"Son of York" is a historical novel focused on how the Yorks took over the throne during the War of the Roses. Unfortunately, the story moved rather slow, the writing style didn't really do it for me, and none of the characters was all that developed.

Who doesn’t love a family drama that is not your own (raises hand) and after some historical fiction withdrawals I was jonesing for some fireworks from the family of les fleurs. Alas, the stilted storytelling and repetition (numerous references to Jasper Tudor’s angular face) made for a rather dry read. Dialogue is always tricky and I appreciate the authenticity, but the ebb and flow were too awkward and staccato to hold my attention. The character interaction also left me cold, it lacked emotion and urgency, making it hard to root for anyone in particular (even the “bad guy” was underwhelming). Obviously, the subject matter is rich and multilayered, but Son of York was sort of a yawn.

A clear look into the personalities of the York faction of the War(s) of the Roses. Would recommend for casual readers of English history.

Amy Licence brings her academic knowledge of this unique period of English history to life in this story of the young Edward, Earl of March before he became Edward IV.  She intertwines fact with fiction and in doing so gives us an insight into the background to the Wars of the Roses in such a way that it is easy to read.  I liked the fact that Edmund, Earl of Rutland figures quite heavily in the book, as he often seems to get forgotten about.  It must be difficult to make the transition from academic books to fiction ones and if I have one criticism it is that she has tried too hard to make it readable and at times I felt the prose was a little stilted. It's still a good read though, and I'll look forward to the next in the series.

I had been reading too many mystery/thriller/murder books and needed a change of scene. This piece of history gave me all I needed and more. I will be keeping an eye out for this author definitely in the future.

King Henry VI is the monarch at the time. He is unwell and seems to be more suited to a spiritual life. Sad that kings cannot decide what they want to do. He seemed so unfit to be King of a country that was always in turmoil and needed his attention and care. His wife the French queen was not a popular choice and her backers were those who were looked at with suspicion. The Duke of York was a man who felt strongly over the King's role in the country and looked initially to be protector of the King against elements who were dangerous. Over time, with the continuation of the King's absence from Court and the wider influence of the Queen, he sought the position of King for himself.

The story of the Duke of York and his two sons and their rise in fame towards the position of King forms the basis of the story. Told in detail with a great deal of history accounted for, this book is a must for those who like English history.

I enjoyed the telling of it, both from the personal angle of the House of York as well as from the angle of the greater overall picture of the rise of the House of York.

Goodreads and Amazon reviews up on 3/6/2017. Review on my blog mid September 2017.

If you're a fan of Philippa Gregory's writing, then Son of York is definitely for you.  Licence's prose is swift and cinematic - she paints clear pictures of scenes and characters that could very well lend themselves to the screen.  Her writing is very present and has a good sense of flow, and I appreciated how Licence often imparts historical information via dialogue - having us learn the latest court intrigues and alliances that will shape the Yorkists' fate alongside the characters.  In this very present and absorbing narration, we see how political winds shift at the slightest provocations, sending the Duke of York's family headlong into war against combatants supporting the ailing Henry VI and his powerful French queen, Margaret of Anjou.  Eventually, the two families' battle over dynastic claims shifts from debate in council chambers to combat in the field, and the Duke's eldest son Edward finds himself growing into manhood against this hostile backdrop.  We witness him go from a boy shunning his lessons, to a teenager entering into an affair with a young married woman (no doubt a precursor to his philandering ways later in life), to an exile in France, all the way to the head of his household back on English soil, leading armies to support his family's claim to the throne.

All the while, Licence's exploration of the relationship between Edward and his brother Edmund - younger by a year and growing up in Edward's shadow - really piqued my interest.  Looming large in our cultural conscience are Edward's relationships with his other brothers - the ill-fated George, Duke of Clarence, and the infamous Richard III.  Yet, Licence pays careful attention to another fraternal story, shading the contrasts between Edmund and Edward.  She illustrates nicely how two young men of differing temperaments approach a politically precarious situation, and how varyingly they respond to questions of inheritance, leadership, and eventually armed conflict.  Indeed, the novel very well could have been called Sons of York.

However, this is ultimately Edward's story, and as a study of a young man stepping into adulthood, and the royal role he was destined to play, Son of York is an enjoyable read that is tough to put down.

For the full review and more, visit my blog @ https://relativelybookish.wordpress.com/

The Son of York tells the story of the transition from king Henry VI, whose reign has been particular unsteady as he suffered from a mysterious illness leaving him bed-bound and unfit to rule in irregular intervals, to king Edward IV. In those times, when king Henry was unfit to rule, his cousin and one of the most powerful nobles Richard of York stepped in and temporarily governed in his place. The rivals of the House of York, namely the faction lead by the House of Lancaster and the Queen Margaret of Anjou, suspected that Richard of York’s hunger for power and King Henry’s weak condition would tempt him to take the throne for himself. This wariness was further increased as Richard proved to be an able leader and seemingly was more capable than the King himself. Another factor was that Richard’s heritage as a descendant of the Mortimer-line provided him with a claim to the throne that was considered stronger than that of the King by many parties in England.

In this uncertain and heated environment Richard of York and his allies (particularly his cousin the Earl of Warwick) feel unjustly treated for their loyal service. In the Son of York, Richard regularly finds himself in the position to take arms against the Lancasters and the Queen in order to defend his position at court and his family. Especially his two eldest sons Edward and Edmund are eager to prove themselves worthy of their House. While in the beginning the two teenage brothers helplessly watch their father’s struggle against his rivals, they develop a deep-rooted sense of injustice directed against their family. Particularly Edward is keen to take his place beside his father in both arms and parliament to defend their family’s name and honour. Throughout the book, Richard’s increasing frustration with his rivals finally results in a fight for the throne of England rather than the control over the person of the King who seems so susceptible to manipulation. In the erupting conflict, Edward earns a great reputation as a military strategist and diplomat when dealing with other noblemen. After both his father and younger brother Edmund are killed by the Lancasters, Edward directs his rage against his enemies and reaches out to defend his right to the throne of England.

