The King's Daughter

Dec 09, 2008

Barb rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction-medieval, richard-3rd-princes, read-in-2008, hf-1154-1485-plantangenet

"And you, my cold arse of a lord, should try to find a heart,"
I hissed under my breath stabbing my needle through the silk.

The Plantagenets and Tudors made fascinating history and reading this fictionalization of Elizabeth of York's life made me want to learn more about Perkin Warbeck the so-called Pretender. The author's note which is nearly ten pages long was intriguing and I was happy that Sandra Worth included a family tree for reference.

I...more

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May 14, 2011

Rebecca Huston rated it

Shelves: 16th-century, 15th-century, england, historical-fiction, royals, tudors, wall-banger

A very flat HF that features Elizabeth of York, queen of Henry VII, and having her cast as Heroine as Martyr, being so good and giving that she sweats sugar when it gets warm, along with plenty of theories about the survival of one of the Princes in the Tower. Feh. I honestly don't think that I could stomach another Worth novel...

For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_The_...

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Dec 27, 2008

MAP rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, tudors

Perhaps I've been spoiled by the last book I just read, The Sunne in Splendour, but I found this exploration of Elizabeth of York's life lacking.

The writing was clunky and awkward. Mostly modern language had strange, Shakespearean sentences sporadically sprinkled about for seemingly no reason. Though well researched, the insertion of history into Elizabeth's story usually consisted of the action grinding to a halt while Elizabeth (the book is written in 1st person) gives the reader...morePerhaps I've been spoiled by the last book I just read, The Sunne in Splendour, but I found this exploration of Elizabeth of York's life lacking.

The writing was clunky and awkward. Mostly modern language had strange, Shakespearean sentences sporadically sprinkled about for seemingly no reason. Though well researched, the insertion of history into Elizabeth's story usually consisted of the action grinding to a halt while Elizabeth (the book is written in 1st person) gives the reader the who's who of the War of the Roses. She also uses the same stylistic tools over and over again; Henry must have stormed out of Elizabeth's room with a quip about her father 6 times, and if I was told, rather than shown, one more time about how much Elizabeth hated confrontation I was going to scream. Also, the Perkin Warbeck thing dragged on for EVER AND EVER. I'm sure it did so in real life, but she was not able to keep the tension and fear up for the reader.

Most people enjoy writing and reading historical fiction for the "what ifs?" and so I won't say anything about the less likely spins she has on various mysteries. However, I read historical fiction for the "whys?" I enjoy delving into possible motivations we can only indirectly infer from a person's actions. Ms. Worth does not really attempt to do this at all. Because of this, all of her characters are either GOOD or BAD.

GOOD: Richard, Anne, Edward IV, Elizabeth, De Puebla, Arthur
BAD: Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort, Bishop Morton, Harry (future Henry VIII)

Now I'm not claiming that these people on the "bad" list were actually wonderful, saintly people, but everyone has their reasons, even if they're terrible greedy ones, and it's often the reasons that makes a person interesting. Without an exploration of this, many of her characters became two-dimensional cards.

The only remotely ambiguous character is Henry VII himself, but only to the slightest degree, and there are still many questions about the man left unanswered. Like: if he truly didn't give two shakes about Elizabeth, then why was he seemingly faithful to her, or at least very very quiet about his affairs? This was not the behavior of most kings.

I would say the most disappointing characterization was the future Henry VIII, because it was such a cheap shot, and to make Arthur good and perfect and sensitive and Harry a sociopath was too cliche and shallow to be taken seriously.

This was not a downright TERRIBLE book, mostly because she never goes out to left field in terms of the research and history, but there are many many better books out there exploring this time period and these characters. (I would also like to point out that on Goodreads, 2 stars equals "It was ok" which is exactly how I feel about this book.)(less)

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Jan 12, 2009

Misfit rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction, wall-banger

The King's Daughter recounts the life of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, sister to Edward V and wife to Henry VII and mother to Henry VIII. This is all pretty much well known history and enough reviewers and the product page recap the main story line I don't want to rehash it again. Worth's version of Elizabeth's life, told in the first person POV, just ended up for this reader to be a sodding, boring mess - I ended up skimming through the last 200 pages.

The goodies were r...moreThe King's Daughter recounts the life of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, sister to Edward V and wife to Henry VII and mother to Henry VIII. This is all pretty much well known history and enough reviewers and the product page recap the main story line I don't want to rehash it again. Worth's version of Elizabeth's life, told in the first person POV, just ended up for this reader to be a sodding, boring mess - I ended up skimming through the last 200 pages.

The goodies were really really good and the baddies were really really bad. Elizabeth herself was so pure and perfect I was waiting for her to cut her finger so I could see if she would bleed sugar, while her mother Elizabeth Woodville was practicing witchcraft when she wasn't busy running into sanctuary. Her son Arthur is pure as the driven snow, while young Harry (the future Henry VIII) is a borderline child sociopath. As for Henry's mother Margaret Beaufort - well the only person I can think of to portray her in the movie is Cruella de Vil. Honestly, Henry VII is the only character who got a fair shake in this one.

