The Kingmaker's Daughter

Title The Kingmakers Daughter
Author Philippa Gregory
Published by Simon & Schuster in 2012
Page Count 433 (including Author's Note and Bibliography)

(From the publishers website) 'I have lost my father in battle, my sister to Elizabeth Woodville's spy, my brother-in-law to Elizabeth Woodville's executioner, my nephew to her poisoner, and now my son to her curse...'
The gripping and ultimately tragic story of Anne Neville and her sister Isabel, the daughters of the Earl of Warwick, the most powerful magnate in England through the Cousins' Wars. In the absence of a son and heir, he ruthlessly uses the two girls as pawns but they, in their own right, are thoughtful and powerful actors.
Against the backdrop of the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne turns from a delightful child growing up in intimacy and friendship with the family of Richard Duke of York to become ever more fearful and desperate as her father's enemies turn against her, the net closes in and there is, in the end, simply nowhere she can turn, no one she can trust with her life.

* I briefly use Philippa Gregory 'The Women of the Cousins' War' for reference.

My Review 

I was really excited about the release of this book, it was in my possession the day of release. So far I've absolutely loved The Cousins' war series. This installment focuses on the lives of Anne and Isabel Neville the tragic daughters of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick also known as the 'Kingmaker'. The story is told from Anne's point of view, starting in her childhood and following through to her death.

I found The Kingmakers Daughter especially interesting after having previously read The White Queen which focuses on Elizabeth Woodville. As this story is told by Anne, Elizabeth now becomes an enemy and we see her in a whole new light (not all of it positive). That's the great thing about Gregory's Cousin's War series, you read one version of events and in the next one everything is turned on its head and  you realize that no one was safe or indeed innocent in this time of plotting, political intrigue and conspiracies.

I personally found Anne to be a very likeable character and ultimately tragic heroine. Throughout her life she is used as a pawn by her father, her mother in law and her husbands. She is also imprisoned by her sister and abandoned by her mother. Through this, and through out the story, she grows into a strong woman in her own right. She becomes hardened to the intrigues of a selfish and unsafe court, yet she still has a tender side, which we see through her love for her only son and for her, one time rescuer, husband Richard.

I have found with a few of Gregory's books, so far, that I get to a certain point and have to stop reading for a few days for what ever reason. In this book it was because of a particular scene at sea where Anne's sister Isabel goes into labour. For me it was hard to read, however it may not be the same for everyone. After a few days I picked the book up again and couldn't put it back down.

Gregory, in my eyes, always excels in her evocation of court life, political intrigue, and the inside story of women who helped to shape the course of history. However, her historical accuracy is often called into question. Gregory openly admits, in her non fiction book 'The Women of the Cousins' War', that she "researches real characters in the real past and then speculates about their emotions, motives and unconscious desires". After all "history isn't purely fact, nor fiction purely imaginary". This book is certainly an enjoyable and interesting read.