The one about Joan of Arc, the Virgin and the Unicorn…

**This review may be considered slightly spoilerish so enter at your own risk**

Lady of the Rivers is the third book in Gregory’s Cousins’ War series, and focuses on Jacquetta of Luxembourg. While staying in France with her uncle, Jacquetta *meets* imprisoned Joan of Arc and the two share some BFF time together with the tarot cards and the wheel of fortune. After Joan meets her unhappy end, the beauteous Jacquetta catches the eye of the powerful Duke of Bedford, uncle to young king Henry VI. Jacquetta’s worries about being ravished by her older husband come to naught as he’s more interested in using Jacquetta’s virginal qualities to aid his experiments – experiments that have something to do with alchemy, the philosopher’s stone and the unicorn. If you are scratching your head over this, rest assured I was doing the same thing. I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now.

Her older husband eventually dies and Jacquetta waits for the King’s councilers to choose another husband after her year of mourning. John’s squire Richard Woodville has other ideas, and Jacquetta is willing to risk the king’s wrath for the sake of true love. The marriage is a fruitful one and Jacquetta spends lots of time in the country producing one baby after another (yawn). The wheel of fortune spins again when the king marries Margaret of Anjou and Jacquetta is summoned to serve the new Queen, but that marriage isn’t exactly smooth sailing, and one thing leads to another until a little dispute erupts between the houses of Lancaster and York.

That’s about as much plot summary you’ll get from me, I’d rather discuss the reading experience, starting with the repetitive text. The Melusine count exceeded twenty, and that’s not counting the water/river/fishy woman references or the tally would be much higher. There are times when nothing much happens in Jacquetta and Richard’s lives (making babies, cooling heels in Calais for a year waiting for the king to do something), and it would have served the story better just to fast forward a few years with a brief mention rather than more tedious detail on what isn’t happening.

I don’t understand the great need to repeat same words three times in a single sentence, over and over and over again (can’t quote examples from the ARC, sorry). Then there are the mind-numbing reminders to the reader of who is who via the *as you know, Bob* method. Any time Jacquetta mentions her first husband in a conversation he is always my Lord John, Duke of Bedford. Margaret will mention her uncle in a conversation with an intimate friend as my uncle, the king of France (I think everyone at court would know that she was niece to the king of France). And Richard of York, reviled by all the Lancastrians is always always always (see, I can do things in threes :)) Richard Duke of York. Every time. I got it the first time, and did not need to be clubbed over the head with it 😦

The characters were all rather *meh*, neither good nor bad, just incredibly uninteresting. Instead of filling us in on the politics and intrigues of the court that caused these wars, we get endless exposition on the court on progress, as well as how Edmund Beaufort Duke of Somerset dotes on Margaret of Anjou, bringing her all those sweet little presents. All in all, a very disappointing read and not one I’d recommend for those wanting more background and insight into the Wars of the Roses – there are much better choices out there with Penman’s fabulous Sunne in Splendor still being the gold standard. Library only, then buy it if you love it. Two stars.

**This review is based upon a digital ARC received from Net Galley and might differ from the final edition.

Lion Invincible by Carol Wensby-Scott

Tags

Northumbria

Portions of this review will discuss events that are historical fact. Those not familiar with the period might consider them spoilerish, so enter at your own risk.

After the battle of Towton, a very young Henry (Harry) Percy gets off on the wrong foot with the Yorkist victor and is promptly sent to gaol for nine years, the latter portion of which he spends at Pembroke castle where he meets Henry Tudor and his mother Margaret Beaufort. Harry is a Percy at heart and eventually bows to the inevitable and since a Yorkist king is as good or bad as a Lancaster, he swears fealty to King Edward so he can regain his earldom and lands in Northumbria.

“…I have more to concern myself with than whether my king is descended from John of Gaunt or Lionel, Duke of Clarence.”

Harry was the product of a most unhappy marriage, and between that, his vicious mother and his younger illegitimate cousin John, let’s just say that there’s plenty of emotional upheaval, double-dealing and scheming afoot in Northumberland – can Harry get past the emotional baggage and find happiness with Maude Herbert? Let’s hope so…

The Lancasters aren’t down yet and Edward’s reign is a rocky one at times, and Richard of Gloucester is sent to stabilize the north. While the two lords butt heads at first, they eventually build a friendship based on mutual respect, and Harry swears fealty to Richard as his overlord. When Edward IV dies, Richard’s ambitious nature comes to the fore, heads start rolling and let’s just say that Harry’s faith and loyalty to Richard is sorely tested, particularly when the young princes go missing (and what an interesting little twist on who suggested that foul deed).

