burrikar13's review
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.5
I believe this book to be informative but very biased. It gives the male worldview perspective of the time and doesn't explain the women's roles at the time or why she did what she did. It never goes into the true love that Charles and Barbara shared but more about the political drama, in which Barbara was actively involved. However, Charles and the church both frowned upon her being active politically. It shamed her more than gave information on her or her children. I was reading this to study more about the family and found it to be very upsetting and that is why it took so long to read. Hopefully, one day there will be a book out there that is not biased about her and can look through many world views. Therefore, the audience itself can develop their perspective on who Barbara Villers, Countess of Castlemaine is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Death, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Infertility, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
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