What do you think?
Rate this book
The Royal Game
The inspirational story of the Pastons, a family who rose from obscurity to the very heart of Court politics and intrigue during the Wars of the Roses.
England, 1444. Three women challenge the course of history…
King Henry VI’s grip on the crown hangs by a thread as the Wars of the Roses starts to tear England apart. And from the ashes of war, the House of Paston begins its rise to power.
Led by three visionary women, the Pastons are a family from humble peasant beginnings who rely upon cunning, raw ambition, and good fortune in order to survive.
Their ability to plot and scheme sees them overcome imprisonment, violence and betrayal, to eventually secure for their family a castle and a place at the heart of the Yorkist Court. But success breeds jealousy and brings them dangerous enemies…
An inspirational story of courage and resilience, The Royal Game charts the rise of three remarkable women from obscurity to the very heart of Court politics and intrigue.
England, 1444. Three women challenge the course of history…
King Henry VI’s grip on the crown hangs by a thread as the Wars of the Roses starts to tear England apart. And from the ashes of war, the House of Paston begins its rise to power.
Led by three visionary women, the Pastons are a family from humble peasant beginnings who rely upon cunning, raw ambition, and good fortune in order to survive.
Their ability to plot and scheme sees them overcome imprisonment, violence and betrayal, to eventually secure for their family a castle and a place at the heart of the Yorkist Court. But success breeds jealousy and brings them dangerous enemies…
An inspirational story of courage and resilience, The Royal Game charts the rise of three remarkable women from obscurity to the very heart of Court politics and intrigue.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2021
144 people are currently reading
1137 people want to read
About the author
Anne O'Brien
66 books776 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
My home is in the Welsh Marches, although much of my early life was spent in Yorkshire, most recently in the East Riding.Ann O'Brien The Marches is a remote region of England, surrounded by echoes from the past. Hereford is close with its famous Mappa Mundi and chained library.So is Shrewsbury, and also Ludlow with its splendid castle and its connections with our Plantagenet and Tudor kings. With my husband, I live in an eighteenth century timber framed cottage, which itself must have seen much history over two hundred years.
I have always enjoyed the appeal of History.I taught the subject with enthusiasm but it became my ambition to write historical romances. My first novel, The Runaway Heiress, was published by Mills and Boon in 2004.
This first book was a Regency Romance in the great tradition of Georgette Heyer - who has not admired her skill and delicate touch for the period? I have drawn on my interest in the Stuart century to write about the English Civil War and Restoration England of Charles II. Living in the Marches however I soon discovered the wealth of atmosphere and legend in this isolated part of England from medieval times. It was not long before I was encouraged to create a medieval romance inConquering Knight, Captive Lady.
When not writing, I have a large rambling garden where George and I grow organic vegetables and soft fruit - or perhaps I should admit that he grows them whilst I pick and cook them. We have a wild garden, an orchard, a formal pond and herbaceous flower borders. We share it all with rabbits and pheasants, frogs and goldfinches, hedgehogs and buzzards. It is a beautiful place. When we first settled into our cottage I planted a herb garden on a Tudor pattern with stone pathways and clipped box hedges. From this I developed my interest in herbs and their uses.
Nicholas Culpeper's The Complete Herbal, a fascinating resource to a historical novelist first published in 1649, has become essential bedside reading. As a result the use of herbs in medicine and witchcraft, for both good and ill, has appeared in some of my novels.
For pure relaxation I enjoy yoga as well as singing with a local Choral Society. Watercolour painting allows me to simply sit and appreciate the landscape and the flowers in my garden, when my mind is busy constructing my next plot.
My home is in the Welsh Marches, although much of my early life was spent in Yorkshire, most recently in the East Riding.Ann O'Brien The Marches is a remote region of England, surrounded by echoes from the past. Hereford is close with its famous Mappa Mundi and chained library.So is Shrewsbury, and also Ludlow with its splendid castle and its connections with our Plantagenet and Tudor kings. With my husband, I live in an eighteenth century timber framed cottage, which itself must have seen much history over two hundred years.
I have always enjoyed the appeal of History.I taught the subject with enthusiasm but it became my ambition to write historical romances. My first novel, The Runaway Heiress, was published by Mills and Boon in 2004.
This first book was a Regency Romance in the great tradition of Georgette Heyer - who has not admired her skill and delicate touch for the period? I have drawn on my interest in the Stuart century to write about the English Civil War and Restoration England of Charles II. Living in the Marches however I soon discovered the wealth of atmosphere and legend in this isolated part of England from medieval times. It was not long before I was encouraged to create a medieval romance inConquering Knight, Captive Lady.
When not writing, I have a large rambling garden where George and I grow organic vegetables and soft fruit - or perhaps I should admit that he grows them whilst I pick and cook them. We have a wild garden, an orchard, a formal pond and herbaceous flower borders. We share it all with rabbits and pheasants, frogs and goldfinches, hedgehogs and buzzards. It is a beautiful place. When we first settled into our cottage I planted a herb garden on a Tudor pattern with stone pathways and clipped box hedges. From this I developed my interest in herbs and their uses.
Nicholas Culpeper's The Complete Herbal, a fascinating resource to a historical novelist first published in 1649, has become essential bedside reading. As a result the use of herbs in medicine and witchcraft, for both good and ill, has appeared in some of my novels.
For pure relaxation I enjoy yoga as well as singing with a local Choral Society. Watercolour painting allows me to simply sit and appreciate the landscape and the flowers in my garden, when my mind is busy constructing my next plot.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
September 6, 2021
4+
The fifteenth century Paston family letters are an invaluable historical resource and in this novel Anne O’Brien brings the Norfolk family to life and includes some of the letters. John Paston at the age of 23 becomes head of the household following the death of his father Justice William. He is immediately in conflict with his indomitable mother Agnes over his father’s will. John is married to Margaret, a strong woman who is expected to guard the Paston lands and fortunes while John pursues his ambitions. Margaret narrates much of this and you hear her voice with clarity. Eliza Paston, John’s sister tells of her difficulties with her mother and her eventual marriage. A third female voice comes later in the book, that of Anne Haute, the daughter of a Kent MP and cousin of Elizabeth Woodville. Anne casts her eyes upon Sir John Paston, the eldest son of John and Margaret.
Anne O’Brien does an excellent job of bringing these characters to life and all the women are portrayed well, none of them are shrinking violets and they meet the challenges of the times. Margaret’s marriage to John is especially vivid as it shows her developing from a ‘juicy plum’, ripe for the ambitious family to pick as they eye up her inheritance with a certain amount of greed to her becoming a formidable protector of Paston possessions. She is a women with plenty of backbone, she’s clever and very brave especially in facing those who wish to bring the family down. As the Paston’s fortunes rise so does hostility and challenge to their ambitions with ruthless disregard to perceived legality. It leads to disputes, inheritance issues and the making of powerful opponents. The ups and downs of Margaret’s marriage are fascinating as John is shown as being frequently full of self importance, obstinacy and more than capable of making unnecessary enemies. All the women are capable souls and willing to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. The historical context is really good with the political background and upheavals of the Wars of the Roses with all its rebellions, fluctuating alliances, destruction, treachery and battles for supremacy which impact on the family as on countless others. It portrays the social history especially late medieval religious beliefs and superstition.
