PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION:
'Rebellion?'
The word is a spark. They can start a fire with it, or smother it in their fingertips.
She chooses to start a fire.
You are born high, but marry a traitor's son. You bear him twelve children, carry his cause and bury his past.
You play the game, against enemies who wish you ashes. Slowly, you rise.
You are Cecily.
But when the king who governs you proves unfit, what then?
Loyalty or treason - death may follow both. The board is set. Time to make your first move.
Told through the eyes of its greatest unknown protagonist, this astonishing debut plunges you into the closed bedchambers and bloody battlefields of the first days of the Wars of the Roses, a war as women fight it.

NO SPOILERS
Is it possible to have no spoilers with a book about real historic events? No matter.

My first impression of Annie Garthwaite’s Cecily was uh oh, short, often only three word, sentences and I thought it was going to irritate me; but those short bursts soon set a rhythm of gentleness which drew me in. They were like little asides.

Garthwaite’s style is flowing and easy to read without being “lite” (I hate “lite”) and the language evokes the era without being of that era…no mean feat. The book is written in the present tense, from a third person perspective with such skill that I felt I was in Cecily’s head. There are small details which cleverly express her relationship with the other players without the need for long explanations with even the weather being relevant.

Historically, all is correct from a what happened and when it happened aspect and I like how the reader knows only as much a Cecily knows. However, I would have liked a little more social detail beyond napkins on shoulders, though perhaps with such a vast story to tell, more detail may have necessitated a second volume. I do have a small criticism…there was much netting of fingers and fingers were always long, so a little too much repetition of some phrases and actions for me.

Now, here’s the thing. Any single-figure-focused historical fiction has to involve supposition and imagination and to avoid unlikely suppositions and wild imaginings, vast amounts of research beyond recorded events are essential. I believe Hilary Mantel is the absolute master of this and casts a long, deep shadow but Annie Garthwaite is no dim light in that shadow.


Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK for the complimentary copy of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Anyone who loves 15th Century History will thoroughly revel in every chapter of this Book. Also it shows what many of us know many strong powerful women such as Cecily Neville have been hidden from us ,is this because many men who at one point in time wrote most of our history Books did not want to declare that things would have been so different if it were not for such women! Life even for wealthy women at this time was often fraught with so many dangers ,from being married off when they were still children ,to childbearing with all it's normal dangers but far more because of the conditions in which they lived , to rivalries , Political intrigues of which they were privy too but not expected to act upon ( but through which they often manipulated ) their menfolk. I think what also personally intrigued me reading more about this amazingly strong & resilient woman was that she is linked way down the genealogy line to the maternal side of my husbands family through the maternal line on the Mortimer side .
It is a truly wonderful Book full of fact and fiction .& at the heart of it all spanning Eighty years of her life is this amazing woman Cecily ,whom we should all salute as she plays the powerful of England & of France like she does a game of Chess , & she is no ones Pawn . #FB, #Goodreads,#NetGalley,#Instagram, #Amazon.co.uk#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/c566f42be23a0e25d120e78a3454e2d427c4beee" width="80" height="80" alt="50 Book Reviews" title="50 Book Reviews"/>,#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>.

‘The Rose of Raby’ is Cecily Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, the Earl of Westmorland. This well written and carefully researched historical fiction tells the story of strong women of late medieval times with the central focus on Cecily who marries Richard Plantagenet, the Duke of York. Their story is of love and talk as they navigate the treacherous waters of the mid fifteenth century. The book covers a thirty year period from 1431, starting with the death of Joan of Arc where Cecily demonstrates her strength of character and finishes when her son is crowned Edward IV in 1461.

I really like that the focus is on strong women, there are plenty of them in the Middle Ages but history (written for much of the time by men 😁) has chosen to ignore them until recent years. Here we have Cecily as the centrepiece, also Jacquetta who is married to Richard Woodville the first Earl Rivers and Marguerite of Anjou who marries the hapless (or is that hopeless?!) Henry VI. The characterisation is really good. Cecily is very astute politically, she’s nobody’s fool, is unafraid, she can be very ruthless when she needs to be and has earned her place in history as the mother of two kings - Edward IV and Richard III. Her marriage to Richard is strong, they have respect for each other and Richard is worthy of it. The historical backdrop takes the storytelling to France where English power is waning and Cecily guides and assists Richard in playing ‘French chess’, to England under a weak king who blows with the wind and the last voice who has hissed in his ear and also to Ireland. The turbulent times are captured well with the ruthless political machinations, greed, treachery and the politics of survival as it becomes dangerous for the couple in the form of the Beauforts and Marguerite. The beliefs such as religion and superstition, the difficulties and danger of childbirth are vividly portrayed as Cecily bears 12 (yes 12!) children. There’s treason and humiliation as ambition rises and falls, palpable grief but hope as Edward raises his ‘Sun in Splendour’ banner.

