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A review by wildwolverine
Victoria Victorious: The Story of Queen Victoria by Jean Plaidy
3.0
One of the greatest queens in western history... or one of the greatest consorts? Jean Plaidy tackles the monumental Queen Victoria in this book whom I firmly believe is only as popular as she is because she happened to rule over the Industrial Revolution. While Plaidy covers a complex figure, readers get more of a sense that Victoria's true power was squashed by a larger than life prince consort.
Victoria comes to the throne as an eighteen year old, young, full of life and ready to live it. She is easily led by attractive and witty people; although, her strength is that she stays loyal to them no matter what. This is never more apparent than when she marries her cousin Albert. Throughout their marriage, Albert patronizes Victoria. Every now and then, she questions his behavior, only to reprimand herself for what she perceives as her unjustness towards him. The truth, as presented in this novel, is that he treated her like a child, easily preferred their eldest daughter to everyone else, and physically and emotionally abused their eldest son. Deep down, Victoria knows this is all wrong, but she can't bring herself to correct her husband.
It's truly sad to see a powerful woman who stared death in the face an unprecedented seven times, saw uncountable sadness, expanded the British empire through her children and grandchildren, and was kind to servants often be put in her place by the men she allows to rule her. You get a sense that she truly could have been awesome, if she had a little more confidence in her own rule.
That said, Victoria is still a compelling character, though I was begging for it to end at the 400 page mark because her ceaseless adulation of Albert was boring me into an early grave.
Victoria comes to the throne as an eighteen year old, young, full of life and ready to live it. She is easily led by attractive and witty people; although, her strength is that she stays loyal to them no matter what. This is never more apparent than when she marries her cousin Albert. Throughout their marriage, Albert patronizes Victoria. Every now and then, she questions his behavior, only to reprimand herself for what she perceives as her unjustness towards him. The truth, as presented in this novel, is that he treated her like a child, easily preferred their eldest daughter to everyone else, and physically and emotionally abused their eldest son. Deep down, Victoria knows this is all wrong, but she can't bring herself to correct her husband.
It's truly sad to see a powerful woman who stared death in the face an unprecedented seven times, saw uncountable sadness, expanded the British empire through her children and grandchildren, and was kind to servants often be put in her place by the men she allows to rule her. You get a sense that she truly could have been awesome, if she had a little more confidence in her own rule.
That said, Victoria is still a compelling character, though I was begging for it to end at the 400 page mark because her ceaseless adulation of Albert was boring me into an early grave.