General Chat

The Red Queen By Phillipa Gregory

After reading The White Queen I was not disappointed and I am an avid reader of anything by her.
I do enjoy this era, 14century and thought Margaret a very strong but formidable person in her determination to see her son Henry made king.
Likewise, the princes in the tower is a mystery that I would love to see solved but its always interesting reading different variations on what happened, esp with the swap from the White Queen.
Picture Perfect is at my parents house so didn't want to buy as I will be on the Isle of Man next week and will bring it home with me.
x Jill

Picture Perfect by Jodie Picoult

I still haven't decided if I actually liked this book or not. I did like the character of Will the Native American Police Officer. The other characters I didn't particular find likable and I did struggle to finish the book to get it back to the library without getting an overdue fine.

The Red Queen by Phillipa Gregory

Firstly getting hold of this book from the local library took some doing as it was out the first three times I tried to borrow it. I do have to say that this and a little earlier (14th century England) are my favourite periods of history. I enjoyed this book actually more than The White Queen, I think Margaret actually was a very strong person, with what she had to endure through her life. What a horrid thing to have to live without seeing your child for years at a time.

Michelle

I prefer to do mine first and then have a read as well Tess - good to see another point of view and often looking at a book from a different perspective.

Strange thing re Villa in Italy - I got a copy from the library ages ago and the cover looked familiar and there is a book by Jane Smiley (can't remember the name of it) and it had the same cover. Guess that is recycling for you.

Persey

Have just read your reviews ladies ( I don't like to read the reviews till I have added my own).

Lovely to see a review of "The Villa in Italy" sounds compelling. I voted for this last time, will now try to get it next time I go to the Library (after our votes on here).

Tess

Review

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult.

I hadn't read any of Jodi Picoult's books before reading this one. So hadn't got any prior expectations.

The opening chapter grabbed my interest. I was immediately concerned with both the mystery woman and William Flying Horse.

I thought that the charecter of Alex was complex and for a little while (like Cassie) was quite sorry for him. However, once I found that he had no real intention of changing and would continue his abusive behaviour as long as he could get away with it, my sympathies vanished.
I enjoyed the chapters with Will's grandparents, a real time of flowering for Cassie.

I wanted her to be able to stand on her own two feet - or even stand on her own two feet - beside Will - asap.

Although I enjoyed the story while reading it, and consider it well written. it isn't a story which will remain with me for a long time
Very pleased that I read it though, and will probably read more books by the same author.

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

I found it difficult to discriminate between The Red Queen --- the book and The Red Queen - - - the woman.

The book is about Margret Beaufort, (the red queen ), great-great grand-daughter of Edward 111, and mother of Henry V11 (Henry Tudor)

Margaret Beaufirt/Tudor, the adult, was a difficult person to like. She seemed single minded (would do anything to make sure that her son, Henry, became King) and self-delusional (everything she did was God's will, and therefore not a sin).
The story itself was interesting, but of course it IS fiction, even if well researched and based on fact.
I thought quite a bit about Margaret, after reading the book, and now feel rather sorry for her, especially the twelve year old (seemingly friendless) child - sent to an unfamiliar place to marry and have a child by a much older stranger.
Margaret's view of her own place in the world centered on her son becoming king. Anything standing in her way, just had to be swept aside.

Basically an interesting read based on a dramatic era in British History.
I had somehow to not only get the story from margaret's point of view, but also to side with her somewhat.
This just did not happen, interesting book, stern, unlikeable woman.

Perhaps if I read it again, I will try to put myself in her place a little more and see if I can join her in her world.

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Whilst I was waiting for this book from the library I read another one of her books, 'Second Glance', which I found it difficult to get into so I was a little worried but this one caught my interest from the start. I found the story believable, the way Cassie was slowly drawn into accepting Alex's abuse and her difficulties in escaping it. 'Second Glance' had an American Indian theme as well and I found it interesting in this book the way Picoult links the theme of escape, for Cassie from abuse and for Will from his negative feelings towards his background. I love Picoult's imagery, the way it seems to point towards future events, such as when Cassie tries on her wedding dress and looks into a cracked mirror “seeing my face split into halves that did not quite line up.” Yes, I will probably look out for more of her books.

I'm still waiting for the Red Queen- but I'm sure I shall love it when I do read it! (or maybe not after reading the other reports)

Be back later it's to late the day for my brain to work

Be back later it's to late the day for my brain to work

Tess check the Kindle thread re talking books etc.

The Red Queen.
I read this right to the end but I didn't enjoy it. Too much hand to hand combat by people wanting to eliminate the competition involved with being King - and a woman who never gave up the fight to put her son on the throne.

Picture Perfect
I did enjoy this book and I was pleased with the ending. Cassie gave Alex every chance but he let her down and she could see he would always be the same. It was good to see that she had the courage to walk away.

Picture Perfect by Jodi Piccoult.

An enjoyable read – should be recommended to those suffering from abuse and the breaking of the cycle of abuse. The reference made to the American Indians was informative to anyone who does not know their history. The whole story was completely believable - nothing was romanticized, it not only reflects the film star persona and their relationships but a gamut of such relationships in most countries. It goes on everywhere and is very sad.


