The Kingmaker's Daughter (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #4; Cousins War, #4) in All Things Medieval

Aug 18, 2012 Moppet rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, medieval, witches, 15th-century, wars-of-the-roses, sister-novel

The UK edition of Philippa Gregory’s latest release has the tagline, The girl who would be queen. Not The girl whose father would that she were queen. Gregory veers away from the traditional depiction of Anne Neville as meek and mild, a pawn in the political games of her father, Warwick the Kingmaker. Anne begins her narration as a naive eight-year-old growing up in the shadow of her beautiful older sister Isabel. But like most medieval noble daughters, who were often married in their early teen The UK edition of Philippa Gregory’s latest release has the tagline, The girl who would be queen. Not The girl whose father would that she were queen. Gregory veers away from the traditional depiction of Anne Neville as meek and mild, a pawn in the political games of her father, Warwick the Kingmaker. Anne begins her narration as a naive eight-year-old growing up in the shadow of her beautiful older sister Isabel. But like most medieval noble daughters, who were often married in their early teens or even before, she has to grow up fast. Warwick wants one of his daughters to be Queen of England – and he doesn’t care which one. Fortune’s Wheel spins wildly throughout this book, and Anne and Isabel are rarely at the top of it at the same time. Gregory is in her element with the depiction of sisterly rivalry against a background of court intrigue – it’s the same recipe that made The Other Boleyn Girl a worldwide bestseller. She is an expert in portraying the claustrophobia of court life: the constant fear and insecurity which were inseparable from rank and power in the turbulent fifteenth century.

The Kingmaker’s Daughter covers twenty years in the Wars of the Roses from Anne’s point of view (first-person, present tense). Although it is the fourth in the Cousins’ War series, it can be read as a standalone novel, as Gregory does not assume any knowledge of the period on the part of her readers. As Anne grows to adulthood, she learns more about the world she lives in, and the reader can learn with her. This would make a good introduction to the Wars of the Roses or to historical fiction. Although not aimed specifically at the YA market, with Anne a teenager for much of the book, I felt it was a natural fit for a YA audience.

While I enjoyed the characterisation of Anne herself and also of Richard III – he’s very far from Shakespeare’s villain but no milquetoast either – I felt other aspects of the book were underwritten. Elizabeth Woodville, queen of Edward IV and heroine of The White Queen, is a malign presence throughout this book, but although she functions effectively as an absent influence, I would have liked to read at least one meaty confrontation between her and Anne. Not necessarily an Alexis Colby/Krystle Carrington-style catfight – given the extent of Queen Elizabeth’s power Anne would hardly be likely to shove her into a lilypond however much she might want to. But I would have liked to read a long, in-depth conversation between them where both women would put at least some of their cards on the table – or pretend to. Equally, at one point in the book Anne discovers that her husband has been rather less than honest with her about certain legal aspects of their marriage. The information comes as a shock for her and I was disappointed that she never brings it up with him.

Notwithstanding, The Kingmaker’s Daughter is a fast, entertaining read which should please – and add to – Philippa Gregory’s many fans.

Full review and quotes at my blog: http://misadventuresofmoppet.wordpres... ...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Jess rated it liked it

I'm not really sure how I feel about The Kingmaker's Daughter yet. The Neville sisters are interesting, and while I wouldn't say they're obscure figures in history, their stories certainly haven't been overtold.

That said, I'm not sure I really liked where she went with this book. (view spoiler) ...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Jacinta Hoare rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historial-fiction-read, 2012, audio-book

Another audio book finish. I wonder if I would have rated this higher if I had read it myself.

I found that in the early stages of the book I found Anne Neville to be a whiny annoying fool. History suggests she was a sickly frail person but this is never mentioned in this version of events so for mine, she just came across as pathetic.

Later I warmed a little more to the character but I could not get past the disappointment of what a weak person she was and how the women around her were much more ...more

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Feb 19, 2014 Foxglove rated it liked it

Not her best, she needs to get fresh material and a new era

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Aug 01, 2012 Tanzanite rated it liked it

http://shelfandstuff.blogspot.com/201... ...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Terry rated it liked it

Shelves: from-library, audiobook

Kept me entertained while driving without having to concentrate too much. I know the history of Anne quite well and found this book was written in a way that you really only saw the outside of Anne rather than much character development.

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