4.5 out of 5 stars
On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: Had read its prequel HERE, so sought it out.
In a Nutshell: The life of Richard III - his teenage years.
This is a longer book than the first, and covers the period of Richard of Gloucester's life from the ages 14 - 18, during which time his elder brother Edward IV was on the throne, though not without constant threat from the Earl of Warwick and the Lancastrians.
There is so much description of England itself, in this book; its common people, beliefs, travel, food, the customs, all of which really bring the 15th Century to life, and I loved that aspect of it. Richard himself is shown as such a loyal, modest and thoughtful young man, so much so that it is hard to picture how he gained such an evil reputation later in history. I found the way that Elizabeth Woodville and her family are portrayed most interesting; it made me wonder how Edward might have fared had he made a political marriage rather than being swept along by love.
At times I felt that the book was a little padded out, as though the author was determined to get every piece of research into the book; I think it would have been even more enjoyable if it was chopped down a little, but I did love it, and look forward to reading the next one.
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