Friday Funny

Thank you Bookfessions for this one!

Book Review: Queen By Right

Queen by Right, Anne Easter Smith
4 roses

I absolutely LOVED this author's novel about Richard III, A Rose for the Crown, and thoroughly enjoyed her novel about Richard's sister Margaret (Daughter of York) and Edward IV's illegitimate daughter Grace (The King's Grace). When I heard Ms. Smith was publishing another novel in her York series I was thrilled and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! I was not disappointed.

This novel steps back in time (before the events of her other three novels) and tells the fascinating story of Cecily Neville, wife to Richard, Duke of York, and mother to Edward IV and Richard III. Readers familiar with Edward and Richard's stories know who their mother is but she usually only appears for a brief time in most novels. Her tale begins as the Duchess, mourning the death of her husband, looks back on her life, starting with when she was only nine and first met Richard Plantagenet. Through her reflections we see not only how she manages to make her way through this incredibly turbulent time in English history but also the true and deep love she and Richard shared throughout their lives. I really enjoyed Cecily's character and felt drawn into her story. As a child she was outspoken and headstrong, two traits she never really grew out of but was able to control in later years. As a woman she was beautiful and proud but much loved for her kindness. I enjoyed how the author showed the many trying events and people that caused Cecily to become very pious later in her life (having just had a baby myself my heart ached for Cecily when she lost her first children). It was fascinating to watch not only Cecily's character develop and grow because of what she was dealing with but her husband Richard's as well. Theirs was a unique relationship in a time when men generally did not discuss business or politics with their wives. Richard not only discussed issues with Cecily but (sometimes) listened to her advice. Richard, Duke of York, was another character that I genuinely enjoyed learning about since, as with Cecily, his character and personality is usually not developed in novels covering this time period as most authors prefer to focus on their sons. Beyond the wonderful character development, Ms. Smith has created a very realistic and believable medieval world for the reader. There is not an abundance of action in this novel but I did not expect much considering it is based on the life of a woman; much of the information comes from word of mouth or letters. This does not detract from the story in my opinion and I had no problem with the way the novel was laid out.

I have no problems recommending this novel to any reader. Yorkists will enjoy this look into the life of the family matriarch and those just beginning to delve into this very chaotic time period will not find themselves overwhelmed with the story. Queen by Right is intended to be the first of the author's York series but it certainly can be read as a stand alone novel. Bravo to Anne Easter Smith for another beautiful and fantastic look at the York family.

Mailbox Monday - July 25, 2011

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme originally created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (formerly known as The Printed Page) and is now located here. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday is being hosted this month by A Sea of Books.

I got a couple that I can't wait to read; gotta get through a couple of others and post reviews first.

The King's Grey Mare, Rosemary Hawley Jarman

Ms. Jarman's novels have come highly recommended so I'm looking forward to getting into this novel about Elizabeth Woodville, Edward IV's wife. This came from Paperbackswap.com.





We Speak No Treason: The White Rose Turned to Blood, R. H. Jarman

Another Jarman novel from Paperbackswap.com. Unfortunately I do not have the first in this series so I am going to have to wait to read this one!

Friday Funny

Thank you to Bookfessions for this one!!! Love it!!

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme originally created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (formerly known as The Printed Page) and is now located here. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday is being hosted this month by A Sea of Books.




The Adventures of Alianore Audley, Brian Wainwright

This came from Paperbackswap.com. Looking forward to reading it as I've heard its a delightful romp through the Wars of the Roses!







Bath Tangle, Georgette Heyer

This will be my first time reading anything by Ms. Heyer (besides the unfinished My Lord John) and I'm excited! Thank you to Sourcebooks for the copy to review!

Friday Funny

Oh so very true!!

Book Review: The Virgin Widow

The Virgin Widow, Anne O'Brien
3.5 roses

Being the die hard Ricardian that I am, this book about his wife Anne Neville caught my eye and I had to see how this author treated my favorite historical male. While there are almost an unending supply of novels focusing on the Wars of the Roses and Richard III, I know of only one that focuses on Anne and her life (Plaidy's The Reluctant Queen). Ms. O'Brien's novel focuses on Anne's early years and her relationships with the various (and major) players in the Wars of the Roses. I was not disappointed but I wasn't blown away by any stretch.

