Book Review: THE KING'S CURSE by Philippa Gregory

 Margaret Pole was a true survivor in every sense of the way. She had had made it through her uncle Richard III’s rule, Henry VII’s conquest of her closest confidant Elizabeth of York, and again she survived the wrath of Margaret Beaufort, which is no easy task. Margaret was one f the few royals that had survived the War of the Roses and the transition to Tudor England. The war came to an end with Henry VII’s marriage to her cousin Elizabeth. The cousins through the years had been very close. They shared every tear and heartbreak up until Elizabeth’s death.

The biggest tragedy to strike the cousins was the loss of Elizabeth’s son Arthur. Henry VII had executed Margaret’s own brother to finalize the agreement between Spain and England for the marriage of the infant of Spain: Catherine of Aragon to Arthur. After the marriage took place the new couple were entrusted to their mothers closest friend Margaret for their care and managing. Margaret had already cared for Arthur most of his life and loved him like he was her own son. Shortly after the marriage Arthur's health had suddenly started to dramatically decline and he was gone with in a day. Greif stricken Margaret knew then that the curse on the Tudors was still very real. Arthur’s own grandmother, and mother had cursed who ever had murdered their lost princes that would have been Arthur uncles. There had always been rumors of the Woodville women being witches even his great grandmother Jaquetta had been put on trail for witchcraft during the war. The Woodville women wanted revenge and cursed “those that had murdered our princes” and had inadvertently cursed their own future line because Elizabeth had been forced to marry the enemy. Margaret had lost the prince she loved but had gained a princess. Catherine of Aragon had become a close confident of Margaret’s over the years and even closer yet after Elizabeth’s tragic death.

After years of tragedy bestowed on Margaret’s family everything changed in the blink of an eye when young King Henry came to the throne upon his father’s death. Her family’s fortune was reversed and she was back in the lime light because the new queen was Catherine of Aragon her closest friend. The new courts blissful happiness was slowly chipped away by the Tudor curse when Catherine of Aragon gave birth to dead child after dead child. Devoted to Catherine and her only surviving child princess Mary, like Prince Arthur Margaret had been asked to care for Mary though the years and had also loved her like her own daughter maybe even more than that. King Henry had sworn to love Catherine until death do them part but the nagging question of the curse weighed heavy on him. Eventually he turned from Catherine to another leading the whole country into civil out cry over the unjust treatment of Catherine his legal wedded wife. Margaret had survived many trials but her friendship with Catherine would lead her to the greatest tragedy of her life, protect the princess or sacrifice all to a deranged King that sought to destroy all in his path.

5/5 I LOVED this one out of all of the books in this series this one is now my second favorite. My first will always be “Lady of the Rivers” but this one comes right after now. Margaret’s story is tragic to say the least but I really enjoyed how the author wove Margaret’s alliances and intriquet relationships with her many many children. This one I think could be read as a stand-alone novel but if you do it that way you will loose all of the back history of the curse, which I would not really, recommend because what leads up to the curse is great historical fiction reads. I would highly recommend this to Tudor lovers because Margaret’s story is one of the most dramatic cases of the times.

FTC ~ this novel is from my personal collection

PG ~ 13 For mild violence.

Amazon: The Kings Cure by Philippa Gregory

S T A Y C O N N E C T E D W I T H M E :
S U B S C R I B E ~ T W I T T E R ‪ ~ F A C E B O O K ~ I N S T A G R A M ~ G O O G L E +‪
~L I Z Z I E~

Upcoming Release: The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory

The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory Releasing~ 9.9.2014

"This is the story of deposed royal Margaret Pole, and her unique view of King Henry VIII’s stratospheric rise to power in Tudor England. Margaret Pole spends her young life struggling to free her brother, arrested as a child, from the Tower of London. The Tower – symbol of the Tudor usurpation of her family’s throne – haunts Margaret’s dreams until the day that her brother is executed on the orders of Henry VII. Regarded as yet another threat to the volatile King Henry VII’s claim to the throne, Margaret is buried in marriage to a steady and kind Tudor supporter—Sir Richard Pole, governor of Wales. But Margaret’s quiet, hidden life is changed forever by the arrival of Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon, as Margaret soon becomes a trusted advisor and friend to the honeymooning couple. Margaret’s destiny, as an heiress to the Plantagenets, is not for a life in the shadows. Tragedy throws her into poverty and rebellion against the new royal family, luck restores her to her place at court where she becomes the chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine and watches the dominance of the Spanish queen over her husband, and her fall. As the young king becomes increasingly paranoid of rivals he turns his fearful attention to Margaret and her royal family. Amid the rapid deterioration of the Tudor court, Margaret must choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical king, Henry VIII, or to her beloved queen and princess. Caught between the old world and the new, Margaret has to find her own way and hide her knowledge of an old curse on all the Tudors, which is slowly coming true . . ."

