The Broken Sword in Richard III

Sep 15, 2013 Robyn Elliot rated it it was amazing

Shelves: luvverly-smuvverly-sweetness

Make no mistake; this is the greatest book written - so far - on Richard III. Forget the hype of relatively recent, over-rated books on Richard, which have done his story no favours, unless having his story reduced to a soap opera is okay. I read this book once. Why? Because it had me like a quivering, emotional wreck, not something a book does easily to me. I adore this book. The heartbreaking rendering of Richard's story is so painfully beautiful that every word, every cleverly nuanced scene, ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Apr 13, 2016 Ophelia Sings rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Of course, the problem with any novel about the life of Richard III is that we know how the story ends. The skill of the author lies in the way we are guided on the road to Bosworth, and in Some Touch Of Pity, Rhoda Edwards takes us on a heartbreaking, joyous, vibrant, sumptuous, memorable journey, culminating irrevocably as it does on that bloody battlefield in August 1485.

Like its equally wonderful prequel Fortune's Wheel, which charts Richard's life from 1468 to 1472, Some Touch Of Pity paint
Of course, the problem with any novel about the life of Richard III is that we know how the story ends. The skill of the author lies in the way we are guided on the road to Bosworth, and in Some Touch Of Pity, Rhoda Edwards takes us on a heartbreaking, joyous, vibrant, sumptuous, memorable journey, culminating irrevocably as it does on that bloody battlefield in August 1485.

Like its equally wonderful prequel Fortune's Wheel, which charts Richard's life from 1468 to 1472, Some Touch Of Pity paints Richard as a man with both flaws and strengths - a decent man in many respects, but very much the product of the era in which he lived, when life was often cheap and treachery lay around every corner. Once again, Edwards' portrait of Richard is sympathetically drawn, yet balanced; he is neither the perfect prince as portrayed by some fervent Ricardians, nor the nightmarish crookback of his detractors.

Here, we witness the life of Richard during the tumultuous final two years of his life through the eyes of those who came into his orbit, and the ill-fated King himself. These voices echo down the centuries and ring with authenticity; the sights, sounds and smells of Richard's world are richly evoked, and the language in particular sings. As with Edwards' previous novel, the beating heart of the tale is the love between Richard and Anne; tender and achingly beautiful as it is, it thankfully never veers into Mills & Boon territory. It is a visceral, real, honest love, deep and binding. No wonder, then, that some of the most searingly heartbreaking passages in the book occur as Anne's illness progresses, and at its fatal conclusion. Richard's agonies are painful to read, but more haunting still are Anne's own reflections as she faces her fate; her child-like reminiscences of idyll past sear into the mind and are not easily forgotten. Powerful, too, are the passages in which Richard is tormented by what action to take over his nephews; his turmoil is palpable.

When we embark on the dusty road to Bosworth, armour clanking in our ears and the sweat of soldiers ripe in our nostrils, we find that, as is customary with Edwards, the battle scenes are both suitability harrowing and impeccably researched. Mediaeval warfare was cruel and horrific, and no punches are pulled here. Richard's torment as he rides into battle is heart-wrenching, particularly as we know what lies ahead; we have come to care so greatly for Richard that we will the outcome to be different, however futile.

Once again, Rhoda Edwards has breathed life and colour into men and women long dead, and once again the pull is irresistible. She fleshes out the historical record so skillfully, we feel the drama, pain and emotions of her subjects acutely. Both of her Richard III novels were written in the 1970s and have been out of print for decades; what a joy it is that they are now available once more. Both are essential reading for anyone with an interest in Richard or this fascinating period in history.

A hauntingly beautiful novel, not to be missed.

My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy, given in exchange for an honest review.
...more

Like · see review

Apr 13, 2016 Ophelia Sings rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Of course, the problem with any novel about the life of Richard III is that we know how the story ends. The skill of the author lies in the way we are guided on the road to Bosworth, and in Some Touch Of Pity, Rhoda Edwards takes us on a heartbreaking, joyous, vibrant, sumptuous, memorable journey, culminating irrevocably as it does on that bloody battlefield in August 1485.

Like its equally wonderful prequel Fortune's Wheel, which charts Richard's life from 1468 to 1472, Some Touch Of Pity paint
Of course, the problem with any novel about the life of Richard III is that we know how the story ends. The skill of the author lies in the way we are guided on the road to Bosworth, and in Some Touch Of Pity, Rhoda Edwards takes us on a heartbreaking, joyous, vibrant, sumptuous, memorable journey, culminating irrevocably as it does on that bloody battlefield in August 1485.

Like its equally wonderful prequel Fortune's Wheel, which charts Richard's life from 1468 to 1472, Some Touch Of Pity paints Richard as a man with both flaws and strengths - a decent man in many respects, but very much the product of the era in which he lived, when life was often cheap and treachery lay around every corner. Once again, Edwards' portrait of Richard is sympathetically drawn, yet balanced; he is neither the perfect prince as portrayed by some fervent Ricardians, nor the nightmarish crookback of his detractors.

Here, we witness the life of Richard during the tumultuous final two years of his life through the eyes of those who came into his orbit, and the ill-fated King himself. These voices echo down the centuries and ring with authenticity; the sights, sounds and smells of Richard's world are richly evoked, and the language in particular sings. As with Edwards' previous novel, the beating heart of the tale is the love between Richard and Anne; tender and achingly beautiful as it is, it thankfully never veers into Mills & Boon territory. It is a visceral, real, honest love, deep and binding. No wonder, then, that some of the most searingly heartbreaking passages in the book occur as Anne's illness progresses, and at its fatal conclusion. Richard's agonies are painful to read, but more haunting still are Anne's own reflections as she faces her fate; her child-like reminiscences of idyll past sear into the mind and are not easily forgotten. Powerful, too, are the passages in which Richard is tormented by what action to take over his nephews; his turmoil is palpable.

When we embark on the dusty road to Bosworth, armour clanking in our ears and the sweat of soldiers ripe in our nostrils, we find that, as is customary with Edwards, the battle scenes are both suitability harrowing and impeccably researched. Mediaeval warfare was cruel and horrific, and no punches are pulled here. Richard's torment as he rides into battle is heart-wrenching, particularly as we know what lies ahead; we have come to care so greatly for Richard that we will the outcome to be different, however futile.

Once again, Rhoda Edwards has breathed life and colour into men and women long dead, and once again the pull is irresistible. She fleshes out the historical record so skillfully, we feel the drama, pain and emotions of her subjects acutely. Both of her Richard III novels were written in the 1970s and have been out of print for decades; what a joy it is that they are now available once more. Both are essential reading for anyone with an interest in Richard or this fascinating period in history.

A hauntingly beautiful novel, not to be missed.

My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy, given in exchange for an honest review.
...more

Like · see review