What do you think?
Rate this book
The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #4
The Kingmaker's Daughter
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2012)
Spies, poison, and curses surround her...
Is there anyone she can trust?
The Kingmaker's Daughter is the gripping story of the daughters of the man known as the "Kingmaker," Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in fifteenth-century England. Without a son and heir, he uses his daughters, Anne and Isabel as pawns in his political games, and they grow up to be influential players in their own right. In this novel, her first sister story since The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory explores the lives of two fascinating young women.
At the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne grows from a delightful child to become ever more fearful and desperate when her father makes war on his former friends. Married at age fourteen, she is soon left widowed and fatherless, her mother in sanctuary and her sister married to the enemy. Anne manages her own escape by marrying Richard, Duke of Gloucester, but her choice will set her on a collision course with the overwhelming power of the royal family and will cost the lives of those she loves most in the world, including her precious only son, Prince Edward. Ultimately, the kingmaker's daughter will achieve her father's greatest ambition.
Is there anyone she can trust?
The Kingmaker's Daughter is the gripping story of the daughters of the man known as the "Kingmaker," Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in fifteenth-century England. Without a son and heir, he uses his daughters, Anne and Isabel as pawns in his political games, and they grow up to be influential players in their own right. In this novel, her first sister story since The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory explores the lives of two fascinating young women.
At the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne grows from a delightful child to become ever more fearful and desperate when her father makes war on his former friends. Married at age fourteen, she is soon left widowed and fatherless, her mother in sanctuary and her sister married to the enemy. Anne manages her own escape by marrying Richard, Duke of Gloucester, but her choice will set her on a collision course with the overwhelming power of the royal family and will cost the lives of those she loves most in the world, including her precious only son, Prince Edward. Ultimately, the kingmaker's daughter will achieve her father's greatest ambition.
417 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2012
About the author
Philippa Gregory
132 books34.8k followersPhilippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. She wrote her first ever novel, Wideacre, when she was completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature and it sold worldwide, heralding a new era for historical fiction.
Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen.
Now a recognised authority on women’s history, Philippa graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex. She is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff and an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck University of London.
Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Nielsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output.
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen.
Now a recognised authority on women’s history, Philippa graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex. She is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff and an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck University of London.
Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Nielsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output.
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,273 reviews
March 12, 2023
Sometimes, I love to be wrong.
When I first decided to listen to the audiobooks of Philippa Gregory’s series, The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, I expected nothing more than fluffy romance. But what I got instead was … shocker … serious, compelling historical fiction.
And well-researched historical fiction at that. Gregory has studied the history of the Cousins’ War so closely that she knows all the players intimately, both Lancastrian and Yorkist alike, and has a deep understanding of their motivations and goals. In turn, she has created a series that is as believable in its accuracy as it is high in its entertainment factor.
The Kingmaker’s Daughter is the fourth book and follows Anne Neville, daughter of the “Kingmaker,” Richard Neville, the man known for placing Edward IV on the throne only to turn and wage war against him. Growing up, Anne is little more than a pawn in her father’s political maneuvering, but she ultimately, through her own quest for power, becomes the Queen of England.
Anne is a woman of steely resolve and calculating intelligence. In many ways, she’s just as determined as her father to seize the throne, resolutely guiding her husband, Richard III, to kinghood. Her story is a fascinating tale of ambition, sacrifice, and loss.
The audiobook is narrated by Bianca Amato, whose portrayal of Anne exudes dignity and grace. Her skillful performance transports the reader back in time to this era of British history.
Next in the series is The White Princess, of which Princess Elizabeth of York is the subject. I look forward to this following chapter of the Cousins’ War.
When I first decided to listen to the audiobooks of Philippa Gregory’s series, The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, I expected nothing more than fluffy romance. But what I got instead was … shocker … serious, compelling historical fiction.
And well-researched historical fiction at that. Gregory has studied the history of the Cousins’ War so closely that she knows all the players intimately, both Lancastrian and Yorkist alike, and has a deep understanding of their motivations and goals. In turn, she has created a series that is as believable in its accuracy as it is high in its entertainment factor.
The Kingmaker’s Daughter is the fourth book and follows Anne Neville, daughter of the “Kingmaker,” Richard Neville, the man known for placing Edward IV on the throne only to turn and wage war against him. Growing up, Anne is little more than a pawn in her father’s political maneuvering, but she ultimately, through her own quest for power, becomes the Queen of England.
Anne is a woman of steely resolve and calculating intelligence. In many ways, she’s just as determined as her father to seize the throne, resolutely guiding her husband, Richard III, to kinghood. Her story is a fascinating tale of ambition, sacrifice, and loss.
The audiobook is narrated by Bianca Amato, whose portrayal of Anne exudes dignity and grace. Her skillful performance transports the reader back in time to this era of British history.
Next in the series is The White Princess, of which Princess Elizabeth of York is the subject. I look forward to this following chapter of the Cousins’ War.
September 26, 2017
The series is very good... keeps your attention and tells the story from different perspectives. Not one of my favorite ones from Ms. Gregory, but still a good one. I felt like some of this was a littel repetitive and lacked the keen eye for re-telling something from a previous book in the series with a different perception point. However, she has an extremely strong talent for writing historical fiction and creating the necessary suspense to keep the reader closely interested. This one focuses on Anne, as well as a few other ladies from the time... and covering from a young age, too. The best part was the eventual attachment with Richard III... which always makes for a good read.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
July 26, 2012
This was one of the best portrayals of Anne Neville that I have read. Little more than a pawn in her father's schemes, she could do nothing but follow his orders until the day that Richard rescued her. I really enjoyed the portrayal of Richard who becomes Richard III. He proclaims his innocence in the disappearance of the two princes in the Tower and even seems to grasp just how much people will despise him and blame him for the disappearance. Gregory has done it again and brought Anne to life in this new book. Definitely recommend!
August 19, 2012
This would have been four stars, except that whenever I read about the War of the Roses I get really mad and spend a lot of time hollering about how if these people had just stopped marrying their cousins and named some boy Horace or Malcolm or Glen instead of Edward and Richard and George and Henry, they all would have been better off.
I AM JUST SAYING, OKAY.
I AM JUST SAYING, OKAY.
February 28, 2022
I am so glad we are done with this time period in the series. It was getting kind of repetitive. So in this installment we are still in the same years as Book 2 and 3. This time we are following Anne Neville, Richard Neville's youngest daughter. Richard Neville, nickname is "The Kingmaker" for being the backbone of Edmund York uprising and placement on the throne. I felt sadness reading how these men used their daughters as pawns. They didn't one damn about them, only what fortune or placement could the girl bring the family name. Don't get me started on the we need a boy heir madness. Just gross. Good read and ties up loose strings from the other 2 books.
March 5, 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction
Whenever I feel I am about to fall into a reading slump I grab a Phillipa Gregory book, and she comes to my rescue! I have all her books from this series and other series and a few standalone books too. I treasure these books and love them a lot.
This book is a continuation of the Cousins wars or the wars of the roses as they have called it later. Same familiar characters but a deeper approach in diving into some of the characters. This is the story of the second daughter "Anne Neville" of the Kingmaker Richard Warwick. We see all that this young lady goes through and how her father wanted to put her on the throne as the Queen of England.
With each character, Phillipa writes she makes you root for that character and be in love with her. Anne was no exception here. I was very surprised by how much I felt and rooted for her despite favoring Elizabeth Woodville the protagonist from "The White Queen" in the earlier book! Only an outstanding writer can achieve this. Looking at Elizabeth Woodville from Anne's perspective was very scary and troubling. George, King Edward's brother who seemed more like a villain in the earlier book looks more like a victim in this book from Anne's perspective.
I kept reading this book at a slow pace because I did not want it to end. I was forcing myself to put it aside and read something else in my reading time, but even when going for other books I was still thinking about this book and these characters. This is the fourth book in the series and the more you advance I feel you get a better idea of these characters. These characters are real, some of their actions were real too as documented by historians but what I love about Phillippa Gregory's treatment of the fiction side is that she puts all the characters at different shades depending on whose perspective you are reading. No character is good or bad here, these were normal people with high ambitions who can do right and wrong. And that is what makes these stories stand out because they are very believable.
The Kingmaker's Daughter gets a perfect 5 stars from me, I can't wait to read the next book in the series but I want my mind to settle down as the characters are not just fresh in my mind but also carved in there.
August 27, 2016
Confession – I’m an English history freak with a long-time special interest in 15th Century England & Richard III, & that’s why I read this – and why I sometimes read historical novels though I know they’re going to be bad! I have some issues with factual content related to this book, but I realize it’s a novel - & I will attempt to review it with that in mind. But for those of you who might be tempted to think the content of this book is at all factual, it isn’t. I’m not going to point out all the discrepancies because I’m sure many of them are intentional & meant to create a better story.
Gregory made almost no attempt to make the 15th century come alive, beyond the details anyone can get by perusing a few history books & novels. Food, a few details about castles, & clothing are all you’re going to get, as if Gregory set out to write a term paper for college on medieval life. There’s no sense of place, no local color, & little sense of the ways in which the 15th century was an enormously different world - & yet people then would not be unrecognizable to us today.
Characters in the novel are mostly flat and uninteresting – which is almost a crime – these were fascinating people, in real life! Gregory did an OK job on Richard III, showing him in a mostly sympathetic light until the end of the book. He and Anne’s sister Isabel are the most interesting characters in the book, showing a range of emotions, and changing throughout the story arc.
I always think it's a mistake to use first-person narration in a historical novel. The Kingmaker's daughter is of course Anne Neville, who became Richard III's wife. Here's how she sees the people around her. Edward IV is hardly in the book, & plays the role of Bewitched King. George of Clarence is a Bad Man at first, then suddenly becomes Good Man, Seeker of Truth, Loving Husband Avenging Death of Wife. Hm. Elizabeth Woodville – for once I find myself feeling sorry for poor Elizabeth – is a Beautiful Bad Witch. Princess Elizabeth is a Spoiled Beauty Out to Get My Husband. Anne’s mother is Bad Mom. Everyone in the book besides Richard & Isabel is all good or all bad. I was surprised that Gregory didn’t populate her book with more side characters to give it some color & background. Though we know so little about Anne, we know she was from a huge extended family; she must have had many cousins & friends of the family who knew her well & who surrounded her during her life.
Gregory’s handling of Anne, her main character, is puzzling, & again the first-person narration really doesn't work. In the first third of the book, Anne is the smart daughter. She's willing to be a little sassy toward her dad; willing to grab hold of her father’s ambition & run with it herself; she can almost single-handedly deliver her sister’s baby on a boat, in the middle of a storm at sea! Anne acts to create her own destiny in marrying Richard, according to Gregory. So far, so good. Then Anne gets married & learns about court intrigue—and she becomes a paranoid, fearful woman who won’t ask her own husband questions about things that affect her life, & she is routinely left out of his plans. It didn't make sense to me within the confines of the book. There doesn’t seem to be a particular reason for the smart, capable girl Anne to become the fearful, shy Anne on the sidelines.
I felt like Gregory was not very interested in Anne after her marriage to Richard. She is almost dismissive of her own heroine. I imagine that Gregory wasn’t able to make much of Anne’s life seem interesting at that point. Historically, we know little of her after this, except as a background to Richard. She sometimes went to court with him, but appears to have taken little part in events. (My personal theory about this is that she was ill, on & off, for much of her life. We know she died of TB & that disease can be present but very slow-moving, for years. I think Anne led a retired life & was not much of a historical player, because she was sick.) She probably led a fairly “typical” life for a medieval Duchess, for the 11 years between marriage & becoming Queen - & that life probably wouldn’t make a very good novel either!
As Anne didn’t get to do much acting on the stage of her life, yet Gregory had to do something with her, she tells us everything going on in Anne’s head, which really seems unbelievable, & is mostly about Anne’s fear of poisons & witchcraft & of the Woodville family in general. Poor woman, I guess if we took Gregory seriously, we might think Anne Neville was a bit soft in the head!
This fear of the Woodvilles/Rivers family, & of poison & witchcraft, is the heart of the book, & I don’t think it stands up. No family is as evil as the Woodville family in the book. No well-educated woman of Anne’s birth & station would have been as paranoid & fearful of poison and witchcraft as Gregory has shown her. Yes, Richard & Anne would have had food tasters—poison was a concern—but I don’t think it would have been an obsession for them. It’s hard to say what they would have believed & worried about regarding witchcraft. It’s true that in Richard’s Act of Parliament claiming the throne, there is language saying that Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid for various reasons, including the fact that it had been accomplished through “sorcery and witchcraft.” In my opinion, Richard’s Act of Parliament contains a lot of language about the Woodvilles that’s intended to smear them as much as possible—throw everything & see what sticks, in fact. I think, though, this was a feature of the 15th century in England – character assassination and smear tactics, not unlike celebrity gossip of today. Richard smeared the Woodvilles – and they smeared him back, but good! There’s no historical evidence that Richard or Anne or anyone who really knew them, thought the Woodvilles were evil witches. They were hated because they were “upstarts” who took the lands & marriages & titles that the Old Nobility wanted, & because Elizabeth was a powerful woman who had some influence over her husband. The whole poison & witchcraft issue is larger than life in the book as Anne becomes more & more fearful – & frankly it’s boring because it’s repeated over & over. By the end of the book I felt sorry for her but I also felt sorry for Richard having to deal with her, & couldn’t help but think he’d be happier with the Naughty Princess than with Crazy Anne!
Anyway – flat characters, unexceptional writing, lack of medieval “flavor”, & weird, unnecessary twists on what should be a fascinating story. I suggest reading Sharon Kaye Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour instead – or Paul Murray Kendall’s bio of Richard III. You’re welcome.
Gregory made almost no attempt to make the 15th century come alive, beyond the details anyone can get by perusing a few history books & novels. Food, a few details about castles, & clothing are all you’re going to get, as if Gregory set out to write a term paper for college on medieval life. There’s no sense of place, no local color, & little sense of the ways in which the 15th century was an enormously different world - & yet people then would not be unrecognizable to us today.
Characters in the novel are mostly flat and uninteresting – which is almost a crime – these were fascinating people, in real life! Gregory did an OK job on Richard III, showing him in a mostly sympathetic light until the end of the book. He and Anne’s sister Isabel are the most interesting characters in the book, showing a range of emotions, and changing throughout the story arc.
I always think it's a mistake to use first-person narration in a historical novel. The Kingmaker's daughter is of course Anne Neville, who became Richard III's wife. Here's how she sees the people around her. Edward IV is hardly in the book, & plays the role of Bewitched King. George of Clarence is a Bad Man at first, then suddenly becomes Good Man, Seeker of Truth, Loving Husband Avenging Death of Wife. Hm. Elizabeth Woodville – for once I find myself feeling sorry for poor Elizabeth – is a Beautiful Bad Witch. Princess Elizabeth is a Spoiled Beauty Out to Get My Husband. Anne’s mother is Bad Mom. Everyone in the book besides Richard & Isabel is all good or all bad. I was surprised that Gregory didn’t populate her book with more side characters to give it some color & background. Though we know so little about Anne, we know she was from a huge extended family; she must have had many cousins & friends of the family who knew her well & who surrounded her during her life.
Gregory’s handling of Anne, her main character, is puzzling, & again the first-person narration really doesn't work. In the first third of the book, Anne is the smart daughter. She's willing to be a little sassy toward her dad; willing to grab hold of her father’s ambition & run with it herself; she can almost single-handedly deliver her sister’s baby on a boat, in the middle of a storm at sea! Anne acts to create her own destiny in marrying Richard, according to Gregory. So far, so good. Then Anne gets married & learns about court intrigue—and she becomes a paranoid, fearful woman who won’t ask her own husband questions about things that affect her life, & she is routinely left out of his plans. It didn't make sense to me within the confines of the book. There doesn’t seem to be a particular reason for the smart, capable girl Anne to become the fearful, shy Anne on the sidelines.
I felt like Gregory was not very interested in Anne after her marriage to Richard. She is almost dismissive of her own heroine. I imagine that Gregory wasn’t able to make much of Anne’s life seem interesting at that point. Historically, we know little of her after this, except as a background to Richard. She sometimes went to court with him, but appears to have taken little part in events. (My personal theory about this is that she was ill, on & off, for much of her life. We know she died of TB & that disease can be present but very slow-moving, for years. I think Anne led a retired life & was not much of a historical player, because she was sick.) She probably led a fairly “typical” life for a medieval Duchess, for the 11 years between marriage & becoming Queen - & that life probably wouldn’t make a very good novel either!
As Anne didn’t get to do much acting on the stage of her life, yet Gregory had to do something with her, she tells us everything going on in Anne’s head, which really seems unbelievable, & is mostly about Anne’s fear of poisons & witchcraft & of the Woodville family in general. Poor woman, I guess if we took Gregory seriously, we might think Anne Neville was a bit soft in the head!
This fear of the Woodvilles/Rivers family, & of poison & witchcraft, is the heart of the book, & I don’t think it stands up. No family is as evil as the Woodville family in the book. No well-educated woman of Anne’s birth & station would have been as paranoid & fearful of poison and witchcraft as Gregory has shown her. Yes, Richard & Anne would have had food tasters—poison was a concern—but I don’t think it would have been an obsession for them. It’s hard to say what they would have believed & worried about regarding witchcraft. It’s true that in Richard’s Act of Parliament claiming the throne, there is language saying that Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid for various reasons, including the fact that it had been accomplished through “sorcery and witchcraft.” In my opinion, Richard’s Act of Parliament contains a lot of language about the Woodvilles that’s intended to smear them as much as possible—throw everything & see what sticks, in fact. I think, though, this was a feature of the 15th century in England – character assassination and smear tactics, not unlike celebrity gossip of today. Richard smeared the Woodvilles – and they smeared him back, but good! There’s no historical evidence that Richard or Anne or anyone who really knew them, thought the Woodvilles were evil witches. They were hated because they were “upstarts” who took the lands & marriages & titles that the Old Nobility wanted, & because Elizabeth was a powerful woman who had some influence over her husband. The whole poison & witchcraft issue is larger than life in the book as Anne becomes more & more fearful – & frankly it’s boring because it’s repeated over & over. By the end of the book I felt sorry for her but I also felt sorry for Richard having to deal with her, & couldn’t help but think he’d be happier with the Naughty Princess than with Crazy Anne!
Anyway – flat characters, unexceptional writing, lack of medieval “flavor”, & weird, unnecessary twists on what should be a fascinating story. I suggest reading Sharon Kaye Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour instead – or Paul Murray Kendall’s bio of Richard III. You’re welcome.
October 20, 2012
First let me say I am a huge PG fan. I have read all of her historical fiction novels and loved every one of them. I was very excited about the idea of reading about the life of Anne Neville (wife of Richard III). For some reason this book did not seem as compelling to me as her other novels. The first half of the book seemed to drag and the narrative was a little too repetitive. The book picked up for the second half. Unfortunately, the historical record on Anne's life is so vague and much of the book must rely on speculation. It's a decent read for anyone interested in the life of the Neville family, the War of the Roses and the House of York. But it's definitely not The Other Boleyn Girl.
January 20, 2020
The Kingmaker's Daughter (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #4), Philippa Gregory
The Kingmaker's Daughter is a 2012 historical novel by Philippa Gregory. Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick—called "The Kingmaker"—puts young Edward IV on the throne of England. But before Neville can arrange for one of his daughters to marry the new king, Edward marries Elizabeth Woodville in secret. As Neville begins losing his control of Edward, he plots to secure his daughters' futures. Anne, his younger daughter, is married off to Edward, Prince of Wales. Following the deaths in battle of both her father and her husband, she is courted by the future King Richard III of England.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: پنجم ماه سپتامبر سال سال 2014 میلادی
عنوان: دختر کینگ میکرز؛ نویسنده: فلیپا گرگوری؛
The Kingmaker's Daughter is a 2012 historical novel by Philippa Gregory. Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick—called "The Kingmaker"—puts young Edward IV on the throne of England. But before Neville can arrange for one of his daughters to marry the new king, Edward marries Elizabeth Woodville in secret. As Neville begins losing his control of Edward, he plots to secure his daughters' futures. Anne, his younger daughter, is married off to Edward, Prince of Wales. Following the deaths in battle of both her father and her husband, she is courted by the future King Richard III of England.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: پنجم ماه سپتامبر سال سال 2014 میلادی
عنوان: دختر کینگ میکرز؛ نویسنده: فلیپا گرگوری؛
October 21, 2022
4,5 Sterne
Ich liebe es einfach mir von Philippa Gregory die Geschichte der Rosenkriege näher bringen zu lassen. In der Schule wurde das bei mir im Geschichtsunterricht leider wenig bis gar nicht thematisiert, daher bin ich mit der wahren Historie hier auch nicht allzu firm. Das Buch hat mich aber mal wieder viel zum googeln und nachschlagen angeregt. Genauso faszinierend finde ich die Parallelen zu eigentlich fiktiven Geschichten wie beispielsweise GoT.