As for historical accuracy and the author's research from her notes, I am not a historian so I'm not one to judge. However, the bit about proving to Henry VII that she was a virgin has no historical basis that I've heard of, nor does the author mention in her notes where she picked up that bit of supposition from. Worse yet, is the unrequited love (and never-ending even after death) Elizabeth holds for her uncle Richard.

To top it all off, way too much melodrama and "woe" is me from both Elizabeth's (mother and daughter) and over the top prose. Here we have Elizabeth's reaction after Ann (that would be Queen Ann Richard's wife) as she tells niece Elizabeth her uncle will need her,

"I felt as if a shutter had been thrown open, pouring in brilliant light. The sleepless nights, the pounding of my heart each time King Richard drew near; my shyness in his presence...."

Elizabeth's mother giving her advice on keeping her husband in line,

"You'd know what to do -- you'd get into bed and lick that king of yours until he stops listening to his mother and turns to you". Eeeewwww.

Get the point? It is unfortunate, as so little is really known about Elizabeth of York's life and a well written fleshed out novel on her is sorely lacking - however, this is not it. While its certainly not the worst historical ever written, IMO it's far from the best as well. If you're dead set on reading this, get it from the library first and then buy it if you love it. (less)

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Jan 03, 2009

Carey rated it

Elizabeth of York was the eldest daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, his reviled queen. Her unhappy relationship with her own mother was only relieved by a brief happy period as lady in waiting to Queen Anne, Richard III's wife. Richard was dazzling to Elizabeth, a kind and good man whom she grew to love.

When Richard was killed in battle by the man who would become Henry VII, Elizabeth's heart was broken. She was forced to marry Henry because she embodied the end of ...more

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Dec 09, 2008

Michele rated it

Shelves: 2008, fiction, historical-fiction, richard-iii, yorkist, woodville

This is a historical fiction novel about Elizabeth of York, daughter of England's King Edward IV, wife of King Henry VII, and mother of King Henry VIII. Told in first person narrative, the story follows Elizabeth from her childhood to her death at the age of 37.

It is important to understand that author Sandra Worth was taking a chance here: many of the characters that appear in The King's Daughter (Elizabeth Woodville, Richard III, Henry VII, et al) have sharply divided both historia...moreThis is a historical fiction novel about Elizabeth of York, daughter of England's King Edward IV, wife of King Henry VII, and mother of King Henry VIII. Told in first person narrative, the story follows Elizabeth from her childhood to her death at the age of 37.

It is important to understand that author Sandra Worth was taking a chance here: many of the characters that appear in The King's Daughter (Elizabeth Woodville, Richard III, Henry VII, et al) have sharply divided both historians and historical fiction readers for years and as the old saying goes, you simply cannot please everyone all of the time.

Being relatively open-minded when it comes to any of these historical figures often frees me to read many books that might offend others, although I freely admit to being particular downright picky about historical fiction in general. Writers such as Sharon Kay Penman, Dorothy Dunnett and, more recently, Michelle Moran have set the bar, as it were, quite high. As a result, I am more critical than perhaps I ought to be when picking up a historical novel.

Perhaps The King's Daughter and I started off on the wrong foot. The word "woe!" is uttered four times within the first six pages. Melodramatic, thought I.

I also took exception to the good versus evil characterizations in the novel. Elizabeth Woodville, the mother of Elizabeth of York, is not just portrayed as ambitious, she is downright evil. Every nasty historical rumor ever uttered about this controversial woman was played out in this novel. She is a practicing witch, a hateful mother who engages in out-and-out physical cat fights with her daughter, a scheming harridan who would pimp out her virgin daughter to obtain throne of England. While there is enough historical evidence to conclude that Woodville was ambitious to a fault, the heaps of evil attributed to her in The King's Daughter ends up detracting from Worth's argument: that it was her ambition that significantly contributed to the ultimate demise of the Yorkists.

Richard III and Queen Anne, on the other hand, are presented as veritable saints. Not simply good people with only honorable intentions, but with a domesticity that could have been much more convincing were it not so drenched in saccharine. The perfect King, so in love with his perfect Queen, living in a fairy tale that the evil Lancastrians want to destroy. Again, a sound premise that was taken to a theatrical extreme.

It must be said that Worth did not scrimp on the research for this novel. While there is no absolute evidence for many of the conclusions she reaches in the novel, this is quite within the historical fiction author's purveyance. The conclusions may have been more convincing, in my opinion, with more subtlety. It is indeed possible that Elizabeth harbored a love for her uncle and wished to marry him, but passages such as "We were never alone again after Anne's death, but our hearts were one each time our eyes met" were ever-so-slightly over the top.

