Reviews

Queen of Silks by Vanora Bennett

rlbasley's review against another edition

3.0

While I admire the interesting historical based perspective. I can not pin down the reason I found it hard to get into and keep my attention but I felt like I had to force myself through a lot of it.

the_local_dialect's review against another edition

3.0

This book was ok. I really wanted to smack the main character, Isabel, for pretty much the entire second half of the book. Her love for "Dickon" bordered on pathetic. I suppose she was written that way on purpose, but it really undermined the whole "strong, independent, I don't-need-no-stinking-man" thing that the first half of the book spent building up. Because strong independent women always make excuses to keep sleeping with their murderous a-hole boyfriends! Right?!

Other than that it wasn't bad. Bennet should have stuck to the silk trade and kept the royals out of it.

storysgraphically's review against another edition

3.0

It's alright, but the characters were so dull I was more interested in the silk.

rhonaea's review against another edition

3.0

I’ve read so much about the Plantagenets I didn’t think I could find an original. However, step in fiction, mix a little fact and you get an imaginary character describing Edward IV’s mistress Jane Shore and the history of silk weaving/trades in 1480s London. I couldn’t quite get the love story between a Richard and Isabel. If you like Philippa Gregory’ White Queen/Red Queen you’ll enjoy this.

shivvyslibrary's review

4.0

I must admit, when I first started this book, I found it really hard to get into, but I will hold my hands and say, after a few days of a reading slump, I soon got into and I couldn't put it down! I highly enjoyed it, seeing events from the people of London during Edward IV's secondary reign up until Richard III's reign! I loved Isabel, for me, she was a very likeable character and I felt so sorry for everything that she had to go through, I am glad that she succeeded in the end (obviously with some heartbreak and suffering along the way). I liked this book and the characters so much that I was even arguing with the characters, as much as I loved Isabel and Dickon (Richard III) together, it was highly hypocritical of Dickon to punish Jane whilst he did exactly the same thing!
Highly recommend this book!

craftmomma55's review against another edition

4.0

pretty good. About a silk merchant and her relationship with Richard III (during the Wars of the Roses). Enjoyed the history; learned some things I didn't know about the times.