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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
What a story! I had no idea about this time period, and was fascinated by everything that went on. I MUST get to England!! Anyone who loves historical fiction has to read this... it's impossible to put down!
The timeline Gregory used for this book - skipping between seasons - caused it to lack any real relationship development between characters. I breezed through it, but I wasn't really committed to any of the people or their outcome. The many Elizabeths, Richards, Edwards, and Margarets didn't help.
Overall, this was a fun read. And Philippa Gregory definitely put a lot of thought into historical accuracy. And the devotion to the speculation that Elizabeth York practiced witchcraft seemed to almost make this a historical fantasy, which I love. Gregory also seemed to handle the subject of witchcraft with care, without demonizing its practitioners. The way Elizabeth believed and practices seems to be in line with what many of my pagan friends believe and practice? You'd have to ask them.
Some passages seemed repetitive or unnecessary. And maybe historical fiction about queens isn't for me, but all the talk about pregnancy really put me off? I'm still interested in reading The Other Boleyn Girl, though.
Some passages seemed repetitive or unnecessary. And maybe historical fiction about queens isn't for me, but all the talk about pregnancy really put me off? I'm still interested in reading The Other Boleyn Girl, though.
I really love Philippa Gregory's books. She is absolutely wonderful at mixing historical fact and interesting fiction. The only issue I had with this book is that I frequently found myself confused at the characters. Not that it's really any of Ms. Gregory's fault, but at this time everyone in England appears to have the names George, Richard, Edward, Elizabeth or Anne. It makes things all very confusing.
This is one of Gregory's weaker titles. I feel her more scandalous works are more deserving of attention. This one reeked of idiosyncrasies, even more so than her other novels. It was interesting, especially if you're a fan of the time period, but her other novels are stronger.
Philippa Gregory books = guilty pleasure. I like to think reading these books helps fill in some of the many blanks about British history in my head.
dark
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2.75 - It took me a long time to get into this book. I just didn't feel much of a connection with the main character (I actually thought she was pretty unlikeable). I've read & liked plenty of Philippa Gregory's books, but this one wasn't my favorite.
