MARGUERITE: Hell Hath No Fury! by @juditharnopp

5 GOLD stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: a favourite author

In a Nutshell: The story of Marguerite of Anjou

Loved, loved, loved this excellent book. I was so engrossed all the way through and I need a bit of breathing space before starting something else, because I keep thinking about it.  Yes, that good.

This was particularly fascinating for me because although I know the ins and outs of the later years of the Wars of the Roses, I had huge gaps in my knowledge about how it started and how Marguerite got to where she was.  Also, it was most interesting to read about the younger years of the three sons of York, about Elizabeth Woodville and her mother Jacquetta, about Margaret Beaufort and others.

Painted as she is all too often in history, I too thought of Marguerite as a ruthless vixen, but Judith Arnopp portrays her in such a way that one can totally see her point of view, and what drove her on, and on and on.  Of course history is written by the victors; I wonder if Ms Arnopp's versions of Richard of York and Edward of March (never mind Warwick) are also more accurate than those seen in other books, not least of all those made into BBC TV dramas.

I was thinking, afterwards, about how so many lives could have been saved, including almost everyone Marguerite cared about, had she succumbed to the inevitable and allowed Edward to take the crown the York army believed was rightfully his, but there is no definite answer to who should have worn it; the lines of succession were so ... messy.  I wondered if she would have fought so hard if just for her husband, poor Henry VI, if there was no son.  Would the honour of the country she was fated to rule be enough?  Motherhood made her a fierce lioness, but so many died for her cause; was she right to let this happen? 

If only she could have married Edward of Somerset instead!

Anyway, this is a terrific book in which I became so emotionally involved.  I was impressed by the way Marguerite's life fitted so perfectly into one novel without ever coming across as written at too fast a pace; the detail is all there where you need it.  This is a writer who knows when a year needs one paragraph and moment needs two pages.  An absolute winner, and a 'must read' for anyone who loves this period of history.  Well done, Judith Arnopp - every book is better than the last!

A PACT WITH THE DEVIL by Anna Legat @LegatWriter

5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: a favourite author of mine, originally discovered by a tweet for one of her other books

In a Nutshell: murder and demonic possession in 15th century Poland

Loved this book - it's so unusual to read something set in the 15th century in eastern rather than western Europe.  I was fascinated by the names of all the territories, principalities and kingdoms, few of which remain today, in a time when the map of the world looked very different.  Ms Legat talks about this at the back of the book, which has inspired me to find out more.

The story centres around Nicolaus Copernicus, studying in Cracow (Krakow) in Poland, when the death of a certain doctor of much reknown causes angst around the neighbourhood; had he really sold his soul to the devil, or are diabolical plots of a human kind to blame for his and subsequent murders?

The plot is intriguing and well thought out, and Nicolaus leaves no stone unturned in his attempts to get to the bottom of what is happening.  More than this, what delighted me so much about the book was the sense of place and time, the descriptions of the towns and the townsfolk, the customs, the social mores, the beliefs, and the banter between Nicolaus, his wayward brother Andreas and their friends.  The characters sprang from the pages, fully formed.

Highly recommended!

THE BOOK OF THORNHOLD by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

5 GOLD stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: One of my favourite authors, saw this book from her back catalogue advertised on X.

In a Nutshell: A novel of long-short stories, about a family across the centuries

This is one of the best books I've read in ages.  The Book of the title was originally written by a priest in the 8th Century; it is passed down the centuries, with additions made by the generations who are fortunate to be its keeper in the place for which it is named.  Thornhold begins as a Saxon smallholding, and becomes a fine manor house.

It's a novel in the form of eight stories that are independent of each other but are held together by the same threads.  I loved them all, though I think my favourites were the chapter in the 14th Century, when the Thorn family weathered the Black Death, another about monks in a nearby abbey during the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th Century, and a long one that centred around the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 and its after-effects on the family.  I was actually reading that one in the early hours of this morning, and had to tear myself away from it!

The book reminded me of Norah Lofts' The House at Old Vine and A Wayside Tavern, and I was just as engrossed in Thornhold as I am when I read those novels.  I'm also quite relieved because I've been vaguely thinking of doing something similar for quite some time, but I know I could never write anything as good as this, so I can now shelve that project indefinitely!

In the introduction Ms Arnopp apologises for any flaws that have resulted from the re-hashing of this earlier work of hers, and I did notice the odd name with two different spellings and some erroneous punctuation; I mention this for two reasons.  Firstly, in case you're someone whose whole reading experience is spoiled by an ill-placed semicolon, and secondly (most importantly!) to illustrate how good this book is.  I am beyond picky about punctuation, but I loved this book so much that I didn't care if the character was called Dorcas or Dorcus or if an unnecessary comma popped up.

I am happy to say that if you love beautifully written and well-researched historical sagas, I guarantee you will enjoy this as much as I did.

