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athenany's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book a lot. It started off strong, then dragged a bit, but then picked up and got really exciting. Despite knowing full well how the story ended in history I found myself eagerly anticipating how the author would handle it from a literary standpoint. I really enjoy her work and will continue to seek her novels out.
novellenovels's review
emotional
informative
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
liralen's review
3.0
I still don't know what to make of historical fiction. I'm fascinated by these strange lives of queens of yore: power struggles and political marriages and, often, so little choice in what happens. I'm also typically frustrated by the emphasis on romance in historical fiction. I know virtually nothing about Anne Neville (and it seems that there is little, from a historical perspective, to know—her life was not well documented), and it's really impossible to know what either of her marriages looked like.
But that's historical fiction for you: if she's going to be in two marriages about which very little is known, and if the second marriage is to someone who grew up in her household (not uncommon, at the time)—naturally the story ought to involve her being in love with the second husband, and with him being a good man (and good leader) in contrast to the first husband's pettiness and violence. (And to have Anne remain a virgin through her first, unsatisfactory marriage... Oh, books.)
The politics, though. There's a point in Virgin Widow when Richard complains about being pressured to marry politically himself, and says that he does not like being used. Anne responds:
It's also fascinating to see how older women are portrayed in these books. It's not always consistent. There's a moment here when the young queen, Elizabeth, advises Anne to fight for her power and her (...limited...) rights—and yet whenever we see Edward's mother, one of the very few women in this book who has and uses power, she's portrayed as an awful, grasping shrew who is possibly in love with her own son. (Meanwhile, Anne's mother—who in real life got the short end of the stick, by the end—is portrayed as kind but fundamentally powerless, and someone we're supposed to root for far more than Edward's mother.)
And while we're at it: they were so young. Gad.
But that's historical fiction for you: if she's going to be in two marriages about which very little is known, and if the second marriage is to someone who grew up in her household (not uncommon, at the time)—naturally the story ought to involve her being in love with the second husband, and with him being a good man (and good leader) in contrast to the first husband's pettiness and violence. (And to have Anne remain a virgin through her first, unsatisfactory marriage... Oh, books.)
The politics, though. There's a point in Virgin Widow when Richard complains about being pressured to marry politically himself, and says that he does not like being used. Anne responds:
'Who does? It's no better for me.' Soft voiced, a hint of gentle suffering.What a bleak summary, no? It seems fitting for time and place for Richard to have thought thusly, but oh lord, I'd like to have a chat with him about how 'men have always denied you rights, so it's not a big deal that you have no rights' is not a thing.
'I disagree. It would always have been your fate to marry where the Earl decided.' (85)
It's also fascinating to see how older women are portrayed in these books. It's not always consistent. There's a moment here when the young queen, Elizabeth, advises Anne to fight for her power and her (...limited...) rights—and yet whenever we see Edward's mother, one of the very few women in this book who has and uses power, she's portrayed as an awful, grasping shrew who is possibly in love with her own son. (Meanwhile, Anne's mother—who in real life got the short end of the stick, by the end—is portrayed as kind but fundamentally powerless, and someone we're supposed to root for far more than Edward's mother.)
And while we're at it: they were so young. Gad.
antithesis90's review
3.0
I really wanted to like this book; I find Anne Neville and her story fascinating. The book is a nice enough run-through of what little we *do* know about Anne, as well as her part in the Wars of the Roses, and I enjoyed it as a novel, but I didn't walk away loving it. I also found the "closure" a bit unsettling ~ after spending many many pages learning about Anne and coming to care for her, a one sentence "she died in ...." was a bit harsh!
And, also, the title is a bit misleading ~ the book covers no time that Anne was actually Queen ....
And, also, the title is a bit misleading ~ the book covers no time that Anne was actually Queen ....
bibliobethreads's review
Excellent book! Written quite simply but I couldn't help loving the characters and really buying into the relationship between Anne and Richard. Am interested to read more on this period of history as a result.
dariananddragons's review against another edition
5.0
Read this a while ago and can't believe I forgot to add it because I'd love to read more like this.
Like others here I'd read The Kingmakers Daughter before this and that's why I was interested to read this (I think this book is older but the other is more popular because of the Starz series and everything).
This is a much more happy retelling since the other is a more gritty, realistic historical fiction and this is a romance.
Anne in the other is a lot more shy and easily persuaded. She tries to resist, but she is ultimately at the mercy of the men in her life.
This novels Anne is more of a Lizzie Bennet type of Anne. She's very spirited, a little naive and very endearing.
Some of the foreshadowing is very on the nose. Anne would think "well I'm sure this bad thing won't happen," and I would picture someone looking into a camera like on The Office...because of course that bad thing was going to happen.
I really enjoyed this Authors style, and I enjoyed reading a story where one of my favorite oft fictionalized historical figures gets to be happy for once.
Like others here I'd read The Kingmakers Daughter before this and that's why I was interested to read this (I think this book is older but the other is more popular because of the Starz series and everything).
This is a much more happy retelling since the other is a more gritty, realistic historical fiction and this is a romance.
Anne in the other is a lot more shy and easily persuaded. She tries to resist, but she is ultimately at the mercy of the men in her life.
This novels Anne is more of a Lizzie Bennet type of Anne. She's very spirited, a little naive and very endearing.
Some of the foreshadowing is very on the nose. Anne would think "well I'm sure this bad thing won't happen," and I would picture someone looking into a camera like on The Office...because of course that bad thing was going to happen.
I really enjoyed this Authors style, and I enjoyed reading a story where one of my favorite oft fictionalized historical figures gets to be happy for once.
tanyarobinson's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed The Virgin Widow, especially since I read it while traveling around in southern England. It does a good job of portraying the conflicts that were The Wars of the Roses, the struggle of Lancaster vs. York. While there was a lot of literary license taken with the historical details, nothing O'Brien wrote was inconsistent with what we know of Richard of Gloucester and Anne Neville. Altogether a fun way to learn a little history!
libertyindiarose's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
vlynnk89's review against another edition
5.0
This book looked specifically at the relationship between Anne Neville and Richard, brother of King Edward. They were betrothed to each other as children, then the betrothal was broken and Anne was forced to marry Edward the Lancastrian prince. Edward was a cruel boy with a sickening relationship with his mother. Anne is left feeling lonely and unwanted in their marriage. When Anne and Richard are finally reunited, things are not as they were when the two left each other.
O'Brien's writing is very much in tune with the characters. It is often seen that Anne, Richard, and King Edward were very authoritative at very young ages. I loved this book and can't wait to see what else O'Brien writes.
O'Brien's writing is very much in tune with the characters. It is often seen that Anne, Richard, and King Edward were very authoritative at very young ages. I loved this book and can't wait to see what else O'Brien writes.