The Reluctant Queen

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The Reluctant Queen by Jean Plaidy.

This novel chronicles the life of Anne Neville who was the younger daughter of the Earl of Warwick. She was born during the years of the Wars of the Roses . Her childhood home was Middleham Castle in North Yorkshire. A happy childhood was passed here and a frequent visitor was Richard the Duke of Gloucester(the future King Richard III), Anne and he bonded in friendship. Richard was not the robust of boys and excelling at sports was not his forte, unlike his brother, Edward IV who excelled at most tasks.
As the story unfolds Anne's ambitious father , known as the Kingmaker , uses both his daughters as pawns in his quest for power.

Anne's sister Isabel married the King's brother the Duke of Clarence, who was most unsuitable; quite a feckless young man.
Soon it would be Anne's wedding, a merger with Margaret of Anjou's son Edward (one time enemy in the Wars af the Roses). The thought of which repulsed the young girl and her thoughts quickly returned to happy childhood days , with Richard in Middleham Castle... would they ever meet again.


I have read this book as part of the Jean Plaidy Reading Challenge.

Comments

Lezlie said…
This one's up next whenever I get back to the Queens of England series. Sounds like I'm in for a good one!

Lezlie
18 June 2009 at 18:03
Jenny Girl said…
great review Mog!
I've always been kind of partial to Edward IV myself.
19 June 2009 at 01:18
Lucy said…
I absolutely loved this book. It puts Richard in a different light (and we don't get to see that very often). Thanks:)
19 June 2009 at 02:59
Margot said…
You make all these Jean Plaidy books sound so good.
20 June 2009 at 03:22
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