I felt the novel greatly improved as the chapters went by. Once Richard kicked the bucket and Woodville headed off to the nunnery, things became far less melodramatic. Worth's characterization of Henry VII was temperate and because of this, quite believable. In fact, the novel improved so much that I even found flashes of absolute brilliance, such as the references to Machiavelli during Henry's reign. (Loved that!)

The basics of this novel are present: good research and plausible conclusions. I can't help but think that if Worth had just scaled it back a bit on the characterizations, this would have a very good piece of historical fiction instead of a fairy tale-esque melodrama.

Whether or not you seek out a copy of The King's Daughter is going to depend entirely on your taste in historical fiction. If you've come to expect the quality of Penman, you might feel this one misses the mark, at least for the first half of the novel. But if you're more flexible with your historical fiction and can overlook the initial histrionics, you'll likely enjoy this read.

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Oct 06, 2011

Kathy Spada rated it

Sandra Worth, an expert on the War of the Roses and the 15th century weaves a historical yarn about the life of Elizabeth of York, mother of the future Henry VIII. Forced to marry Henry VII after he slays her Uncle, King Richard III at Bosworth Field, Worth brings to life the memorable traits in Elizabeth. She is the "Good Queen" and is kind and merciful and must sacrifice her own personal happiness for the sake of the throne. She is beautiful and beloved by the people. The Lancasters ...moreSandra Worth, an expert on the War of the Roses and the 15th century weaves a historical yarn about the life of Elizabeth of York, mother of the future Henry VIII. Forced to marry Henry VII after he slays her Uncle, King Richard III at Bosworth Field, Worth brings to life the memorable traits in Elizabeth. She is the "Good Queen" and is kind and merciful and must sacrifice her own personal happiness for the sake of the throne. She is beautiful and beloved by the people. The Lancasters and the Yorks finally come together...however uneasy.
Unfortunately Henry VII is an avaricious and suspicious king who beheads a rival family member in an instant, locks Elizabeth's relatives in the Tower and has a brooding and suspicious nature. The subplot, the "Pretender" Elizabeth's escaped brother and real heir to the throne is intriguing. Henry's mother, the scheming Margaret Beauford spies and snoops on Elizabeth and is a constant shadow. Elizabeth is always being watched yet she is also invisible with few choices, a pawn to the supremacy of the throne.
Worth captures the spirit of Elizabeth and how she endures years of executions, treachery,seclusion and deaths of loved ones. The portrayal of a young Henry VIII already displaying a propensity and attraction to violence and torture is well done. Her golden boy Arthur, expected to ascend the throne dies suddenly leaving second born Henry to ultimately wear the crown.
Worth knows volumes about Richard III the Yorks and the Lancasters, and I'm anxious to read her Rose of York books. Her writing is well researched and she captures the essence of the complex times of "The Cousin's Wars".
The only issue I might have is that some characters were often drawn out in extreme black/white, good/bad manner. It felt a bit stereotypical at times and it slightly felt unnatural, but I did enjoy the flow of the dialogue and descriptions. It makes me want to read more on the subject and research some of these very interesting historical characters.
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Jun 18, 2011

Elisa rated it

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, historical-figures

This is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, wife of Henry VII, and mother of Henry VIII. Her dad dies, her brother becomes King Edward V; because he’s just a kid, their uncle Richard becomes regent. At some point, someone suggests to young Elizabeth that she’s in love with Richard, and from then on, she idolizes him in a creepy, incestuous way. Soon after Edward IV dies, Richard takes Edward V and his younger brother (also named Richard) to the Tower “for their protection....more

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Jan 08, 2010

Angela Simmons rated it

Elizabeth of York is brought to life in Sandra Worth’s novel THE KING’S DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN.

Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV, lived the life of a true princess of England. A beloved princess to her father, she finds that upon his death she is to be used as a political pawn by her ruthless mother. After her father’s death the world she was accustomed to no longer exists. Fleeing into the safety of the sanctuary with her mother and siblings after he...moreElizabeth of York is brought to life in Sandra Worth’s novel THE KING’S DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN.

Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV, lived the life of a true princess of England. A beloved princess to her father, she finds that upon his death she is to be used as a political pawn by her ruthless mother. After her father’s death the world she was accustomed to no longer exists. Fleeing into the safety of the sanctuary with her mother and siblings after her fathers brother Richard claims the crown as his own. To soon are they forced to hand over the true heirs of the throne. King Richard soon comes to reveal the secret plans he made to save the lives of his young nephews. Welcoming Elizabeth to back to court, she soon finds that she is falling deeply in love with her uncle the King. With King Richard’s wife, Queen Anne dying, Elizabeth with the aid of the Queen is pushed upon the King. Although a happy ending was not theirs to have. Rumors soon start circulating about Richard poising his wife to wed his niece, forcing Richard to deny them. Soon he must defend his kingdom against Henry Tudor. Struck by grief he rides into battle only to be slaughtered. Elizabeth has lost it all her father, and now the man she loves, she now knows that is her responsibility to protect those she loves. Marrying the new King Henry Tudor she has ended the bloody wars know as The War of the Roses. Although the new Queen now finds that she has no power with the King. She is more like a captive than a queen, constantly guarded by the King’s mother and spied on by the King’s spies. Unable to help those she loves, and holding little sway over the King’s decision Elizabeth focuses on raising her son Arthur to be a goodly and just king. Little by little Elizabeth finds that she has come to care for Henry. Soon their world is threatened by the uprising a man who claims to be one of the princes in the tower. Could this be Elizabeth’s brother coming to claim the crown that is rightfully his? Henry is quick to dispel any claims that this pretender may hold and executes all those associated with the previous Kings. Elizabeth will never know if he was indeed her brother. Upon her death Elizabeth is finally reunited with the King she loves Richard.

A once forgotten queen takes center stage in this gripping historical novel. Methodically researched and extremely well written, THE KING’S DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN will pull on your heart-strings. Sandra Worth has a magical way of combing fiction and history so the reader is drawn into the heart of the book. Rich in detail, nothing has been overlooked in this breathtaking novel of love and loss. In THE KINGS DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN Sandra Worth has included all the trappings and intrigues associated with court. On occasion you will read a book in which the story and characters have been so well defined that it will linger in your memory for all time, THE KING’S DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN is indeed that book.

I do have to say that this has to be one of my favorite books that I have read for a long time. I enjoyed they way that Sandra Worth has humanized King Richard III instead of choosing to make him out as the villain. She has also shed a new light on the only woman to have been daughter, mother, wife, and niece to the Kings of England. I would highly recommend this book to those who like both history and a love story.

Thanks to the author, Sandra Worth, I received this free copy of The King's Daughter, A Novel of the First Tudor Queen.
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Dec 28, 2009

Steven Peterson rated it

Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, experienced the charm of life in a royal household early. When Edward IV was forced to flee when she was still young, she came to understand how fragile tranquility could be. Upon Edward's successful return to the throne, once more she took her position as a princess of the realm. Important dynamics in her life featured the role of her mother, stern, grasping, and ambitious. She used her position to advance her family's inter...moreElizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, experienced the charm of life in a royal household early. When Edward IV was forced to flee when she was still young, she came to understand how fragile tranquility could be. Upon Edward's successful return to the throne, once more she took her position as a princess of the realm. Important dynamics in her life featured the role of her mother, stern, grasping, and ambitious. She used her position to advance her family's interests, wealth, and power--and, in the process, triggered enmity among many.

Edward's early death led to a period of intrigue; his son was to become king, but Edward's brother, Richard, was crowned instead and ruled briefly as Richard III. Elizabeth Woodville took part in considerable scheming at the time. This is also a story within a story, as young Elizabeth ends up at Richard's court and comes to be a friend of the Queen, Anne (of the Neville family). As her health began to deteriorate, she tried to orchestrate young Elizabeth following her as Queen to Richard. No time! Henry Tudor arrived in England, fully intending to overthrow Richard III and assume a role as king. By the time of the battle at Bosworth, where Richard perished, young Elizabeth had fallen in love with him.

Afterward, a political marriage was arranged--Elizabeth (of the Plantagenet’s and York) to Henry Tudor, now styled Henry VII (a Tudor). The hope was to link feuding families and create conditions for a calmer, less turbulent England. Elizabeth and Henry did not love one another; they did develop a rapprochement over time. She submerged herself as Queen to maintain pacific relations in the realm. Thus, she is sometimes styled "Elizabeth the Invisible," because she avoided situations that could create problems. She was also called "Elizabeth the Good" be the people, for her generosity and care for them.

The book describes the hard times, the multitudinous deaths as Henry tries to quell any opponents who might threaten his rule. The book discusses the wicked fights between Elizabeth Woodville and Henry's mother, Margaret Beaufort. The tale ends naturally, with Elizabeth's death at an early age.

This book is rendered in the first person, with Elizabeth the character through whose eyes we see. As always, the disadvantage here is that she experiences many important events at a distance. This allows us to better see how such events (death, defeat, etc.) affect her, but sometimes this works against a fuller knowledge of those incidents. The book is well written. The characters seem to take on a life through Elizabeth's eyes. Some characters are especially striking--the juxtaposition of her sons Arthur and Henry (later Henry VIII) is one nice example. Sometimes, characters seem to be one dimensional--awfully good or awfully bad. Seen through her eyes, that may make sense, but often times matters are more nuanced than that among humans. At any rate, I found this a good read and enjoyed this volume quite a bit.
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Sep 18, 2011

Elizabeth_woodville rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction-elizabeth-woodv

Elizabeth_woodville Well, Well, this Book was verrrrrry wierd! I mean seriously guys? What type of girl would fall in love with her freakin' uncle??? And why Does she think that 11-year old Henry VIII is a cruel kid??? Ok So you have to split the characters into 2 sides!

