Philippa Gregory - the Red Queen

review by Maggie Perkovic on show 7/10/10
A FEW WEEKS AGO I REVIEWED THE WHITE QUEEN BY THE SAME AUTHOR, WHERE WE LEARNT OF ELIZABETH WOODVILLE WHO MARRIED EDWARD 1V AND GAVE BIRTH TO SEVERAL GIRLS BEFORE BEARING THE TWO LITTLE PRINCES WHO WERE LATER IMPRISONED IN THE TOWER.
THIS IS THE STORY OF MARGARET BEAUFORT WHO GAVE BIRTH TO HENRY TUDOR FATHER OF HENRY V111.
IT IS ALSO THE STORY OF THE WARS OF THE ROSES, THE YORKS AND THE LANCASTERS AND WHY YORKSHIRE AND LANCASHIRE WILL NEVER BE FRIENDS!!
MARGARET BEAUFORT WAS MARRIED AT 13 TO EDMOND TUDOR AND GAVE BIRTH AT 14, THE BIRTH WAS SO TRAUMATIC AND SO DANGEROUS SHE BARELY SURVIVED AND WAS NEVER ABLE TO BEAR ANOTHER CHILD. SHE LOST HER HUSBAND IN ONE OF THE MANY BATTLES THAT RAGED AND SOON AFTER HER MOTHER ARRANGED ANOTHER MARRIAGE TO SIR HENRY STAFFORD WHO AGAIN IS MUCH OLDER BUT APART FROM A RELUCTANCE TO FIGHT UNDERSTANDABLY REALLY THEY GET ON QUITE WELL.
THE SAD THING IS HER BABY IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE WITH HER BUT IS UNDER THE GUARDIANSHIP OF HER BROTHER IN LAW JASPER TUDOR, WHO PROTECTS HIM AND FINALLY FLEES ABROAD FEARING DANGER FROM THE YORKISTS AS HE IS A CONTENDER FOR THE THRONE.
THE RED QUEEN AS MARGARET IS CALLED IS UNHAPPY AT THE WAY HER LIFE IS ORDERED, SHE REALLY WITHED TO DEVOTE IT TO PRAYER. HER IDOL IS JOAN OF ARC BUT AS HER MOTHER SUCCINCTLY EXPLAINS, HER PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO MARRY WELL AND BEAR SONS, AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. SHE PROTESTS THAT IS NOT WHAT SHE WANTS BUT AS HER MOTHER SAYS WHAT ELSE IS SHE GOOD FOR?? SO THEN GROWS HER DESIRE TO REGAIN THE THRONE FOR THE LANCASTERS HENRY V1, HER SAINTED COUSIN IS OUT OF HIS WITS MOST OF THE TIME AND AS EDWARD 1V TAKES THE THRONE FROM HIM ONLY TO DIE AFTERWARDS, SHE THINKS THE TIME IS APPROACHING.
THE FINAL CHAPTERS ARE THRILLING, AS THE BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN UP BETWEEN HER SON HENRY TUDOR AND RICHARD 111 WHO HAS SEIZED THE THRONE FROM THE HEIR, EDWARDS SON, HER 3RD HUSBAND STANLEY IS TORN BETWEEN THE TWO CONTESTANTS AND ONLY DECIDES AT THE LAST MOMENT WHO TO SUPPORT.
IT IS A WELL WRITTEN AND ENGROSSING PART OF HISTORY THE AUTHOR ADMITS TO SOME FICTION BEING ADDED TO THE TRUE HISTORICAL FACTS IT IN NO WAY DETRACTS FROM AN EXCITING AND RIVETING READ.
review by Mags