Overall, it’s a compelling read, the story of a strong marriage which has love and admiration but also bumps in the road. It’s a story of power, of aiming much higher than the original family status (or lack of), of being prepared to play the royal game for advancement.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for granting my wish to read this arc in return for an honest review.
The fifteenth century Paston family letters are an invaluable historical resource and in this novel Anne O’Brien brings the Norfolk family to life and includes some of the letters. John Paston at the age of 23 becomes head of the household following the death of his father Justice William. He is immediately in conflict with his indomitable mother Agnes over his father’s will. John is married to Margaret, a strong woman who is expected to guard the Paston lands and fortunes while John pursues his ambitions. Margaret narrates much of this and you hear her voice with clarity. Eliza Paston, John’s sister tells of her difficulties with her mother and her eventual marriage. A third female voice comes later in the book, that of Anne Haute, the daughter of a Kent MP and cousin of Elizabeth Woodville. Anne casts her eyes upon Sir John Paston, the eldest son of John and Margaret.
Anne O’Brien does an excellent job of bringing these characters to life and all the women are portrayed well, none of them are shrinking violets and they meet the challenges of the times. Margaret’s marriage to John is especially vivid as it shows her developing from a ‘juicy plum’, ripe for the ambitious family to pick as they eye up her inheritance with a certain amount of greed to her becoming a formidable protector of Paston possessions. She is a women with plenty of backbone, she’s clever and very brave especially in facing those who wish to bring the family down. As the Paston’s fortunes rise so does hostility and challenge to their ambitions with ruthless disregard to perceived legality. It leads to disputes, inheritance issues and the making of powerful opponents. The ups and downs of Margaret’s marriage are fascinating as John is shown as being frequently full of self importance, obstinacy and more than capable of making unnecessary enemies. All the women are capable souls and willing to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. The historical context is really good with the political background and upheavals of the Wars of the Roses with all its rebellions, fluctuating alliances, destruction, treachery and battles for supremacy which impact on the family as on countless others. It portrays the social history especially late medieval religious beliefs and superstition.
Overall, it’s a compelling read, the story of a strong marriage which has love and admiration but also bumps in the road. It’s a story of power, of aiming much higher than the original family status (or lack of), of being prepared to play the royal game for advancement.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for granting my wish to read this arc in return for an honest review.
November 9, 2021
Tackling the Paston family in a historical novel takes courage. Anne O'Brien does an excellent job of bringing the family's women to life in an engaging way, providing insight into medieval England. I'm looking forward to the second book.
February 7, 2022
A splendid historical fiction saga that heralds the beginning of a new series. Anne O’Brien is a master at writing royal historical fiction, she has an ability to not get bogged down in the politics whilst still conveying the key points of the politics in an extremely readable fashion.
I had never heard of the Paston family – no surprises there, they existed in the 15th century, and while I am an avid fan of royal history, I’m not that well read to know of every family throughout English history. The interesting thing about this family, and this novel, is that they were prolific letter writers and being a family of lawyers, they were also meticulous about keeping personal records, all of which has stood the test of time. So, Anne O’Brien had a literal treasure trove of primary sources with which to piece together this family’s history and craft a story of their comings and goings against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses.
And what a fascinating story it is. Told through the eyes of three women, but predominantly through Margaret Paston’s eyes – the wife of the head of the family – we bear witness to the extreme volatility of life in the 15th century. It was a time where nothing was certain, not even the property you owned, which could be taken by force and destroyed with no recourse. Kingmaking was rife and loyalties were fickle; it was an extremely dangerous time for all, no matter your class or status. I was astonished and fascinated by the way in which nothing was certain. You could own your property, but if some neighbouring Duke decided to take it, they just would. They would just move in, evict you by force or take possession while you were away, and that was it. You could try and fight it in the courts all you liked, but if you eventually won your property back – more through bribes and cunning than legal rights – the invader would just destroy everything before leaving so that all you got back was a pile of rubble and junk. And so, this happened, over and over, to the Paston family.
I loved the focus on the women, not only the observation of events from their perspective, but the way in which the decisions made about their lives by others impacted upon them. My heart ached for Elizabeth Paston, who was treated abominably by her mother and ignored by her brothers. Fatherless, she had to rely on her brothers to find her a husband, but they were too occupied with their own affairs and any suitor that came along was rejected by her mother for insubstantial reasons. The poor woman was trapped and abused, with no ability to escape at all and no capacity to make decisions, for without a husband she was the property of her mother. I adored Margaret Paston, the wife of John, eldest son, and head of the family. She was clever, a woman who knew what was required to be a successful wife of a noble family, yet still retained a decency and kindness that was to be admired. Her empathy for her sister-in-law Elizabeth’s situation was perhaps the only reason it ever changed.
It wasn’t until the end of the novel that I discovered this was to become a series. While I’m not a huge fan of reading a series, I do like an historical one such as this, and I wasn’t quite ready to be done with this family yet, so I look forward to the next release, hopefully coming later this year. Recommended for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, this is high quality historical fiction. Anne O’Brien is a favourite of mine within this genre and topic. The Royal Game is a captivating saga that made me feel as though I had stepped right into another world for the duration.
*Book 1 in my 22 in 2022 challenge*
I had never heard of the Paston family – no surprises there, they existed in the 15th century, and while I am an avid fan of royal history, I’m not that well read to know of every family throughout English history. The interesting thing about this family, and this novel, is that they were prolific letter writers and being a family of lawyers, they were also meticulous about keeping personal records, all of which has stood the test of time. So, Anne O’Brien had a literal treasure trove of primary sources with which to piece together this family’s history and craft a story of their comings and goings against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses.
And what a fascinating story it is. Told through the eyes of three women, but predominantly through Margaret Paston’s eyes – the wife of the head of the family – we bear witness to the extreme volatility of life in the 15th century. It was a time where nothing was certain, not even the property you owned, which could be taken by force and destroyed with no recourse. Kingmaking was rife and loyalties were fickle; it was an extremely dangerous time for all, no matter your class or status. I was astonished and fascinated by the way in which nothing was certain. You could own your property, but if some neighbouring Duke decided to take it, they just would. They would just move in, evict you by force or take possession while you were away, and that was it. You could try and fight it in the courts all you liked, but if you eventually won your property back – more through bribes and cunning than legal rights – the invader would just destroy everything before leaving so that all you got back was a pile of rubble and junk. And so, this happened, over and over, to the Paston family.
