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The Kingmaker's Daughter
(The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #4)
by
Spies, poison, and curses surround her...
Is there anyone she can trust?
The Kingmaker's Daughter is the gripping story of the daughters of the man known as the "Kingmaker," Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in fifteenth-century England. Without a son and heir, he uses his daughters, Anne and Isabel as pawns in his political games, and they grow ...more
Is there anyone she can trust?
The Kingmaker's Daughter is the gripping story of the daughters of the man known as the "Kingmaker," Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in fifteenth-century England. Without a son and heir, he uses his daughters, Anne and Isabel as pawns in his political games, and they grow ...more
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Hardcover, 417 pages
Published
August 14th 2012
by Touchstone
(first published 2012)
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Catherine Ciaravino
They actually did have one child IRL, a son, who died young.
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Start your review of The Kingmaker's Daughter (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #4; Cousins War #4)

The series is very good... keeps your attention and tells the story from different perspectives. Not one of my favorite ones from Ms. Gregory, but still a good one. I felt like some of this was a littel repetitive and lacked the keen eye for re-telling something from a previous book in the series with a different perception point. However, she has an extremely strong talent for writing historical fiction and creating the necessary suspense to keep the reader closely interested. This one focuses
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This was one of the best portrayals of Anne Neville that I have read. Little more than a pawn in her father's schemes, she could do nothing but follow his orders until the day that Richard rescued her. I really enjoyed the portrayal of Richard who becomes Richard III. He proclaims his innocence in the disappearance of the two princes in the Tower and even seems to grasp just how much people will despise him and blame him for the disappearance. Gregory has done it again and brought Anne to life i
...more

This would have been four stars, except that whenever I read about the War of the Roses I get really mad and spend a lot of time hollering about how if these people had just stopped marrying their cousins and named some boy Horace or Malcolm or Glen instead of Edward and Richard and George and Henry, they all would have been better off.
I AM JUST SAYING, OKAY.
I AM JUST SAYING, OKAY.

First let me say I am a huge PG fan. I have read all of her historical fiction novels and loved every one of them. I was very excited about the idea of reading about the life of Anne Neville (wife of Richard III). For some reason this book did not seem as compelling to me as her other novels. The first half of the book seemed to drag and the narrative was a little too repetitive. The book picked up for the second half. Unfortunately, the historical record on Anne's life is so vague and much of t ...more

The Kingmaker's Daughter (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #4), Philippa Gregory
The Kingmaker's Daughter is a 2012 historical novel by Philippa Gregory. Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick—called "The Kingmaker"—puts young Edward IV on the throne of England. But before Neville can arrange for one of his daughters to marry the new king, Edward marries Elizabeth Woodville in secret. As Neville begins losing his control of Edward, he plots to secure his daughters' futures. Anne, his younger daug ...more
The Kingmaker's Daughter is a 2012 historical novel by Philippa Gregory. Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick—called "The Kingmaker"—puts young Edward IV on the throne of England. But before Neville can arrange for one of his daughters to marry the new king, Edward marries Elizabeth Woodville in secret. As Neville begins losing his control of Edward, he plots to secure his daughters' futures. Anne, his younger daug ...more

Confession – I’m an English history freak with a long-time special interest in 15th Century England & Richard III, & that’s why I read this – and why I sometimes read historical novels though I know they’re going to be bad! I have some issues with factual content related to this book, but I realize it’s a novel - & I will attempt to review it with that in mind. But for those of you who might be tempted to think the content of this book is at all factual, it isn’t. I’m not going to point out all
...more

Where I got the book: purchased through Waterstones. UK edition, signed.
Despite my eternal resolutions not to read any more of this Cousins' War series I couldn't resist getting a signed copy at the Historical Novel Society conference, so here I am reviewing yet another of these books and noting pretty much exactly the same things that annoy me with all the others.
This one covers the story of Anne Neville, wife of Richard of Gloucester aka Richard III. Her father is the political mover and shake ...more
Despite my eternal resolutions not to read any more of this Cousins' War series I couldn't resist getting a signed copy at the Historical Novel Society conference, so here I am reviewing yet another of these books and noting pretty much exactly the same things that annoy me with all the others.
This one covers the story of Anne Neville, wife of Richard of Gloucester aka Richard III. Her father is the political mover and shake ...more