I am not going to rehash the ins and outs of the Wars of the Roses here (if anyone wants to know there is endless information available on the internet). The narrator of the novel is Anne Neville, a figure well known to readers of historical fiction: daughter of the Earl of Warwick (the Kingmaker), widow of Edward of Lancaster, and wife of Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Richard III). However, that is pretty much all that is known about the daughter of the most powerful Earl in England and one time Queen of England. We follow her through her youth at Middleham where she meets Richard, her father's quarrels with Edward IV, their exile to France and her disastrous marriage to Edward of Lancaster (son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou), the drama surrounding the issue of her inheritance, and her marriage to Richard. Ms. O'Brien has attempted to "fill in the gaps" and has created a voice for Anne which I did not find too unbelievable. Whereas in many novels about Richard, Anne comes across rather quiet, sickly, and insignificant, Ms. O'Brien's Anne is feisty, opinionated, and passionate; this Anne has a backbone which most other interpretations lack. Women during this time period are usually seen as being quite passive with little to no say so in what happens to them and while O'Brien's Anne is well aware that she has no choice and must do as she is told, she certainly has a strong opinion on what is happening to her and to those around her. I found this look at Anne rather interesting. I have to admit that my heart went out to her during the marriage to Edward of Lancaster as she endured all the humiliation heaped upon her. All that being said I did find the fact that she usually called her mother and father "the Earl" or "the Countess" a bit puzzling and her constant instance that Richard needed to declare his true feelings for her got annoying.

The author's treatment of other characters is pretty much in line with what you would expect in a novel about the time period. I did like her Richard as he was, without a doubt, Anne's "knight in shining armor" but he certainly had his flaws and ambitions. While I don't mind a "saintly" Richard, it is much easier to believe that he was a good man, with imperfections of course, and merely doing what needed to be done to survive in a very violent and ruthless time period. I am (obviously) not a fan of Margaret of Anjou or her son but the strange twist the author threw in concerning these two characters really seemed odd and just doesn't fit with history. George, Duke of Clarance, and Anne's sister Isabel, really come across as villains in the story and their behavior throughout the novel made my skin crawl. We don't see that much of Edward IV or Elizabeth Woodville and the personalities of Anne's parents aren't illuminated in much detail either (though the Earl certainly comes across as extremely ambitious).

As for the writing itself, some will not like the fact that it is told completely from Anne's point of view, restricting the author in what she could tell in the story. While I am not a huge fan of historical fiction being told in the first person (because it is so restrictive) I didn't really have a problem with it here, though that could be because I am already very familiar with the history of the period and didn't need to be told what all was happening. As in any historical fiction novel, the author has taken some liberties with known history but there wasn't really anything that made me cringe (the Margaret of Anjou/Edward of Lancaster twist the exception) or that ruined the novel for me. The narrative stops at the birth of Richard and Anne's son so a reader expecting to see Anne's thoughts on Richard's governance of the North and the drama of his reign will be disappointed (though the way it was left leaves it open for the author to continue their story in another novel). This is not a very deep novel and does not bring anything new to the table in regards to information about Anne Neville. It probably could be considered a bit more of a "historical romance" than a "historical fiction" as the main emphasis seems to be Anne and Richard's relationship.

This certainly is not a bad novel and I can easily recommend it to those unfamiliar with the Wars of the Roses and Richard III's story. It is very easy to read and you won't get bogged down in tons of details. Readers who want something more in depth will most likely be a bit disappointed. I still consider Sharon Kay Penman's The Sunne in Splendour as THE book on Richard.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme originally created by Marcia at The Printed Page and is now located here. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday is being hosted this month by The Bluestocking Guide.

Since my birthday was Sunday, I treated myself to an afternoon at the mall and dinner with a close friend. Of course, both of us being book junkies, we had to have a lengthy layover in Barnes and Noble. Here are my two purchases!


The Virgin Widow, Anne O'Brien

Being a Richard III fan I was immediately interested in reading this tale of his wife, Anne Neville. I haven't ever read anything by this author but it looked like an interesting read, especially since I don't know of any books from Anne's point of view (besides Plaidy's The Reluctant Queen).




Vlad: The Last Confession, C.C. Humphreys

This is a tale based on the life of Vlad Dracul, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. I have never read anything about Vlad but I have seen a show on the History Channel about his life and thought this might be a very interesting read.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at The Printed Page. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday is being hosted this month by The Bluestocking Guide.

I haven't posted one of these in a while but I've been super busy lately (having a baby will do that!). Nevertheless, here is the one that showed up on my doorstep this afternoon!

Lady of the English, Elizabeth Chadwick

I was so stoked when I opened the package left on my doorstep to find EC's latest novel, due out in September! This is part of a familiar story that is rarely mentioned in historical fiction - the tale of Empress Matilda, heir to the English throne and mother of the future Henry II. Can't wait to dive into this one!!