I loved the focus on the women, not only the observation of events from their perspective, but the way in which the decisions made about their lives by others impacted upon them. My heart ached for Elizabeth Paston, who was treated abominably by her mother and ignored by her brothers. Fatherless, she had to rely on her brothers to find her a husband, but they were too occupied with their own affairs and any suitor that came along was rejected by her mother for insubstantial reasons. The poor woman was trapped and abused, with no ability to escape at all and no capacity to make decisions, for without a husband she was the property of her mother. I adored Margaret Paston, the wife of John, eldest son, and head of the family. She was clever, a woman who knew what was required to be a successful wife of a noble family, yet still retained a decency and kindness that was to be admired. Her empathy for her sister-in-law Elizabeth’s situation was perhaps the only reason it ever changed.
It wasn’t until the end of the novel that I discovered this was to become a series. While I’m not a huge fan of reading a series, I do like an historical one such as this, and I wasn’t quite ready to be done with this family yet, so I look forward to the next release, hopefully coming later this year. Recommended for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, this is high quality historical fiction. Anne O’Brien is a favourite of mine within this genre and topic. The Royal Game is a captivating saga that made me feel as though I had stepped right into another world for the duration.
*Book 1 in my 22 in 2022 challenge*
October 22, 2021
With a title like The Royal Game, you might expect this novel to be about a king or a queen; in fact, it’s the story of the Pastons, who rose from humble origins to become members of the aristocracy and one of Norfolk’s most influential families during the 15th century. Their collection of personal letters, known as the Paston Letters, is the largest archive of private correspondence surviving from the period and tells us a lot about life in England at that time.
The Pastons’ story is retold by Anne O’Brien in fictional form, using the letters as a guide. She has chosen to focus on three characters in particular: Margaret Mautby Paston, wife of John Paston, who becomes head of the family after the death of his father; John’s sister Elizabeth (known as Eliza); and Anne Haute, a cousin of Edward IV’s queen, Elizabeth Woodville. There are chapters written from the perspectives of each of these women, mainly Margaret and Eliza at first, with Anne only introduced halfway through and becoming more prominent towards the end of the book.
During the period covered in the novel, the Wars of the Roses are playing out in the background as the House of Lancaster and the House of York fight for control of England’s throne. The Pastons are an ambitious family who see the changing political situation in terms of what it will mean for them and how they can turn things to their own advantage in order to increase their wealth and power. This means that much of the story is concerned with the gaining and losing of properties and land, disputes over wills and controversies surrounding inheritances. In particular, estates left to John Paston by his patron Sir John Fastolf (the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Falstaff), become the subject of a long legal battle.
I liked this book much more than Anne O’Brien’s previous one, The Queen’s Rival, partly because this one is written in a more straightforward format – although with the alternating narrators I mentioned above. I felt that the narrative voices of Margaret and Eliza were very similar and sometimes I had to remind myself which one I was reading about, but this was less of a problem as I got further into the book. Margaret is portrayed as a strong, intelligent and resourceful woman working alongside her husband to hold on to the family property, while Eliza is being badly treated by her mother and desperately hoping for marriage as a way of escape. Eventually, both women find themselves with the same focus in life: to protect their children’s titles and inheritances from jealous rivals who are trying to claim them for themselves. Our third narrator, Anne Haute, who is depicted as another young woman with ambition and hopes of an advantageous marriage, seems unconnected to the other two at first, but quickly becomes drawn into the Pastons’ world.
The Wars of the Roses is one of my favourite historical periods to read about and it made a nice change to move away from the usual novels set at the royal court or on the battlefields and see what was going on elsewhere in the country at that time. I enjoyed this book but it’s very long and detailed and I was surprised when I reached a cliffhanger ending and discovered that there’s going to be a sequel. I will look out for it, but while I wait maybe this would be a good time to read my copy of Blood & Roses, Helen Castor’s non-fiction book about the Paston family.
The Pastons’ story is retold by Anne O’Brien in fictional form, using the letters as a guide. She has chosen to focus on three characters in particular: Margaret Mautby Paston, wife of John Paston, who becomes head of the family after the death of his father; John’s sister Elizabeth (known as Eliza); and Anne Haute, a cousin of Edward IV’s queen, Elizabeth Woodville. There are chapters written from the perspectives of each of these women, mainly Margaret and Eliza at first, with Anne only introduced halfway through and becoming more prominent towards the end of the book.
During the period covered in the novel, the Wars of the Roses are playing out in the background as the House of Lancaster and the House of York fight for control of England’s throne. The Pastons are an ambitious family who see the changing political situation in terms of what it will mean for them and how they can turn things to their own advantage in order to increase their wealth and power. This means that much of the story is concerned with the gaining and losing of properties and land, disputes over wills and controversies surrounding inheritances. In particular, estates left to John Paston by his patron Sir John Fastolf (the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Falstaff), become the subject of a long legal battle.
I liked this book much more than Anne O’Brien’s previous one, The Queen’s Rival, partly because this one is written in a more straightforward format – although with the alternating narrators I mentioned above. I felt that the narrative voices of Margaret and Eliza were very similar and sometimes I had to remind myself which one I was reading about, but this was less of a problem as I got further into the book. Margaret is portrayed as a strong, intelligent and resourceful woman working alongside her husband to hold on to the family property, while Eliza is being badly treated by her mother and desperately hoping for marriage as a way of escape. Eventually, both women find themselves with the same focus in life: to protect their children’s titles and inheritances from jealous rivals who are trying to claim them for themselves. Our third narrator, Anne Haute, who is depicted as another young woman with ambition and hopes of an advantageous marriage, seems unconnected to the other two at first, but quickly becomes drawn into the Pastons’ world.
The Wars of the Roses is one of my favourite historical periods to read about and it made a nice change to move away from the usual novels set at the royal court or on the battlefields and see what was going on elsewhere in the country at that time. I enjoyed this book but it’s very long and detailed and I was surprised when I reached a cliffhanger ending and discovered that there’s going to be a sequel. I will look out for it, but while I wait maybe this would be a good time to read my copy of Blood & Roses, Helen Castor’s non-fiction book about the Paston family.
October 29, 2021
I listened to the audio version of this book - it was brilliantly read!!
My knowledge of the Paston famiy was zero before reading this book, and now I just want to know all I can!! The author has done a wonderful job of conveying their story through 3 very different female characters - from Margaret who takes charge when her family future is threatened, to Eliza who is downtrodden and controlled by her mother but wants to break free, to Anne who is looking for a suitable marriage - you get to see history and family struggles through their eyes and it is enthralling stuff!
You cannot help but be full of admiration for these women and how they dealt with what life threw their way. It really brought to life the struggles of the time, especially of women who were expected to sit quietly and do nothing to rock the boat. Margaret especially wasn't that kind of character, and I just loved her sense of justice even if it meant putting herself in danger. It showed how unfair life was for them due to their sex and it is all played out alongside a turning point for the country with the War of the Roses and all the political upheaval. It was very uncertain times for many, and these women and their personal battles were a wonderful way to explore such an interesting period of history!
A brilliant piece of historical storytelling and I'm already eager to read the sequel!!
