What do you think?
Rate this book
The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #3
The Red Queen
Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here
The second book in Philippa's stunning new trilogy, The Cousins' War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series - The White Queen - but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses.
The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England.
Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees to a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth's daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.
The second book in Philippa's stunning new trilogy, The Cousins' War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series - The White Queen - but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses.
The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England.
Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees to a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth's daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.
412 pages, Hardcover
First published August 3, 2010
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 5,145 reviews
January 12, 2023
After finishing this, the only real things I feel I have to say are that I HATE Margaret Beaufort and had many a moment while reading where I was hoping beyond hope that Elizabeth Woodville or some other such person would show up and strangle her to death with the rosary she's always fondling.
Honestly, I cannot imagine how anyone could come to like Margaret while reading this novel. She is every negative stereotype about religious people all wrapped up in one and served with massive sides of self-importance and hypocrisy.
To be fair, however, I went into this book with a rather biased opinion. After reading "The White Queen" I (like so many other people according to Margaret's constant complaining) was enraptured with Elizabeth Woodville, her speculated witchcraft, her relationship with King Edward and so on.
To go from reading about a woman like that to reading about a dowdy, self-righteous, self-important "Bible thumper" was, as I figured it would be, a let down.
I am glad that this book was only 377 pages and that I did not have to pay full price for it. I think I would have screamed if I'd had to read about Joan of Arc or how everything Margaret did was "God's will" for yet another 100 pages or more.
Reading this novel was like reading the diary of a fundamentalist or watching the worst of Fox News.
If this is truly an accurate depiction of what she was like when she was alive I am not surprised by the fact that her grandson became a womanizing glutton who contracted syphilis. If only someone had cut HER head off instead and thus spared the world from multiple atrocities. Honestly the only bright side I can see to her existence (if she were truly like this) is that she was great-grandmother to Elizabeth I, who is far more interesting (yet also annoying in Gregory's novels.)
I would recommend this book to any religious extremist (since I think it would be amusing for them to hear what they sound like to the rest of us) or anyone who, like me, is just a Philippa fan and wants to finish the series.
***UPDATE***
I know I originally gave this book two stars but while going through my virtual shelf today I saw this and was immediately reminded of my intense dislike of this novel so I just had to take one off. Ugh...seriously, it sucked.
Honestly, I cannot imagine how anyone could come to like Margaret while reading this novel. She is every negative stereotype about religious people all wrapped up in one and served with massive sides of self-importance and hypocrisy.
To be fair, however, I went into this book with a rather biased opinion. After reading "The White Queen" I (like so many other people according to Margaret's constant complaining) was enraptured with Elizabeth Woodville, her speculated witchcraft, her relationship with King Edward and so on.
To go from reading about a woman like that to reading about a dowdy, self-righteous, self-important "Bible thumper" was, as I figured it would be, a let down.
I am glad that this book was only 377 pages and that I did not have to pay full price for it. I think I would have screamed if I'd had to read about Joan of Arc or how everything Margaret did was "God's will" for yet another 100 pages or more.
Reading this novel was like reading the diary of a fundamentalist or watching the worst of Fox News.
If this is truly an accurate depiction of what she was like when she was alive I am not surprised by the fact that her grandson became a womanizing glutton who contracted syphilis. If only someone had cut HER head off instead and thus spared the world from multiple atrocities. Honestly the only bright side I can see to her existence (if she were truly like this) is that she was great-grandmother to Elizabeth I, who is far more interesting (yet also annoying in Gregory's novels.)
I would recommend this book to any religious extremist (since I think it would be amusing for them to hear what they sound like to the rest of us) or anyone who, like me, is just a Philippa fan and wants to finish the series.
***UPDATE***
I know I originally gave this book two stars but while going through my virtual shelf today I saw this and was immediately reminded of my intense dislike of this novel so I just had to take one off. Ugh...seriously, it sucked.
April 30, 2022
The Red Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #3), Philippa Gregory
Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her Lancaster house is the true ruler of England, and that she has a great destiny before her. Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York’s daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of all time, all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and awaits his opportunity to win the greatest prize in all of England.
The Red Queen is a 2010 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, the second of her series The Cousins' War.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: پنجم ماه آگوست سال2012میلادی
عنوان: ملکه سرخ - کتاب سوم از مجموعه تودورها؛ نویسنده: فلیپا گرگوری؛ مترجم منیژه جلالی؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، البرز، سال1390، در400ص.، شابک9789644428067؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده ی20م
عنوان: ملکه ی سرخپوش؛ نویسنده فیلیپا گریگوری؛ مترجم: علیاکبر قارینیت؛ ویراستار حمیده رستمی؛ تهران نسل نواندیش، سال1397؛ در486ص؛ شابک9789642369690؛
داستان یکی از شورشهای «انگلستان» توسط یک زن را روایت میکند؛ «مارگارت بیوفورت»، در نوجوانی بطور ناخواسته به ازدواجی تن میدهد و به سرزمین «ویلز» میرود؛ او که وارث خانواده ی «لانکاستر» و دخترعموی پادشاه وقت «انگلستان» است، پسر خود را به نام پادشاه «هنری» نامگذاری میکند؛ پس از آنکه پادشاه وقت به جنون مبتلا میشود، در طی رخدادهایی «ریچارد سوم»، قدرت را به دست میگیرد؛ «مارگارت» میخواهد پادشاهی را به خانواده ی خود بازگرداند، که پادشاهان راستین «انگلستان» هستند...؛
نقل نمونه از متن: (صدای برخوردی میآید و ضربه ای به سرم میخورد و من، حیران بر روی کفپوش اتاق خوابم نشسته ام؛ دستم بر روی گوش کبودم قرار دارد، همچون ابلهی به پیرامون خود مینگرم، و چیزی نمیبینم؛ زنی که ندیمه ی من است، در اتاق را باز میکند، و مرا میبیند، گیج و مبهوت، چهار پایه ی دعایم برگشته، با آزردگی میگوید: خانم «مارگارت»، بروید به رختخواب؛ از وقت خوابتان خیلی گذشته؛ بانوی مقدس به دعای دختران نافرمان اهمیتی نمیدهد؛ زیاده روی ارزشی ندارد؛ مادرتان میخواهند شما صبح زود از خواب بیدار شوید، نمیتوانید تمام شب را برای عبادت کردن بیدار بمانید، این ابلهانه است) پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 25/03/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 09/02/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her Lancaster house is the true ruler of England, and that she has a great destiny before her. Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York’s daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of all time, all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and awaits his opportunity to win the greatest prize in all of England.
The Red Queen is a 2010 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, the second of her series The Cousins' War.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: پنجم ماه آگوست سال2012میلادی
عنوان: ملکه سرخ - کتاب سوم از مجموعه تودورها؛ نویسنده: فلیپا گرگوری؛ مترجم منیژه جلالی؛ مشخصات نشر تهران، البرز، سال1390، در400ص.، شابک9789644428067؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده ی20م
عنوان: ملکه ی سرخپوش؛ نویسنده فیلیپا گریگوری؛ مترجم: علیاکبر قارینیت؛ ویراستار حمیده رستمی؛ تهران نسل نواندیش، سال1397؛ در486ص؛ شابک9789642369690؛
داستان یکی از شورشهای «انگلستان» توسط یک زن را روایت میکند؛ «مارگارت بیوفورت»، در نوجوانی بطور ناخواسته به ازدواجی تن میدهد و به سرزمین «ویلز» میرود؛ او که وارث خانواده ی «لانکاستر» و دخترعموی پادشاه وقت «انگلستان» است، پسر خود را به نام پادشاه «هنری» نامگذاری میکند؛ پس از آنکه پادشاه وقت به جنون مبتلا میشود، در طی رخدادهایی «ریچارد سوم»، قدرت را به دست میگیرد؛ «مارگارت» میخواهد پادشاهی را به خانواده ی خود بازگرداند، که پادشاهان راستین «انگلستان» هستند...؛
نقل نمونه از متن: (صدای برخوردی میآید و ضربه ای به سرم میخورد و من، حیران بر روی کفپوش اتاق خوابم نشسته ام؛ دستم بر روی گوش کبودم قرار دارد، همچون ابلهی به پیرامون خود مینگرم، و چیزی نمیبینم؛ زنی که ندیمه ی من است، در اتاق را باز میکند، و مرا میبیند، گیج و مبهوت، چهار پایه ی دعایم برگشته، با آزردگی میگوید: خانم «مارگارت»، بروید به رختخواب؛ از وقت خوابتان خیلی گذشته؛ بانوی مقدس به دعای دختران نافرمان اهمیتی نمیدهد؛ زیاده روی ارزشی ندارد؛ مادرتان میخواهند شما صبح زود از خواب بیدار شوید، نمیتوانید تمام شب را برای عبادت کردن بیدار بمانید، این ابلهانه است) پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 25/03/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 09/02/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
August 5, 2010
First, despite its title, The Red Queen is not about Margaret of Anjou, but about Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII. (For some reason, no one in the novel ever addresses Margaret as the Countess of Richmond, though records from the time refer to her as such, and she herself seems to be unaware that she holds that title through her first marriage to Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond. I found this odd, because Margaret as depicted here is not a woman to forget the fact that she has a title.)
Margaret, as those of you who have read the early reviews know, is convinced from early childhood that she is chosen by God to do great things, just like Joan of Arc. When she bears her only child, Henry Tudor, she becomes equally convinced that her God-granted destiny is to put her son on the throne. For those who do not share her conviction--which amounts to just about everyone--Margaret has nothing but scorn.