Wir schreiten mit jedem Band zeitlich weiter fort und hier begleiten wir die zu Beginn noch kleine Anne Neville, die jüngste der beiden Töchter des sog. "Königsmachers". Was ich in diesem Band besonders beeindruckend fand war wie Elizabeth Woodville hier auf einmal als "die Böse" auftaucht, obwohl sie in "Die weiße Königin" noch unsere Heldin war.
Die Lücken, die die "wahre" Geschichte hat, füllt Gregory wie gewohnt spannend und doch so realistisch, dass es genauso hätte passiert sein können. Ich muss dennoch leider einen halben Stern abziehen, weil es zwischendrin für mich doch mal klitzekleine Längen gab.
Ich liebe es einfach mir von Philippa Gregory die Geschichte der Rosenkriege näher bringen zu lassen. In der Schule wurde das bei mir im Geschichtsunterricht leider wenig bis gar nicht thematisiert, daher bin ich mit der wahren Historie hier auch nicht allzu firm. Das Buch hat mich aber mal wieder viel zum googeln und nachschlagen angeregt. Genauso faszinierend finde ich die Parallelen zu eigentlich fiktiven Geschichten wie beispielsweise GoT.
Wir schreiten mit jedem Band zeitlich weiter fort und hier begleiten wir die zu Beginn noch kleine Anne Neville, die jüngste der beiden Töchter des sog. "Königsmachers". Was ich in diesem Band besonders beeindruckend fand war wie Elizabeth Woodville hier auf einmal als "die Böse" auftaucht, obwohl sie in "Die weiße Königin" noch unsere Heldin war.
Die Lücken, die die "wahre" Geschichte hat, füllt Gregory wie gewohnt spannend und doch so realistisch, dass es genauso hätte passiert sein können. Ich muss dennoch leider einen halben Stern abziehen, weil es zwischendrin für mich doch mal klitzekleine Längen gab.
November 8, 2012
4.5 Stars!!!
I have given Philippa Gregory a rough time. I believed her writing was sometimes broad and dumbed down. I didn't put much faith in the historical accuracy of her work, believing she was more fiction than history.
Well, not with this story!! I didn't realize until I did my own investigation that a tremendous amount of research went into this series. I can't even imagine how much research time it would take to write this series, when the history is complicated and voluminous, and the actual facts difficult to sort.
I started the series with this book. I stopped half way through because I wanted to go back and read the first books. After reading The White Queen, I became obsessed with Richard III. I'm American and never had much formal education about the War of the Roses. I was initially obsessed with the story of the princes in the tower. Then I moved on to figuring out my own feelings for Richard. I read MANY books on Richard 3 before I finally finished this particular book. This story is narrated by his wife, Anne Neville.
The ending of this book blew me away! I don't like Richard. By the time he was on the throne, he was not a good guy. Gregory's Richard III is not romanticized or sanctified. He is cold and calculating, but not a hunchback monster of Shakespearian legend. Moreover, I was really surprised and delighted with her portrayal of Anne Nevill, who changes a great deal throughout this book, eventually showing that she was definitely her father's daughter!!
Philippa Gregory deserves much praise for this series. In particular, The White Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter are the two very best of the series. These are Must-Reads for anyone interested in the War of the Roses and/or Richard III. She does a remarkable job demonstrating different points of view.
The only problem with this book is simply that the history is bleak and depressing. It's difficult to say that this is a five star book when the characters made me so angry. But then again, these were actual people acting badly, not characters!!! Gregory backed up this book with tremendous research and detail, while also adding fresh new perspectives to this mysterious, fascinating time in English history. The facts are grim and dark, I can't blame the author.
I highly recommend this book, but I have to warn readers that this is an intense and dark part of history. It's certainly not a fairytale with a happy ending!
I have given Philippa Gregory a rough time. I believed her writing was sometimes broad and dumbed down. I didn't put much faith in the historical accuracy of her work, believing she was more fiction than history.
Well, not with this story!! I didn't realize until I did my own investigation that a tremendous amount of research went into this series. I can't even imagine how much research time it would take to write this series, when the history is complicated and voluminous, and the actual facts difficult to sort.
I started the series with this book. I stopped half way through because I wanted to go back and read the first books. After reading The White Queen, I became obsessed with Richard III. I'm American and never had much formal education about the War of the Roses. I was initially obsessed with the story of the princes in the tower. Then I moved on to figuring out my own feelings for Richard. I read MANY books on Richard 3 before I finally finished this particular book. This story is narrated by his wife, Anne Neville.
The ending of this book blew me away! I don't like Richard. By the time he was on the throne, he was not a good guy. Gregory's Richard III is not romanticized or sanctified. He is cold and calculating, but not a hunchback monster of Shakespearian legend. Moreover, I was really surprised and delighted with her portrayal of Anne Nevill, who changes a great deal throughout this book, eventually showing that she was definitely her father's daughter!!
Philippa Gregory deserves much praise for this series. In particular, The White Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter are the two very best of the series. These are Must-Reads for anyone interested in the War of the Roses and/or Richard III. She does a remarkable job demonstrating different points of view.
The only problem with this book is simply that the history is bleak and depressing. It's difficult to say that this is a five star book when the characters made me so angry. But then again, these were actual people acting badly, not characters!!! Gregory backed up this book with tremendous research and detail, while also adding fresh new perspectives to this mysterious, fascinating time in English history. The facts are grim and dark, I can't blame the author.
I highly recommend this book, but I have to warn readers that this is an intense and dark part of history. It's certainly not a fairytale with a happy ending!
January 2, 2013
Where I got the book: purchased through Waterstones. UK edition, signed.
Despite my eternal resolutions not to read any more of this Cousins' War series I couldn't resist getting a signed copy at the Historical Novel Society conference, so here I am reviewing yet another of these books and noting pretty much exactly the same things that annoy me with all the others.
This one covers the story of Anne Neville, wife of Richard of Gloucester aka Richard III. Her father is the political mover and shaker Warwick, whose intention is that whatever side of the York/Lancaster divide rules England, he should be standing behind it.
And...I'm already too bored to continue. Let's recap:
- maaaaagic. Mercifully Anne herself declares she doesn't believe in witchcraft, but that doesn't stop her from believing that the bad things that happen to her family could have witchy origins. Storms? Witch. Sickly child? Witch. Sudden death? Witch. Someone else being way more successful than you? WITCHWITCHWITCH OK you get the idea. Yawn.
- PG's characters relentlessly explain to each other who they're talking about. "Your mother-in-law, the Duchess Cecily"..."your husband George Duke of Clarence"..."Margaret Beaufort...the wife of my friend, the trusted Lord Thomas Stanley, whom I made Lord Chamberlin"... Ya know, at some point you've just got to trust the reader to be able to follow the plot.
- PG is writing about women in a world where men did all the doing and the women stayed at home and made babies (or not). Consequently, practically all of the action in TKMD happens offstage. The only really vivid scene (which was very well done) WAS ABOUT HAVING A BABY. *headdesk* There were some great--GREAT--scenes that only happened in the retelling and I longed to actually SEE them.
- hard-to-like characters. Nope, can't think of a single one I actually liked, including Anne. And they all sound the same, have you noticed?
And yet PG's a good writer and I'm going to say it yet again: please, PLEASE get shot of this series and go back to making stuff up, PG (I wrote that with a completely straight face. Honest.)
One thing I DID like about the book and that was the quality of the UK binding. From Croydon, that was. Saaarf London quality, innit?
May 25, 2013: on revisiting this review I dropped a star because my lasting impression of this book is *&)& THIS BOOK ANNOYED ME, and that's the ONLY memory I have of it except that it made Richard III look pretty good.
Despite my eternal resolutions not to read any more of this Cousins' War series I couldn't resist getting a signed copy at the Historical Novel Society conference, so here I am reviewing yet another of these books and noting pretty much exactly the same things that annoy me with all the others.
This one covers the story of Anne Neville, wife of Richard of Gloucester aka Richard III. Her father is the political mover and shaker Warwick, whose intention is that whatever side of the York/Lancaster divide rules England, he should be standing behind it.
And...I'm already too bored to continue. Let's recap:
- maaaaagic. Mercifully Anne herself declares she doesn't believe in witchcraft, but that doesn't stop her from believing that the bad things that happen to her family could have witchy origins. Storms? Witch. Sickly child? Witch. Sudden death? Witch. Someone else being way more successful than you? WITCHWITCHWITCH OK you get the idea. Yawn.
- PG's characters relentlessly explain to each other who they're talking about. "Your mother-in-law, the Duchess Cecily"..."your husband George Duke of Clarence"..."Margaret Beaufort...the wife of my friend, the trusted Lord Thomas Stanley, whom I made Lord Chamberlin"... Ya know, at some point you've just got to trust the reader to be able to follow the plot.
- PG is writing about women in a world where men did all the doing and the women stayed at home and made babies (or not). Consequently, practically all of the action in TKMD happens offstage. The only really vivid scene (which was very well done) WAS ABOUT HAVING A BABY. *headdesk* There were some great--GREAT--scenes that only happened in the retelling and I longed to actually SEE them.
- hard-to-like characters. Nope, can't think of a single one I actually liked, including Anne. And they all sound the same, have you noticed?
And yet PG's a good writer and I'm going to say it yet again: please, PLEASE get shot of this series and go back to making stuff up, PG (I wrote that with a completely straight face. Honest.)
One thing I DID like about the book and that was the quality of the UK binding. From Croydon, that was. Saaarf London quality, innit?
May 25, 2013: on revisiting this review I dropped a star because my lasting impression of this book is *&)& THIS BOOK ANNOYED ME, and that's the ONLY memory I have of it except that it made Richard III look pretty good.
February 21, 2022
The Neville sisters, Isabel and Anne, pretended to be Queen of England while playing as young girls, and their imagining was all about the beautiful dresses and the handsome knights. But as they grew older, they came to learn that being Queen is a cruel job and royal women are just pawns that can be put in play or pushed aside as needed in the games played by men.
Anne and Isabel Neville are the daughters of the Earl of Warwick, the notorious kingmaker where it is said that no one can hold the throne of England without his permission. The two daughters were raised to play their part in their father’s ambitions – they marry great men and the Earl of Warwick is determined to make one of them Queen of England. However, their father’s actions put their fortunes and prospects at risk, and upon their father’s death, Anne and Isabel are put in play in a new game to satisfy the ambitions of the York brothers. The story is told from the point of view of the younger sister, Anne. It begins early in Edward IV's reign in 1465 at Elizabeth Woodville’s coronation and follows Anne’s tale through her death in March 1485.
