Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
41st out of 158 books
—
25 voters
Victoria Victorious: The Story of Queen Victoria (Queens of England #3)
by
Jean Plaidy
In this unforgettable novel of Queen Victoria, Jean Plaidy re-creates a remarkable life filled with romance, triumph, and tragedy.
At birth, Princess Victoria was fourth in line for the throne of England, the often-overlooked daughter of a prince who died shortly after her birth. She and her mother lived in genteel poverty for most of her childhood, exiled from court becaus...more
At birth, Princess Victoria was fourth in line for the throne of England, the often-overlooked daughter of a prince who died shortly after her birth. She and her mother lived in genteel poverty for most of her childhood, exiled from court becaus...more
Paperback, 564 pages
Published
May 24th 2005
by Three Rivers Press
(first published 1985)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,603)
I quite enjoyed the first part of this book, detailing Victoria's childhood and ascension to the throne. But after she married Prince Albert I found myself increasingly frustrated. The marriage of Victoria and Albert is one of history's most famous love stories, but it irked me the way Victoria (the book is written in the first person as a journal) idealized Albert, always believing him to be right and herself to be wrong. I cringed every time she called him "perfect" or "a saint." This may well...more
So far I feel like there are two different Victorias: one pre-wedding and another post-wedding. I enjoyed the pre-wedding Victoria very much, she was smart and witty. The post-wedding one is boring and almost weak, always belittling herself in favour of her husband.
Her reaction to her pregnancies make me cringe everytime! Surely she knew how pregnancies came about!
As for the book itself, I'm finding it a bit difficult and maybe even desorganized. There's little indication of the year the chapter...more
Her reaction to her pregnancies make me cringe everytime! Surely she knew how pregnancies came about!
As for the book itself, I'm finding it a bit difficult and maybe even desorganized. There's little indication of the year the chapter...more
In this unforgettable novel of Queen Victoria, Jean Plaidy re-creates a remarkable life filled with romance, triumph, and tragedy.
At birth, Princess Victoria was fourth in line for the throne of England, the often-overlooked daughter of a prince who died shortly after her birth. She and her mother lived in genteel poverty for most of her childhood, exiled from court because of her mother’s dislike of her uncles, George IV and William IV. A strong, willful child, Victoria was determined not to be...more
At birth, Princess Victoria was fourth in line for the throne of England, the often-overlooked daughter of a prince who died shortly after her birth. She and her mother lived in genteel poverty for most of her childhood, exiled from court because of her mother’s dislike of her uncles, George IV and William IV. A strong, willful child, Victoria was determined not to be...more
1 like · like · see review
view 1 comment
Victoria Victorious by Jean Plaidy is the eleventh novel in Plaidy’s Queens of England series. It’s told in Victoria’s point of view, which makes it sort of her memoir. I did enjoy this book to a point. However, I found it a bit dry in some parts. Mainly, I found the political aspect of this book to be boring.
What I really enjoyed most about the book was getting to know young Victoria as the Princess living under her mother’s rule in the Kensington Palace. Victoria was so quick witted as a chil...more
What I really enjoyed most about the book was getting to know young Victoria as the Princess living under her mother’s rule in the Kensington Palace. Victoria was so quick witted as a chil...more
After seeing the new movie Young Victoria I wanted a historical novel that would give me more information on the life of Queen Victoria. This book was a sore disappointment. It had no building story lines or climaxes. Instead it read like an expanded time line... da duh da duh da duh da duh. da duh da duh da duh da duh. Additionally instead of a novel about this great love between Albert and Victoria and how they ruled together (the current academic belief)the book focused on how Victoria ideali...more
Excellent book! I didn't know a lot about Queen Victoria so I was really looking forward to this book and I was not disappointed. The novel spans Victoria's lifetime and is written like a memoir. At times it could get a little confusing because of the sheer number of royal relatives and their side stories, but overall it was excellent. I was engaged the entire time and really felt the author did extensive research...the book felt very authentic and true to Victoria. I am amazed at all she dealt...more
I found this book surprisingly interesting and fun to read. I'd never read anything by Jean Plaidy before, but my Mum's cry of: "Jean Plaidy!!??" when the book arrived started me off on the wrong foot rather, but I was pleasantly surprised when I read it.
At first, I was slightly wary of the use of the first person, but as I read further, I thought that Plaidy had got Victoria just about spot on. I particularly liked her relations with her family, such as 'poor Bertie' and 'Uncle Pineapple'.
I di...more
At first, I was slightly wary of the use of the first person, but as I read further, I thought that Plaidy had got Victoria just about spot on. I particularly liked her relations with her family, such as 'poor Bertie' and 'Uncle Pineapple'.
I di...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Plaidy's novels are never earth-shattering for me but they are great comfort-reads. I especially like to listen to the audiobook while I take walks or drive to and from work. Like her other novels in the Queens of England series, this one is a biographical novel that follows Queen Victoria from her birth to her death. It is long and drawn-out, and it contains natural lulls much like human lives do- but I've learned that this is par for the course when it comes to Plaidy.
