Philippa Gregory

I understand the author’s ambition to write a big historical series out of this genealogy, which I think is interesting enough to be done. But there were problems with a lack of authenticity in these characters because she didn’t do a good enough job letting us know them. When Alinor freaks out at the harvest festival, it was so uncharacteristic of her, then it doesn’t happen again in the story. Why not give us a little more explanation during/after to make it more believable? If it was strength the author was going for, Alinor can still be resolute without this big anomaly. At the end she didn’t convince me that the neighborhood climate would do a 180 turn on Alinor. I wanted more development from Alys too—at this point she’s too flat a character to do what she did in the end.
There’s also some messy editing points that were annoying & should have been caught, like repeating information as if it’s the first time it was said. Sometimes this happens with authors of such renown, as if the editor doesn’t have to still read the text closely.… (more)

I felt like I was watching a formulaic Poirot mystery on TV. Mostly flat characters gathering evidence so the protagonist can reveal the culprit. What's odd is that the incredibly intelligent (we're told) still uncommitted priest who is supposed to be the leader, isn't the one who brings us to the conclusion: it's all of his companions. So we find out he's flawed & is stuck in convention & the trappings of the Church, and his servant has more common sense. But not always. There are too many inconsistencies. I really disliked the opening line where there's an anachronistic simile of "like a hangun going off in his face." The year is 1453 & it is really doubtful that our protagonist from Rome would have had any exposure to handguns. Yes, in Bohemian wars earlier & in France during the Hundred Years' War at Formigny & Castillon. But why use that simile? Is it supposed to be foreshadowing? If so the author doesn't deliver. It makes for an awkward beginning.… (more)

A bit of a mixed bag here. I liked her characterization of Mary - mostly. I didn't really like Hannah - again, mostly. The story had a fantastic concept - a woman with the "sight" who would then be in a perfect position to be present with Edward, Mary and Elizabeth but ALSO show us life as an outsider. It also had moments where the writing "sang" (when Philippa Gregory is "on", she's really "on"). But it didn't fully deliver on the promise because the characters were inconsistent in their strengths, weaknesses and goals. Philippa Gregory books are a little like crappy cakes: you know they're not really good for you, but you eat them anyway. This was not my first PG book; it will not be my last....… (more)

Let me start by saying that Philippa Gregory is one of my guilty pleasures because she gives readers a visceral reaction to her stories. You've heard of the advice "show, don't tell"? PG shows better than most. That said, as a long-term Tudor fan with my own beliefs as to the events of the time, I had an issue with some of her choices and my issues grew over the course of the book. I was fine that she had KP sleeping with Tom Seymour before she married Henry (I don't count that as a spoiler - it happens on page two!), I also accepted her portrayal of KP as not very learned before she married Henry (again, this is quite early in the book and helpful to give us a context for the religious issues) but things went downhill from there.

You want to read this book? Come at it as you would alternative history. Suspend your disbelief and you'll enjoy the story.… (more)