BEHIND THE BOOK RELEASED IN 2014 
"This is a novel which changed its nature, content and significance from when I started research until publication. Right up until the last stage of copy editing I was revising and adding material and characters to this dark story. I started it, thinking that it would be a relatively simple telling of the tragic story of Margaret Pole - daughter of George, Duke of Clarence and Isabel Neville. George was the brother of Edward IV, probably drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine for treason against Edward and Queen Elizabeth. As the book progressed I discovered that Margaret was a central figure in the Tudor court, and probably actively involved in the endless conspiracies against the Henry VIII and his advisors. This hidden rebellion reached its peak in the uprising of the North called the Pilgrimage of Grace. The pilgrims won their aims of defending the Roman Catholic traditions and the return of the traditional advisors, but Henry reneged on his promises and sent his troops for a terrible persecution to men who held a royal pardon. Margaret, and her entire family, came under suspicion too and this novel moved far from the template of a persecuted heroine and became the story of a merciless murder of a family. Margaret's betrayer, and her defenders all come under the gaze of a king who was increasingly frightened and, I believe delusional. It's been a chilling and powerful book to write and the image of Henry VIII, composer of 'Greensleeves' beloved of primary school history, will never be the same again for me. He was a serial killer and this book traces his steps towards psychosis. THE BOOK OPENS IN 1499 England is under a Tudor king, Henry VII has two sons with Elizabeth of York which should have secured his line, yet his court is still filled with fear and suspicion. Plantagenet is a dangerous name to carry and the heiress Margaret Pole is swiftly married off to a staunch Tudor supporter, but her brother Edward's claim cannot be ignored. Henry executes him on Tower Hill, leaving Margaret to face a lifetime of uncertainly". Source: Philippa Gregory

For more on Philippa Gregory's book check out her really cool site that puts all the book in order by time periods 
Amazon ~ The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory
~Lizzie~

Book Review: THE WHITE PRINCESS by Philippa Gregory

This one was not a new favorite of mine. Sadly I had really high hopes for this novel and it really fell short for me. I am a big fan of Philippa Gregory and always will be but in all honesty “The White Princess” was a real let down for me.

Elizabeth of York, daughter of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward VI was dubbed “the white princess”. Elizabeth’s life s a royal princess was a happy time but her father passed away suddenly and England fell apart at his swift departure from this life. This novel picks up right after the battle of Bosworth. King Richard III is dead and Henry VII is now King of England. Elizabeth’s mother Elizabeth Woodville and Henry’s mother Margaret Beaufort arranged the marriage to form an alliance between the house of York and Lancaster. They would join together the two houses and form the house of Tudor which would finally end the never ending “cousins war”. This is where I have to state that I did not like Philippa’s Henry Tudor. He was mean and down right unlikeable from the beginning. Margaret Beaufort had only one requirement before the wedding could proceed; Elizabeth had to prove she would be a very fertile wife. Elizabeth did not like Henry from the moment she met him and neither did I. She was still madly in love with her uncle Richard III. This was another aspect of the novel I did not like. The fact that they both had a real sexual affair irked me. Henry found this out and set himself to claim Elizabeth before they were married. He attacked her and she was not willing. He rapped her and she called him her “rapist” all through the first half of the book. However she did prove she was like her mother and she very quickly became pregnant.

After they were married the new king and queen welcomed their first child a boy name Arthur Tudor. Marriage to Henry Tudor was not at any point easy. His years of hiding and fighting his way through the war made him a very uneasy man. He suspected everyone and everything especially his own wife. He constantly accused her of conspiring with her “York” family to throw him down. She suffered many abuses by her husband but she knew her place and knew she was powerless in the Tudor court to do anything about it.