First, the bad news: there are some odd historical errors here. Gregory pushes the 1469 Battle of Edgecote into 1470, making it the event that restores Henry VI to the throne, and she has Elizabeth Woodville give up the Duke of York before, instead of after, Hastings is executed. (I suppose Gregory might have been following the theory that Hastings was executed on June 20 instead of June 13, but that theory has been discredited for some time.) These chronological errors don't make much difference in the greater scheme of things, but they will distract and annoy anyone who's done more than cursory research into this period. I also found it highly unlikely that Margaret and the other characters would repeatedly exchange letters detailing their treasonous thoughts and schemes, as they do here; they might as well have drawn lines on their necks reading "CUT HERE."
Despite those reservations, I did enjoy this novel. Telling a first-person story through an essentially unlikable narrator is a tough job, and Gregory does it very well here. Margaret's snide remarks about the other characters made me laugh out loud at several points, one of my favorites being her comment about Katherine Woodville: "a girl born and bred only to raise hens in Northampton." There are some rather droll moments, such as when the widowed Margaret canvasses her possible future husbands and sets her cap at Richard, Duke of Gloucester, only to find that the unsuspecting prospective groom has foiled her plans by marrying Anne Neville. Despite being seen through the eyes of the obtuse and insensitive Margaret, several of the supporting characters are quite sympathetic, particularly Henry Stafford, Margaret's sardonic, war-weary second husband, and Jasper Tudor, Margaret's loyal brother-in-law. Henry Stafford's death was quite moving, and Jasper's scenes with his baby nephew were quite sweet. Margaret's cynical, opportunistic third husband, Thomas Stanley, is the perfect foil for Margaret, without being a cardboard villain. He did much to keep the latter third of the novel, which recounts the very familiar events of 1483 to 1485, moving along at a brisk pace. Elizabeth of York makes a brief appearance, but one that's long enough to inform the reader that she is no fool. As for Margaret herself, although I don't share Gregory's view of the historical Margaret Beaufort, I didn't find her characterization here implausible, grossly unfair, or one-dimensional, as I have in some novels where Margaret is depicted as a fiend who does everything but cackle, "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!"
All in all, I found this a diverting and enjoyable read about a woman who's been relatively neglected in historical fiction.
Margaret, as those of you who have read the early reviews know, is convinced from early childhood that she is chosen by God to do great things, just like Joan of Arc. When she bears her only child, Henry Tudor, she becomes equally convinced that her God-granted destiny is to put her son on the throne. For those who do not share her conviction--which amounts to just about everyone--Margaret has nothing but scorn.
First, the bad news: there are some odd historical errors here. Gregory pushes the 1469 Battle of Edgecote into 1470, making it the event that restores Henry VI to the throne, and she has Elizabeth Woodville give up the Duke of York before, instead of after, Hastings is executed. (I suppose Gregory might have been following the theory that Hastings was executed on June 20 instead of June 13, but that theory has been discredited for some time.) These chronological errors don't make much difference in the greater scheme of things, but they will distract and annoy anyone who's done more than cursory research into this period. I also found it highly unlikely that Margaret and the other characters would repeatedly exchange letters detailing their treasonous thoughts and schemes, as they do here; they might as well have drawn lines on their necks reading "CUT HERE."
Despite those reservations, I did enjoy this novel. Telling a first-person story through an essentially unlikable narrator is a tough job, and Gregory does it very well here. Margaret's snide remarks about the other characters made me laugh out loud at several points, one of my favorites being her comment about Katherine Woodville: "a girl born and bred only to raise hens in Northampton." There are some rather droll moments, such as when the widowed Margaret canvasses her possible future husbands and sets her cap at Richard, Duke of Gloucester, only to find that the unsuspecting prospective groom has foiled her plans by marrying Anne Neville. Despite being seen through the eyes of the obtuse and insensitive Margaret, several of the supporting characters are quite sympathetic, particularly Henry Stafford, Margaret's sardonic, war-weary second husband, and Jasper Tudor, Margaret's loyal brother-in-law. Henry Stafford's death was quite moving, and Jasper's scenes with his baby nephew were quite sweet. Margaret's cynical, opportunistic third husband, Thomas Stanley, is the perfect foil for Margaret, without being a cardboard villain. He did much to keep the latter third of the novel, which recounts the very familiar events of 1483 to 1485, moving along at a brisk pace. Elizabeth of York makes a brief appearance, but one that's long enough to inform the reader that she is no fool. As for Margaret herself, although I don't share Gregory's view of the historical Margaret Beaufort, I didn't find her characterization here implausible, grossly unfair, or one-dimensional, as I have in some novels where Margaret is depicted as a fiend who does everything but cackle, "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!"
All in all, I found this a diverting and enjoyable read about a woman who's been relatively neglected in historical fiction.
September 14, 2017
Blood Red! Who was she? Another strong contender in this series. I am really excited with the different characters and the connections across the books. Margaret is a fascinating historical figure... and the little pieces we got to know about her in the first book in this series held her up to one light and standard. But now in this book, dedicated to her, it's a whole different thought process. And she was the mother of a king. How could she sit on the side for 20 years and just wait for it to happen? Patience! What a wonderful women full of so many facets of good and perhaps a little bit of evil, in my opinion. Too many lines change over the course of her history, yet she always rises to the top. And to think she was a widow before most girls even go to high school these days. This is a strong and powerful story.
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.
February 24, 2022
Margaret Beaufort, cousin to the King, is just 12 years old when she marries the King's brother Edmund Tutor. By the marriage a son is born who will one day be King Henry VII. However, a York still sits on the throne and to unseat him will be a bloody battle. We are following Margaret's life and ambitions to claim her son's inheritance while being confined as a woman. She sees herself as a Joan of Arc and believes God has given her a calling to put the true king her son on the throne.
This is the same time period as The White Queen, however it is being told from the other side. I really disliked Margaret. Her obsession to have her son be King at any cost was gross. Maybe her son didn't want to be King. Possibly he wanted to be a goat herder, living a quiet life with a wife of his choosing. Excellent reading!
This is the same time period as The White Queen, however it is being told from the other side. I really disliked Margaret. Her obsession to have her son be King at any cost was gross. Maybe her son didn't want to be King. Possibly he wanted to be a goat herder, living a quiet life with a wife of his choosing. Excellent reading!
March 9, 2016
Margaret Beaufort is deeply pious, and she has spent many years paying for the return of the house of Lancaster. She is a devout Catholic; thus, she is convinced that God is on her side; therefore, it is God’s will that her son, Henry Tudor, will be the next king of England. This is her life’s work. She has no other reason to live other than honouring her God and ensuring her son’s ascension. So, she isn’t the most likable of protagonists.
An unshakable faith in victory
She is characterised very well and written superbly. However, her narrative is somewhat unsympathetic and joyless. The character is simply who she is. This makes reading her story a little taxing and little frustrating. She just has no doubts that Henry will be King; she cannot consider for a moment that the house of York will triumph. This, to me, doesn’t seem like a very pragmatic approach to the war; her faith has blinded her. The house of Lancaster/Tudor could quite easily have fallen at Bosworth instead of York. It rested on one man’s decision: he could have changed the face of England had he ridden down a different King. Margret Beaufort is a horrible protagonist; she is religiously obsessed, cold and just plain mean; her devout nature did effect my enjoyment of this novel. Though, in the Red Queen’s defence, she was right about one thing:
Margaret is, ultimately, right in her conviction, but her unwavering faith that she, and her son, would be victorious was a little too much. They could have lost. Perhaps it’s inferred that she has more schemes the reader isn’t fully aware of. Perhaps she had planned something else to sever the White Rose forever. It just seemed like there was a fifty percent chance of her victory, so perhaps she knew something the reader did not. The way the author has written it is that the victory could have gone either way, so, at the route of things, Margret’s faith in herself felt a little forced. Unless she had something hidden up her sleeve, I guess we’ll never fully know.
Did she do it?
I love the way Gregory plants just enough evidence to point the finger at almost every major character regarding the princes in the tower. She leaves the whole affair open to reader interpretation, but without providing enough evidence to flat out accuse someone. I think this part of the series has been devised very well, and kept me drawing my own conclusions. Personally, I think it’s the Tudors that killed the York boys, they had the most to gain: they had the strongest motive. What did Richard have to gain? Only less heirs and hatred, it seems like a poor reason to murder.
I much preferred The White Queen to this novel. Perhaps it’s because I secretly pin the White rose of York to y doublet or perhaps it’s because I think Margaret is a self-righteous idiot. I just didn’t want to see the Tudors win in this series. This issue may just reside with the author’s characterisation of them. The Yorkist’s just came across as more worthy and the Tudors as cold and calculated. It may be because I’m a supporter of the house of York, so, naturally, I find their enemies to be nasty people, but at points I just wanted to see Elizabeth Woodville give the crone a good slap!
Well, either way, the narrative was uncomfortable in places because of Margret’s personality. This doesn’t make this a badly written book, quite the contrary, but it did make it less enjoyable.