I really enjoyed reading...more
I really enjoyed reading...more
Oct 09, 2010
Sera
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Historical Fiction and Plaidy Fans
Recommended to Sera by:
European Royalty Book Club
Overall, a very comprehensive, informative read about Queen Victoria from her birth to her death. As usual, Plaidy provides an accurate account of the Queen and her relationships with those around her.
In my opinion, Victoria's lack of a father figure while growing up, which, in turn, leads her to seek the fulfillment of her emotional needs from the men that she meets in her life, and in particular, her husband, Albert. Albert is very different from Victoria. Although very handsome, Albert is a...more
In my opinion, Victoria's lack of a father figure while growing up, which, in turn, leads her to seek the fulfillment of her emotional needs from the men that she meets in her life, and in particular, her husband, Albert. Albert is very different from Victoria. Although very handsome, Albert is a...more
Reading a Jean Plaidy is like eating comfort food - at the end you feel satisfied, comforted, and perhaps a bit overstuffed.
I find Victoria to be an interesting character, and all I knew as I went into is was that she gave her name to a straight-laced era, ruled for a long time, was the grandmother to saints, and was a prolific letter writer.
Plaidy portrays her as needing a strong protector - a role that is fulfilled by a succession of ministers and her husband, Alfred.
She is not portrayed as...more
I find Victoria to be an interesting character, and all I knew as I went into is was that she gave her name to a straight-laced era, ruled for a long time, was the grandmother to saints, and was a prolific letter writer.
Plaidy portrays her as needing a strong protector - a role that is fulfilled by a succession of ministers and her husband, Alfred.
She is not portrayed as...more
Mar 31, 2011
Camilla
is currently reading it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
unlikely-to-finish
This book suffers from being TOO accurate, if that makes sense. Plaidy really and truly captures Victoria's voice as she tells of her life, but that doesn't mean her voice is something I want to hear. She constantly describes things as "dear" or with other such epithets. Every time she expresses herself or recalls a scene it is overflowing with emotion. Her first Prime Minister Lord Melbourne seems to CONSTANTLY have tears in his eyes because his emotions for her are SO overpowering, and she is...more
1 like · like · see review
So incredibly bad it doesn't even deserve one star.
My original review from 2007:
This book was so incredibly BAD. I almost can't put it into words. I had seen these on the shelves for years, there's one for almost every queen in English history. DON'T DO IT. What a waste of money and TIME, which there is always too little of. A complete travesty. No one reigns for 50 years of peace without having SOMETHING to do with it yet the book portrays Victoria as a simpering idiot, following the whims of...more
My original review from 2007:
This book was so incredibly BAD. I almost can't put it into words. I had seen these on the shelves for years, there's one for almost every queen in English history. DON'T DO IT. What a waste of money and TIME, which there is always too little of. A complete travesty. No one reigns for 50 years of peace without having SOMETHING to do with it yet the book portrays Victoria as a simpering idiot, following the whims of...more
Finally finished. Did not think I would make it. Other than the 'have to see what happens next' motivation for continuing there is nothing really to have kept me going.
This is the first book fact or fiction that I have read about Q.V., but she cannot have been this simple or so easily lead by the men in her life. And, the writing...every time I read 'and there were tears in his eyes' I wince. This phase has been used over and over and over when describing a particular Prime Minister, and then af...more
This is the first book fact or fiction that I have read about Q.V., but she cannot have been this simple or so easily lead by the men in her life. And, the writing...every time I read 'and there were tears in his eyes' I wince. This phase has been used over and over and over when describing a particular Prime Minister, and then af...more
Was surprised to read this in the first person. Felt as though looking through Victoria's eyes of her life as she viewed it. Although one-sided in the "her" story form, it shows a young girl coming of age and having to deal with being a woman in a MAN's world. The difficulty being a Queen and no role model to emulate this "job". Even the Queen has to deal with the independence of children and their decisions not always being what she wants. I even through a tantrum when things don't go my way!!!...more
It is very rare to find a writer who can fully engage the reader so that he/she feels that they are witness to a series of events as they are unfolding. Here Jean Plaidy tells a story of Queen Victoria's life in Victoria's own voice. Plaidy does it with such unerring skill that one can't help but wonder if Victoria herself had dictated this book to Plaidy.
Here we are given access to the full sweep of Victoria's life, from her birth in 1819 (grand-daughter to George III), her unhappy childhood w...more
Here we are given access to the full sweep of Victoria's life, from her birth in 1819 (grand-daughter to George III), her unhappy childhood w...more
As ever, Plaidy's work is extremely accurate and while I don't normally require such accuracy to enjoy historical fiction, it is what makes this novel shine.
It really explores her childhood and teen years in great detail to give you an solid understanding of who she was and why. It doesn't delve too deeply into her governing and focuses more on her relationships with the important figures in her life, from childhood to death.
Despite being written in first person from Victoria's point of view, h...more
It really explores her childhood and teen years in great detail to give you an solid understanding of who she was and why. It doesn't delve too deeply into her governing and focuses more on her relationships with the important figures in her life, from childhood to death.
