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brooke_review 's review for:
Victoria
by Daisy Goodwin
If you haven’t discovered “Victoria” yet, you’re in for a treat! Not only do you have Daisy Goodwin’s compelling novel to look forward to, but there’s an excellent PBS series, now in its second season, to watch as well. Both pieces are well-done in their own right, and are guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment.
Queen Victoria is often called “The Young Victoria” because she came into queendom at the tender age of eighteen. Having lived for years under the oppressive and sheltered rule of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, and her mother’s advisor, Sir John Conroy, Victoria now has a say in her own life. Daisy Goodwin’s “Victoria” follows the new queen, born Alexandrina Victoria, from her king uncle’s death in 1837 through first two years of her reign. The novel is divided into four parts called books, with each focusing on a different period in Victoria’s time as a young queen. Book One shows Victoria asserting herself as a new queen, while Book Two gives attention to her developing relationship with her Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, or “Lord M” as she affectionately calls him. Book Three continues Victoria’s relationship with Lord M in addition to focusing on the politics of the time. Lastly, Book Four brings in Prince Albert, Victoria’s first cousin and her family’s top choice as her future husband.
“Victoria” gives readers a glimpse into the life of the “young and royal” in the 1800s. The book focuses much more on Victoria as a person, and her relationships with those around her, than on matters of state, making for a fun, reasonably light read. The novel and PBS series follow each other almost exactly, so it is up to the reader to decide whether they want to read first, watch second, or the other way around. Having watched the series first, I didn’t have to read so closely and it was nice to have a profile of the characters in my head. However, I already knew what was going to happen on the next page, so I had to push myself to get through the book sometimes ... not because it wasn’t good, but because I knew how things would play out.
“Victoria” will appeal to fans of historical, especially royal, fiction, and those who enjoy books about strong young women who know what they want. The novel has romantic overtones as well, so those who enjoy a good love story will like “Victoria” as well.
NOVELIST APPEALS
Genre: Biographical Fiction; Books to TV; Historical Fiction
Character: Strong Female
Queen Victoria is often called “The Young Victoria” because she came into queendom at the tender age of eighteen. Having lived for years under the oppressive and sheltered rule of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, and her mother’s advisor, Sir John Conroy, Victoria now has a say in her own life. Daisy Goodwin’s “Victoria” follows the new queen, born Alexandrina Victoria, from her king uncle’s death in 1837 through first two years of her reign. The novel is divided into four parts called books, with each focusing on a different period in Victoria’s time as a young queen. Book One shows Victoria asserting herself as a new queen, while Book Two gives attention to her developing relationship with her Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, or “Lord M” as she affectionately calls him. Book Three continues Victoria’s relationship with Lord M in addition to focusing on the politics of the time. Lastly, Book Four brings in Prince Albert, Victoria’s first cousin and her family’s top choice as her future husband.
“Victoria” gives readers a glimpse into the life of the “young and royal” in the 1800s. The book focuses much more on Victoria as a person, and her relationships with those around her, than on matters of state, making for a fun, reasonably light read. The novel and PBS series follow each other almost exactly, so it is up to the reader to decide whether they want to read first, watch second, or the other way around. Having watched the series first, I didn’t have to read so closely and it was nice to have a profile of the characters in my head. However, I already knew what was going to happen on the next page, so I had to push myself to get through the book sometimes ... not because it wasn’t good, but because I knew how things would play out.
“Victoria” will appeal to fans of historical, especially royal, fiction, and those who enjoy books about strong young women who know what they want. The novel has romantic overtones as well, so those who enjoy a good love story will like “Victoria” as well.
NOVELIST APPEALS
Genre: Biographical Fiction; Books to TV; Historical Fiction
Character: Strong Female