The Cousin's War Series
1. The White Queen- A strong four stars
2. The Red Queen- A fair three stars
3. The Lady of the Rivers- A Margretless four stars
An unshakable faith in victory
She is characterised very well and written superbly. However, her narrative is somewhat unsympathetic and joyless. The character is simply who she is. This makes reading her story a little taxing and little frustrating. She just has no doubts that Henry will be King; she cannot consider for a moment that the house of York will triumph. This, to me, doesn’t seem like a very pragmatic approach to the war; her faith has blinded her. The house of Lancaster/Tudor could quite easily have fallen at Bosworth instead of York. It rested on one man’s decision: he could have changed the face of England had he ridden down a different King. Margret Beaufort is a horrible protagonist; she is religiously obsessed, cold and just plain mean; her devout nature did effect my enjoyment of this novel. Though, in the Red Queen’s defence, she was right about one thing:
Margaret is, ultimately, right in her conviction, but her unwavering faith that she, and her son, would be victorious was a little too much. They could have lost. Perhaps it’s inferred that she has more schemes the reader isn’t fully aware of. Perhaps she had planned something else to sever the White Rose forever. It just seemed like there was a fifty percent chance of her victory, so perhaps she knew something the reader did not. The way the author has written it is that the victory could have gone either way, so, at the route of things, Margret’s faith in herself felt a little forced. Unless she had something hidden up her sleeve, I guess we’ll never fully know.
Did she do it?
I love the way Gregory plants just enough evidence to point the finger at almost every major character regarding the princes in the tower. She leaves the whole affair open to reader interpretation, but without providing enough evidence to flat out accuse someone. I think this part of the series has been devised very well, and kept me drawing my own conclusions. Personally, I think it’s the Tudors that killed the York boys, they had the most to gain: they had the strongest motive. What did Richard have to gain? Only less heirs and hatred, it seems like a poor reason to murder.
I much preferred The White Queen to this novel. Perhaps it’s because I secretly pin the White rose of York to y doublet or perhaps it’s because I think Margaret is a self-righteous idiot. I just didn’t want to see the Tudors win in this series. This issue may just reside with the author’s characterisation of them. The Yorkist’s just came across as more worthy and the Tudors as cold and calculated. It may be because I’m a supporter of the house of York, so, naturally, I find their enemies to be nasty people, but at points I just wanted to see Elizabeth Woodville give the crone a good slap!
Well, either way, the narrative was uncomfortable in places because of Margret’s personality. This doesn’t make this a badly written book, quite the contrary, but it did make it less enjoyable.
The Cousin's War Series
1. The White Queen- A strong four stars
2. The Red Queen- A fair three stars
3. The Lady of the Rivers- A Margretless four stars
September 15, 2012
When I read the reviews and everyone hated this book, I had to read it. As it turns out, everyone hates the heroine, but I didn't. I felt sorry for her, and I had to laugh at her self-absorption and self-vindication, but this is a girl raised to believe that blood lines matter, and that her only possible contribution is as a brood mare. She is married twice with no say in the matter; her last marriage she negotiates for herself.
I appreciate this book. I appreciate the hard work and research Gregory had to put into writing it as accurately as possible. I appreciate the thought she had to put into it figuring out what her motivations might have been, and making them plausible. There were times Gregory had me laughing - this woman prays for everything, but also interprets God's will always with an eye to her advancement, and the kingship of her son.
This is a very complicated time in English history, the Cousins Wars, sometimes called the War of Roses. Kings weren't kings for very long, and sometimes they were king and then not and then king again. It would be a terrible time to be a noble, who do you support? Especially when the penalty for choosing wrong can mean loss of your head, not to mention all your hereditary titles and lands?
This is a book about the exercise of power, and the exercise of power from a position of powerlessness. Gregory lays out the problems women have at this time. Few educate women beyond religious works and embroidery skills. Not that many people can read, so why waste the skill on a woman? And once you give a woman a little book-learning, why maybe she will get ideas beyond her station, know what I mean? Oh aarrgh!
All three books in the Cousin's War series weave together, and should be read in close succession. The Lady of the Rivers and The White Queen feature more likable women, but all deal with women and power and the risks they take exercising that power. While Jaquetta and Elizabeth are beautiful, golden and charming, Margaret is persistent and adaptable, and she prevails. I don't like her, but I like this book.
I appreciate this book. I appreciate the hard work and research Gregory had to put into writing it as accurately as possible. I appreciate the thought she had to put into it figuring out what her motivations might have been, and making them plausible. There were times Gregory had me laughing - this woman prays for everything, but also interprets God's will always with an eye to her advancement, and the kingship of her son.
This is a very complicated time in English history, the Cousins Wars, sometimes called the War of Roses. Kings weren't kings for very long, and sometimes they were king and then not and then king again. It would be a terrible time to be a noble, who do you support? Especially when the penalty for choosing wrong can mean loss of your head, not to mention all your hereditary titles and lands?
This is a book about the exercise of power, and the exercise of power from a position of powerlessness. Gregory lays out the problems women have at this time. Few educate women beyond religious works and embroidery skills. Not that many people can read, so why waste the skill on a woman? And once you give a woman a little book-learning, why maybe she will get ideas beyond her station, know what I mean? Oh aarrgh!
All three books in the Cousin's War series weave together, and should be read in close succession. The Lady of the Rivers and The White Queen feature more likable women, but all deal with women and power and the risks they take exercising that power. While Jaquetta and Elizabeth are beautiful, golden and charming, Margaret is persistent and adaptable, and she prevails. I don't like her, but I like this book.
September 30, 2014
Now is the Spring of this woman's discontent...
Cause, I mean, talk about bitter!
In Philippa Gregory's The Red Queen the prominent historical figure from the War of the Roses period and eventual mother of King Henry VII, Margaret Beaufort is portrayed as one who felt God had destined her for a higher calling, of which she was robbed, and for which she was forever after embittered.
The story follows Margaret from when she was a little girl daydreaming about becoming the next Joan of Arc, an English version of the virginal saint. Historical fiction writer and avid researcher Gregory gives us a probable glimpse into what it might have been like to be a very young, very highly placed lady within the court of England during the 15th Century. A very young lady who is contracted to marriage before she can speak, who is married off by the age of 12 to a man twice her age and who is made to give birth - preferably to a male heir - by the tender age of 13, there is no place in such a girl's life for dreams of Joan of Arc.
While the crux of the story hinges upon the trials of Margaret, it is the War of the Roses, fought between the Houses of Lancaster and of York that moves the action forward in this tale. Without the war, the narrative would bog down into a long-winded list of Margaret's complaints. At times they take a tiresome turn nonetheless. However, Gregory does do an excellent job of building characters, whether it be the complex Margaret or the light but exacting hand with which the author draws up more two dimensional players.
I say "players" because while reading this, one can't help but think of the Shakespeare play King Richard III, being that Richard - that son/sun of York - is such an important figure in this tale. You may remember Richard is not portrayed kindly in the play. In fact, because of that play he is often lumped in with some of the more reviled historical figures ever to soil the Earth. In The Red Queen Richard is given somewhat of a reprieve. Don't get me wrong, you'll still be rooting against him, however, Gregory removes some of the heavy load of pure evil that Shakespeare dumped upon his poor, humped back.
Speaking of dual natures, Margaret herself is not always seen in the best of lights. As a story's heroine, there are times where she is hardly likable. Kudos to Gregory for maintaining character, and thus story, integrity. Tell it like it is and let the chips fall where they may! Sometimes that makes for the best fiction, and The Red Queen, as a historical fiction, definitely ranks right up there!
Rating: 4.5 stars
Cause, I mean, talk about bitter!
In Philippa Gregory's The Red Queen the prominent historical figure from the War of the Roses period and eventual mother of King Henry VII, Margaret Beaufort is portrayed as one who felt God had destined her for a higher calling, of which she was robbed, and for which she was forever after embittered.
The story follows Margaret from when she was a little girl daydreaming about becoming the next Joan of Arc, an English version of the virginal saint. Historical fiction writer and avid researcher Gregory gives us a probable glimpse into what it might have been like to be a very young, very highly placed lady within the court of England during the 15th Century. A very young lady who is contracted to marriage before she can speak, who is married off by the age of 12 to a man twice her age and who is made to give birth - preferably to a male heir - by the tender age of 13, there is no place in such a girl's life for dreams of Joan of Arc.
While the crux of the story hinges upon the trials of Margaret, it is the War of the Roses, fought between the Houses of Lancaster and of York that moves the action forward in this tale. Without the war, the narrative would bog down into a long-winded list of Margaret's complaints. At times they take a tiresome turn nonetheless. However, Gregory does do an excellent job of building characters, whether it be the complex Margaret or the light but exacting hand with which the author draws up more two dimensional players.
I say "players" because while reading this, one can't help but think of the Shakespeare play King Richard III, being that Richard - that son/sun of York - is such an important figure in this tale. You may remember Richard is not portrayed kindly in the play. In fact, because of that play he is often lumped in with some of the more reviled historical figures ever to soil the Earth. In The Red Queen Richard is given somewhat of a reprieve. Don't get me wrong, you'll still be rooting against him, however, Gregory removes some of the heavy load of pure evil that Shakespeare dumped upon his poor, humped back.
Speaking of dual natures, Margaret herself is not always seen in the best of lights. As a story's heroine, there are times where she is hardly likable. Kudos to Gregory for maintaining character, and thus story, integrity. Tell it like it is and let the chips fall where they may! Sometimes that makes for the best fiction, and The Red Queen, as a historical fiction, definitely ranks right up there!
Rating: 4.5 stars
February 23, 2023
"Zau, daca n-ar fi existat Ioana D'Arc, as zice ca fetele sunt cu totul de prisos!"
Philippa Gregory a lucrat ca jurnalist si producator de radio la BBC, insa pasiunea ei pentru istorie a determinat-o sa scrie historical fiction, publicand pana acum peste 20 de romane de succes.