Thank you Sourcebooks for the review copy.

Cecily Neville - A Guest Post by Anne Easter Smith

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours is celebrating the new release by Anne Easter Smith Queen by Right and I was honored to have the author supply a guest post on the main character in this novel, Cecily Neville!

I have been intrigued by Cecily Neville since enjoying Sharon Kay Penman’s Sunne in Splendour almost twenty years ago. She never appeared in my first book, A Rose for the Crown, but you could almost imagine her imposing presence every time I mentioned her. Some of my favorite scenes in Daughter of York were between Margaret and her mother, and it occurred to me that after three books describing the lives of her children and grandchildren, that I should go back to the beginning of the York family in the Wars of the Roses and tell their parents’ story.

The Hundred Years War between England and France was still raging when Cecily Neville was born at Raby Castle in County Durham. Dubbed “the Rose of Raby,” Cecily is the twenty-second and youngest child of Ralph Neville, the powerful Earl of Westmorland, and also cousin to the boy king, Henry VI. Cecily’s fate becomes entwined with the king’s when she is betrothed to her father’s ward, Richard Plantagenet, the orphaned duke of York, whose claim to the throne is arguably stronger than young Henry’s.

Believe it or not, there is very little written about Cecily that is not incorporated in biographies of the men of the period, but most of those portray her as proud, intelligent, and strong-willed. The second nickname that has come to be associated with her is Proud Cis. She was known for her reclusiveness and piety in the last 20 years of her life, and so I have tried to imagine what caused her to shut herself away. True, it was quite common for widows to retire to an abbey (like Elizabeth Woodville), but I chose to use a few life-changing experiences of Cecily’s that might have made her turn to God later in her life. I hope I have been true to the information we have about her.

I never did find the origin of either of her nicknames, but they are everywhere in the secondary sources down the centuries. It told me that Cecily must have been very beautiful, and it also told me she was not someone who suffered fools gladly. I have tried to show that she had a public side where she maintained a cool and aloof exterior and a softer yet passionate side when she was with her family. Unfortunately the personal feelings of most of historical people from that time are not recorded anywhere, except in letters, and even those are stilted and formal to our way of thinking. But it is believed by historians that Cecily and Richard had one of the few love matches among the nobility of the 15th century, and I tried to find reasons for this in my research. The fact that Cecily did insist on following Richard around so much instead of staying meekly at home with the children told me that they enjoyed being together. I also thought it was unusual for a wife to plead personally on behalf of her husband to the king on two occasions, which showed me how devoted she was. And when Richard landed in Wales after almost a year of exile in Ireland in1460, he immediately called for Cecily to join him even though the king’s forces were attempting to thwart Richard’s progress towards London and it could have been dangerous. It seemed to me husband and wife could not bear to be parted a moment longer, and Cecily joined him only a few days later leaving her children in London.

I try and stay true to those known facts about a character, and it is known Cecily was quite pious especially later in life. However, it is fair to say most medieval people of any learning did a lot of praying and were always concerned for their immortal souls. A man might commit adultery or order a murder one moment but be at the confessional the next being given a penance and telling his rosary. Religious ritual was a daily part of everyone’s life. Because it is a known fact about Cecily, I used the spiritual side of her life as a theme in the book.

For more information please visit Anne Easter Smith’s WEBSITE and FACEBOOK PAGE.

Thank you again to Anne Easter Smith for her post! I can not wait to read this newest story about the York family!

Most Influential Monarchs in British History (to 1603)

While awaiting the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday, many have wondered what kind of King and Queen these two will become and how their reign will impact Britain. I have thought the same thing but I have also thought back on the many monarchs who have already left their mark on the kingdom. Thus the idea for this post was born and below are the monarchs (up to 1603) who I feel made the biggest impact on England - for good or bad.

1. William the Conqueror
Obviously we need to start at the beginning (or close to it anyway!) and that means the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the most well known of William's contributions is the Tower of London. He originally built it to show the native English that he was now in charge and he was there to stay. Another of William's contributions to history, and one that may be more important historically, is the Doomsday Book, which was a very complete survey of England at the time (names of towns, who lived there, what they owned, etc, etc). Many customs, especially in the royal court, were formed during William's reign. The Anglo-Saxon ways were slowly erased. The coming of the Normans changed much in England and many of those changes remained through the years.

2. John
This youngest son of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II is usually seen as one of the worst kings in English history but there is one legacy from his reign that made a huge impact on the country and its future - Magna Carta. Because of the lack of trust between John and his barons, Magna Carta was eventually forced on John as a way of controlling some of the monarch's powers. While bits and pieces of this were whittled away over the years, some of the laws set down in the 13th century remain to this day. Some view Magna Carta as a "great constitutional document," the beginnings of the freedoms so many enjoy today.

3. Edward I
This warrior king changed the boundaries of England as no king before him had done. He accomplished what no king before him had managed - the conquest of Wales and Scotland. Granted, England's control of Scotland turned out to be temporary, but Edward did manage to expand England's boundaries and much of that remains in "English" hands to this day. In order to hang on to England's new territory and fill the local populaces with awe, Edward went on a building spree of massive proportions, building many castles along the Welsh border, most of which can be visited today (Caernarfon Castle for example).

4. Henry V
Another of England's warrior kings set quite a bit in motion for England's future, though at the time most of it could not have been imagined. His victory in France gave Englishmen a strong sense of pride, not to mention the desire continue the country's military successes for several generations. After his victory over France and claiming of the French crown (which many English monarchs tried to actually wear), he married the French King's daughter, who in turn gave birth to the future Henry VI, whose reign would be the main battle ground of the Wars of the Roses.

5. Henry VII
While I am not overly fond of the man, I add Henry VII to this list mainly for the fact that had he not been victorious on Bosworth Field, the next two powerful monarchs on my list would not have existed. It is hard to image British history without the presence of this king's son and granddaughter, not to mention the huge changes that occurred during their reigns.

6. Henry VIII
When talking about changes in England we can't overlook Henry's break from the Catholic Church in his quest for a divorce. One could say that, aside from the Norman Conquest in 1066, the break with the Church during Henry's reign is the most significant change in England's history. It certainly was momentous and fueled tension in the country for many years to come. Henry VIII also began the building up of England's Navy, seeing it as a way to help build and secure the empire he so desperately wanted to create.

7. Elizabeth I
Henry VIII's daughter had an equally important impact on England and its future - politically and culturally. The big triumph of Elizabeth's reign is the triumph of the English over the Spanish Armada. There is no way of knowing what England would be like today if Elizabeth and her small navy had not over come the much more powerful Spanish forces. However, Elizabeth's reign is particularly known for the achievements of artists, poets, and playwrights (does the name William Shakespeare ring any bells?); so many achievements and advancements were made during her reign that this literary time period is called the Elizabethan era.



I am well aware that these are not the only monarchs who have made an impact on England throughout its long history. I am also aware that these are just short little bits of information and many of these monarchs did much more than I have mentioned above. I simply wanted to highlight some of the kings (and queen) whose influence can still be seen through the country to this day.

Book Review: To Be Queen

To Be Queen, Christy English
4 roses

I was honored to get an early copy to review from the author. This is Ms. English's second novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine (it can be seen as a prequel to her original novel The Queen's Pawn) and focuses on her earlier years as Queen of France. Once again, the author's true love of her subject comes shining through, making for a good read.

In a refreshing change from what seems to have been the trend this past year where Eleanor is concerned, Christy English has written a novel about Eleanor's time as Queen of France and time on Crusade without turning it into a sordid tale full of the lady's "numerous" affairs. She portrays Eleanor in the beginning as determined and ambitious yet knowing she is young and in need of help and protection as Duchess of Aquitaine. Throughout the novel we see her grow and mature and at the end we can see the beginnings of the strong Queen who is willing to take chances to get what she wants. I really enjoyed her character in this novel; it was a refreshing change to see her before she had become hardened by her life with Henry. Most of her development seems to happen while she is on Crusade and it was rather fascinating to see how the author showed the changes she went through during this time. Ms. English's wonderful characterization didn't stop with Eleanor. We see her first husband, King Louis, in much more detail here than in most novels and while he is weak and overly pious, he obviously loves Eleanor and you can feel bad for him when it becomes obvious that the marriage is not going to work. We also get more detail concerning Eleanor's younger sister Petra, showing that the strength in the family didn't stop with the more famous sister. Of course, towards the end, the powerful and extremely ambitious Henry of Normandy appears and Eleanor begins to take the reins of her life into her own hands. Ms. English also does an outstanding job of helping the reader imagine what life would have been like for during this very volatile time period; her descriptions of Eleanor's experiences while on Crusade are wonderful and really make it easy to picture what sights, sounds, and smells the Crusaders would have encountered in this very foreign land.

So much of what I have read concerning this famous lady really focuses on her passionate and tumultuous marriage to Henry II, glazing over her early years as Queen of France, and so I found this take on her story quite refreshing. The author has managed to balance historical fact with fiction, keeping it within the bounds of believability while at the same time making it an entertaining and interesting read. Her love of Eleanor and her life really shows in her writing; it is obvious that she wants to show a much more believable and realistic Eleanor to the world. This is not a "heavy" read and I think it would be a great starting point for those who want to read about Eleanor of Aquitaine but aren't ready for some of the more epic sized renditions. I really enjoyed this novel and I am looking forward to this author's next episode on this very famous Queen.


*Thank you to Christy English for providing me with the advanced copy!

Book Review: The Queen's Rival

The Queen's Rival, Diane Haeger
4 roses

I was honored and excited to receive this a couple months ago to review. As this newest novel by Diane Haeger is about the life of a character that is mentioned mostly in passing in most historical fiction about the time period, I was even more intrigued to dive into its pages. I am happy to say I was not disappointed.

The story Ms. Haeger focuses on in her newest novel is that of Elizabeth (or Bessie) Blount, King Henry VIII's first "well known" mistress and mother of his first, though illegitimate, son, Henry Fitzroy. The story follows her life from her early years at Henry's court, to which she arrived when she was fourteen, through her short time as Henry's mistress, the birth of their son, and her following years of a new marriage and forced separation from her child, ending with her returning to visit Henry upon the death of Fitzroy. What intrigued me most about this novel was the fact that though it is set in a time period that I am extremely familiar with, it focused on a person who I am NOT overly familiar with and gave me a version of a familiar story from a new and much different view point. Most Tudor readers know who Bessie Blount is and why she was, for a short time, so important to Henry VIII. However, in the majority of Tudor historical fiction she is only going to be mentioned in passing with absolutely no time devoted to her, her life, or who she really was. She wasn't Henry's first mistress while married to Katherine of Aragon but she was (I believe) the first that was publicly known and acknowledged as such. The fact that she gave Henry his first living son gave her a very special position of (potential) power, though she never used it. In fact, despite her surroundings, she managed to maintain a certain innocence and kindness while still becoming a strong female character who could handle the ups and downs of her life. I found it interesting to follow Bess as she struggled in the court environment with all its backstabbing and mystery and her relationship with the King. Compared to some of his other well known mistresses, Bessie's "reign" was quite brief, cut short by her pregnancy and being sent away from court to have the child; she never returned to Henry's court. After Henry Fitzroy's birth the novel focuses on her life in the country with a new husband and family and her thoughts and reactions to all the news and gossip surrounding the Tudors.

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I have not read much by this author so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was well written with good characters and good description of details of life in the middle of the Tudor court. There are appearances from much more familiar figures in Tudor history and I never felt that their characters seemed "out of character" but the story really does focus on Bessie and her life, which I really liked. I am so familiar with this time period that it was very refreshing to read about someone knew and not really read the same old story once again. I enjoyed Ms. Haeger's portrayal of Bessie, never feeling that she was too sweet or too innocent and I really did find her story interesting. I do have to say that I almost cried when she realized, after sending their son to him for a visit when he was just a few years old, that Henry was going to keep Fitzroy with him and give him his own household. As my review copy did not include author notes I have no idea how much of Bessie's life is actually recorded in history for authors to use as reference and how much of this story is the author's creation; I would be interested to find out though. That aside, I really enjoyed reading this novel and its high rating is mainly because it gave me a fresh look at this time period. I would highly recommend this novel to any fan of Tudor historical fiction, especially those who are tired of reading the same old story over again!

Recent Search Terms!

I know I haven't posted much lately and I apologize. Looks like folks are still finding their way over here (thank you!). Here's how they found me:


gwyn movie

Oh yay! I'm so flattered!

jan austin

Not to be confused with Jan from Austin.

William the Conqueror blogger

You heard it here first, folks! I gotta find this blog!

Jane Austen bilder

I'm not quite sure on this one?

Book Review: The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy

The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, Mary Lydon Simonsen
2.5 roses

After (finally) reading Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I was interested to see how some of the multitudes of "sequels," spin-offs, etc handled the story. I was lucky to receive Ms. Simonsen's book for review from Sourcebooks. In it, she tells the P&P story from different points of view.