The biggest threat the Henry’s thrown came in the form of a “pretender” who claimed to be Elizabeth’s long lost younger brother Richard of York. This was a real threat and Henry recognized that if people believed this “pretender” then he could be thrown back down to where he came from. In protecting his court Henry alienates everyone especially his wife and her blood relations. Henry struggled to keep control of England and the “pretender” coming into the picture really complicated everything even more. Elizabeth found herself stuck in the very middle. She had already lost so much in her short life and wanted some peace but in a newly established Tudor Court conspiracies ran rampant and her husband always thought she had alliterative motives for the things she did. You cannot please everyone in life and Elizabeth found that out the hard way.

3/5 I enjoyed Elizabeth’s relationship with her cousin “Maggie” or how I knew her before this Margaret Pole aka the elderly woman Henry VIII executed for treason. I never imagined the two could have been so close. Now I can see that it would have made much sense. I was really disappointed with this novel. I kept reading thinking it would get better but it never really did. I really did not like that this novel had a whole different feel from the previous novels. Normally I can do a far-fetched historical fiction novel but even this one was reaching way too far. The whole book was really negative and anti climatic but that is just my two cents on this novel. .

PG-13 rating for some sexual references.
FTC-I bought this one for my personal collection.

Amazon - The White Princess by Philippa Gregory
~Lizzie~

Book Review: THE KINGMAKER'S DAUGHTER by Philippa Gregory

The Kingmaker’s Daughter by Philippa Gregory

There is nothing better than a good Richardian novel to get your book blood pumping. This is book number 4 in the Cousins’ War series. I really enjoyed this novel but not nearly as much as I love Lady of the Rivers. I love that PG’s novels in this series usually pick up exactly where the last one left.  Shifting from Jacquetta Woodville to Anne Neville the kingmaker’s youngest daughter. Richard Neville aka the Kingmaker had a merciless ambition and he wanted his girls to sit on high in England’s court but everything has its price and the Neville’s would pay dearly for it.

Anne and her older sister Isabel Neville were the only children of the famous Earl of Warwick.  The King making Earl held great power and popularity through out England. He was also included in the handful of nobility that had a major role in the War of the Roses. Warwick had the ward ship of all the York boys through their adolescents Edward, George, and Richard Plantagenet all were in Warwick’s home at one time or another. Warwick had a dream of seeing a puppet king on the throne of England and he wanted to be the one pulling the strings.  His ambition was so great that he wanted to make sure that at least one of his daughters were married to the puppet king. When Edward of York became Edward IV Warwick was a big part of the events and their relationship was great until Edward married the beautiful commoner Elizabeth Woodville with out warning.  Warwick had been working on a French marriage for Edward and it was all for nothing now that he secretly married. Warwick saw the marriage as a personal slight on him and it started to deteriorate what had been a positive relationship of so many years.  The relationship could never really be healed after this point because the rift became too great.

Immediately afterwards Warwick had begun plotting and he moved on to his back up plan. He successfully married his eldest daughter to King Edwards’s younger brother George Duke of Clarence. His ultimate plan was to replace Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville with his daughter Isabel and George. Things were doomed to fail for them but his girls really suffered the most by his hand. Isabel had the most reason to be upset. Early on in her marriage to George Isabel had become pregnant and she was forced to flee with her whole family.  Edward had foiled his mentor’s plans and they went to hide in Calais. A wicked storm took over there ship on the way there and they were also not permitted to dock Calais. She went into early labor from duress and her child was stillborn. Isabel swore afterwards that it was a witch’s wind that had taken over her fathers ship. She also swore that it was none other than Elizabeth Woodville and her mother that had conjured it up.

In this novel in the series Elizabeth Woodville is a force to be reckoned with in her own right….fierce and very deadly.  Warwick had basically declared war on her when he had stolen her father and brother and murdered them in the name of the law when in reality it was out of pure hatefulness for Elizabeth.  He executed them with no authority and Elizabeth would never forgive or forget it. Elizabeth would lay a curse on two names and two names alone. Isabel Neville is convinced that it is she and her sister’s names on that piece of paper.