"Regina rosie" este al doilea roman din seria "Razboiul celor Doua Roze" si contureaza destinul Margaretei Beaufort, care prin inteligenta si ambitie va intemeia Dinastia Tudor.
Daca in prima parte am urmarit ascensiunea Elizabethei Woodville spre tronul Angliei, in aceasta parte putem fi martori la lupta Margaretei de a-si pune unicul fiu pe tron, in ciuda sperantelor mici pe care acesta le avea, existand nenumarati pretendenti inaintea lui. Viata ei este astfel presarata de 3 casatorii aranjate si nefericite, de uneltiri, tradari si aliante, toate pentru singurul ei scop, caruia si-a dedicat intreaga existenta.
Romanul ne arata si soarta trista a unor femei de rang inalt care inca de mici copile sunt casatorite in stanga si in dreapta, dupa interesele si bunul plac al parintilor si unde puterea o cere, rezultand astfel niste casnicii traumatizante.
Actiunea debuteaza in primavara anului 1453, cand micuta Margaret are 9 ani si este foarte credincioasa, petrecandu-si majoritatea timpului in genunchi rugandu-se si fiind o foarte mare admiratoare a Ioanei D'Arc. Ea doreste sa se calugareasca, insa la 12 ani, fiind verisoara regelui este maritata cu Edmund Tudor cu singurul scop de a aduce pe lume un baiat care sa aiba pretentii la tron. Ajunge astfel in Tara Galilor unde toti sunt grosolani si unde sotul ei nici nu o baga in seama, decat intre asternuturi.
Margaret indura cu greu aceasta casnicie, pana cand ramane in sfarsit insarcinata si il aduce pe lume pe Henry Tudor, contele de Richmond, cu drept de tron. Insa, spre ghinionul ei, casa Lancaster pierde tronul in favoarea lui Edward al IV-lea si ea, ramand vaduva este maritata din nou, tot din interes, cu ducele de Buckingham.
Noua ei casnicie este la fel de nefericita, desi ducele este un om bun si bland, tinand-o departe de curte si razboaie. Fiind insa ambitioasa, isi considera sotul un las si sufera pentru ca este tinuta departe de tron si jocurile politice.
Dupa ce ramane iarasi vaduva are ocazia sa-si aleaga singura sotul de aceasta data, pe lordul Stanley, la fel de viclean ca ea, cu care va unelti in toate felurile posibile ca sa ajunga prietena cu 'regina alba' si sa o tradeze, punandu-si la sfarsit fiul pe tron.
Desi a fost ambitioasa si inteligenta, extrem de evlavioasa si pioasa, este considerata "cotoroanta batrana a istoriei", fiind invidioasa, stearpa, rece si foarte rautacioasa. Devine o soacra de cosmar pentru Elizabeth, fiica 'reginei albe'.
Romanul mi-a placut foarte mult pentru ca se axeaza pe faptele istorice dar si pentru conturarea unor personaje celebre ale vremurilor. Acum ca am citit povestea ambelor regine trebuie sa marturisesc ca 'regina alba' este mai pe gustul meu, fiind inteligenta si fermecatoare, ea reusind sa fie regina si sa aiba si barbatul iubit.
La final atasez cateva citate care mi se par relevante, aratandu-ne in mare parte personalitatea si modul de gandire al 'reginei rosii':
"Eu, una, nu sunt frumoasa - o dezamagire pentru mama, insa nu si pentru mine, caci ma ridic deasupra vanitatii."
"Dar cum ar putea cineva sa vada ceva aici, in nefericita Tara a Galilor, unde nu deslusesti nimic din pricina noroiului."
"Servetelele sunt, neindoielnic, prea frantuzesti; stergerea gurii cu maneca e socotita o datorie fata de tara si fiecare isi aduce lingura lui, de parca ar fi o mostenire de pret, varata in cizma." (obiceiurile mesei in Tara Galilor)
"... si-mi pare ca nimic nu poate vindeca mai bine femeia de pofta trupeasca decat casnicia. Acum inteleg vorbele sfantului aceluia care spunea ca e mai bine sa te casatoresti decat sa arzi. Din ce-am trait eu, daca te casatoresti, e sigur ca nu vei arde."
"Barbatii mor in lupta; femeile mor la nastere. Lupta e mai periculoasa. Sansele sunt de partea ta."
"O femeie cu judecata se va casatori intotdeauna doar ca sa-si ridice familia la un rang mai inalt. Doar o neghioaba plina de pofte viseaza in fiecare noapte sa se marite din dragoste."
Philippa Gregory a lucrat ca jurnalist si producator de radio la BBC, insa pasiunea ei pentru istorie a determinat-o sa scrie historical fiction, publicand pana acum peste 20 de romane de succes.
"Regina rosie" este al doilea roman din seria "Razboiul celor Doua Roze" si contureaza destinul Margaretei Beaufort, care prin inteligenta si ambitie va intemeia Dinastia Tudor.
Daca in prima parte am urmarit ascensiunea Elizabethei Woodville spre tronul Angliei, in aceasta parte putem fi martori la lupta Margaretei de a-si pune unicul fiu pe tron, in ciuda sperantelor mici pe care acesta le avea, existand nenumarati pretendenti inaintea lui. Viata ei este astfel presarata de 3 casatorii aranjate si nefericite, de uneltiri, tradari si aliante, toate pentru singurul ei scop, caruia si-a dedicat intreaga existenta.
Romanul ne arata si soarta trista a unor femei de rang inalt care inca de mici copile sunt casatorite in stanga si in dreapta, dupa interesele si bunul plac al parintilor si unde puterea o cere, rezultand astfel niste casnicii traumatizante.
Actiunea debuteaza in primavara anului 1453, cand micuta Margaret are 9 ani si este foarte credincioasa, petrecandu-si majoritatea timpului in genunchi rugandu-se si fiind o foarte mare admiratoare a Ioanei D'Arc. Ea doreste sa se calugareasca, insa la 12 ani, fiind verisoara regelui este maritata cu Edmund Tudor cu singurul scop de a aduce pe lume un baiat care sa aiba pretentii la tron. Ajunge astfel in Tara Galilor unde toti sunt grosolani si unde sotul ei nici nu o baga in seama, decat intre asternuturi.
Margaret indura cu greu aceasta casnicie, pana cand ramane in sfarsit insarcinata si il aduce pe lume pe Henry Tudor, contele de Richmond, cu drept de tron. Insa, spre ghinionul ei, casa Lancaster pierde tronul in favoarea lui Edward al IV-lea si ea, ramand vaduva este maritata din nou, tot din interes, cu ducele de Buckingham.
Noua ei casnicie este la fel de nefericita, desi ducele este un om bun si bland, tinand-o departe de curte si razboaie. Fiind insa ambitioasa, isi considera sotul un las si sufera pentru ca este tinuta departe de tron si jocurile politice.
Dupa ce ramane iarasi vaduva are ocazia sa-si aleaga singura sotul de aceasta data, pe lordul Stanley, la fel de viclean ca ea, cu care va unelti in toate felurile posibile ca sa ajunga prietena cu 'regina alba' si sa o tradeze, punandu-si la sfarsit fiul pe tron.
Desi a fost ambitioasa si inteligenta, extrem de evlavioasa si pioasa, este considerata "cotoroanta batrana a istoriei", fiind invidioasa, stearpa, rece si foarte rautacioasa. Devine o soacra de cosmar pentru Elizabeth, fiica 'reginei albe'.
Romanul mi-a placut foarte mult pentru ca se axeaza pe faptele istorice dar si pentru conturarea unor personaje celebre ale vremurilor. Acum ca am citit povestea ambelor regine trebuie sa marturisesc ca 'regina alba' este mai pe gustul meu, fiind inteligenta si fermecatoare, ea reusind sa fie regina si sa aiba si barbatul iubit.
La final atasez cateva citate care mi se par relevante, aratandu-ne in mare parte personalitatea si modul de gandire al 'reginei rosii':
"Eu, una, nu sunt frumoasa - o dezamagire pentru mama, insa nu si pentru mine, caci ma ridic deasupra vanitatii."
"Dar cum ar putea cineva sa vada ceva aici, in nefericita Tara a Galilor, unde nu deslusesti nimic din pricina noroiului."
"Servetelele sunt, neindoielnic, prea frantuzesti; stergerea gurii cu maneca e socotita o datorie fata de tara si fiecare isi aduce lingura lui, de parca ar fi o mostenire de pret, varata in cizma." (obiceiurile mesei in Tara Galilor)
"... si-mi pare ca nimic nu poate vindeca mai bine femeia de pofta trupeasca decat casnicia. Acum inteleg vorbele sfantului aceluia care spunea ca e mai bine sa te casatoresti decat sa arzi. Din ce-am trait eu, daca te casatoresti, e sigur ca nu vei arde."
"Barbatii mor in lupta; femeile mor la nastere. Lupta e mai periculoasa. Sansele sunt de partea ta."
"O femeie cu judecata se va casatori intotdeauna doar ca sa-si ridice familia la un rang mai inalt. Doar o neghioaba plina de pofte viseaza in fiecare noapte sa se marite din dragoste."
March 20, 2011
I was surprised, but I actually ended up liking this novel a shade better than "The White Queen". There's much less of the Melusina magic, which I really felt was used too much as a deus ex machina in "The White Queen". The relationship with Jasper Tudor, although completely fictional, was intriguing and even more so because I knew it could never truly be realised. The one-liners here and there. I actually liked Margaret's steadfastness and singlemindedness, and whilst her ruthlessness is shocking to modern sensibilities at the same time I didn't feel like it was out of place in the brutal Medieval world in which Margaret moved. At points, Margaret is downright mean, however whilst I didn't like her mean actions I could still understand what drove her to them, the pride and jealousy that she harbours.
That said, the book had its problems. One problem was the sheer repetition. This seems to be a consistent problem throughout many of Gregory's books – Elizabeth Woodville has her legend of Melusina, Mary Queen of Scots has her "I am three times a queen", Catherine Howard has her "Let me see, what do I have now"... Margaret Beaufort has an obsession with Joan of Arc. Gregory seems to lack the necessary skill to create a character’s personality through subtle means, through showing instead of telling, because she seems to hit upon one phrase or theme to associate with a character and then repeats it over and over again throughout the novel. Margaret Beaufort was a pious woman, we know this from history. Gregory feels the inexplicable need to demonstrate this by giving her character an obsession with Joan of Arc, and then repeatedly drumming this into us throughout the book. However, her readers aren’t stupid and don’t have the attention span of a goldfish – yes, we got it the first time, she likes Joan of Arc because she’s so pious, we understand this – and such interminable repetition gets extremely old extremely fast. Give your readers a little credit and stop repeating things like this. It makes the story drag for us as readers, and it makes you come off like an incompetent writer because you’re telling, not showing. Moreover, the Joan of Arc stuff isn't the only repetition you'll encounter in the book. Characters who should be on close terms with one another call each by full name and title, just in case we've forgotten who they are for the past 100 pages or so.
Occasionally some spelling and grammatical errors have crept in - which wouldn't be worth mentioning except they unfortunately change the meaning of the whole sentence - and here and there I stumbled across some strange sentences which just sounded clunky and poorly constructed, though this is not the first time I've noticed this in Philippa Gregory's works.
The novel is written in first person from Margaret Beaufort’s point of view, which can also be a problem at times, as it was in "The White Queen". Since many of the battles occur outside of Margaret’s experience, Philippa Gregory is rather stuck, unless she wants to write a string of messenger scenes, which would be authentic but fairly dull for us as readers and mean that we would have no action whatsoever throughout the novel. Instead, Gregory switches out to third person omniscient perspective for a single scene here and there whenever she needs to write a battle, returning to Margaret’s first person POV again afterwards. This feels really awkward, since we’re meant to be following Margaret’s story here. I felt like Gregory should have chosen a perspective and stuck with it all the way through. Personally I think third person works best for historical fiction, since it covers so many events that one person alone is rarely present at for all. If she wanted to do first person in order to give us an intimate portrait of Margaret, fine, her decision, but stick with it – otherwise we can’t really get a true insight into Margaret unless we’re with her all of the way, experiencing what she experiences and missing out on the battles she misses, waiting at home like her with nervous anxiety and waiting for news of the battle’s outcome.
However, probably my biggest gripe with this book was the fact that Gregory never comes to grips with the real meat of the history. This is actually a complaint about all of her books as this is another feature which plagues her writing consistently. The historical events feel glossed over with a broad brush and largely trivialised, reduced to a ten person cast and all the social complexity of who is friends with whom, ignoring the wider picture and the larger issues behind conflicts. Many of the momentous events which make up the most exciting happenings of whichever period Gregory is writing about are related in past tense and they occur offstage, and we are told about them in a sentence or two. This is a huge let down as a reader, as these moments are the turning points of their day, exciting events of truly huge significance. Instead of writing these moments out as actual scenes, happening live and unfolding before our eyes as we read with baited breath, utterly engrossed, Gregory tells instead of shows and plops down a summary of what happened, which we don’t get to see, and uses it as exposition to move the plot forwards to the next scene. To illustrate this, I’ve provided a couple of examples from this book. This first example comes from page 182 of the edition I read (no spoilers, this is known historical fact):
"Amazingly, Edward gets to London without a single obstacle in his path, the gates are thrown open for him by the adoring citizens, and he is reunited with his wife, as if he had never been chased from his own land, running for his life."
Above, Gregory, using Margaret as a narrator, describes the return of Edward IV from a rebellion which forced him into exile from England and was probably the darkest and most uncertain period of Edward’s reign. Yet, Gregory summarises them in a single sentence which glosses over all this, and worse it all occurs offstage and we never get to see any of these thrilling events! Again, if she’s going to stick with Margaret as a first person narrator, she is in some difficulty in conveying these events, certainly, which is why I think third person is better for historical fiction, but the very least she could have done was let these events play out "live" through Margaret’s eyes from afar. This isn’t just a one off example either. The following quote comes from page 255 of the edition I was reading:
"News comes in snippets from the outside world, carried by housemaids as gossip from the market. Richard declares that the marriage between the queen, Elizabeth Woodville, and King Edward was never valid as Edward was pre-contracted to another lady before he married Elizabeth in secret. He declares all their children bastards and himself as the only York heir. The craven Privy Council, who observe Hastings’ headless body being laid to rest beside the king he loved, do nothing to defend their queen and their princes, but there is a general hasty and unanimous agreement that there is only one heir, and it is Richard."
Richard’s seizing of the throne is covered in three sentences, again conveyed in past tense as an event which happened offstage. This is the seizure of the throne we’re talking about, this should be one of the highlights of the novel and you should be able to squeeze multiple scenes and pages out of this, all jam packed with tension and excitement. What do we get? Nada. Nothing. A summary that greatly simplifies and glosses over events.
The biggest disappointment of all is the Battle of Bosworth Field. Here Gregory finally has to bite the bullet and write it in real time in order to give her story some sort of climax... but it’s covered in under five pages – of pretty large font and double spaced at that – and the whole thing feels quite trivial and basic. I didn’t get the sense of the epic scope of what was going on, and the scene for me failed to conjure or evoke any sort of atmosphere or ambience, and finally the tactical manoeuvrings just weren’t described very well and came off as all too simplistic and easy. After it was over I couldn’t quite believe that Gregory had written such a dull, lifeless, lacklustre retelling of the Battle of Bosworth Field, so much so that I felt compelled to immediately pick up my copy of Sharon Penman's "The Sunne in Splendour" and turn to its account of the battle, just to confirm in my mind that it was actually possible to write a better retelling of it than this. What I felt was overwhelmingly disappointment that such a great historical moment, on which virtually everything hinged for the two opposing leaders, could be so thoroughly screwed up. How can you screw up writing the Battle of Bosworth Field? It’s got all the tension and excitement you could ever hope to ask for in an historical event!
I so wanted to give this book 3 stars out of 5, as there were a number of things about it which I did like and enjoy, but I have to concede that the number of problems outweighs the good points, meaning I can't in all honesty give it more than 2 stars... but just barely. If there was an option to award half stars I might well be using it right now. Even though I so wanted this novel to be better than it was, let's face it, in the end this is lightweight historical fiction, this is the Wars of the Roses Lite.
September 8, 2016
I have no idea if Margaret Beaufort was as she is depicted by Gregory, but her fictional alter ego is the most unlikeable person that I have come across in a novel in years. The first-person narrative gave little escape from this fanatical and self-absorbed woman. Henry Tudor's ascension to the throne as Henry VII is a a fascinating and unlikely story, but neither mother, the true believer in his destiny despite its apparent impossibility, nor Henry VII (whom I am more familiar with historically) are going to win any warmth of personality awards. Margaret Beaufort had a rough life in many ways, and maybe her single-minded devotion to see her son, a virtual stranger, on the English throne as the last of the Lancasters is admirable at times, but neither of these characters have personalities that make for good company page after page after page, and Gregory does little but give a superficial understanding of who they were or why Jasper Tudor or anyone else would love Margaret. I found the character studies limited with no reward for my perseverance in finishing the novel.
December 4, 2021
Vor diesem Buch habe ich bereits "Die Mutter der Königin" sowie "Die Königin der weißen Rose" gelesen. Mit diesem Band lernt man die Geschichte dieser beiden Bücher noch einmal von der anderen Seite kennen. Hier begleiten wir unsere Protagonistin Margaret Beaufort, die bereits mit 12 Jahren mit Edmund Tudor verheiratet wird. Vom Punkt der Geburt ihres gemeinsamen Sohnes an, dreht sich für Margaret alles darum ihrem Sohn Henry auf den Thron von England zu helfen.
Ich muss sagen, dass Margaret als Protagonistin keine klassische Sympathieträgerin ist. Sie dreht sich alles so wie es ihr gefällt und nützt und stützt sich stets darauf von Gott besonders gesegnet zu sein. Sie ist geradezu fanatisch gläubig, dennoch muss man ihr zugute halten, dass sie für eine Frau zur damaligen Zeit sehr gebildet war und stets für sich und ihre Interessen eingestanden ist.
Philippa Gregory schafft es wie keine andere diesen realen historischen Ereignisse der Rosenkriege in England als spannende Geschichte mit vielen tragischen Einzelschicksalen zu verpacken. Da wird mir wieder klar, warum sich George R.R. Martin für seine GoT-Reihe auch von den Rosenkriegen inspirieren lies. Das Buch war wirklich durchweg spannend und ich habe immer direkt mehrere Kapitel am Stück verschlungen, auch wenn man sich bei diesen Büchern ziemlich gut konzentrieren muss mit den vielen gleichen/ähnlichen Namen und den ganzen Orten und Jahren in denen unsere Geschichte Platz nimmt.
Ich bin jetzt schon gespannt wie es im nächsten Band mit den Häusern York und Lancaster weitergeht.
Ich muss sagen, dass Margaret als Protagonistin keine klassische Sympathieträgerin ist. Sie dreht sich alles so wie es ihr gefällt und nützt und stützt sich stets darauf von Gott besonders gesegnet zu sein. Sie ist geradezu fanatisch gläubig, dennoch muss man ihr zugute halten, dass sie für eine Frau zur damaligen Zeit sehr gebildet war und stets für sich und ihre Interessen eingestanden ist.
Philippa Gregory schafft es wie keine andere diesen realen historischen Ereignisse der Rosenkriege in England als spannende Geschichte mit vielen tragischen Einzelschicksalen zu verpacken. Da wird mir wieder klar, warum sich George R.R. Martin für seine GoT-Reihe auch von den Rosenkriegen inspirieren lies. Das Buch war wirklich durchweg spannend und ich habe immer direkt mehrere Kapitel am Stück verschlungen, auch wenn man sich bei diesen Büchern ziemlich gut konzentrieren muss mit den vielen gleichen/ähnlichen Namen und den ganzen Orten und Jahren in denen unsere Geschichte Platz nimmt.
Ich bin jetzt schon gespannt wie es im nächsten Band mit den Häusern York und Lancaster weitergeht.
September 23, 2019
Audiobook #260
May 3, 2018
This is the second book from this author I've read.it does tell you alot of information from the first book,but still enjoyed reading this book.its terrible how you get forced into a marriage at a young age just to have an heir to the throne,and if it's a boy the baby they will save instead of the mother.great read want to read more.
October 25, 2012
Historical fiction is a passion of mine and I personally think that Philippa Gregory is one of the masters of the genre. I always find her books to be so well researched that as a reader you feel like you are experiencing that particular time first hand.
This is the second book in the new cousins war series and I did find this novel hard going at first but after the first 50 pages I found myself completely absorbed in this novel and felt like I was there watching events unfold in front of my eyes.
The same time frame of The White Queen is used in this novel and at first I was skeptical and did not think it would work. However I felt it worked well within the context of the novel and really seemed to link the first and second book in the Cousins was series.
Margaret Beaufort is not the easiest of characters to like and I did find in places that I wanted to escape from the first-person narrative in places. However once I finished The Red Queen and I was reflecting the character of Margaret Beaufort I actually found myself liking the character and I think the harshness of her characters adds a lot of charm and authenticity to the novel.
Overall I found The Red Queen to be a well researched novel that took you into the heart of the beginning of Tudor England. It is not my favourite Philippa Gregory novel however it does show why she is considered one of the masters of the genre.
This review was first published on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com
This is the second book in the new cousins war series and I did find this novel hard going at first but after the first 50 pages I found myself completely absorbed in this novel and felt like I was there watching events unfold in front of my eyes.
The same time frame of The White Queen is used in this novel and at first I was skeptical and did not think it would work. However I felt it worked well within the context of the novel and really seemed to link the first and second book in the Cousins was series.
Margaret Beaufort is not the easiest of characters to like and I did find in places that I wanted to escape from the first-person narrative in places. However once I finished The Red Queen and I was reflecting the character of Margaret Beaufort I actually found myself liking the character and I think the harshness of her characters adds a lot of charm and authenticity to the novel.
Overall I found The Red Queen to be a well researched novel that took you into the heart of the beginning of Tudor England. It is not my favourite Philippa Gregory novel however it does show why she is considered one of the masters of the genre.
This review was first published on http://everybookhasasoul.wordpress.com
January 29, 2023
I got it cheap with the Daily Mail in duty free and I see why.IT'S THE SAME BOOK BUT MADE A HELL OF A LOT MORE BORING! I was shocked at Gregory's choice of using the same time frame as The White Queen, although she included the story of Magaret from when she was 7 the main story line was the same, revolving around the same events. Since you knew what was going to happen next and who was true and who wasn't Gregory destroyed her best assesst, intrigue. You could skip chapters (I wouldn't but the possibility is there) and still understand what was going on.
As to narrative Gregory stuck to repeating the same things
1) How much of a whore, witch and beautiful Elizabeth Woodville was
2) It is God's will that her son be King
3) She is destined to be Joan of Arc like
This got really reaaaaallllllllyyy boring after a while, I kept going because I thought it would get better, sadly mistaken.
Magaret was a stuffy, over-religeous, greedy,patronising,obsessed woman and as much as Gregory tried to make her slightly positive with her comparision of the inspiration of Joan of Arc she couldn't disguise it. I didn't, in fact couldn't like her and therefore didn't enjoy the book. If you don't like the main character you are gonna be hearing a lot about somone you hate and where's the fun in that?
As ever it was well-written, but this is now expected from Gregory so overall, worth a read if you are going to keep going with the series but otherwise not worth it really.
As to narrative Gregory stuck to repeating the same things
1) How much of a whore, witch and beautiful Elizabeth Woodville was
2) It is God's will that her son be King
3) She is destined to be Joan of Arc like
This got really reaaaaallllllllyyy boring after a while, I kept going because I thought it would get better, sadly mistaken.
Magaret was a stuffy, over-religeous, greedy,patronising,obsessed woman and as much as Gregory tried to make her slightly positive with her comparision of the inspiration of Joan of Arc she couldn't disguise it. I didn't, in fact couldn't like her and therefore didn't enjoy the book. If you don't like the main character you are gonna be hearing a lot about somone you hate and where's the fun in that?
As ever it was well-written, but this is now expected from Gregory so overall, worth a read if you are going to keep going with the series but otherwise not worth it really.
September 26, 2020
After reading the magnificent 'The White Queen' about Elizabeth Woodville, I did not care much for the character of Margaret Beaufort covered in this exciting sequel but it did not take way from my enjoyment of the book. A women of unswerving determination bought out of the conviction that she is guided by G-D to bring about victory to the House of Lancaster, which she believes is totally favoured by G-D. A women of great spiritual pride which led to extreme ruthlessness, especially according to this novel her plan in ordering the murder of the young princes in the tower, thus the author absolves Richard III of the crime. Nonetheless Richard is still presented as ruthless tyrant.
she also holds a vicious hatred born of jealousy against Elizabeth Woodville and her daughter, the ravishing Elizabeth of York, and as I am a fan of these two women, it did not adhere me to Margaret, but Gregory's portrayal of Margaret seems to accurately reflect the essence of the character of this redoubtable but ruthless and fanatical women of destiny, and her scorn for her third husband Henry Stafford when he betrays the Lancaster cause.
Ultimately it is about her ambition for her son who she will do anything to put on throne and after the Battle of Bosworth , we know she does as Henry VII. Also observed here is the unconsummated love between Margaret and Jasper Tudor, brother of her second husband Edmund (father of her son Henry). Ultimately Phillipa Gregory does us a service in drawing portraits of strong and tenacious of women of ambition who take their futures into their own hands while moulding the history of England. Another well crafted bringing to life of 15th century English history.
she also holds a vicious hatred born of jealousy against Elizabeth Woodville and her daughter, the ravishing Elizabeth of York, and as I am a fan of these two women, it did not adhere me to Margaret, but Gregory's portrayal of Margaret seems to accurately reflect the essence of the character of this redoubtable but ruthless and fanatical women of destiny, and her scorn for her third husband Henry Stafford when he betrays the Lancaster cause.
Ultimately it is about her ambition for her son who she will do anything to put on throne and after the Battle of Bosworth , we know she does as Henry VII. Also observed here is the unconsummated love between Margaret and Jasper Tudor, brother of her second husband Edmund (father of her son Henry). Ultimately Phillipa Gregory does us a service in drawing portraits of strong and tenacious of women of ambition who take their futures into their own hands while moulding the history of England. Another well crafted bringing to life of 15th century English history.
March 25, 2017
Margaret Beaufort is a horrible, selfish woman who thinks of no one but herself. God she angered me so much!! I've never read a character who I have wanted to punch more than her. It is all about her, her rise, her power because she was destined for greatness and she doesn't care who gets hurt along the way. She's made me so angry!!
The story was pretty decent but the best bit was the battle description at the end. I loved Henry Stafford her 2nd husband who was obviously treated like crap and the relationship with her last husband was basically what she deserved; cold, calculating and simply for personal gain. In all I think it's got to be 2 stars because she's such an awful, selfish cow.
The story was pretty decent but the best bit was the battle description at the end. I loved Henry Stafford her 2nd husband who was obviously treated like crap and the relationship with her last husband was basically what she deserved; cold, calculating and simply for personal gain. In all I think it's got to be 2 stars because she's such an awful, selfish cow.
January 7, 2011
2.5 stars
Margaret Beaufort wants to devote her life to church but is instead maried off to Edmund Tudor when she is 12. He dies soon after that but manages to get her pregnant before that. After her son Henry is born, Margaret devotes her life to get him on the throne.
I don’t think I’ve ever hated any character so much as I hated Margaret! By page 60 I just wanted to stab her. She think she is England’s Joan of Arc ans is here to deliver England from the Yorkist. I got it, she’s pious person and loves to spend time in praying. I don’t need to be reminded of it on every page. And what up with Margaret and her “saint’s knees”? I read that way many times.
I think the book suffer from first person narrative. Margaret spends most of her time in the countryside and much of the happenings must be told in letters. I
All in all I enjoyed The White Queen more than this. I just couldn’t stand Margaret and it took a lot from the reading.