My only reservation lies in the quantity of the characters which I fully appreciate is the nature of this particular historical beast and that this is a very complex period so some historical background knowledge is really helpful although not essential.

Overall, this is a good, well written, meticulously researched and enjoyable read. I admire this strong wise woman who as the author points out in the really good epilogue that Cecily gives a good lesson in how to operate as a woman in a man’s world! I’m hoping there will be a second book as her story is not yet over .......

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK, Viking for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This was a mostly enjoyable book, although it did feel like a bit of a mission to get through in places. There was a nice mix of historical context and a slightly modern feel to the main character. I can only assume that there’s a sequel being lined up, because it ended in the oddest of places otherwise, I really do take issue with the claim that Cecile Neville is a forgotten character - she most certainly isn’t to anyone with even a passing knowledge of medieval history. Nor is this the first historical novel I’ve read about her. Overall, not bad, just a little saggy in places.

Annie Garthwaite takes us back into the 15th century in this grippen historical novel. “Cecily” is indeed the perfect read for Women’s History Month as it’s main character is a woman of power and intelligence. Cecily Neville, born 1415, married to Richard Plantagenet, later the Duke of York was a power magnet in her time. She was mother to two English kings, steered her family through the War of Roses against the house of Lancaster and only narrowly missed the chance of being Queen of England herself.

This in itself is enough for a gripping story. But combined with the writing skills of Annie Garthwaite it becomes a perfect novel. Even though there are so many names, so many places and such an abundance of political and strategic talks, this novel is never boring. We get to know Cecily on her best and her worst days. Garthwaite does not shy away from descriptions of childbirth and the untimely deaths of children. Her imagination of this century is vivid in detail and a perfect background for the story of Cecily’s life.

I was almost disappointed at the end of the book as I think there is a lot more to tell about Cecily, Duchess of York and I wouldn’t have minded another hundred pages.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a reviewer’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing evocation of a woman who had such an impact on history. Brave, tenacious and a wily political operator Cecily also managed to survive having twelve children.

I'm an aficionado of historic novels and have been really enjoying the increasing number of excellent historical novels which bring important and hidden women back into the historical narrative.

The start of the novel with the burning of Joan of Arc is incredibly powerful. Cecily's relationship with her children is very sensitively portrayed and moving.

The history in the novel is more important than the 'love' interest. It's what makes the novel such a window on a past world. The important of family, dynasties and marriages. It's like human chess

I highly recommend this it is a very good read.

I really like reading fictionalised accounts of historical royal characters and haven't read one before of Cecily Neville whose two sons, Edward and then Richard, became kings of England. She lived through the Wars of the Roses. This is a great tale of a strong woman and makes history accessible. Great book.

I went into this book with high expectations. It''s safe to say that I wasn't disappointed.

It's about time I read a book with a strong female character showing the guy's who''s the boss.

I loved it.

This is a Strong book. Cecily Neville is a strong woman. A wife, a daughter, a sister, to powerful men, she weaves the thread gives strength to their web of power. Cecily creates her own chances as she navigates the political intrigues and corridors of power in the 15th century English court.
Her husband is the Kings loyal servant above all else, but the King is weak, his advisors are corrupt and devious. Her husband Richard is strong, he commands men's respect, he triumphs and battle, the kings advisors fear and despise him, and they whisper in the ear of the King.
Cecily plays a good game of chess. She is at least 6 steps ahead of the game, positioning her family for power, should the opportunity arise. Hedging her bets until it is time to strike. She is formidable, the reader is awed by her energy and cleverness.
This book is very well written, it has a style to it that draws the reader in and pushes them around, it grips hold. This author knows how to use words sparingly and effectively. It is one of those books that almost reads itself to you. It does mess about with the present tense in a way I feel no historical novel has any right to. Perhaps this is how historical novelists these days signal to us the seriousness of their intent? By stylisticly disconcerting us?
There are parallels to be drawn with Hillary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell books. This book is perhaps less labyrinthine it its plotting, but is a much jollier read.
In the earlier part of the book the story skims like a stone across the years, we glimpse Cecily as a child, a young married woman exploring her power. We never settle for long in one place, we get little more than a snapshot each time, with which to build out opinion of her, but by the second half of the book we know her well and watch her make the key decisions that will shape the future of England.
This is a exquisitely well written book. It is very well researched and brings the history to vivid life on the page. I hope there will be more from this author.

It took me a while to get into this book but after I got in to it I started to want to read further. Although as much as I started enjoying the writing style I do think one does need to have a good grasp of the history to understand what's going on. If you know anything about Cecily Neville and the beginning of the devastating War of Roses, then being inside Cecily's head is fascinating and it is brilliantly researched. I have enjoyed it and I feel it's given a far greater understanding of that time. I shall read it again to feel as though I'm 'a fly on the wall' to the twists and turns of a dark period of history.

I am usually a fan of historical fiction and was looking forward to discovering what lay beneath the character of a woman who made her mark on the royal court. But this was a long period to cover, and though there were many detailed conversations about and descriptions of events, I felt it lacked the insight into thoughts and feelings. I found it difficult to identify with Cecily, understanding only that she did fight for her bloodline, not really why. And this did detract from my desire to pick up the book, as I was not really fighting her corner. It was interesting to read another account of the War of the Roses (to compare to Jacquetta’s view of the period in Gregory’s Lady of the Rivers, but I just didn’t feel any fire this time - I found this novel a little dry and slow-going.

In many ways, Cecily is the perfect subject for a historical novel: she was an incredibly influential yet underrated figure. Perhaps the best thing about this portrayal is that Garthwaite doesn't try to make her likeable. She's a proud, callous and unforgiving character - and she needs to be to survive. She's fascinatingly unsympathetic, and yet you still end up rooting for her. It's a wonderful and unapologetic depiction of a medieval noblewoman, confident in both her bloodline and her abilities.

While I enjoyed following Cecily's journey over the years, other aspects of the novel suffer from its ambitious scope. Taking in such a long period of history sacrifices the immediacy you need to really bring historical fiction to life. Many of the characters end up being painted in broad brush strokes and the occasional unsubtle metaphor. Cecily's political power lies in her words, and so the dialogue is crucial. Garthwaite has an astute grasp on these pivotal conversations, and I would love to have seen a sharper focus on some of these scenes.

All in all, Cecily is a competent piece of historical fiction - with some moments of steely brilliance shining through.

An enjoyable look at the beginning of the War of the Roses, a part of history that I have not learnt much about. My school history seems to skip from William the Conqueror straight to the Tudors.

Cecily is a strong woman who is married to Richard of York and the book details their relationship alongside their issues with the king. The book is very detailed although I found the earlier parts in France a little dry.

The formatting of the book made it very difficult to engage with the characters but I imagine that is part of my proof copy!

I received an advance copy of this title from Netgalley in return for an honest review

Set in the tumultuous period of history encompassing the end of the Hundred Years War between England and France, and the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, this book focuses on the life of Cecily Neville, mother of King Edward IV and Richard III. The story begins in 1431 and gives a background to her marriage to Richard Duke of York, and his role in France in calming tensions there. Cecily accompanied Marguerite of Anjou from France to England for her marriage to Henry VI. As the years passed,
Henry’s competence as king was questioned, especially after a significant period of some kind of catatonia in the 1450s. He was also easily manipulated by the stronger members of court. This led to different factions being formed, particularly latterly the Lancastrian as led by Marguerite and the Yorkist led by Richard, who was named as heir to the throne . Richard is killed at the Battle of Wakefield as is his 17 year old son Edmund. Edward becomes heir, and is able to gather a strong army, whilst support for the queen wanes as she isn’t able to pay her army who grow hungry, and after camping outside the gates to the city of London, desert as heavy snow falls, leaving the path clear for Edward to claim the throne.

I loved this book so much. Initially, it was the cover that drew me in! But I’m a huge history fan but really know more about the Tudor period, so just a smidge later than here (so please excuse any errors that I might have made in the above!). I found the story to be really accessible and I love novels like this that really humanise these historical characters. I’ve since looked around a little bit and seen the castles, the clothes, the portraits, so it really was a gateway to further exploration. I think I would have liked to have seen more about Cecily’s life after Edward became king. She lived until she was 80 and was obviously a very strong woman, so it would have been nice to know what else she did. I would definitely recommend though. This was a book that I really savoured.

15th century England, a land where life is cheap and loyalties are fickle.
We enter this world with 16-year-old Cecily Neville, who has been married to Richard Plantagenet, son of a traitor. The marriage ceremony took place when she was only eight; a strategic marriage, not a love-match. But, once they begin their life together, they find a deep attachment to one another, building to an enduring love.