Anne Neville had made it through so much with her sister at a young age it really was not an easy life for these girls even in the beginning. Warwick had sided Anne at one point to Margaret of Anjou the she wolf of France. Anne married Margaret’s son Edward and they all lead a one last-ditch effort attack into England. They planned on recapturing the crown from Edward IV.  The planed failed before it had even begun and it left Anne a widow in war torn England. Stuck with Margaret Anne had not known what to do but when they were captured her heart skipped a beat when she saw again her childhood friend Richard Duke of Gloucester

In a complete turn of fortunes wheel Anne is in some sorts of favor at court. She also gets to see her sister Isabelle but that quickly turned sour when it became apparent that Anne was more of a prisoner than an honored guest. Anne was presented with an escape route and it was a very handsome way to gain control of her life. She had always loved Richard and she even fancied herself marring him as a child. Yet she still could not believe it might actually truly come to pass.

Richard and Anne put the past behind them and had moved on as an untied front. At court at the time it seemed that everyone was plotting, possibly poisoning, and what made it worst of all is the Woodville witch held all the power. They fled to escape the pressures of court. It was not long before they had received word that Edward has suddenly passed away. He had named Richard as his protector of his young heir. Elizabeth Woodville would never just “let” Richard be protector and so began the mad dash to the position of power over a defenseless child heir.

4.5/5 Such a good book but “Lady of the Rivers” was better. It was a delightful follow up to it. I cannot wait for Elizabeth of York: “The White Princess” which will release July 23, 2013. PG has made another wonderful addition to the Cousins’ War series. I hate to admit this but Philippa’s spin on Anne Neville was way better than Jean Plaidy’s version. That was the only novel of Jean Plaidy’s that I did not like because Ann was portrayed as a week woman but Gregory empowered her and made her strong to me, as she should be for a woman who lived her whole life in the turmoil of the War of the Roses.

PG-13 for mild violence

FTC- this novel was sent to me for review by the publisher

 ~Lizzie~

Today in History, Elizabeth of York Birthday and Passing

553 years ago today Elizabeth of York was born. Her birthday is February 11th 1466. A weird fluke is that she actually passed away on her birthday February 11th 1503 at the age of 37. After the heartbreaking death of her son Arthur she became pregnant once again. She gave birth to a daughter Katherine on February 2nd 1503, sadly Katherine passed away on the same day. Nine days later Elizabeth succumbing to post part-partum infection and also passed away. It always has seemed to me like she gave up fighting and gave into her broken heart. The image is her coat of arms.

"Her husband appeared to sincerely mourn her death: according to one account, he "privily departed to a solitary place and would no man should resort unto him". Despite his reputation for thrift, he gave her a splendid funeral: she lay in state in the Tower and was buried in Westminster Abbey, in the Lady Chapel Henry had built."

Today In History, Henry VI marries Elizabeth of York

524 years ago today King Henry VII finally married Elizabeth of York. Daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. Henry was the son of Edumund Tudor and Lady Margaret Beaufort. The marriage united the houses of York and Lancaster thus ending the War of the Roses. She was one of the few women to be daughter, sister, niece, grandmother and wife to the kings of England.

This was the only picture I could find of them together and it was made in the 18th century which means it more than likely is not very accurate.
For more on Elizabeth:

The Tower Born by Robin Maxwell
New Release: The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes

New Release, The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes

October 1st 2009 Paperback
Elizabeth of York, my favorite woman who was the only to be daughter, sister, wife to the crown. One of the greatest mysteries in history her lost brothers the "princes in the tower". One of my absolute favorite time periods, nearing the end of the war of the roses, Henry VII coming to the crown, and of course my favorite Henry VIII as a child. This has potiental to be a good read.
The Tudor Rose: The Story of the Queen Who United a Kingdom and Birthed a Dynasty

"One woman holds the key to England's most glorious empire in this intimate retelling of the launch of the Tudor dynasty
A magnificent portrait of Elizabeth of York, set against the dramatic background of fifteenth century England. Elizabeth, the only living descendant of Edward IV, has the most valuable possession in all of England—a legitimate claim to the crown. Two princes battle to win Britain's most rightful heiress for a bride and her kingdom for his own. On one side is her uncle Richard, the last Plantagenet King, whom she fears is the murderer of her two brothers, the would-be kings. On the other side is Henry Tudor, the exiled knight. Can he save her from a horrifying marriage to a cut-throat soldier?
Thrust into the intrigue and drama of the War of the Roses, Elizabeth has a country within her grasp—if she can find the strength to unite a kingdom torn apart by a thirst for power. A richly drawn tale of the woman who launched one of the most dramatic dynasties England has ever seen, The Tudor Rose is a vibrant, imaginative look at the power of a queen."