The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Anne of York

This is the story of the wife of Richard III of England. Although he is often cast as a villain in history, in this book he is more tragic, misguided, but well intentioned than anything else. Anne and Richard fell in love as children, and due to a series of strange circumstances, are able to marry. However, when Richard unexpectedly comes into power, the happy life the couple built for themselves is thrown into disarray and they find that positions of power are perhaps not all they are cracked up to be. Quote: "My thoughts were all for Richard and soem time later I was to hear the truth of all this from his lips. Then I learned how near he had come to failure; and had thigns gone against him at this time our lives might have turned otu to be entirely different." This is a pretty good historical novel - even though the princes in the tower are only vaguely referenced toward the end of the work, enough evidence is presented throughout the narrative that the reader is presented with a large number of people who could be responsible for the deaths of the heirs to the English throne. Richard III is the last monarch from the house of York, and the events before and after his death lead to the famous Tudors coming into power, and many were working for this possibility. Overall I found it to be very balanced - Richard is neither a monster, nor a saint, just a basically decent guy who is altered by power.

This eighth book in the "Queens of England" series by the author, a master storyteller also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt, focuses on the life of Lady Anne of York, daughter of the Earl of Warwick, who went on to become Queen of England as the wife of King Richard III. Her story, told in a first person narrative, is an absorbing work of historical fiction. The War of Roses has ended and the great Earl of Warwick, the richest and most powerful lord in England, is known as the kingmaker for having ensured that the former Duke of York be crowned King Edward IV, after having deposed mad King Henry VI of the house of Lancaster. The Earl of Warwick's family, the Nevilles, are in positions of power. Then, the King marries Elizabeth Woodville, and it is the Woodvilles that are on the ascent and the Nevilles in decline. The Earl of Warwick, who had thought himself to be the power behind the throne, suddenly finds that he has supported a King who has every intention of being his own man. This is a notion that is anathema to Warwick, and he uses his two daughters, Isabel and Anne, as pawns in a dangerous game of political intrigue. After her father's death in battle during a political falling out with King Edward IV, Anne goes on to marry the love of her life, the King's younger brother, Richard. Through her eyes the reader sees all the political intrigues of the day and the rise and fall of various personages, as the political winds shift. Despite all of the turbulence around her, Anne and Richard live many happy years in Northern England, far from the Court of King Edward IV. When the King dies, her world radically changes. Richard, who was chosen to be Lord Protector of the Realm by his brother, chooses, instead, to declare his nephew, Edward V, illegitimate, and himself the King. What happens to his nephew, Edward V, as well as Edward's younger brother, remains a mystery to this day. Through Anne's eyes, we see her view her changing world with dismay and trepidation, as her husband changes into someone she barely recognizes, and she is thrust into a role for which she had no desire, that of Queen of England. This is a wonderfully told work of historical fiction by a superlative storyteller. The reader need not have read the prior volumes in the series before reading this one. Each book in the series stands on its own. The entire series, however, is a must read for all those who enjoy well written, historical fiction.

I have to admit up front that I'm a devoted Jean Plaidy fan and I'm thrilled to see her books being reprinted. Having discovered her in the past fifteen years or so, I've had to "treasure hunt" out of print copies in various corners of the earth (not a bad thing!) Her books are the consummate combination of style meets subject. I've learned so much about the Tudor queens, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, the two Marys. Pick up any and all of her books, they don't need to be read in order but if you do you will have educated yourself about a huge piece of British history, a subject that is endlessly fascinating thanks to Jean Plaidy's talent.

I probably shouldn't write this review as I'm somewhat biased being (a) Jean Plaidy's #1 fan, and (b) fascinated by the Richard III history/myth. Was he as black as history (or more specifically, Thomas Moore and Shakespeare) make out? Etc. etc. But I didn't realise that the life of Anne Neville was so interesting as well. Shades of the Boleyn family. However, never being one to allow my personal biase to get in the way, I have to say I loved this book. And, I suspect, I'll love it the next time I pick it up and read it again. It has everything: it has Jean Plaidy's wonderfully easy writing style, historical and political intrigue, and it's all put together using a wealth of hard-slog research. Overall, a great read, and one I'd enthusiastically recommend.

This eighth book in the "Queens of England" series by the author, a master storyteller also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt, focuses on the life of Lady Anne of York, daughter of the Earl of Warwick, who went on to become Queen of England as the wife of King Richard III. Her story, told in a first person narrative, is an absorbing work of historical fiction. The War of Roses has ended and the great Earl of Warwick, the richest and most powerful lord in England, is known as the kingmaker for having ensured that the former Duke of York be crowned King Edward IV, after having deposed mad King Henry VI of the house of Lancaster. The Earl of Warwick's family, the Nevilles, are in positions of power. Then, the King marries Elizabeth Woodville, and it is the Woodvilles that are on the ascent and the Nevilles in decline. The Earl of Warwick, who had thought himself to be the power behind the throne, suddenly finds that he has supported a King who has every intention of being his own man. This is a notion that is anathema to Warwick, and he uses his two daughters, Isabel and Anne, as pawns in a dangerous game of political intrigue.After her father's death in battle during a political falling out with King Edward IV, Anne goes on to marry the love of her life, the King's younger brother, Richard. Through her eyes the reader sees all the political intrigues of the day and the rise and fall of various personages, as the political winds shift. Despite all of the turbulence around her, Anne and Richard live many happy years in Northern England, far from the Court of King Edward IV.When the King dies, her world radically changes. Richard, who was chosen to be Lord Protector of the Realm by his brother, chooses, instead, to declare his nephew, Edward V, illegitimate, and himself the King. What happens to his nephew, Edward V, as well as Edward's younger brother, remains a mystery to this day. Through Anne's eyes, we see her view her changing world with dismay and trepidation, as her husband changes into someone she barely recognizes, and she is thrust into a role for which she had no desire, that of Queen of England. This is a wonderfully told work of historical fiction by a superlative storyteller. The reader need not have read the prior volumes in the series before reading this one. Each book in the series stands on its own. The entire series, however, is a must read for all those who enjoy well written, historical fiction.