Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her house-hold for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou's close friend and a Lancaster supporter - until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV. Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines.
The Lady of the Rivers (Cousins War 3)
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
.
About the Author
Philippa Gregory was an established historian and writer when she discovered her interest in the Tudor period and wrote the internationally bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl. Now she is looking at the family that preceded the Tudors: the magnificent Plantaganets, a family of complex rivalries, loves, and hatreds. Her other great interest is the charity that she founded nearly twenty years ago: Gardens for The Gambia. She has raised funds and paid for 140 wells for the primary schools of this poor African country. A former student of Sussex university, and a PhD and Alumna of the Year 2009 of Edinburgh University, her love for history and commitment to historical accuracy are the hallmarks of her writing. She lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire. She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
92 of 95 people found the following review helpful
By Shazjera
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
On this magical fictional journey (based on fact) through history, we get to experience Jacquetta's life by her side.
Before we begin the story there are family trees (if you read my reviews you will know I love to see a family tree!) detailing the houses of York, Lancaster and Tudor in the summer of 1430.
The story begins in a cell in Castle Beaurevoir (1430) where we see Jacquetta become friends with Joan of Arc and then we journey with her through her marriage to John, the Duke of Bedford and on to her life as the wife of Richard Woodville and confidant to Queen Margaret.
As the Duke of Bedford's wife we see her welcomed in London and obeying his rules. Throughout her marriage to Richard we see her grow as a woman with much importance in her own relationship as well as that alongside Queen Margaret.
We see what happens in a man's world when a woman walks to the beat of her own drum and experience betrayal and deaths. The fear of living on the edge, not knowing who you can turn to is a page turner in itself!
History really does come to life in this book with the rival cousins at court ...with all the politics and alliances that are made and broken and the day-to-day living at court. We get a brief glimpse of how the peasants/commoners live and a chance to spend time at the edge of a battle.
I thought that Joan of Arc's demise was powerfully portrayed as seen from Jacquetta's perspective.
I really enjoyed our journey into alchemy and was heartbroken with Jacquetta when she heard the song of Melusina. This aspect of the gift she inherits, a song likened to that of the music of the spheres, is torture. Not enough time to do anything constructive but the knowledge that a family member will be leaving this earth.... Read more ›
Before we begin the story there are family trees (if you read my reviews you will know I love to see a family tree!) detailing the houses of York, Lancaster and Tudor in the summer of 1430.
The story begins in a cell in Castle Beaurevoir (1430) where we see Jacquetta become friends with Joan of Arc and then we journey with her through her marriage to John, the Duke of Bedford and on to her life as the wife of Richard Woodville and confidant to Queen Margaret.
As the Duke of Bedford's wife we see her welcomed in London and obeying his rules. Throughout her marriage to Richard we see her grow as a woman with much importance in her own relationship as well as that alongside Queen Margaret.
We see what happens in a man's world when a woman walks to the beat of her own drum and experience betrayal and deaths. The fear of living on the edge, not knowing who you can turn to is a page turner in itself!
History really does come to life in this book with the rival cousins at court ...with all the politics and alliances that are made and broken and the day-to-day living at court. We get a brief glimpse of how the peasants/commoners live and a chance to spend time at the edge of a battle.
I thought that Joan of Arc's demise was powerfully portrayed as seen from Jacquetta's perspective.
I really enjoyed our journey into alchemy and was heartbroken with Jacquetta when she heard the song of Melusina. This aspect of the gift she inherits, a song likened to that of the music of the spheres, is torture. Not enough time to do anything constructive but the knowledge that a family member will be leaving this earth.... Read more ›
79 of 82 people found the following review helpful
By EleanorB
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having read the first two books in the Cousins' War Trilogy, and having been desperately disappointed by them both, I sent away for this one more in hope than anticipation. However, I was pleasantly surprised as this represents a return to something like form with a tale which is character driven, historically vibrant and slightly less focussed on magic, although that element remains.
Jacquetta's arrival on the world stage into the turmoil of Joan of Arc's short lived but successful career as a king maker, is extremely well done. Even in an age accustomed to almost daily brutality, the cruelty of Joan's trial and execution was acute and shocking to its witnesses, one of whom gruesomely is Jacquetta. Joan was judicially murdered by men who could not stomach her gender and her achievements. There is no doubt that the young Jacquetta, although high born and wealthy, will also be subject to male control. Swept up by the all powerful Duke of Bedford, for reasons other than lust, her odd first marriage and early widowhood give way to what seems, historically, to have been something of a medieval coup for a woman whose marriage was a matter of state policy - a love match with Richard Woodville, paid for with no more than a hefty fine. As the fruitful Lady Rivers, she soon finds herself back in the maelstrom of royal politics when she becomes lady in waiting to young Margaret of Anjou, bride of the fragile, inadequate and easily dominated King Henry VI. Margaret's need for love, for an heir and for support to keep her ailing husband on his throne, lead inexorably to the Wars of the Roses.... Read more ›
Jacquetta's arrival on the world stage into the turmoil of Joan of Arc's short lived but successful career as a king maker, is extremely well done. Even in an age accustomed to almost daily brutality, the cruelty of Joan's trial and execution was acute and shocking to its witnesses, one of whom gruesomely is Jacquetta. Joan was judicially murdered by men who could not stomach her gender and her achievements. There is no doubt that the young Jacquetta, although high born and wealthy, will also be subject to male control. Swept up by the all powerful Duke of Bedford, for reasons other than lust, her odd first marriage and early widowhood give way to what seems, historically, to have been something of a medieval coup for a woman whose marriage was a matter of state policy - a love match with Richard Woodville, paid for with no more than a hefty fine. As the fruitful Lady Rivers, she soon finds herself back in the maelstrom of royal politics when she becomes lady in waiting to young Margaret of Anjou, bride of the fragile, inadequate and easily dominated King Henry VI. Margaret's need for love, for an heir and for support to keep her ailing husband on his throne, lead inexorably to the Wars of the Roses.... Read more ›
47 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Third in the Cousins' War series this novel concentrates on Jaquetta, mother of the White Queen,Elizabeth Woodville.It is not necessary to read the other two books first,they each stand alone.
This is a sweeping story covering Jaquetta's early life in France where she meets Joan of Arc, a marriage of convenience when she marries an English Duke and one for love to Richard Woodville of Grafton Manor, Northamptonshire.She has gifts which enable her see the future, and with her intellect, beauty and ambition she soon becomes a leading figure in the royal court of Margaret of Anjou and the ailing Henry VIth.
A huge amount of research has been put into the writing which supports the romantic aspects of the novel and make them credible.The rival dynasties of Lancaster and York fight for power while the people of England suffer immense poverty .If you yawned your way through the never ending Wars of the Roses at school, as I did, this book certainly puts meat on the bones . It is worth reading for the historical detail and the fascinating thread of alchemy and witchcraft which runs through this and earlier novels by Philippa Gregory.
This is a sweeping story covering Jaquetta's early life in France where she meets Joan of Arc, a marriage of convenience when she marries an English Duke and one for love to Richard Woodville of Grafton Manor, Northamptonshire.She has gifts which enable her see the future, and with her intellect, beauty and ambition she soon becomes a leading figure in the royal court of Margaret of Anjou and the ailing Henry VIth.
A huge amount of research has been put into the writing which supports the romantic aspects of the novel and make them credible.The rival dynasties of Lancaster and York fight for power while the people of England suffer immense poverty .If you yawned your way through the never ending Wars of the Roses at school, as I did, this book certainly puts meat on the bones . It is worth reading for the historical detail and the fascinating thread of alchemy and witchcraft which runs through this and earlier novels by Philippa Gregory.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I used to love Philippa Gregory. Unfortunately everything she now publishes is rushed, poorly written and badly edited. Her readers aren't stupid - the dialogue is banal and clunky in some places as she spells out who is who through it. For example, "you know Richard, Duke of York is coming." Then two pages later, "Richard, Duke of York is here". Fine a couple of times, but this goes on through the whole book - surely by the end we know who is for York and who is for Lancaster. And I'm fairly sure the characters don't need reminding that their cousin or whoever is Duke or Earl of wherever.
I enjoyed the story though - Jacquetta's life is very interesting and it's nice reading fiction about a woman who's not 'over-done' eg. Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I. I just keep wishing every time a new PG book comes out that she will have taken her time, not been pushed by the publishers to release it, and is not just writing by numbers. Unfortunately she is a long way from her earlier (excellent) novels such as Meridon, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Queen's Fool etc.
This isn't her worst (that prize definitely goes to 'The Other Queen' which I couldn't even finish. But by no means is it her best either.
I enjoyed the story though - Jacquetta's life is very interesting and it's nice reading fiction about a woman who's not 'over-done' eg. Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I. I just keep wishing every time a new PG book comes out that she will have taken her time, not been pushed by the publishers to release it, and is not just writing by numbers. Unfortunately she is a long way from her earlier (excellent) novels such as Meridon, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Queen's Fool etc.
This isn't her worst (that prize definitely goes to 'The Other Queen' which I couldn't even finish. But by no means is it her best either.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 194 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant Read
I chose to give this 5 stars as it gives an insight to the struggles that went on between the war of the roses
Published 6 hours ago by ann
4.0 out of 5 stars
A page turner
I have been making my way through the 'cousins war' series due to the BBC adaptation of 'The White Queen'. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Pepper
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another brilliant novel in the series
The Cousins War series is a joy to read and gives a brilliant insight into the lives of the women behind the men of the Wars of the Roses.
Published 1 day ago by Miss Sarah Spencer
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Lady of the Rivers
Bought this as part of the Cousins War series by Philippa Gregory. They are all excellent and well worth
a read. I've read it three times! Read more
a read. I've read it three times! Read more
Published 7 days ago by Rosemary Oconnell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lady of the Rivers
Another good read from Phillipa Gregory, who never seems to fail to produce a well written and researched, absorbing historical novel.
Published 7 days ago by Butler john
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good but I preferred Tthe White Queen)
I enjoyed this book but I am not keen on the continual references to magic. However, that said, I love the author and this is yet another book that I couldn't put down. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Kate
4.0 out of 5 stars
Business as usual
Philippa Gregorys usual high standard. Not a period of history I was very familiar with so learned some new bits of history and clarified others.
Published 8 days ago by D. Humble
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love these books
Cant now wait for the tv series to start! The Lady of the Rivers is a fascinating insight to our history.
Published 10 days ago by Jacqui C
5.0 out of 5 stars
A compelling read
I really enjoyed the book. It maintained interest throughout.
I was drawn on to read further to see how the twists of fate would affect each character and their part in the... Read more
I was drawn on to read further to see how the twists of fate would affect each character and their part in the... Read more
Published 11 days ago by Geordielass
5.0 out of 5 stars
you must read them all!
so looking forward to the white queen on TV soon as this set are great and you do need to read the trology to understand the interplay betwen the characters and ideally read this... Read more
Published 11 days ago by K. Upcraft
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Fiction > Historical
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