Despite being written in first person from Victoria's point of view, h...more
Fantastic! Five stars for sure! I wasn't sure how I would like this book since I've never read anything by this author before and it was jut one of those random picks at the library shelf. How nice to say that I absolutely loved this book! I didn't know much about Queen Victoria and while the book does mention events of the day, it doesn't dwell too much on the historical politics. Having the focus be the family and friend relations of the story made it so enjoyable and quite interesting indeed....more
I was originally really excited to read this book. I found it while looking for more novels about Tudor England and thought that it would be good to brand out to another monarchy. I guess I was wrong to start here.
Queen Victoria's story could be a good one. She was a much beloved queen. However, Jean Plaidy's book focuses on almost none of the reasons why she was adored by her people. All I got out of this book was that she was whiny and obsessed with her dead husband, her prime ministers, and h...more
Queen Victoria's story could be a good one. She was a much beloved queen. However, Jean Plaidy's book focuses on almost none of the reasons why she was adored by her people. All I got out of this book was that she was whiny and obsessed with her dead husband, her prime ministers, and h...more
I didn't know anything about Queen Victoria other than what I saw on the show "Doctor Who" - fictional shows should never be used to learn about people! While some of the book was unrealistic (the queen used the word "awesome" to describe something - that word definitely didn't exist in the 1800's), it was a nice look into a strong woman leader. She was ruled by the men around her, but she knew how to put her foot down when it mattered. Not the first book I've read by Jean Plaidy, and probably w...more
Ok…i have to admit…i tried finishing Victoria Victorious by Jean Pliady
But I just couldn’t do it. It was soooo BORING!!! Victoria herself was just annoying, Albert was so perfect and always right and blah blah blah
in all honesty I felt like i was reading Twilight! Albert this, Albert that, oh Albert you’re sooo good, oh Albert you’re soooo handsome.
It was awful.
Happy Readings!
<3 The Book Worm
But I just couldn’t do it. It was soooo BORING!!! Victoria herself was just annoying, Albert was so perfect and always right and blah blah blah
in all honesty I felt like i was reading Twilight! Albert this, Albert that, oh Albert you’re sooo good, oh Albert you’re soooo handsome.
It was awful.
Happy Readings!
<3 The Book Worm
This is fiction based on the life of Queen Victoria, written as if she were telling the story herself. One problem is that it is hard to know what is historically accurate and what was made up by Ms. Plaidy.
The beginning is interesting. But then I got REALLY tired of the mundane day-to-day life of Queen Victoria. It is just not very intesting, so I gave up. On to better books (hopefully.)
The beginning is interesting. But then I got REALLY tired of the mundane day-to-day life of Queen Victoria. It is just not very intesting, so I gave up. On to better books (hopefully.)
I enjoyed this read. Jean Plaidy (aka Victoria Holt, aka Philippa Carr) is a very good historical novelist/biographer and it's very apparent that she conducts very thorough research. Not being a student of the era, I am only assuming that the many letters and journals written by the Queen and her contemporaries have allowed Plaidy to create a novel that truly feels like an intimate journal.
While some of the information about the life of Queen Victoria was interesting, this book seemed to drag on and on. I was lost some of the time due to the lengthy cast of characters. I would have liked there to be some mention of the passage of time in the form of dates or ages. I probably will not read another Plaidy book.
I waffled between two and three stars, but in the end I have to be honest and go with two. It's not the quality of the writing; that was fine. It was the characterization of Victoria. I found her such a dingbat and Albert such a creeper that I couldn't enjoy the story because of my desire to reach through the pages and throttle them. I had to watch The Young Victoria afterward to get the taste out of my mouth. I do love Jean Plaidy, but I guess I can't love every book she ever did.
Read this after seeing "The Young Victoria". This book started off strong, I really enjoyed the characters and historical details. But then it got very bogged down in Victoria's chatter and it was difficult to judge the passage of time. Wanted to enjoy this more than I did, but will probably read it again.
This book started off brilliantly and I was really in it. Her portrayal of the young Victoria was fantastic. I got a little bored towards the end though - I guess it is hard to write about an very sad old lady who never got over the death of her husband.
I felt that the portrayal of Queen Victoria made her seem petty and childish - which isn't exactly what I pictured. Perhaps this is how she truly was - I'll found out by reading more.
I didn't really like the writing style - a little bland.
I didn't really like the writing style - a little bland.
This is by far one the most boring books I have ever read. If it was ever possible to punch a fictional character out, I would have taken full advantage of that since Victoria drove me up a wall. I really tried to like this book, but in the end I had no love for any part of it. I'll still give this author another shot though. Better luck next time I hope.
Written as a memoir, this book gives a detailed account of Queen Victoria;s life. I had some difficulty with it, partly due to the sloppy editing, partly due to the fact that my knowledge of the Victorian Age is insufficient.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million)....more
More about Jean Plaidy...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“I really believe there are some people who hate to contemplate the happiness of others.”
—
20 people liked it
More quotes…