I am a fan of the Plantagenet and Tudor series, and I tend to jump around among the books in the series depending on which characters or storylines spark my interest at the time. However, I would recommend reading this one after The White Queen. The time periods are overlapping between the two books, and The White Queen tells Elizabeth Woodville’s version of events regarding her decisions as Queen of England and her fight to keep the crown for her family. The Kingmaker's Daughter is Anne Neville’s perception of those decisions. I thought it was a really fun contrast between the points of view of two women in different places on the social hierarchy – one trying to elevate and secure power for her family, and the other from one of the greatest families in England. I went back to re-read parts of The White Queen to see how the same events were described from the points of view of the two women, and you can't help but ask yourself whether Elizabeth Woodville was really evil or was Anne Neville just overly paranoid.
If you’ve ever read a Philippa Gregory book before, you know her female leads are not lacking in ambition. However, this edition to the Plantagenet and Tudor series focuses less on personal ambition and delves into how women are used in relation to the men’s ambitions. While Anne Neville was ambitious in her own right, she was acutely aware of her powerlessness and how her future was wholly dependent on the whims of men. While I would say that Anne Neville didn’t feel as formidable as the other leading ladies in the series, she had a quiet strength and it was compelling to read about the choices and sacrifices she made to navigate the men’s power games with the goal of survival. She turned out to be pretty adept at the games too, as she ultimately became Queen of England.
If reading about strong women fighting to survive amid the power games of the English monarchy appeals to you, then this is the book for you.
Anne and Isabel Neville are the daughters of the Earl of Warwick, the notorious kingmaker where it is said that no one can hold the throne of England without his permission. The two daughters were raised to play their part in their father’s ambitions – they marry great men and the Earl of Warwick is determined to make one of them Queen of England. However, their father’s actions put their fortunes and prospects at risk, and upon their father’s death, Anne and Isabel are put in play in a new game to satisfy the ambitions of the York brothers. The story is told from the point of view of the younger sister, Anne. It begins early in Edward IV's reign in 1465 at Elizabeth Woodville’s coronation and follows Anne’s tale through her death in March 1485.
I am a fan of the Plantagenet and Tudor series, and I tend to jump around among the books in the series depending on which characters or storylines spark my interest at the time. However, I would recommend reading this one after The White Queen. The time periods are overlapping between the two books, and The White Queen tells Elizabeth Woodville’s version of events regarding her decisions as Queen of England and her fight to keep the crown for her family. The Kingmaker's Daughter is Anne Neville’s perception of those decisions. I thought it was a really fun contrast between the points of view of two women in different places on the social hierarchy – one trying to elevate and secure power for her family, and the other from one of the greatest families in England. I went back to re-read parts of The White Queen to see how the same events were described from the points of view of the two women, and you can't help but ask yourself whether Elizabeth Woodville was really evil or was Anne Neville just overly paranoid.
If you’ve ever read a Philippa Gregory book before, you know her female leads are not lacking in ambition. However, this edition to the Plantagenet and Tudor series focuses less on personal ambition and delves into how women are used in relation to the men’s ambitions. While Anne Neville was ambitious in her own right, she was acutely aware of her powerlessness and how her future was wholly dependent on the whims of men. While I would say that Anne Neville didn’t feel as formidable as the other leading ladies in the series, she had a quiet strength and it was compelling to read about the choices and sacrifices she made to navigate the men’s power games with the goal of survival. She turned out to be pretty adept at the games too, as she ultimately became Queen of England.
If reading about strong women fighting to survive amid the power games of the English monarchy appeals to you, then this is the book for you.
August 8, 2017
You need a giant Prozac before you read this thing.
Gah! This book manages to be both boring as hell and depressing as hell at the same time.
I know, I know... the author is just reporting the facts, not trying to glamorize it.
And yet.. very little is written or known about the heroine and narrator, Anne Neville, so the author could have theoretically made her a little less horrible and boring. She could have been less of a spoiled little asshole who was jealous of every other female and obsessed with the idea that another lady was a witch who was trying to kill her.
Maybe... but experience tells me that not eating carbs will magically turn you into a bitch..
And, that is basically the book. Pages upon pages of Anne thinking about how the old queen must be a witch. Pages and pages of self-pity because her poor father - who sounded like an evil villain - got what he deserved and finally was killed. By the end of the book, I was thinking that if she truly had died of poisoning, it could have been done by everyone who ever knew her if this was her personality.
"Hey, guys? What do you think of all of us getting together and putting an end toour her misery?"
Everyone: "That sounds great!! I'll get the poison!"
*stampede out of room to the poison garden*
(What, you think there wasn't a poison garden?)
I think that if I had to read much more of her thoughts, I would have taken some poison myself. (In the form of refined sugar. Poison to the body and what not...)
Also, the book was written in a way that was more like telling instead of showing. Most of the action of the book happens "off stage" and we just hear about it in her ramblings. There is never the feel of the time, or atmosphere, it is all just stated. I was never engrossed or transported at all.
I ain't even mad.
The only feelings that this book brought out of me were the usual for that time period: it sucked to be alive back then. Especially for women. And, sheesh, it must have smelled horrible.
Gah! This book manages to be both boring as hell and depressing as hell at the same time.
I know, I know... the author is just reporting the facts, not trying to glamorize it.
And yet.. very little is written or known about the heroine and narrator, Anne Neville, so the author could have theoretically made her a little less horrible and boring. She could have been less of a spoiled little asshole who was jealous of every other female and obsessed with the idea that another lady was a witch who was trying to kill her.
Maybe... but experience tells me that not eating carbs will magically turn you into a bitch..
And, that is basically the book. Pages upon pages of Anne thinking about how the old queen must be a witch. Pages and pages of self-pity because her poor father - who sounded like an evil villain - got what he deserved and finally was killed. By the end of the book, I was thinking that if she truly had died of poisoning, it could have been done by everyone who ever knew her if this was her personality.
"Hey, guys? What do you think of all of us getting together and putting an end to
Everyone: "That sounds great!! I'll get the poison!"
*stampede out of room to the poison garden*
(What, you think there wasn't a poison garden?)
I think that if I had to read much more of her thoughts, I would have taken some poison myself. (In the form of refined sugar. Poison to the body and what not...)
Also, the book was written in a way that was more like telling instead of showing. Most of the action of the book happens "off stage" and we just hear about it in her ramblings. There is never the feel of the time, or atmosphere, it is all just stated. I was never engrossed or transported at all.
I ain't even mad.
The only feelings that this book brought out of me were the usual for that time period: it sucked to be alive back then. Especially for women. And, sheesh, it must have smelled horrible.
August 22, 2012
Although readers whom strive for historical accuracy have been quite let down by PG; I tried to go into this novel with a clean slate. Meaning that I already knew “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” would include a certain level of fluff (at least PG finally admits to this in her “Author’s Note”); so I decided to just try to enjoy the novel for what it is: entertainment.
Admittedly, expecting little did help my enjoyment intensity with “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” but I did still experience some issues. Although attempting to kick off the novel with drama and immediate action, PG failed to fully describe the characters, settings, or era which causes a filter with the reader. In fact, this is evident throughout “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” which lacks an imagery appeal and feels too modern. This modern tone is extended into the characters’ dialog which is absent of finesse.
Harking further on characters, the characters which made appearances in the preceding books in the Cousins series don’t quite match or line up. The development of the main character, Anne Neville, is stunted. Her voice is inconsistent seeming too young, then mature, then young again and her thinking lacks any depth. It seems that PG tried too hard to write from a growing child’s point of view, failed, and thus caused an empty rift preventing the reader from getting to know Anne intimately. Basically, the novel felt too childish and was a far cry from a novel targeting adults (perhaps better suited for YA).
Similar to “The Lady of the Rivers”, “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” had repetitions of facts, much too obvious historical explanations, and the most annoying PG habit of calling figures by their titles during every dialog (natural conversations do not flow in this manner). Thankfully, this was done a less number of times than in “The Lady of the Rivers” and is therefore tolerable.
A major issue with the characters is that they never grow and are too much packed into their stereotypical boxes. This can bore the reader and stifle the plot. Furthermore, small details of the characters are quite annoying such as Isabel and Anne constantly commenting on the other to “not be stupid” and Anne calling Isabel, “Iz”.
For those turned off by the magic/sorcery themes in PG’s latest novels, “The Kingmaker’s Daughter explores this topic early on, even under the hundred-page mark so be warned that it can’t be escaped.
One of PG’s higher points were moments, which although overly drastic and dramatic (i.e. Isabel’s labor on a ship); were somewhat of out of Gregory’s normal writing. I give her credit for branching out and extending her skills. Gregory also maintains a certain level of suspense with less predictability and foreshadowing than that of her previous novels. Albeit, this intrigue is still rather childish and one-dimensional; but it is somewhat evident.
Although I strived to view “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” as purely fiction, knowing it would be historically inaccurate; I still can’t help but to be upset by PG’s firm, convicted statements of historical events which most historians specify as theories or speculation. Gregory doesn’t garner any debate and merely views herself as correct.
Despite the overall lack of depth, “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” does spark interest into the lives of Anne Neville and Richard III, provides an interesting (fictional) take on Anne, and is a refreshing view of Richard (not a villain here!). Unfortunately, the PG bomb dropped in the last quarter of the book. The pages lacked substance, were repetitious, and focused on one, singular topic (Elizabeth Woodville’s “sorcery”). Basically, one could read pages and pages and yet the story does not advance at all. Furthermore, for those familiar with the subject, the novel becomes very predictable (as opposed to earlier sections) and loses steam.
This decline effected the characters as “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” had a pro-Ricardian stance but then does a complete role-reversal to make Anne and Richard slightly villainous and against the Princes and for usurping the throne. The ending was weak and PG’s setup to her novel about what happened to the Princes (Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck will surely have appearances) was too blatant.
If only comparing “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” to the other Cousins books, it isn’t that bad. One simply has to go into it not expecting much in terms of depth, accuracy, or adult content and then not as much disappointment will ensue. My rating was a firm 3 but then teetered to a 2 during the last quarter of the book. However, I gave “Lady of the Rivers” a 2, but because this was better in comparison, I will give it a 3 (more like 2 ½).
Admittedly, expecting little did help my enjoyment intensity with “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” but I did still experience some issues. Although attempting to kick off the novel with drama and immediate action, PG failed to fully describe the characters, settings, or era which causes a filter with the reader. In fact, this is evident throughout “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” which lacks an imagery appeal and feels too modern. This modern tone is extended into the characters’ dialog which is absent of finesse.