There is no need to rehash the story line of P&P; the back cover of this story implies that this novel is going to be told from the viewpoint of Darcy's younger sister Georgiana. That is what really tweaked my interest as I love seeing different views of the same story. However, this one wasn't exactly what I expected. Considering what was mentioned on the back cover I thought the entire novel would be told from Georgiana's point of view with possible some insight from her cousin Anne de Bourgh but that is not really what we get. While there is quite a bit from Georgiana's viewpoint there are numerous chapters that are told from various other characters' points of view. I was rather disappointed with this. While the story was familiar and the chapters told by other characters were entertaining (especially the ones told by snobbish Caroline Bingley!) I was really hoping for a real insight into Georgiana and her personality, her thoughts on her brother, etc, and I just didn't feel that there was much of that here. I didn't really feel like I knew too much more about Darcy's younger sister than I did at the end of P&P. As for Georgiana and Anne's matchmaking, it pretty much consisted of what you would expect from young girls (but I won't spoil the fun by mentioning what they are here!).

I know it seems like I did not enjoy the book at all but I did, it just wasn't exactly what I was expecting (or hoping) it would be. There are some beautifully written scenes and some that really had me chuckling (like the observations made by Miss. Bingley). I just feel there was so much more potential here in telling the story from the viewpoint of a character that is not described in very much detail in the original. All that aside, it is a fun read and I do always enjoy seeing a well known story told from a completely different perspective.

2010 in Review!!

In total I read 47 books last year which is down from the previous year (but I wasn't dealing with as much sickness in the house or a pregnancy!). As expected, the majority of those were historical fiction but I did throw in some others for variety! Here is a rundown of my tally:


Historical Fiction: 33 (mainly British)

Austen: 7 (including "sequels")

Nonfiction: 6

Contemporary Fiction: 1


Of course there were some books that I absolutely loved and there were those that really fell short. Here are my top 5 picks for 2010:


Honorable Mentions would have to go to:

Hugh and Bess, Susan Higginbotham
The Seventh Son, Reay Tannahill
Virgin: Prelude to the Throne, Robin Maxwell
The Founding, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

I can't wait to see what will be on my 2011 list!


*I borrowed the "Best of" image from Historical Tapestry.

Book Review: The Queen of Last Hopes

The Queen of Last Hopes, Susan Higginbotham
4 roses

I was honored to receive this early for review (and I'm ashamed it's taken me this long to put my review up) but I was a bit hesitant because Margaret of Anjou is not one of my favorite people in history. However, as it is written by the wonderful Susan Higginbotham, I knew it couldn't be anything but good and I was right.

I am not going to rehash the plot line of the novel as many folks are familiar with the twists and turns of the Wars of the Roses. The story follows Margaret's life from the time of her betrothal to Henry VI in 1444, through all the ups and downs as Queen of England, and ends with her death in 1482. Being a Yorkist myself I was wondering how I would get through a book about a Lancastrian Queen but I found it was a very good and informative read. Most mentions of Margaret in other novels of the time are quite scathing and make her into a she-wolf. Her reputation down through history has not been painted in a favorable light. Higginbotham shows us that there certainly could have been a much different side to this Queen. Here Margaret is shown as being extremely loyal and ambitious but also loving and courageous. Not knowing much on Margaret's life beyond what is barely mentioned in other novels, it was very interesting to see Higginbotham's take on how Margaret dealt with a husband who went "mad," the rumors floating throughout the country concerning her son Edward, the people's dislike for their French Queen, and her constant struggle to retain her husband and son's birthright - the throne of England. Most of the story is told from Margaret's point of view though there are some chapters told from the view point of Henry VI, their son Edward, and a few of the Beauforts. In some novels this can muddle the storyline and make it a bit difficult to follow but not here; the other viewpoints will really help the reader understand the turmoil of the time period. The novel follows historical events in order without any confusing flashbacks (which in many other novels can muddle the story) and each chapter begins with the date so it is really easy to follow. The characters are carefully written, their own personalities fleshed out, and their actions and feelings are quite believable (there are many, many characters in this novel but there is a handy list at the front of the book that should be helpful!). There are wonderful descriptions and details of life in England in the 15th century and Higginbotham's writing can transport you back in time.

As usual, Higginbotham's wonderful writing and attention to historical detail weave a very intriguing story. As a Yorkist, I was worried about how the players on that side of the line would be shown and while they are obviously not supposed to be the "good" guys in this novel, in no way are they painted as horrible monsters. I also really liked the prologue and epilogue Higginbotham included; they really make an impact. This is a novel I would highly recommend to all readers interested in the Wars of the Roses as it gives a refreshing new look at a woman who, when mentioned in history, is usually maligned.


*I received this novel for review from Sourcebooks.

Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone out there had a wonderful and blessed Christmas this year! We got SNOW here in Georgia! That's big news since we haven't had a white Christmas since 1882!!

Hope everyone has a fun and safe New Year!

Historical Fiction Challenge 2011

This wonderful challenge is being hosted in 2011 by Historical Tapestry. I finished the challenge this year by May I believe so I don't think I'll have too much trouble finishing it next year (though I will have a baby arriving in May!).

There are, as usual, different levels you can join at and I am, again, going for the biggest (I do love to read even though its been difficult lately!). I am going to join up at the Severe Bookaholism level which means I'll need to read 20 book from January to December. Easy. :)

Head on over to their blog to check it out and join up if interested!

Author Guest Post: Stephanie Dray

I was privileged to receive an advance copy of Stephanie Dray's new novel Lily of the Nile for review and Ms. Dray wrote a guest post for my blog to discuss the main character of her novel, Cleopatra Selene, Cleopatra's daughter.

How Cleopatra Selene Saved Isis
by Stephanie Dray

The heroine of my forthcoming debut novel,Lily of the Nile, is Cleopatra Selene, daughter of the much more famous Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Only ten years old when her parents committed suicide, Selene was taken prisoner by the Romans and marched through the streets in chains. Her life was spared, however, and Augustus, Rome’s first emperor [1], took her into his household, where she had to curry favor to survive.

Like her mother before her, Selene was a worshipper of Isis, the all-powerful sorceress and mother-goddess of the Nile. Unlike her mother, however, Selene practiced her faith in a time during which it was politically disadvantageous, and perhaps dangerous, for her to do so.

Generally speaking, the Romans employed a liberal philosophy when it came to religion. If a conquered nation submitted to Roman civil authority, they were free to worship their native gods. There were notable exceptions to this policy, however. The early Roman hostility towards Christianity is well-documented. Druids were persecuted and effectively wiped out. During the Augustan Age, Rome was also particularly antagonistic to the worshippers of Isis.

Augustus had a special enmity for the Isiac faith, no doubt owing to the fact that Isis was the patron deity of his arch rival, Cleopatra. Like the Ptolemaic queens before her, Cleopatra embraced Isis, presenting herself as a veritable living incarnation of the powerful mother-goddess. The worship of Isis often eclipsed that of her husband Osiris and her son Horus, such that she made a perfect symbol for queens seeking to rule on their own. Cleopatra knew this and made great political use of the Isiac priesthood to further her political aims.

By the time Rome declared war upon Cleopatra, Isis worship had spread throughout the Mediterranean world, so Cleopatra’s religious influence was a genuine threat. However, Augustus remained hostile towards Isiacism even after Cleopatra’s death [2]

This was almost certainly because the Isiac temples promoted values antithetical to the “back to family values” political campaign that Augustus was waging to consolidate his power base. In short, Isiacism wasn’t simply the worship of some foreign goddess, nor even simply posthumous support for his conquered enemy, but the promotion of a set of political and religious philosophies that Augustus did not want to spread.

For the Romans, religion was typically public business. Roman temples were generally open and visible to the street, and their private chambers were generally limited to an inner sanctum for the cult statue. By contrast, Isiac temples typically fostered a more intimate atmosphere by enclosing the temple by walls so as to preserve the privacy of the worshippers. This sense of privacy was greeted with mistrust by some Romans who considered Isiac temples a hotbed of conspiracy where the disaffected could gather and secretly plot against the state.

Perhaps they were not entirely wrong. Isiac temples admitted freedmen, women, and even slaves to their community, not just to foster a more personal relationship with the goddess, but also to help promote the cause of social justice. That Isis was a goddess of mercy who allegedly frowned upon slavery and other social ills may not have been half as dangerous as the notion that a great goddess like Isis might take the part of a lowly slave over the cause of his master. Or that she might take interest in a slave at all. After all, this was still an age of orthopraxy versus orthodoxy, where the emphasis was upon correct ritual toward the gods rather than any intense personal relationship with the realm of the divine. As a forerunner of Christianity, Isiacism was starting to change the very idea of religion.

Moreover, during the Augustan Age, Isis worship promoted a more egalitarian relationship between the sexes and admitted both men and women into the priesthood. While there is evidence that Isiacism promoted chastity and periods of abstinence, Isis was a great favorite amongst prostitutes and was also associated with sexual license and mysterious fertility rites.