Goody-goody-2-shoes: Richard III, Edward IV, Elizabeth of York, Prince Arthur of Wales, anne Neville and kinda Henry VII

Baddy-Baddy-high-heels: elizabeth Woodville <3, Margaret Beaufort, Henry Duke of Y...more

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Jan 21, 2009

Beverly rated it

I must say I love the Tudor Period. This book held my interest and I was able to learn more abour Henry VIII's parents. Elizabeth of York was called Elizabeth the Good by her subjects. She was a little too sweet for me. She fell in love with a squire, but her ambitious mother put the kabosh on that. She also fell in love with Richard III, which is a surprise because he is written in history to be a bad guy.
Richard III takes over as king after his brother and Elizabeth's father is kill...more

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Sep 03, 2011

Estefânia Botelho rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: livros-2011, livros-lidos-meus, os-meus-livros, romance-histórico

Antes de mais devo agradecer à Editora Planeta por me ter oferecido este livro! Muito obrigada!
Optei por ler este livro no início das minhas férias porque, como ia passar uns dias a Londres, lembrei-me de ler um livro com acção nessa cidade ou que tivesse relação com a história de Inglaterra. Uma vez que os senhores da Editora Planeta foram impecáveis comigo ao estabelecerem a parceria aqui com o blogue não hesitei e escolhi este livro!
Este livro retrata a vida de Isabel de York, filha...moreAntes de mais devo agradecer à Editora Planeta por me ter oferecido este livro! Muito obrigada!
Optei por ler este livro no início das minhas férias porque, como ia passar uns dias a Londres, lembrei-me de ler um livro com acção nessa cidade ou que tivesse relação com a história de Inglaterra. Uma vez que os senhores da Editora Planeta foram impecáveis comigo ao estabelecerem a parceria aqui com o blogue não hesitei e escolhi este livro!
Este livro retrata a vida de Isabel de York, filha de Eduardo IV de Inglaterra, sobrinha de Ricardo III e esposa de Henrique VII.
A época dos Tudor sempre me despertou a curiosidade e muitos já foram os livros publicados sobre o tema. Assim como séries televisivas, etc.
Contudo,a época anterior aos Tudor é pouco ou nada divulgada cá em Portugal (pelo menos que eu tenha conhecimento!)e , por isso, foi óptima esta leitura que serviu sobretudo para conhecer melhor os acontecimentos anteriores a Henrique VIII cuja vida é muito conhecida um pouco por todo o mundo.
É Isabel que nos conta a história, o que confere um tom mais intimista à narração. Isabel, inicialmente, é uma criança que não compreende o desenrolar dos acontecimentos que a rodeiam mas sente curiosidade pelos mesmos. A mãe de Isabel é o oposto do pai: enquanto a mãe é intriguista, interesseira, vingativa, o pai, pelo contrário, é bondoso, cordial, determinado, meigo... Mas serão estas características apropriadas a um rei?
Envolta numa teia de intrigas, própria da vida na corte, Isabel vê-se privada dos que mais ama, é obrigada a casar com um homem que não ama e tem uma vida trágica e triste.
Todas as descrições do livro são bastante realistas, sobretudo as que se relacionam com as virtudes e defeitos humanos e, com isto, ficamos a conhecer os antepassados de Henrique VIII o que poderá justificar (ou não) as suas condutas que muito bem conhecemos...
Apesar de interessante, a partir de um determinado momento, a narrativa começa a ser muito repetitiva o que faz com que a leitura se torne mais difícil.
Em suma,
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Jul 27, 2010

Marcie Turner rated it

I really enjoyed this book. I wanted to neglect everything just so I could read it. This is a wonderful story of Elizabeth of York. Sandra Worth uses very accurate details on the woman who put duty and love for her country above her own personal desires. Elizabeth is gentle, kind and generous. She lives a lonely existence surrounded by an overbearing mother-in-law and people hired by her husband, King Henry VII, to spy on her. King Henry executes practically everyone in her family because ...more

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Nov 29, 2008

Monie rated it

In The King’s Daughter Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV, tells her own story about growing up to become the First Tudor Queen.

She leads a pampered life until the king dies and the battle over who is the rightful heir to the throne begins. Once Richard of Gloucester is proclaimed the true successor, Elizabeth is taken from her seclusion in the sanctuary and brought to court as a lady in waiting for Richard’s wife, Queen Anne. But just when everything seems perfect Queen...more

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Sep 12, 2010

Angie rated it

I am not sure whether to give this 3 or 4 stars, in a perfect world 3.5 stars...

Initially I found this book hard to read. I didn't like how she used nick names for the characters so early on in the book. But as I read further I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. She put a lot of information i was familiar with in a new light.