Margaret Beaufort wants to devote her life to church but is instead maried off to Edmund Tudor when she is 12. He dies soon after that but manages to get her pregnant before that. After her son Henry is born, Margaret devotes her life to get him on the throne.
I don’t think I’ve ever hated any character so much as I hated Margaret! By page 60 I just wanted to stab her. She think she is England’s Joan of Arc ans is here to deliver England from the Yorkist. I got it, she’s pious person and loves to spend time in praying. I don’t need to be reminded of it on every page. And what up with Margaret and her “saint’s knees”? I read that way many times.
I think the book suffer from first person narrative. Margaret spends most of her time in the countryside and much of the happenings must be told in letters. I
All in all I enjoyed The White Queen more than this. I just couldn’t stand Margaret and it took a lot from the reading.
September 23, 2017
The rise of Henry VII and the beginning of the Tudor reign, as told through the eyes of his mother, Margaret Beaufort. I always love Phillipa Gregory’s take on history, and I accept it for what it is--not history, but historical fiction. Who knows what I would have thought of Margaret if I had known her, but I found her a bit unlikable. Having really liked Elizabeth Woodville in Gregory’s The White Queen, perhaps it was more difficult to like this woman who imagined herself so holy and above others.
I am one who believes you can never go wrong with Gregory if you want to explore a little English history but have an emotional attachment to the story that was once someone’s life.
I am one who believes you can never go wrong with Gregory if you want to explore a little English history but have an emotional attachment to the story that was once someone’s life.
October 27, 2021
The storytelling is lengthy, the main character annoyingly flat, stupid and self-conceited, and the plot is really nothing to be even mildly surprised about if you have a vague idea of English history. Had the characters and storytelling been better, this might still have been a great read because it is quite an interesting and important historical time which was butchered in this book. If the historical Margaret Beaufort had been like this fictional one, there wouldn't have been a Tudor dynasty at all because the house of York would have continued on as the ruling one.
This was the last novel of this author I'm ever touching to read.
This was the last novel of this author I'm ever touching to read.
April 9, 2023
A Rainha Vermelha é um romance histórico que se passa durante uma série de guerras civis na Inglaterra, entre as casas de York e Lancaster, e que ficaram conhecidas como a Guerras das Rosas.
É a história de Margaret Beaufort, uma mulher devota e determinada que é ferozmente leal à causa da Casa de Lancaster, e todos os seus esforços para ver seu filho Henry Tudor tornar-se rei da Inglaterra.
Margaret Beaufort nasceu em 1443, filha de John Beaufort, Duque de Somerset, e Margaret Beauchamp. A família Beaufort era bastante poderosa e descendia do rei Edward III da Inglaterra.
Os primeiros anos de vida de Margaret foram marcados por tragédias e instabilidade familiar. O pai morreu quando ela tinha apenas alguns meses e sua mãe casou-se várias vezes. Aos 12 anos casa-se com Edmund Tudor, meio-irmão do Rei Henry VI. Margaret engravidou pouco depois do casamento e deu à luz um filho, Henry Tudor, quando tinha apenas 13 anos.
Margaret dedicou sua vida a garantir que o seu filho se tornasse rei da Inglaterra. Permaneceu leal à casa de Lancaster ao longo da Guerras das Rosas, e trabalhou incansavelmente para promover a subida do seu filho ao trono, mesmo que por vezes tenha navegado pelo perigoso cenário de manobras políticas e conspirações da época.
O romance é interessante, tirando as partes da beatitude de Margaret, e fornece uma visão da complexidade daquele período, tido como um dos mais agitados da história inglesa.
March 12, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
This novel explains Margaret Beaufort's role in the War of the Roses from childhood to adulthood. It centres on the life and ambitions of Margaret Beaufort, known as the mother of King Henry VII and Countess of Richmond and Derby, from the young age of 10 to 42.
Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort fervently believes that her house is the true ruler of England. Ignored by her sainted cousin Henry VI, mocked by her mother, married at age twelve, and endangered by childbirth, she vows to put her son on the throne She believes her House of Lancaster is the rightful ruler of England. Joan of Arc is her steadfast role model.
This novel explains Margaret Beaufort's role in the War of the Roses from childhood to adulthood. It centres on the life and ambitions of Margaret Beaufort, known as the mother of King Henry VII and Countess of Richmond and Derby, from the young age of 10 to 42.
Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort fervently believes that her house is the true ruler of England. Ignored by her sainted cousin Henry VI, mocked by her mother, married at age twelve, and endangered by childbirth, she vows to put her son on the throne She believes her House of Lancaster is the rightful ruler of England. Joan of Arc is her steadfast role model.
Read
October 2, 2010I am listening to this book via audio, and I can honestly say I'm not enjoying this as much as I usually enjoy Philippa Gregory's books. This book is very political and while it involves the Court, it's not such a big part of the book. I don't think it's the writing that is bothering me though, I think it's Margaret, who is extremely arrogant and I would almost say selfish - except she does show some compassion now and then. She is single minded, focused on her mission. I feel like the book is mostly a monologue, Margaret droning on how things are unfair; it's unfair her son isn't King, and how she's in captivity, and things just never seem to work out her way...even THOUGH she is close to God.
Actually, I did find it amusing when her own husband questioned whether she could hear God's will, or whether she could only hear her own. At least he's honest with himself, he knows he plays the fence. I really think that Margaret is completely oblivious to the fact that she is acting for her own purposes.
Actually, I did find it amusing when her own husband questioned whether she could hear God's will, or whether she could only hear her own. At least he's honest with himself, he knows he plays the fence. I really think that Margaret is completely oblivious to the fact that she is acting for her own purposes.
May 5, 2023
Whew, Margaret Beaufort's ambition is intense, I'm tired for her! She's the heiress to the great House of Lancaster, and it is her destiny and duty to bear a son and put him on the throne of England. She attacks this life-long goal with ferocity, and I wish the best of luck to anyone who gets in her way! This is the third book in the Plantagenet and Tudor Novels series, and Philippa Gregory once again brings to life a formidable woman wrapped up in the drama of the royal houses of England.
The story begins in 1453 during the reign of King Henry VI, when 12-year-old Margaret is married off to Edmond Tudor in order to bear that Lancaster heir. The story winds through 30+ years of advantageous marriages, plotting, and wars which ultimately ends with the death of King Richard III in 1485, paving the way for the ascension of Margaret's son, King Henry VII. The book gives the reader two options on how to view Margaret Beaufort. First, she is a divinely inspired matriarch called upon by God to ensure the future of the House of Lancaster, and she leads a pious and selfless life in service to her son. Or, she is a mean and manipulative woman using her devotion to God as a cover for her excessive ambition and greed. I related more to the second view (although there were times where I couldn't help but feel pity or admiration for her), so Margaret Beaufort is not going to rank among one of my favorite characters from the series.
I read this series because I enjoy Philippa Gregory's take on the royal women of this time. Also, this historical period is just a great setting for imaginative stories with all the plotting and wars and the (sometimes literal) insanity and ambition of the royal families. Within the series, The White Queen (Elizabeth Woodville), The Red Queen (Margaret Beaufort) and The Kingmaker's Daughter (Anne Neville) have overlapping timelines and all end in 1485 around the death of Richard III (which is the start of Tudor England). It may sound somewhat repetitive, but I have found it really fun to read the contrasting points of view of pivotal events from all three women, as well as their perceptions of one another. I think the connection among the three books was really well done and quite clever.
This installment delivered the usual drama and resilient female characters that keep bringing me back to the series, but like I said, Margaret Beaufort isn't one of my favorites. Of the three mentioned above, The Kingmaker's Daughter is the clear winner for me. Philippa Gregory's portrayals of Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort are somewhat similar - both hopelessly ambitious and non-stop with the plots in order to secure power for their families. That makes for entertaining storytelling but not very sympathetic characters. However, the story of Anne Neville focuses less on her personal ambition and instead explores how women are used in relation to men's ambition. I thought The Kingmaker's Daughter had the most depth of the three books. I thoroughly enjoyed Anne Neville's quiet strength and more subtle art of playing the game in comparison to the showy and unforgiving ambition of Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort.
Regardless, this was still an enjoyable read for me, and I recommend the book (and the series) if you like historical fiction and strong leading ladies.
The story begins in 1453 during the reign of King Henry VI, when 12-year-old Margaret is married off to Edmond Tudor in order to bear that Lancaster heir. The story winds through 30+ years of advantageous marriages, plotting, and wars which ultimately ends with the death of King Richard III in 1485, paving the way for the ascension of Margaret's son, King Henry VII. The book gives the reader two options on how to view Margaret Beaufort. First, she is a divinely inspired matriarch called upon by God to ensure the future of the House of Lancaster, and she leads a pious and selfless life in service to her son. Or, she is a mean and manipulative woman using her devotion to God as a cover for her excessive ambition and greed. I related more to the second view (although there were times where I couldn't help but feel pity or admiration for her), so Margaret Beaufort is not going to rank among one of my favorite characters from the series.
I read this series because I enjoy Philippa Gregory's take on the royal women of this time. Also, this historical period is just a great setting for imaginative stories with all the plotting and wars and the (sometimes literal) insanity and ambition of the royal families. Within the series, The White Queen (Elizabeth Woodville), The Red Queen (Margaret Beaufort) and The Kingmaker's Daughter (Anne Neville) have overlapping timelines and all end in 1485 around the death of Richard III (which is the start of Tudor England). It may sound somewhat repetitive, but I have found it really fun to read the contrasting points of view of pivotal events from all three women, as well as their perceptions of one another. I think the connection among the three books was really well done and quite clever.
This installment delivered the usual drama and resilient female characters that keep bringing me back to the series, but like I said, Margaret Beaufort isn't one of my favorites. Of the three mentioned above, The Kingmaker's Daughter is the clear winner for me. Philippa Gregory's portrayals of Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort are somewhat similar - both hopelessly ambitious and non-stop with the plots in order to secure power for their families. That makes for entertaining storytelling but not very sympathetic characters. However, the story of Anne Neville focuses less on her personal ambition and instead explores how women are used in relation to men's ambition. I thought The Kingmaker's Daughter had the most depth of the three books. I thoroughly enjoyed Anne Neville's quiet strength and more subtle art of playing the game in comparison to the showy and unforgiving ambition of Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort.
Regardless, this was still an enjoyable read for me, and I recommend the book (and the series) if you like historical fiction and strong leading ladies.
August 12, 2014
I found some of this book interesting, but for the most part, it dragged. It was way too repetitive, even by Gregory's previous theme-repeating standards. 'Joan of Arc, blah blah...Lancaster heir, blah blah...the will of God, blah blah.' Yes, I get it, Margaret Beaufort was one hell of a determined woman, driven by a deep religious belief and a sole aim to get her son on the throne - there’s no need to bash me over the head with it on every page. I ended up skim-reading the second half of this book as the persistent rants and rambles just wore me down.
Philippa Gregory is such a hit and miss author. This is my eighth book by her; my ratings range from two stars to five. It’s strange how she can make some books exciting, dramatic and moving, yet others remain slow and soulless.
Philippa Gregory is such a hit and miss author. This is my eighth book by her; my ratings range from two stars to five. It’s strange how she can make some books exciting, dramatic and moving, yet others remain slow and soulless.
September 23, 2023
Margaretha Beaufort, een zeer gelovig meisje, wordt uitgehuwelijkt aan Edmund Tudor. Ze krijgt een zoon, die ze Hendrik noemt. Edmund sterft tijdens een veldslag, en vanaf dan is zijn broer Jasper voogd over de kleine Heindrik.
Het is nu de enige wens van Margaretha om haar zoon op de Engelse troon te krijgen, het is immers de tijd van de Rozenoorlogen, en de strijd om het koningschap is heftig en lang.
In de geschiedenisboeken wordt Margaretha afgeschilderd als een echt kreng, die niemand ontziet, en in alles de hand van God ziet, ten goede of ten kwade.
In dit boek tracht Philippa Gregory Margareth's persoonlijkheid meer uit te diepen, ze laat ons ook de (fictieve?) menselijke kant van haar hoofdrolspeelster zien. Ook vele andere personages worden zeer levendig voorgesteld; het is niet moeilijk om je in hen in te leven, met hen mee te leven, of juist een soort plezier te hebben in hun tegenslagen.
Een echte aanrader!
Het is nu de enige wens van Margaretha om haar zoon op de Engelse troon te krijgen, het is immers de tijd van de Rozenoorlogen, en de strijd om het koningschap is heftig en lang.
In de geschiedenisboeken wordt Margaretha afgeschilderd als een echt kreng, die niemand ontziet, en in alles de hand van God ziet, ten goede of ten kwade.
In dit boek tracht Philippa Gregory Margareth's persoonlijkheid meer uit te diepen, ze laat ons ook de (fictieve?) menselijke kant van haar hoofdrolspeelster zien. Ook vele andere personages worden zeer levendig voorgesteld; het is niet moeilijk om je in hen in te leven, met hen mee te leven, of juist een soort plezier te hebben in hun tegenslagen.
Een echte aanrader!
September 3, 2016
داستان دختری ساده ای از خانواده اشراف انگللیس که میخواهد قدیس باشد. می خواهد با عشق ازدواج کند. اما می بیند در دنیای اشراف عشق جایگاهی ندارد. رفته رفته خود او مانند سایرین می شود. حتی بعد از فوت همسر دومش، به دنبال برادرهمسر سابقش که سال ها عاشق یکدیگر بودند، نمی رود. دیگر احساس به او فرمان نمی دهد بلکه جاه و مقام به او انگیزه می دهد. او همیشه سعی می کند مانند قدیس رفتار کند، اما جاه طلبی های گناه آلود خود را با خواست خداوند اشتباه می گیرد و برای رسیدن به مقام ملکه مادر از دورویی، خیانت و حتی فرمان قتل کودکان فرو گذار نمی کند.
August 28, 2024
3,5 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
July 17, 2013
this is one of the best book by Philippa Gregory. And I am so appalled by others who gave this book only one star. This book deserves more than one star.
This book is about a magnificent woman who survives abusive parents, relationships, separation with her son and triumph against all odds.
Brought up by a mother who dislikes her and constantly thinks of her more as a nuisance and a misfortune to her than a daughter who deserves to be loved and cared for; young Margaret beauford grown to be a devout christian woman.
She dreams to become a nun, however her unloving mother forced her to be married at the age of only 12 years old. Forced to be wedded to a man more than ten years older than she is, she becomes a vessel to provide an heir to him. She is more like a means to an end. Nobody cares of her, nobody ever loves her and nobody believes that she could be more than just an ordinary woman. As her mother keeps telling her she is a woman, that is why she could not choose her own destiny.
Pregnant at such a very young age, she gave birth to her one and only son Henry at the age of 13. The birthing process was very terrible and difficult, added to that her own mother told the midwife to sacrifice her should there be any choices between her and that of the unborn child, only her child could be spared.
Her first husband was dead and she was forced to be married off for the second time. She was forced to endure a separation with her beloved child and left him under the care of his uncle.
Married off for the second time, she found solace and peace with her second husband. However, her peace was disturbed by the coming war against her house and royal family. She was forced to put her loyalty to the other houses such as York. Born as a loyal lancaster, it was hard to do so. She was forced to give up her son under the care of loyalist york.
Many will think of her as a bitch and a wicked woman. However, I am not agree. She is loyal to her house , she fights for her son's right for the throne. She was right to do so for her son has a royal claim. She did anything that a loyalist did, she fought with her smart mind and brilliant political attitude. It is right that at time she could be annoying such as when she tried to force her second husband to join the war. However, it is hard to blame her to do so, because it is only right for the loyalist to fight for their king.
People often misrepresents her christian devout as narcissism attitude. But, this is not right, she just a girl and later a woman who has nothing but her faith to God . She was robbed of her inheritance by the loyalist York, she was robbed of her son, she was robbed of her position and the most terrible of them all she was forced to endure the humiliation and the killing of her families.
She did what any woman in her position would do. It is not wrong of her to despise elizabeth woodville, for she is represents the very thing that has been unfairly taken from her: honor, position, properties and the most important thing is the happiness of being a mother. Elizabeth did not have to endure terrible marriage, she came from common background yet she secured the position that of a queen, she could live with her children.
This book is a story of a mother who long for her son. Who fights for her son's right, and a woman who fights to find happiness. It is a story of survival in a harsh world
This book is about a magnificent woman who survives abusive parents, relationships, separation with her son and triumph against all odds.
Brought up by a mother who dislikes her and constantly thinks of her more as a nuisance and a misfortune to her than a daughter who deserves to be loved and cared for; young Margaret beauford grown to be a devout christian woman.
She dreams to become a nun, however her unloving mother forced her to be married at the age of only 12 years old. Forced to be wedded to a man more than ten years older than she is, she becomes a vessel to provide an heir to him. She is more like a means to an end. Nobody cares of her, nobody ever loves her and nobody believes that she could be more than just an ordinary woman. As her mother keeps telling her she is a woman, that is why she could not choose her own destiny.
Pregnant at such a very young age, she gave birth to her one and only son Henry at the age of 13. The birthing process was very terrible and difficult, added to that her own mother told the midwife to sacrifice her should there be any choices between her and that of the unborn child, only her child could be spared.
Her first husband was dead and she was forced to be married off for the second time. She was forced to endure a separation with her beloved child and left him under the care of his uncle.
Married off for the second time, she found solace and peace with her second husband. However, her peace was disturbed by the coming war against her house and royal family. She was forced to put her loyalty to the other houses such as York. Born as a loyal lancaster, it was hard to do so. She was forced to give up her son under the care of loyalist york.
Many will think of her as a bitch and a wicked woman. However, I am not agree. She is loyal to her house , she fights for her son's right for the throne. She was right to do so for her son has a royal claim. She did anything that a loyalist did, she fought with her smart mind and brilliant political attitude. It is right that at time she could be annoying such as when she tried to force her second husband to join the war. However, it is hard to blame her to do so, because it is only right for the loyalist to fight for their king.
People often misrepresents her christian devout as narcissism attitude. But, this is not right, she just a girl and later a woman who has nothing but her faith to God . She was robbed of her inheritance by the loyalist York, she was robbed of her son, she was robbed of her position and the most terrible of them all she was forced to endure the humiliation and the killing of her families.
She did what any woman in her position would do. It is not wrong of her to despise elizabeth woodville, for she is represents the very thing that has been unfairly taken from her: honor, position, properties and the most important thing is the happiness of being a mother. Elizabeth did not have to endure terrible marriage, she came from common background yet she secured the position that of a queen, she could live with her children.
This book is a story of a mother who long for her son. Who fights for her son's right, and a woman who fights to find happiness. It is a story of survival in a harsh world
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,145 reviews