Tuesday 4 September 2012

Review: The Kingmaker's Daughter - Philippa Gregory


The Kingmaker’s Daughter is the gripping and ultimately tragic story of the daughters of the man known as the “Kingmaker,” the most powerful magnate in England through the Cousins’ Wars. In the absence of a son and heir, he uses the two girls as pawns in his political games, but they grow up to be influential players in their own right. 

At the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne grows from a delightful child brought up in intimacy and friendship with the family of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, to become ever more fearful and desperate when her father makes war on his former friends. Her will is tested when she is left widowed and fatherless, with her mother in sanctuary and her sister married to the enemy. Fortune’s wheel turns again when Richard rescues Anne from her sister’s house, with danger still following Anne, even as she eventually ascends to the throne as queen. Having lost those closest to her, she must protect herself and her precious only child, Prince Edward, from a court full of royal rivals.

My thoughts:
The War of Roses, what a mess, what a bunch of power hungry backstabbing maniacs. What a time (I would sure not have liked to live then), and  in the end a time that is fascinating to read about.

This book is about Anne Neville, daughter of the Warwick the Kingmaker. Anne who was married to the not so successful Lancaster Prince Edward and later to Richard of York. Always a pawn in the hands of men.

I did like her at first, she has a brain, she thought about things, but the later part of the book started to change that. She was paranoid, she never used her head, she believed everything told to her, she never questioned things, she was always scared, she was a grey little mouse, a sour cow, and the b word too. I kind of lost respect for her there at the end. Always with the constant we hate the Rivers. She was cold. At least she felt like this to me. And she was naive too. But hey, then I always hated the Nevilles. Do not ask me why. But even if I disliked her at the end it sure did not take away the pleasure of reading a good novel.

Richard I liked, he was portrayed as honorable (for the most part). Sure he had his hidden agendas but hey who has not.

I can read a lot of books about the same time it seems, I never get tired. Because every time it is through the eyes of someone new, a new perspective. And here, oh it just shows what backstabbers everyone was, Warwick, the York boys. It was never enough for any of them, always more more more. Some issues for sure.

A turbulent time viewed by a woman, not always at the center of things, but always behind the men who were. 

Conclusion:
A great tale from Gregory and I look forward to her next book which will be about Princess Elizabeth of York.

Cover:
I do feel a bit meh about it

Extra Info:
The White Queen, book 1, is to be made into a 10 part mini-series from BBC :D I can't wait!

Series: The Cousins' War #4
Genre: Historical fiction
Pages: 426
Published: Aug 16th 2012 by Simon & Schuster UK
Source: For review


45 comments:

  1. Yay for involving reads! :)

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  2. Very cool that The White Queen is being made into a mini-series. Hopefully it will show on BBC America too. :)

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  3. whoa, did not know that the white queen would be a mini series! awesome!

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  4. I also love these historical books, it has been awhile since I read one, the last was on Henry VIII. Gregory is an author I have been meaning to try forever!

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    1. I had been meaning too and then I read the Cousins war and knew they were for me. I do think the era fits me better than the Tudors

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    1. Me too :D I hope there will be hotties in it too ;)

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  6. Sounds interesting, hope that you get the next one soon.
    Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog

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  7. I like that they are making mini-series but also scared. I hope they don't follow too closely the book...

    Glad to hear you enjoyed this :) I think I'll just skip this.

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  8. Oh I may have to see if we will get that mini series here. Probably a bit latter than England, but I bet I'll see it on BBC America. :)

    I still need to read her books. I've been wanting to and with your enthusiasm, I am catching the fever.

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    1. I am sure BBC A will show it :) And I do hope it's gonna be good.

      I haven't read her Tudor books but then I am not a Tudor fan, so these suit me perfect

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  9. This is a fav author, and I can't wait for that mini series, I hope it airs by me as well.
    'she was a grey little mouse, a sour cow, and the b word too'...your honest reviews are always enjoyable to read!

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    1. Oh you know me, I tell it like I see it :) At least I liked this main character more than the Red Queen, now that woman was a B!

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  10. Not a huge fan of Philippa Gregory, but she does have a way with the War of the Roses era. Sounds like a fantastic read! It's okay, I have the same feeling you do toward the Nevilles. Don't know why but they irk me.

    Ooooooh, I would like to see that! ^.^

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    1. So weird right?
      Dunno what it is but arghh, I hate them and I have always have...weird

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  11. Mini-series???!! I love the whole idea! I need to get to that book and then this one..sounds great! They would do anything to ensure that they won at all costs!

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    1. They sure did.

      And yes read them all and then hopefully soon, watch the mini series :>D

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  12. I think I have a book by this author....here somewhere...I'm not sure what one or where, but the name sounds really familiar. And sounds like it will make a cool series. :) Thank you!

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  13. This is an era I feel sure I would never want to live in. I would be sickened by all the backstabbers you mentioned.

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    1. It was a bad period, first you favor Lancaster, then York, then you are beheaded. Bad wars :(

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  14. I couldn't wait til I got the chance to sit down and read this review. Why? The tv trailer ad gave very little detail but a whole lot of suspense, and I always like historicals from your perspective, sharp, clear and concise.

    An awesome review. =) And a BBC series on the White Queen?? OMG!

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    1. I know, omg, I want it now!! That is sure something to look forward in 2013 :D

      And I am so glad you enjoyed the review

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  15. Whooohoooo I have The White Queen here in my bookshelf, should get cracking with it so I'm ready for the BBC production(♥♥♥).

    Excellent review, B! I must say that God only knows how one would have behaved living at a time like that being used as a pawn for men wanting one thing or another for themselves.

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    1. But then that was life, so now we think poor women, but they never knew anything else. They did it for family.

      Yay for having the White Queen

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  16. Those ugly Nevilles, let them rot in hell! ;p

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  17. I can't wait to read this one, the cover of my copy is quite different. Like you I never seem to tire of reading about this time period. Great review :)

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    1. You have the crown? I have seen that cover around..and on your blog ;)

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  18. I don't think I would like to have a heroine like Anne Neville... I'm wondering if it would bother me for the read.

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    1. It will not bother you I think, she works, it was more in those last 100 pages I got annoyed. Cos I am such a die hard Woodville fan

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  19. Too many authors with a long list of published works loose some of their magic in the end. I'm glad she isn't one of them!

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    1. I can't say about her earlier works, but I sure like her later books

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  20. You sound like me and the Austen books, not getting enough of these. I've never read about the War of the Roses, so it sounds good to me.

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    1. It was a messy time, but a good time to write books about ;)

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  21. I've had my fill of the cousin's war, but I'll be on the lookout for the mini series.

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