The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

I do like her books – and especially the Boleyn ones (a lot easier to read) but not so keen on White Queen or Red Queen. I did not like the supernatural powers of the White Queen (Elizabeth Woodville did not have such a gift) and The Red Queen is not Joan of Arc no matter how much the book keeps mentioning her. This book was from the other perspective but seemed to lack in historical detail and has quite a few inaccuracies but enjoys all the battles and family rivalry, but then it is fiction. As wife of Edmund Tudor (Earl of Richmond) she was known as the Countess of Richmond but little is said of her title – I would have thought that by her very nature that she would expect everyone to address her as such.
How would I have coped with expecting to have a child at the age of 13, endure all that pain and then leave the child behind and be subjected to another marriage? It does not bear thinking about.
I believe Elizabeth’s mother will be the subject/title of the ? next book. I guess having a template for the era and the shifting of the furniture to suit the cast and mood of players gives production to many novels or am I being a tad cynical?

Ann
Regarding Elizabeth Edmonson's Villa in Italy - I really enjoy her books and I thoroughly enjoyed that one, think I read it last year sometime.

I too like Ruth Hamilton but have not read "The Reading Room" so have entered it in my note book and will read it.

Cheers Persey

Will be back later (or possibly tomorrow morning)

Tess

Will be back later

– The Reading room by Ruth Hamilton

At first glance I thought this was going to be a lighter novel. After the first few pages I realised that I was wrong. This is a novel about people, about relationships and about village life in general. Well mostly it is. However, there is a darker thread running through it. Why is Lily incognito in the village, why does Babs join her and why is Lily obsessed with little Cass. Why are they frightened of being ‘found’.
There is romance, comedy, religious politics, and a hint of crime and it is all beautifully written. I enjoyed it she writes her characters so well. I especially liked the character of Mike the mad priest and of Enid the nosey, lonely old woman.
I have read books by Ruth Hamilton before but I think this was one of her best.

10 The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

I definitely would not have liked to have lived in those times. What a disloyal lot they were.
I found the book very interesting from a historic point of view as I really had no real idea of the shenanigans that went on during the Plantagenets. It took a lot of concentration to sort out all the comings and goings. An enjoyable read from that point of view but I did suffer from mental indigestion at one point as there seemed to be too much to take in. I suspect that is why I knew nothing about the period as I would have switched off when learning about it at school. (And I am sure we did).
Margaret Beaufort, I can’t decide whether she had the good of the country/Lancastrians at heart or her own selfish need to be important. She was certainly a very determined focused woman.
I wonder what really did happen to the Princes in the Tower, the only part of that period of history of which I was aware.
It was good to read it straight after The White Queen as one balanced out the other. Very well researched I felt.

I was on holiday during this time so read four of the suggested books.

Picture Perfect by Jodi Piccoult Oct – Nov 2010
JP is particularly good at weaving interesting information into her stories and this one doesn’t disappoint. Information is given on both archaeology and Sioux culture and I learnt a lot I didn’t know about both. Archaeological information was of particular information to me as that is what our grandson is studying at Uni.
I am not sure that I think this is one of her better books though as, in some ways, I felt it was a bit predictable.
However, the characters of Cassie, Alex and Will were well developed and believable and I even at one stage started to feel sorry for Alex. I was glad she ended it as she did though. All in all a good holiday read.

Review the Villa in Italy by Elizabeth Edmondson
This was a book I found hard to put down. Within the main story of the mystery as to why four people are summoned to the Villa Dante by the will of Beatrice Malaspina, there are several other stories.
I found the whole book very intriguing and I was trying to solve the problem myself before I reached the end of the book so was totally engrossed. Why were they all there, how did she know them, what clues were there to follow?
As well as the good story line there was plenty of historical interest in the book together with the descriptions of the villa, its gardens etc and the surrounding area. I loved it and look forward to reading more by this author who was new to me.
Incidentally, because I read it on holiday, my daughter also read it and she too enjoyed it.

From Helen

Helen.

Picture Perfect by Jodie Picoult

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel and enjoyed reading it.

It took me a while to work out that the story was going to be one of marital abuse but I felt it was very well written and, although, fortunately, I have never had experience of this, from what I have read this was well-described.

Throughout most of the novel both Alex and Cassie feel and state that they love each other and try hard to work through this problem and I cheered when Cassie finally felt strong enough to break free from someone she felt in her heart loved her but knew with her head that this couldn't be true. After all, which of us hasn't dreamed of being the love of a celebrity?

Will and the theme of the Native Americans was a bit of a surprise, I wasn't really sure what this had to do with anything. I could see that Cassie needed a saviour of sorts and why not a disgruntled part "Red Indian" but I think it could have been someone from any ethnic background. I understand that Cassie needed somewhere isolated to retreat to and an Indian Reservation was perfect for this: it also gave an insight into what I have read about conditions in some of these communities.

And wasn't Ophelia a scream? Typical of the shallow wannabe movie star we are expected to believe in - but a good friend to Cassie when it mattered.

A good yarn!

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

What an intense, focussed young lady Margaret was. It's difficult for us to imagine what it must have felt like to be raised only to marry well and breed but I think Philippa Gregory describes this well, including Margaret's own feelings, for example, when she discovers that her own mother had given the order that her child should be saved ahead of herself during birth, should this scenario arise.

It's fascinating learning about the Plantagenets and the Tudors and I feel I now know more than I did before, albeit from a fictitious story. I had never heard of Jasper Tudor. Was he real? I now need to look him up!

This book ties in well with the White Queen which we read earlier but I did feel that Philippa Gregory is far more sympathetic to Elizabeth Woodville than to Margaret Tudor! As the two books are part of a series, I wonder if we can expect more?