I really enjoyed the good narration of the historical facts, however the scenes described are rather short (especially in the beginning). So, I felt like being on fast-forward through the historical events instead of being gripped by a well-laid-out story. In particular, the dialogs seem too stiff and repetitive. Mostly these feature the events that have been described only too briefly in the story which made them rather unrealistic considering the turbulent environment, especially when the young children talk among themselves and with their mother. Also, I was irritated about how much of the book focused on insulting the Queen and her allies, rather than describing the differences and intrigues/ schemes/ tactics of the opposing factions in more detail, which would have been way more interesting.

In conclusion, I really liked the different perspective on the Wars of the Roses, which is an exciting time of British history. The narration was really good, even though too brief in places, which prevented me to be drawn into the story. While especially the development of the characters and their relationships, as well as the dialogs were rather weak, I still liked the book and believe it to be a good addition to the historical fiction genre covering this part of history.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Perhaps it is because I am a princess that I am fascinated by the last vestiges of the Plantagenets as the War of the Roses winds to an end.  So much lately has been written about Richard III that disputes the popular misconceptions that were first told and retold by the victors, the Tudors.  Knowing on which side his bread was buttered, Shakespeare did much to reinforce the defamations of character.  But it never would have come to Richard had not his father and his brother risked so much to make sure that their claims to the Throne were not usurped.
This historical novel is based on the youth of Edward IV and his family.  Like so many historically based stories, it is left to the reader to decide how much is true and how much is pure fiction.  No doubt however, much of what is written is based on fact.  King Henry, when he was not completely out of. It,  was a joke of a monarch.  He was completely manipulated by his queen and her minions.  Whoever happened to have his body at the time was declared his successor.  It was only when the queen decided to destroy the House of York that arms were raised against Henry and Edward ascended the Throne.  Those of us who have read history know Henry does not meet a good end.
However that might be another book.  This one only reaches Edward's rise to power.  Despite knowing what was going to happen, the story is told in a suspenseful way that keeps the reader interested.  I read a copy of the book that was not the final edit so my observation that I had to reread some sections to figure out what was being said might be unfair.  It was the thing that makes me give this a less than stellar review.
However, all things considered, I still give it four purrs and one paw up.

‘’We fight our own battles.’’ 

One of the most well-known and fascinating monarchs in English History is Edward IV, brother to Richard III. In a land where most monarchs have made their mark- in a positive or negative way- his popularity certainly speaks for itself. His life, marriage and political acuteness have made him a figure that inspired some of the finest lines by Shakespeare in Richard III and became the focus of many books in the Historical fiction genre. Amy Licence’s Son of York is one more example.

Edward’s significance becomes more important when we consider that he was actually the first king of England to come from the York family. He married Elizabeth Woodville, causing a great scandal and produced many children who became notable figures in English History. He was believed to be an expert in strategic matters and he brought order to the realms after the long feud between the Houses of York and Lancaster. He was a lover of the Arts and acquired a significant collection manuscripts. Now, this very important man surely provides the material for a good Historical novel, doesn't he? Well, the answer is yes. Almost.

We find ourselves in 1455, when Edward is a boy of thirteen. He is the fearless, fiery, abrupt son of Richard Plantagenet and Cecily, while his favourite brother, Edmund, is the dreamer, the sensible one, the voice of reason. The focus of the story is the way this young man became a king and I found that very clever. The young boy who became king shows all the signs of his future self and Licence creates a very believable, well-composed Edward. All the characters that are in the centre of the narration are interesting and realistically portrayed and the historical events are depicted extremely accurately. This was a very welcome change from what usually happens in books, films and TV series that decide to butcher well-established historical characters just for the sake of viewership and readership. The fact that Licence is a historian certainly helped in retaining a level of historical accuracy that is respectable.The battles and tournament scenes are impactful and well-written and I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of Loveday, an event that has always intrigued me. The romance element is not overwhelming, but it is there and it isn't successful, in my opinion.The women Edward is interested in are not interesting or memorable at all.On the contrary, a relationship that is well-structured and consistent is the one between Richard and Cecily who was my favourite character in the novel.

So, why 3 stars? If you follow my reviews, you’ll have noticed by now that a feature that can make or break a book for me is dialogue. Now, with Historical Fiction, language is a difficult thing to master. It may appear pompous or inappropriately modern. Here, it was a mediocre combination of the two. I had many problems with it, to be honest. From the early stages of the story,the dialogue seems wooden and uninspired, as if the writer took pieces of sentences from The Tudors -or any other pseudo-historical TV shows and films with dubious historical accuracy- and created this. In addition, she attempts to remind the readers of past events by including them in the dialogue only a few pages after said events have taken place right before our eyes. I mean, we don’t forget THAT easily (I hope…) This results in interactions that are awkward, unnatural and, frankly, almost cringeworthy. The constant bickering between York and Edward over matters that have been discussed again and again was too tiring and the frequent use of the phrase ''she-devil'' to refer to Margaret of Anjou was extremely bothersome. It was a pity, really, because the descriptive passages were well-composed, presenting facts naturally and not as a History lesson and the pace was consistent throughout. Perhaps, dialogue isn’t the writer’s strong point.

This was an interesting novel, quite enjoyable and faithful to the people and the events depicted, but it was nothing that we haven’t seen before. When one has much experience by being an avid reader of Historical Fiction, the standards are too high, the expectations too many and Son of York didn’t meet them to the fullest.

Many thanks to Endeavour Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent!