The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory's novel entitled The Kingmaker's Daughter follows the events in The White Queen. This novel is told through the eyes of Anne Neville, wife of King Richard the Third. Anne Neville has a very different view on the events that took place in The White Queen , which made me question what I had been reading in Gregory's previous novel.

Reading Anne Neville's account of events made me wonder who was right? What side is telling the truth here? Did King Richard the Third see an opportunity to gain the throne for himself, or was he doing this to save his country from a child being ruled by an overbearing mother? Of course there is no correct answer to these questions as history is written by the victors. King Richard the Third has been depicted as a killer of innocent children, which is the story that the Tudors would be telling everyone as they were the victors of that battle. Yet this novel begs the question, what really happened during this time--whose story should we believe?

I have to admit, while I enjoyed the concept of turning the story around, this is not one of Gregory's best efforts. The prose is a little weaker than her other novels and I find it harder to connect with Anne Neville than with her other narrators. I found Anne Neville to be led by events around her, instead of charging forward and helping move events along. She did not seem to really play a part in her own life--she let the men in her life lead her along. Gregory tends to depict much stronger women than this. Anne Neville has a a few strong moments here and there, but all in all she pretty much reacts to what is going on around her instead of acting on what is going around her.

Normally I say go out and get the book--not that I am saying not to read it (it is part of a series), but Gregory has done better in the past, so it might not be exactly what you are expecting from the author.

Till next time,
R.F.F.

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory was the first book I read in her War of the Roses series ( I actually think it was the first novel she wrote for it). Once again Gregory captivated my attention with her wonderful gift of story telling.

The White Queen is about Lady Elizabeth Grey, also known as Elizabeth Woodville , the queen of the York court. She was a commoner and a widow with two children who married the King of England, which made her unpopular with numerous people of the time.

One of the legends of how Elizabeth came to be queen is that she waited by the side of the road with her two young sons to see the King. The story goes that King Edward was so captured by her beauty that he stopped to speak with her. Of course there are other takes on how the couple met, but this is the one that Gregory chose to use and I think it is the most romantic take on history. Of course, romance isn't always historically accurate, but it makes for good reading. 

For those who don't know, this is the mother of the Princes in the Tower, still one of the biggest unsolved mysteries. She was also the other grandmother of Henry VIII (Margaret Beaufort being the other one I have previously written about). Gregory weaves the debated theory through her novel, on whether both princes were sent to the Tower or if the queen sent her younger son on to safety and bought another boy to send to the Tower. While I had heard of the princes in the Tower, I had never heard of this theory before, so I found it very interesting.

Once again, Gregory focuses on the theme of women choosing their own destiny. Lady Elizabeth Grey was never supposed to be queen, it was a virtual impossibility. A woman of her station and rank could never hope to be introduced to the King, let alone become his wife. But Lady Elizabeth Grey knew what she wanted (or her mother knew what she wanted, there's some debate over that as well) and she wanted the King of England. More importantly, he wanted her too. Throughout the novel, King and Queen fight to maintain what they feel is their destiny, be it on the battlefield or in sanctuary. 

This is a great novel because it asks amazing questions and when you read, you need to ask questions.

Till next time,

R.F.F.

   

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Ok so I love Philippa Gregory's War of the Roses series. Deception, betrayal, love affairs, who doesn't want to read about that? The second book in the series The Red Queen, doesn't disappoint. It is narrated by Margaret Beaufort, grandmother of Henry VIII.

The story starts when Margaret is nine years old and all she wants is be a nun. She has visions of being the next Joan of Arc. Of course, it wouldn't be much of a story if that is what happened. Margaret was a cousin to the King of England and therefore she had to make a good match. Which her mother makes sure of, of course. In fact, Margaret was married three times throughout her life.

The theme of this novel is destiny, and whether God has created our destiny or do we create our own destiny? After her son is born (the child who would become King Henry VII) Margaret knows that her son was born to be king. In her mind, it is God's plan for her son to be king. Throughout the novel, Margaret fights for Henry's right to be king. Of course, everyone else tell her it is her plan, not God's.

This theme definitely made me think and question,  do the events that happen to me happen because they were planned by a higher power or is it truly my choices that create events? Gregory doesn't really answer the question, but nor should she. It is an author's place to ask the questions, not answer them.

So was Margaret right? Did God get King Henry VII to the throne or was it Margaret's scheming?

Go and pick up a copy, it will be worth your time.

Till next time,
R.F.F.

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Right now I am in the middle of re-reading Philippa Gregory's Cousins War series. The first book in the series is entitled The Lady of the Rivers. I love Philappa Gregory's work and was so excited when she decided to create another series (her earlier works revolve around the Tudors). These novels are about the years leading up to, and about, the Cousins War, also known as the War of the Roses.

The first novel in the series is told through the eyes of Jacquetta of Luxembourg, who would later become Jacquetta Woodville, great-grandmother of Henry the VIII (though she died long before he ever came into existence). While historians may not know much about her, she was an important part of English history. Jacquetta started off her life as French royalty, married an English Duke, and wound up marrying her deceased husband's squire for love. She rose to great heights, was thrown down to great lows, and ended her life as a leading lady of the English court.

Now it has been said that Jacquetta's family, the House of Luxembourg was founded by a water goddess named Melusina. Melusina's decedents are said to have the powers to See. Jacquetta was actually accused of witchcraft (but that happens later on in the series) when her daughter was Queen of England. Gregory uses the story of Luxembourg's ancestry to create a strong willed female character.

Gregory makes it very clear in the text that during this time period women were regarded as objects, pawn on a chessboard if you will. They were used to make bargains and negotiate relationships. What they were not allowed, were opinions and a say in what happened in their own life.  Jacquetta tries her upmost to be a typical courtly beauty, but still be true to her beliefs. Throughout the novel she continually comments on the fact that men are frightened by powerful woman, which is why they have to turn them into something evil, like a witch. And sometimes power doesn't mean strength, it just means having knowledge of the world around you. I love the fact that Gregory pushed the theme as knowledge as power. It's so true and I just don't feel that authors really write on that theme enough.

So while Jacquetta was a real person, it is important to remember that this is a work of historical fiction. Gregory admitted herself that there was not a lot out there on Jacquetta, even though she was a key eye-witness throughout  the War of the Roses. So many events are embellished and probably not very accurate, but still. The prose itself is great, there's a reason why the call Gregory the Queen of Royal Fiction.  If you're looking for something that doesn't have romance and is all about the historical accuracy, I suggest something else. However, if you're just looking for a good read, thumbs up all around!

Now, next post will be about Henry VIII's grandmother. Know who that is? Hint: this is not Jacquetta's daughter.

Till next time,
R.F.F.

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

What can one say about a Bronte sister's work? You can say that it is dark, you can say that it is usually based on their past and typically a reader can say it is good. Something that you can't usually say is it is funny or has a happy ending. However, Anne Bronte has managed to give her heroine a happy ending (without the hero being tragically maimed) and made me slightly chuckle. Anne Bronte's Agnes Grey certainly goes against the Bronte norm and ends with a happily ever after.

The heroine of this novel, Agnes Grey, goes to seek out a life for herself as a governess for the upper class. During her time as a governess, Agnes tries to manage her students studies as well as their moral character, but encounters obstacles in the form of her employers. These parents want her to manage their children and yet, never discipline them, which Agnes find incredibly difficult.

Anne Bronte took her own experiences as a governess to help her create this novel. It made me wonder how much of the story was autobiographical and how much was exaggeration. My guess is quite a lot was autobiographical as back then, governesses were not treated as well as they would be today (though there really are no such things as governesses anymore). In fact, I have a always found the character of the governess and the companion (see Jane Austen's work for a good look on companions) such an interesting species. They are in a very strange position as they are of a higher rank than the servants, but not part of the family. In fact governesses wouldn't eat in the kitchen with the servants they would eat with the family, but when company they would have to eat in their rooms as they were still hired help. The book does address this conflict. Agnes cannot get the servants to listen to her, because they don't feel like she is really above them, but the family does not include her in any of the social gatherings. Her reflections show it is hard position for a person to be in.

I find this book relevant in today's society for those who work as a nanny. They are in charge of the children, but not one of the family. They have to make the children behave, but the parents do not want them disciplining them. It is a fine line and Agnes Grey walks the tightrope throughout the novel and tends to fall most of the time.

If you have never read a Bronte before, this might be the best one to start with. It is a faster read than the others and not as complex, but it is still a really good novel. Anne Bronte never saw as much acclaim as her sisters, which I think is a shame. Her writing is good, it just happens to be a bit more realistic than the other Bronte's works.

So definitely stop by your local book store and pick up a copy!

Till next time,
R.F.F.      

Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back here folks! Charles Dickens is a very wordy writer. Of course I would be too if my paycheck depended on it. Be that as it may, I did find one of his earliest works, Martin Chuzzlewit to be entertaining.

The story can be somewhat confusing as there are many characters and many story-lines that are followed for over 800 pages, but still if you have the time it is something you may want to invest in. Boiled down, it is a novel about a grandson and a grandfather (the Martin Chuzzlewits(s)) who go their own ways due to their similar prideful natures. There are many characters who intersect their story-lines, who bring a playful nature to the book. In fact, it is not the leading men who run the show, but the men and women in their lives who move the story along.

Of course, by the end of the novel, everyone is reformed (sort of) in true Dicksonian fashion, but it is funny to see how they get there.

Now it must be said that there is something distasteful about this book that I have not encountered with Dickens before. In the book Dickens makes a mockery of Americans, and when I say mockery, I mean it. Americans are depicted as an ignorant, vain, low-class people. The Americans that the younger Chuzzlewit meet seem to be a foolish sort of people, who like to seem to think they know everything, but in actuality, know nothing. For instance, they keep explaining to Martin how his own government works, and are of course, getting it all wrong. While Dickens does apologize at the end of the novel, it really doesn't help, to me at least. I am not sure who Dickens met on his travels throughout America, but clearly, they were not our best representatives.

So all in all, if you have the time to read the book, go ahead and give it a try. I do have to say that it might be best to try a more well known Dickens novel before attempting this one however. Give Oliver Twist or David Copperfield a try first before you head into this one.

So my next post will be on a novel by another British author--one of the Bronte sisters. Who can guess which novel and which sister?

Until next time,
R.F.F.

The Golden Road by L.M. Montgomery

The Golden Road by L.M. Montgomery is the second book about the King family. Once again Montgomery's words placed a spell over me.

The book continues where the other leaves off--a new season has begun and the cousins go through winter adventures on P.E. Island. There are still stories that are woven throughout the book and everyone that was in the first book has found their place in this second volume.

However, unlike the first book, this one has a tone of melancholy in it. The narrator of the story seems to realize how wonderful his life was back then and wishes himself back to that point in time. There seems to be a theme of childhood's end that pervades the entire book that young readers may miss, but an adult reader would clearly pick up on. The moral of the story seems to be that childhood comes to an end, and life will never be the same, so enjoy the world of childhood as long as you can.

As an adult, I could really understand what L.M. Montgomery was trying to impart to her readers. You do not realize how wonderful and magical childhood is until it is over. There is a certain threshold that everyone crosses at some point and you just look back and say, "wasn't it wonderful when..."

As before, I would recommend this book to any reader. If you allow it to, it can touch and fill up your soul. For me, it was like snuggling under a blanket on a cold winter night. Simply put, there is just a warmth you can receive when reading this book.

Next Time

So here is a hint for the next book I am going to be writing about (and am currently reading). This book is particularly wordy. It makes sense however because when his work was originally published in the newspaper he was getting paid by the word. So the more he wrote the more he was paid.

Now you may not be able to guess the exact book (since the author wrote so many), but can you guess who the novelist is?

Till next time,
R.F.F.