Victoria is hella more strong and independent.
Ugggh so torn between giving a 3 or 4 star so I give it 3.5 stars.
jinny89's review against another edition
3.0
I started this book AGES and AGES ago (in FEBURARY, omigod) and just got around to finishing it last night ... I don't know what happened, but I was actually almost done the book. Then something happened I guess, and I stopped reading it and just the other day, I was thinking, "Hey, I never finished Victoria did I?" I had a bookmark in the book so I just picked up where I left off (honestly, I only had 10 minutes of reading left to do and then I was done). So, there is a serious time gap with me reading this book from the beginning to end, but I'm pretty confident I still remember everything that happened.
I purchased this book from Costco because I felt like reading something and you know me, I like my historical-royalty fiction especially if it's NOT Tudor related because, even though I love the Tudors and all that, the historical-royalty fiction market is over saturated with their stuff. So I saw this and was like, "Oh wow, someone wrote about Victoria instead!"
This book is about Queen Victoria in her early years -- specifically, when she became Queen of England and the first few years of being monarch. It's a light read for sure, almost has a YA book feel to it, to be honest. Overall, I enjoyed it. I wasn't blown away by it or anything (clearly ... since I happily put it down for several months before finishing it off) but it was okay for sure.
I think the reason it was just okay for me was because, uh, Victoria's early years seriously were not that interesting. She was kind of bratty (in this novel) and immature. Which I guess is expected because she's only 18 years old. The author put in a romance between her and her prime minister, Mr. Melbourne. Not sure if that was real ... pretty sure it's completely fictional. Probably included to make some drama in the story because there isn't too many interesting things happening at that time. I don't know, I feel like it COULD have been more interesting because I kind of thought the book was going to be more about how this young teenager comes of age and rises to the challenge of becoming queen of a powerful nation. Instead, it was a lot more about Victoria with puppy dog eyes for her prime minister -- who, mind you, is like old enough to be her father or even grandfather, probably.
Oh yeah, there is, of course, romance involving Victoria and her real life husband, Prince Albert, but it kind of felt like it was shoved in at the end of the novel there.
So I know it sounds like I'm shitting on the book, which I'm really not trying to do. Bottom line is, I guess I expected something different, and I also have my own bias where I don't really like it when historical fiction diverges too much from actual history, but this is a good novel. 3 stars is for a good novel right? It wasn't super duper awesome or anything, but a solid 'good' to me.
I purchased this book from Costco because I felt like reading something and you know me, I like my historical-royalty fiction especially if it's NOT Tudor related because, even though I love the Tudors and all that, the historical-royalty fiction market is over saturated with their stuff. So I saw this and was like, "Oh wow, someone wrote about Victoria instead!"
This book is about Queen Victoria in her early years -- specifically, when she became Queen of England and the first few years of being monarch. It's a light read for sure, almost has a YA book feel to it, to be honest. Overall, I enjoyed it. I wasn't blown away by it or anything (clearly ... since I happily put it down for several months before finishing it off) but it was okay for sure.
I think the reason it was just okay for me was because, uh, Victoria's early years seriously were not that interesting. She was kind of bratty (in this novel) and immature. Which I guess is expected because she's only 18 years old. The author put in a romance between her and her prime minister, Mr. Melbourne. Not sure if that was real ... pretty sure it's completely fictional. Probably included to make some drama in the story because there isn't too many interesting things happening at that time. I don't know, I feel like it COULD have been more interesting because I kind of thought the book was going to be more about how this young teenager comes of age and rises to the challenge of becoming queen of a powerful nation. Instead, it was a lot more about Victoria with puppy dog eyes for her prime minister -- who, mind you, is like old enough to be her father or even grandfather, probably.
Oh yeah, there is, of course, romance involving Victoria and her real life husband, Prince Albert, but it kind of felt like it was shoved in at the end of the novel there.
So I know it sounds like I'm shitting on the book, which I'm really not trying to do. Bottom line is, I guess I expected something different, and I also have my own bias where I don't really like it when historical fiction diverges too much from actual history, but this is a good novel. 3 stars is for a good novel right? It wasn't super duper awesome or anything, but a solid 'good' to me.
bekab20's review against another edition
5.0
Loved
Cannot wait to see what PBS does with this one. I love how Daisy develops her characters and brings history to life .
Cannot wait to see what PBS does with this one. I love how Daisy develops her characters and brings history to life .
ashn31's review against another edition
4.0
I watched the show first and loved it, so I gave this book a try when I saw it. It reads wonderfully, like a romance novel instead of a historical textbook like most biographies about queens. I loved getting more details about the romance between the queen and Lord M. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it started to drag on toward the end and then ended rather abruptly. This is only about the earliest days of her reign, so if you're wanting something about her entire reign, this is probably not the one for you.
chlslnbd10's review against another edition
4.0
At the tender age of 18, Alexandrina Victoria wakes up to learn that her uncle William IV has died and she is now the Queen of England. Obsessively protected by her mother, a widowed Duchess, Drina has had little to no training on what it takes to be a monarch. With the advice of her trusted Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, Victoria (as she now prefers to be called), must quickly learn how to be a Queen, amongst insistent urgings from those around her to take a husband. Everyone is pressuring her to marry her cousin, Prince Albert, but Victoria insists on being like her predecessor, the Virgin Queen Elizabeth. Will Victoria take everyone else's advice and get married, or will she stay single?
I could not imagine having the weight of the world thrown onto my shoulders at only 18 and yet Victoria does. She has been coddled by her mother and disrespected by every single man around her because of her small stature and sex. The only man that takes her seriously is Lord M, who Victoria clearly develops stronger feelings for as the story progresses.
She believes a rumor and disgraces both herself and one of her mother's most trusted companions because, as I think, she truly feels abandoned and disrespected by her mother. At one point, Victoria mentions that the Duchess looks at Conroy and Flora before she does her own daughter and that is truly heartbreaking.
The cover of my book has a review from PEOPLE that says "An irresistible love story". I don't consider this to be a love story. The only real "love" story comes in the very end of the book and it's not mushy or in your face. Victoria is not a girl to be forced into anything and so when the resolution comes at the end, it's genuine and doesn't feel forced at all.
All in all, I enjoyed this book.
I could not imagine having the weight of the world thrown onto my shoulders at only 18 and yet Victoria does. She has been coddled by her mother and disrespected by every single man around her because of her small stature and sex. The only man that takes her seriously is Lord M, who Victoria clearly develops stronger feelings for as the story progresses.
She believes a rumor and disgraces both herself and one of her mother's most trusted companions because, as I think, she truly feels abandoned and disrespected by her mother. At one point, Victoria mentions that the Duchess looks at Conroy and Flora before she does her own daughter and that is truly heartbreaking.
The cover of my book has a review from PEOPLE that says "An irresistible love story". I don't consider this to be a love story. The only real "love" story comes in the very end of the book and it's not mushy or in your face. Victoria is not a girl to be forced into anything and so when the resolution comes at the end, it's genuine and doesn't feel forced at all.
All in all, I enjoyed this book.
missmary98's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful book that pairs well with the TV series. The book adds depth to the TV series, while the TV series brings the book to life in your mind. However, I'm sure that the book would still be very enjoyable without having seen the series.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
4.0
An very easy and accessible fiction about Queen Victoria. I wanted the book to be longer and contain so much more about her life as I think a lot was left out by only focus on a few parts of her life but it was very entertaining and enjoyable. Maybe the show Victoria that is based on this book touches on more things. But I'm not as good tv watcher as I am reading