
Member Reviews

I enjoy Anne's books, highlighting the often forgotten women in history. This book is set during the War of Roses, focusing on 2 women on opposite sides of the battle for the crown - Anne Beauchamp the countess of Warwick and Margaret D'Anjou.
The story is told from both their perspectives, with an uneasy correspondence between the 2 tying it together. For some reason it took me a while to get into it but once I did I enjoyed it. It's not the author's best book but it was interesting to see this period of history from a different viewpoint.

A retelling of the history between Anne, Countess of Warwick and Margaret, Queen of England, wife of Henry VI.
I adore O’Brien’s writing and eagerly anticipate her new books. The stories are beautifully characterised and the reader really becomes involved in the lives of the women depicted. I thoroughly recommend, always a 5* read.
This one I’m not so sure about. The two women are quite different from other feisty females that O’Brien has focused on, and it took a while to get to grips with the story even though I am familiar with this period in history. Half the book I really liked. O’Brien gave us the Anne we all know and admire. A strong woman, who supports her husband and family through all the challenges thrown at her. Sadly, the voice of Margaret was very weak in comparison and her life was not so interesting. Knowing O’Brien’s skill I can only imagine she worked with what information she had. So a book of two halves for me, with a disappointing offering from Queen Margaret, shown up by the brilliance of Anne’s story.
The story takes us to the conclusion of Margaret’s life, and though the book is about both women and how their lives intertwined, a foot note on the rest of Anne’s life would have added interest to those unfamiliar with her ending.
With apologies, but not a favourite by this author, though still a good, if considered, read.
Thank you NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group.

A great novel! I think it was a very good idea to write this story through two powerful women! This way, the reader is more intimately linked to their lives as to their hopes, feelings and wants. This was fascinating as nowadays we definitely don't perceive life-planning the same way...
The Queen and the Countess are powerful, yes, but they will learn that power is relative. First, because they are "simply" women, second because of their absolute desire to remain in power despite many odds and whi holds the reins right now. One might find both women despicable: don't they have any feelings, integrity? Their upbringing was not based on emotional bonding, but rather on political bonding. They can't trust anyone because they can't be trusted.... Could both women become friends? Definitely not in our modern definition, I would say! However, they do need a friend!!
I found this novel very interesting and compelling even though I knew about that part of history. I have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed all books by the author.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

I have read many of Anne's books and I used to enjoy them greatly. However, lately, I have found that something is lacking in the writing, I don't know exactly what it is; I have found myself in a reading slump because of it. On this occasion, the two points of view don't have a distinctive voice, which might have contributed to my perception of this story. Overall, is a good read but I was expecting more from it.