“Yet the accusation that Richard had murdered his nephews had raised enough smoke to choke all Christendom and still Richard did nothing.”

Henry Tudor finally makes his bid for England’s throne and Harry is commanded to bring out the north, but is he able to keep his oath of loyalty after Richard’s recent actions?

“But I did warn you, my lord, that if you ever break faith, I would not lift a hand to save you from all the fires of Hell.”

Fires of hell indeed, but you’ll have to read it for yourself. This was great reading, and fascinating getting a look at this conflict from the Percy point of view and I found the author’s theory as to why Harry held back at the battle of Bosworth field a credible one, as well as events that happened afterward. Wensby-Scott excels at taking an extremely complicated bit of history and puts it into novel format that is both educational and entertaining. The characters are well drawn with plentiful shades of gray – no Richard-Sue to be found here. This book is the third in a trilogy the author wrote on the Percys of Northumberland, the first two being The Lion of Alnwick and Lion Dormant. They’re getting a bit hard to find, so if you’re interested I’d recommend snapping them up sooner rather than later. 4/5 stars.

Lion Dormant by Carol Wensby-Scott

Tags

Earl of Northumberland, Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York

Harry (Hal) Percy is the grandson of the first Earl of Northumberland and son of Harry Hotspur. When the book begins in 1414, Hal is a *guest* of the Scots whilst they sort out his ransom, and he’s been waiting many years for that to happen. In the meantime, the Nevilles have been making out quite well taking over the sequestered Percy holdings in Hal’s absence. Henry Bolingbroke is dead, his son Henry is in a forgiving mood and Neville’s scheming wife Joan Beaufort (you know, one of those Beauforts), suggests they marry their daughter Alianore off to Percy so’s when the goods are returned to the rightful owner they’ll still have their finger in the familial pie. Everyone seems to love the plan but Hal, who might hold a wee bit of a grudge against the man who killed his grandfather, hacked off his head and hung it as a trophy.

“Well, I resent the fact that your father holds land that should be mine. I resent the fact that he hacked off my grandfather’s head and kept it on London Bridge for ten years. And most of all I resent the fact that I was forced to marry you to get back what was already mine.”

What. A. Family.

Needless to say, although Hal is willing to swallow any bitter pill to get home and get his properties back, he’s none too happy with the wife he’s saddled with and she’s left to mildew in the country whilst he goes off to play at being a courtier and soldier in Henry V’s service. Hal eventually comes home and he and Alianore come to terms (and a very happy marriage), but when Henry dies leaving a mere baby as heir, those old rivalries that have been simmering since the deaths of Edward III and Richard II start heating up again – and they get even hotter when Henry reaches adulthood and appears to have a few screws loose.

Might there be another, more capable person with an equally good claim standing by waiting to snatch the throne from Henry? Learning from his grandfather’s mistakes, Hal is determined to support his anointed king, but since his in-laws the Nevilles have other plans that really makes the family relationships sticky. Well, you know what happens next, Richard of York makes his run for the throne supported by the Nevilles and what is now known as the Wars of the Roses begins. Can the Percys hold firm in their loyalty to the king, or will they be swept away in the tides of war?

I knew there were strong family ties in this dispute, but I had no idea how closely related so many of the northern families were. Alianore’s sister was Cecily Neville (married to Richard of York) Hal’s mother Elizabeth was a Mortimer (thus closely tied to Richard of York), and the list goes on and on. What do you do when you prepare to face your brother or cousin on the battlefield?

“I should hate you but I don’t. Being a Percy just doesn’t seem a good enough reason. A man must be judged by what he is, not his blood, and I’ve enough of yours and you’ve enough of mine for me to be confused…But Beaufort blood. That’s another thing.”

Well, you know those Beauforts 🙂

While not quite as unputdownable as the first book in this trilogy, I enjoyed this a lot. The author does an amazing job of taking a highly complicated cast of characters and not only making it all understandable but entertaining as well. The characters are well drawn, and no one is completely bad or good – they are people of their times and class and behave accordingly.  Two thumbs up, and I’m now off to work on book #3, Lion Invincible. I loved how she portrayed nutty Henry VI and can’t wait to see what she does with those grasping Woodvilles. 4/5 stars.

The Daisy and the Bear by K.L. Clark

Tags

Edward IV of England, margaret of anjou, wars of the roses

This book is a send up of The Wars of the Roses and its many and sundry characters, and if you are unfamiliar with the period it probably isn’t the book for you as most of the jokes will likely go right over your head. Those who have read up on this period and craving for more like Brian Wainwright’s hilarious The Adventures of Alianore Audley, you might want to consider giving this one a whirl.