 

I, RICHARD PLANTAGENET: Book 2: Loyaulte Me Lie, by J P Reedman @stonehenge2500

5 out of 5 stars

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On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Already reading this series

In a Nutshell: The later life of Richard III

Excellent book, this one.  Probably my favourite of the series.  It starts with the aftermath of Edward IV's death, and ends at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

Much of this story deals with the fate of Edward V and his brother, the 'Princes in the Tower', and does much to dismiss early portrayals of Richard as a demonic fiend who probably murdered his own nephews and poisoned his wife.  The scenarios put forward by this author are completely feasible and sound a good deal more likely.  Of course the period of the Wars of the Roses was turbulent and dangerous indeed, with so much treason, nobles turning their coats according to whichever cause would benefit them the most; the impression I got was that Richard did what he had to do, but only when he really had to.  Looking at the claims to the throne, it does appear that the Yorkist one was the most valid.

The development of Richard's personality was so cleverly written, as he grew in confidence and became more comfortable within his role as king.

I loved the research that has clearly gone into this book, particularly that about Northampton, near the beginning.  I lived there for 40 years, and was most interested to see that names of some streets date this far back (Gold Street, Marefair, Sheep Street, the Drapery, Greyfriars).  The 'Guild of the Holy Rood' (I have a friend who lives in Holyrood Road).  The abbey of St Mary De La Pre (an area of the town is called Delapre).  Oh, and the Bantam Cock pub, which kept its name until the end of the last century.  In this area is the Queen Eleanor Cross, also mentioned; a marker on the funeral procession for Edward I's beloved wife.

This is a first class series, highly recommended if you are as fascinated by this period in history as I am.   

I, RICHARD PLANTAGENET : Tante le Desiree by J P Reedman @stonehenge2500

5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: I read and loved earlier books about Richard, Duke of Gloucester by J P Reedman, and finally decided this had been on my TBR list for long enough!

In a Nutshell: Richard's life up until the age of 30.

I loved this book, totally engrossed all the way through.  There is so much detail about customs and the way people lived back then, that I found fascinating to read about.

Throughout the years this novel covers, J P Reedman has cleverly developed the main characters as they age.  Richard becomes harsher, more determined, and with an increasing sense of right and wrong, while the negative aspects of George's personality are magnified; his stubbornness, inconstancy and drinking.  Edward the King becomes almost a parody of himself, and I was struck once more by how his grandson Henry VIII was all him, with few traits inherited from his father, Henry VII.

The book is written in Richard's first person, but I was aware of how deftly the author has made clear to the reader the thoughts of other characters, too, even though they may not have expressed them verbally.  How they thought of Richard, too, as he becomes more and more like the historical figure many perceive him as.  Smart writing!

This part of the story ends when Richard is 30, just after the complicated skirmishes with the Scots, and as Edward's health is failing.  I look forward to reading the next episode very much.

I, RICHARD PLANTAGENET - Part 2 by J P Reedman @stonehenge2500 #TuesdayBookBlog

 4.5 out of 5 stars

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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.

I, RICHARD PLANTAGENET by J P Reedman @stonehenge2500 #TuesdayBookBlog

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Recommendation - can't remember who from, alas; Amazon tells me I downloaded it in 2021.  I was looking down my Kindle Unlimited library to decide what to return; when I saw it, I wondered why I had not read it before!

In a Nutshell: Part 1 of a trilogy about Richard Plantagenet, later to become King Richard III

This book covers Richard's childhood, from little more than infancy to the age of fourteen.  It is told in the first person, which I always like best for historical fiction based on fact.

I loved this book, so much that I downloaded the next two before I'd finished it (and am already reading #2).  J P Reedman has written Richard as I imagined him: a loyal, intelligent, studious and serious boy, wise beyond his years in many respects.  The other Yorks and those close to them were also portrayed exactly as I see them - Edward IV the golden, kingly warrior, whose over-confidence and appetites could sometimes be his undoing; the gluttonous, garrulous George, Duke of Clarence; dashing, intense Richard, Earl of Warwick.  Quiet, reserved Anne Neville, flirtatious Isabella, and the ambitious Elizabeth Woodville.

I know the story of this period of history well, so I was most interested to see how various events would be depicted through Richard's eyes.  J P Reedman has artfully executed developments that occurred outside Richard's orbit; there are no clumsy monologues from other characters to let the reader know what is happening, few unrealistically overheard conversations.  This is the history as Richard would have seen it; some events of importance are hardly mentioned, because they would not have meant much to a child.

It is clear that much research about the time has gone into this book, though it is never intrusive.  Instead, it immersed me in the period.  I loved reading about the journeys from one place to another, what the country was like at the time, and about the halcyon days Richard spent at Middleham castle under the tutelage of Warwick.