4.5 Stars!!!
I have given Philippa Gregory a rough time. I believed her writing was sometimes broad and dumbed down. I didn't put much faith in the historical accuracy of her work, believing she was more fiction than history.
Well, not with this story!! I didn't realize until I did my own investigation that a tremendous amount of research went into this series. I can't even imagine how much research time it would take to write this series, when the history is complicated and voluminous, and the ...more
I have given Philippa Gregory a rough time. I believed her writing was sometimes broad and dumbed down. I didn't put much faith in the historical accuracy of her work, believing she was more fiction than history.
Well, not with this story!! I didn't realize until I did my own investigation that a tremendous amount of research went into this series. I can't even imagine how much research time it would take to write this series, when the history is complicated and voluminous, and the ...more

You need a giant Prozac before you read this thing.
Gah! This book manages to be both boring as hell and depressing as hell at the same time.

I know, I know... the author is just reporting the facts, not trying to glamorize it.
And yet.. very little is written or known about the heroine and narrator, Anne Neville, so the author could have theoretically made her a little less horrible and boring. She could have been less of a spoiled little asshole who was jealous of every other female and obsesse ...more
Gah! This book manages to be both boring as hell and depressing as hell at the same time.

I know, I know... the author is just reporting the facts, not trying to glamorize it.
And yet.. very little is written or known about the heroine and narrator, Anne Neville, so the author could have theoretically made her a little less horrible and boring. She could have been less of a spoiled little asshole who was jealous of every other female and obsesse ...more

Although readers whom strive for historical accuracy have been quite let down by PG; I tried to go into this novel with a clean slate. Meaning that I already knew “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” would include a certain level of fluff (at least PG finally admits to this in her “Author’s Note”); so I decided to just try to enjoy the novel for what it is: entertainment.
Admittedly, expecting little did help my enjoyment intensity with “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” but I did still experience some issues. Alt ...more
Admittedly, expecting little did help my enjoyment intensity with “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” but I did still experience some issues. Alt ...more

There is something about Philippa Gregory's writing that is enthralling. This story was told from Anne Neville's point of view and I found it fascinating, especially since the last book I'd read by this author was The Lady of the Rivers. I love it when a series takes on different perspectives so you get a more well-rounded view of all sides.
I felt sorry for the Neville girls. How awful to be used for gain and raised to marry and solely to increase one's wealth. I think the author did a great job ...more
I felt sorry for the Neville girls. How awful to be used for gain and raised to marry and solely to increase one's wealth. I think the author did a great job ...more

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found in intriguing. Gregory provides some very interesting perspectives, as she has in her other books in The Cousins' War series. A story of love, hate, war, betrayal , jealousy , political machinations and not a little witchcraft
She tells the story through the eyes of Anne Neville, the younger daughter of Warwick the kingmaker, Richard Neville. From when Anne was nine until her death at 28. Having read The White Queen (The Cousins' War) it takes some adjustm ...more
She tells the story through the eyes of Anne Neville, the younger daughter of Warwick the kingmaker, Richard Neville. From when Anne was nine until her death at 28. Having read The White Queen (The Cousins' War) it takes some adjustm ...more

Anne was not one of my favourite characters from this series however I did enjoy reading from her point of view.
I was a little disappointed that the princes in the tower was skipped over. I was hoping for her view on that a bit more, instead of the " ow well that happened" that I got. I did get a lot when they were in the tower and safe but then her view kind of switched off when it happened and I'm not sure why.
I do feel for her as a character. She had a string of bad luck in her life. I like ...more
I was a little disappointed that the princes in the tower was skipped over. I was hoping for her view on that a bit more, instead of the " ow well that happened" that I got. I did get a lot when they were in the tower and safe but then her view kind of switched off when it happened and I'm not sure why.
I do feel for her as a character. She had a string of bad luck in her life. I like ...more