My knowledge of the Paston famiy was zero before reading this book, and now I just want to know all I can!! The author has done a wonderful job of conveying their story through 3 very different female characters - from Margaret who takes charge when her family future is threatened, to Eliza who is downtrodden and controlled by her mother but wants to break free, to Anne who is looking for a suitable marriage - you get to see history and family struggles through their eyes and it is enthralling stuff!
You cannot help but be full of admiration for these women and how they dealt with what life threw their way. It really brought to life the struggles of the time, especially of women who were expected to sit quietly and do nothing to rock the boat. Margaret especially wasn't that kind of character, and I just loved her sense of justice even if it meant putting herself in danger. It showed how unfair life was for them due to their sex and it is all played out alongside a turning point for the country with the War of the Roses and all the political upheaval. It was very uncertain times for many, and these women and their personal battles were a wonderful way to explore such an interesting period of history!
A brilliant piece of historical storytelling and I'm already eager to read the sequel!!
December 25, 2021
Margaret Paston is a loyal wife, devoted to promoting her family and supporting her husband. Although from lowly stock John Paston has a gift for law and an acquisitive nature to drag his family forward. His sister Eliza despairs of finding a husband, trapped with their abusive mother. Anne Haute is born into a good family but now that her cousin has become queen, she dreams of more. Against the backdrop of the 15th century these three woman will deal with whatever fate has to throw at them.
I do enjoy O'Brien's books, even though they are generally a little too romance-focused but this is a slight change of direction. The writings of the Paston women are used as references to the lives of the gentry during the Wars of the Roses as the women wrote copious letters and many have been preserved. Here O'Brien has taken the facts from the letters and woven a narrative which stays pretty true to the facts. It is both a successful historical novel and also an insight into the precarious lives of women during this time.
I do enjoy O'Brien's books, even though they are generally a little too romance-focused but this is a slight change of direction. The writings of the Paston women are used as references to the lives of the gentry during the Wars of the Roses as the women wrote copious letters and many have been preserved. Here O'Brien has taken the facts from the letters and woven a narrative which stays pretty true to the facts. It is both a successful historical novel and also an insight into the precarious lives of women during this time.
April 24, 2024
Was really difficult to get into. Couldn't finish it. Made it to page 160 and the story line was still boring, I lost interest.
November 21, 2021
A game of nothing
I'm really disappointed with this book. Generally , Ms. O'Brien crafts impeccable stories that writhe with plots and intrigue, taking modern readers through countless situations and Bringing life and construct back to some of the most dangerous and exploitative decades of the dusty and moldy past to show without question that there is every possible connection to our modern world and our corrosive and tainted political system. Just because we think we have evolved so much further in comprehension and strategy that renders the past to a few archaic and dogmatic rules of order doesn't necessarily make it so.
The world lit only by fire might not be an exact correlation between centuries but it isn't that far off, either.
But this book is flat, flawed, and formless.
I struggled through to the end but emerged and was dissatisfied with the choppy dialogue, the stunted characters, and the absence of a true plot.
This was a dusty and boring story that only improved through the final few pages .
The action was incredibly strained and I found myself quickly bored by the skimpy details and endless nattering about inconsequential conversations.
Including some of the characters like Eliza could and should have helped to explain how truly powerless most woman were, but in terms of simple empathy and common compassion I thought the strategy might have worked better if the focus had included at least women who were somewhat interesting and/or gifted with cunning and creativity but her secondary ladies were weak, passive, and unknown.
Ms. O'Brien has written far more exceptional books.
I'm not interested in reading more of this series.
It just might be that the genre of medieval ancestry is now a faded and worn-out subject. The same people, families, locations, and plots have been done to death.
Unless you're a dedicated doctoral student devoted to the research, this unchanging landscape seems to have reached its unfortunate end. How many times can we read the same material?
I'm really disappointed with this book. Generally , Ms. O'Brien crafts impeccable stories that writhe with plots and intrigue, taking modern readers through countless situations and Bringing life and construct back to some of the most dangerous and exploitative decades of the dusty and moldy past to show without question that there is every possible connection to our modern world and our corrosive and tainted political system. Just because we think we have evolved so much further in comprehension and strategy that renders the past to a few archaic and dogmatic rules of order doesn't necessarily make it so.
The world lit only by fire might not be an exact correlation between centuries but it isn't that far off, either.
But this book is flat, flawed, and formless.
I struggled through to the end but emerged and was dissatisfied with the choppy dialogue, the stunted characters, and the absence of a true plot.
This was a dusty and boring story that only improved through the final few pages .
The action was incredibly strained and I found myself quickly bored by the skimpy details and endless nattering about inconsequential conversations.
Including some of the characters like Eliza could and should have helped to explain how truly powerless most woman were, but in terms of simple empathy and common compassion I thought the strategy might have worked better if the focus had included at least women who were somewhat interesting and/or gifted with cunning and creativity but her secondary ladies were weak, passive, and unknown.
Ms. O'Brien has written far more exceptional books.
I'm not interested in reading more of this series.
It just might be that the genre of medieval ancestry is now a faded and worn-out subject. The same people, families, locations, and plots have been done to death.
Unless you're a dedicated doctoral student devoted to the research, this unchanging landscape seems to have reached its unfortunate end. How many times can we read the same material?
November 16, 2021
Interesting in the fact that it features mainly unknown historical characters striving to better themselves through marriage and land acquisitions sometimes not entirely legal through the War of the Roses. The author was inspired from the stacks of correspondence left by one of the family matriarchs so it is rich in detail of the every day life of the period. Unfortunately though it was a little dry for my tastes and the motivations of the male characters seemed to be schemes and more schemes with a side order of cruelty and misogyny, the Middle Ages not a good time to be a woman despite the Paston women's best efforts.
July 7, 2023
This has been such an impressive read. The main character Margaret is strong , determined and i liked her a lot. She married into the Paston family and though devoted to her husband John , it has not been without strife with land seizures , John in Fleet prison several times.
Margaret's strength of character is admirable , she's a mighty fur e behind her man and family .
i enjoyed seeing the story of the times of King Edward and his bride Queen Elizabeth ( Woodville) told from a different angle .
Margaret's strength of character is admirable , she's a mighty fur e behind her man and family .
i enjoyed seeing the story of the times of King Edward and his bride Queen Elizabeth ( Woodville) told from a different angle .
September 9, 2021
Anne O'Brien is one of my favourite authors. Every year, I wait with high anticipation to read her newest book and to see which 'new' unknown woman of history she's brought to life for her readers.
With The Royal Game, Anne O'Brien has chosen not a powerful royal/noblewoman but instead three women who hunger to be considered as such. The majority of the story is told from the viewpoint of Margaret Paston, wife to John Paston, as property disputes amongst their landed estates escalate and are resolved only to escalate once more. This might sound a bit boring, but believe me, it's not. I was shocked, genuinely shocked, by the level of violence that could be brought to bear against rival claimants and the state of lawlessness in East Anglia at the time is flabbergasting. It acts as a perfect way of showing just what the uncertainty of the Wars of the Roses brought about for those lower 'noble' families with the ebb and flow of prestige and royal denouncement as in the background, great battles are won and lost, and rival kings fall and rise.