Incidentally, I have often wondered what Edward IV would have made of his grandson and great-granddaugher: Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

Highly recommended - now, to resume my reading of Book 2!

.... and here's one of the articles about his remains being found under a Leicester car park around 10 years ago: Skeleton of Richard III Found in England.

HENRY by Tony Riches @tonyriches #RBRT

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

How I discovered this book:  It was submitted to Rosie Amber's Book Review Team, of which I am a member, but I'm a big fan of this author so I would have bought it anyway. I adored the second part of the Tudor Trilogy, Jasper, and was looking forward to this last part.

I love Plantagenet and Tudor history, but Henry VII is one of the characters I knew less about; I've always thought of him, I suppose, as a not very interesting link between the wars of York and Lancaster, and the great era of the eighth Henry and Good Queen Bess.  This book showed, though, that the uniting of the two houses to end the Wars of the Roses, after Henry defeated Richard III at Bosworth and married Elizabeth of York, was far from the end of the story.  He then had to deal with kingship itself, something that his mother, Margaret Beaufort, had always assured him was his right, though he was not one who sailed gallantly into such a role.  His reign was beset by troubles with the Yorkist rebels, imposters like Perkin Warbeck, the Cornish rebellion, financial difficulties, and tragedy within his own family, with the deaths of children Edmund and Katherine and, of course, Prince Arthur ~ which gave way to the reign of the most famous of all English kings, Henry VIII.

I liked how Tony Riches has shown us the man behind the sombre portrait, and I warmed to his Henry Tudor very much.  Even though some of his problems were of his own making, he seemed like an honest, self-aware, realistic person, rather humble, and very much like his mother ~ the 'Beaufort Steel' is much in evidence, though to my mind it skipped a generation, and didn't come out again until Henry's granddaughter, Elizabeth, was on the throne.  Riches writes so well, and I read this book in almost one sitting.  So interesting, of course, to read about the young Henry VIII, and I had forgotten the difficulties that came with his desire to marry Catherine of Aragon, his brother's widow.  I couldn't help thinking that, given the events some twenty-odd years later, it might have not been meant to be.

Henry's story is not as thrilling as Jasper's, but this is a fine end to a superbly researched and well-written trilogy, one I would recommend to anyone with an interest in this period of history.  And don't forget to read the Author's Note!

THE BEAUFORT WOMAN by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

How I discovered this book:  I'd read the prequel, The Beaufort Bride, and wanted to read more!

I liked The Beaufort Bride ~ it was a nicely written piece of historical fiction that got better as it went along, certainly good enough to make me want to read the next book, but I wouldn't have numbered it amongst my favourites.  This book, however, is in a different class.  I don't know how long after the first book it was written, but the writing itself seems to have come on in leaps and bounds.

At first, I wondered if it was simply that I was now reading about the woman, not the young girl, but it's not that; I just felt more passion and depth in this book, far more complex characterisation.  I felt as if I was stepping into the story, rather than just reading about Margaret.   

It's interesting to see different historical writers' take on history, and in The Beaufort Woman, Judith Arnopp had made more of Margaret's involvement with Elizabeth Woodville, the wife of Edward IV, than was probably factual, but I can see why she did this; it's so hard, when writing about a subject as broad as the Wars of the Roses from one point of view, to deliver information, as the key events happened in so many places, with not everyone party to all of them.  I think Ms Arnopp managed to do this masterfully.  As with most books about this complex period, I'd say that it helps if you already know the history before reading the fiction.

But what a story!  I remember commenting after I'd read another book about the period (Jasper, by Tony Riches), that one hardly needs the intrigue of fiction like Game of Thrones, when this stuff all really happened.  This was brought home to me once more.  And something else:  I mentioned, in the Beaufort Bride, that I thought Elizabeth I must have taken certain traits from her great grandmother.  In this, it struck me how Henry VIII took after his grandfather, Edward IV.

Loved it.  Highly recommended.  Now I'm going to see if the third part, The King's Mother, is available yet. 

 

THE BEAUFORT BRIDE by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

How I discovered this book: I'd heard of the author via various history blogs, and Twitter, and a writer/editor friend told me she was good.  Margaret Beaufort is one of my favourite historical characters, so I thought I'd give this a go.  Kindle version is £2.99, or free on Kindle Unlimited.

This is a short novel, about Margaret's childhood, her marriage to Edmund Tudor and the birth of her son, Henry (later to become Henry VII).  It takes us to the point in her life when she meets Henry Stafford, her second husband.  The Kindle version ends at 90%, after which there is a brief history of Margaret's life and the beginning of the next book, The Beaufort Bride.

I enjoyed this book, the style is clear and readable; at first I thought it too simply written, but then realised that, of course, I was reading through the eyes of a twelve year old.  The pictures painted of the castles and travels through the countryside of 15th century Wales brought the book to life for me.  Not very much detail is known of the subject's early life, but the fiction in this novel is convincingly imagined.  Once or twice, in dialogue and actions, I felt that the author had forgotten that her subject was only thirteen, but on the whole I found the book quite absorbing.

