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duchessofreadin's reviews
2461 reviews
The Queen of Last Hopes: The Story of Margaret of Anjou by Susan Higginbotham
4.0
Great Book!! Susan Higginbotham did a great job in reviving history through the eyes of Margaret of Anjou. Her struggles and hopes for peace, as well as the future of her son and husband are born out beautifully through this novel. Royal history is sometimes a hard thing to fathom as the names, people and genealogies are a hard grasp for many, but Higginbotham manages to smooth sail over many of these anomalies and bring the reader not only a sense of what is going on, as the queen moves to rebuild her lost kingdom, but in the lives of those around her. She is able to seamlessly guide the reader through a small portion of history that has had much debate over the years. Was this woman really just scheming to get her own hands on the throne, or was it as Higgenbotham recounted it; a woman moving to get her husband placed back on the throne and ensure her sons future as the future King of England. I would suggest reading this book before reading "The Traitors Wife" also by S. Higgenbotham. I read in a reverse order, but they really go hand in hand. A must read!
Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman
4.0
This was an interesting read for me, because most everything else I had read put Simon de Montfort as a demon, a person who was only self serving, looking after himself and hoping to gain a crown from his endeavors. Instead Sharon Kay Penman paints him as a man who was a champion for those who had no voice in government, but who were burdened by the King and the government at large. These base-born invidivuals wanted their rights as well, but they were overshadowed by the Lords of the land, and their voice was diminished because of it. I will admit though, there were times that I was afraid I might never keep all the names straight! I finally conjured up mental images of what I thought each would look like and that did help some in remembering the names when I would come across them again.
Simon de Montfort was quite an enigma of his time. He fought to free those oppressed, and also sough to temper the government and to bring about reforms that would protect the lower classes while reigning in the upper classes. This man lived about 650 years to early for his time, and had he been born later, he might have accomplished all he hoped and dreamed. This novel was written in a way where it was hard to put down. It also painted the King and Queen in quite a different light. I read "The Sister Queens" by Sophie Perinot before this one, and it was quite a contrasting light to these individuals. One painting them as looking for the well being of their country, and the other as dis-associative and only looking out again for their own well being. I haven't done enough research myself to draw my own conclusions, but I find the differences quite interesting. I will look further into it for my own satisfaction, but I do recommend this book for a good read! Its long but dont let page numbers fool you, its one that you wont want to put down! As you turn the pages you feel as though you are riding along side these men as they go into battle, or standing beside the Countess as she digs in her heels and refuses to give way to anyone who might cross her. I think it would have been quite interesting to live along side these individuals and gain a first hand look into their lives, two people, a husband and wife, who dared to defy what the established view was of the day, and for one, to go against her own brother, the King of England!
Simon de Montfort was quite an enigma of his time. He fought to free those oppressed, and also sough to temper the government and to bring about reforms that would protect the lower classes while reigning in the upper classes. This man lived about 650 years to early for his time, and had he been born later, he might have accomplished all he hoped and dreamed. This novel was written in a way where it was hard to put down. It also painted the King and Queen in quite a different light. I read "The Sister Queens" by Sophie Perinot before this one, and it was quite a contrasting light to these individuals. One painting them as looking for the well being of their country, and the other as dis-associative and only looking out again for their own well being. I haven't done enough research myself to draw my own conclusions, but I find the differences quite interesting. I will look further into it for my own satisfaction, but I do recommend this book for a good read! Its long but dont let page numbers fool you, its one that you wont want to put down! As you turn the pages you feel as though you are riding along side these men as they go into battle, or standing beside the Countess as she digs in her heels and refuses to give way to anyone who might cross her. I think it would have been quite interesting to live along side these individuals and gain a first hand look into their lives, two people, a husband and wife, who dared to defy what the established view was of the day, and for one, to go against her own brother, the King of England!
The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman
5.0
I cannot believe this trilogy is over! I absolutely loved these books!! (longer review coming when I have time to write it!)
Isabeau: A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer by N. Gemini Sasson
4.0
For a woman who has lost everything, Revenge is the one thing that keeps her going. With her brother's support, who happens to be the King of France, Isabelle bides her time and exacts her price at just the right time. She hits when support for the English king is at its lowest, and his favorite Hugh Despenser is the most hated man in England. Her story is one that is riveting from the start, from bedroom to royal palaces, this story is an awesome read