Harking further on characters, the characters which made appearances in the preceding books in the Cousins series don’t quite match or line up. The development of the main character, Anne Neville, is stunted. Her voice is inconsistent seeming too young, then mature, then young again and her thinking lacks any depth. It seems that PG tried too hard to write from a growing child’s point of view, failed, and thus caused an empty rift preventing the reader from getting to know Anne intimately. Basically, the novel felt too childish and was a far cry from a novel targeting adults (perhaps better suited for YA).
Similar to “The Lady of the Rivers”, “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” had repetitions of facts, much too obvious historical explanations, and the most annoying PG habit of calling figures by their titles during every dialog (natural conversations do not flow in this manner). Thankfully, this was done a less number of times than in “The Lady of the Rivers” and is therefore tolerable.
A major issue with the characters is that they never grow and are too much packed into their stereotypical boxes. This can bore the reader and stifle the plot. Furthermore, small details of the characters are quite annoying such as Isabel and Anne constantly commenting on the other to “not be stupid” and Anne calling Isabel, “Iz”.
For those turned off by the magic/sorcery themes in PG’s latest novels, “The Kingmaker’s Daughter explores this topic early on, even under the hundred-page mark so be warned that it can’t be escaped.
One of PG’s higher points were moments, which although overly drastic and dramatic (i.e. Isabel’s labor on a ship); were somewhat of out of Gregory’s normal writing. I give her credit for branching out and extending her skills. Gregory also maintains a certain level of suspense with less predictability and foreshadowing than that of her previous novels. Albeit, this intrigue is still rather childish and one-dimensional; but it is somewhat evident.
Although I strived to view “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” as purely fiction, knowing it would be historically inaccurate; I still can’t help but to be upset by PG’s firm, convicted statements of historical events which most historians specify as theories or speculation. Gregory doesn’t garner any debate and merely views herself as correct.
Despite the overall lack of depth, “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” does spark interest into the lives of Anne Neville and Richard III, provides an interesting (fictional) take on Anne, and is a refreshing view of Richard (not a villain here!). Unfortunately, the PG bomb dropped in the last quarter of the book. The pages lacked substance, were repetitious, and focused on one, singular topic (Elizabeth Woodville’s “sorcery”). Basically, one could read pages and pages and yet the story does not advance at all. Furthermore, for those familiar with the subject, the novel becomes very predictable (as opposed to earlier sections) and loses steam.
This decline effected the characters as “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” had a pro-Ricardian stance but then does a complete role-reversal to make Anne and Richard slightly villainous and against the Princes and for usurping the throne. The ending was weak and PG’s setup to her novel about what happened to the Princes (Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck will surely have appearances) was too blatant.
If only comparing “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” to the other Cousins books, it isn’t that bad. One simply has to go into it not expecting much in terms of depth, accuracy, or adult content and then not as much disappointment will ensue. My rating was a firm 3 but then teetered to a 2 during the last quarter of the book. However, I gave “Lady of the Rivers” a 2, but because this was better in comparison, I will give it a 3 (more like 2 ½).
September 26, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found in intriguing. Gregory provides some very interesting perspectives, as she has in her other books in The Cousins' War series. A story of love, hate, war, betrayal , jealousy , political machinations and not a little witchcraft
She tells the story through the eyes of Anne Neville, the younger daughter of Warwick the kingmaker, Richard Neville. From when Anne was nine until her death at 28. Having read The White Queen (The Cousins' War) it takes some adjustment to read of Elizabeth Woodville was the primary arch-villainess of the narrative, but as Gregory tells each story from the first person perspective narration what she seems to want to provide is a different angle in each book. Still the shift in the way we see some of the protagonists from book to book in The Cousins War series is quite dramatic.
The interaction between Anne and her sister Isabel forms a strong thread through the book, as does her relationship with and marriage Richard, Duke of Gloucester , later Richard III.
And the machinations for power between the variety of players. In her childhood it was Henry VI's (referred to by her as 'the sleeping king' Queen, Margaret of Anjou, who was the arch she-devil, and we see Anne's own growth from pawn to a far stronger character that is the backbone of this narrative. I found the scenes and dialogue most compelling.
At the end of the novel we get a slightly different perspective to what has been built up about Elizabeth Woodville, and the secne is set for our journey into the life her daughter of Elizabeth of York in The White Princess (Cousins' War)
I found the scene was set well and richly and dramatically played out.
Richard III is portrayed as mostly a loyal and decent man, far from the portrayals by Thomas More and Shakespeare in his play, but not above ruthless machinations and plots for his loyalty to his brother and what he sees as the good of the country.
But she does not absolve him of all blame for the plight of the boys in the tower as if he had not had them incarcerated they would not likely have been murdered. So her portrayal of Richard may not be quite as admiring and heroic as that of some novelists who completely lionize him.
She tells the story through the eyes of Anne Neville, the younger daughter of Warwick the kingmaker, Richard Neville. From when Anne was nine until her death at 28. Having read The White Queen (The Cousins' War) it takes some adjustment to read of Elizabeth Woodville was the primary arch-villainess of the narrative, but as Gregory tells each story from the first person perspective narration what she seems to want to provide is a different angle in each book. Still the shift in the way we see some of the protagonists from book to book in The Cousins War series is quite dramatic.
The interaction between Anne and her sister Isabel forms a strong thread through the book, as does her relationship with and marriage Richard, Duke of Gloucester , later Richard III.
And the machinations for power between the variety of players. In her childhood it was Henry VI's (referred to by her as 'the sleeping king' Queen, Margaret of Anjou, who was the arch she-devil, and we see Anne's own growth from pawn to a far stronger character that is the backbone of this narrative. I found the scenes and dialogue most compelling.
At the end of the novel we get a slightly different perspective to what has been built up about Elizabeth Woodville, and the secne is set for our journey into the life her daughter of Elizabeth of York in The White Princess (Cousins' War)
I found the scene was set well and richly and dramatically played out.
Richard III is portrayed as mostly a loyal and decent man, far from the portrayals by Thomas More and Shakespeare in his play, but not above ruthless machinations and plots for his loyalty to his brother and what he sees as the good of the country.
But she does not absolve him of all blame for the plight of the boys in the tower as if he had not had them incarcerated they would not likely have been murdered. So her portrayal of Richard may not be quite as admiring and heroic as that of some novelists who completely lionize him.
December 30, 2012
There is something about Philippa Gregory's writing that is enthralling. This story was told from Anne Neville's point of view and I found it fascinating, especially since the last book I'd read by this author was The Lady of the Rivers. I love it when a series takes on different perspectives so you get a more well-rounded view of all sides.
I felt sorry for the Neville girls. How awful to be used for gain and raised to marry and solely to increase one's wealth. I think the author did a great job at making the girls female versions of their father. He thought he was doing the right thing, but switching sides is not the best way to achieve an end. There were so many needless deaths over the throne and to protect one's right to reign that it was appalling. I can't imagine living in constant fear like that.
Anne's mother was perfectly hateful, too. She did not act like she cared for her daughters at all, but merely had her own interests at heart. I felt especially bad for Isabel when she was pregnant the first time. I found the doubt that her mother put in Anne's head about her husband quite sad, and then when things got convoluted in his relationship with his niece, well, let's just say ick to that. I pitied Anne because she felt the desire to give up at such a young age. But after so many needless losses on so many fronts, I don't blame her for wanting to go to sleep and never wake again.
I found the whole belief regarding the Woodville's controlling men through witchcraft quite fascinating, but I can see where things that cannot be explained would be concluded that way. There were a lot of needless deaths over this as well. So much treachery and loss. Anyway, I love this series because it makes me think and the most profound conclusion of all was that the very thing Anne wanted most of her life seemed hollow in the end without love. Isn't that the truth? Great story. I read it quickly and it's over 400 pages long. That's a great novel!
I felt sorry for the Neville girls. How awful to be used for gain and raised to marry and solely to increase one's wealth. I think the author did a great job at making the girls female versions of their father. He thought he was doing the right thing, but switching sides is not the best way to achieve an end. There were so many needless deaths over the throne and to protect one's right to reign that it was appalling. I can't imagine living in constant fear like that.
Anne's mother was perfectly hateful, too. She did not act like she cared for her daughters at all, but merely had her own interests at heart. I felt especially bad for Isabel when she was pregnant the first time. I found the doubt that her mother put in Anne's head about her husband quite sad, and then when things got convoluted in his relationship with his niece, well, let's just say ick to that. I pitied Anne because she felt the desire to give up at such a young age. But after so many needless losses on so many fronts, I don't blame her for wanting to go to sleep and never wake again.
I found the whole belief regarding the Woodville's controlling men through witchcraft quite fascinating, but I can see where things that cannot be explained would be concluded that way. There were a lot of needless deaths over this as well. So much treachery and loss. Anyway, I love this series because it makes me think and the most profound conclusion of all was that the very thing Anne wanted most of her life seemed hollow in the end without love. Isn't that the truth? Great story. I read it quickly and it's over 400 pages long. That's a great novel!
July 6, 2013
The Kingmaker's Daughter is probably my favorite of the Cousin's War series to date. It is written from the perspective of Anne Neville and gives yet another interesting point of view from this volatile period of history. One of the things I enjoy so much about Philippa Gregory's novels is that she somehow manages to turn what could have been tedious political maneuvering into exciting intrigue that keeps me riveted from the first moment. I am not a historian so I have no idea how historically accurate this series is, but I can say that they certainly paint a vivid picture of what living in that time period might have been like. From the court customs, to the fashions, the scandals, the betrayals, and executions, each aspect was brought to life in such a way that I almost felt myself a part of the story.
Each character was shown from Anne's point of view so was colored by her own biases and was a bit different from how these same characters were presented in the previous books. The story was focused so much on Anne, and to a lesser extent Isabelle, that many of the other characters, at times, felt a bit flat. Anne's relationship with her sister Isabelle was reminiscent of the rivalry between Mary and Anne Boleyn in Gregory's popular novel, The Other Boleyn Girl. While there was always that undercurrent of love, each sister didn't hesitate to betray the other in order to further their own cause or that of their husband. I didn't find either sister to be particularly likable, and sometimes thought that their personalities were a bit contradictory. For example, Anne seems to have grown from a bright, practical, inquisitive child into a fearful woman ruled by her superstitions and unwilling to even consider any point of view than that which painted her family in a positive light. I guess that the struggles she was faced with could account for such a drastic change in character but it was still a bit odd.