Margaret is a wonderfully independently minded woman, and yet constrained by her position in life, and her sex so she can only do so much when trouble strikes, but she will do it to her upmost.
Alongside Margaret, we meet her sister in law, Eliza, who struggles to find a husband and emerge from beneath her mother's less than motherly love. She manages to do just that only to find herself facing a life as beset with lawsuits as her brother and sister by marriage.
Our third Paston woman is Anne Haute, a cousin to Elizabeth Woodville. Her voice is that of a noblewoman without the dowry needed to hook herself a wonderful marriage, but who can tout her family connections to gain one.
This book is a stunning read - and more, an easy read - despite the vast number of Johns in it (I'll leave that for you to discover because wow - that's a weird thing to have done). I had to force myself to slow down and stop reading because I didn't want it to be over. Now I have to wait for next year to read the second part of the story.
I highly recommend this book. If you know about the Wars of the Roses, all the better, but if you don't, it will not lessen your enjoyment of the story of the three Paston women and their troublesome, and litigious family at a time of intense political unrest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my review copy. I loved it:)
With The Royal Game, Anne O'Brien has chosen not a powerful royal/noblewoman but instead three women who hunger to be considered as such. The majority of the story is told from the viewpoint of Margaret Paston, wife to John Paston, as property disputes amongst their landed estates escalate and are resolved only to escalate once more. This might sound a bit boring, but believe me, it's not. I was shocked, genuinely shocked, by the level of violence that could be brought to bear against rival claimants and the state of lawlessness in East Anglia at the time is flabbergasting. It acts as a perfect way of showing just what the uncertainty of the Wars of the Roses brought about for those lower 'noble' families with the ebb and flow of prestige and royal denouncement as in the background, great battles are won and lost, and rival kings fall and rise.
Margaret is a wonderfully independently minded woman, and yet constrained by her position in life, and her sex so she can only do so much when trouble strikes, but she will do it to her upmost.
Alongside Margaret, we meet her sister in law, Eliza, who struggles to find a husband and emerge from beneath her mother's less than motherly love. She manages to do just that only to find herself facing a life as beset with lawsuits as her brother and sister by marriage.
Our third Paston woman is Anne Haute, a cousin to Elizabeth Woodville. Her voice is that of a noblewoman without the dowry needed to hook herself a wonderful marriage, but who can tout her family connections to gain one.
This book is a stunning read - and more, an easy read - despite the vast number of Johns in it (I'll leave that for you to discover because wow - that's a weird thing to have done). I had to force myself to slow down and stop reading because I didn't want it to be over. Now I have to wait for next year to read the second part of the story.
I highly recommend this book. If you know about the Wars of the Roses, all the better, but if you don't, it will not lessen your enjoyment of the story of the three Paston women and their troublesome, and litigious family at a time of intense political unrest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my review copy. I loved it:)
April 29, 2023
Anne O’Brien always showcases her extensive knowledge and love of medieval history, which has led her to be one of my favourite authors.
This book features something a little different to before as her novels usually tell the story of someone linked strongly to or within the monarchy.
She has taken a family from Norfolk who social-climbed from peasants to knights in a very short space of time by clever marriages and strong women. The story is told via three women within the family, with Margaret Paston being the main focus. Her strength and determination highlight how important the role of women was at a time when women were often left without a say. However, I mostly enjoyed the story as told by Eliza, Margaret’s sister-in-law, and wished a few more chapters were based on her.
It’s a great book to showcase life during the Wars of the Roses, ambition and the fight for ownership of property, from the perspective of those on the up who are hedging their bets on which side to support, to further aid their status. So much rich information has come from the numerous letters written by the women that have survived and offer a primary source of life during this period.
Admittedly, not my favourite of O’Brien’s books but still deserving of 4 stars.
This book features something a little different to before as her novels usually tell the story of someone linked strongly to or within the monarchy.
She has taken a family from Norfolk who social-climbed from peasants to knights in a very short space of time by clever marriages and strong women. The story is told via three women within the family, with Margaret Paston being the main focus. Her strength and determination highlight how important the role of women was at a time when women were often left without a say. However, I mostly enjoyed the story as told by Eliza, Margaret’s sister-in-law, and wished a few more chapters were based on her.
It’s a great book to showcase life during the Wars of the Roses, ambition and the fight for ownership of property, from the perspective of those on the up who are hedging their bets on which side to support, to further aid their status. So much rich information has come from the numerous letters written by the women that have survived and offer a primary source of life during this period.
Admittedly, not my favourite of O’Brien’s books but still deserving of 4 stars.
September 17, 2021
I have only read one of Anne’s books before this one - The Queens Rival - which I absolutely loved. I jumped at the chance of reading an advance copy of Anne’s new book and to be a part on the blog tour.
Anne’s skill for writing historical fiction with characters you get to know in depth and places you can see is second to none. Again I was lost in the rich history of the time and living the lives with these people. It is clear Anne has a very in depth knowledge and interest of history and her love for writing shines through the pages.
In this novel we follow the Pastons. Just as Anne’s last book is mainly focussed on the strong female character of Cecily Neville this one has a strong main focus on Margaret Mautby Paston who has married into the Paston family following the usual arrangement by the two families which will benefit both sides. She becomes such a strong lady, having to deal with battles, wars, births and deaths, illness and the constant fight to hold on to the family property and assets for her place in society and her children’s inheritance.
These are the Middle Ages. In the years leading up to The Wars of The Roses. Families marry their children off for status and wealth. Perhaps love will blossom perhaps not, as this is not the reason to marry. Women are expected to produce heirs to the family estate. People have to be careful when discussing the Yorks and the Lancasters as they dare not be seen to be on the wrong side.
The second lady we hear from is Elizabeth Paston who has not had a suitable marriage arranged and worries about her future constantly as the years are passing along with her hope of finding a suitable husband.
The last ‘main’ character is Anne Haute who is also hoping for a suitable marriage and sets her hopes on marrying into the Paston family.
The Pastons were prolific letter writers and it is fortunate many of their letters have survived to this day to tell the first hand stories of life and all its troubles during the 1400’s.
I am now looking forward to Anne’s next book where she will follow the Pastons.
Anne’s skill for writing historical fiction with characters you get to know in depth and places you can see is second to none. Again I was lost in the rich history of the time and living the lives with these people. It is clear Anne has a very in depth knowledge and interest of history and her love for writing shines through the pages.
In this novel we follow the Pastons. Just as Anne’s last book is mainly focussed on the strong female character of Cecily Neville this one has a strong main focus on Margaret Mautby Paston who has married into the Paston family following the usual arrangement by the two families which will benefit both sides. She becomes such a strong lady, having to deal with battles, wars, births and deaths, illness and the constant fight to hold on to the family property and assets for her place in society and her children’s inheritance.