This is my first book to read that was totally about Elizabeth. She was portrayed here as a very selfless individual who gave up her happiness for...more

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Nov 26, 2008

Cheryl rated it

Seventeen year old Elizabeth of York loved and adored her father. She and him were very close. So she had no reason to doubt that her father's predecessor would be a just and trust worthy man, especially when that man is her uncle. Richard of Gloucester has barely become the new ruler of England and already hings are going very badly for Elizabeth and her family.

First Elizabeth learns that her father was a bigamist; which you can imagine made Elizabeth very irate as she thought her...more

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Sep 28, 2011

Elaine rated it

A moving and thorough portrait of "Elizabeth the Good", the furst Tudor Queen. I was engrossed in this from the outset, as it's a fascinating and bewildering period in history. I don't think there were any new revelations re the Princes in the Tower, etc, but it was nonetheless interesting to read another account of it-and one which strives to (rightly?), to pour scorn on the accusations of Richard's guilt and participation in thhis. But it is in the main a wonderful examination of the...more

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May 15, 2010

Kelley rated it

After reading the Sunne in Splendour, this was a nice review of much of the latter part of Richard III's life, told from the viewpoint of Elizabeth of York. The story was then extended to cover the reign of Henry VII and the start of the Tudor dynasty. I liked Worth's simple and easy style, which simplified the often complex and convulted history of this time (it's hard enough keeping track of all of the Henrys, Edwards, Thomas', etc., much less the lesser-known but still important lords). It wa...more

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Apr 26, 2009

Deanna rated it

I first started reading this book with the intention to read a few pages to see if I wanted this to be the next book for reading. Before I knew it, I was on page 75. The story pulled me right in. It was hard for me to lay down the book for sleep as I wanted to know more.

The King's Daughter is told from the perspective of King Edward IV's daughter - Elizabeth. She starts her narration from her tender age of 5 and moves forward. There is a handy Family chart placed in the front ...moreI first started reading this book with the intention to read a few pages to see if I wanted this to be the next book for reading. Before I knew it, I was on page 75. The story pulled me right in. It was hard for me to lay down the book for sleep as I wanted to know more.

The King's Daughter is told from the perspective of King Edward IV's daughter - Elizabeth. She starts her narration from her tender age of 5 and moves forward. There is a handy Family chart placed in the front of the book. I must say, thank God for the chart as all the players involved becomes complex...I lost track a couple if times in regards to who is who. My goodness, the King/Queen business of the late 1400s and onward is a tricky business of trying to stay one step ahead of those who wish to overthrow and behead. So not the life for me.

As the story progress, I became completely drawn in to where I could not put the book down at all. Why was I so drawn in?
Elizabeth tugged on my emotions. She was a girl/woman who accepted her lot/fate in life-she accepted her duty as a royal even though it did not bring her personal happiness. Elizabeth endeared herself to me for her undying love for her Father and for her deep feelings that she must conduct herself with dignity and choose her words wisely. She was fully aware that she was in a position that could greatly impact those around her...the lives of those she loves. There were many times that I wish she was more forthright. However, I fear if she was forthright it would have been the doom for her. I wonder, if she stood up to her Mother, would things have been different? I felt great sorrow for Elizabeth as she did not feel she could make no other choices than she did. Even when the outcomes were not to her liking, Elizabeth continued to make her choices based on what she thought would do the most good for the crown, for the people, for her family...

I find myself fascinated by the Royals during this 1400-1600 time period. I find myself in awe of their power..in awe and revolted. I find myself feeling sorrow for those women who could do much good but are powerless. They seem to have constraints put upon them that if they were to do other than expected - their lives would be put in the mercy of those in power. The Kings I found to be interesting but the one that interested me the most was King Richard III. I truly would like to know more of him as this book put him in a good light rather than the dark light he has been portrayed.

To read my full review:
http://ibeeeg.blogspot.com/2009/04/kings...
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Dec 28, 2010

Beth rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction

The story of the Tudor dynasty has always been interesting to me, but while the subject matter was intriguing, I felt that this novel was somewhat lacking. It could have been so much longer that it was. Many events were skimmmed over in a few paragraphs, and much was told instead of shown. This increases as the story progresses into Elizabeth's later years. A year or two passes in a chapter, and while that is alright sometimes, it happened so much in this novel that I felt like I was simply read...more

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Nov 16, 2009

Lydia Presley rated it

Shelves: fiction, historic-fiction

Fascinating look at Elizabeth the Good's life - wife to Henry VII. The first portion of the book was fairly difficult to read. The author chose to write the book in first person format and as a result, the story is told through the eyes of a child making it somewhat corny, in my opinion.

