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Blood & Roses by Catherine Hokin

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Vanessa
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4378
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Blood & Roses by Catherine Hokin

Post by Vanessa » Fri May 11th, 2018, 10:36 am

Blood & Roses by Catherine Hokin

Blood and Roses tells the story of Margaret of Anjou (1430-82), wife of Henry VI and a key protagonist in the Wars of the Roses. This is a feminist revision of a woman frequently imagined only as the shadowy figure demonised by Shakespeare - Blood and Roses examines Margaret as a Queen unable to wield the power and authority she is capable of, as a wife trapped in marriage to a man born to be a saint and as a mother whose son meets a terrible fate she has set in motion. It is the story of a woman caught up in the pursuit of power, playing a game ultimately no one can control...


My Review:

A fascinating account of the life of Margaret of Anjou beginning with her wedding to King Henry VI in 1445 at the age of 15, leading to her involvement in the War of the Roses and her eventual exile in France in 1481.

I thought this was a well put together and nicely paced retelling of such an ambitious and formidable queen's role in history. The research and effort which has gone into it is admirable. The story is told in a straight-forward, uncomplicated and easy to follow style. I found it an entertaining and imaginative interpretation which kept me turning the pages. It certainly brought Margaret to life for me.

A very interesting, absorbing and enjoyable read - it's an excellent piece of story telling! I think fans of Philippa Gregory and Jean Plaidy would like this one.
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Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

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