Richard has a claim to the throne, and we are told the story of his manoeuvrings, trials, setbacks and triumphs through Cecily's eyes. Long separations and joyful reunions resulting in pregnancies, many of which end with no live child to show, punctuate the tale. Richard fights many battles, which we hear of from the perspective of a wife who does not know whether she will see her husband again. Behind the scenes, Cecily is forming allegiances and making deals to try and ensure her husband's success.

This is a compelling read. A really enjoyable way to learn about a less-known period of history.

A great historical fiction read, Cecily delves into a part of history I knew little about, following a well-to-do woman and her husband at the time of Joan of Arc and the Battle of Agincourt. There is enough context that I felt that this was going over my head, and I really enjoyed the Machevellian social climber Cecily, as she initially appears. Despite being historical fiction, this is written like contemporary fiction and I raced through this book, finding it really enjoyable. I was attracted to the gorgeous cover but the inside is just as wonderful.

I was not sure what to expect of this book but I was pleasantly surprised. The lead character was endearing and you find yourself rooting for her early on the book. I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it

The start of the war of the Rose's the House of Lancaster versus the House of York, humble starts they've grown a bit the are counties in their own right now.
Cecil the youngest daughter is married to a Duke, Richard whilst still a child but when they were of age it was a deep love they shared and indeed although Richard was the Duke of York he had to earned the title by being loyal to the King the young King Henry that is. For Richards father was killed as a traitor so it was the job of Richard to earn what he would have inherited.
So that's how our tale begins a work of fiction based on the facts. Cecily a relative unknown in history is brought to a wonderful and colourful life even before television was invented. (Sorry).
There is a lot of character assassination very blatant and not at all subtle as in the modern era. The biggest enemies of the King and England at the time were France and Scotland, the battle in France raged on the Scots were under control but ready to fight if they had an army to march with them.
This tale is very much from the Ladies side of things the battle behind the scenes in an age were its not fully seen the influence a powerful Lady could wield and they did. Specifically if they gave their husband a son and hier.
I really enjoyed this book the subtlety of the battle behind the scenes the diplomats and the war mongers. The great characters and the big families still as today running the roast and the working of sisters whose husbands were in opposite houses. I hope you enjoy this novel i did and I found the attention to the historical facts added greatly to its credit. It makes understanding history easier if you have some context and this isn't a history book but it's a great historical read.

Mother to two kings, and a woman I'd never heard of - this is the story of Cecily Neville, and the machinations between families and dynasties at the start of the Wars of the Roses. Annie Garthwaite has created a strong woman as her central character, and Cecily is always at the heart of the action, plotting, planning and managing the men around her.
With so many noble relations with county names, it can be difficult to keep track of who is who. Characterisation is a bit sparse, and I didn't get a strong sense of motivation for any of the characters, or of any real sense of an inner life. But the great strength of the story lies in the plot and the action, which rattles along at a great pace.

I tend to shy away from historical fiction about English royals. Too many Henrys and Elizabeths and Richards and Marys. Too many internecine conflicts and competing claims to the throne to keep track of. Too many near-identical front covers featuring heaving bosoms in corseted dresses. Like many readers, though, I adored Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy, which brought something entirely new to the genre. So I was tentatively hopeful when I saw this compared to Mantel (and also, intriguingly, to Pat Barker's wonderful Trojan War-set book The Silence Of The Girls), but expected to be let down.

I have to admit, the first few chapters did not immediately engage me. The reader is immediately plunged into the action, as Cecily Nevill and her husband Richard stand witness to the burning of Joan of Arc, but I found myself - without a strong knowledge of early 15th century politics - struggling to catch up on who was who and what was what, especially with the requisite cast of Henrys and Richards (I know it's churlish to complain about this when those were literally the people's names, but golly it makes for tough reading: I recommend keeping Wikipedia close at hand to help refresh your memory as you read). But I ploughed on, encouraged by the fact that I had, by coincidence, just finished Josephine Tey's peerless The Daughter Of Time and so knew that once Cecily started having children (her offspring included two kings, Edward IV and Richard III) I'd be on firmer ground.

And I am so pleased I did! I found myself rapidly going from "meh not sure" to "oh my gosh must continue reading just one more page even though it's 2am". Cecily is such a well drawn character and, while she makes a far from unbiased point of view from which to see the early beginnings of the Wars of the Roses, I couldn't help but fall completely under her spell. I began to see, too, the comparisons to Barker's book, the central premise of which seemed to be that wars - and the men who fight them - never change, and women must cope with the aftermath. A sentiment that I think Cecily would wholeheartedly agree with (although with the proviso that she would be a more capable strategic captain than most male soldiers, which is difficult to disagree with).

Cecily is an extraordinary book about an extraordinary woman: highly recommended.