The latter half of the book is heartbreaking. What must it have been like, to live such a life, always fearing for your sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, and your parents. Never knowing wh...more

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Apr 15, 2009

Laura Willson rated it

I am a huge fan of Sandra Worth and have to say that she was handicapped in this novel by having to write about a sad life. Those of us who like to read stories about girls in big dresses usually want sweet romances and happy endings. As the author plays true to the facts where they are known, that's hard to deliver when Henry Tudor is married to your heroine. How do you make lemonade about a guy who is a monstrous creep? I did enjoy her earlier novels more, but welcomed, as always the magic loo...more

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May 17, 2010

Adrienne Miller rated it

From this book, it seemed that women of nobility or royalty in Europe during the 15th century could approach life and the arranged marriages to ensure power in one of 2 ways:
1) Become a bitter, vengeful woman, always scheming to get more power, more wealth, even killing the innocent when necessary to preserve your status
or
2) Try to accept your lot in life, focus on the positive, and try to find ways to better the world while in your position.

Whichever one that was ...more

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Dec 09, 2011

Ne rated it

· review of another edition

A história de Isabel, filha mais velha de Eduardo IV, já me tinha sido apresentada, ou pelo menos iniciada, em A Rainha Branca. Este facto tornou-se tanto positivo como negativo.
Positivo no sentido em que o conhecimento e ligação com os cenários e personagens não foram tão estranhos e sim "velhos conhecidos". Negativo pois muitos pontos diferem, consoante o gosto ou pesquisa das escritoras, e como li primeiro o livro de Gregory o seu ponto de vista, ou a sua versão, predominou. De...moreA história de Isabel, filha mais velha de Eduardo IV, já me tinha sido apresentada, ou pelo menos iniciada, em A Rainha Branca. Este facto tornou-se tanto positivo como negativo.
Positivo no sentido em que o conhecimento e ligação com os cenários e personagens não foram tão estranhos e sim "velhos conhecidos". Negativo pois muitos pontos diferem, consoante o gosto ou pesquisa das escritoras, e como li primeiro o livro de Gregory o seu ponto de vista, ou a sua versão, predominou. De qualquer forma, esta "estranhesa" não se entranhou e foi sim desvanecendo-se já que apenas conhecia a infância e adolescência de Isabel. Como ainda estou a meio do A Rainha Vermelha e ainda não avancei na história para conhecer mais da influência e dos pensamentos de Margarida Beauford, esta foi-me apresentada mais intimamente pois esta personagem controla bem os passos da protagonista.
Ao contrário de Margarida, Bel (ou Isabel, mulher de Eduardo IV, mãe de Isabel) foi descrita de forma bastante dispar e surpreendente. Aqui ela é vista como bruxa e uma mulher gananciosa e egoísta, sem um pingo de romance ou amor pelo marido e até pela filha. Confesso que esta parte me incomodou um pouco, visto que a lembrava dos livros de Philippa Gregory como uma mulher com uma forte ligação com a natureza e a magia.
Em relação à escrita de Sandra Worth... para ser sincero acho que podia ser melhor. Achei que a história se desenrolou de uma forma muito cronológica, ou seja, a autora parece preocupar-se mais em dizer os anos e as estações do ano do que em relatar com mais pormenor e envolvimento as cenas. Exemplo (não é uma citação): "1479 passou e nasceu o segundo filho" ou "era Outubro e estava triste, rezei e olhei para as fogueiras". Ou seja, não há grande profundidade ou descrição dos acontecimentos e sim um relato quase por pontos.
De qualquer forma, tem algo de fluido e algumas cenas são melhores e compensam. A relação de Isabel com o seu filho Artur está bastante bem caracterizada, tal como a ligação da rainha tanto com as irmãs como com os pedintes e peticionários.
Penso que o saldo é positivo e satisfatório. O melhor será lê-lo antes de experimentarem obras como as da Philippa Gregory ou da Isabel Stilwell, já para não falar das de Barbara Kyle.(less)

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Apr 30, 2011

Rachel rated it

I am curious as to Henry The Eighth's mother and this book filled me in ... but left me wanting for more details. (Well, not very much is known about Elizabeth of York, period.) The writing style is rather choppy and uneven throughout the entire book, and Elizabeth comes cross as a placid observer of her life than as an active participant in it. I won't give up on Worth's books but she doesn't write as compelling as Phillipa Gregory does. (I am not convinced that Gregory has all of her facts rig...more

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Jun 09, 2011

Kelsey rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction

Elizabeth of York is the daughter of Edward IV, niece of Richard III, sister to Richard V and wife to Henry VII. With a tree of kings in her family you would think that Elizabeth would have been a strong, confident woman. Not so. Elizabeth was a very meek, subservient woman, which frustrated me at times. She deferred to all the men in her life to make her choices and lets her husband’s overbearing mother rule the roost. As you can tell from this passage on page 174:

“Mother, don’t you...more

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Aug 11, 2009

Christia rated it

I love books about the War of the Roses and Richard III, and the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower is one of my favorite historical mysteries, so of course I wanted to read this fictional account of the life of Elizabeth of York, Richard III's niece and sister to the little princes. I was a little disappointed at first because the author very clearly identified from the very beginning the characters she believed to be the villians (i.e. Elizabeth's mother, Elizabeth Woodville) and thos...moreI love books about the War of the Roses and Richard III, and the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower is one of my favorite historical mysteries, so of course I wanted to read this fictional account of the life of Elizabeth of York, Richard III's niece and sister to the little princes. I was a little disappointed at first because the author very clearly identified from the very beginning the characters she believed to be the villians (i.e. Elizabeth's mother, Elizabeth Woodville) and those she believed to be the "good guys" without giving the reader the opportunity to draw their own conclusions. With that being said, I think the fictional life of Elizabeth as portrayed by Worth could have easily described her real life.

I've always wondered how Elizabeth could stand being forced to marry Henry Tudor (King Henry VII, her father King Edward's arch enemy and the man responsible for the death of her much maligned, supposedly beloved uncle Richard III) in an effort to resolve the conflict, and the explanation that Worth presents (Elizabeth seeing it as the duty she was born to fulfill) is a realistic one. I think most women of that time understood the role of marriage to be political and like Elizabeth, resigned themselves to that fate.

It was also interesting to read a possible account of the perspective of the mother of Henry VIII and to wonder what might have been had Henry's older brother Arthur survived to ascend the throne as everyone assumed he would.

Elizabeth's life was no doubt a very difficult one and this particular account, although fictional, was believable enough to be just heartbreaking at times. Forget the Tudors series - this story has everything you need for a great drama - meddling, overbearing mothers in law (Henry Tudor's mother Margaret Beaufort, who did whatever was necessary to put her son on the throne) forbidden love, political intrigue, murder, and missing children.

All in all, a convincing, entertaining read. (The author's notes are well worth reading too.)(less)

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Jan 24, 2011

Kim rated it

Shelves: war-of-the-roses, tudor-era-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Perhaps an important thing to remember about this book is that it is very much a companion/sequel to the author's Rose of York series, which covers the life of Richard III from his early childhood to his death at the Battle of Bosworth. Hence why the early years of Elizabeth's life in this book seem to go by in a flash in this book. Most of the events have already been covered in previous books.

There is a palpable sense of frustration present throughout the book, stemming from the fa...morePerhaps an important thing to remember about this book is that it is very much a companion/sequel to the author's Rose of York series, which covers the life of Richard III from his early childhood to his death at the Battle of Bosworth. Hence why the early years of Elizabeth's life in this book seem to go by in a flash in this book. Most of the events have already been covered in previous books.

There is a palpable sense of frustration present throughout the book, stemming from the fact that, for most of her life, Elizabeth of York was very much a pawn/prisoner of one person or another. Once she married Henry Tudor, Elizabeth was forced to endure the near-constant presence of Margaret Beaufort, who in some books has been coined as "the mother-in-law from hell." That term was deftly portrayed in Margaret's character throughout the book, and one can't help but feel sorry for Elizabeth at having to deal with the woman.

Worth's portrayal of all the characters was a little two-dimensional, making nearly all of them either incredibly good or incredibly bad. Henry Tudor was one of the few characters who escaped that cookie-cutter fate, making him one of the more compelling, if chilling, characters throughout the story.

One of the more interesting comparisons that Worth makes later in the book is when Elizabeth begins to see similarities between young Harry and her uncle, the Duke of Clarence. Though given what we know of the people surrounding Harry throughout his childhood, the way she portrayed Harry was rather disturbing, giving the reader a sense of just what the infamous Henry VIII came from.

I did think that making Arthur the sum of all of Elizabeth's joy was a bit of a cop-out on Worth's part. Just about any person reading the book will know that Arthur's fate was to die soon after his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and knowing that Elizabeth herself died about a year later after trying to have another child kind of seems cliche. And describing Arthur as being a Plantagenet rather than a Tudor is hardly a completely comforting thought. The Tudors were hardly saints, but then neither were the Plantagenets. The War of the Roses covered nearly the entirety of the family's time on the throne, whether they were Lancastrians or Yorkists.

Overall, a very interesting story about a woman of whom little is known because she was so thoroughly overshadowed by the people around her (her husband, her mother-in-law, her brothers, etc.). However, I would recommend reading the Rose of York series first to get an idea of where these characters are coming from.(less)

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Jan 20, 2011

Meghan rated it

Shelves: historical-fiction

An interesting look at the life of Elizabeth of York, who was the daughter of a king (hence the title), the sister of a king (her brothers were the princes in the tower), the neice of a king and finally the reluctant wife of King Henry VII and mother to King Henry VIII. Very little is actually known about her life so this is heavy on the fiction and light on the historical, but a very entertaining what if. Also, I found out she shares by birthday - which is always fun to know.

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