When I first became fascinated by Plantagenet history, I thought Margaret Beaufort might be too straight-laced and pious for me to have much interest in her, but as I read more I saw possible hidden depths, and Judith Arnopp has brought these to light well.  It occurred to me that perhaps Elizabeth I did not only take her many sterling traits from her parents, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, but also from her great-grandmother.

I liked that it was short; I prefer to read biographies like this, in shorter sections, rather than embarking upon a daunting, long book.  I downloaded this on Kindle Unlimited and will definitely be returning it in exchange for the next instalment.

  

WARWICK: The man behind the Wars of the Roses by Tony Riches

4 out of 5 stars

Plantagenet historical fiction

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

Most interesting; this book showed me another side of the fascinating Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, otherwise known as The Kingmaker.  I liked Riches' portrayal of him as a man of intelligence and forethought, not just ruthless ambition.  Certainly made me see why he was so opposed to Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, too!

James Frain as Warwick in 'The White Queen' ~ it's how I always think of him!

I read this hot on the heels of the author's latest book, about Jasper Tudor; it's clear from reading this that it's an earlier book, simply because his writing has improved, as most authors' work tends to; Jasper is something of a masterpiece, whereas this is more of a very entertaining historical adventure.  I do enjoy the way Riches writes.  He sets the atmosphere of the time so well, and I particularly like reading about the battles.  This book gave me a clearer insight into exactly why the Wars of the Roses began and some bits made me smile for personal reasons: Richard and Edward at the ancient fort of Hunsbury Hill in Northampton, for instance; I used to live on Hunsbury, a residential area now built on that site.   Also, the mention of King Henry IV being cared for in Delapre Abbey, nearby ~ I was there last year with my father, taking a look at the renovations.  
 

I wonder if Warwick trod the same paths on Hunsbury as I used to?

The Wars of the Roses is such a massive subject for any novelist to take on, and Tony Riches has, once again, dealt with it very well.  There were some parts of Warwick's history with which I was not familiar, and I didn't find them too confusing!  Definitely worth the read, for anyone who wants to know more about this intriguing character.  Oh, and you'll be as interested as I was to see who a famous descendent of Warwick was, in the Author's Note at the back :)

The Eleanor Cross in Northampton, near Delapre Abbey

OWEN by Tony Riches reviewed HERE

  JASPER by Tony Riches reviewed HERE

JASPER: Book Two of the Tudor Trilogy by Tony Riches

5 out of 5 stars

Plantagenet/Tudor historical fiction

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's Review Team

I LOVED this book.  It's a terrific page-turner, a real adventure, from the time when the country was such a dangerous place, when men were men and women waited in castles for them to come home (not so keen on that bit, as I am sure many of the women weren't).  It made me long to go back to those times (as a man!); this book brings the England of over five centuries ago to life so well.  Book One, about Owen, Jasper's father, was jolly good, but this is what I love to see ~ a sequel that takes the story to another level.

 

There is so much written and on television about the Yorkist side of the Wars of the Roses, I find, but less about the Lancasters, so this filled in many gaps in my knowledge.  It's expertly planned; I was particularly interested to see how Tony Riches would write about events during which Jasper was far away and out of touch, like Warwick's change of allegiance, but he did this most convincingly, using the fictional Gabriel, an Irish mercenary who becomes a close friend of the hero, as a reporter of events.  Similarly, the disintegration of the Yorks following the death of Edward IV is cleverly accounted for via the messengers who visit Jasper during his exile in Brittany.  I also enjoyed the first appearance of the Duke of Buckingham, whose son causes trouble for Henry VIII, and of other characters who appeared as Plantagenet made way for Tudor. 

Jasper with Henry the boy, and Margaret Beaufort: 'The White Queen'

In my opinion this is a book for those who already know something of the history, as there are so many names and changing allegiances that, even being quite well versed in this period as I am, I had to stop and think a few times about who was who.  This isn't Riches' fault; he has dealt with a long and complicated story admirably.  On occasion I got confused about the passage of time and felt that there needed to be a gaps in the formatting of paragraphs to indicate that a year or so had passed, but I've rarely read a book of this length, covering so many events over a long period, which conveys the passing of years perfectly. 

To all avid readers of books such as the Game of Thrones series, I'd say 'read this too!' ~ it's every bit as magical, every bit as exciting - and it really happened!  Highly recommended, a real achievement, and I'd just like to say that the author's note at the end brought a tear to my eye.  I shall be the first in the queue for the final part of the trilogy (and plan to read 'Warwick' in the meantime!)

OWEN: Book One of the Tudor Trilogy by Tony Riches reviewed HERE