These are the Middle Ages. In the years leading up to The Wars of The Roses. Families marry their children off for status and wealth. Perhaps love will blossom perhaps not, as this is not the reason to marry. Women are expected to produce heirs to the family estate. People have to be careful when discussing the Yorks and the Lancasters as they dare not be seen to be on the wrong side.
The second lady we hear from is Elizabeth Paston who has not had a suitable marriage arranged and worries about her future constantly as the years are passing along with her hope of finding a suitable husband.
The last ‘main’ character is Anne Haute who is also hoping for a suitable marriage and sets her hopes on marrying into the Paston family.
The Pastons were prolific letter writers and it is fortunate many of their letters have survived to this day to tell the first hand stories of life and all its troubles during the 1400’s.
I am now looking forward to Anne’s next book where she will follow the Pastons.
October 20, 2021
This was not at all like the previous Plantagenet novels I've read. In this one, the family is not deeply entwined in court life or everyday interactions with the king and queen. So at first, I was disappointed. However, I quickly got over that. I am now fully invested in the Paston family. And I had very mixed feelings when I learned (on the last page of this novel) that there would a sequel (Yay for more Paston drama but Boo to having to wait).
June 4, 2023
Ended up not finishing this one. I was about just over 200 pages in and nothing was happening. The chapters as well were way too long with just nothing really happening in them. Plus the random introduction of a new character chapter felt out of place and didn’t really provide anything or illustrate how she was connected to the other 2 main women. Overall a rather slow moving book which I had to DNF in the end.
July 28, 2025
This book was a lovely surprise, gifted to me by my daughter who found it in the free section at the library- not because it wasn’t a good book, but because it was so worn, likely from being so well-read and loved. She knows I’m a geek for historical stories, especially anything that feels a bit Tudor or royal. While this book isn’t set in Tudor times, it still had that richness and intrigue I love. Once I started reading, I found it hard to put down. The fact that it’s based on real people and real letters made it even more compelling. I’ve been to some of the places mentioned, and now I’m inspired to visit more. I’m really looking forward to reading the next in the series!
September 16, 2021
This is the first book by Anne O’Brien that I have read.
In this book, we follow the Paston family who were from Norfolk. It is set in the 15th century prior to the War of the Roses.
The author does an amazing job of writing historical characters. They are so well developed.
This book is well written, however it did take me a little while to get into it.
I really enjoyed reading from this time period.
In this book, we follow the Paston family who were from Norfolk. It is set in the 15th century prior to the War of the Roses.
The author does an amazing job of writing historical characters. They are so well developed.
This book is well written, however it did take me a little while to get into it.
I really enjoyed reading from this time period.
October 9, 2022
I found this book not as interesting as the author's other books. Still well written but I was not so engaged in the storyline.
November 16, 2022
Having read some of the actual surviving Paston letters, I found this book super interesting and very well done. Particularly liked the overall tone (suited the content somehow?) and how the author portrayed the women.
March 15, 2024
Anne O’Brien easily becoming a favourite author.
July 18, 2021
I've been a fan of Anne O'Brien for a very long time so I was excited to read this. I am really enjoying getting to know this time period too as it seems to be coming to the forefront much more. I always enjoy Anne's female characters in a male dominated world. She introduces all 3 women with strength, resilience and power whatever situation they are in. An insightful read.
May 16, 2022
Fascinating: what more can I say?
The rise of the Paston family from yeomanry to gentry (and in a much later period to this book nobility) is one of the best known stories of Medieval England due to the mass of correspondence, both legal and domestic, between all members of the family. Anne O'Brien has done a wonderful job of bringing the female players to life, allowing you to quickly identify with them.
The period covered is the frequently lawless period of the War of the Roses beginning with the mentally feeble Henry VI to the capture of his usurper Edward IV by the Earl of Warwick, an act that left England without an effective ruler; a situation that allowed rapacious nobility to ignore legal process and take what they wanted by force of arms. The Paston family were lawyers, in the early part of the story that stood them in some stead as they fought off claims against their land holding, some of which were acquired in a very dubious manner, but once civil war broke out it was the sword, not the law, that ruled.
I highly recommend this book both as entertainment and as an insight into the realities of life in England in the 15thC.
The rise of the Paston family from yeomanry to gentry (and in a much later period to this book nobility) is one of the best known stories of Medieval England due to the mass of correspondence, both legal and domestic, between all members of the family. Anne O'Brien has done a wonderful job of bringing the female players to life, allowing you to quickly identify with them.
The period covered is the frequently lawless period of the War of the Roses beginning with the mentally feeble Henry VI to the capture of his usurper Edward IV by the Earl of Warwick, an act that left England without an effective ruler; a situation that allowed rapacious nobility to ignore legal process and take what they wanted by force of arms. The Paston family were lawyers, in the early part of the story that stood them in some stead as they fought off claims against their land holding, some of which were acquired in a very dubious manner, but once civil war broke out it was the sword, not the law, that ruled.
I highly recommend this book both as entertainment and as an insight into the realities of life in England in the 15thC.
December 21, 2021
Incomplete story! Nowhere in the description of this book does it state that this story is incomplete. I was greatly enjoying the story, but way too many issues are left unresolved. It is a disservice to readers not to inform us that there is a second book planned, but not yet listed for sale, to wrap up all the loose ends of this story. If I had known, I would have held off reading this until the second part had been released. As it is, I am left totally dissatisfied with this book. Honesty in the description of this book would have been greatly appreciated. I am now hesitant to read anything further by this author.
January 13, 2023
It has been delightful to return to historical fiction with this book, particularly the late/high medieval period which is my favourite (1380-1485 is my favourite period of English history.) It is one of my goals this year to read more of the genre that really got me into reading as a teen, and THE ROYAL GAME was a great place to start (and has made me excited to continue with the goal!)
Though this novel is set in the tumult of the Wars of the Roses, the upheavals of court and crown, and the many, many battles, do not touch the story much. They are a backdrop that does not often touch the Pastons, save for the loss of a potential patron or enemy. As much as I adore that backstabbing, politicking piece of history, it was so nice to read a book in the period that did not focus on it.
Instead, this is a book about the lower class of the landed gentry (or would-be gentry as they aren't titled) and their struggles to rise in the world, taking and keeping property. I really enjoyed reading about the ambition and legal battles of this family, their determination to accrue a large estate and keep it feeling like a microcosym of the history of the time.
While there are technically three narrators in this book (Margaret, Elizabeth, Anne), the book is really Margaret, the matriarch of the family. She has the most chapters, marshalling her wits to push and shove those around her (sometimes subtly, sometimes with forthrightness) to her way of thinking. She's a fascinating woman, running an estate more or less on her own with her husband away so much.
Elizabeth has the odd chapter here and there about the struggles of finding a marriage that's "suitable", while Anne only arrives toward the end to slip into the story of the Pastons. She looks like she will be very interesting to see (and more important) in the next book.
