A review by aradeia
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
This was my favorite book in high school, and I still love it dearly. Penman does a wonderful job bringing her characters and their world to life. The Sunne in Splendour is crazy long, but it's never a chore to read if you love the history. Perhaps my favorite part about this book is her depiction of Margaret of Anjou. Penman is a staunch Yorkist / Ricardian, but she doesn't take the easy route to demonize Queen Margaret (as far as I can remember). Instead, Margaret is just as complex as the rest of the characters, and I felt truly sorry for her when she met her political and personal end. That choice by Penman is a breath of fresh air after the simplistic and disappointing characterizations presented by Philippa Gregory in her series of novels about the time period.
Ultimately and unfortunately the book does fall a little flat. Penman takes a strongly and obviously Ricardian view about Richard's reign: no longer is he guilty of killing his nephews (we can blame Buckingham for that in this story), and his niece (his niece!) is in love with him. Even 17 year old me who was still learning the history behind the novel knew Penman's story didn't quite add up. To me, the obvious Ricardian argument detracts from an otherwise nuanced interpretation of Richard's life.
That said, I believe Penman wrote The Sunne in Splendour at a time when Richard III was still largely understood as a monstrous tyrant. Through its sympathetic characterization of him as a man, The Sunne in Splendour has played a large role in the recuperation of Richard's reputation. So in that way, The Sunne in Splendour reveals something of its own moment in time as it seeks to introduce a modern audience to a more distant past.
Ultimately and unfortunately the book does fall a little flat. Penman takes a strongly and obviously Ricardian view about Richard's reign: no longer is he guilty of killing his nephews (we can blame Buckingham for that in this story), and his niece (his niece!) is in love with him. Even 17 year old me who was still learning the history behind the novel knew Penman's story didn't quite add up. To me, the obvious Ricardian argument detracts from an otherwise nuanced interpretation of Richard's life.
That said, I believe Penman wrote The Sunne in Splendour at a time when Richard III was still largely understood as a monstrous tyrant. Through its sympathetic characterization of him as a man, The Sunne in Splendour has played a large role in the recuperation of Richard's reputation. So in that way, The Sunne in Splendour reveals something of its own moment in time as it seeks to introduce a modern audience to a more distant past.