Holly's Book Corner

The Red Queen

By Philippa Gregory

 

 

 Pages - 387

Publication Date - 2010

Publishers - Simon & Schuster UK ltd

ISBN -  978-1-84737-457-8

 

 

 

 Summary (via Goodreads)

The second book in Philippa's stunning new trilogy, The Cousins War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series - The White Queen - but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses.

The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England.

Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth's daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.

 

Review - Guest post by The YA Nightstand

The Red Queen is my least favourite of these books. In truth I've only read the first three but I found this one a lot harder to get through. That's not to say it was bad, it wasn't. I have a little bit of a love hate relationship with this instalment of The Cousins War series. I love the way in which Philippa writes and that doesn’t change with this book, it’s enchanting, endearing and down right epic. However, no matter how great a story or how great the author you can’t overlook a character like Margaret Beaufort, the stubborn mare!

She really did tell you little Henry was going to be King.
She told you over and over and over again!!

Margaret Beaufort is the most insufferable women I've ever read about and I’ve read a lot of books! Okay, I will admit that she has plenty of reasons to be the way she is and hating her is really hard knowing what she went through in her first marriage at the age of 12. Also her love of God and Saintly Knees are rather amusing at times.

Without this one woman's determination the Tudor line would most likely never have made it onto the throne. She’s a spiteful woman but her need to see her one and only son as King of England was a testament to her character. We never really find out exactly what lengths she went to, I for one think it was her who got rid of the princes, but then again, that's just me. There really isn't much more to say about this character, she had a one-track mind and she did whatever if took to get what she wanted. Or I guess more importantly, what she thought she deserved and this book shows how she did that. What her part in getting the Tudors in succession for the throne really was.

Look at her on those Saintly knees... AGAIN 

Overall this is another great book from Philippa and I can’t fault the writing or the plot. In all honesty I can’t even fault her for Margaret because she wrote the character the way she saw her. She wrote her the way she believed she was. It may not have been my favourite out of the series so far but it was certainly worth the read.

Well technically I think it's her first language...

Can I just say that I think this woman is a prime example of why you shouldn't live vicariously through your kids? It doesn't end well and you tend to loose your sanity!