I'm pretty sure this is the start of an unofficial series about this family. There is another book by the author almost out (possibly just out?) about the Pastons. However, the book is with a different publisher, so isn't officially a series on any site (though I am going to regard it as one.)
Though this novel is set in the tumult of the Wars of the Roses, the upheavals of court and crown, and the many, many battles, do not touch the story much. They are a backdrop that does not often touch the Pastons, save for the loss of a potential patron or enemy. As much as I adore that backstabbing, politicking piece of history, it was so nice to read a book in the period that did not focus on it.
Instead, this is a book about the lower class of the landed gentry (or would-be gentry as they aren't titled) and their struggles to rise in the world, taking and keeping property. I really enjoyed reading about the ambition and legal battles of this family, their determination to accrue a large estate and keep it feeling like a microcosym of the history of the time.
While there are technically three narrators in this book (Margaret, Elizabeth, Anne), the book is really Margaret, the matriarch of the family. She has the most chapters, marshalling her wits to push and shove those around her (sometimes subtly, sometimes with forthrightness) to her way of thinking. She's a fascinating woman, running an estate more or less on her own with her husband away so much.
Elizabeth has the odd chapter here and there about the struggles of finding a marriage that's "suitable", while Anne only arrives toward the end to slip into the story of the Pastons. She looks like she will be very interesting to see (and more important) in the next book.
I'm pretty sure this is the start of an unofficial series about this family. There is another book by the author almost out (possibly just out?) about the Pastons. However, the book is with a different publisher, so isn't officially a series on any site (though I am going to regard it as one.)
August 13, 2021
The Royal Game - Anne O’Brien
Oh I’ve loved this book, I love historical fiction and especially that set in the medieval era.
This story follows the Paston family who were a real family in the 1400’s. Landowners in Norfolk, many of their letters have survived to give us a wonderfully intimate portrait of their life and goings on at this time.
The characters are all well fleshed out and I really felt that you could hear their voices speaking out from the page. There are so many brilliant details of life at this time and I hoovered this one up!
Margaret, an heiress marries young into the Paston family and brings with her lands of her own at Gresham. These are taken by Moleyns another ‘gent’ and we follow how they attempt to reclaim their land through the courts and through the Royal Court. This is happening at a time of real upheaval in England at the start of the Wars of the Roses when Henry VI is incapable of ruling.
It is so brilliant to see this through the eyes of ‘normal people’ albeit landowners and also how slowly news travels and the effect it has on everyday life.
There are a lot of battles to seize power and advancement for the Paston family to raise themselves high in standing, it feels at times like it is two steps forward and one step back. It is so important to the Pastons to gain and keep lands as with this comes status and the chance to make good marriages for children. We see all this through the women of the family, how they hold everything together, the struggles they face in this time, how little power they have but how much strength they show in the face of disaster, births, death and disease.
I found this a great read, focused on women, insightful and compelling. I’m really looking forward to the next instalment of the Paston families lives.
✩✩✩✩
[AD-PR PRODUCT]
Thanks so much to hqstories for my copy of this book and my place on the blog tour
Oh I’ve loved this book, I love historical fiction and especially that set in the medieval era.
This story follows the Paston family who were a real family in the 1400’s. Landowners in Norfolk, many of their letters have survived to give us a wonderfully intimate portrait of their life and goings on at this time.
The characters are all well fleshed out and I really felt that you could hear their voices speaking out from the page. There are so many brilliant details of life at this time and I hoovered this one up!
Margaret, an heiress marries young into the Paston family and brings with her lands of her own at Gresham. These are taken by Moleyns another ‘gent’ and we follow how they attempt to reclaim their land through the courts and through the Royal Court. This is happening at a time of real upheaval in England at the start of the Wars of the Roses when Henry VI is incapable of ruling.
It is so brilliant to see this through the eyes of ‘normal people’ albeit landowners and also how slowly news travels and the effect it has on everyday life.
There are a lot of battles to seize power and advancement for the Paston family to raise themselves high in standing, it feels at times like it is two steps forward and one step back. It is so important to the Pastons to gain and keep lands as with this comes status and the chance to make good marriages for children. We see all this through the women of the family, how they hold everything together, the struggles they face in this time, how little power they have but how much strength they show in the face of disaster, births, death and disease.
I found this a great read, focused on women, insightful and compelling. I’m really looking forward to the next instalment of the Paston families lives.
✩✩✩✩
[AD-PR PRODUCT]
Thanks so much to hqstories for my copy of this book and my place on the blog tour
April 16, 2025
Usually I enjoy British historical fiction by Anne O'Brien but I did not enjoy The Royal Game at all. Set during the War of the Roses it focused on the Pastons, a lower class of the landed gentry and their struggles to rise in the world, taking and keeping property.
It is narrated primarily by Margaret Paston, the matriarch of the family. She strategized their rise from humble origins to become members of the aristocracy and one of Norfolk’s most influential families during the 15th century. Their collection of personal letters, known as the Paston Letters, is the largest archive of private correspondence surviving from the period and tells us a lot about life in England at that time.
Two other women narrate their stories as well. Elizabeth Paston was treated badly by her mother and ignored by her brothers. She needed to rely on her brothers to find her a husband, but they were too occupied with their own affairs and any suitor that came along was rejected by her mother for insubstantial reasons. We also get small snippets of Anne Haute, a cousin of Elizabeth Woodville, who is determined to marry John and Margaret’s ambitious eldest son, Sir John Paston.
This should have led to an enjoyable read for me but for some reason, it didn't. It's probably because the book ends so abruptly. It doesn't seem to be part of a series but it must continue in some future book. O'Brien is a very prolific writer so I'm not sure which one it is. I didn't like the characters enough to search around and find it.
I will continue to read this author's large collection of interesting historical fiction set in medieval England.
It is narrated primarily by Margaret Paston, the matriarch of the family. She strategized their rise from humble origins to become members of the aristocracy and one of Norfolk’s most influential families during the 15th century. Their collection of personal letters, known as the Paston Letters, is the largest archive of private correspondence surviving from the period and tells us a lot about life in England at that time.
Two other women narrate their stories as well. Elizabeth Paston was treated badly by her mother and ignored by her brothers. She needed to rely on her brothers to find her a husband, but they were too occupied with their own affairs and any suitor that came along was rejected by her mother for insubstantial reasons. We also get small snippets of Anne Haute, a cousin of Elizabeth Woodville, who is determined to marry John and Margaret’s ambitious eldest son, Sir John Paston.
This should have led to an enjoyable read for me but for some reason, it didn't. It's probably because the book ends so abruptly. It doesn't seem to be part of a series but it must continue in some future book. O'Brien is a very prolific writer so I'm not sure which one it is. I didn't like the characters enough to search around and find it.
I will continue to read this author's large collection of interesting historical fiction set in medieval England.
December 26, 2021
I admit that although I'd heard of the Pastons, I knew nothing about them. The 'Paston Letters' is a rich collection of correspondence and papers from the 15th/16th centuries and forms something of the basis for this book.
