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A review by bmyurs
The Real Queen Charlotte: Inside the Real Bridgerton Court by Catherine Curzon
informative
medium-paced
3.75
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!
The hook for this book was a comparison to the Queen Charlotte in the Bridgeton series, which of course caught my eye. I'm glad it did as I overall enjoyed this book and would give it 3.75 stars. It's perfect for someone who is interested in Charlotte as a person (and her extended family), but doesn't want to get bogged down into the political details occurring at this time, and don't want a monograph that's 700+ pages long.
Ironically, I actually read this ARC while on vacation in London, and traveled to many of the locations listed in this book (Buckingham Palace, Windsor, Kew Gardens, Westminster). It added some additional excitement to reading this book, so much that I would recommend to those who are visiting England.
Pros: This is a very approachable book for someone wanting to learn more about Queen Charlotte, British royal history, or 18th century England. Charlotte's life was long, and leads to many plot lines that are interesting, including how her children turned on her when they were grown. I especially enjoyed how Curzon focused on the changing of her relationship with her husband, which lead to many triumphs for their family, but also many heartaches as he spun into a mental health crisis.
Cons: I think the writing could have been a bit more flowing and not so choppy. It was very focused on "X happened, then Y happened, and this is how the person felt." More focus on human feelings and the connections between these events would have helped. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the subject and would look to pick up more reading by Catherine Curzon.
The hook for this book was a comparison to the Queen Charlotte in the Bridgeton series, which of course caught my eye. I'm glad it did as I overall enjoyed this book and would give it 3.75 stars. It's perfect for someone who is interested in Charlotte as a person (and her extended family), but doesn't want to get bogged down into the political details occurring at this time, and don't want a monograph that's 700+ pages long.
Ironically, I actually read this ARC while on vacation in London, and traveled to many of the locations listed in this book (Buckingham Palace, Windsor, Kew Gardens, Westminster). It added some additional excitement to reading this book, so much that I would recommend to those who are visiting England.
Pros: This is a very approachable book for someone wanting to learn more about Queen Charlotte, British royal history, or 18th century England. Charlotte's life was long, and leads to many plot lines that are interesting, including how her children turned on her when they were grown. I especially enjoyed how Curzon focused on the changing of her relationship with her husband, which lead to many triumphs for their family, but also many heartaches as he spun into a mental health crisis.
Cons: I think the writing could have been a bit more flowing and not so choppy. It was very focused on "X happened, then Y happened, and this is how the person felt." More focus on human feelings and the connections between these events would have helped. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the subject and would look to pick up more reading by Catherine Curzon.