This book pairs the infamous she-wolf Margaret of Anjou off with a most unexpected lover.  I won’t spill the beans but what a delightful twist that was and what complications that arose from that relationship. Clark definitely seems to know her period and she pokes ample fun at everyone, adds delightful new spins to all the myths as well as a couple of ever so delightful swipes at one over-hyped historical fiction author currently writing about this period (see if you can guess),

“One day she’d use it to defeat those who stood against her. Like maybe by raising a mist to confuse them in a battle like has been suggested by at least one popular author recently but she probably just doesn’t get it, I mean, there’s people been writing this stuff for a long time, and researching and thinking and have moved on from the whole Wydeville witch thing, but she’s decided to resurrect all that Melusine nonsense and write about witches raising mists to confuse their enemies in battle which is what Elizabeth Grey, newly widowed widow and witch thought maybe she’d do one day.”

Oh and there’s ever so randy Edward IV,

“Ned was very pleased with himself for having found himself such a hot girl. Lizzie was pleased with herself because she was sure that Ned was more than he said he was. She had a sneaking suspicion that he might be the king in disguise!”

“Meanwhile, in Calais, the Earl of March was getting bored because he’d bedded all the women in Calais in the first week and there weren’t anymore. They fluttered around him like wanton butterflies, drunk with his beauty and sexual potency. They lifted their skirts and thrust their quivering bosoms in his face which pleased him a great deal.”

And let us not forget Margaret’s son Edward of Lancaster,

“In his mother’s the queen’s tent at the edge of the battlefield, Prince Edward was practising ordering people’s heads to be chopped off. He was getting good at it and couldn’t wait to do it for real.”

Last but not least young Richard of Gloucester, vilified by the Tudors,

“So, I have to hate her?” the frail and angelic® Richard or Dickon said frowning. “But Ned likes her and I am fiercely loyal to him and always will be!”

Honorable to the end, as well as always always always “frail and angelic® Richard or Dickon”.

All in all this was a hilarious send up of the period, and I was laughing my arse off for most of it (loved the A Very Neville Christmas chapter, including I’m Dreaming of White Rose Christmas). I did have some formatting issues on my kindle edition, especially an occasional large bold font where none should be, as well as some rather lengthy sentences that could use some judicious editing. A few of the jokes fell flat (at least for me), but otherwise a jolly good read and a big thanks to Brian W for mentioning it at Goodreads or I’d have missed all the fun.

FTC, an Amazon verified purchase.

Fortune’s Wheel Rhoda Edwards

Tags

Anne Neville, Edward IV of England, Richard III

Much of what is discussed in this review is known history, but if you are unfamiliar with Richard III and Anne Neville and wish to remain spoiler free I suggest you skip this review. This is also one of those historical periods where if you know the history you don’t need an entire rehash, and if you don’t you don’t, then you don’t then Wik can do it much better than I can.

This book starts in 1468 as a young Richard of Gloucester is torn between his loyalty to his brother, Edward IV, and the man who fostered him, Warwick (The Kingmaker) as the two allies slowly become disenchanted with each other. The story continues through brother George’s betrayal and defection to Warwick’s camp continuing on through Anne’s stint as a kitchen maid and her eventual betrothal to Richard when he wins her trust, so you actually get something resembling a happy ending. Until the next book, The Broken Sword that is.

Despite the short length of this book (I do prefer the chunksters), this was a very well-done, well-rounded look at the period and R3 in particular. No one is pure as the driven snow, nor are there any mean and nasty villains. The author gives them all a fair shake and they act appropriately to the period and their political alliances which I find particularly refreshing compared to the sugar coated Richard some of today’s authors seem to be so fond of. Fans of this period should enjoy this a great deal, and I would recommend this to newbies looking to get their feet wet. This might also appeal to younger readers, any sex in this book is very tame and only lightly touched upon. 4/5 stars.

The Queen of Last Hopes by Susan Higginbotham

Tags

margaret of anjou

Margaret of Anjou is married off to Henry the VI with the hope that the marriage will bring finally peace between England and France. Hah. The English hate her, especially when she’s unable to produce the required heir. Gossip swirls about her and her alleged lovers and when she finally produces a son ole’ Henry’s about the only one who believes the boy is his.  Always in the wings lusting after Henry’s crown is Richard, Duke of York (and believes his claim is the stronger), and when Henry’s mind goes a bit awry he’s more than ready to step in and take it all…