One of the things about this series, including The Kingmaker's Daughter that I was not a fan of was the witchery and spells and magic that were included. However, after discussing this with a friend who is also reading the series, I can see how it may have been presented this way because of how the players so wholeheartedly believed that witchcraft was responsible for many things such as storms, sicknesses, and death. Curses were taken very seriously in 1400's England and so reading from Anne's perspective, I can see why an unexpected storm would be believed to have been whistled up by the witch who hated her. I guess this was a realistic danger in this time period, that any misfortune could be laid at the feet of someone believed to be a witch. This would have been a very effective way to discredit a powerful woman, as it seems to have done in the case of Elizabeth Woodville.
While The Kingmaker's Daughter can be read on it's own as a stand-alone novel, I would definitely recommend reading the entire series in order simply because it is a beautifully written thrilling story. Despite the fact that I found many of the characters to be a bit flat, the fast paced plot was such that I found the book hard to put down. I know many people, after reading Philippa Gregory's historical fiction have been inspired to find out more about this violent era and these fascinating people. I would absolutely recommend this and any and every other book written by this author to any fans of this genre.
Each character was shown from Anne's point of view so was colored by her own biases and was a bit different from how these same characters were presented in the previous books. The story was focused so much on Anne, and to a lesser extent Isabelle, that many of the other characters, at times, felt a bit flat. Anne's relationship with her sister Isabelle was reminiscent of the rivalry between Mary and Anne Boleyn in Gregory's popular novel, The Other Boleyn Girl. While there was always that undercurrent of love, each sister didn't hesitate to betray the other in order to further their own cause or that of their husband. I didn't find either sister to be particularly likable, and sometimes thought that their personalities were a bit contradictory. For example, Anne seems to have grown from a bright, practical, inquisitive child into a fearful woman ruled by her superstitions and unwilling to even consider any point of view than that which painted her family in a positive light. I guess that the struggles she was faced with could account for such a drastic change in character but it was still a bit odd.
One of the things about this series, including The Kingmaker's Daughter that I was not a fan of was the witchery and spells and magic that were included. However, after discussing this with a friend who is also reading the series, I can see how it may have been presented this way because of how the players so wholeheartedly believed that witchcraft was responsible for many things such as storms, sicknesses, and death. Curses were taken very seriously in 1400's England and so reading from Anne's perspective, I can see why an unexpected storm would be believed to have been whistled up by the witch who hated her. I guess this was a realistic danger in this time period, that any misfortune could be laid at the feet of someone believed to be a witch. This would have been a very effective way to discredit a powerful woman, as it seems to have done in the case of Elizabeth Woodville.
While The Kingmaker's Daughter can be read on it's own as a stand-alone novel, I would definitely recommend reading the entire series in order simply because it is a beautifully written thrilling story. Despite the fact that I found many of the characters to be a bit flat, the fast paced plot was such that I found the book hard to put down. I know many people, after reading Philippa Gregory's historical fiction have been inspired to find out more about this violent era and these fascinating people. I would absolutely recommend this and any and every other book written by this author to any fans of this genre.
September 30, 2012
I think Philippa Gregory has gotten too popular; I think she has a contract that demands too many books in too little time and she is just churning at this point. This book, not unlike the others in the Cousin's War series, feels more like a skimming over the surface of history with the occasional dip into an emotion or two than a full-bodied fiction. She uses the modern trend of first person present tense to avoid any necessity of her main character's reflection or having to write with any sense of consequences, which in the case of history by necessity diminishes any sense (to the reader) of why this story even matters. To me, this device should only be used carefully and in extreme cicumstances (for example, it was put to excellent use in Sena Jeter Naslund's "Abundance"). I'm still not sure why Gregory has chosen to use it, and this is the third of her Cousin's War books I have read.
The story of Anne Neville and Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester is a wonderful story with many possible interpretations, but I don't feel Gregory adds anything to the conversation. Too many paragraphs feel like recitations of her research put in the mouths of characters; her characters are thinly drawn; her focus on this as a tale of two sisters is a bit of a stretch historically; and the Anne she presents is at once willful and wishy-washy. I don't know who Anne is or what she wants, other than escape from being controlled, and yet she continually places herself in the control of others. Her complete transfer of allegiance from the House of York (in which she grew up) to the House of Lancaster (into which she was forced to marry) was completely unbelievable to me. That is to say, I don't believe it historically, and Gregory didn't make me believe it of HER character.
For all its flaws, "The White Queen" was at least interesting and made me reconsider certain aspects of Elizabeth Wydville; "The Kingmaker's Daughter" only diminishes Anne Neville for me, and the idea that for many readers, this will be the only view they have of her, is painfully sad. Gregory should really take a break from writing to refresh and rejuvenate herself.
The story of Anne Neville and Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester is a wonderful story with many possible interpretations, but I don't feel Gregory adds anything to the conversation. Too many paragraphs feel like recitations of her research put in the mouths of characters; her characters are thinly drawn; her focus on this as a tale of two sisters is a bit of a stretch historically; and the Anne she presents is at once willful and wishy-washy. I don't know who Anne is or what she wants, other than escape from being controlled, and yet she continually places herself in the control of others. Her complete transfer of allegiance from the House of York (in which she grew up) to the House of Lancaster (into which she was forced to marry) was completely unbelievable to me. That is to say, I don't believe it historically, and Gregory didn't make me believe it of HER character.
For all its flaws, "The White Queen" was at least interesting and made me reconsider certain aspects of Elizabeth Wydville; "The Kingmaker's Daughter" only diminishes Anne Neville for me, and the idea that for many readers, this will be the only view they have of her, is painfully sad. Gregory should really take a break from writing to refresh and rejuvenate herself.
August 23, 2012
After the last PG debacle The Lady of the Rivers, I didn't think I'd pick up another PG book, but the library had it, so I gave it a go. Also for review purposes, I have liked PG's prior novels, but I've always taken them with a grain of salt, due to her historical inaccuracies. PG loves to rewrite history and give her books new spins (which sadly she boasts as facts.) This one, like the others in this series are about witchcraft. The Rivers ladies cook up spells, blow wind and snowstorms, curse future children and can even put pain in someone's arm, so he can't fight. Whatever! Overall, this book was better than I thought it would be, but without the hocus pocus it would have been a much better story. Little is known about Anne and or sister Isabel. They led incredible lives and this book had all the opportunities to be a great novel. It falls short, due to the withcraft and the repetitious "Bad Queen, "Sleeping King" "Kingmaker" mantra. What I did like was the story itself moved. I am not a reader who likes pages and pages of descriptions. PG didn't waste anytime getting to their story. Some readers might find that made the story empty (character devolvement, modern etc) but that was OK to me, since I know the characters and the history. Overall, I was surprised that I didn't hate it. The best part was the birthing scene on the boat. PG came through for us with that scene. If you're skeptical since the last book, I think it's safe to give this one a try.
December 2, 2019
3.25 stars I found much of the second half of the book to be cumbersome and contrived, as if the author herself was forcing herself through the motions.
A brilliant family with money and power...and yet the greed for more power inevitably took them down. Bitterness and blood feuds? Look no further than the cousins war, where nothing ends well.
I did enjoy the introduction of characters like Margaret of Anjou and Margaret Beaufort.
A brilliant family with money and power...and yet the greed for more power inevitably took them down. Bitterness and blood feuds? Look no further than the cousins war, where nothing ends well.
I did enjoy the introduction of characters like Margaret of Anjou and Margaret Beaufort.
October 28, 2020
Com este livro foi a terceira vez que li sobre exactamente a mesma parte da história. Não me canso de dizer como �� impressionante que mais uma vez surgem coisas novas, mais uma vez somos influenciados a tomar um partido diferente e a pôr tudo em causa, avaliando de uma diferente perspectiva.
Embora sejam 3 livros sobre exactamente a mesma coisa, nada é igual, e cada personagem interpreta os acontecimentos à sua maneira. E a vida é mesmo assim, cada um vive e interpreta da sua maneira.
Desta vez Gregory traz-nos a história de Ana Neville e da sua irmã Isabel, filhas do Conde de Warwick, o nobre mais poderoso da Inglaterra durante a Guerra dos Primos, o chamado ‘Fazedor de Reis’.
Este talvez tenha sido dos 3 livros o que menos gostei, não sei se por já estar cansada dos mesmos acontecimentos, se por neste livro não ter sentido de forma tão intensa alguns dos acontecimentos mais importantes.
No entanto, não posso deixar de aplaudir aqui esta autora por ter feito questão de dar ‘voz’ a três mulheres tão diferentes e tão importantes na condução de um período tão representativo da história de Inglaterra.
Ser rainha afinal não é como nas lendas, não se resume tudo a vestidos bonitos e a cavaleiros galantes. É algo de impiedoso. É um jogo de xadrez com peças manipuladas por tantas outras pessoas.
No próximo livro avançamos finalmente na história para a geração seguinte. Ansiosa 😍😍
Embora sejam 3 livros sobre exactamente a mesma coisa, nada é igual, e cada personagem interpreta os acontecimentos à sua maneira. E a vida é mesmo assim, cada um vive e interpreta da sua maneira.
Desta vez Gregory traz-nos a história de Ana Neville e da sua irmã Isabel, filhas do Conde de Warwick, o nobre mais poderoso da Inglaterra durante a Guerra dos Primos, o chamado ‘Fazedor de Reis’.
Este talvez tenha sido dos 3 livros o que menos gostei, não sei se por já estar cansada dos mesmos acontecimentos, se por neste livro não ter sentido de forma tão intensa alguns dos acontecimentos mais importantes.
No entanto, não posso deixar de aplaudir aqui esta autora por ter feito questão de dar ‘voz’ a três mulheres tão diferentes e tão importantes na condução de um período tão representativo da história de Inglaterra.
Ser rainha afinal não é como nas lendas, não se resume tudo a vestidos bonitos e a cavaleiros galantes. É algo de impiedoso. É um jogo de xadrez com peças manipuladas por tantas outras pessoas.
No próximo livro avançamos finalmente na história para a geração seguinte. Ansiosa 😍😍
April 25, 2019
Not as strong as previous novels in this series, but I still found it to be an enjoyable one, centering around one of the women who as far as I have seen (Anne Neville) is often ignored in favor of other historical figures that are more popular for histfic (such as Elizabeth I) All I can say is I'm glad I'm not a woman who lived in this time period, where women were little more than broodmares and politics, not love, was the driving force behind marriage. 3.5/5 stars.
August 31, 2012
Review:
I enjoyed this book as I usually enjoy Philippa Gregory’s books. It took me a little while to remember the previous books in the Cousins series and work out who all the characters were because everything was coming from such a different viewpoint but once I did it was really interesting to see the other side of the story.
