jayfr's review against another edition
4.0
"I think it will be a marriage of inconvenience"
A quick easy read that is 90% faithful to the tv show without the Skerritt subplot.
Dialogue could have been copied from the script and whilst it wasn't groundbreaking it passed a few hours.
A quick easy read that is 90% faithful to the tv show without the Skerritt subplot.
Dialogue could have been copied from the script and whilst it wasn't groundbreaking it passed a few hours.
britlaccetti's review
1.0
This book was really terrible.
1. The characters are undeveloped and have zero depth besides "he is serious" and "he is old" and "she is stubborn" and "she is really good at fashion". I realize the author wanted Queen Victoria to come off as "an average teenager who happens to be a Queen" but she actually came off annoying, snotty, and ridiculous.
2. The book is basically a made up romance by Goodwin, and not even a good one. The relationship between Lord M and Victoria drag on through the entire book and leave the reader wondering what the actual plot is supposed to be.
3. Alfred comes out of no where and BAM they hate each other and BAM JUST KIDDING. No development, no flame. Nothing besides a tragically boring story.
4. I fell asleep multiple times while reading this.
5. The point-of-view changes so much without any warning that you often have to go back and see what just happened to the other character.
1. The characters are undeveloped and have zero depth besides "he is serious" and "he is old" and "she is stubborn" and "she is really good at fashion". I realize the author wanted Queen Victoria to come off as "an average teenager who happens to be a Queen" but she actually came off annoying, snotty, and ridiculous.
2. The book is basically a made up romance by Goodwin, and not even a good one. The relationship between Lord M and Victoria drag on through the entire book and leave the reader wondering what the actual plot is supposed to be.
3. Alfred comes out of no where and BAM they hate each other and BAM JUST KIDDING. No development, no flame. Nothing besides a tragically boring story.
4. I fell asleep multiple times while reading this.
5. The point-of-view changes so much without any warning that you often have to go back and see what just happened to the other character.
ac11's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I watched the PBS series when it came out and only just read the book. The book was well written and felt like it was the script for the tv show. Normally I would be thrilled that the show and book were so similar, but I expected to have more detail while reading the book... instead it seemed like it was a “scene for scene” read. I think if I had read the book before watching the show I would feel differently, but as it was, I was just expecting more.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
VICTORIA
Written by Daisy Goodwin
2016; St. Martin's Press (404 Pages)
Genre: fiction, historical, biographical, royalty
RATING: 3 STARS
In 1836, Victoria turns eighteen and becomes the Queen of Great Britain. In Daisy Goodwin's novel we see the young princess become a Queen and try to rule a country. As a woman becomes a ruler we see how the players around her scramble and manipulate to be her right hand "man" or her puppet master. I have always found Queen Victoria fascinating so I was looking forward to this book, but unfortunately I found it slow and I started to lose interest quickly. As I was supposed to read this book for review and a group read I forced myself to finish it. At the time Goodwin was writing this novel she was also at the same time writing the screenplay for the miniseries. I have not heard good things about the show so I am going to skip it for now. I am still interested in Victoria and am looking forward to reading other books on her.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
My Novelesque Life
Written by Daisy Goodwin
2016; St. Martin's Press (404 Pages)
Genre: fiction, historical, biographical, royalty
RATING: 3 STARS
In 1836, Victoria turns eighteen and becomes the Queen of Great Britain. In Daisy Goodwin's novel we see the young princess become a Queen and try to rule a country. As a woman becomes a ruler we see how the players around her scramble and manipulate to be her right hand "man" or her puppet master. I have always found Queen Victoria fascinating so I was looking forward to this book, but unfortunately I found it slow and I started to lose interest quickly. As I was supposed to read this book for review and a group read I forced myself to finish it. At the time Goodwin was writing this novel she was also at the same time writing the screenplay for the miniseries. I have not heard good things about the show so I am going to skip it for now. I am still interested in Victoria and am looking forward to reading other books on her.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
My Novelesque Life
laurenjpegler's review against another edition
5.0
Realistically, this should be given four-point-five stars. But, man, I really love this show/novel, and the characterisation of some of my favourite people push it up to five.
Essentially, this is a novelisation of the first four episodes of ITV's Victoria. It follows Victoria's ascension to the throne, her coping with becoming the Queen at eighteen, her relationship with numerous people (specifically her mother and Lord Melbourne), and the challenge that comes with finding a husband.
As I already mentioned, the characterisation in this is brilliant. Daisy Goodwin does such a good job at bringing Victoria, Albert and Lord Melbourne to life. As I have watched the show a few times, I could easily imagine everything that was happening in this novel. For example, I pictured Jenna Coleman, Rufus Sewell and Tom Hughes as the three main characters (who, by the way, play them brilliantly). Victoria is the star of the show. She's passionate, fickle, inexperienced, and everything else you'd imagine an eighteen year old to be. Despite this, you cannot help but love her. Goodwin tries to paint Victoria as someone universal - someone everyone can like.
I love the in-depth plot. Realistically, Goodwin could have condensed the whole show (eight episodes) into this, but instead she focused solely on the first four episodes. I think she did this to bring to life Victoria's ascension to the throne. She was an eighteen year old girl, who couldn't rely on her mother and who instead looked torwards an older man, struggling to deal with the pressure of being a Queen. This drawn out narrative helped to capture the kind of hectic life she may have lived, which, in turn, created sympathy from me. It made me love her. If Goodwin skipped over these bits, I might not have liked Victoria as much.
The one disappointing thing that comes with this is the lack of Prince Albert (my personal favourite). Out of 460 pages, he is roughly in one hundred of them. To me, that is not enough. The show does a fantastic job at capturing their relationship - the passion they have for each other, and the struggle Albert has having to answer to his wife. This was lacking from the narrative, and I really wish Goodwin would carry on writing these. Honestly, I would have read (and loved) this if it was 900 pages. I couldn't get enough. Just needed more Albert.
Would definitely recommend!
Essentially, this is a novelisation of the first four episodes of ITV's Victoria. It follows Victoria's ascension to the throne, her coping with becoming the Queen at eighteen, her relationship with numerous people (specifically her mother and Lord Melbourne), and the challenge that comes with finding a husband.
As I already mentioned, the characterisation in this is brilliant. Daisy Goodwin does such a good job at bringing Victoria, Albert and Lord Melbourne to life. As I have watched the show a few times, I could easily imagine everything that was happening in this novel. For example, I pictured Jenna Coleman, Rufus Sewell and Tom Hughes as the three main characters (who, by the way, play them brilliantly). Victoria is the star of the show. She's passionate, fickle, inexperienced, and everything else you'd imagine an eighteen year old to be. Despite this, you cannot help but love her. Goodwin tries to paint Victoria as someone universal - someone everyone can like.
I love the in-depth plot. Realistically, Goodwin could have condensed the whole show (eight episodes) into this, but instead she focused solely on the first four episodes. I think she did this to bring to life Victoria's ascension to the throne. She was an eighteen year old girl, who couldn't rely on her mother and who instead looked torwards an older man, struggling to deal with the pressure of being a Queen. This drawn out narrative helped to capture the kind of hectic life she may have lived, which, in turn, created sympathy from me. It made me love her. If Goodwin skipped over these bits, I might not have liked Victoria as much.
The one disappointing thing that comes with this is the lack of Prince Albert (my personal favourite). Out of 460 pages, he is roughly in one hundred of them. To me, that is not enough. The show does a fantastic job at capturing their relationship - the passion they have for each other, and the struggle Albert has having to answer to his wife. This was lacking from the narrative, and I really wish Goodwin would carry on writing these. Honestly, I would have read (and loved) this if it was 900 pages. I couldn't get enough. Just needed more Albert.
Would definitely recommend!
ailurophile_bibliophile89's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
I was not as impressed with it as I had hoped to be, but it was still well-written and interesting to listen to. My only issue is that Victoria was portrayed more naively than I've always considered her to be - my opinion of her is that yes, she was young and untried, but she had a strength and a conviction in her that gave her courage to do what she thought right. Goodwin portrays her as more of a young teenager with a childish temper. As a result, the Hastings Affair and the crisis with the women in the bedchamber seemed more like a little girl stamping her foot and less like a young woman sticking to her beliefs.
In any case, I was disappointed with Victoria's portrayal and Lord Melbourne's as well. The writing was fairly decent - indeed, it was good enough for me to keep listening to, but I think this is more fiction than history.
But, as well with all historical fiction novels, the authors are allowed to make liberties with people, events, and settings.
I was not as impressed with it as I had hoped to be, but it was still well-written and interesting to listen to. My only issue is that Victoria was portrayed more naively than I've always considered her to be - my opinion of her is that yes, she was young and untried, but she had a strength and a conviction in her that gave her courage to do what she thought right. Goodwin portrays her as more of a young teenager with a childish temper. As a result, the Hastings Affair and the crisis with the women in the bedchamber seemed more like a little girl stamping her foot and less like a young woman sticking to her beliefs.
In any case, I was disappointed with Victoria's portrayal and Lord Melbourne's as well. The writing was fairly decent - indeed, it was good enough for me to keep listening to, but I think this is more fiction than history.
But, as well with all historical fiction novels, the authors are allowed to make liberties with people, events, and settings.
victoriaalexandra_'s review against another edition
5.0
Pleasantly surprised! This is not a genre I normally navigate towards. But I was instantly hooked & loved the ending. I’m always sad to finish a good book lol.
becca99's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0