This novel follows the ambitions of the Paston family, told through the voices (and letters) of three women: Margaret Mautby Paston (married to the Paston heir, John), Elizabeth 'Eliza' Paston (John's sister), and Anne Haute (cousin of Elizabeth Woodeville, hoping to marry into the Paston family).
The chapters mostly alternate between Margaret and Elizabeth, with Anne's perspective getting more attention later in the book. I really liked Margaret's voice, but it took a while for Margaret and Elizabeth's voices to become unique.
As well as the planning and scheming (and often ruthlessness) of these women, the novel is an excellent study of medieval England - Anne O'Brien clearly has a superb understanding of the historic context. Everyday life is portrayed in rich detail, with
The only true negatives were the length and resulting tedium. The plot lost momentum part-way through; we go through a cycle of John Paston locked in Fleet prison, threats to manors and land, winning these properties back, Paston then returning to prison, etc.
After this repetitive (though historically accurate) string of events, the ending doesn't build to a climax as such but there's something of a cliff hanger ready for the sequel. I was prepared for this to be a standalone; it looks like the next instalment will bring some new (female) voices to the fore. Whether this strengthens or weakens the plot remains to be seen...
This novel follows the ambitions of the Paston family, told through the voices (and letters) of three women: Margaret Mautby Paston (married to the Paston heir, John), Elizabeth 'Eliza' Paston (John's sister), and Anne Haute (cousin of Elizabeth Woodeville, hoping to marry into the Paston family).
The chapters mostly alternate between Margaret and Elizabeth, with Anne's perspective getting more attention later in the book. I really liked Margaret's voice, but it took a while for Margaret and Elizabeth's voices to become unique.
As well as the planning and scheming (and often ruthlessness) of these women, the novel is an excellent study of medieval England - Anne O'Brien clearly has a superb understanding of the historic context. Everyday life is portrayed in rich detail, with
The only true negatives were the length and resulting tedium. The plot lost momentum part-way through; we go through a cycle of John Paston locked in Fleet prison, threats to manors and land, winning these properties back, Paston then returning to prison, etc.
After this repetitive (though historically accurate) string of events, the ending doesn't build to a climax as such but there's something of a cliff hanger ready for the sequel. I was prepared for this to be a standalone; it looks like the next instalment will bring some new (female) voices to the fore. Whether this strengthens or weakens the plot remains to be seen...
December 16, 2023
The Royal Game by Anne O'Brien is about the Paston family and their rise in fortunes as well as their struggles to keep it.
Some thoughts while reading:
-It is told in first-person perspective and I think it’s well done rather than being distracting
-the story starts fairly slowly but after Elizabeth's chapter it picks up speed. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but as I continued to read, it began to make sense
-I like how the focus isn’t on royalty but of a family I never heard of. It’s really interesting to see how they live and the struggles they face
-as much as I like hearing about their lives it is also tiring to keep reading about the ongoing property disputes that they struggle with. I also wish that the personalities of the children were more developed so that I was more invested in their characters
-I feel bad for the peasants who, through no fault of their own, had all their goods stolen because of the landlord's property disputes
-one of the POVs, Anne Haute, is introduced late in the novel and since her scenes are paired with Sir John who wasn't made to be very likable in the earlier chapters I find I'm not very invested in her storyline
-the ending feels inconclusive. I'm disappointed that there isn't an epilogue that explains what happened to everyone
Parts of the book were really compelling and some were a struggle to get through. But it was still interesting to read about the lives of people who weren't royalty. I'd give it a 3 out of 5
Some thoughts while reading:
-It is told in first-person perspective and I think it’s well done rather than being distracting
-the story starts fairly slowly but after Elizabeth's chapter it picks up speed. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but as I continued to read, it began to make sense
-I like how the focus isn’t on royalty but of a family I never heard of. It’s really interesting to see how they live and the struggles they face
-as much as I like hearing about their lives it is also tiring to keep reading about the ongoing property disputes that they struggle with. I also wish that the personalities of the children were more developed so that I was more invested in their characters
-I feel bad for the peasants who, through no fault of their own, had all their goods stolen because of the landlord's property disputes
-one of the POVs, Anne Haute, is introduced late in the novel and since her scenes are paired with Sir John who wasn't made to be very likable in the earlier chapters I find I'm not very invested in her storyline
-the ending feels inconclusive. I'm disappointed that there isn't an epilogue that explains what happened to everyone
Parts of the book were really compelling and some were a struggle to get through. But it was still interesting to read about the lives of people who weren't royalty. I'd give it a 3 out of 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2022
Anne O’Brien’s historical novel The Royal Game is an interesting read. The Paston Letters —correspondence of the women of the Paston family as they keep in touch with their menfolk who are playing the power game of fifteenth century England — are a remarkable resource for researchers. Anne has taken on the difficult task of translating them into a convincing narrative that brings three very different women to life; Margaret, a woman of substance with a will of iron; her sister-in-law Elizabeth, a rather helpless pawn in the marriage game, and Anne Haute, who set’s her cap at the charismatic Sir John Paston. The title is perhaps a little misleading. This book is not about Kings and Queens. It is about the struggles of a family that aspires to rise in society and the sacrifices they are willing to make to do so. Full of fascinating insights into women’s lives it really brought home to me the vital importance of land and property for an ambitious family of that time. We follow numerous legal disputes about land ownership which often develop into quite dangerous affairs involving armed occupations and evictions. I was left feeling that the fifteenth century might not have been a great time to be a woman. The book ends quite abruptly; I didn’t really see it coming and was left feeling a bit high and dry. But the good news is that a sequel will follow soon.
July 14, 2022
The Royal Game by Anne O'Brien is an interesting and engaging take on life in England during the Wars of the Roses (and very early Tudor era). Based in part on the Paston letters, the novel offers a truly unique take on daily life for families on the periphery of prominent royal circles during incredible political and economic upheaval.
The novel's narrators are Margaret Mautby Paston, Eliza Paston Poynings, and Anne Haute. Each protagonist offers a unique perspective on their life and time, but all are sympathetic narrators that readers can't help but root for. Even the most narcissistic of the bunch is compelling in her own way, and all offer biting critiques of the patriarchal social systems that inhibit their abilities -- and, refreshingly, those critiques are well placed and realistic for their time period.
I thoroughly enjoyed each character and the storyline of The Royal Game and definitely look forward to reading the sequel.
The novel's narrators are Margaret Mautby Paston, Eliza Paston Poynings, and Anne Haute. Each protagonist offers a unique perspective on their life and time, but all are sympathetic narrators that readers can't help but root for. Even the most narcissistic of the bunch is compelling in her own way, and all offer biting critiques of the patriarchal social systems that inhibit their abilities -- and, refreshingly, those critiques are well placed and realistic for their time period.
I thoroughly enjoyed each character and the storyline of The Royal Game and definitely look forward to reading the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews