Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, August 9, 2016.
Four Stars
In this newest installment of Philippa Gregory’s
Plantagenet/Tudor series, the narrator is Princess Margaret, daughter of Henry
VII and sister to the infamous Henry VIII. Margaret, Henry and their sister
Mary are the first generation of Tudors, following the uniting of royal
families after the War of the Roses. As the novel begins, Margaret is only
twelve years old, and she is a petulant and selfish pre-teen as she waits for
her moment to shine over her siblings. We often forget how young these little
kings and queens were, but here Margaret is presented truthfully, as the child
that she was.
The three queens of the title are Margaret, her
sister Mary, and finally Katherine of Aragon, first wife to Henry VIII. After
Margaret becomes queen of Scotland, Mary leaves to rule France, and Katherine
marries Henry in England. The three women are queens, but they are sisters
first – regardless of the conflict between them. They are rivals throughout,
and each one does their best to be the most important in the world of politics.
As we read the letters between the girls, we watch them grow up – although Margaret
never really loses her naivety.
Even when the sisters despise each other, family
loyalty always comes first. Their fortunes move up and down – when one girl
find success, the others face tragedy – but ultimately it is the Tudor name
that they all wish to protect. Katherine has Margaret’s husband killed, but then
loses her own child – the result is that widowed Margaret’s son becomes heir to
the Tudor throne. There aren’t really any spoilers in this well-documented
historical period, although Margaret is not usually the focus. It is Gregory’s
character building that makes this novel special – Margaret becomes a real,
relatable woman, while remaining grounded in her historical context.
Surrounded by betrayal, danger and shocking loss, the
only constant in Margaret’s life is her sisters. My only complaint is that it
would have been nice to see the world from the perspectives of Mary and
Katherine as well. We only really get to know them through their letters, as
interpreted by Margaret. She is whiny and entitled, although somehow still
sympathetic. It is a very limiting point of view, almost like reading a
teenager’s diary. Margaret is self-centred and annoying, but she does feel
real.
Margaret is obsessed with the hierarchy, and she is
willing to sacrifice everything to come out on top. It’s understandable when
giving birth to the next king of England is her only opportunity to raise herself
up above the female roles of the time period. Margaret is selfish, proud and
ambitious – much like her brother Henry VIII. Unlikeable characters are always
more interesting, but I still think there could have been more complexity to
Margaret’s voice.
Like all of Gregory’s novels, this one is an
entertaining blend of fact and fiction. It’s interesting to learn more about
Margaret, who often gets eclipsed by her more famous brother and his many
wives. Margaret, however, is also a very important part of history – Mary,
Queen of Scots is her direct descendant. As demonstrated in this novel,
Margaret did recognize that a woman could be more than a wife and mother, and
she did her best to overcome traditional roles. There were many interesting
scenes, although parts of the novel could have moved a bit faster. However, if
you’re a fan of Gregory’s novels, this one is another great chapter in the
Tudor family story.
I received this book from Touchstone/Simon &
Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
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