Everyone’s fortunes take plenty of ups and downs as power passes between the Lancasters and Yorks admidst intrigue, treachery and some incredibly bloody battles (which are not recounted in detail here) – who will rule England in the end? Yes, there’s a whole lot more to it than that and if you know the history of the Wars of the Roses you don’t need a rehash (that’s what Wik is for after all), and if you don’t I’m not going to spoil it for you. I’m just here to discuss the reading experience.Kudos to Susan for taking on a character so reviled by history and shedding new light on her actions – although I’d have liked to see Margaret with a few more warts and flaws. I did struggle with the multiple POV’s at first and for me as a reader this story would have come off better in the third person narrative. That said, I did adore Hal (I’m in love) and I laughed my arse off with Edward of Lancaster and Anne Neville. All in all this is a good book, just not up to the higher quality I’ve become accustomed to in her earlier books. I hear the next one is set in the Tudor period and I’m wondering if I picked up on a hint on the topic at the end of this one. Time will tell…

Thanks to Sourcebooks for my copy.

The Virgin Widow by Anne O’Brien

Tags

Anne Neville, margaret of anjou

 Author Anne O’Brien puts a new spin on the early life of Anne Neville, daughter of the mighty Earl of Warwick, “The Kingmaker“. Both Anne and her sister Isabel are major prizes on the marriage market (and must marry where papa says), but Anne has her heart set on a Plantagenet husband, childhood *friend* Richard, younger brother of Edward IV. Getting her heart’s desire isn’t quite so easy as there’s this little dispute going on commonly known as The Wars of the Roses (or The Cousin’s War as Phillipa Gregory has decided to call it ;)). This is a very complicated period (read more here), but for our intents and purposes, Warwick and Isabel’s husband George, Duke of Clarence, get miffed at King Edward, turn their coats, hightail it to France and throw in their lot with Margaret of Anjou. George thinks he’d make a better king than older brother Edward, but Warwick’s changed his tune and marries Anne of to Margaret’s son Edward of Lancaster, who is or is not the Prince of Wales depending on whether you are a York or a Lancaster.

Confused? I told you trying to explain this was complicated. SPOILER WARNING going forward. Much of this is known history to those familiar with the period, but for those new to the party it might seem like I’m spilling the beans, so consider yourself warned.

Anne’s narrative covers her early years, her marriage to Lancaster, the failed attempts to reclaim England for the Lancasters and subsequent trials and tribulations as a consequence of her father’s treasonous plots. This book does not cover Anne’s years as Richard’s queen, the plots of That Grasping Henry Tudor, nor the events leading up to Bosworth Field.

While not necessarily a bad book, those looking for insight into Anne will likely be disappointed. From what I gathered at the author’s comments at the end (an interview of sorts, not notes), this was written more with romance in mind and that is what you are going to get. As for O’Brien’s writing itself and her take on the period, I do have a few quibbles. Written in the first person narrative (not a favorite of mine) set some limits on recounting back history for the reader and I was scratching my head a time or two when Anne had long conversations with Richard about past events both of them should know perfectly well. Anne refers to her parents as the Earl and the Countess more often than mother and father, and that is both in her *thoughts* and in private conversations with her sister. Odd, that. As a very well-born medieval lady, Anne should know that marriage is about duty and making powerful alliances and not about *twu wuv*, yet she’s constantly stamping her feet when Richard doesn’t declare his true feelings – dangit by this time she’s in a serious political pickle and anyone with a brain in her head should be jumping at the best offer she’s ever going to see.

Anne’s little episode as a kitchen maid (known history, I am not spoiling) is given an unusual twist, and by the end images of Disney’s Cinderella and Prince Charming were stuck in my head and never let go. All of the baddies are easily recognizable by their “feral” smiles, and that includes Margaret who is given a plot twist that will probably inflame the die-hard Ricardians.  That said, I do give the author kudos for giving Anne some backbone, as well as a more rounded Richard without the sugar-coated-to-the-point-of-vomit-inducing-perfection we’ve seen so much of from other authors currently writing about Richard.

All in all, not a bad book by any means, and should do nicely for readers new to the period and looking to get your feet wet, just don’t take everything as the gospel truth. The be-all to end-all book on this period is still Sharon Penman’s fabulous Sunne in Splendour and one I would highly recommend.

FTC? Library loot.

The Wrong Plantagenet by Marian Palmer

Tags

Battle of Bosworth Field, england, Henry VII of England, Perkin Warbeck

This book continues the story of Phillip Lovell begun in The White Boar (review here). After the battle at Bosworth field, Phillip escaped to Burgundy, married his old love and raised her son Simon – although Simon resents his step-father (there’s more to it than that but I won’t spoil). Years later, Phillip and Simon are drawn into Margaret of Burgundy’s plot to oust That Upstart Henry Tudor and put her *nephew* Richard, Duke of York (Perkin Warbeck) on England’s throne. Simon’s journey with Richard eventually takes them to Scotland as guests of King James and finally to that fatal landing in Cornwall and the failed march to London.

*Richard* is captured by Henry’s agent, the dastardly James Tyrell (who has quite a secret of his own), and taken to London. Simon, on the other hand, is in for a whole new set of adventures with plenty of twists and turns that eventually bring him full circle with Phillip, who is in the end faced with the most difficult decision of all – at what price does one sell loyalty and honor?

I really enjoyed this, although the dryer style of Palmer’s writing might not appeal to all readers.  But for fans of this period I’d recommend giving it a whirl.

FTC? Bought it used. The world is still safe.

The White Boar by Marian Palmer

Published in 1968, Marian Palmer gives her spin on the oft-told tale of Richard III but she tells it from the point of view of cousins Francis and Phillip Lovell (I believe Phillip is a fictional character). Phillip serves in Edward IV’s household, and a younger Francis is given in wardship to Warwick where he meets Edward’s younger brother Richard and as an adult faithfully served the future Richard III. This is one of those books where you either know the history and don’t need me rehashing it all over again, or if you don’t Wik can do it much better than I can – I’m just here to talk about my reading experience.

While this can be a bit dry on occasion, I did enjoy it and found it fitted nicely as my “treadmill book” and not my main read. The main historical facts seem to fit with other books I’ve read on the period, although I suspect those better versed on the period could find a few bones to pick clean.  Refreshing, as always to have a Richard who is neither good as good can be nor the evil villain as Shakespeare portrayed him. I enjoyed seeing this through the eyes of the two cousins and despite the sad ending at Bosworth Field (just once, can someone change it?), there’s a bit more to the story with a somewhat happy ending for at least one of the cousins. The story continues in The Wrong Plantagenet and whick as I understand it concerns the mystery of the two Princes and Perkin Warbeck so stay tuned. 4/5 stars.

FTC, I purchased it.

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

From a very young age, Margaret Beaufort idolized Joan of Arc and imagined herself with a similar destiny – riding into battle to save England from the  grasping York family and installing the *rightful king* on the throne.  Margaret is first married to Edmund Tudor, bears a son Henry, and she knows from the get go that this son is destined to be King of England (funny, I could have sworn the Beauforts were legitimized with the provision they could never rule…). Marriage #2 is to older (but wiser) Henry Stafford, and he prefers to keep his head and sit quietly on the proverbial fence as the wars between the houses of Lancaster and York tear England in two. Who will win in the end? The mad Henry and his she-devil wife Margaret of Anjou or will Warwick the kingmaker put Edward of York on the throne?

The dust finally settles with Edward as king (no spoilers that’s known history), and a now widowed Margaret comes to court to find a new husband, a husband who is willing to aid her in her schemes on Henry’s behalf – and she finds a perfect fit in Thomas Stanley. The two insinuate themselves into Edward’s court biding their time until they can make a move, and upon the death of Edward, Richard takes the throne, his two sons disappear from the Tower and Stanley’s treachery at Bosworth field forever changes history.

“Don’t be a Beaufort filled with wounded pride – be a Stanley: get on the winning side”

Sound like a chant at a football game? We all thought so and credit to Karla at Goodreads for making us a Team Stanley poster,

Hehe. OK, yes there’s a whole lot more to it than that but this is one of those times where you either know the history already and don’t need it rehashed one more time and for those who don’t – Wik can do it much better than I can. My thoughts? While a bit better than The White Queen, using the first person narrative with someone who spends so much time stuck out in the country really boxed the story into a dreary corner. There is way too much telling instead of showing, especially those treasonous letters between her and Jasper – I’m guessing Margaret and her co-conspirators were a bit smarter than to put that stuff to paper. While I understand that Margaret was an extremely pious person, I am smart enough to figure it out from the get go, I didn’t need to be clubbed over the head with it like we were with Melusine in TWQ. I have to admit to jumping up and down for joy when I hit this on page #304,

“This letter irritates me so intensely that I cannot even pray for the rest of the day.”

Whew! In the end, this was an average book, one that doesn’t bring anything new to the table and might not appeal to serious Ricardians – and the gold standard of those is still Sharon Penman’s fabulous The Sunne in Splendour. That said, this series will definitely appeal to PG fans as well as those looking for a starter point for exploring the period, just don’t take everything in the book as gospel – I’m not buying Elizabeth of York as a fortune-telling water witch

3/5 stars. As for Mr. FTC? Why this book was passed along to me from another reader.