Rating: 5.0/5.0
Whenever I feel I am about to fall into a reading slump I grab a Phillipa Gregory book, and she comes to my rescue! I have all her books from this series and other series and standalones too. I treasure these books and love them a lot.
This book is a continuation of the Cousins wars or the wars of the roses as they have called it later. Same familiar characters but a deeper approach in diving into some of the characters. This is the story of the second daughter "Anne Neville" of th ...more

The Kingmaker's Daughter is probably my favorite of the Cousin's War series to date. It is written from the perspective of Anne Neville and gives yet another interesting point of view from this volatile period of history. One of the things I enjoy so much about Philippa Gregory's novels is that she somehow manages to turn what could have been tedious political maneuvering into exciting intrigue that keeps me riveted from the first moment. I am not a historian so I have no idea how historically a
...more

I think Philippa Gregory has gotten too popular; I think she has a contract that demands too many books in too little time and she is just churning at this point. This book, not unlike the others in the Cousin's War series, feels more like a skimming over the surface of history with the occasional dip into an emotion or two than a full-bodied fiction. She uses the modern trend of first person present tense to avoid any necessity of her main character's reflection or having to write with any sens
...more

After the last PG debacle The Lady of the Rivers, I didn't think I'd pick up another PG book, but the library had it, so I gave it a go. Also for review purposes, I have liked PG's prior novels, but I've always taken them with a grain of salt, due to her historical inaccuracies. PG loves to rewrite history and give her books new spins (which sadly she boasts as facts.) This one, like the others in this series are about witchcraft. The Rivers ladies cook up spells, blow wind and snowstorms, curse
...more

3.25 stars I found much of the second half of the book to be cumbersome and contrived, as if the author herself was forcing herself through the motions.
A brilliant family with money and power...and yet the greed for more power inevitably took them down. Bitterness and blood feuds? Look no further than the cousins war, where nothing ends well.
I did enjoy the introduction of characters like Margaret of Anjou and Margaret Beaufort.
A brilliant family with money and power...and yet the greed for more power inevitably took them down. Bitterness and blood feuds? Look no further than the cousins war, where nothing ends well.
I did enjoy the introduction of characters like Margaret of Anjou and Margaret Beaufort.

Really enjoyed reading philippa gregory books,this book was an enjoyable read.it starts with two sisters who are the daughters of earl of Warwick who helped Edward on to the throne,the sisters were In line to the throne till Edward married Elizabeth who everyone thinks shes a witch.and controls Edward the girls father soon becomes the enemy and he will do anything to try and get his daughters to marry to be on the throne.this is Anne and Isabel side of the story there marriages and trying to sur
...more

I've always had a fondness for Anne Neville in British history. Her story is tragic in many ways and the tragedy continues to trump even her triumphs. I liked the beginning of this but truly detest the end. I also wish Isabel had a few pov chapters.
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Sep 25, 2019
Sotiris Karaiskos
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
A book that at first I could not understand the reason for its existence as its protagonist beyond being king Richard's wife did not seem to play such an important role. Of course, I understand that through the pages of the book there is the point of view of some of the other protagonists of the War of the Roses and so the story is completed but nothing more. In fact, however, this limited involvement in developments is perhaps the most important reason for the existence of this book. You see, w
...more

Review:
I enjoyed this book as I usually enjoy Philippa Gregory’s books. It took me a little while to remember the previous books in the Cousins series and work out who all the characters were because everything was coming from such a different viewpoint but once I did it was really interesting to see the other side of the story.
It also doesn’t help that so many Kings and Queens have the same names and I am not very good and keeping track of what period of history I am reading.
I found myself bein ...more
I enjoyed this book as I usually enjoy Philippa Gregory’s books. It took me a little while to remember the previous books in the Cousins series and work out who all the characters were because everything was coming from such a different viewpoint but once I did it was really interesting to see the other side of the story.
It also doesn’t help that so many Kings and Queens have the same names and I am not very good and keeping track of what period of history I am reading.
I found myself bein ...more