It also doesn’t help that so many Kings and Queens have the same names and I am not very good and keeping track of what period of history I am reading.
I found myself being convinced by the version of events I was being told in this story when I had previously accepted what the other stories had implied and it made me realise just how much is still open to interpretation.
I have also recently read A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir which tells the story of Kate Plantaganet, bastard daughter of Richard III, and it was strange to find that she played no part in this story.
Some Philippa Gregory books I just enjoy and some make me want to try and find out more. This made me want to find out more about the characters and time period and also to go back and read the other books in the Cousins series to try and work out what I think is the “right” version.
Overall this is exactly what I expect from a Philippa Gregory book and she never really disappoints.
Favourite character:
Anne Neville
I enjoyed this book as I usually enjoy Philippa Gregory’s books. It took me a little while to remember the previous books in the Cousins series and work out who all the characters were because everything was coming from such a different viewpoint but once I did it was really interesting to see the other side of the story.
It also doesn’t help that so many Kings and Queens have the same names and I am not very good and keeping track of what period of history I am reading.
I found myself being convinced by the version of events I was being told in this story when I had previously accepted what the other stories had implied and it made me realise just how much is still open to interpretation.
I have also recently read A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir which tells the story of Kate Plantaganet, bastard daughter of Richard III, and it was strange to find that she played no part in this story.
Some Philippa Gregory books I just enjoy and some make me want to try and find out more. This made me want to find out more about the characters and time period and also to go back and read the other books in the Cousins series to try and work out what I think is the “right” version.
Overall this is exactly what I expect from a Philippa Gregory book and she never really disappoints.
Favourite character:
Anne Neville
January 1, 2020
Really enjoyed reading philippa gregory books,this book was an enjoyable read.it starts with two sisters who are the daughters of earl of Warwick who helped Edward on to the throne,the sisters were In line to the throne till Edward married Elizabeth who everyone thinks shes a witch.and controls Edward the girls father soon becomes the enemy and he will do anything to try and get his daughters to marry to be on the throne.this is Anne and Isabel side of the story there marriages and trying to survive the witch Elizabeth a fantastic read looking forward to reading more of her books.
May 28, 2018
I've always had a fondness for Anne Neville in British history. Her story is tragic in many ways and the tragedy continues to trump even her triumphs. I liked the beginning of this but truly detest the end. I also wish Isabel had a few pov chapters.
October 21, 2017
Really enjoyed this book. Recommended.
September 29, 2019
A book that at first I could not understand the reason for its existence as its protagonist beyond being king Richard's wife did not seem to play such an important role. Of course, I understand that through the pages of the book there is the point of view of some of the other protagonists of the War of the Roses and so the story is completed but nothing more. In fact, however, this limited involvement in developments is perhaps the most important reason for the existence of this book. You see, with few exceptions, women of that time were restricted to passive roles, forced to obey, and their lives followed the course dictated by the men in control and their fates. Of course, the presence of aristocratic women at the center of events gave them the opportunity to influence them in some way, but their own battlefield was purely domestic, with these battles evolving mainly in the small lounges and their bedrooms.
These things are included in this book, with its heroine becoming without herself a bargaining chip in the political games for the occupation of the throne, initially ending in a loveless marriage, then entangled in a failed campaign and in the end at the heart of the second round of the War of the Roses, knowing throughout the course of this journey personal loss, pain, and many disappointments, through which he gains the experience and dynamism she needs. Of course, in the end, there seems to be love and some form of personal fulfillment, but the royal intrigues, which seem to be taking a dangerous turn, the conflicting ambitions that make people put aside their sense of morality and the unpredictable twists of fate destroy everything and in the end the other women who were stronger were the winners and protagonists in the new era that helped to start.
A book I would say more melancholic than the previous as it records the many difficulties that women of the time faced and its protagonist's journey from the innocence of childhood to the realization of the cruelty of the world and its own weaknesses towards the more powerful. Of course, she is slowly overcoming this weakness and manages to gain a place as she becomes itself tough by following the example of others, which gives a note of optimism shortly before the bad end. From then on, the author continues to describe in a very interesting and dramatic way the processes in the background creatively exploiting historical data, overcoming the limitations of her subject, thus managing to provide us with another good book, albeit slightly inferior to the previous books of the series.
Ένα βιβλίο που στην αρχή δεν μπορούσα να καταλάβω το λόγο της ύπαρξής του καθώς η πρωταγωνίστρια της πέρα από το γεγονός ότι ήταν σύζυγος του βασιλιά Ριχάρδου δεν φαίνεται να διαδραμάτισε πόσο σημαντικό ρόλο. Φυσικά καταλαβαίνω ότι μέσα από τις σελίδες του βιβλίου εμφανίζονταν η οπτική γωνία κάποιων από τους υπόλοιπους πρωταγωνιστές του Πολέμου των Ρόδων και έτσι η ιστορία ολοκληρώνεται αλλά τίποτα περισσότερο. Στην πραγματικότητα, όμως, αυτή η περιορισμένη συμμετοχή της στις εξελίξεις ίσως είναι ο σπουδαιότερος λόγος που έχει σημασία η ύπαρξη αυτού του βιβλίου. Βλέπετε, εκτός από ελάχιστες εξαιρέσεις, οι γυναίκες της εποχής αναγκαστικά περιορίζονταν σε παθητικό ρόλο, αναγκασμένες να υπακούν και η ζωή τους ακολουθούσε την πορεία που επιβάλλονταν από τους άντρες που είχαν τον έλεγχο τους και τις εναλλαγές της μοίρας τους. Φυσικά η παρουσία των γυναικών της αριστοκρατίας στο επίκεντρο των εξελίξεων τις έδινε την ευκαιρία με κάποιο τρόπο να τις επηρεάζουν, το δικό τους πεδίο μάχης, όμως, ήταν καθαρά οικιακό, με αυτές τις μάχες να εξελίσσονται κυρίως στα μικρά σαλόνια και στις κρεβατοκάμαρες.
Αυτά τα πράγματα περιλαμβάνονται σε αυτό το βιβλίο, με την ηρωίδα του να γίνεται χωρίς η ίδια να το επιθυμεί διαπραγματευτικό όπλο στα πολιτικά παιχνίδια για την κατάληψη του θρόνου, καταλήγοντας αρχικά σε ένα γάμο χωρίς αγάπη, στη συνέχεια μπλεγμένη σε μία αποτυχημένη εκστρατεία και στο τέλος στο επίκεντρο του δεύτερου γύρου του Πολέμου των Ρόδων, γνωρίζοντας σε όλη τη διάρκεια αυτής της πορείας προσωπικές απώλειες, πόνο και πολλές απογοητεύσεις, μέσα από τις οποίες, όμως, αποκτά την εμπειρία και το δυναμισμό που χρειάζεται. Βέβαια προς το τέλος φαίνεται να συναντάει τον έρωτα και μία μορφή προσωπικής ολοκλήρωσης, οι βασιλικές ίντριγκες, όμως, που φαίνεται να παίρνουν επικίνδυνη τροπή, οι αλληλοσυγκρουόμενες φιλοδοξίες που κάνουν τους ανθρώπους να αφήνουν στην άκρη κάθε αίσθηση ηθικής και τα απρόβλεπτα χτυπήματα της μοίρας τα καταστρέφουν όλα και στο τέλος οι άλλες γυναίκες που ήταν περισσότερο δυνατές αναδεικνύονται νικήτριες και πρωταγωνίστριες στη νέα εποχή που βοήθησαν να ξεκινήσει.
Ένα βιβλίο θα έλεγα περισσότερο μελαγχολικό από τα προηγούμενα καθώς καταγράφει τις πολλές δυσκολίες που αντιμετώπιζαν οι γυναίκ��ς της εποχής και την πορεία της πρωταγωνίστριας του από την αθωότητα της παιδικής ηλικίας στη συνειδητοποίηση της σκληρότητας του κόσμου και της δικής της αδυναμίας απέναντι σε περισσότερο ισχυρούς ανθρώπους. Βέβαια αυτή η αδυναμία σιγά-σιγά ξεπερνιέται και καταφέρνει να κερδίσει μία θέση καθώς γίνεται και η ίδια σκληρή ακολουθώντας το παράδειγμα των άλλων, κάτι που δίνει μία νότα αισιοδοξίας λίγο πριν το κακό τέλος. Από εκεί και πέρα η συγγραφέας συνεχίζει να περιγραφεί με πολύ ενδιαφέρον και δραματικό τρόπο τις διεργασίες στο παρασκήνιο αξιοποιώντας δημιουργικά τα ιστορικά δεδομένα, προσπερνώντας τους περιορισμούς του θέματος της και έτσι καταφέρνει να μας προσφέρει άλλο ένα καλό βιβλίο, αν και λίγο υποδεέστερο από τα προηγούμενα βιβλία της σειράς.
These things are included in this book, with its heroine becoming without herself a bargaining chip in the political games for the occupation of the throne, initially ending in a loveless marriage, then entangled in a failed campaign and in the end at the heart of the second round of the War of the Roses, knowing throughout the course of this journey personal loss, pain, and many disappointments, through which he gains the experience and dynamism she needs. Of course, in the end, there seems to be love and some form of personal fulfillment, but the royal intrigues, which seem to be taking a dangerous turn, the conflicting ambitions that make people put aside their sense of morality and the unpredictable twists of fate destroy everything and in the end the other women who were stronger were the winners and protagonists in the new era that helped to start.
A book I would say more melancholic than the previous as it records the many difficulties that women of the time faced and its protagonist's journey from the innocence of childhood to the realization of the cruelty of the world and its own weaknesses towards the more powerful. Of course, she is slowly overcoming this weakness and manages to gain a place as she becomes itself tough by following the example of others, which gives a note of optimism shortly before the bad end. From then on, the author continues to describe in a very interesting and dramatic way the processes in the background creatively exploiting historical data, overcoming the limitations of her subject, thus managing to provide us with another good book, albeit slightly inferior to the previous books of the series.