All this ran counter to Augustus’ policy of preserving the social hierarchy and his place as the religious leader of the state. At a time when he was regulating sex, marriage, and the role of women [3] to conform with traditional values--or what he imagined those traditional values to be--Isiacism was an obstacle. That it was a popular religion made it only worse; he closed Isiac temples, forbade the worship of Isis within the old sacred boundary of Rome, and eventually sent his second-in-command, Agrippa, to put down an Isiac rebellion of some sort [4] and prohibit the worship of Isis in Rome and her surrounds.

That this assault on Isis worship happened during Selene’s lifetime--much of it while she was actually living in Rome--is nothing short of astonishing when we recall that she was, like her mother, an important figure to Isiacs. For her mother’s partisans, she represented a chance to return to power and for Isis worship to flourish where Augustus tried to stamp it out. As Cleopatra’s daughter, a surviving Ptolemy, and an heir to that dynasty, Selene was also, undoubtedly, the faith’s most prominent adherent.

Under the circumstances, especially considering that her survival depended upon Augustus’ good will, one might have expected Selene to renounce her patron’s least favorite goddess. But if the numismatic evidence of her reign is any indication, Selene never wavered in her faith. This little captive princess eventually became Queen of Mauretania where she explicitly adopted Isis as her goddess. Selene’s coins--the currency of her realm, all but guaranteed to be seen by Augustus himself--repeatedly would display Isis symbols. Moreover, Selene and her husband Juba II would go on to establish in Mauretania a giant temple of Isis where sacred crocodiles were kept.

As the most prominent client queen of the Augustan Age, Selene’s actions would have made her an influential religious dissident. Whether she paid a political price for this is unknown, but if Augustus ever considered returning her to the throne of Egypt, this may have tipped the scales against the idea. With apparent determination, Selene expanded the reach of Isiacism into Western Africa [5] and created a safe-haven for Isis worshippers at a time when their cult was imperiled. What’s more, Selene’s spiritual influence may have reached into Augustus’ own household.

Though Augustus’ successor, Tiberius, was also hostile toward the Isiacs to the point of crucifying some of them, the other emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty gave Isis an elevated status in the Roman world that would last for hundreds of years. Claudius, Nero, and Caligula all descended from Selene’s half sisters, the Antonias, leading one to speculate whether or not these women were receptive to Selene’s religious ideas and passed them on to their sons. Moreover, Selene’s beliefs may have influenced Augustus’ daughter, Julia, whose villa featured a painting of flamboyant priestesses of Isis wearing high headdresses and shaking rattles. One can only speculate what her father may have thought of that.

It is possible that the persecution of Isiacs only made her worshippers stronger in their faith and that the religion would have grown even without Selene’s active participation. However, the Queen of Mauretania’s unambiguous support of Isiacism must have encouraged worshippers throughout the Mediterranean and may well have protected the faith during the Augustan Age so that it could later flourish. This is especially relevant since Isis is a living faith even today and Cleopatra Selene is one of its unsung heroines.

[1] Some might argue that Augustus was not Rome’s first emperor, but given the outcome of his climb to power ended the Roman Republic, I always refer to him as such.
[2] In spite of this hostility, he appears to have allowed himself to be portrayed in reverence to Isis in carvings throughout Egypt. Historian Diana E. E. Kleiner suggests that this is because the power of Isis iconography was so influential in Egypt that it was easier for Augustus to portray himself as Cleopatra’s successor in Egypt than her conqueror. In the rest of the empire, the political situation differed, and Augustus marked the Isiacs as his enemies accordingly.
[3] One of the ironies of the Augustan Age is that while Rome’s first emperor apparently held deeply misogynistic ideas that would be used to oppress women for the next two thousand years, his wife Livia was one of the most powerful women in history.
[4] Why Agrippa needed to restore order by suppressing the Isiacs isn’t well understood. Whether Isiacs were protesting their treatment or involving themselves in intrigues against the state isn’t known, but it is significant to note that this occurred in 22 B.C. following a period of famine and food riots. Perhaps the Isiacs were agitating for charity. Or perhaps they had involved themselves in the Murena-Caepio conspiracies surrounding Augustus’ new regime. They may even have been angry or emboldened by the invasion of Egypt that year by the Kandake of Meroe.
[5] While the worship of Isis was not unknown in the amorphous area then known as “Libya,” the dominant goddess was Carthaginian Tanit. That Selene clung to Egyptian Isis even while trying to win over her new Mauretanian subjects is a testament both to her faith and her intention to re-found her mother’s dynasty.

I would like to thank Stephanie Dray for this extremely interesting post about a little known, but fascinating, figure in history. I hope everyone will look for my review of her debut novel, which should be posted tomorrow.