4 stars - It was great. I loved it.
Finally, this series is back on track! The last two were disappointing in comparison, but I enjoyed this one just as much as The White Queen.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: He died with them to make me queen, and I had to learn alone later what a hollow crown it is.
First Sentence: My Lady Mother goes first, a great heiress in her own right, and the wife of the greatest subject in the kingdom.
...more
Finally, this series is back on track! The last two were disappointing in comparison, but I enjoyed this one just as much as The White Queen.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: He died with them to make me queen, and I had to learn alone later what a hollow crown it is.
First Sentence: My Lady Mother goes first, a great heiress in her own right, and the wife of the greatest subject in the kingdom.
...more

Not as strong as previous novels in this series, but I still found it to be an enjoyable one, centering around one of the women who as far as I have seen (Anne Neville) is often ignored in favor of other historical figures that are more popular for histfic (such as Elizabeth I) All I can say is I'm glad I'm not a woman who lived in this time period, where women were little more than broodmares and politics, not love, was the driving force behind marriage. 3.5/5 stars.
...more

Philippa Gregory is back to her old stomping ground historical fictional and prooves again why she is one of the finest in filling in the blanks of popular history. The Kingmaker's daughter details the life of Anne Neville from a little girl living with her sister Isabel and daughter to the man known as the Kingmaker The Earl Of Warwick to her death as the Queen at the age of 28. In that time Anne would be married twice, suffer the loss of her father, her sister and her only son while having an
...more

This is only the 2nd novel I've read by this author. Not a fan of her writing style. I only read this as I was intrigued to read a book about the War of Roses told from the point of view of Richard III's wife.
...more

The UK edition of Philippa Gregory’s latest release has the tagline, The girl who would be queen. Not The girl whose father would that she were queen. Gregory veers away from the traditional depiction of Anne Neville as meek and mild, a pawn in the political games of her father, Warwick the Kingmaker. Anne begins her narration as a naive eight-year-old growing up in the shadow of her beautiful older sister Isabel. But like most medieval noble daughters, who were often married in their early teen
...more

Anne Neville was raised to be a queen. But she will be so much more than that. She will be a pawn in the War of the Roses, the protegee of a hard-nosed former queen, the enemy of another queen, an orphaned pauper, a heartbroken mother and a jealous wife. When she finally reaches her father’s ambition and becomes Queen of England, she will find that triumph does not preclude sorrow, fear and heartbreak.
Anne’s story takes place in parallel to an earlier Gregory Novel, The White Queen. The heroine ...more
Anne’s story takes place in parallel to an earlier Gregory Novel, The White Queen. The heroine ...more

I can't tell you how much I love reading Philippa Gregory's books. In fact, she's getting very close to dethroning Anne Rice as my favourite author of all time. Wow.
The Kingmaker's Daughter is the story of Anne Neville, daughter of the Earl of Warwick (named the Kingmaker) who successfully survived a forced marriage and subsequent widowhood, then navigated the deadly politics of the time; which included changing allegiances and the execution of her father.
Anne Neville became Queen of England in ...more
The Kingmaker's Daughter is the story of Anne Neville, daughter of the Earl of Warwick (named the Kingmaker) who successfully survived a forced marriage and subsequent widowhood, then navigated the deadly politics of the time; which included changing allegiances and the execution of her father.
Anne Neville became Queen of England in ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Madison Mega-Mara...: #33 The Kingmaker's Daughter | 1 | 3 | Apr 13, 2014 11:54AM | |
Which view do you prefer? | 17 | 125 | Nov 27, 2013 01:07PM | |
Live Video Chat with Philippa Gregory | 224 | 183 | Nov 25, 2012 06:58PM | |
Free Book Giveaway: The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory | 1 | 19 | Sep 17, 2012 08:28AM |
Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. She wrote her first ever novel, Wideacre, when she was completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature and it sold worldwide, heralding a new era for historical fiction.
Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Bo ...more
Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Bo ...more
Other books in the series
The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels
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