Ένα βιβλίο που στην αρχή δεν μπορούσα να καταλάβω το λόγο της ύπαρξής του καθώς η πρωταγωνίστρια της πέρα από το γεγονός ότι ήταν σύζυγος του βασιλιά Ριχάρδου δεν φαίνεται να διαδραμάτισε πόσο σημαντικό ρόλο. Φυσικά καταλαβαίνω ότι μέσα από τις σελίδες του βιβλίου εμφανίζονταν η οπτική γωνία κάποιων από τους υπόλοιπους πρωταγωνιστές του Πολέμου των Ρόδων και έτσι η ιστορία ολοκληρώνεται αλλά τίποτα περισσότερο. Στην πραγματικότητα, όμως, αυτή η περιορισμένη συμμετοχή της στις εξελίξεις ίσως είναι ο σπουδαιότερος λόγος που έχει σημασία η ύπαρξη αυτού του βιβλίου. Βλέπετε, εκτός από ελάχιστες εξαιρέσεις, οι γυναίκες της εποχής αναγκαστικά περιορίζονταν σε παθητικό ρόλο, αναγκασμένες να υπακούν και η ζωή τους ακολουθούσε την πορεία που επιβάλλονταν από τους άντρες που είχαν τον έλεγχο τους και τις εναλλαγές της μοίρας τους. Φυσικά η παρουσία των γυναικών της αριστοκρατίας στο επίκεντρο των εξελίξεων τις έδινε την ευκαιρία με κάποιο τρόπο να τις επηρεάζουν, το δικό τους πεδίο μάχης, όμως, ήταν καθαρά οικιακό, με αυτές τις μάχες να εξελίσσονται κυρίως στα μικρά σαλόνια και στις κρεβατοκάμαρες.
Αυτά τα πράγματα περιλαμβάνονται σε αυτό το βιβλίο, με την ηρωίδα του να γίνεται χωρίς η ίδια να το επιθυμεί διαπραγματευτικό όπλο στα πολιτικά παιχνίδια για την κατάληψη του θρόνου, καταλήγοντας αρχικά σε ένα γάμο χωρίς αγάπη, στη συνέχεια μπλεγμένη σε μία αποτυχημένη εκστρατεία και στο τέλος στο επίκεντρο του δεύτερου γύρου του Πολέμου των Ρόδων, γνωρίζοντας σε όλη τη διάρκεια αυτής της πορείας προσωπικές απώλειες, πόνο και πολλές απογοητεύσεις, μέσα από τις οποίες, όμως, αποκτά την εμπειρία και το δυναμισμό που χρειάζεται. Βέβαια προς το τέλος φαίνεται να συναντάει τον έρωτα και μία μορφή προσωπικής ολοκλήρωσης, οι βασιλικές ίντριγκες, όμως, που φαίνεται να παίρνουν επικίνδυνη τροπή, οι αλληλοσυγκρουόμενες φιλοδοξίες που κάνουν τους ανθρώπους να αφήνουν στην άκρη κάθε αίσθηση ηθικής και τα απρόβλεπτα χτυπήματα της μοίρας τα καταστρέφουν όλα και στο τέλος οι άλλες γυναίκες που ήταν περισσότερο δυνατές αναδεικνύονται νικήτριες και πρωταγωνίστριες στη νέα εποχή που βοήθησαν να ξεκινήσει.
Ένα βιβλίο θα έλεγα περισσότερο μελαγχολικό από τα προηγούμενα καθώς καταγράφει τις πολλές δυσκολίες που αντιμετώπιζαν οι γυναίκ��ς της εποχής και την πορεία της πρωταγωνίστριας του από την αθωότητα της παιδικής ηλικίας στη συνειδητοποίηση της σκληρότητας του κόσμου και της δικής της αδυναμίας απέναντι σε περισσότερο ισχυρούς ανθρώπους. Βέβαια αυτή η αδυναμία σιγά-σιγά ξεπερνιέται και καταφέρνει να κερδίσει μία θέση καθώς γίνεται και η ίδια σκληρή ακολουθώντας το παράδειγμα των άλλων, κάτι που δίνει μία νότα αισιοδοξίας λίγο πριν το κακό τέλος. Από εκεί και πέρα η συγγραφέας συνεχίζει να περιγραφεί με πολύ ενδιαφέρον και δραματικό τρόπο τις διεργασίες στο παρασκήνιο αξιοποιώντας δημιουργικά τα ιστορικά δεδομένα, προσπερνώντας τους περιορισμούς του θέματος της και έτσι καταφέρνει να μας προσφέρει άλλο ένα καλό βιβλίο, αν και λίγο υποδεέστερο από τα προηγούμενα βιβλία της σειράς.
August 22, 2012
The UK edition of Philippa Gregory’s latest release has the tagline, The girl who would be queen. Not The girl whose father would that she were queen. Gregory veers away from the traditional depiction of Anne Neville as meek and mild, a pawn in the political games of her father, Warwick the Kingmaker. Anne begins her narration as a naive eight-year-old growing up in the shadow of her beautiful older sister Isabel. But like most medieval noble daughters, who were often married in their early teens or even before, she has to grow up fast. Warwick wants one of his daughters to be Queen of England – and he doesn’t care which one. Fortune’s Wheel spins wildly throughout this book, and Anne and Isabel are rarely at the top of it at the same time. Gregory is in her element with the depiction of sisterly rivalry against a background of court intrigue – it’s the same recipe that made The Other Boleyn Girl a worldwide bestseller. She is an expert in portraying the claustrophobia of court life: the constant fear and insecurity which were inseparable from rank and power in the turbulent fifteenth century.
The Kingmaker’s Daughter covers twenty years in the Wars of the Roses from Anne’s point of view (first-person, present tense). Although it is the fourth in the Cousins’ War series, it can be read as a standalone novel, as Gregory does not assume any knowledge of the period on the part of her readers. As Anne grows to adulthood, she learns more about the world she lives in, and the reader can learn with her. This would make a good introduction to the Wars of the Roses or to historical fiction. Although not aimed specifically at the YA market, with Anne a teenager for much of the book, I felt it was a natural fit for a YA audience.
While I enjoyed the characterisation of Anne herself and also of Richard III – he’s very far from Shakespeare’s villain but no milquetoast either – I felt other aspects of the book were underwritten. Elizabeth Woodville, queen of Edward IV and heroine of The White Queen, is a malign presence throughout this book, but although she functions effectively as an absent influence, I would have liked to read at least one meaty confrontation between her and Anne. Not necessarily an Alexis Colby/Krystle Carrington-style catfight – given the extent of Queen Elizabeth’s power Anne would hardly be likely to shove her into a lilypond however much she might want to. But I would have liked to read a long, in-depth conversation between them where both women would put at least some of their cards on the table – or pretend to. Equally, at one point in the book Anne discovers that her husband has been rather less than honest with her about certain legal aspects of their marriage. The information comes as a shock for her and I was disappointed that she never brings it up with him.
Notwithstanding, The Kingmaker’s Daughter is a fast, entertaining read which should please – and add to – Philippa Gregory’s many fans.
Full review and quotes at my blog: http://misadventuresofmoppet.wordpres...
The Kingmaker’s Daughter covers twenty years in the Wars of the Roses from Anne’s point of view (first-person, present tense). Although it is the fourth in the Cousins’ War series, it can be read as a standalone novel, as Gregory does not assume any knowledge of the period on the part of her readers. As Anne grows to adulthood, she learns more about the world she lives in, and the reader can learn with her. This would make a good introduction to the Wars of the Roses or to historical fiction. Although not aimed specifically at the YA market, with Anne a teenager for much of the book, I felt it was a natural fit for a YA audience.
While I enjoyed the characterisation of Anne herself and also of Richard III – he’s very far from Shakespeare’s villain but no milquetoast either – I felt other aspects of the book were underwritten. Elizabeth Woodville, queen of Edward IV and heroine of The White Queen, is a malign presence throughout this book, but although she functions effectively as an absent influence, I would have liked to read at least one meaty confrontation between her and Anne. Not necessarily an Alexis Colby/Krystle Carrington-style catfight – given the extent of Queen Elizabeth’s power Anne would hardly be likely to shove her into a lilypond however much she might want to. But I would have liked to read a long, in-depth conversation between them where both women would put at least some of their cards on the table – or pretend to. Equally, at one point in the book Anne discovers that her husband has been rather less than honest with her about certain legal aspects of their marriage. The information comes as a shock for her and I was disappointed that she never brings it up with him.
Notwithstanding, The Kingmaker’s Daughter is a fast, entertaining read which should please – and add to – Philippa Gregory’s many fans.
Full review and quotes at my blog: http://misadventuresofmoppet.wordpres...
December 16, 2020
Anne Neville was raised to be a queen. But she will be so much more than that. She will be a pawn in the War of the Roses, the protegee of a hard-nosed former queen, the enemy of another queen, an orphaned pauper, a heartbroken mother and a jealous wife. When she finally reaches her father’s ambition and becomes Queen of England, she will find that triumph does not preclude sorrow, fear and heartbreak.
Anne’s story takes place in parallel to an earlier Gregory Novel, The White Queen. The heroine of The White Queen is the villainess of The Kingmaker’s Daughter. Gregory tells the same story of the War of the Roses in both books, but from the perspectives of two different queens. Margaret Beaufort, the protagonist of The Red Queen, also plays a role in this book.
Having read the other two books, it was fun to read this one and see yet a third perspective on the vicious inter-family feud of the Yorks and Lancasters. This book was entertaining enough, but it would have only been 3-star for me if it weren’t for the other two books. Taken separately, The White Queen was really good and The Red Queen and The Kingmaker’s Daughter merely good. Taken together, they are a tour de force. Gregory did a great job of telling the same story three different ways, linking them together and making each heroine at least somewhat sympathetic (Elizabeth Woodville & Anne Neville: mostly sympathetic, Margaret Beaufort: not so much).
Like my reviews? Check out my blog at http://www.kathrynbashaar.com/blog/
Author of The Saints Mistress https://camcatbooks.com/Books/T/The-S...
Anne’s story takes place in parallel to an earlier Gregory Novel, The White Queen. The heroine of The White Queen is the villainess of The Kingmaker’s Daughter. Gregory tells the same story of the War of the Roses in both books, but from the perspectives of two different queens. Margaret Beaufort, the protagonist of The Red Queen, also plays a role in this book.
Having read the other two books, it was fun to read this one and see yet a third perspective on the vicious inter-family feud of the Yorks and Lancasters. This book was entertaining enough, but it would have only been 3-star for me if it weren’t for the other two books. Taken separately, The White Queen was really good and The Red Queen and The Kingmaker’s Daughter merely good. Taken together, they are a tour de force. Gregory did a great job of telling the same story three different ways, linking them together and making each heroine at least somewhat sympathetic (Elizabeth Woodville & Anne Neville: mostly sympathetic, Margaret Beaufort: not so much).
Like my reviews? Check out my blog at http://www.kathrynbashaar.com/blog/
Author of The Saints Mistress https://camcatbooks.com/Books/T/The-S...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,273 reviews